Dear Felicia

Well, sweetie pie, it seems that the month o’ January is flying by, and all those who thought the new year was gonna bring something new and different have, so far, been terribly disappernted. The year of 2021 has had as much or more bad news for the average person as did 2020, and with a new administration at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. taking shape, the news will only git worse. The average guy is gonna git hit with lots o’ bad news over the next 12 months and probably four years here in the Asylum by the Sea, all cuz o’ the loon who now sits at the above address.

The Wag came in t’other day and said that he hoid our senior senator was saying he was scared for his life and hiding under his desk when the mob came into the Capitol – the one we are now finding out ain’t what it was said to be. Just to see ole DB under a desk would’ve been the price of admission. Then again, given his penchant for embellishing the truth or outright lying, we should take his story with a grain of salt. He is given to hyperbole.

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With the turn of the calendar into an odd-numbered year, our attention will turn ever so to the fack that the Silly Season is upon us. Yup. Hard to believe, but we’re gonna have municipal elections sooner rather than later, and the big money is on the fack that Herroner is in line to git another nomination and, probably, another term. The above mentioned Wag sez that the next 12 months will be interesting only insofar as we’ll see what, if any opposition comes from either inside the Demmies or elsewhere. We shall see.

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Whilst that was happening, it seems that the thoid floor put out a diktat last week that seems to be directly related to the incoming Silly Season of the election year. All department heads have been ordered not to answer any inquiries from City Council members, but to have said members put the queries in writing and CC herroner and Louey Esposito, her major domo.

Now, Mrs. Rossi has always been somewhat of a controlling personality, but this one is turning some heads, and not in a good way. The following missive was sent to Cobina, and the questions and comments are valid.

“It seems as if her honor is getting a bit testy after the last City Council Meeting. Effective immediately, all Department Heads are verboten to have direct contact with any council member without Big Sister watching. All communications on any question whatsoever must be in writing she and Lou Esposito copied. Some are chalking it up to Council questions regarding overtime costs. Others are concerned with City Clerk revenue projections, while others have noted overspending in some departments where programs were canceled due to the virus.

“Then again…it could be none of the above. Some just think she’s being a control freak. We predict this edict will become even tighter and cause further strains throughout City Hall, her fellow Dems, and the council.

“You can expect things to get worse as municipal elections are soon to be front-and-center before you know it. Word on the street is that some Dems are unhappy that Rossi is seeking another term and secretly wish for a better option. As for the Grand Ole Party, the cupboards are empty. Rumors are flying about Michele Gregorio being at the top of the GOP ticket again. Most consider Ms.Gregorio the leading contender. Other GOPers, along with a growing number of unaffiliated and disgruntled Dems are hoping Barry Lee Cohen will throw his hat into the mayoral race. Cohen would be an intriguing candidate if he’s got bigger ambitions.”

The administration is calling it more transparent and a better way of communicating. In this day and age, we are all aware of the idea of “narrative.” Methinks that might have more to do with it than anything else. Effen you can’t control the narrative, events can get out of kilter.

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We can try to unpack what is said in the last graph of the missive, honey bunch. The bloom always seems to come off the rose in this burg after two terms. The two other factions of the party were vanquished perty effectively over the last couple o’ terms, but that don’t mean they ain’t storing their powder and waiting for a chance to get back into the game. Anyone who’s been around more than five minutes in this town knows that.

Then there is the GOP. “The cupboard” is bare. That party hasn’t had any kopecks since Clinton’s first term, and things don’t seem to be going in a direction where things will change. They have a new chairman, but who cares? Nothing comes out of the loyal opposition, and we won’t hear from them until setch time as they start making noises about their candidates.

Cohen is a bit of a different bird, but yew hafta know that he’s ruffled feathers not only outside the party, but inside. And, truth to tell, the fack the Demmies didn’t want an O’Brien-leaning candidate to win that districk helped him. But the genie is outta the bottle and Cohen is making his name known and felt. Soooo, it should be very interesting to see how things play out.

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Sammy Bluejay reports that whilst there is some bit of a respite now, the budget-making process is continuing in the Actors Colony, and the fack that much of it will happen via a computer screen is not lost on anyone. Last year, at least, most of the work was done before the country shutdown. Now, things seemingly never going to open again, the entire process will keep the online meeting companies in the black for some time.

This is not setting well with more than a few as online meetings have a tendency to be dull and lifeless with no real interaction, nor any real way of gauging the veracity of the person being spoken to. Eye contact and body language are being lost in the entire process, and some are worried that things might go off the rails, or info might be judiciously parsed out in setch a way that a true picture of things won’t be seen. We shall see, won’t we?

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The Haven demolition seems to be off OK with the oldest building in the area getting taken down last week. So, maybe things are, in fact, gettin’ done in good time. Last week, we wondered effen the promise of having stores open for Christmas 2022 is still in force. Once again, we don’t know, and will wait and see jest like everyone else.

That said, the demolition is good for the surrounding neighborhood, which still has to deal with the rot of houses that have been closed up for years. Clearing of that space can’t some soon enuff for those people.

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One note, we hoid over the past week that Patricia Herbert passed away at the ripe age of 102. Over the many years we had contact with her, she was a bright and erudite individual – not something one sees very often these days. She was always involved in city projects and is a link to the city’s storied past. We shall miss her. She was a good woman, great educator, and role model for many.

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With that bit o’ chatter, and with the final visual of Dick Blumenthal cowering under a desk, until next time, I’ll close mitt luff und kizzez,