samhexum

For some reason, your post gave me a feeling of deja vu Posted November 25, 2022 Christmas is around the corner — and who wouldn’t want to celebrate the holidays in an actual gingerbread house made entirely out of Pop-Tarts? On Zillow, an off-the-market home described as the Pop-Tarts Gingerbread Lodge at 1 Kellogg’s Square has been listed. And it looks, well, delicious. The only problem? It’s probably meant for one of Santa’s little helpers. Spanning a tiny 35 square feet, Pop-Tarts described the home as “just north of the Wild Berry Woods in the foothills of the Applefritterlachians.” The pantry-style farmhouse features “frosted finishings” and “a toasty interior,” the listing notes. Features include a baked kitchen and living room with a frosted chocolate-chip archway. To celebrate their limited-edition gingerbread Pop-Tarts flavor, the company has featured the home on the real estate site. According to the listing, the home features built-in frosted raspberry cabinets, with frosted cookies-and-creme counter space. The living room comes with a “crafted Eggo Frosted Maple Flavor” area rug with mid-century modern Frosted Chocolate Fudge furnishings, the listing adds. It also comes with frosted gingerbread Pop-Tarts above the fireplace, posing as an art piece. The bedroom features Frosted Apple Fritter wallpaper and a sun-drenched reading nook, which “looks out on all .0006 acres of property,” the listing says. It “is fit for a full-on party that is anything but cookie-cutter,” the listing jokes. “This pastoral palace has to be seen – and tasted – to be believed.”

I liked the pecan danish ring my parents would often bring for 'coffee and' (pronounced Coffee Ann; I always wondered if Coffee Ann's surname was Entenmann) when we went to people's houses.

They had one on Queens Blvd until a few years ago; it was replaced by a 7 story apartment building. I used to stop in whenever I was passing by. I used to LOVE the blueberry cheese danish. They stopped making it decades ago. Oddly, I found one a few years later in the daily delivery to a convenience store near me & bought it - it was just as orgasmic as remembered, but, sadly, I've never seen one again.

Dear Abby: I’ve always been close to my children, but now that they are adults, it seems I’m losing my connection with one of them. He married a girl of a different race, and while that doesn’t bother me BECAUSE I’VE MANAGED TO AVOID MY FRIENDS FINDING OUT, I have a strong hunch she’s the reason he has distanced himself from not only me, but also the rest of the family. BECAUSE IT COULDN’T POSSIBLY BE THE HOSTILITY THAT SEEPS OUT OF MY PORES When I recently shared with him that I felt his wife is a bit of a busybody and had overstepped some boundaries, he told me he no longer wants a relationship with me. I don’t think BEING A BUSYBODY WHO HAD OVERSTEPPED SOME BOUNDARIES WAS anything so bad that he’d totally remove himself from my or our lives, but I’m no longer going to try to force him to be a part of this family. LUCKY HIM!!! After I blocked his wife from social media (because she doesn’t interact, but stalks and then reports back to him), he has blocked me. I’m usually good at dealing with conflict, but he’s steadily drawing further and further away. I love all my children, but he needs to realize it’s not ALL about his wife — we’re his family, too. I really need help with this one. MORE THAN YOU KNOW HONEY, MORE THAN YOU KNOW!— Adult’s Mom Dear Adult’s Mom RACIST BITCH: Leaving your daughter-in-law and her race out of this for a moment IS A COP-OUT, the situation you have described is one that sometimes SHOULD happens when a son gets married. When that happens, the young man’s allegiance switches from mom and family to his wife. Your daughter-in-law reviewing your posts and discussing them with your son isn’t outrageous, particularly if he isn’t viewing them himself. Were you posting something she found hurtful or offensive? If the answer is no, you may have to accept that, for whatever reason, your son has decided to move in a different direction. If the answer is yes, offer an apology and see if it’s possible to bury the hatchet. ARE A MOTHER IN LAW FROM HELL WHOSE PERCEPTION IS WRONG. Dear Abby: My husband of 30 years and I are in-house separated. We sleep in separate bedrooms. I want a divorce, but he refuses to leave, even though he could afford another house. Our grown son came to visit recently and was staying in our camper in our backyard. The camper is next to our swimming pool. Last Sunday, I looked out the kitchen window and saw my husband standing in the pool naked. Our son was in the camper at the time and came out to see his father standing there. When I asked my husband why he did this, my question was met with rage and yelling that he didn’t want to get his bathing suit wet. Don’t you think this is the behavior of a depraved person? — Finished in Florida Dear Finished: For your son to have seen his father naked in the swimming pool isn’t what is cause for concern. More alarming is that a change in his usual behavior may indicate a mental or emotional problem and calls for a medical evaluation. (He might be more open to it if your SON suggests it.) Please consult an attorney and ask what would be involved if you were to go through with that divorce. Get those answers now, before a crisis happens. NO, I THINK IT’S THE BEHAVIOR OF A MORON TO HAVE TO WRITE TO ME TO FIGURE OUT THAT HER HUSBAND IS LOSING IT. DEAR READERS: On this day that celebrates love, I want you to know how much I value the relationship I have with you. Wishing all of you a Happy Valentine’s Day! CONSISTENT INCOME THIS COLUMN HAD PROVIDED MY FAMILY FOR 70 YEARS — WITH LOVE, ABBY

