By Eric Schoen
Since I was born on the same day as George Washington, I cannot tell a lie. Last week’s column was actually number 400. But I couldn’t raise my glass to toast you good readers with our loss of Former Yonkers Mayor Angelo Martinelli. This column started out as ‘This, Too is Yonkers” and nothing was more Yonkers than our former Mayor!
Most of you know that with a little help I have been losing weight. Happy to report that I am down over 86 pounds. First time I have been under 200 pounds in ages. 400th Column, 200 pounds? Any correlation in the fact that 200 is half of 400?
One new knee, shortly another new knee. Hopefully these surgeries and weight loss will take some pressure off of my back so I won’t need back surgery. All you can do is pray!
When I hear of people with cancer and many things worse than what I am dealing with, it puts my little aches and pains in perspective. I am fortunate that I have great doctors, hospitals and rehabilitation facilities to care for me. Most importantly good health insurance to cover it all. So many who suffer are not as blessed as I am.
Column 400. Wow! It seems like only yesterday that Dan Murphy, the man who does it all at the Rising Media Group from serving as Editor of these great papers to making sure they are at the locations around town where you pick them up invited me to share my thoughts on everything from Presidents to pizza with you.
I congratulate Dan and his assistant Bayan Baker on the great job they do wth these papers. They bring you local news you can use and tell you things going on in your community. No where else in print can you find this information. The Herald Statesman, oops Journal News covers issues on a regional level for the millennials looking to move into the next condominium to rise or the latest sushi to dazzle the palate. They are banking on said millennials obtaining their content online and gauge success on the ‘clicks’ readers make to open up and read articles of interest.
Though you can obtain Rising Media Group newspapers online, we still count on those of you who enjoy reading the printed newspaper the old fashion way. And the only way we can continue reaching you is if you support the advertisers who solicit business in these papers. Whether it be the Walmart toy catalog, cell phone carrier or hospital telling you about the its’ latest innovations, advertising As they say ‘pays the rent.’
I’ll be here as long as you are here. And remember, if you disagree with something I say, send your thoughts, name and phone number for verification to risingmediagroup@gmail.com. I’m not always right, and realize there are other perspectives on the topics of the day that should be shared.
I thank you for inviting me into your homes each week and joining me on WVOX 1460 AM 10:00 a.m. Every other Thursday. Nothing pleases me more then when someone stops me on the street or while I am drinking my espresso at Starbucks (happened on Tuesday) and tells me their thoughts on my musings.
I had hoped that we would have been able to gather at a local watering hole so that I could raise my glass in person to toast you fine readers in celebration of column 400. I didn’t want to schedule something that I would have to cancel in my journey to good health which revolves around the schedules of medical professionals and institutions. So, let me raise my Iced Quad Espresso to you, thank you for reading my column and wish you and yours good health, happiness, prosperity and most importantly Peace in the world! We will celebrate in the spring!
The Great Yonkers Charter Revision Robbery of 2018 (Part 2)
After a ‘sham’ ‘Town Hall’ meeting and a ‘sham’ public hearing before Mayor Mike Spano, the Yonkers City Charter has been changed to allow the Mayor and City Councilpersons to serve 3-four year terms versus the current 2-four year terms. There is a move by some citizens to petition for a public vote on this change, something that should have occurred if the Mayor and Council were not afraid that the extensions would have been voted down. Email your name and phone number to me at thistooisyonkers@aol.com if you are interested in rectifying this travesty via public vote and I will forward your email to those mounting the petition drive.
Don’t you just hate when a friend lies to you? I have known Mayor Mike Spano for a long time. On May 10th of this year he told me he wanted no part of a 3rd four year term as Mayor. I have shared what he told me on May 10th in previous columns.
On Monday he signed into law legislation that would allow the Mayor and City Council to serve 3 four year terms. Totally opposite what he told me. If I remember correctly he even used the words ‘I swear to you’ in telling me his opposition to a serving a 3rd term. Two days before the introduction of the charter change Councilmembers Breen and Sabatino were ‘puzzled’ when I asked them about pending legislation to increase the number of terms they can serve. And as they say, the rest is, sadly history.
Election 2018
First it was hanging chads in Florida. Now it’s Wet Ballots in New York and Connecticut. The Secretary of State in Connecticut told registrars to ‘get out their hair dryers’ to dry ballots that people standing in the rain for hours damaged when they came in dripping wet to vote.
What’s wrong with this picture? Everything is wrong with this picture. People standing in the rain waiting to vote? Ballots being contaminated by raindrops? We spent millions probably billions on new voting equipment after the Florida fiasco and no one thought about what would happen if if rains?
It might not rain in California but in November it certainly can rain In New York or Connecticut. Or snow For that matter.
Now that Democrats control the Senate, Assembly, and Governorship in New York State, the first thing they need to do is pass Laws allowing early voting. 34 States and the District of Columbia have early voting in some form.
Early voting is needed because our election officials cannot handle the volume of people who want to vote on Election Day. To be honest it’s not that bad in Westchester. But did you see those lines in New York City. And people all over the country standing in the rain waiting to vote.
As for Westchester, we pay our Elections Commissioners who also happen to be political party chairmen over $150,000 a year and many other perks. We can’t afford to buy the ‘I voted’ stickers people all over the country wear after they proudly cast their vote? Apparently New York State decided at the last minute that counties should have the stickers, but didn’t send enough for everyone who voted. I happened to be in Starbucks and saw Yonkers Commissioner of Planning and Development Wilson Kimball who graciously shared her sticker with me.
County Executive Latimer and County Legislators. I know the budget is tight but how about we put a line item in it for ‘I Voted’ stickers and give instructions to poll watchers to distribute them to those who vote?
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.
