sign of the times

EAST SIDE OBSERVER

BY ARLENE KAYATT

Checking on out — Decorum is dead in social discourse. I'd have to ditto that in other parts of civic life as well. And let's not forget the commercial sector. A check-cashing store on the northwest corner of First Ave and 90th has been there for years. The shop fronts First and has a window on 90th St. On the avenue side there's a ginormous “STORE FOR RENT” sign that covers the entire window. There's also a jewelry counter within the store — added several years ago — which you could usually see from the window. Not any more, though. The “for rent” sign is plastered across the entire window, making it appear that the check-cashing store and jeweler are out of business. They're not. Inquiring of the employees at the location, I learned that the owner of the building (across the street from the East Side's 'billionaire's' high rise on 89th Street) wants to sell the building and wants the store empty. So why a “for rent” sign? The employees who shared the info didn't know the details — whether the store has a long-term lease and the landlord doesn't want to buy out, or some other sad and sordid tale of why businesses aren't making it in Manhattan. What bothered the locals was that it looked like the store had already closed and gone out of business because of the landlord's misleading sign peddling his property. Hmm, if the landlord's trying to sell the building, why a “for rent” sign? Another story for another day.

Politics is not for the feint of heart — If “It's not over till it's over,” then when it's over, it's over, right? Not if you listen to Marti Speranza, one of the candidates who lost the race in the Fourth District's City Council race to Keith Powers. Her home club, Gramercy Stuyvesant Independent Democrats, held a post-primary club roundtable meeting last week — which she chaired — to discuss why her race was lost before voters showed up at the polls. Sounded like sour grapes to me. Speranza had a plethora of endorsements. And she sought endorsements from the same candidates who ultimately endorsed Powers. Now she's griping and accusing them of not being progressive and in league against her. IMHO, Democrats and local political clubs should be banding together to get like-minded candidates elected and not fighting lost elections and going after those who didn't endorse her. Speranza may want to take note of club member Michelle Winfield's advice that, when campaigning and otherwise, candidates should let the voters know who they are, what they will and will not do, and not waste their time beating up and denigrating their opponents. Sounds sound.

Judgment day — Primary season's over for this year. Onto the November elections. The judges selected at the Manhattan Democratic Party's Judicial Convention last week are assured of winning in the November election — they don't have opponents. To the victors — Judges Lori Sattler, Nancy Bannon, Anthony Cannataro, Verna Saunders, Franc Perry, Adam Silvera — go the role of Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County. Hard fought — especially for Sattler — who recently was elected to a second term on the Civil Court as an acting Supreme Court justice. Congratulations to all — and a shout out to East Siders Lori Sattler (UES), Nancy Bannon (Midtown East), Adam Silvera (LES). Onto next year's selections.

Praying pop up — One of the highlights of the recent Jewish holiday week, ending with the blowing of the shofar on Yom Kippur, was passing the storefront at 1231 Third Ave (formerly home to Grace's Marketplace, which is now located on Second Ave in the 60's) as the end of Yom Kippur approached, and seeing, through lacey-ish curtains, yarmulkas as men and women and children were attending service and praying in the last hours of the holiest day in the Jewish year. A kosher pop up. Why not?