DEAR BLABBY: I am still missing the old Thruway Diner since it closed to make way for a Walgreens at Main Street near Weyman Avenue. I recall hearing that there would be a new diner built in the corner of the Home Depot parking lot. What's happening with that?

Dear Missing the Old Thruway Diner,

According to my old friend City Councilman Lou Trangucci, a fine young man if there ever was one, the Home Depot would not sell its property to the owners of the Nautilus so they could build a diner on their parking lot. New Rochelle Development Commissioner Michael Freimuth was kind enough to invite me for a cup of tea yesterday and he tell me there might be a diner built on City property across the street from the old diner. He even sent me this lovely aerial photo of the site.

DEAR BLABBY: I drove by AJ Burgers today and see brown paper covering the windows. Their Facebook account is deactivated. Their web site is just more brown paper with the words "? five one eight". I am so distressed. Please tell me that my favorite hamburger joint is not closing.

Dear So Distressed.

People all over New Rochelle have been stopping me on the street with the same question. What is going on with AJ's Burgers?

I have already lectured that young man on giving your poor old Blabby a case of the nerves with his little gag.

DEAR BLABBY: I live in the Hazlehurst Park neighborhood of New Rochelle near Emerson Avenue off East Main Street. What is the origin of "Hazlehurst Park?"

Signed
Hazelnut

Dear Hazel,

Hazelhurst Park is early 20th century residential park situated along the New Rochelle-Larchmont border but you already knew that. To really dig into the origin of Hazelhurst Park we are going to need the help of an expert. New Rochelle is fortunate to have just such an expert in New Rochelle's City Historian Barbara Davis, a wonderful and unique community asset who is rarely at a loss when it comes to local history. I asked Barbara to dig into her endless stacks of files and see what she could find about Hazlehurst Park.

She writes back:

Blabby,

DEAR BLABBY: My long-time neighbor went all Paul Bunyan on me recently, cutting down several beautiful trees on their property, next to my property. I am not too happy about it. Can any one just cut down trees whenever they want in New Rochelle? Don't they have to get a permit or pay into some sort of tree fund?

DEAR NOT TOO HAPPY ABOUT IT

Paul Bunyan can swing his axe and cut down any tree "as of right" except in two specific situations so the answer to your question is "it depends".

New Rochelle City Code 301-25 always permits removing a tree when there is an actual or ongoing emergency condition or if the tree is sick. Smaller trees can always be removed where smaller means with a "DBH" of less than eight inches. DBH stands for diameter at breast height.

DEAR BLABBY: Many years ago (over 50) Tom Pugliese pitched a perfect game for the Jets in the New Rochelle Little League. Are there records to show whether anyone else pitched a perfect game since? I am very interested. Thanks in advance if you send me any response.

DEAR VERY INTERESTED: New Rochelle Little League will celebrate its 60th Anniversary this year. Richie Perdew has been involved with New Rochelle Little League for many of those years. Richie recalls a Mike Pugliese and believes he knows the Tom Pugliese you are asking about.

Unfortunately, according to Richie, the New Rochelle Little League does not keep official records of Perfect Games. He says that while he cannot say for sure he believes there may have been perfect games but cannot recall one in recent memory. In either case, they are few and far between.

On a related note, Frank Miceli, the "Home Run King" is reported to have hit the first home run at Tocci Field.

DEAR BLABBY: There is a sign posted in the cafeteria at Columbus school who prohibits playing soccer at the school. Any idea why playing soccer is prohibited at Columbus Elementary School?

Fútbol Fanatic

DEAR FANATIC:

Supervision at New Rochelle elementary schools during lunchtime recess is provided by monitors. There are no teachers or administrators to organize sports activities. Therefore, soccer at Columbus takes the form of free play. Unfortunately, there have been repeated incidents where students have injured each other playing soccer. As a result, soccer playing has been banned during lunchtime.

To get answers to your questions about New Rochelle, write Dear Blabby at dearbalbby@talkofthesound.com or Talk of the Sound, Downtown Bureau, 234 North Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10801.

DEAR BLABBY: Why is it that every school in New Rochelle has a full time, highly paid technology facilitator specialist except New Rochelle High School? I have inquired with the district several times but cannot get any response. Any suggestions?

Confused in New Rochelle

DEAR CONFUSED: It only seems like every school in New Rochelle has a full time, highly paid technology facilitator specialist.

Columbus, Trinity, Jefferson and Ward have full-time technology facilitators. Each of them have special "technology" related magnet school or magnet overlay themes; technology instruction to students is a major part of their curriculum. Barnard, Davis and Webster have part-time technology facilitators. The technology facilitator position at the high school was eliminated in the 2011-12 budget approved in May 2011.

As far as technology facilitators being "highly paid," they are paid on the same salary schedule as any other teacher covered under the F.U.S.E.

Dear Blabby here to remind you that "spring has sprung" which means its time for the school district to spring its traps on gullible parents who still believe they can trust the District when it comes to providing services and accommodations to special needs students. We encourage all parents dealing with the Special Education department to carefully read:

Dear Blabby's Cheat Sheet for parents seeking special education services in New Rochelle.

Be aware, that School District has been crowing all year in school board meetings about its "success" in declassifying students, taking away services and removing kids in private, full-time special education schools and forcing them back into "mainstreamed" public classrooms. While we all want to see the need to spend money on special education services go down and thereby reduce the expenditures, the District's approach is often one of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Too often trusting, unsuspecting parents are bamboozled into signing documents waiving their rights -- things like their right to ALL documents used in a CSE meeting before the day of the meeting, the right to have certain people at the meeting, the right to bring a tape recorder to the meeting, and so on.

Each week Ms. Blabby provides her best advice for children with special needs. She answers your email questions then posts the best and most interesting letters on her blog [more].

Dear Blabby,

Dear Blabby,

My son is extremely high functioning, slightly speech delayed, could use some work on attention skills etc. I am looking for a camp that will motivate, stimulate and move him along. Does SEPTA compile a list of appropriate Day Camps for children with special needs? How do I get my hands on it to begin some research?

J.

======================

Dear J.

SEPTA might be a good place to start but don't forget the New Rochelle Recreation Department. Contact Nina Shawn-Gainor at that office. You can also try school social workers. They often receive a lot of information about summer camps both in and out of New Rochelle.

You might even be able to get some financial assistance. There is a "campership fund" foundation that raises money to assist those in need to attend camps. Joanne Goldman or Carol Feldman at the school district central office at City Hall may be able to help you with that.