Saturday, November 30, 2013

Going In Circles?

Fort River School historic East Amherst Village

So maybe school officials should simultaneously teach history by having the kids sing "Marching through Georgia" or  -- to be fair and balanced -- "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" while traipsing around the school on these brisk mornings coming up. 

Or let the lead kid carry a Chinese flag. 

 Fort River School Monday 8:35 AM

#####
Email sent to parents November 18th

Dear Families and Guardians,
At Fort River Elementary School, we will implement a before school walking program, beginning December 2nd (the Monday after Thanksgiving).  This is a successful program at Wildwood, and we are modeling our system after theirs (thanks, Wildwood!).
This program is designed to provide an effective and safe method of increasing physical activity by taking advantage of time not in use for academics.  Currently, our students arrive between 8:30 & 8:45 and have 3 choices:  eat breakfast in the 1st cafeteria, socialize in the 2nd cafeteria, or socialize in the gymnasium.  We seek to change this morning supervised time to offer more productivity for the students.   
This program, to be implemented at Fort River Elementary School, will hopefully allow for two things to occur:
  1. Increase academic engagement and success.  School aged children who started their morning off with vigorous physical activity while waiting for classes to start showed results of improved focus and attentiveness, and decreased overall behavioral problems (Quick, 2008).
  2. Improve overall health of our students.  An increase in physical activity will be used to aid in the battle of childhood obesity and support students to develop a routine for daily exercise.
Students who need to eat breakfast will still come in the building after 8:30 and have a supervised meal in the cafeteria.  All other students will drop off items in the lobby (if necessary) and go back outside to begin walking around our building, supervised by adults stationed outside.  We will follow the guidelines set forth by the district regarding outside activities in relation to cold weather, and offer an inside walk on days that are too extreme.  All students will conclude their walk at 8:45 so that they may begin class at 8:50.
We anticipate that the students will need support for this transition, so we will have many adults on hand outside as we begin implementation (and continued supervision as the program proceeds).  We will also discuss this with them in class in the days ahead so that they may ask questions and be prepared to begin!   Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. 
Fort River Administration

Friday, November 29, 2013

Occupy Walmart

 Hadley Walmart under siege (sort of)

In addition to the usual bevy of shoppers coming and going at the Mall this Black Friday, the Walmart in Hadley also has a gaggle of protesters occupying a high profile location near their front doors and the subsidiary police presence (looks like the entire Hadley force) and mainstream media.

And what is the cost of "justice"?

Heeding the words of President Calvin Coolidge, "The chief business of the American people is business," most shoppers stopped for a moment to survey the scene or listen to the speakers, then quickly headed into the store.


Walmart employee tells crowd she makes $10/hr after 5 years 

If they gave a demonstration and the media didn't show up it does not make a sound

Walmart fights big hit on Twitter

Christmas Tradition

Now open for business:  Boy Scouts Christmas Tree store

The other Christmas tradition commencing on Black Friday also involves sales, but a tad less cutthroat than what occurs at your local Mall.  

Since the 1950s Boy Scouts have used Kendrick Park as a sales showroom for their #1 fundraiser.  Some of you may remember the "only in Amherst" incident back in 2007 (A story I broke of course) when then Town Manager Larry Shaffer -- supported by then Select Board Chair Anne Awad -- wanted to charge them rent via a $1/tree tax.  

Which of course went over like drilling oil wells in a national park.  

Today the Grinch, err, Larry Shaffer, is long gone and the town even allowed the Business Improvement District to decorate one of the trees on Kendrick Park near the showroom with holiday lights.

Yes Virgina, there is a Santa Clause (even in Amherst).




Thursday, November 28, 2013

A Thanksgiving Tradition


 Volunteers young and old help make the Senior Center Thanksgiving go smoothly

Public safety personnel -- God bless them -- are not the only ones working today in the little college town of Amherst (now with the school break, thankfully, feeling a bit less like a college town). 

For the 32nd consecutive year Nancy Pagano, Amherst Senior Center Director, coordinated a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner at the downtown Bangs Community Center, serving 90 in-house and another 60 via meals on wheels.

 90 folks served at Bangs Center and another 60 in their homes

Or 150 people who otherwise would have had to fend for themselves on this day designed for camaraderie.

Six 25+ pound turkeys went into the mix

A Thanksgiving Story (Worth Remembering)

Mother and Son Peeling Potatoes Saturday Evening Post cover, Nov 24, 1945

Only in Arlington would posing for the greatest illustrator in American history on assignment for media juggernaut The Saturday Evening Post pass for routine.

Richard (Dick) Hagelberg returned to the family dairy farm after surviving five years in the 9’th Army Air Corps, flying 65 treacherous daylight bombing missions over Europe, including D-Day.

June 6, 1944 Photo by Dick Hagelberg

One summer morning he sat beside his 51-year-old mother Saara (Finnish spelling) for an hour of modeling; and two generations later, the scene still resonates.

