Category Archives: New York City Government
“Bus Hill” IS Our Mount Snow!
Ok, so we don’t have the long, rolling hills of Prospect Park, and Fort Tilden is no Yellowstone. But we do have Bus Hill, Rockaway’s version of a slope for ski-boarding and sledding. Wrapped inside the ramps of the Gil … Continue reading
The Vandalia Dunes Are Gone–Is Four Sparrow Marsh the Next to Go?
Frankly, I’m shocked about the new stores being proposed for just north of the Flatbush Avenue exit of the Belt Parkway, near Toys R’ Us. However, members of Community Board 18 in Brooklyn have “warmed” to the idea, according to Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal. I’m sure … Continue reading
Snow Drifts on the Monday after Christmas–Let’s Call it a Block Party!
The great Boxing Day Blizzard of 2010 (sixth largest snowfall in NYC history) finally ran out of steam on Monday, December 27, late in the morning, and everyone was boxed-in! Rockaway residents began to shovel out their driveways…and their sidewalks…and their … Continue reading
Election Day Jitters for RAA Board Candidates
They are not running for President of the United States, but being a board member of the Rockaway Artists Alliance is a pretty prestigious slot. Over the past few weeks, the politicking within the arts community on the Rock has intensified–it’s starting to look … Continue reading
Round One–NYC Waterfront Advocates Dispute Rockaway’s Claim to “Sixth Borough” Title
I did not attend the waterfront conference in Manhattan yesterday, sponsored by Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. For those of us in the contingent work force, that would be rough. What I earn each week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday pays the rent. However, the … Continue reading
Mailboxes are not Bulletin Boards. Street Trees Belong to Us All. Norman Rockwell’s Paintings Do Not.
Home values are affected by many factors. Exclusive zoning is critical, and a tidy-looking, tree-shaded street scene contributes value to all the homes located on a particular block. When I was looking for a new apartment six months ago, the outdoor … Continue reading
Is There a Democrat in the House? And Could Somebody Get Me a Pair of Scissors?
How appropriate–Weiner’s standing on the far left, Turner’s on the far right! It got downright unruly over there at the Bungalow Bar on Thursday, October 21. The candidates for U.S. Congress, Weiner and Turner, were invited to speak at a … Continue reading
Facades of Democracy–With or Without The Graffiti
The November election feels close now. Lawn signs for Republican candidates are proliferating like dandelions all over the west end. I even saw two bright green Audrey Pheffer campaign signs in the window of Elegante Pizza in Rockaway Beach. Still … Continue reading
Rockaway’s a Food Desert, Reclaiming the Waterfront and Other Misleading Notions
“Please look closely at real cities. While you are looking, you might as well also listen, linger and think about what you see.” Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. I was idling at the traffic light … Continue reading
Holland Seaside Group Chalks One Up for Light and Air
A close vote at CB 14’s September meeting could spell the end for Frameworks’ proposed 57-unit tower at 93-06 Shorefront Parkway. Continue reading
Oy Vey Rockaway 