By Eric W. Schoen
I hate to break the bad news to you! There may be a turkey shortage, particularly in the under 16 pound category this Thanksgiving. Yes, blame it on production delays related to Covid!
Producers are struggling to keep up with demand. One turkey producer told the New York Post that the shortage was the result of “continuing to manage tight labor markets while working to keep employees safe from the impacts of Covid-19 in the communities where they operate.”
Birds weighing 16 pounds or less are more popular because they take less time to defrost and cook than heavier ones. Heavier turkeys will be more readily available. For many that means plenty of leftovers. Be prepared! Go to the butterball website, butterball.com where you will find a host of recipes for turkey leftovers.
I read in this fine newspaper last week that the City of Yonkers is seeking bids for ‘City Hall Brass Cleaning and Polishing.’ I don’t know much about brass, so I figured I would reach out to City Hall Deputy Communications Director Akeem Jamal to find out what this was all about. Having worked in City Hall for many years, I know there is a lot of brass. People use to steal the brass doorknobs from doors at City Hall that had the city seal on them.
Mr. Jamal responded quickly and thoroughly. He said, ‘The scope of the work includes, cleaning the brass exterior doors and door knobs and some interior brass banisters and handrails. There are specific materials needed to perform the work and may prove to be more cost-effective to send to bid.’
If you have experience cleaning brass, this is your opportunity to bid on a city contract, make some money and make City Hall more beautiful! So good to see that the Spano administration is trying to save Yonkers taxpayers some money! Now if only we can get the good Mayor to appear on my radio show on WVOX. So many of you have emailed me wondering why he hasn’t made a grand appearance. The invite is always open!
Can you believe the arrogance of outgoing Governor Andrew Cuomo. On Friday, timed just so he thought no one would read it (Saturday papers are by far the least read) Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced the suspension of the New York State Assembly’s probe of Governor Cuomo.
Cuomo’s response: ‘I’m not gonna drag the state through the mud, through a three month, four month impeachment, and then win, and have made the State Legislature and the State government look like a ship of fools.’ That’s our Andrew! Fortunately as we go to press the Assembly has changed course and will issue a report of the finding of its impeachment probe of Governor Cuomo.
Glad to see that the Assembly reacted to public pressure and will continue with their work. Some feel Cuomo is positioning himself for another run for office. As I have said before, his fate if he decides to make a comeback is in the hands of ‘We the People’ who make our voice heard at the ballot box!
The Delta variant has restaurants closing their seating areas and bathrooms. Now aren’t we supposed to be frequently washing our hands? I recently saw a 94 year old man be told that he couldn’t sit at a table at the McDonald’s in Mount Vernon to enjoy his Big Mac. The manager at the McDonalds on Sanford Boulevard should be ashamed of herself. I was buying a cup of coffee and wandered upon this. I sent a video of this incident to McDonald’s corporate offices via Twitter.
I, too was scolded for using the bathroom on a hot, sunny day at the McDonalds on Central Avenue in Hartsdale/White Plains while I was picking up a 200 calorie vanilla ice cream cone to cool down. The employees reaction to me using the facilities was like I was robbing the place. If they are so worried about their bathrooms spreading the coronavirus, then they really need to close the restaurant.
Starbucks, too has closed some bathrooms telling customers ‘the bathroom is out of service’ or closed. It use to be you could always rely on Starbucks for a clean bathroom. Again, people want to wash their hands as our mothers taught us before we eat. We learned to do this way before Covid! A tip. CVS, Walgreens and other pharmacy chains usually have clean, open restrooms for you to use.
I love dogs. Never had one, but if you invite me to your house your dog will be my best friend. Dogs in grocery stores or places that serve or prepare food. A big no no unless it is a service dog. Emotional support dogs? New York State law precludes them from entering food establishments.
Now most dog owners know the law. I was at a supermarket recently and a cute fluffy dog was sitting in the part of the grocery cart where a child usually sits. With nothing underneath it. The dogs owner had 3 kids with him so I doubt it was a service dog. It had no markings that it was a service dog. And how cruel could the owner of the dog be to have him/her rest on the metal gratings in the grocery cart. Unsanitary for the dog and the next person who would use the cart and might not wipe it down with cart wipes that were on the scene way before Covid.
I sent this message via Twitter to the corporate office for the grocery store chain. To their credit, at the entrance doors to the supermarket they posted signs that say ‘Service Dogs Only.’ Twitter is a powerful device that all of us need to learn. It gives you a direct line to America’s corporations, the majority of which will respond to your concerns.
The 911 system in WESTCHESTER is still broken. I saw an emergency at a store in Pelham Manor which is in WESTCHESTER County, dialed 911 and got connected to New York City 911. Don’t blame it on my phone which has a 914 WESTCHESTER area code. The system is broken and needs to be fixed.
After playing games on the phone with rude New York City 911 operators I got through to the Pelham Manor Fire Department. They were grateful that I had called as they have been dealing with this emergency for a long time and it is yet to be corrected. Nice when you are dealing with a municipality in an emergency situation and they treat you with respect!
Speaking of Pelham Manor, the village could be the first one in WEstchester County with Red Lights Cameras. Friends you know my feelings about Red Light Cameras. They are money making devices for the municipalities where they exist. With the crazy drivers out there speeding As roads are less clogged due to the pandemic we need Speed Cameras not Red Light Cameras.
Interesting that there have been no incidents at in intersection Pelham Manor wants to place the Red Light Cameras. According to a Journal News report the Town of Rye and Greenburgh are looking at Red Light Cameras. These cameras cause more accidents than solve problems. And of course are big moneymakers wherever they are located.
Live in Yonkers, Mount Vernon or White Plains. At least in Yonkers the locations of the cameras are listed on the city website. Make a review of the locations part of your summer reading.
Well, no turkeys here. Just some good solid advice for these final days of summer. Enjoy it while you can. Labor Day is two weeks from Monday. That’s also when Rosh Hashanah begins. Get out there, take a walk in our beautiful county parks or a swim or day of fun at the crystal clear WESTCHESTER County pools. Get that summer glow, but don’t forget proper sunscreen! Enjoy!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, go to WVOX.com and click the arrow to listen to the live stream or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
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