By Eric W. Schoen
Yes, Beaucoup Se Passe, or in English plenty going on as French President Macron and his lovely wife visit the United States this week. Let’s just be clear: the name is Macron, not macaroon like we had for Passover nor macaron, those lovely little French merengue based pastries. And the Presidents wife’s name is Brigitte (pronounced Bri-Sheet, not Bridgette) as so elegantly pronounced by the President in his introduction of her at the White House.
Let’s start with the Special Election to fill George Latimer’s State Senate Seat
SPECIAL ELECTION
Congratulations Shelley Mayer on her election to win George Latimer’s State Senate Seat. Now that Democrats have the majority in the State Senate there is so much work to be done. Early voting as allowed by 37 other states, reform of New York’s archaic election laws, allowing victims of sexual abuse cases to reopen their cases and sue their abusers, common sense reforms to New York’s gun laws, so many issues on the table that need to be addressed.
But wait, we have Democratic elected State Senator Simcha Felder who was stated that despite being a Democrat he will continue to play footsie with the Republicans and not caucus with the Democrats. He said, ‘I always try to do what’s best for my constituents and New Yorkers. I believe it is my obligation to prevent late session political battles that will hurt my constituents and NewYorkers.
Watch how much money gets poured into his district over the next few weeks. And watch how much legislation beneficial to his constituents gets signed into law. They call this ‘Let’s Make a Deal.’ Pathetic and sad.
The money that was spent on this Senate race was absurd. Over a million dollars was spent by the heirs to the Walmart throne who want more charter schools in New York State. Made me think twice before I made my purchases at Walmart in New Jersey over the weekend when visiting friends. Ended up shopping at Target down the block!
CUTTING SUNDAY LIBRARY SERVICE IN YONKERS.
If you haven’t been to a library lately, you need to know libraries are more just books. Computers ,3D Printing, Disability Services, Fax Service, Federal Depository, Funding Information Network, GED/TASC Classes, Homework Help, Interlibrary Loan Service, Job Info Center, ESL Classes, Meeting Rooms, Museum Passes, Notary, Test Proctoring, Wireless Internet & Printing. The list goes on and on!
Let’s not forget the twice a month Sunday musicales at the Will Library sponsored free of charge by Friends of Yonkers Public Library of which I am President. Thousands of people have attended annually for over 25 years.
Now we hear that the libraries in Yonkers may be closed on Sunday. Call the Mayor at 377-6300 and City Council President Mike Khader (377-6060), Councilpersons
Shanae V. Williams, 1st District (377-6311), Corazon Pineda Issac, 2nd District (377-6312), Majority Leader Michael Sabatino, 3rd District (377-6313), John Rubbo, 4th District (377-6314), Minority Leader Mike Breen, 5th District (377-6315) and Anthony Merante, 6th District (377-6316). Tell them you want NO CUTS TO THE LIBRARY BUDGET!
Again, the little people are the ones who will suffer!
LESS TIME FOR ALTERNATE SIDE OF THE STREET PARKING FOR STREET CLEANING
New York City has gotten it down to an hour, maybe an hour and a half when cars must move for street cleaning. In a city like Yonkers where buildings continue to be allowed go up without sufficient parking, it seems that we can reconfigure street cleaning routes so that cars only have to move for an hour. Let’s try for a half hour as is the case with many New York City streets.
NO MORE SIGNING ON CREDIT CARD RECEIPTS
With all going on in the world, you might have missed that major credit card companies (I.e. VISA and American Express) will soon no longer require you to sign when you make a credit card purchase. Cashiers in stores weren’t even comparing signatures on the back of credit cards to signed credit card receipts in the first place.
I like the system retailer Target uses to prevent unauthorized credit card use. You must enter a PIN after you insert your card to make your purchase verifying the card Is yours. More companies should try it!
LONG ISLAND BUS (ALMOST) DISASTER
Here we go again. A too tall bus attempts to goes under a low bridge. Thank god someone looked ahead and told all the people in the bus to put their heads down. Otherwise we would have had a disaster. To top it off, the bus driver had a GPS like you or I have and not a more sophisticated GPS used by trucks and buses.
When is New York State going to wake up and put poles, just like light poles on our streets that oversize vehicles would hit before they enter roadways they do not belong on. We were lucky this time.
By the way, if you see a truck going on a parkway where they do not belong CALL 911.
STRAWS
My father always told me men don’t drink with straws. I think of that every time I sit down and am served a beverage with a straw.
Now they have come up Edible straws that are biodegradable and made from seaweed. Think I’m going to stick with dad’s advice. By the way he hated eating on paper plates, even at a barbecue. A true environmentalist before the topic was even on our radar!
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 or download the SIMPLE RADIO app for free from the APP STORE.
