February 2023

Greetings, I have a bit of a rant to present to you this week. It is something that strikes me near the heart. It is probably not something that affects Corning personally, but I would hope it would strike deep into the heart of all veterans as it did me. So here goes, let me explain. About, a month ago I became aware that many of the veterans that you or I may have served with might not have been citizens when they enlisted to fight for The United States and her freedoms and principles for which she stands. They volunteered, just as we did, to put themselves in harms way. Now, years later, because of political bantering, those at least that I am familiar with being of Hispanic heritage, have found themselves deported to the nation of their parentage. Most of them came to the United States with their parents as immigrant laborers, and stayed and grew up here. When they came of age, along with their friends and classmates who were citizens, joined the military. This is true all the way back to WWII at least, many of them during the Viet Nam crisis. And those are the ones of which I am concerned. Those are the situations that of which I am angry. So many of these men, and possibly women, never became citizens. And at some point in time or another were sent back to Mexico, deported to a country that was as foreign to them as you or I would be if we were suddenly kicked out and landed in China. Strangers in a foreign land; some did not even speak their native tongue. When we serve honorably and are released from service we are given benefits that will take care of our health, help educate us, help us to buy homes and give us a start. These veterans are denied those benefits. I just found out about three that have been brought back across the border to veteran’s hospitals; two of them were saved, one didn’t make it, and one had to have his leg amputated. My friends, this is deplorable! This is a national travesty! This is inhumane! I wish I had the ability to show yo

Celebrating 150 Years of the City of Corning & Clay County in 2023 This article copied from the Clay County Courier, June 28, 1973. The above picture shows the old-time ferry crossing Black River East of Corning some 60 years ago.