Speeders NOT welcome
 Re. Welcome to Hudson, Gazette, Dec. 7: Toby Stewart, after being ticketed for speeding while exploring Hudson as a place to potentially live, widely misses several points in his letter. The officer in question is not a Hudson officer or employee, but an SQ officer rightfully enforcing our speed limits, at great expense to the citizens of Hudson, in a problem zone highlighted by citizens and council.
We have no way of instructing the SQ to grant good-will immunity to non-resident window shopper speeders while maintaining our own law and order. Mr. Stewart’s $125 contribution will repay to Hudson coffers only a tiny portion of the millions in SQ policing costs we pay, but his post-ticketing speed management of many vehicles desiring to speed was a good result from the type of enforcement the citizens demand more of.
Most of all, I object to the fact that he did not simply admit guilt and accept consequences when caught in an unlawful act. Instead we get a letter complaining that our community is somehow wrong minded, selectively enforcing laws and being unwelcoming. It seems that many wish to only call it speeding if they actually get caught. There will never be enough enforcement to overcome inherent disrespect for the law, but I wish that those who break the law and get caught would quietly accept that they were wrong, pay the fine and be quiet. In choosing a community to live and perhaps raise our children or visits from grandchildren, I’ll take the well regulated, well patrolled, well enforced community any day.
Peter H. Ratcliffe

Demolition by attrition
I was glad to read the mayor's conservationist sentiments in your recent articles about the Torrance and Halcro cottages. I've been concerned for months about another historic site, ‘Kanehsatake’, located on Main Road beside Greenwood.
This house was purchased by absentee owners who seem to intend that the building fall into such disrepair it becomes unsalvageable.
There's been a broken window for months with a branch growing through it - rain and squirrels and rot have had their way already. The storm window that would protect it sits on the ground underneath.
I've mentioned this house on numerous occasions to the town, the Historical Society and others, but nothing continues to be done, and municipal regulations make it impossible for anyone to locate and contact the owners (we are not real estate agents, someone at the town told me).
Some people don't give a hoot about Hudson's mere 300-year heritage or history that dates back beyond that? I'd hate to think that it's a characteristic of new residents that they are necessarily indifferent or insensitive to the history of the place they've chosen to live.
Sandra Stephenson
Editor’s note: We’ve been told the new owners, both Montreal doctors expecting their first child, intend to restore architect Frank Nobbs’ former summer home by keeping as much as possible of the original structure. As of this past weekend, the vinyl siding was being removed to expose the original woodwork.

Restoration work is underway on Kanesatake, one of the original Shepherd homes in Como. (Gazette, Jim Duff)

Blessed
Re. Give a hoot for lung transplants, Gazette, Dec. 7: Picked up your article in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire UK.
How lucky you are to have such talent in a small but beautiful Hudson town. Charity is always a noble pursuit, but to have the advantage of such a talented artist as Kenny DeSantis, you are indeed blessed.
Nanette Trueman

Bah, humbug!
One of my favourite Christmas movies, as for many, is It’s a Wonderful Life. Whoever can watch that and not get choked up at the anguish, despair and finally triumphant jubilation of George Bailey’s wonderful life simply has no Christmas spirit. Bedford Falls is an idyllic little town for the story, and I’m sure more than a few of us have glanced down Main Road on a snowy evening and felt that same nostalgia about our little town.
Unfortunately as this Christmas season approaches the similarities between Hudson and Bedford Falls extend to the more nefarious character of that otherwise delightful story, Mr. Potter. One of our own hard working citizens and business owners is being intimidated by our own Mr. Potter who seems to have an unseemly sway over the mayor of this town, causing him to make unfair and egregious accusations about a local business and jeopardize the livelihood of an honest and hard working business and family man. Mr. Hans Gruenwald and Mayor Michael Elliott, have set upon a course of action that seems to have no purpose other than to vilify the Half Moon Resto-Bar, its owner Sergei Malsev and its patrons.
Indeed the Half Moon is not unlike the bar owned by Giuseppe Martini, a hard working immigrant, a place where George Bailey goes to find refuge from the anguish of his life. So why would Gruenwald and Elliott endeavour to malign such an otherwise benign place? They would have you believe that it‘s too noisy and the patrons leaving the establishment cause a public nuisance. Well I can tell you I was present one evening when the SQ responded to a noise complaint; they arrived, inspected the place and left smiling without any issue about noise. As for creating a public nuisance, at closing time it is a few doors down from the Half Moon that you will regularly find two SQ cars and two Hudson town patrol cars standing by to corral the horde of over- served adolescents spilling out onto the streets of Hudson, trying to pick a direction to stagger off in.
So again, why would Gruenwald and Elliott make such accusations? In the movie Mr. Potter wanted to ruin George Bailey so he could take over the Bailey Building and Loan and turn Bailey Park into Potter’s Field. Does Mr. Gruenwald want to take over the Half Moon? We just don’t know, because Mr. Potter… I mean Gruenwald, and Mayor Elliott have not once attempted to enter into a dialogue with Mr. Malsev. It’s all been handled with letters and petitions and articles in the newspaper.
Well I’m not Clarence the angel but if I could summon the divine power to interfere for good in human affairs this Christmas I would surely bestow upon Mr. Gruenwald and Mayor Elliott a visit from three ghostly characters of another classic Christmas tale, who would save them from their squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old ways. Bah Humbug! Good day to you, sirs.
Dave Randall

Steve Thom sent in this photo of the first car rolling across the new culvert at the corner of Bellevue and 163 Main about 3:30 Friday. The weather meant they managed to finish it almost a week ahead of schedule.

Quebec B.S.
Having read Mayor Pilon’s mention of companies tiring of Quebec and setting up shop in Cornwall I thought maybe CP Rail might consider moving its plans to build an intermodal yard from Les Cèdres to over the border in Ontario.
They wouldn’t need to put up with as much B.S. as they do here. Endless studies that drag on for years as well as narrow minded language laws, that are forced down your throat along with the snitches they rely on that rat you out to the OLF for every minor transgression.
High taxes and third-world roads. Does a company like CP really need to put up with this?
Looking at a map of eastern Ontario I see many areas probably more suitable and surely much more welcoming than what they are looking at here. Just a thought.
Richard Meades

A huge thank you
Once again, due to the tremendous outpouring of generosity from the community, the Hudson Angels have been able to support a large number of citizens who find themselves in difficult circumstances this holiday season. The childrens' Christmas party was held on December 11 and was thoroughly enjoyed by over 150 children and parents. The party was catered entirely through donations as were the 155 presents that were distributed.
The 'Adopt a Grandpa' initiative for Nazereth House has met its objective of providing Christmas packages for its 20 residents and the plans for catering Christmas dinner at the residence are well in hand. Due to the exceptional response, it has also been possible to provide essentials, including food and clothing, to a number of families in the more local area.
Many thanks to all the angels that made it possible. Have a Happy and Peaceful Christmas.
Averil, Linnea and Marcus

Very successful Craft Fair
Westwood High had a very successful Craft Fair this year, raising just over $4,000 for school activities and projects. Home & School would like to thank all our generous sponsors from the community who donated to the fabulous raffle table. Thanks also go out to our creative crafters, talented bakers, dedicated students (including Mr. Bougie’s snowflake-making artists) and volunteers who make Westwood’s Craft Fair a hit year after year. Thank you and Happy Holidays from Westwood Home & School!
Arlene Griffin

The raffle table at Westwood High School’s Craft Fair was lined with donations from local merchants. The fair raised just over $4,000. (Photo courtesy Arlene Griffin)