With a publication deadline looming, Rockwell desperately recruited the Hagelbergs'. Initially they refused his proposal, but when he offered them each $15, they acquiesced . After publication, as he often did with models, Rockwell offered to gift Dick the original painting. He respectfully refused.

Sixty years later, in 2006, Rockwell’s "Homecoming Marine" sold at auction for $9.2 million and "Breaking Home Ties" (a farmer sitting on the running board of a pick up truck with his son dressed in Sunday best clothes heading off to college) brought an astonishing $15.4 million.

Rockwell’s 1943 "Freedom From Want", an extended family gathering around a sumptuous turkey dinner, would at the time prove more popular than the minimalist “Thanksgiving, 1945: A mother and son peeling potatoes.”

But the earlier Post cover had a distinct advantage.

The Four Freedoms

Part of Rockwell’s public relations war effort, the epic series of illustrations based on FDR’s 1941 State of the Union speech, "The Four Freedoms," heartened a battered America still reeling from Pearl Harbor’s infamy.

The US Government originally rebuffed Rockwell’s sponsorship proposal, so he settled for his regular employer The Saturday Evening Post. The blockbuster results appeared over four consecutive weekly covers from February 20 to March 13, 1943.

"Freedom From Want” hit the stands on March 6, 1943, so unlike "A Mother and Son Peeling Potatoes" that appeared on November 24, 1945, it was not simply a seasonal Thanksgiving tribute.

The Office of War Information printed and distributed millions of full-color reproductions of the "The Four Freedoms" and sponsored the originals on a War Bond Tour of major cities that raised $130 million, or $1.7 billion in today's dollars.

Americans adored "Freedom From Want"; but with Europe in ruins our struggling, decimated allies didn’t want a reminder that America’s heartland escaped war’s devastation.

"To Hitler from Lt. Hagelberg"

For his Thanksgiving, 1945 cover, Rockwell journeyed to Maine for a change in scenery, starting work August 15th--the day Japan surrendered.

Rockwell enlisted a 16-year-old boy to play the veteran and a friend’s wife acted as his mother. But when the illustrator returned to his Arlington studio, he couldn’t make it work—the young man didn’t exude the stress of war.

Rockwell recruited two more locals but once again didn’t like the results, considering it too staged. Fortuitously, Dick, recently returned from battle, arrived to deliver milk fresh from the nearby Hagelberg farm to the illustrator's front door. Rockwell had his subjects.

Lt Hagelberg doing a Dr. Strangelove

Rockwell originally posed Dick in a wheelchair striking a pensive pose reminiscent of Rodan’s "The Thinker", but decided it was too melancholy. The selected scene is still slightly incongruous, as Dick is performing one of the military’s more despised chores—KP duty—yet he radiates contentment.

Saara Hagelberg’s loving expression—the look only a mother can give—to a son who survived the ravages of a conflict that had claimed so many sons, personifies Thanksgiving.

Rockwell rejoiced: this time the handsome young man had weathered the misery of war; this time his real mother sits by his side.

So why then refuse to accept the original painting Rockwell had graciously offered? As he often did with models, Rockwell took liberties with Saara's appearance--adding twenty pounds and twenty years. In fact, Hallmark later used her Thanksgiving image for an “I love you Grandma” greeting card.

The dutiful son knew that his mother—although proud of the overall result—was mad.

Saara Hagelberg died of cancer only two years later, a few months before the birth of her first grandchild. By then a priest had purchased the painting and he donated it to an American Legion Post in Winchendon, Massachusetts.

A Rockwell Museum expert rediscovered Thanksgiving, 1945 in the late 1970s and was aghast it hung in a smoke filled building with no fire suppression. The Museum borrowed it, where it remains to this day.

In 1988 the Hagelberg family returned to Arlington from a pilgrimage to Stockbridge, Massachusetts disappointed the painting was not on display.

In an apology letter curator Maureen Hart Hennessey explained, “The museum has almost 500 paintings in its collection and can only exhibit 40-50 at one time. We also rotate paintings for conservation reasons to help preserve them for future generations.”

A few weeks later the Hagelbergs' enjoyed a private showing.

Dick Hagelberg succumbed to cancer in 1993, just after helping to build a home for his daughter Nancy, high on a hill overlooking the family farm that he also built. His wife Olga, a proud WW2 Marine veteran, still lives in that home in Arlington, Vermont.

Olga and (daughter) Nancy Hagelberg 2007

And lately--even around Thanksgiving--she struggles ... briefly.  But then vividly recalls, keeping those magnificent memories alive.



Reunited



(From the archives 11/21/07)

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Fight Fire With Fire

Dueling Petitions

We now have dueling petitions on this here newfangled Internet, one supporting and the other opposing the nut ban in Amherst Regional Public Schools.  Or I should say "restriction" since the schools did issue a public statement back peddling from the word "ban":

"We are not banning nuts, but rather strongly requesting that everyone abide by the guideline not to bring nuts or nut products into the schools."

