This Week on West 8th Street

It's been a cold, cold week here on West 8th Street. We've had temperatures as low as -11 degrees F. at night according to my home thermometer. A couple of days ago we also had about a 4 inch snowfall that "cleaned" up the neighborhood by adding a new white layer.

People have been hunkering down trying to wait out the frigid temps and I haven't seen too many of them outdoors except for the brave souls coming out to shovel their walks.
We had an "environmental" inspection this last Tuesday and quite a few of the rental properties on W. 7th St. were sited for various infractions such as abandoned vehicles, parking on bare ground, improperly disposed of trash and the like. Letters were sent out to the tenants and the landlords threatening fines and court costs if the violations were not taken care of.
Some of the problems are due to the cold temps and the fact that people just don't want to be outside at all. Some of the neighbors were, and still are at this writing, pulling their cars right up to the back door of the house to shorten the walk inside.
Of course, this whole problem will be solved with the thaw and spring rains, otherwise the newly trodden driveways will be come quagmires of mud.
We still have some graffiti left over from last summer that needs to be taken care of. Nobody wants to see that type of special vandalism in their neighborhoods and West 8th Street residents are no different.
I hope to be writing to you again soon about the warmer temps and melting of the snow here on West 8th Street.