Well, it took a while, but now that summer is here, it seems it wants to let us know it’s really here. For the last little while, honeybunch, we’ve been sweltering through a heat wave that we haven’t seen in these parts for a while. I say it “took a while” cuz effen yew remember all the way back to early June, it was not exactly summer weather. Now the heat is made worse by the humidity, which is about as high as the temperature.
No, I ain’t complaining. Before you know it, the weather will change, and we’ll be back in the cold and snow – and yew know as well as I do that after last year’s mild winter as far as the white stuff goes, we’re due for a doozy of a year.
Before we go any further in this missive, Cobina wants to give her condolences to the family of former City Council Chairman and one-time temporary mayor o’ the city Joe Cullen. Cullen entered the gates of greater life last week at the age of 81. A feisty character, Joe was known for his straight talk and no-nonsense approach to things.
Goodness knows that over the years, this papyrus and Cullen exchanged a few bouquets and a collection of brickbats, depending on which side of isshews we were on. But, he was a guy you could git an answer from, even effen it wasn’t the answer you were expecting. There aren’t too many of his type left. Everyone wants plausible deniability these days, and seldom give straight answers. He will be missed.
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Cobina found herself having to leave the office here on the Postal Road a few days ago, and it was a toss-up betwixt driving via the interstate or going through town. The time was gonna be about the same one way or t’other. So, we determined to go via the Boulevard and Columbus Avenue in the Elm City.
We gotta say, sweets, we were amazed at the vista that faced us whilst we were waiting at the light on the Allingtown Hill. The entire face of the Allingtown Center has changed. It looks like an entirely different area than what we were used to for the better part of 100 years. The new constructions, the clean look, and, even though it’s not finished, the new Green itself will be something once it’s finished.
We know that there has been a kerfuffle about the Green and the sale of the former Forest School building that houses the library, but you can’t fight success, and, we hafta say, it is successful! As far as the traversing through Columbus Avenue, let’s jest say it brought back memories of times gone-bye and the people in those times.
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Sammy Bluejay reports that the School Bored is discussing what to do with the schools opening up. As yew are aware there is a bbbbbiiiiiiiggggg bit of fol-de-rol going on about whether schools should open up, and, because it is an election year, it is a political football.
Tennyrate, the Governor has asked for school systems to send the state a plan for re-opening and what it might look like. The B of E was meeting Monday night to discuss it, and it’ll be interesting to see what transpires. We hoid that some systems are opting for half-day sessions in the morning and afternoon at least to start, and then see what happens.
Effen there is a new outbreak, — and there will probably be some – the systems in coordination with the state will determine what the next step is. Sammy hoid that Sept. 1 looks like the date after which buildings can re-open. The question is what happens next.
The buzz is that for two or three weeks many schools will be in a wait-and-see posture. Effen things don’t go over the top in cases, things will begin to return to normal. That includes extra-curriculars, etc. Of course, this being a sports town, everyone wants to know what’s gonna happen with the fall season?
We are hearing things will begin after schools open, so effen there is a season – and that might be determined in a week or two – it will be shorter, and not have all the usual frills. Stay tuned.
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Nelly Nuthatch was by t’other afternoon and mentioned that try as they might, people from out of town are using city beaches – witch we don’t think the city can legally stop them – and doing their darnedest to find places to park.
Ya see, the city won’t let non-residents park in city lots, witch when you think about it is penny wise and pound foolish. We could be making some kopecks. They are finding places to park, and walking to the beach. Who’s gonna check their residents. But still, we don’t think that could happen
Remember when the city wanted to limit access to the beach about two decades ago? Well, it was found that the beaches were built with federal dollars. Therefore, the city could not stop non-residents from using them. That’s right our beaches are all man-made. There are longtime residents who can tell yew what they looked like before. And that is one of the reasons that the sand going into the Sound is setch a problem. After the war, the beaches were enhanced with sand with the use of Uncle Sam’s checkbook.
So, the beaches have been busy, and those who wanna use them are finding out they can get there one way or the other.
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Here we are heading into the last weeks of July already, and despite COVID-19, the Taxman Cometh. Bills have been out for a few weeks, and the Actors Colony has found a novel way to allow people to pay in-person: a window with a ramp on the outside o’ the building. As yew know only employees are allowed in the building at this time. Heck, even the Chamber of Commerce, which has its offices in the bowels of the building cannot get inside to open.
Sooooo, in order to git the money this berg so desperately needs, the brains trust has got creative. There are those of us who still prefer the US Mail, and will do what we have to regarding the rendering unto Caesar, but for those who like to pay in person, they can do it.
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Effen I haven’t mentioned it, the area around the Sewage Treatment Plant on Beach Street has been undergoing some new pipe placements, necessitating the closure of the street. Iva Lootey said this week that the traffic patterns over there have been diverted to Second Avenue, and those wishing to git to Foist Avenue hafta detour via Monahan Place.
How long this construction is gonna go on is anyone’s guess, but it’s been going on for the better part of a month or so, according to Iva.
Meanwhile, we go from construction to nothing. The Haven area is still lying fallow with nary a thing happening to it some two months after Water Street was closed off. The only thing that has happened over there was a fire brigade training session or six on what was part of Richards Place. When are things gonna start over there? Who in creation knows? And effen they know, they certainly ain’t telling. The developers over there play everything close to the vest, but weeks after traffic was halted over there the only thing happening is boarded up buildings beginning to rot. It ain’t a good situation.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,