Peacock is expanding its slate of scripted originals… and enlisting a Marvel superstar and a SUBWAY spokesman to help. The streamer has handed straight-to-series orders to four new scripted projects, TVLine has learned, including a sci-fi thriller starring Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and a mockumentary starring SUBWAY spokesman Stephen Curry. The untitled Simu Liu series, with James Wan (The Conjuring, Aquaman) on board as an executive producer, is set “five minutes in the future” and stars Liu as an intelligence analyst who “realizes his brain has been hacked, giving the perpetrators access to everything he sees and hears,” per the official synopsis. “Caught between his shadowy agency and the unknown hackers, he must maintain a performance 24/7 to flush out who’s responsible and prove where his allegiance lies.” Mr. Throwback, from Happy Endings creator David Caspe, stars Adam Pally as a “down-on-his-luck memorabilia dealer” who “looks for redemption by reuniting with his sixth-grade teammate, NBA legend Steph Curry.” Curry will play himself in the comedy and serve as an EP as well. (The series was originally in development at NBC before moving to Peacock.) Also ordered to series at Peacock: Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, a scripted take on the infamous serial killer with Dr. Death’s Patrick Macmanus serving as writer and showrunner; and All Her Fault, a suburban thriller based on the bestselling novel about a mom who goes to pick up her son from a playdate with a new friend and finds that her son is missing.

Molly Shannon has been added to the 4th season cast. I'm guessing I'll find her character annoying. I often do, & given the series' propensity for having characters that annoy me even though I love it, that's probably a safe bet. You mean like when the suspect was in a restaurant in 'the Bronx' & the scene was shot on Queens Blvd?

big surprise

William “Bill” Post — the man who created the beloved toaster treat Pop-Tarts — died on Saturday, his family announced. He was 96. Post, a Michigan native and son of immigrants who worked his way up from a truck washer to a senior vice president, brightened millions of Americans’ mornings with the sweet pastry that hit the shelves in 1964. The great-grandfather is often credited with inventing the breakfast treat, though he would always say it was a team effort, according to his obituary. Post was raised in Grand Rapids as one of seven children of Dutch immigrants. He married his high school sweetheart, Florence Schut, and served in the Army Air Corps in occupied Japan. At the age of just 16, Post got a part-time gig washing trucks at Hekman Biscuit Company — what would eventually become the Keebler Company. Five years later he rose to the full-time position of personnel manager “but assisted with sales, production, or anything else that he could learn,” his loved ones wrote in his obit. Some 20 years later when Post was the plant manager of Hekman, he welcomed executives from Kellogg’s who asked Hekman/Keebler to develop a product they had in mind. This product would become the Pop-Tart — which is available in nearly every grocery store and supermarket in the US today. Post did numerous interviews about his invention during his lifetime and every time he said the credit was shared. “Bill would say, ‘I assembled an amazing team that developed Kellogg’s concept of a shelf-stable toaster pastry into a fine product that we could bring to market in the span of just four months,’,” his death notice states. He often shared the story of the Pop-Tart with younger generations, hoping to inspire them while always giving out samples of his invention. Post’s story of the four-month challenge to invent the Pop-Tart has inspired a Netflix film that is scheduled to be released in May. The movie “Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story” is written and directed by Jerry Seinfeld, who is starring in it alongside a host of big-name comedians.

NOT POOKIE!!! A VISUAL PUN... this one took me a moment

Charles, Oliver and Mabel are headed out west for Season 4 of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. In a new interview with Deadline, Craig Erwich, who oversees ABC, Freeform and Hulu, confirmed that the New York City-based comedy will relocate to California for at least part of Season 4. “I’m very excited to see Steve [Martin], Martin [Short] and Selena [Gomez] take a little break from the apartment building and come to Los Angeles,” Erwich said. “So in the same way that [series co-creator] John Hoffman used the canvas of Broadway to tell what I think was one of the most unique seasons you’ve ever seen, the same unique Only Murders take will be applied to Los Angeles.” In Only Murders’ Season 3 finale, Mabel received an invitation from her boyfriend Tobert (played by recurring guest star Jesse Williams) to accompany him to Golden State, while Oliver encouraged girlfriend Loretta (fellow recurring guest star Meryl Streep) to move to California to be with her son Dickie. Then there’s Charles, who’ll probably want to vacate the Arconia, at least temporarily, after a bullet meant for him took out his longtime stunt double Saz (played by Jane Lynch). (the best moment the show ever had) “I love New York — the characters, the richness, the depth is endless — and it’s a New York show,” Hoffman previously told TVLine. “But I don’t want to be afraid of things that make you go, ‘What?’ ‘Where are we?’ ‘Where are they now?’ I think you have to do that so it doesn’t feel too insular. “[The Arconia] is our apartment building, and much like how we want to get out and be in New York as much as possible, I think you also have to remember this trio and the potential for whatever would be happening in their lives that might lead them to go away for some reason,” he explained. He also assured us that the Arconia will always be a part of the show, adding: “It’s our building! I love it so, and we have devotion to it in every way.” No word yet if Streep or Williams will reprise their roles in Season 4. We also don’t have a timetable for start of production or release.

