By Eric W. Schoen
So, Staten Island Chuck didn’t see his shadow. He predicts an early spring. Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow in Pennsylvania. That means 6 more weeks of winter weather. As far as I am concerned, this weeks storm provided us with all the winter we need. I’ll leave it up to the meteorologists who got it right this time. As we dig out our cars, we remember Yonkers own Ella Fitzgerald who said it best. Simply, this storm was ‘Too Close for Comfort!’
Which brings us to another musical icon, Tony Bennett. It was announced on Monday that Bennett has Alzheimer’s disease. He has been suffering for 4 years which included the time when he graciously agreed to have his picture taken with me in August 2017. The event celebrated the 50th Anniversary of WCBS Newsradio 880 and took place at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square.
I’ve always enjoyed Tony Bennetts singing, and his performance at the event was nothing short of spectacular. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. I came out of the theater, walked to the right and who did I see in the underpass that leads from 44th street to 45th street but none other than Bennett himself with an assistant waiting for their car. I walked up to him, told him how I admired him and how much I enjoyed his performance and asked if I could take a picture with him.
Without a bit of hesitation he agreed to the picture. Boy was I a happy camper. He was so kind. His music lives on as part of the Great American Songbook.
My parents both died very young. Dad was 59 and mom was 65. Dad died of a heart attack and mom had been ill for several years. I am sad that they died so young but grateful that neither of them had Alzheimer’s. Mom was in a coma 2 days before she died, I knew I would not see her the next day as I was a cohost at the Will Library of a program featuring Mayor Koch. I held her hand and asked her if she knew who I was. She looked at me with that look only my mother could give as to say you idiot, of course I know who you are!
I am grateful neither of my parents had Alzheimer’s and sympathize with those of you whose parents, relatives and friends are afflicted with this terrible disease. All we can do is pray and contribute toward Alzheimer’s research. So I ask you to pray for our great crooner Tony Bennett and all of the other people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s.
And now, as Paul Harvey, the late great radio commentator would say , ‘The Rest of the Story!’
-Was New York Mayor Bill deBlasio crazy when he said outside dining is suspended earlier this week because of the storm? Who in their right mind was going to sit outside in 20 degree weather followed by over 18 inches of snow? Granted I sat at the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome drinking vino all bundled up when the weather was in the mid to high 40’s. You would really have to be crazy sitting outside dining in the weather we had particularly when snow started coming down.
-On the Covid front, 10% of the people nation wide are apparently not coming back for their second shot! Are they crazy? Do they realize how many people are waiting for their first shot. What’s wrong with people? There are no appointments downstate but yes Potsdam, Plattsburgh and Syracuse have appointments available. For a second week. Schedule the appointments not being filled upstate downstate.
One of the things listeners to the Westchester Rising Radio Show on January 28 learned is that people are finding about locations where vaccines are available via word of mouth. So make sure your friends, pharmacist, anyone you come in contact with knows you are looking for a shot. The rollout of the vaccine by New York State has been a disgrace, but I do hear once you get an appointment and get to the site things particularly at the Westchester County Center are going very smoothly.
As for Attorney General Latisha James Nursing Home Report, I have one simple question. Governor Cuomo and State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker (an anesthesiologist by trade) would not let the Covid-19 vaccine reach the arms of New York State residents until the state verified the efficacy of the vaccination. Every decision that came out of Washington and the then Trump White House was questioned and verified.
No one in the Cuomo administration questioned the directive from Washington to send those with COVID-19 from hospitals back into Nursing Homes causing over 8000 deaths? And it took the Attorney General’s report for the state to admit more more deaths occurred. All of a sudden after her report came out Zucker ‘finished’ his report accurately counting the number of deaths.
Heads have to roll. I’ll let you figure out those responsible for very bad decisions.
-Another Yonkers snowstorm. As I like to remind you every year (particularly for those new to our great city) as long as we allow cars to park on Yonkers streets you will never have good snow removal we see In communities everywhere around us. Yonkers great hills add to the equation. Plows plow the snow onto the parked cars, cars want to get out so their owners illegally throw the snow back into the street, and this vicious cycle continues until the weather gets warmer and the snow melts.
What particularly galls Public Works employees is when people have driveways and instead of parking their cars in their driveways they park the cars in the street. Happens every snow storm.
An idea. Can we have those giving out tickets for failure to put money in meters on city streets dig out the meters so motorists don’t have to kill themselves trying to get to the meter. Go to the City of Yonkers website and refresh yourself as to what the streets are where no parking is allowed during a snow emergency. Yonkers Avenue from Seminary Avenue to Central Park Avenue is chock full of cars as my column deadline approaches and the city is under a Snow Emergency!
-Having worked in Yonkers City Hall when the city was under an Emergency Financial Control Board imposed by the State in 1988, the only advise I can give to my friend Mayor Shawyn Patterson Howard and the people of Mount Vernon is that you don’t want one. The Board, whose issues were with the elected officials use to humiliate city hall employees, many long time civil servants who ran City Hall. Take it from me it was no fun!
-Yonkers City Councilwoman Corazon Pineda Isaac votes against the extension of term limits from two to three. At the time she says two terms are enough. And the Yonkers Democratic Party nominates her for a third term, and she accepts. Only in Yonkers friends, only in Yonkers.
Despite the doom and gloom, let’s end with a quote from a tune Tony Bennett is so famous for: ‘Gray Skys are Gonna Clear Up! Put on a Happy Face!’
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.
