An interesting Associated Press story from Atlantic City has information that may be pertinent to the upcoming Schenectady casino.

Stockton University purchased the failed Showboat Casino to expand its campus. Trump Entertainment, owner of the adjacent Trump Taj Mahal Casino, vetoed the sale under zoning provisions that the land be used only for a casino.

A Trump spokesman said "Our company does not think having a college right next door to the Taj is good for our company.

"Having kids under 21 who will attempt to gain entry to the casino and engage in activities reserved for those only 21 and older would create numerous problems we do not want."

This item is interesting to me because of Schenectady's Union College. While Union is not exactly adjacent to the proposed Schenectady gambling hall location, the campus is right around the corner.

My guess is the nearby bright neon lights and spinning wheels will lure underage students to the gambling gulch.

Also in the casino vein, Michael Bloomberg sounded off last week in a Wall Street Journal story. "Our strategy in New York state seems to be to open gambling casinos so we can rip the lungs out of the poor to subsidize upstate real estate developers," the former New York City mayor said.

Signs of the season

While the long-awaited warmer weather is more than welcome by most, there is one related annual nuisance making a return.

City police report an upswing in downtown panhandling by beggars who have been in hibernation since last fall.

Also on the rise is another form of shaking down people: The warmer weather increased the number of people asking passers-by for gas money, claiming they need it because their vehicle ran dry.

Mont Pleasant memories

When that 27-year-old was mowed down by gunfire in broad daylight on Webster Street last week, it brought back memories of much calmer days in that neighborhood.

Coincidentally, a couple readers in recent weeks sent me emails reminiscing about the 1950s through the 1970s in that southern section of the sprawling Mont Pleasant neighborhood.

One reader pointed out how Webster Tavern and Fretto's Tavern often catered to full houses right up until 3 a.m. and beyond without hint of a disturbance, let alone gunfire. The bars operated right across the street from each other.

Penny Pajak wrote from Florida recalling that portion of Mont Pleasant also was the home of Cristello's Restaurant. Even though she was looking back about a half-century, Pajak said she said she still remembered how most of her friends believed Cristello's pizza was considered in a citywide class by itself.

While I agree with her about Cristello's pizza, Ann and Tony Cristello, her son, also had the best all around Italian menu in town. The restaurant has been closed for many years.

Pajak, a former Glenville councilwoman, moved to Ormond Beach a decade ago. And she makes it clear she doesn't miss the seemingly endless Capital Region winters.

Her parents, Al and Clem Pajak, owned Myers Pharmacy during the long-gone booming days of the Mont Pleasant business district.

Incidentally, I can attest to her irrefutable high marks for Cristello's. However, I would be remiss not to point out that Webster's and Fretto's also had above-average kitchens.

Reach Cermak at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it