One of the fun parts of writing a column (and giving the folks your email address and living locally) is that people respond to what you write. Whether they like what you say or they every once in a while hate it, people have no problem coming up to you with their thoughts.
Every year certain issues stand it out and this year it was the City Council playing games with term limits at the very last minute and passing legislation within one week. I would say 90% of the people who spoke with me or wrote are solidly against increasing term limits. Even people who came out to the hearings supporting term limits are against it, but they were told by their bosses whether it be Union Leaders or the folks that run City Hall to show up. It’s amazing how one day the unions are supportive of the Mayor, and the next day the cork pops and they are not.
The next topic people are upset about is the death of Sergeant Frank Gualdino at the hands of a 16 year old who just got his learner’s permit. No matter whether I was in Yonkers, New York or New York City, everyone knew of the death of a police officer particularly in this situation and found it upsetting. People agreed with me when I asked, ‘where were the parents’ particularly when the kid was driving a fancy BMW. People are concerned because the driver was a minor and if he was older he would get the book thrown at him and maybe get some serious prison time. Let’s hope they lock him up and throw away the key. Don’t you just wonder what he could have been thinking when he did what he did?
Mention Red Light Cameras and everyone has a story. Yonkersites and those who visit our city hate them. This will be on the list of topics people are upset about until they are taken down. Very few people fight them, and given the timing schedule the lights are on or lack of one they are ripe to be fought. The problem is to fight them you have to take time off of work, pay for parking in the Government Center Garage and waste a half a day. Is it worth all that to fight the $65 ticket? It’s a hard decision to make.
The cost of things at the supermarket comes next. $4.29 for a package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese? That price blew my mind earlier this week. Remember when they were 99 cents a package and sometimes on sale 2 for $1. People are not buying that costs have gone up and that’s the cause of the increase. The sale flyer is more and more important, and though the prices are high at least they are not crazy high and you feel like you are getting a bargain when you buy something in the sale flyer.
I got a big response to ‘Toy Guru’ Richard Gottlieb when he was on the radio show. Everyone wants to know where to get those hard to get toys, and Richard gave them some good ideas. With the Internet and Amazon they run around the stores for you looking for that hard to get toy. And Richard gave them the list of top toys children will ask for so parents and grandparents can be prepared and not show up with monopoly.
Cars speeding on our nation’s roadways are on everyone’s mind. And being ‘honked’ at is particularly annoying when you are going the speed limit. Many people are simply afraid to drive with the animals on side streets and big parkways. One reader came up to me and said she gave up her car and is using ride services as people are driving way above the limit.
The reusable grocery bags Are more of a joke than reality. Supermarkets have paper bags instead of plastic but occasionally your groceries will be packed in a plastic bag. Enforcement is non-existent, and supermarket realize not everyone is going to remember to schlep their recyclable bags and they need a vessel in which to carry their groceries. For a while stores did not give out bags but nowadays it’s the rare store that doesn’t have a bag for your goodies.
When I wrote about the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Will Library, I got questioned as to why they tore down the beautiful Carnegie Library on Broadway and Nepperhan. And everyone has their theories from a businessman making money to a deal involving a City Council person. Yes it was a beautiful library but I doubt they could make it handicap accessible in this day and age. And we did wind up getting a magnificent library on the Yonkers waterfront.
On the topic of bail reform, people can’t understand how our representatives supported it whereas most Yonkersites and Westchesterites simply don’t. Your neighbors don’t want those who cause trouble out on the streets. In particular when the violence involves weapons.
Other topics people were talking about were Covid, respecting a Presidential visit, naming a Yonkers Public School after a Jewish man who lived in Yonkers, Sid Caesar or a Jewish woman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg just like the School Board has named many schools after prominent Hispanic men and woman.
Seasonal flavored items like pumpkin lasagna and harvest flavored sodas and sauces are something certainly talked about on the streets. And I am amazed how many people like their food with pumpkin spices or their water seasonally flavored. Ya’ know ya’ never know what will tickle peoples fancy.
I hope these topics were of interest to you. Based on my random conversations, they were to your neighbors and friends!
Briefs: I drove by the memorial for the Sergeant who was killed on Tuckahoe Road and the bridge. It would be nice if you put some flowers or candles at the sight of this tragedy.
Lite FM106.7 is all Christmas music through December 25, Christmas Day. My friends are always amazed at this Jewish boys knowledge of Christmas songs. I Learned these songs from Lillian Ruzow, music Teacher at School 13. May she Rest In Peace.
Can you believe Charlie Brown Christmas, a staple is not on network TV this year? Shoppers are you rushing home with your treasures?
Listen to Eric Schoen 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.
