$1.5T for Trump’s Disgraceful War
In order to fund Trumps massive $1.5 trillion defense budget, certain cuts to other programs are required. Cuts like $8.5 billion to K-12 programs, and the elimination of youth job training ($1.6 billion) alongside senior employment programs. Reductions totaling billions of dollars for the National Institutes of Health, a $2.5 billion cut to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services. Over $10 billion in housing. Cutting the EPA budget in half and slashing $2.5 billion for clean drinking water. Canceling over $15 billion in clean energy and renewable programs, eliminating the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and cutting food assistance and welfare programs. Trimming 10% or more from the Department of Labor and scaling back the Small Business Administration. $1,500,000,000,000 for a pointless war that “ended” months ago yet has no end in sight. It would be laughable it it weren’t so disgraceful. Americans should be outraged. Mean- while, Trump worries about billions wasted in renovations renaming Dulles airport in his honor.
– Robert LaRosa Sr., Whitestone, NY
Manor Deli to Close
With great sadness I recently learned that the quintessential Manor Delicatessen on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven will close its doors for good on August 21, after operating for more than 100 years. My first Manor Deli experience was in 1986 when my girlfriend (now wife) told me about this remarkable place. After walking through its doors, I immediately sensed the uniqueness and warmth of this culinary heaven. The store was immaculate and the variety and freshness of the foods they serve beyond description. The Manor served everything from the finest cold cuts and cheeses, and cucumber, macaroni and German style potato salads, homemade roast beef, and an assortment of daily specials, like roasted chicken, meatloaf, bratwursts and soups reminiscent of what your grandmother would make. For me as an adult, going to the Manor Deli is like a child at FAO Schwartz on Christmas Eve, with my head on a swivel wanting to buy one delicious item after another. Without question, the Manor Deli had something and everything for everyone, but most important overall was the friendliness, helpfulness and warmth of its staff. They’ve always made everyone feel special, not just regular customers, but for those people who walked through their doors for the first time. The Manor Deli was truly a special place that will be missed by all of New York City and not just the Queens based community where it is located. Thank you, Manor Deli, you are irreplaceable and will be sorely missed.
– Kevin Kehoe, Forest Hills, NY
Post Office Issues
Things are bizarre at the US Post Office on Woodbine and Fresh Pond in Ridgewood. First, they don’t have any stamps. They haven’t had stamps for a couple of months and don’t know when they will. Second, they don’t take cash. If you want to mail a birthday card they will charge the 82 cents to your credit card. That is, if they are open. They close every day for lunch but not at a stated time, but randomly any time from 11am to 2pm. So you shouldn’t go there during those hours because you can’t be certain they are open. To sum it up: they don’t have stamps, they don’t take cash, and you don’t know when they will be closed. This is beyond inconvenient. It’s ridiculous and shows disdain for the people they are supposed to be serving. It needs to be fixed immediately.
– Peggy O’Kane, Ridgewood, NY
NYC Summer Storms Are Getting More Prolific and Intense
This summer certainly continues to be a very active season weather wise, with frequent episodes of severe thunderstorms, torrential downpours, damaging winds and severe flooding. Over the last several summer seasons this pattern has become much more prevalent.
Our current infrastructure is not able to handle such intense rainfall rates, as is evident by the repetitive severe flooding of roadways, subways, streets and basements throughout the region as well as the increasing number of flash flooding alerts. In fact, this year has set a record for the number of flash flood warnings that have been issued by the National Weather Service. Our infrastructure needs additional upgrading to better handle these increasing weather events. The flash flooding and severe storms will continue to increase in frequency and intensity, due to the warming climate, and we must be better prepared to deal with them.
– John Amato, Fresh Meadows, NY