Entertainment giant Top Trumps USA will launch a Queens edition of board game classic Monopoly this fall and is seeking the input of Queens residents and businesses to capture the true essence of the borough. Top Trumps has collaborated with leading toy company Hasbro to launch Monopoly: Queens Edition and is asking well-established local businesses, organizations, and non-profits to nominate their favorite locations in the borough for the new board game. The two companies are inviting members of the public and local businesses to put forward submissions through the Monopoly Queens submissions page until March 15, with the official board game set to be released in the fall. Manufacturers are encouraging people to make their submissions as early as possible to maximize the chance of your favorite spots being featured in the new Queens edition. Since launching in 1935 with iconic tokens like the Racecar and Top Hat, Monopoly has remained a beloved classic, virtually unchanged in gameplay. Today, it remains a favorite family game, enjoyed by over a billion players in 114 countries. Monopoly Queens will replace the famous squares from the original Atlantic City game, such as Boardwalk and Park Place, with iconic Queens landmarks, businesses, and non-profits. The upcoming board game will also include several Monopoly staples, including customized Community Chest and Chance playing cards, Monopoly money, and property deeds. Hasbro and Top Trumps said they are hoping to ensure that every detail of the new board game pays homage to Queens and its most famous locations and businesses. Top Trumps representative Tim Barney said manufacturers are hoping to receive input from all sections of the Queens community. “Queens is such a unique community with a rich history and vibrant and diverse culture. We aim to ensure that Monopoly: Queens Edition is an accurate portrayal of what Queens locals and tourists love about this charming borough,” Barney said in a statement. “From little hole-in-the-wall spots to historic Queens staples, we would love for everyone to get on board and send us recommendations of their favorite businesses and organizations from all industries, as well as attractions and landmarks from all around town. It’s very much a game made by and for the people.” Rob MacKay, Director of Queens Tourism Council, said the game is an opportunity to showcase Queens’ diversity and culture. “Queens is the most diverse county in the entire world right now and more than half of residents were born in another country. Obviously, the restaurants are beyond incredible, but the borough is also a hot spot for culture, recreation, entertainment, shopping, hotels, history, and even surfing,” MacKay said, adding that Queens has “a lot to give” for the upcoming board game. To submit a location for the Monopoly Queens edition, click here or visit: www.toptrumps.us

QCP to host “Evening of Fine Food” celebrating borough’s culinary diversity, community support By Czarinna Andres The Queens Centers for Progress (QCP), a non-profit dedicated to providing services to children and adults with developmental disabilities, recently announced that it will be holding its 28th annual “Evening of Fine Food” event later this month. This annual event is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 27, at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and celebrates the rich culinary diversity of Queens, while supporting the organization’s mission that focuses on promoting independence, community involvement and an enhanced quality of life for the individuals it serves. The event will showcase an array of gourmet dishes and beverages provided by top restaurants and beverage purveyors from across the borough. The event will feature returning favorites, such as Bourbon Street, Austin’s Ale House (Kitty Genovese was killed in the vestibule leading to the apartments over it), One Station Plaza and many others, alongside newcomers, offering attendees a taste of the borough’s unparalleled food scene. From fine dining to sweet treats and international flavors, the variety of offerings aims to highlight the diversity that defines Queens. The “Evening of Fine Food” serves as a major fundraiser for QCP, with proceeds directly supporting over 1,200 individuals with developmental disabilities. Tickets are available for $150 per person, with the event running from 6:30-9 p.m. For tickets and more information about the “Evening of Fine Food,” click here.

It depends on how many carbs it has...

It would if I cared. That's not a snarky response. I know where the other three are & the one I don't wasn't even a part of my mother's life past the age of 8, so I don't really have any curiosity about him. I'm not a big 'where did I come from' person. I can remember being at my dad's mom's apartment, or her being at other people's homes when I was there, but don't have any memories of specific interactions with her. I have happy memories of my mom's mom, making noodles from scratch with her, or eating the delicious hamburgers she made in a table-top oven. I wish she'd passed down her recipe, but she didn't. She lived a few blocks from the Yeshiva in which I was imprisoned through December 4th of 5th grade, so I occasionally saw her during the evening furlough.

