First, let’s talk about the unusual botanical species that sprouts up in the Spring when there are June Primary Elections.  Here’s one nicely framed by shrubbery at a friend’s home, not far from Pedro’s Bike Shop on Drake Avenue. Sadly, some of the 200 or so of these specimens planted so far have disappeared from their gardens and needed to be replaced. Some say they are so beautiful that someone is collecting  them as souvenirs, mainly in the Magical Playschool neighborhood bounded on the east by Webster Avenue and the south by Lincoln. I would rather hope that they have just magically grown legs and run off to be with their brother and sister flora in the nearby Nature Study Woods. You may still order yours by replying to this email or texting 917-685-1001. As we have been saying in this campaign, metaphorically and literally, I deliver! Same Sheetrock Different Day You may recall my story of the indictments of a contractor for a multitude of sins, including labor compensation, health and safety issues. There was also a “front” female posing as the owner of the drywalling business for MWBE certification, who apparently didn’t know sheetrock from shinola. A dear, gentle reader pointed out that, in prior postings on this issue, I had neglected to mention that I live at The Stella high-rise apartment building in which the defendants plied their trade in New Rochelle without having to bother with any City government inspections, audits or oversight of any kind with regard to their hair-raising labor practices. But I have mentioned in the past our move to this apartment building, now almost a year ago. So that’s that.  It turns out that this contractor was cutting corners, not just in his labor practices but in a slapdash approach to his work as well. Here’s one photo from the hallway of my floor. And a neighbor down the hall showed me two areas in her apartment that are now being repaired to fix the poor workmanship in taping, spackling and painting over the seams between pieces of sheetrock. As in this video, we apparently don’t have enough “umpires” watching what’s going on. More on My New Ro Downtown Neighborhood I have also already written recently about the nearby Starbucks drive-thru under construction, which will soon be packed with lined-up, idling, noisy, exhaust-belching vehicles literally under the noses of the least politically powerful people in our community. As far as I can tell, I’m the only elected official talking about this. Personally, I won’t set foot in any Starbucks* until the plan for a drive-thru is withdrawn and the zoning amendment cosponsored by that district’s City Council Member Ramos-Herbert that permits drive-thru queues adjacent to multiple dwellings is repealed. Damon *Note that every Starbucks store is owned by the company itself. My passing one by would NOT be hurting a locally-based franchisee as it might if I were to avoid all McDonalds. And in any case, we have terrific local restaurants and cafes in New Rochelle that I’m much happier to support. |
