Recommended Reading, October 27, 2024

Robert Cox

27 Oct 2024 — 5 min read

Happy Halloween!

DUBLIN, IRELAND (October 27, 2024) — For those not familiar, Halloween was invented in Ireland as Sowen.

What are the traditions of Sowen?

Large communal bonfires were lit to ward off demons, and embers were carried home in a hollow turnip (the original Jack O'Lantern), masks were worn as disguises against evil spirits (the first Halloween costumes) and soul cakes were offered to children and the poor (today's trick or treating).

Elsewhere…

This was the week of my deep dive into the failure of City Officials and Councilmembers in New Rochelle to engage the community in the new Sustainable Westchester contract which goes into effect on November 1.

The entire series is now published. You can click here to read it: Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: 10 Part-Series

A few other highlights this week: Matt Costa quit so Yadira gets to appoint a judge, Adam Salgado unveiled a DOA retail strategy for downtown New Rochelle AND what he and Yadira are pitching as a “new” design concept for the New Rochelle train station which is just an old plan from Luiz Aragon that was rejected as too expensive, and, years into the Heritage Homes development, the City finally got Winthrop Avenue open.

The most hysterical news is that after all the DEI Mumbo-Jumbo from the Mayor and City Councilmembers, Yadira managed to narrow down the choices down to three middle-aged white guys.

For all the big talk about diversity by this new council, they did not advance a single person of color to the final rounds, nor a woman.

In other words, they got rid of only the second woman City Manager ever and are now offering a choice of three middle-age white guys. One is Italian, one is Jewish, the other is Spanish (he lived in Puerto Rico but his lineage is Caucasian, from Spain).

I have no dog in this fight but I am ROFL that the social justice warriors on City Council passed over every female candidate, every Black candidate, every Asia and South Asian candidate to pick 3 white dudes.

I look forward to what the NewRoar folks and the Black community will have to say on October 28.

I will also be interested to see how Sara and Matt justify passing over what I believe would be New Rochelle’s first Jewish City Manager after their having supported taking down the Israeli flag back in January.

It is striking that current Acting CM Wil Melendez is one of the finalists given that Chuck brought him to New Rochelle and Kathleen appointed him DPW Commissioner a year before the council got rid of her.

My guess, the fix is in for Wil given his eagerness to roll over, sit, and beg at Yadira’s command — a strong Mayor form of government without the messiness of a voter referendum to change the charter. It will not end well. Watch and see.

Content Only for Premium Subscribers

Content for All Paid Subscribers

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part I

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part II

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part III

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part IV

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part V

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part VI

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part VII

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part VIII

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part IX

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: Part X

Sustainable Westchester 2024 Contract: 10 Part-Series

Content for Everyone

Articles from Words in Edgewise, Talk of the Sound and Elsewhere on the Web.

New Design Concept for Historic Downtown Transit Center

City of New Rochelle Unveils Downtown Retail Strategy

AHEPA District 6 Family Holds its Annual Fall Conference in New Rochelle

Rye Schools Supt. Eric Byrne Announces Plans to Step Down at Year End

New Rochelle Physician Pleads Guilty To Selling Thousands Of Oxycodone Pills For Cash

Walter’s Celebrates 105 Historic Years in Mamaroneck

$12.6M Scheme: New Rochelle Man Tried Cashing COVID Relief Check For Hospital, Bronx DA Says

Wegmans to hold prescription medication drop-off event

Longtime Assemblywoman Paulin Faces Challenger for Second Time

CHSFL football: Iona Prep beats Chaminade 28-7, Guzman has 4 TDs

Support Pours In For Over Century-Old Nursery Facing Financial Struggles in New Rochelle

Winthrop Avenue Street Opening in New Rochelle

Ongoing waterline work hurting New Rochelle businesses, owners say

Successful Homecoming Weekend for Gaels Athletics

NYS After-School Grants: Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle $2.15 mm; Port Chester Carver Center, $900k

New Rochelle Hosts Italian American Heritage Month Celebration

Village of Mamaroneck Police Department’s K9 Ricky to get donation of body armor

Food Central: The North Ave Deli

New Rochelle City Manager Finalist Community Meet and Greet on October 28

New Rochelle Mayor Seeking to Fill Vacancy on New Rochelle City Court

Links to Sustainable Westchester Articles

CROWDSOURCING PROJECT: Help Document NO votes on Sustainable Westchester

Sustainable Westchester Body Count

Why Upgrade?

Free Accounts are no longer available to new subscribers. Those grandfathered in today who do not upgrade to a paid account by December 31, 2024, will be removed on that day. In the remaining few months, free subscribers will be limited to a weekly email newsletter with links to recommended articles on Talk of the Sound (free), links to articles elsewhere on the web (mostly free but some paywalled content) and the headlines of my Paid and Premium content with a teaser but not the actual articles.

Basic Accounts are just $5 a year with the first month free and include the weekly email newsletter described above, full non-Premium articles, commenting, and access to the archive of non-Premium content.

Premium Accounts are $7 a month or two-months free, with an annual subscription costing $70 instead of $84 — either with the first month free. Premium includes everything and is the best value: all articles in full, the newsletter, commenting, archives, bonus content and more.

I would encourage all Free Account subscribers to upgrade immediately to at least a Basic Account and certainly consider a Premium account, which is the gold standard and helps support my journalism.