I have no idea how old any of my grandparents were when they died, nor where my maternal grandfather is buried. And since both grandfathers died 33 years before I was born (1929 was not a great year in my family), when my parents were 22 & 8, none of those equations would work out all that well for me in all likelihood.

GREY'S has been bringing back former stars for guest appearances the past few years, and they have announced that Nico & Steven Spielberg's stepdaughter will be making appearances this season.

A man was convicted this week on two federal charges after he diverted the Platte River by hand through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. “These allegations of tampering and vandalism by a man-made diversion of water at Platte River are disturbing,” said US Attorney Mark Totten in a statement. “The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Great Lakes are national gems, and my office takes preserving our natural treasures very seriously.” Andrew Howard, a 63-year-old man from Frankfort, Michigan, took a shovel to the park on Aug. 15, 2022. According to the US Attorney’s Office, he dug sediment and rocks out of the river basin and then stacked large rocks on a self-constructed dam. That diverted the river’s natural flow through the newly dug channel out to Lake Michigan. After 17 months, the spit the man dug through, finally started to reform. A view of the Platte River in May 2022 before it was altered by Andrew Howard Photos before the illegal diversion show the meandering river passing through the sandy spit parallel to the shoreline. The egress to the lake was nearly impossible for boaters, according to local media. “Within days, the natural power of the water and the dam caused the new channel to reach approximately 200 feet wide,” officials said in a press release. “The diversion created an unauthorized access for large boats to enter Platte Bay.” A trial brief mentioned an “influx in the number of fishermen that came to Platte River boat launch to take advantage of the favorable conditions of access created by the new channel,” according to Michigan Live. An aerial photo after the diversion shows a much deeper river with a channel directly out to the lake. The continuation of the river appears to be dammed. Howard was found was found guilty of tampering and vandalism on Feb. 7, 2024, for diverting the national park’s river. The Park Service investigated for months and sent out pleas to the public for information before Howard was charged. According to court testimony from a park ranger, “Howard dammed the river after being unable to navigate his boat into the bay that morning and later caught a coho salmon once the mouth was deepened,” Michigan Live reported. A ranger presented receipts for the shovel from the hardware store near Howard’s home where he bought it. Another ranger testified to seeing Howard using the shovel and stacking the rocks, which was corroborated by other witnesses. The fisherman is now awaiting sentencing for tampering and vandalism of a national park, which are federal misdemeanors. He faces a maximum of six months in prison, a $5,000 dollar fine, 5 years probation and mandatory restitution for diverting the Platte River. WTF?!?!? (other than the last part) Do they at least bother to slap his wrists? “Mr. Howard had a policy dispute with the National Park Service and took matters into his own hands, breaking the law rather than using lawful means to advocate for his position,” Totten said. “His actions resulted in significant financial and ecological harm and altered the landscape so many enjoyed.” According to local media, Howard was not the only one who had a gripe with the river flow. The state and the NPS dredged the river, creating an entry to the lake, every fall from 1968 to 2013, according to The Record Eagle in Traverse City, Michigan. The paper found that dredging started a year after seven salmon fishermen drowned when a storm blew over the lake and overturned fishing boats as they attempted to return to port via the Platte’s shallow mouth. Michigan Live called this the “Coho fever disaster.” Michigan Live spoke to an official at the Department of Natural Resources who said that the NPS didn’t like the dredging sediment deposited on the coast. A 2016 NPS report said that continually adding layers stopped dune vegetation. The official continued to say to Michigan Live that the illegal diversion actually helped the river by lowering upstream water levels by a foot. The DNR noted the oversaturated marshland and erosion from high water levels. And the new access solved a public safety concern by allowing rescue boats to easily access the bay. The area is popular with kayakers and beachgoers. Salmon proponents said that the diversion also makes a clearer path for Coho salmon returning to the river each year. The NPS had planned a $500,000 project to remove the dredging debris to allow nature to elongate the sandy spit and create a better environment for the endangered piping plover bird. That is on hold. https://nypost.com/2024/02/09/news/michigan-man-convicted-of-diverting-platte-river-by-hand-through-sleeping-bear-dunes-national-lakeshore/?dicbo=v2-rYJGokW So... was this a successful DIY project because he accomplished what he set out to do & created some ancillary benefits, or an unsuccessful one because he'll likely spend a few months in jail & a lot of money in restitution?

