Howdy, sweets! Here we are in the midst of October, which seems to be flying by effen yew ask me. Before uew know it, the boys in the DPW will be on the Green putting up lights and gettin’ ready for a tree lighting. That’s how fast things seem to be going. John Purmont and his gang are prepping for the annual Graveyard Tour so yew know the end of the year is fast approaching – and with it, cold dank days.
Here in the Asylum by the Sea things are as muddled as ever. The MARB has control of our purse strings, and Sammy Bluejay sez that some of the members of the ruling class are getting jest a bit disillusioned. Sammy wouldn’t be specific, but the fack that the City Council has little or nothing to do that is important with MARB making all the decisions, has some wonderin’ what the pernt it.
Now, whether that means a few of the stalwarts on the council are looking to beg off come next election is anyone’s guess. Remember, people go through moods, and what they might feel today might not be what they feel a week from now, or in this case a year from now.
We will reiterate what we hoid via Sammy and others that Herroner might be eying an exit strategy come next November, and effen that happens, we’re told a virtual litany of candidates are looking to run. Given the fack the ruling party is still divided into three factions, that seems to be an accurate assessment, jest based on past history.
Herroner won by 30-plus votes the last time in a contest tainted by the Covid funding fraud that was perpetrated. With those cases still on the docket and not looking like there’s an end in the near future, those could play a factor in the next go-round. We shall see. Some are saying, however, that the current administration might be nearing its “sell by” date.
The big question is gonna be the Republican Party. Y’see they are getting jest as cantankerous as the Demmies in that they jest can’t git along. They lost the mayoralty by a handful of votes, and yew’d think they’d be looking to capitalize. Nope. They seem to be in as much disarray as usual. But, there’s still a year to go.
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Speaking of the GOP, the State Supreme Court came down with an expected decision regarding Barry Cohen’s lawsuit over last year’s election. Remember, he found absentee ballots that weren’t handled according to Hoyle, and thought the number of tainted enclosures could change the outcome. The chances of that happening were perty slight. In fack, effen yew remember, I told yew at the time the trial court was gonna find enuff to say there were irregularities, but not enuff to overturn the results. Courts hate that. I think my exack words were, “The judge will punt.”
Punt she did, and Barry appealed. Unless Barry had irrefutable evidence of something wrong, like a photo of illegal ballots being stuffed into a box, the chances of the election being overturned was nil.
The State Supreme Court agreed with the trial court and denied the appeal as we all thought would happen. They did find some “irregularities” but not enuff to change things. Did I say courts hate that?
How this plays into Barry’s plans in the future is yet to be seen. He may just stay outta local politics and go back to being John Q. He’s a bit of a firebrand both in and outta the GOP, so it’ll be interesting to see how things shake out.
And jest a final thought: why does the city’s Corporation Counsel hafta be sooooo snarky about everything. Yew know full well effen the shoe was on t’other foot, said barrister would be raising Cain over how awful the irregularities were, and how he is just doing the just thing by calling it to the court’s attention. Snark seems to be this guy’s stock in trade. It really gets tiresome.
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Nelly Nuthatch came in t’other day and asked a question we’re all wondering – at least those of us who hafta traverse the area on a regular basis. How long does it take to open up a street? Six weeks ago, the Police Commish okayed the reopening of Water Street and the lowest part of Main Street to traffic. The two have been closed since April of 2020 cuz of “The Haven.”
Well, now that “The Haven” has gone the way of the do-do bird, the desire to end the daily tie-ups along First Avenue toward El-em Street has been voiced by many, including the political class. As of this scribing, the cement blocks are still in place at Main Street, and the chain link fence is still closed at Water Street. By the time the street is opened, the new owners might be in place – and then what happens?
No, we don’t know who is buying the property, and we’ve been told that more demolitions are on the way, but you don’t wanna hang for as long as we’ve been waiting for that to happen. It never fails, things just plod along after big announcements, whatever the issue.
Meanwhile, Beach Street, we hear-tell is gonna be reconstructed come the spring. Effen yew remember they roadbed is gonna be raised similar to what happened near the water treatment plant two years ago. This is to prevent flooding in the area as happens when we have big storms, whether hurricanes or jest large Nor’easters.
Tennyrate, the news to come outta that is the projeck planned for the former Chick’s property seems to be going through. I guess there’s gonna be a combo of residential townhouses or something and a restaurant. The restaurant is what people want, the housing, not so much. This city has more housing than most places our size. It’s one o’ the reasons we are one of the densest places population-wise. Oh, we’re dense in other ways, that’s for sure, but very dense as far as people per square mile.
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Of course, there are still two weeks before the voters go to the polls to determine who’ll be our state and national reps this go-round. A body hopes this supposed Red Wave will hit our little area. Nothing would make Cobina happier than seeing our own Rosa DeLauro Greenberg upset and put out to pasture, but we aren’t holding our breath. Effen insanity is doing the same the over and expecting a different result, then our little part of the universe is a looney bin.
And let’s hope the amendment to allow Early Voting goes down to defeat. It’s just another way to cheapen votes, and allow politicos to muddy the waters. Effen politicians are in favor of it, it can’t be good for the common folk. We’ve learned that over the decades.
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Have yew noticed the political ads on the boob tube over the last several weeks leading up to November 8? I like the way the incumbents, particularly the Secretary of State and Attorney General talk about issues that will have absolutely no impact in our very blue corner of the world. They make it sound like the enemies are at the gate. Heck, they ain’t even within a stone’s throw of the gate. But, there is a certain segment of the populace, particularly of a certain professional class that eats that stuff up.
The drama or faux drama is really something to behold and, of course, they approved that message. What an insult to a person’s intelligence. That, however, is the way political ads go. You can feel your IQ lowering effen yew pay too much attention.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next mitt luff und kizzez,