I live in Jefferson County about 30 minutes from the Canadian border. We enjoy a beautiful way of life up here.

We have snowmobiling, skiing, sledding, ice fishing, many state parks along the beautiful St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario for camping, boating, swimming, fishing for bass, muskies and bullheads.

We have local maple syrup producers, cheese and yogurt producers, apple and grape orchards with cider mills and wineries to visit.

Let’s also remember our Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division and one of our largest employers, and the economic boost and revitalization for our schools, hospitals and stores, the economy in general.

I am not speaking out against the Lottery or “scratch offs” here. I am speaking out against building more casinos. Casinos will physically change our “neighborhood” as we know it. I would suspect crime will rise dramatically. Casinos are not built with money people have won, rather with “blood money” at the expense of people who have made bad choices.

I agree with the legislator from Madrid, “Anything north of the Thruway is Timbuctu.” I pray it stays this way.

Brenda Powell

Carthage

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