radio-station-baffled-after-200-foot-radio-tower-disappears “Have you seen a 200 foot tower going by?” That’s the question WJLX general manager Brett Elmore is asking everyone after thieves made off with his radio station’s AM tower last week, resulting in the station having to shut down. The Jasper, Alabama, station was ordered off air by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as authorities continue to investigate how and why the heavy steel structure suddenly disappeared. “In all my years of being in the business, around the business, everything like that, I have never seen anything like this,” Elmore told The Post. “You don’t hear of a 200-foot tower being stolen,” he added.” While the self-proclaimed “Sound of Walker County,” still has its FM transmitter and tower, it is not allowed to operate while the AM station is off the air, according to FCC. AND THE HITS DON'T KEEP ON COMING... “Even though these are extraordinary circumstances they still wouldn’t allow us to do that even though we are the only voice in this community,” Elmore said, adding that the Walker County has a population of about 68,000 people. The bizarre theft has had a significant impact on the station — which has been on the air since the mid-1950s — and the community it services, he told The Post. “It’s a matter of safety. If something [significant] happened, listeners tune in and we won’t be there,” he said. “With our station down, the community has lost its sound and lost its voice.” Replacing the tower could cost the station anywhere between $60,000 to $100,000, Elmore told The Post, adding that the station’s grounds were not insured for theft. The theft was discovered Feb. 2, when a maintenance crew arrived to carry out some work on the site. The radio tower was previously located in a wooded area, behind a local poultry plant. According to Elmore, thieves dismantled the tower by cutting the wires that secured it and also stole other equipment from the property. He said the bandits also stole the station’s AM transmitter from a nearby building. Elmore immediately reported the theft, but said that local police were equally surprised at the brazen robbery. The thieves are believed to have stolen the tower to sell it for scrap metal. If caught, the suspects could face a fine or up to 10 years in prison. “Police have been looking at some video footage but there are no new developments as far as I’m aware,” Elmore said. Jasper police spokeswoman Rachel Karr confirmed Friday authorities are investigating the incident. In a statement, police said the theft was reported to police on Feb. 2, but the date and time of the crime is not known. Police are seeking tips from the public. News of the tower theft quickly went viral and Elmore is now trying to leverage that by starting a GoFundMe page to raise money for a replacement tower. It had raised just over $1,300 as of Friday afternoon. “It’s amazing a 200-foot tower could disappear but also very tragic because it hit a small business and a small community where local radio is very viable,” he said. For that reason, Elmore insists that a new tower will be protected with gates, locks and cameras. “I will not spare any expense in making sure Alcatraz seems like it hasn’t seen anything [compared to our facility],” he added.

DEAR ABBY: I’m a 41-year-old gay man. Although I was raised in a conservative, religious family, I’m out of the closet and proud to be living as myself. For much of my adult life, I have attracted mostly women. I have always tried to handle these situations with as much tact as possible. However, some women won’t be let down easily. On the occasions when I have been forced to out myself to them, I have lost female acquaintances I really enjoyed spending time with or the friendship begins to deteriorate. I have tried introducing them to straight male friends and deflecting flirtatious banter. Am I confused, or do some women genuinely believe they can change my orientation? I don’t want to give up on female friendships. Am I doing something wrong by being myself? — OUT & PROUD IN THE WEST DEAR OUT & PROUD: The women who are pursuing you for romantic purposes may be interested in you for that reason and be less interested in a platonic friendship. Years ago, a gay friend was kind enough to tell me, “You can’t ‘change’ a gay man,” and it was a lesson I never forgot. “Out” gay men can make great friends. That your female acquaintances are not open to it is their loss. You are doing nothing wrong. When this happens, express to the person that you are disappointed they seem unable to accept you the way you are, and move on. Not all women are this unenlightened, and many will welcome what you have to offer. TRY WEARING AN ‘I LOVE JUDY, LIZA, & CHER’ T-SHIRT NEXT TIME YOU GO OUT. DEAR ABBY: I live in Chicago, where our spring and summer months are slowly contracting into a three-month period. I know you can’t do anything about the weather, but the invitations to Saturday graduations and birthday parties are using up those long-awaited summer weekends to the point they have almost been monopolized. Working full-time Monday through Friday, I look forward to my weekends, especially in the summer, but I keep being invited to Saturday afternoon celebrations. I own a lake house. Some neighbors have boats, and I’d love to spend the majority of our weekends there. As much as I want to celebrate these life events, I also want to enjoy my summer. If they would have them on a Sunday, it wouldn’t intrude on too much of the weekend. What is your advice? — WARM-WEATHER LOVER IN ILLINOIS DEAR WARM-WEATHER LOVER: I have good news and bad news. First, the bad news: It is unrealistic to expect schools to schedule their graduation ceremonies on a day that suits your schedule. NOBODY REALLY GIVES A DAMN WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOW UP. The good news is, if you send a nice gift to the graduate, it will assuage their pain at your absence. As to those family celebrations, you have some important decisions to make about which invitations you must accept in order to avoid causing hurt feelings. NOBODY REALLY GIVES A DAMN WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOW UP. However, my advice is essentially the same: Send a nice gift and a warm message of congratulations along with your regrets that you are unable to participate in the happy occasion “because of a prior commitment. SIMPLE 'I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH MY TIME'.

