Tag Archives: weather events
With Apologies to Gordon Lightfoot…
Jill Weber, administrator of Rockaway Parks, recently retired from that position, to work for Hempstead, Long Island parks. She will be greatly missed. The timing of her departure is somewhat unfortunate. In my opinion, Jill ranked very near the top … Continue reading
Yes, There Were Once Double Dunes…and Triple Dunes…
We can’t find any vintage photos to document what Rockaway Beach looked like when it was first settled in the 1860’s. The closest we have to a visual image is a fisherman’s map, circa 1900, that marks natural features such … Continue reading
Remember the Ouija Board?
Here’s undoubtedly THE biggest news since Superstorm Sandy hit on October 29, 2012: The first new FEMA flood maps in 25 years were issued yesterday. For a summary on the new maps and stunning photos, check out the Jan. 28, … Continue reading
Floor Space Only, as Beach Rebuild Plans Aired at CB 14
I bet that former New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses (a fitness maven himself) would have enjoyed the scene. It resembled a gym class at the still-closed Beach Channel High School, except that there were adults in the floor … Continue reading
Should We Stick Our Heads in the Sand?
We just lived through “the big one.” Hurricane Sandy was a more dangerous and destructive storm than 1962’s Hurricane Donna, and in terms of property damage, it far eclipsed the deadly 1938 Long Island Express, which catapulted a 30-foot-high wave … Continue reading
We Demanded the Sand–but THIS is Ridiculous!
Rock Viv is back! I survived Hurricane Sandy, which struck the Northeast coast of the United States at about 9 p.m. on Monday, October 29. I sent a panicked text message to a friend a few minutes later that said: … Continue reading
A Paean to Irene
That Hurricane Irene was some bi-polar storm! Carefree teens tubing down the Saw Mill River Parkway on Sunday afternoon contrasted with kayakers in distress pulled from the Hudson River on Saturday night. The mood of the city swung like a … Continue reading
It’s Showtime!
Well, we’ve been talking about it and preparing ever since Mayor Bloomberg decided to devote millions of dollars to his plaNYC initiatives in 2007. An actual serious emergency that could require evacuation of millions from low-lying areas of New York … Continue reading
Sinners and Saints–Your Choice This Week!
In case you’re not a fan of beer drinking, here’s a novel way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day—by reading a great book about the history of Ireland. “How The Irish Saved Civilization,” the first title in Thomas Cahill’s “Hinges of … Continue reading
Please Pass the Salt!
So Punxsutawney Phil did his work! At 7:25 a.m. on Tuesday, February 2, 2011, he did NOT see his shadow, and predicted an early Spring. Phil was better off than the rest of us…he didn’t have to clean off his car … Continue reading
Oy Vey Rockaway 