Potpourri for a Tuesday

The fiasco regarding Hyde Park Arena Monday was predictable and avoidable.

The current operator is without a contract. Why the sudden sense of urgency is uncertain.

I expected to read a Rick Pfeiffer story in the Gazette Tuesday morning in which the Mayor blamed the council for not approving the contract with the chosen new vendor after protests at last Wednesday’s council.

Instead, the reporting was from Mark Scheer. Pfeiffer usually slants things to the Mayor’s favor. Scheer seems to favor the people. The Mayor had to take to Channel 4.

Ultimately, the administration will claim the current operator was behind on bills and the city had no choice. The amount of past due fees is said to be close to $1 million.

Pothole killer in action

I was running errands between work calls Monday when I saw the fabled “Pothole Killer” at College Avenue and DeVeaux Street fixing a hole where the rain gets in so the asphalt can again go wandering where it will go. (Apology to the Beatles.)

A few months ago, the city council declined to approve overtime for DPW workers to work 3 extra hours daily for a few weeks to hot patch potholes.

The plan was to see which method works better. When the city council delayed approving overtime for two weeks, the Pothole Killer was delayed and the narrow window closed. Hence, only the out-of-town vendor has been filling holes because the laborers shifted over to paving weeks ago. Maybe next year.

Walk with us

Two weeks ago, Uniquia Lewis initiated a weekly community engagement walk. The plan was simple. Meet at Whirlpool State Park at 9:45 a.m. Walk to the Whirlpool stairs. Head down into the gorge and turn left along the Great Gorge Railway bed. Walk to the flats near the upper Whirlpool Rapids.

If you catch up with me, I will show you thimble berries, blackcaps, black raspberries and red raspberries (you can munch on all of them).

There are also other interesting plants to see along the way as well as a fuzzy brown poodle who just wants to drink from the river and run off leash. (I have not allowed him off leash on our recent walks. Too many people around.)