Long time assistant Ulster County District Attorney Michael J. Kavanagh is seeking election this November to replace Holly Carnwright, who is retiring. Kavanagh is the son of Michael E. Kavanagh, who served for years as district attorney and then as a state judge, where he was honored as an outstanding jurist.

Michael J. Kavanagh, a lifelong Republican, will bring years of experience, both in court and at home when growing up in the home of his father.

In terms of experience it is no contest between him and his Democratic opponent.

Sperm bank mix-ups

Every year there are over four million births of babies in the United States. In 2016 there were 4,149,780,000 million births of babies. Of these annually 60,000 come from sperm banks, or one out of every 70 births comes from a sperm bank. I have interviewed over 3,000 local high school seniors, which means I have probably interviewed over 40 local high school seniors, who had a parent, who came from a sperm bank. Yet I am only aware of possibly two, who did. These two are very intelligent.

The headline for this column is borrowed from the New York Times Science section, and reflects that not everyone gets the sperm donor they thought they had paid for. There was a case where a white couple gave birth to a child of mixed race. The couple knew they had the wrong donor.

No student has ever told me they came from a sperm bank. I know there are gay parents that got their child or children from a bank and I have never heard anyone talk about it.

A likely couple to go to a bank is if the husband is unable to produce the sperm to have a child. There have been single women who have had a child and maybe used this approach to have a child.

This is a subject that is under the radar.

Ulster County towns are losing population
Census data indicates that most towns in Ulster County are losing population. The exceptions are: New Paltz, 428, and Lloyd, 3. The county population declined by 2,350 to 180,143. The towns and city losing the most were: Kingston, 457, Saugerties, 419, Lloyd, 251, Warwarsing, 266, Plattekill, 195, Shawangunk, 194, Marlboro, 103, Esopus, 152, Rosendale, 124, and Marlborough, 103.

A possible reason is that senior citizens are not staying in Ulster County when they retire because they cannot afford to live in the county. Another is a lack of new jobs, and possibly fewer jobs as IBM down sizes.

Big Business prepares for Global Warming

President Donald Trump is doing everything he can to help the coal business, including trying to block government reports, which report that Global Warming is getting worse. So to try to give a picture that there is a climate change problem. One of the groups that follows these reports is big business. They need the reports so they can best prepare for business.

They are ignoring Trump as they are making changes to prepare for the worst. Because of the dangers that exist in the Gulf of Mexico because of Global Warming a company may want to move a plant from the panhandle of Florida inland 300 miles or move out of state, rather than see it wrecked by 155 mile an hour winds, or severely damaged by a record rainfall.

A housing developer will do everything possible to avoid locating any where near a floor plain, as most builders are aware that the wrong location could wipe them out.

I was at a Highland High School graduation party at Mariners Harbor in 1981. It had beena great site on the Hudson River then. Now it has between zero and a few buyers for its site because it recent years it was severely damaged by hurricanes Irene and Sandy. In 1981 no one around here knew what a surge was. A few years ago surge from Sandy ruined the business. Is there now such a thing as surge insurance? If there is, who can afford it?

Central America is in the midst of a five-year drought. It is a reason why so many people are fleeing Honduras and Guatamala: no water; no food can grow. But Starbucks needs the best up to date weather information for that region because it buys its coffee there. Food chains need it too because Central America is a big source of avocados.

Central Hudson and IBM both have concerns. Pacific PG & E took a $30 billion beating because of the wild fires caused by Global Warming. How many utilities do you know that are facing a possible bankruptcy?

Do not be surprised if Central Hudson is taking steps so it can continue to exist in this climate change world.

Within weeks of D-Day, Picco and Trapani die
Two of the 16 GIs from Highland, who died in World War II died shortly after the D-Day Invasion, 75 years ago in France. Dying were Enrico Picco and Ignazio “Nat” Trapani. Their families were notified in the last week of July, 1944.

Enrico Picco’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Picco of New Paltz Road received a visit from the Army on July 25. He was 19. “He was the youngest serviceman from the Town of Lloyd to give his life in defense of his country.” He was a Ranger in the infantry. “The last letters from him came written on July 23 and 24.” He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Picco. He is survived by three sisters and a brother.

The Highland Mid-Hudson Post story said, “In the death of this 19 year old hero death with all its bitterness again come to our community, but there is a rejoicing to know that we have such heros.”

In the Highland Mid-Hudson Post was a eulogy poem by 17 year old Highland High School student John H. Elia, who is the father of Lloyd Town Justice Terry Elia. John H. Elia said of Enrico Picco, “So close, yet miles away.”

“This lad I knew in youth
You doomed to deathly glory
Better had he fought a hundred years

Then die in tender youth
One boon we ask, O Lord
Give us a holy light
To see the sordid ways of man
Instill in him a fear of hell
Whose mind to power turns”

On July 30 “Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Trapani received the bitter word that their son, Ignazio A. Trapani had been reported as missing in action. Last Thursday came the more sorrowful news from the War Department that Nat as we called him, had been killed in action.”

The Highland Mid-Hudson Post said, “Thus another Gold Star goes on the Lloyd Honor Roll, and while the entire community mourns with friends and relatives of the deceased, it also rejoices in the fact that it has men like Technician Trapani, who are willing to die at the battle front when duty calls. Men, who like Nathan Hale, regret that they have but one life you give for their country. “Nat” Trapani passed to the great beyond at the battle front, just as would be expected of him.”

John H. Elia said of Nat Trapani,

“Lord who rules from far above
Who sees each earthly act
Where lies thy tender mercy
Thou saw our son in battle
Yet aided not his plight

Some must die to save a world
Tis true to every word
But will it end
When man secured a peace
Or will he doom Himself”

Nat Trapani’s son, Nat Trapani was born after his father died and has lived in Highland all his life.

Even though the obituaries are 75 years old, they will bring tears to your eyes. It is a miracle Highland did not lose anyone at Omaha Beach. The Germans had their machine guns going from atop the cliffs.

One Highland GI was rushing the beach, when his buddy next to him was shot and killed. And this Highland GI managed to carry his friend onto the beach. This brief moment in time affected this Highland GI for the rest of his life. 6,603 American servicemen were casualties at Omaha beach.

A lot of those soldiers carried those memories to their grave, and never talked about it.

New York State not affected by amendment

New York State is one of 16 states not affected by the Hyde Amendment. The Hyde amendment issue has been discussed recently when Democrat Presidential candidate Joseph Biden said that while years ago he supported it, he no longer does because how badly it hurts poor women. The Hyde Amendment opposes states using Federal monies, such as Medicaid for an abortion. Sixteen states, including New York State use the state’s money to fund the Medicaid abortions in the state.

In 2016 New York State through Medicaid paid for 40,491 abortions out of 82,189 abortions. and 120,003 births out of 232,663 births.

Of the 34 states that do not fund abortions for the poor women, it does not stop them from having and managing to pay for the abortion because they cannot afford to have a child, or have another child because they are so poor.

I called Chuck Schumer’s office
The last nationwide minimum wage raise was 1993. The minimum wage has stayed at $7.25. Over 50% of the states have raised theirs as has New York State, but a lot of states, which call themselves conservative, AKA cheap, have not raised it. I am going to call Chuck Schumer’s Albany office at 518-431-4070, to leave a message with him to ask Nancy Pelosi about having the House do it, which may pressure the Senate to do it.

A problem is that Mitch O’Connell is a Conservative. An ulterior motive is my youngest son, Charles, and its minimum wage is $7.25.