Former Dutch prime minister and wife die 'hand in hand' in legal duo euthanasia

Lawsuit seeks to silence Forest Hills Stadium concerts amid nearby residents’ quality of life concerns A lawsuit filed against Forest Hills Stadium is calling for the operators to stop holding concerts at the historic open-air venue, citing a deterioration in the quality of life for nearby residents. The Forest Hills Gardens Corporation, a board that represents 900 properties on 175 acres, filed suit in July 2023 against West Side Tennis Club, which leased the stadium to Tiebreaker Productions until 2034. The lawsuit alleges that the venue’s concerts are excessively loud, causing nearby homes to vibrate and disturb residents late into the evening. The FHGC complaint has the backing of many residents, 15 of which filed affidavits in support. Their qualms center around a reduction in their quality of life as the number of concerts increased. This past 2023 season, there were a record of 30 shows held at the stadium. Some residents, who provided affidavits in support to the suit, also complain that concertgoers are trespassing on their properties often to urinate, or have thrown up in their building’s vestibule. Among those who are seeking to bring an end to shows at the stadium are board members from Tennis View Apartments where I delivered newspapers in college, who recently joined the FHGC suit. Residents of the complex, which includes two apartment buildings on Burns Street leading up to the entrance of the stadium, argue they bear the brunt of the inconveniences. For instance, their street gets closed down and barricades go up on concert and festival days resulting in thousands of attendees passing the building to enter the stadium conveniently. But some residents at the Tennis View Apartments, who cherish the concerts in their backyard despite inconveniences, say that they were not informed prior to their board joining the suit. They are unhappy that the board essentially filed suit in their name. “There are some people that really don’t like concerts, and they’re acting for themselves and not for the majority, because the majority of our building was never asked. We were never given the option of whether to join the lawsuit or not,” said Jillian Grancaric, a former board member of TVA. “We should have been surveyed. And we should have just been given a heads up of the board’s plans to take this action.” But the operators of the stadium say that the noise complaints are unjustified, citing that when the stadium was renovated, it was designed in a way that minimizes the flow of noise to their neighbors. They also say that since concerts resumed, they’ve consistently offered perks as a show of respect to their neighbors. Mike Luba, who helps manage the stadium and is credited with resurrecting the historic venue 2013, says that he has made consistent efforts to counter the inconveniences faced by Burns Street residents, recognizing that their day-to-day activities can be disrupted when a show is taking place. His efforts to placate complaining residents involved offering several free tickets per household to virtually every show. He would also host and pay for an annual barbecue for TVA residents inside the stadium. But this past season, the barbecue was not held given the tensions that emerged following the lawsuit. The stadium also would shell out $5,000 per show to FHGC at the end of the concert season. The payout totaled $150,000 last season, with 30 shows on the lineup, a recent record. But according to the suit, the FHGC is seeking a significantly higher payout. Residents only found out that the TVA board joined the lawsuit through an email that was sent out to the building at the end of January. The email read, “Effective immediately, the board will no longer accept or manage the distribution of tickets to events at Forest Hill stadium,” citing the legal action taken. It went on to say that “the number of concerts has increased significantly over the past two seasons, while perks and accommodations that we receive have been reduced and we do not see any reason for this trend to reverse.” But some residents, as well as Luba, say that the portrayal that the perks were revoked is inaccurate. They say that the board, which is composed of five people, chose to stop accepting the perks to strengthen their argument in court. Keith Engel, the president of board of directors at TVA, says that they stopped accepting perks such as free concert tickets and the annual barbecue for local residents “on principle” in his affidavit. The stadium is arguing that FHGC is engaging in extortion by asking for a significantly larger payout per concert, and fails to consider the local residents who enjoy having the concerts in their neighborhood, as well as the traffic it brings to local business owners. Operations Switch Prior to the 2023 season, the stadium handled all operations which involved traffic flow, guiding concert goers to the stadium, setting up barricades to prevent entrance to residences and clean up sweeps post concerts. The operations, in which the NYPD would assist with, were mainly along Burns Street which allows attendees quick access point just minutes from public transportation. While the street is privately owned by the FHGC, since concerts resumed the stadium has had free reign in allowing its staff to ensure that the attendees are safe, and don’t disturb the TVA residents. Despite thousands of people walking by her building on concert nights, Grancaric says that there were virtually no issues prior to the 2023 season. “We had no issues for nine years,” noted Luba, adding that hundreds of security guards and three rounds of cleaning crews ran like a well oiled machine. But right before the first major show of the 2023 season, FHGC sent a letter to the NYPD threatening to cut off public access to the stadium from Burns Street, which is technically a private street under their ownership. They suggested an alternate route via Yellowstone Boulevard and Austin Street, which would force concertgoers to walk an additional mile from public transportation stops and further increase congestion to the already crowded corridors. The stadium filed an injunction in court to block the move, and a judge sided with their desire to maintain their operations. The concert season carried on but with the FHCG now in charge of operations, with no prior experience and more pressure on the NYPD to keep things in order. In their suit, the FHGC said that as a condition for using Burns they want $100,000 each for the first 20 concerts of the season and $200,000 for each subsequent concert. It would result in a sum of approximately $4 million for the season. They also requested that they hire their own security along Burns, without relying on the stadium. “The draft agreement was an exercise in extortion, proving that FHGC has no legitimate interest in preventing any alleged nuisance from the concerts, but instead seeks to collect millions of dollars from the concerts for its own benefit,” read the countersuit. The Complaints One Burns Street resident, who sits on the TVA board and was chair of the concert committee, said that her disturbance with the increase of concerts in the past year led her to start a petition. In Jenna Cavuto’s affidavit, she said she gathered 250 signatures from residents who say they were also unhappy with the increase in the number of concerts this past season. A resident of Dartmouth St, Lawrence Perlstein, who has lived in his home for decades said that in the 1960s, there were only 10-15 concerts per year. “But the more than 30 concerts held at the stadium in 2023 is like nothing I have ever seen and it is devastating our community,” said Perlstein in his affidavit. But even before the increase, he says he spent more than $40,000 putting in modern noise attenuating windows and adding insulation to the house, but only in “marginally improved conditions” created by noise from the concerts. Many others cited the increase in concerts, which brings more noise filled nights, as their main gripe with the stadium. “The current conditions cannot continue and we genuinely fear that if the Tennis Club and its concert promoter have their way, the number of concerts will only increase from the more than 30 held last summer,” said Engel. “We are greatly concerned that these concerts, as they erode the quality of life in TVA and the surrounding community, will also diminish the value of TVA residents’ apartments.” According to 311 records, dozens of noise complaints have been filed on concert nights. But residents also say that the noise starts early on in the day due to sound checks and rehearsals. The stadium also faces a second suit, filed by the Concerned Citizens of Forest Hills, calling for the stadium brings down the volume and stays in line with the city’s noise code. They also ask that concerts for the 2024 season are halted until a plan is enacted. Unlike the FHGC suit, it does not ask for concerts to cease. In his affidavit, Douglas J. Gilbert, Co-founder of Concerned Citizens of Forest Hills, says that the noise and vibrations are “extraordinarily disruptive” in his Dartmouth Street home. Acknowledging that he contributed 311 complaints, he added that lightbulb sockets loosened from the vibrations in his affidavit. But not all residents are bothered by the increase in concerts, or the noise that surrounds their home on concert nights. Especially those who reside on Burns Street and have been able to attend concerts for free steps away from their home. “I’m not bothered by the current amount of concerts because I feel like the trade off is amazing,” said Grancaric. “We are very lucky to live in a situation that we live in.“ Luba, who believes that those opposed to the concerts would rather see a condominium go up in the place of the stadium he worked to revive, has spent a hefty sum on legal fees as a top law firm was acquired to preserve the concerts. “The irony of the lawsuit is that the only way we have to pay for the lawsuit is by adding concerts,” he said. “I’m open to anything reasonable and rational, that’s in good faith.” A conference before a judge is scheduled for Feb. 21, where the case will be discussed and the next steps will be decided. The stadium’s recently released 2024 schedule features just fourteen shows, with three already sold out.

