The ghosties and goblins will be out in force tomorrow night, sweets! After about six weeks of seeing skeletons, costumes and all kinds of weird stuff, All Hallow’s Eve is upon us. That means the Christmas stuff that hasn’t been put out already will be in full force. The TV ads have started already.
The Mystick Maidens of the Marsh have designated the fen adjacent to Painter Park as our Halloween venue this year. The regency commission that is still looking for a new High Mystick Maiden (no names have come down the pike) is still running things. Maybe Herroner would be interested. It’s strickly ceremonial, after all.
Tennyrate, it’s also the last weekend for all the candydates that are running for office to get out the vote with the REAL Election Day on Tuesday. Early voting, the thing that has kind of taken the shine off the big day has commenced, but most of the ballots are still cast on the Tuesday after the Foist Monday. This year is quite rare, but not unprecedented in our lit’le corner of the universe.
Herroner, of course, is running unopposed. Sooooo, there is no question who will take the oath of office on the foist Sunday of December (inauguration day under the charter). As I have been tellin’ you for a few weeks, whilst the top of the ticket is secure, what will happen underneath the mayor’s office has some in the majority party concerned.
Weather for Election Day is (at last check) supposed to be sunny and the 50s right now. But with the last of hurricane season churning down south, who knows what will happen. Another Nor’easter can hit us like two weeks ago (that was quite somethin!).
But the weather is only part of the angst on the parts of some. An unopposed candidate could very well mean a low turnout. Low turnouts favor non-incumbents. People who come out for these types of election vote for a friend, a neighbor, or to vote someone out of office. Does Cobina think that will happen? Probably not.
The Demmies, despite their concerns, have a stable base of support that comes out every year for each election. That base usually carries them over the finish line. But that don’t mean that some surprising things can’t happen. Not by a long shot!
As I mentioned to you the last time, we have two slates, and one independent running for an at-large seat for City Council, Steve Mullins. The Republicans put out a council slate that has two districks unopposed as well as the mayoral slot. Mullins has been hoofin’ it in every districk. He’s been seen walking throughout the city, and has some recognition. Recognition is a factor in elections.
Why is it important? Well, minority seats for one. Under the charter, at least one minority member has to be on the 13-member council, made up of 10 districk reps and three at-large. The top three vote-getters on the at-large line get the nod.
If there is a low turnout on Chewsdee ( as the Brits say), the chances of Mullins topping the Republican are fair to middlin’. Soooo, the minority rep might not be from a major party – something that has happened in the past. Remember the A Better Future Party? That was the enclave that H. Richard Borer, Jr. began when he got eked out in a primary in the 2000s. The eventual minority at-large person came from that slate.
The fack that it was an offshoot of the Demmies (and that all Demmies would sit on the council) was decided by the courts to be okay – even though the ABF candidates all retained their Demmie registration on the rolls.
Soooo, whilst we don’t anticipate anything like that, who knows what can happen. Let’s just hope it ain’t one minority member. That’s jest a waste of time, and should have been changed in some revision or t’other over the years. But, there was no political will to do it.
We will know what the outcome is early next Tuesday night. Around here counting ballots is not a big problem unless the machines clog up.
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Sammy Bluejay happened by t’other afternoon and made mention of the fack that surveyors were seen on the Haven property – that long expanse of nothing from Elm to Main Street along First Avenue. He wondered whether that meant something is afoot over there. Without putting too much of a pernt on it, surveyors don’t go out and do their tasks without something happening. A body can wonder, though!
Effen surveyors are out there, can an announcement about something – anything – happening over there is about to happen? Be still my heart! A reader called and said she was happy Cobina was keeping the stalled projeck in the public eye. Like we, she remembers when the foist announcement of “The Water Street Project” was announced way back in 1997 – 28 years ago!
It’s gone under several monickers, like West River Crossing, an allusion to the mural that shows settlers crossing the river in 1648 in the main post office on Campbell Avenue. The Haven was the last iteration. Sooo, we won’t get our hopes up too high, but having someone look over the property is a sign something might be in the offing. Stay tuned!
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The Wag came in the other day and mentioned that the local papyrus had a story about the possible vermin that will infest the neighborhood when the Debonair is finally razed, which seems to be sooner rather than later. This is jest the thing the two of us discussed in one of our letters jest a couple o’ weeks ago. Could it be that our letters are being read by members of the Fourth Estate working for William Randolph Hearst? Wouldn’t be the foist time. Regardless, always happy to help the competition.
Meanwhile, that is a concern. It’s been five years or more since the placed cease operation as a temporary place for displaced individuals, and it’s been boarded up. Boarded up might keep the two-legged vermin out, but not those with four legs. Goodness only knows what the inside of that place looks like now. Gives one the creeps!
The good news is the last of the Beach Street problems is on the way to being fixed. The temporary bad news is what homeowners in the surrounding blocks might have to put up with for a while. I will keep you posted.
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Before we continue, the city lost a giant of an individual last week. Russ McCreven, who was a writer and photog for this and many other papers, including the Register, as well as his fulltime job as a history teacher of repute, passed away. He was a great friend of the staff here, and kept sending many fine photos (he had a special eye) to us over the decades. Besides that, he scribed many colyumes for us, giving his own distinct take on the local scene.
He will be missed – and is already! Condolences to his children and grandchildren. A finer Westie was never produced.
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I know Iyam gonna come out as a bit of curmudgeon, sweets, but I hafta say the proliferation of electric bikes, scooters and the like has become a bit of a problem for those of us trying to drive safely in our gassamobuggies. Whilst the majority of the older users folly the rules of the road, the younger set like to pop their wheelies, go through Stop signs and red lights, and generally weave in and outta traffic. It’s quite upsetting for ole gals like m’self.
This was a big problem way back when mopeds first made their appearance, but it seems like things have gone a bit lax concerning traffic and the proper stopping of vehicles. You and I have railed about this in the past.
Cobina doesn’t mind the things per se, but wishes thems that use ‘em will be a bit more cognizant of the angst they’re giving to those of us who are driving gasoline-powered vehicles who wanna live another day.
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Nelly Nuthatch was in the office t’other day and was wonderin’ what happened to the plan to move the Allingtown Library to the Blake Building – the former seat of the School Dept.? I had hoid that after the announcement there was some snag concerning negotiations, but that was months ago. It’s been about five years since the library was summarily ousted from its digs at what is now called Allingtown Hall, or the former Forest School.
Bodies would like to know what is going on. There seems to be announcements made in this berg and they’re usually followed by long expanses of silence.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,