Well, sweets, the Labor Day holiday is history, and life in this Asylum by the Sea is starting to git outta summer mode, and back into what we’re all used to around here. As I told yew last week, yew can see things returning to normalcy cuz meeting notices are becoming more plentiful, and things like kids’ sports and other organizations are revving up. Before yew know it, the leaves are gonna be turning colors – some already are starting – and the autumn leaves will, like the song sez, “Begin to fall.”
Heck, it’s getting darker and darker at night, and the sun is not getting up any earlier. Somebody said we lose two minutes a day. Feels like more. Tennyrate, there is more going on in this berg than the weather, though it has affected things.
The powers that be in the school system got a dose of Mother Nature’s lack of cooperation last week. About 15 or so years ago, the school system determined that it was gonna start up before Labor Day, rather than wait for what was always the traditional end of summer vacation. In the beginning it was a couple days with the thought the organizational stuff would get done, and then after Labor Day classes would begin in earnest.
Then as the years continued we opened up a day or two earlier to the pernt that it is now open in the last week in August. Well, last week we saw one o’ the reasons that this was never setch a great idea. An old-fashioned August heatwave covered the nation, not jest the region, and it was hotter than Hades around here, with very little breeze. What breeze there was blew as hot as the temperature.
Soooooo, the kiddies, who were supposed to have five full days of school under their belts before the week was out, had to be let out early cuz things were oppressive in the buildings. The days count – they got enuff “instructional hours” for that to happen, but the full-day schedule went by the boards. And, as I scribe these notes to yew, next week is promising to be another that might have some oppressive days, so we may not be over this, not by a long shot.
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Sammy Bluejay fluttered near the schools and took in some o’ the heat, and he sez that he had to give the kiddies credit, many of the buildings are not known for their ventilation, so it got perty dank in some o’ those places. The kids stuck through it perty well.
What he was interested in, though, was the fack that people were talking two things: hurricanes and the winter. This is the hottest summer we’ve had in more than 30 years. No, it ain’t global warming, it’s jest the natural order of things. With the exception of maybe a week or two, we’ve had some perty cool summers. People are now looking to see what things like the Farmer’s Almanac are saying about the winter. Usually, when we have a hot summer like this, the winter is perty cold, and, dare I say it, perty snowy. But we shall see.
More up to date is the fear that we could be having a hurricane in the next few weeks. September into early October is the traditional time this area gits hit, if at all, by hurricanes. With the water temperatures being as high as they are, one wonder. Again, we shall see.
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Nally Nuthatch was in t’other afternoon, and was comminting on the fack that the gubernatorial campaign betwixt Ned Lamont and Bob Stefanowski didn’t wait for the traditional Labor Day kick-off. Nope, things are already floating in the commercials on TV.
Whilst that is going on, I see that the local yokels are being a bit more traditional and not actively campaigning jest yet. Oh, they’re getting an endorsement here or there, and having their mugs appear in a picture or three, but nothing is really getting started. We expeck that will be changing very rapidly here abouts. More press releases will be coming touting this or that about the candidates, and more promises will be made about things we can’t afford. In other words it’ll be a normal campaign soon enuff.
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Iva Lootey was in the area the other day and wondered effen there will be some roof repair done to the Savin Rock Conference Center, or will the tarp that seems tethered to the roof be there for the short term? He happened by the shore t’other afternoon and saw the tarp, and the way it was fastened, it looked a bit more permanent than what one sees when roof repairs are being made.
The city is looking to unload the building somehow and has stopped all rentals of it until they either lease it to a professional management company or sell it. But one wonders effen not fixing the roof – if that is indeed what must be done – ain’t being a bit penny wise and pound foolish. You have the facilities, and not doing proper maintenance jest means yore gonna hafta spend more if and when repairs become more than necessary.
Heck if you go by any ball fields, particularly Painter Park, yew see that things are maintained with grass growing where it shouldn’t. When the time comes to get it back up to snuff, it’ll take more money. It jest ain’t a good way to run a railroad – waiting until the ties can’t hold the track bed.
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Speaking of waiting or ignoring, I see that our Gripe Vine mistress, Eleanore Turkington, is dozens of complaints ahead of the number that have been filed with the Actors Colony. Now, I guess, instead of going to Lou Esposito, the jack of all trades in the administration, they are supposed to go to Michael DiMassa, who seems to have a new title.
Jest a bit of advice for the administration effen they’ll allow Cobina: The best way to aggravate the electorate is to not handle the small stuff. People know they have no control over the big stuff, like the debt, taxes, etc. But they want the trees trimmed, the sidewalks fixed, lights replaced and blight taken care of. These are some of the few things they think they still have some control – or voice – over.
In the past administrations have attempted to ignore or shuffle off these little complaints as not important in the big scheme of things. That ain’t a good way to think. The best way to make John and Jane Q. angry is effen the little things in their neighborhood aren’t being taken care of. Then they think they are either being ignored or, worse, waved off as unimportant.
We’ve seen this over the last 20 years or so, and think the new kids in the Actors Colony should pay attention. The big things don’t git you in trouble with the voters – the little ones do.
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With the end of summer comin’ I guess Cobina should return to one o’ her favorite topics: Beach Street. Maybe the administration can entice David Beckerman, entrepreneur who is spearheading the Allingtown renewal to get over onto Beach Street and do something over there. Iyam sure a nifty businessman like himself can find a way to make that area a bit more attractive and productive.
As I’ve been cataloguing fer some time, the area has jest been neglected and properties that were purchased and promised as the next big things are just rotting under the elements. The Haven is languishing, and Beach Street is rotting. It ain’t good.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,