TUCKER: If it’s not politicians, it’s signals

Columns

August 27, 2010

Anonymous The Tonawanda News The Tonawanda News Fri Aug 27, 2010, 11:04 PM EDT

— — We all know that the mid-term elections are on the doorstep. Not that I like saying “I told you so,” but my prediction was that just before election, funding for projects and proclamations on stalled projects would be forthcoming so that we would all know what our legislators are doing (besides raising taxes.)

Much as everyone is pleased that the Spaulding Fibre site is now ready for development, was there a reason for Assemblyman Robin Schimminger and other state agency officials to make it sound as though it was their personal money ($5 million for cleanup) that produced such wonderful results?

The best quote in David Hill’s story was the one from Ray Witzleben of Empire State Development’s Restore New York program: “The government has done its job. Now it’s our turn to get out of the way.”

Getting the government out of the way should be a slogan we demand of all politicians.

One thing I’d like to say for Robin after having talked with him at the North Tonawanda City Market recently, his humor gets him through the complaints.

•••

Remember the “Mad Mouse” roller coaster ride?

A press release came from Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, Conn. the other day, saying that the park’s “Mad Mouse” will make its last dash come late September.

The release said, its official “farewell” to the classic Allan Herschell roller coaster, made in 1966 in North Tonawanda, would be Sept. 25 and 26.

“The ride has been a cornerstone for the park for more than a quarter of a century, and it has served us well,” the owner said.

“It still receives rave reviews after all these years and It’s a unique ride in a class all its own. It will be missed.”

The park’s “Little Dipper” roller coaster, one of the oldest steel coasters in the nation, has operated in the park’s kiddyland since 1952. It was also built by the Allan Herschell Co., the release said.

What fun to read about North Tonawanda and the Allan Herschell Co.’s rides and how they’ve lasted and been enjoyed by generations of kids.

•••

Speaking of North Tonawanda, Mayor Rob Ortt was reminded, when he stop by our lunch table at Hodgepodge the other day, of the need to get rid of the signals at Main and Thompson streets and Main and Island streets. They are useless and a cause of aggravation for any driver who get stuck waiting for them. There’s no industry at those sites any more and few cars drive on Main Street to get to and from River Road. C’mon, a few snips of the wires and they’ll be history.

•••

Speaking of River Road, an e-mail came in unsigned but with a great idea. Seems the person lives in Wheatfield and drives every day on River Road to get to work in Buffalo. The complaint is about the signals at Felton Street, Ward and Witmer roads.

“It’s the lucky driver who can come down River Road and make two of the three, even one of the three,” he or she wrote.

“Surely something can be done in this age of computers and high-tech so that if you are going the speed limit (40 or 55 mph depending on the place) you can make them all.”

Might be something for the city engineer to figure out.

•••

Ron Peters sent an update on the Thursam family roots odyssey.

“Here’s’ a small remotely related anecdote,” he wrote. “My parents were 33 years on Nash Road in North Tonawanda. In 1974 when cleaning out before moving to their new house in Akron, they came across a receipt from Thursam Moving and Trucking. It was dated September 1941 when they had moved there. The company had moved a houseful of furniture and belongs a mile or so. They set up beds and spotted furniture and boxes where my mother designated. The bill, $4.70, and they had a three-man crew that worked over a half a day as my dad recalled. Thought you might be interested.”

•••

Checking the spelling of a word in the dictionary the other day, it struck me, if a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?

Contact community editor Barbara Tucker at 693-1000, ext. 110,

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