Letters to the Lynbrook/East Rockaway Editor (April 22-28)

The LFD has many women firefighters

To the Editor:

Some corrections and additional information are needed for the article, “Fighting fires and gender norms: Lynbrook Engine Company No. 1’s lone female firefighter aims to help others” (April 1-7).

 The article stated that Jessica Kern, a member of Engine Company 1, is the only female firefighter in the company, but there are two other women on the active roster in that same fire company.  Additionally, Kern did not pave the way for women in this department, as many women have joined before her.

One woman has been a Lynbrook firefighter for more than 30 years, while there are other women who are active interior firefighters in other Lynbrook fire companies.  And, as the article mentioned, the department’s Emergency Medical Company is predominately female, and although not all are interior firefighters, they have taken the same firefighting training courses and follow similar requirements in order to become members of our Fire Department.

Women firefighters and emergency medical technicians have been an integral and important part of the Lynbrook Fire Department for many years.

Michael Brooks. Chief, Lynbrook Fire Department

. . . 

Board says ‘no’ to  marijuana without facts

To the Editor:

I am angered in response to the article, “East Rockaway village board opts out of marijuana sales” (April 15-21).

I wonder if Mayor Bruno Romano or any of the village board ever visited legal marijuana dispensaries in other states? I did in Colorado and Massachusetts. No, it was not a scene out of “Reefer Madness.”

Photo identification is required before you enter (and one woman in our party was 75 years old), all transactions were in cash, both places were clean and neat, and the staff was knowledgeable.

It was not cheap, however. At the time, there was 13 percent state tax on items, though I’m sure it is higher now, as New York will be. Good thing New York doesn’t need jobs or extra tax money!

Criminals (so called) will get what they want on the street, not at a dispensary. If anyone did any research, they would find that customers know what they’re getting in every gummy, cigarette, etc. Can you really say that about anything else?

Why not present facts to taxpayers and ask opinions? Romano had a lot to say, considering his response to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol was “no comment.”

Patrice Wunner, East Rockaway