Did you ever go to Niederstein's on Metropolitan Ave? There's now an Arby's at that location, so still some good eatin'! And, of course, you used to be able to BUY German food more easily... When ‘The Best Butcher on the Block’ reigned in Ridgewood and beyond By The Old Timer Are you hungry? If you happen to be a carnivore, you will be by the time you read about the history of one of Ridgewood’s most popular butchers, Karl Ehmer. Karl Ehmer was born in a small village near Stuttgart, Germany, in 1909, and came to America in the fall of 1930 when he was 21 years old. He got a job in a butcher shop in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, and worked hard to save enough money to open his own store. In 1932, even though the country was in the depths of the Great Depression, he decided to strike out on his own and he opened a Jersey Pork butcher shop in Manhattan. But business conditions were difficult, and he struggled to keep his store open. Finally, he went back to work at his old job. However, he still had ambitions of operating his own business and, a short time later, he tried again with his own store, again in Manhattan. This time, he prospered, and eventually, in 1941, he opened a store in the Ridgewood/Glendale area at 61-14 Myrtle Ave., offering a large selection of quality bolognas. The store proved highly successful. Nine years later, on Nov. 2, 1950, he opened a much larger retail store and a manufacturing plant at 62-10 Myrtle Ave. Trucks lined up at the curb of the new plant and retail store, advertising quality pork products. As his business continued to grow, he moved to larger quarters in November 1958, at 63-35 Fresh Pond Road on the corner of Menahan Street. All of his products were made, at one time, in this plant. The list of Karl Ehmer products is substantial, including frankfurters, knockwurst, bratwurst, Black Forest ham, Westphalian ham, kassler rippchen (brined pork chops), braunschweiger liverwurst, pinklewurst (Bavarian sausage), lachsschinken (smoked pork loin), head cheese, leberkaese (similar to bologna), schwaebischer farmers salami and Tyrolerwurst (an Austrian sausage). Over the years, Karl Ehmer relocated upstate and opened his own farm on Noxon Road in La Grangeville, New York, where he raised many of the animals for his products. He also held an annual Oktoberfest there for his friends and family. By the 1970s, Karl Ehmer had more than 50 franchises across New York City, Long Island Pennsylvania and even Florida, along with five cattle and livestock farms and a slaughterhouse. The company boasted a slogan, “The Best Butcher on the Block.” During the 1970s and 1980s, it was not uncommon to find Karl Ehmer products and stores advertised on TV. The company’s namesake starred in one of the commercials, shot from the kitchen of his upstate farmhouse. In the spot, he boasts in his German accent about his bratwurst being so delicious, “it even makes the vegetables taste good.” Along with fine cold cuts and other cuts of meat, a Karl Ehmer shopper could walk into one of the stores and find an array of imported German products including chocolate, cake mixes, pickled goods, spaetzle and preserves. Karl Ehmer died in 1989, and his grandsons continued to operate the company that bore his name. However, the following three decades would see a variety of changes including economic downturns, shifting demographics in the Ridgewood/Glendale area where Ehmer gained a loyal following and dietary trends in which many people turned away from regular consumption of processed meats. One by one, Karl Ehmer stores across the New York City area closed. The flagship store and manufacturing plant on Fresh Pond Road held out as other pork stores across the area closed down. Finally, on Sept. 30, 2010, the Ridgewood store and plant closed. In a Ridgewood Times article published that same day (Thursday), Alan Hanssler, Karl Ehmer company co-owner, said that “rising labor costs and other expenses, combined with a struggling economy, brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy.” “The 25 workers employed at the Ridgewood store and plant will lose their positions today; all were provided with a month’s notice of the shutdown in order to find new jobs,” according to the article. The store and manufacturing plant would ultimately be transformed into a self-storage facility. The Karl Ehmer company continued producing its products outside the New York City area and distributing them to butcher stores and supermarkets around the area. The closure of the Ridgewood Karl Ehmer left just one butcher shop under the company banner in Queens: a location on Horace Harding Expressway in Fresh Meadows. However, that location would not last the decade; it closed in 2017, according to Yelp. It became a SUBWAY that didn't last. Today, you can still find Karl Ehmer products at grocery stores across Queens; the company also continues to operate stores in Long Island; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Danbury, Connecticut and Hillsdale, New Jersey. If all else fails, you can even order them online from the company’s website, karlehmer.com.

