So where do we begin? The most serious crisis is with Baby formula. There are many questions. Why do we have such a small number of baby formula manufacturers in this country. Instead of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature giving billions to the Buffalo Football team which is already making tons of money, why not give some of that money to startup companies that can produce baby formula?
You see we love to concentrate production in this country in the hands of a few. So when one part of the supply chain breaks down, we are up the you know what creek. And how come if you go on Amazon you can get baby formula if you live in our neighbor Canada but not the United States. It has taken months for the Biden administration to figure out we need to ease the restrictions for individuals getting government vouchers for baby formula. And a very long time to start the process of importing formula from other countries with similar formula products and standards close to ours!
Jewelry store Robbery. Thursday 5:30 p.m. In Getty Square?
I must admit that I have never thought of robbing a Jewelry store. Maybe a couple of Sweet and Low packets or crushed red pepper packets from Starbucks or Pizza Hut. Cheapest bottle of crushed red pepper a whopping $6 at Stop and Shop. It use to be $1 or $2 for the $6 bottle.
But thoughts of robbing a jewelry store by smashing in the front window? Not in my playbook. If I was a crook the last place I would do it would be on New Year’s Eve in Times Square surrounded by thousands of police officers.
Second dumbest place to rob a jewelry store? Getty Square 5 or 5:30 p.m. on a Thursday. Most buses in Westchester run through Getty Square. People get out of work at that time so many people rushing through the Square to catch their buses or Metro North trains at the Yonkers Station. Plenty of Police Officers around at that time, and statistics over the years have shown that Getty Square is pretty safe.
So why would 4, yes 4 men try to smash the windows of Golden Square Jewelry Store with so many people and law enforcement around. Did they think they would not get caught? The only word I can think of is dumb!
Thank god no one in the store was injured and Yonkers Police caught 3 of the 4 thieves. Bottom line. If you can support the Golden Square store please do. No merchant should have to put up with thefts, particularly of $100,000 of merchandise!
You never know what you will find in Getty Square at the various stores. I’ve been telling you about my saga trying the get appropriate size bags of 9 Lives Cat Food for my sister’s cat. Finally found it at the Shop Fair on Main Street in Getty Square. This after visiting over 10 retailers including the big ones!
Buffalo Supermarket Massacre
Terrible tragedy. My question. And probably yours. Online postings suggests months of preparation and planning before Saturday’s racist massacre in Buffalo. They show how the suspect evaded a state law that could have prevented him from owning a gun. New York’s red-flag law took effect in 2019, allowing judges to bar people believed to be dangerous from possessing firearms.
Yet the 18-year-old man accused of killing 10 people at a supermarket on Saturday was able to buy an assault-style weapon despite having been held for a mental health-evaluation last year after making a threatening remark at his high school. He described the remark in response to a school project question by writing that he wanted to commit a murder-suicide as a joke, and was released.
But postings that came to light earlier this week make it evident that the suspect was lying.“I got out of it because I stuck with the story that I was getting out of class and I just stupidly wrote that down,” he wrote. “That is the reason I believe I am still able to purchase guns. It was not a joke, I wrote that down because that’s what I was planning to do.”
On Monday, state police confirmed that they did not seek a red-flag order against the suspect, who is now charged with one of the deadliest racist massacres in recent American history. Our question? Why was no red-flag order obtained by state police?
Still Stealing from the Supermarkets!
Acme McLean Avenue in Yonkers. 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. Man goes to the deli, gets some cold cuts and walks passed me as I enter the store. I tell the manager. He tells me this goes on all day long.
There is no excuse for this. However, stores in 2022 need to have security people stationed at entrances and exits to prevent this. And keep as few doors as possible open. Otherwise your food bill will continue to go up. I was shocked at the prices of food at Stop and Shop when I went Monday.
According to store managers I speak with, this ‘bring your own bag’ save the environment deal has lead to an increase in thefts. People just walk in the store whether it be Acme or CVS, fill up their bags and run out of the store. Some stores have signs up that tell shoppers not to shop in their personal bags. It doesn’t work.
Westchester is a Covid High Transmission County. New York City on High Covid Alert
I went to get my second Covid booster over the weekend. Arm a little sorer this time than before. And on Monday Westchester was declared a High Transmission County. As I get ready to file this column New York City has been put on High Covid Alert. Normally I would have started this column with the breaking news.
I decided not to start off with Covid news this week. At this point we are going to have to live with it. I read more and more stories of unvaccinated people getting ill. One million people have died. You have a doctor. Ask him or her if you have any questions regarding the vaccinations you need. As for testing, you can get tests by mail, at pharmacies, even at the Yonkers Public Library for free.
Early on when tests were scarce, my doctor said only test if you have symptoms. I just wanted to be sure that protocol was still in place. Bottom line? If you feel more comfortable use one of the home kits. Just know they give off many false positives.
If you get a positive, don’t panic. Go for the more extensive tests to determine whether or not you truly have Covid. If your health indicates a mask should be worn, wear it. If you are more comfortable wearing a mask wear it. Just don’t be judgmental of others.
Briefs:
It was so nice to wear a suit and tie twice last week. The Foundation for the Yonkers Public Library Fundraiser and a dinner on a beautiful night for Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El honoring Rabbi Jeff Brown for 10 years of service and Julie Glick, a very active congregant who goes above and beyond the call of duty.
Even with the new Congressional Maps released Monday, Jamaal Bowman will represent Yonkers and most of Westchester. Sure would be nice to see him around town. But you can usually catch him on MSNBC. Would be nice if he put a collared shirt on when he is representing our district on National television!
Did you hear that Congress Spent it’s’ day Tuesday discussing UFOs? With everything else going on in the world this is their priority? What’s wrong with this picture?
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen on the Westchester Rising Radio Show alternating Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, WVOX.com click listen or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
