By Eric W. Schoen
Stephen Sondheim, the man who re-invented the Broadway musical and died last year was born this week in 1930 in New York City. One of his most famous shows was ‘A Little Night Music.’ A song from the show, ‘Send in the Clowns’ pretty much sums up what’s going on all around us today!
The man who rubbed poop on a lady in a Bronx subway car was set free on bail for the 40th time. He then committed an anti-Semitic act attacking a Jewish man and was set free again. Next he threw a weight breaking the window of a warehouse, and a judge finally set cash and bond bail on this creep.
Asian women have been attacked in New York City and right here in Yonkers. Over the weekend the lines were long for canisters of pepper spray given gratis in Chinatown to protect these poor ladies from further attacks by crazy people!
Want a license to sell marijuana in New York State? Granted I don’t want one and hate the smell of ‘weed.’ But the first 100 are going to those convicted of marijuana crimes and their relatives. Doubt it’s going to be the ‘little people’ who get them. And social services agencies who were and are in the business of helping these people. And Governor Hochul has set up a fund to help those who broke the law set up business. You guessed it. Your tax dollars and mine.
Many People are afraid to drive with the crazy drivers on the road. Honking you. Switching lanes. Speed racing. Going way over the speed limit in clearly marked areas, even when there are multiple speed bumps on the road. Flashing their lights at you. Giving you the middle finger. The state needs speed cameras on our roads and more police officers on the ground and helicopters in the air to deal this this.
I go exercising at Tibbetts Park in Yonkers. People who are an 1/8th of a mile or more from others out in the open wearing face masks to prevent them from getting Covid-19!
New Mayor in New York, new Governor and they can’t do anything to improve the deplorable conditions in Penn Station in New York City? People, many from Westchester are afraid to travel through Penn Station trampling over the homeless and others doing no good.
Speaking of homeless, as we go to Press 2500 apartments for the homeless who need mental care and social services sit empty because New York City can’t get its act together?
Everyone worried about the conditions at Rikers Island in New York City. The city and state can’t get their acts together to clean the place up. Even those accused of crimes deserve to be kept in humane conditions. But what about those of us not on Rikers Island. Or those of us who don’t have relatives on the Island waiting their fate. Is anybody worried about us?
The first time someone gets charged or convicted of causing harm, injury or god forbid death due to driving under the influence of Marijuana when legal sales begin, the politicians in this state who approved the law are sadly going to have blood on their hands.
Is it me or does every road I travel on have an accident impeding the flow of traffic? Should our government charge those involved in accidents, many caused by speeding and reckless driving or those driving under the influence with the costs of police, fire, emergency services and clean-up which has got to be in the thousands of dollars? And let’s not forget the time lost by the drivers obeying the laws who get stuck sometimes for hours in these situations?
Speaking of accidents, hikers hiking off the designated trails in Putnam County at the Cornish Estate in the Highlands getting stuck and unable to move! 7 State, Parks, County and local levels had to respond. Who pays for this? I say send the bills to the hikers, and if they can’t pay lock them up or punish them because they weren’t following clearly posted rules!
Weddings cancelled due to Covid and restaurants and catering halls refusing to return monies paid either as a deposit or for the complete cost of the affair. Kudos to Attorney General Tish James for getting the money back. Covid was a National emergency, crisis whatever you want to call it. If you are planning a wedding or any event in the ‘living with Covid’ scenario we live in, make sure you take out cancellation insurance.
A State Supreme Court Justice, Linda Jamieson gets a mere censure, not expulsion by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct for failure to disclose a loan she made to an associate. The Judge pressures an attorney representing the associate to make it easier to collect on the loan, she failed to report, as required for 14 years! During the disciplinary hearing, the judge acknowledged ‘her conduct was stupid because I never took the forms (she was required to submit) seriously!’ Then she went on to say now she does. 4 members of the committee voted for her expulsion. Hooray for them. So the judge doesn’t have to follow the laws but we do! Laughable!
Four hours of testimony by Senators on the Judicial Committee of the United States Senate before the candidate for the Supreme Court they are considering can receive an honest and fair hearing. Who the hell cares what these Senators are thinking. We want a fair, honest. Intelligent discussion of her background and why she wants to sit on the court, not blabbering words from Senators that their high paid staff writers have written and they can, in many cases barely read.
Governor Hochul announces a 10 point plan to deal with the bail reform crisis and crime in New York State and members of the legislature are fighting with her over it. On what planet do they live. I hope and pray none of their family members become victims of crime.
Subway fare invasion, bus fare invasion are no longer prosecuted as crimes in New York City. You know in a way I can understand that though it shouldn’t be happening. The subways and many city buses are not places where you want to be. The quickest most efficient way to get to Barclays Center in Brooklyn from Westchester and Rockland is via Metro North and subway or Long Island Railroad. People are scared about the subway and the fact they have to transfer in Penn Station.
Some say, ‘People deserve a real shot at a second chance. The Clean Slate Act will increase public safety, bolster the workforce and improve our economy by automatically clearing old conviction records and unlocking opportunity for more than 2.3 million New Yorkers.’ Will they ever do anything for those of us who never broke the law?
State Attorney General Letitia James is calling on Governor Hochul to stop blocking nursing home reforms that are designed to prevent understaffing; Hochul has been postponing enforcement, citing a health care workforce shortage. All I can say is try to keep your relatives out of nursing homes as long as possible. There are many good ones with hard working staffs, but many with money hungry owners who only care about the mighty dollar.
I could go on and on but at this point you get my drift.
Send in the Clowns? As the revered Sondheim said, ‘Don’t bother they’re here.’
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.