YOU MEAN THE SERIAL KILLER?!?!? Brock Purdy gives blunt response after reporter's bizarre Lee Harvey Oswald question Brock Purdy didn't seem amused when asked about chatter online that he looks like Lee Harvey Oswald.

Apparently, Charlotte's never did... Who’s your daddy? Researchers in North Carolina say something’s fishy about the pregnancy of a stingray at the Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO in Hendersonville. The stingray, named Charlotte, is preggers, but the aquarium and outreach center doesn’t have any male stingrays, WRAL in Raleigh reported. Despondent staffers thought the swelling they started to see in September might be cancer before exams revealed the surprising cause, the dispatch said. There are two ways Charlotte might have gotten knocked up, but puzzled researchers won’t know which way until the pups are born. One is a very rare process called parthenogenesis, in which the eggs develop on their own without fertilization and create a clone of the mother. The other possibility? Charlotte could have been makin’ whoopee with one of the young studly sharks that was added to the tank in mid-July. SLUT!!! “In mid-July 2023, we moved two 1-year-old white spot bamboo males [sharks] into that tank. There was nothing we could find definitively about their maturation rate, so we did not think there would be an issue,” Brenda Ramer, the aquarium’s founder and executive director said, adding, “We started to notice bite marks on Charlotte, but saw other fish nipping at her, so we moved fish, but the biting continued.” Ramer said bite marks are an indicator of mating for sharks — and the frisky stingray had several bites on her fin edges. SLUT!!! The expectant mom is carrying up to four pups and could deliver at any time. DNA testing will likely be conducted on the pups after birth to solve the miraculous mystery. Until then, it’s Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte. The typical gestation period in a stingray is three-to-four months, the aquarium said.