New York Today: Are Lemonade Stands Allowed?

I never had a lemonade stand, but I was a proud and prosperous show shine boy, my stool west of the newspaper stand across the street from Juniors on Flatbush Ave Ext. Do kids still do that ? “ Shine ‘em up mister ? “

Thank you for your item in today’s New York Today on the Jeffrey’s Hook Lighthouse at the base of the George Washington Bridge. The statement in your article that the Little Red Lighthouse “is the only lighthouse in Manhattan” is not quite accurate, however. There is, of course, the Blackwell Island (Roosevelt Island) lighthouse in the East River and the Titanic Memorial lighthouse, originally at the Seaman’s Institute, now part of the South Street Seaport Museum. And, although technically not lighthouses, there are two lightships located in Manhattan: the Lightship Ambrose, also at the South Street Seaport Museum, and the Lightship Frying Pan at Pier 66a on the Hudson River. There are at least a half dozen other lighthouses in the City outside Manhattan and perhaps someday mention can be made of those unique structures. Thanks again for the focus you bring to the news. Frank J. Fields

MUSICAL NOTE To the bar that rings With karaoke I lend my voice 'less the place is smoky.

MUSICAL NOTE To the bar that rings With karaoke I lend my voice, Unless it's smoky.

Going through the permit process may be a positive educational experience, assuming that it's reasonable. If a quick quiz about food handling safety is involved, even better. Displaying the permit may draw more customers.

With the controversy on the Haitian leader, where we are blurring the people fighting for positive change (the oppressed fighting back) with the initial aggressors. It goes back to the idea of a victim being labeled a bully for the very act of fighting back against the oppressor group. We've gone P.C. full out, even the idea of the Broadway "Gypsy Robe" being seen as a slur, though the Gypsy terms for dancers is to so many an honor to that name Gypsy. My take on having seen this P.C. trend which is now exploding fully coming a while back. I'm not clairvoyant, I'm not a gifted social forecaster or prognosticator; i just avidly read the trends carefully, and this P.C.-ness was in the air and on its way back in 2010. With the word "gypsy" shunned these days in Broadway theater, a rewrite suggestion, dealing with the more modern social media aware Cher - make "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" more "P.C." - with (what else?) "PCs, Apps and Tweets" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouMDcHTyhWw Note: Some material for the parody lyric was inspired by this NY Times article by Frank Bruni https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/movies/21cher.html

I love this as the lead story to end this week! Saluting the “Lemonaid” program and Robin Hood Foundation, helping us learn we can feel good while we do good. Tune of “Lemon Tree” When I was young, a kid of nine, I think it was fourth grade I‘d blend and sell a drink so fine, a lovely lemonade I didn’t know what permits were, I wasn’t chased away But now, your stand may cause a stir, so if folks ask, just say: Lemonaid, this libation, Served up at this pop-up stand Means a cool dedication, That we want to lend a hand. Lemonaid, the Foundation Asks the vendors to suggest That your optional donation Gives the Lemon drink more zest. Lemonaid, kids are learning. And here in our neighborhood All the cash the stands are earning Means a stand can do great good!

So interesting to hear the linked song "Summertime Sadness" after not having heard it for a few years. The association with its sad video made the person nearest the radio, with our encouragement, switching the channel for a few minutes when it came on when it had a lot of play for a while. But it was because it was an effective song, and it was the way none of us really wanted powerful numbers like "My Name is Luka" or "At Seventeen" or "Sunny Came Home" as background while working: to keep working and not listen felt like it trivialized the song's subject. Ariana Grande ("Problem") and Meghan Trainor ("All About the Bass") were much better to accompany efficient tax work, even Adele, since we all knew she had gotten over that bad boyfriend long before the album was released and the songs were Adele's healing. But I'm so glad to be reminded that "Summertime Sadness" was a good piece of writing, even cautionary helpful away from that tragic video. Loving the Forecast features!

"Therese Patricia Okoumou, 44, pleaded not guilty to trespassing and two other misdemeanors after she scaled the base of the Statue of Liberty." It's "Oh, for heaven's sake!" time: when defendants are caught red-handed, so to speak, and plead "not guilty." Why not just plead "guilty," and then add, "with good cause"? It isn't as if she wasn't up there on the Statue of Liberty.

Hello! Always in love with And Finally.., Today’s article mentions the Only Lighthouse in Manhattan. I know and revere the cobbled stone lighthouse at the north of Roosevelt Island, are we overlooking her or is this a matter of Queens principality?

I can’t think of anything more reflective of summer or American than a kid’s homemade lemonade stand. The fact that so many of these kids (and their parents) donate their proceeds to needy charities truly melts my heart. Whenever my husband and I spot a lemonade stand on a neighborhood street, we always stop, drink a few sips and plop down a twenty in the basket because we love how hard they work, they are sweeter than the lemonade, they are doing something positive during their summer vacation and one or more parents are in the background, reading or knitting or simply making sure their kids are okay. I was never a fan of “Country Time Lemonade” but I am now since the “Country Time Legal-Ade initiative sponsored by the Kraft Heinz Company which allocated $60,000 to help kids around the country pay for stand-related fines.” What a wonderful and positive initiative by Kraft and a negative and nasty one by city governments. Fining a kid for having a lemonade stand is simply shameful.

Last year a group of kids put up a lemonade stand in Transmitter Park, the local park here. As a marketing trick, the older kids put the youngest adorable one out front saying get your ice cold lemonade. In the first hour, fifth people must have passed them and all bought the lemonade after hearing her spiel.

A few days ago on the UWS, I was literally besieged by four eager youngsters who had set up a stand in front of their brownstone. The bait?: Homemade muffins. How could one resist? -- especially after being told that the proceeds would be going to an animal shelter. But at $3.50, the thought of extortion did quickly enter my mind. Nevertheless, no one shut them down. And the muffin was good.