Groundhog Day on Staten Island just bad news for NYC mayors

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Punxsutawney Phil’s selection is in! Was he in agreement with Chuck from Staten Island?<<

Staten Island is the last location a mayor of New York City would want to go on Groundhog Day.

Ask Bill de Blasio, please.

or Bloomberg, Mike.

This Sunday is Groundhog Day, and Staten Island Chuck is preparing to deliver his weather prediction: will it be more winter or an early spring?

However, Chuck hasn’t always been a kind and loving person.

In 2014, during his first few weeks in office, de Blasio visited the Island to spend Groundhog Day with our Chuck in accordance with mayoral tradition.

Witnessing the mayor hold the animal in his hands has been a delightful aspect of the ritual.

However, that year’s events didn’t go as expected.

Wearing heavy wildlife-handler gloves, De Blasio grabbed Chuck but let go of the animal.

In 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped a groundhog during an event. Later, the rodent passed away.Advance of Staten Island

However, the mishap was only the start.

A week later, it was discovered that the groundhog de Blasio had dumped had passed away.

Additionally, it was discovered that the groundhog was a female named Charlotte rather than Chuck.

No one claimed that the groundhog was killed by de Blasio. However, the episode foreshadowed the tense relationship de Blasio would have with Islanders during his tenure as mayor.

De Blasio finally shared his perspective on the groundhog controversy in a 2023 interview with New York magazine, pleading with the staff to “don’t make me hold the f—ing groundhog.”

The former mayor then went on to give the impression that he held his employees or those at the Staten Island Zoo responsible for the mishap.

What do you do, after all? “De Blasio said.” Talk about a lack of advance work, I say.

He also mentioned that my motor skills aren’t the best because he had to be at the event by 7 a.m.

De Blasio did return on Groundhog Day the following year, to his credit. At that point, it was decided that the mayor would no longer deal with the groundhog.

If nothing else, former Mayor Mike Bloomberg may be proud of de Blasio’s physical recovery from the incident.

In 2009, Bloomberg visited here to commemorate Groundhog Day after winning City Hall with the votes of Staten Island. While attempting to entice Chuck out of his cage, he was immediately bitten on the finger through his glove.

In 2009, Mayor Michael Bloomberg was bitten during the Groundhog Day festivities.Advancement of Staten Island

That’s the price you pay for upsetting a hibernating rodent’s sleep.

Bloomberg, however, was unfazed.

When he held the rodent at the following year’s Groundhog Day ceremony, he wore wildlife-handlers gloves and boxing gloves.

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