Rough, Scary and Stupid Times In America

What's your point?

I pulled this abhorrent sticker off of a parking meter on Warren Street today.  It had appeared recently.  The number of anti-vax stickers still appearing around town is absurd. Who is still buying these things and displaying them?

Last week, I found another fresh one stuck to a meter on South 6th Street that was even more sickening, frightening and vulgar.  It had red, white and blue colors, with an American flag between the letters F and K, followed by BIDEN.  Then, F*%# YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM (with the 4-letter profanity spelled out).

There Are No Mistakes!

I had to laugh today when I clicked on the Department Directory page of the city's newly designed website, where our mayor's name is nowhere to be found!

Every other department in the list (except for the Parking Bureau) includes one name and one name only -- that of the department head, not the second in command.  It appears that Michael Hoffman is in charge of the Mayor's Office, and thus, in charge of the city as well.  

Kamal who?

We Need A Few New Signs In The Park

On Saturday morning at 9:00, on another unseasonably warm day, I noticed at least 4 park regulars seated at the table in the southeast corner of the 7th Street Park.  

They Talk The Talk But Can't Walk The Walk!

 

It's nothing new to say that the residents of Hudson are counting on many of those in Hudson City Hall -- the Mayor's Office, the city attorney and Legal Committee, the Code Enforcement Office, and possibly Robert Perry -- to make our sidewalks "safe and accessible for all."  But the new 5-foot wide sidewalk in front of City Hall should cast a lot of doubt on anyone's hopes for that dream to become a reality. 

Welcome To The Park and To The Thursday Farmers Market Everybody!

 

A few minutes after my call to HPD, two HPD vehicles arrived to the park.  Such a wonderful use of HPD resources and money!

"Hello, Code Enforcement. Is A Building Inspector Available?"

I don't know if the Islamic Center ever had a date in mind when they thought they would be able to actually occupy their new mosque, but let's just say that progress on the building has been practically nonexistent for the past year or two.  Saying that progress is going at a snail's pace would be too generous.  

When something as large and heavy as this falls off of an exterior wall, you have to wonder if the IC has the capacity to finish constructing their mosque.  Or if they should even be allowed to continue "building."  Someone, or a contractor, clearly should not be working there.

More mosqueing tape next time!

Quiz Time!

336 State

What do these two long-time vacant houses on State Street have in common besides looking like shit for the past several years?

618 State

Just A Truck Causing Some Extra Damage While Passing Through The City!

Earlier today, in the 700 block of Columbia, a Colarusso gravel truck travelling west clipped the opening door of a parked car just enough to do some serious damage to the car but not take the door off its hinges.  When I arrived, the owner of the car was furious, pacing back and forth and yelling out loud to no one in particular:  "I just got this car fixed.  I just got this car fixed, god damn it!  He was driving so fast and so close to me," pointing to the truck, which had parked ahead in front of Citgo.  The door would not close, and the door's shattered window was all over the street, with passing traffic riding over it.  Notice that the door panel had completely fallen off.  One HPD officer was soon on the scene.  (We should hire an officer whose sole duty is to respond to vehicle accidents!)

The Circus Continues

I've been reporting on the still not permanently repaired water main under South 4th Street (across from the Post Office) since the break occurred on July 9th.  Most recently, 11 days ago, I wrote about how our DPW Superintendent Robert Perry claimed at this month's meeting that he had been having trouble for the prior 3 months coordinating a date with the Catskill DPW to get them over here with their special saw to permanently fix our temporarily fixed pipe. 

Just $15 For Being A Dangerous, Disrespectful and Dumb Driver?

Late on Sunday morning on Columbia Street, next to the 7th Street Park:  Two consecutive parking spaces are occupied by cars, both with New Jersey license plates, facing in the wrong direction/parked on the wrong side of the road/left wheels at the curb (not a too surprising sight in Hudson).  No one is inside either vehicle.  I call HPD to alert them.

Just An Honest Mistake? [with update]

As many Hudseen readers likely know, I am hoping to be voted in as a Hudson Common Council member representing the third ward on November 7th.  A few months ago, I submitted the required number of signatures on time to the Columbia County Board of Elections and was told that everything appeared to be in order to be on the ballot.  A few days ago, I decided to see what the ballot for the third ward will look like, to see my name for the first time ever on an election ballot, and to see who I am running against.  Here is the third ward SAMPLE BALLOT offered to the public, taken from the County Board of Elections website:

This Is Far Too Common

Last Thursday, I noticed my neighbor's pair of full trash cans on the sidewalk at the curb.  There was an unpleasant odor for anyone walking past.  Of course, cars often park there.  I took a picture of them the next day.

Got Any Theories Of Your Own?

Last week, an acquaintance of mine who, to my surprise, was well aware of the situation in the 7th Street Park with the likes of Michael Madison, Michelle Moskaluk, and their drinking pals, offered me a theory as to why the nonsense never ends with these people and the trouble they cause in the park.  The theory goes something like this:

More Public Park Amenities!

A few days ago, I noticed an electric cord of some sort sticking out of the dirt in the southeast corner of the 7th Street Park. I yanked on it, but it wouldn't budge. It looked as though it's been there for years.

KLICK KLACK KLANG KLANG

Here are some regular unwelcome noises at 6th & State that DPW and the Mayor's Office have no sense of urgency to quiet.  The clatter can be heard from the sidewalk, from the stoops of and inside nearby houses, including from bedrooms and living rooms facing State Street even when windows are closed, as well as from backyards.

Picture of The Month

                                                                                                                   photo:  Bill Huston

It's a wonderfully eerie sight to suddenly see a single locomotive appear quietly out of the woods along the tracks headed into town, as I witnessed this morning.  A few moments later, I caught this image of the mighty CSX engine by its lonesome.

Have You Noticed Lately How Our Already Dangerous Streets Are Getting Worse?

Recently, I have most definitely noticed an increase in the number of vehicles driving in the wrong direction on one-way streets in downtown Hudson.  I'm thinking it can mostly be explained by distracted drivers, which are a common sight on all streets -- far too common for my liking.  But Hudson DPW needs to install more signs at some intersections if it wants to stop this craziness before someone is seriously hurt or killed. Something awful is going to happen sooner or later, and DPW is not doing enough for us to prevent the inevitable.