So far the newcomer petition supporting the schools has more signatures, 95.  But only 24 of them (25%) are from folks in Amherst while the petition opposing the ban err, restriction has 77 signatures.  But 73 of them (95%) are from Amherst.

Not sure how to count Kurt Geryk, husband of School Superintendent Maria Geryk, as he signed both petitions (man definitely has a future in politics).  

On the original petition opposing the ban Mr. Geryk did mention that ARPS has about a "hundred or so" kids with peanut allergies.  Currently the student population at Amherst K-6 is 1,306 students and Middle and High School hold 1,533 students for a total student population of 2,839.  

Thus 100 students with peanut allergies comes to 3.5% which seems to be statistically high as most experts peg the US average figure for folks with a peanut allergy at 1% or less.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Fair Representation?



The Regional School District Planning Board will host a public meeting on December 5 and one overriding concern of Amherst residents is fair representation.  Or at least it should be.

By population Amherst makes up 88% of the current Regional School District (Amherst, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury) thus a School Committee of 100 members should have 88 of them calling Amherst home.

But alas it doesn't work that way as the current 9 member Regional School Committee is made up of five from Amherst two from Pelham and one each from Leverett and Shutesbury.  Not even close to that great American concept of "proportional representation."

The current attempt to bring Kindergarden through 6th grade into the mix will be even more disproportional since Shutesbury will not be joining, thus pushing Amherst to over 90% of the proposed Region.

Amherst RSDPB reps: Katherine Appy, Alisa Brewer, Andy Steinberg (Chair)

The make up of the  Regional School District Planning Board already hints at the problem with whatever "plan" they come up with, since the committee was founded with 12 members equally divided between the four towns. 

One (Pelham) member last summer somewhat addressed the potential tail-wagging-the-dog scenario by saying it would "save Amherst from themselves," a thinly veiled (nasty) reference to Catherine Sanderson's tumultuous reign on the Amherst School Committee.

A time when progress was actually being made, but bitterly opposed every centimeter of the way.

The meeting December 5 is not getting nearly the public attention it deserves.  Interestingly the RSDPB hired a PR firm to come up with a "marketing plan" back when they were attempting to fast track a completed plan to the voters by the November elections. 


#####

Regional School District Planning Board (RSDPB) Thursday, December 5, from 7-9 pm  in the Town Room in Town Hall

Public Safety: Barely Treading Water


 AFD on scene, Hadley

The minimum staffing level at Amherst Fire Department -- only seven on duty -- that results in routine "calls for station coverage" from Dispatch during the week will now be in effect on weekends as well, until late January when our institutes of higher education start their spring semesters.

Thus only three ambulances can be staffed.

Reacting to negative attention brought on by all the drunk students cannibalizing our ambulances, UMass wisely decided to kick in an additional $40,000 per semester to fund four extra on-duty weekend staff (13 total),  but that money ran out for this semester on November 2nd.



Since then AFD used its own "regular department overtime" to fund an extra two on duty staff (bringing total to 9, or potential staffing for four ambulances) but this past weekend was the last time until start of next semester. So now we're back to only three ambulances.

Notice over this past weekend there were two separate clusters of ETOH (intoxication) events at UMass that tied up two ambulances simultaneously; and when that happens again over the next two months it leaves only one ambulance remaining for the rest of Amherst, as well as Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury and Hadley.

Thus if you are going to have an accident over the next two months needing an immediate ambulance or firetruck, you may want to schedule it for a weekday.

Even then ...

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Keep The Nuts In Amherst!



ARHS


These days if you have a problems with a decision made by a government or corporate entity, the quickest way to demonstrate that displeasure is to start a petition.

Of course back in the old days you actually had to put pen to paper and someone had to carry that paper around to each individual signer. Thank God -- or Al Gore -- for the Internet.

By almost all accounts the sudden implementation of the nut ban (pause for Amherst joke) has been handled horribly. The schools (and town) really need to hire a PR person.

Maybe I'll start a petition. 


Local Food Co-Op Opens


"All Things Local"  is already drawing a crowd to its new downtown location, site of the former Souper Bowl restaurant, with a "soft opening" this weekend.  



The co-op sells local produce and natural products on consignment or what manager Al Sax points out is a "shared risk model".

If the products sell the producer gets 80% of the sale and if it doesn't sell, everybody loses.

Harmony Springs (founded in Hamp)



Yes, even ice cream!

Open today, Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Out With The Old

Ye Old Hawthorne Farm house 10/9/13

Today

100+ year old Sugar Maples in rear meadow

Reap What You Sow

 Noah K. Pfister: home for the holidays

Eastern Hampshire District Court Judge John Payne denied the prosecution's "Motion for Pre-Trial Detention under MGL 276, Section 58A" in the assault case of Noah K. Pfister, accused slasher of  UMass student Henry Lancaster-Goguen, and set bail at $2,500.

The parents were in the courtroom on Friday to support their son, who was handcuffed and wearing leg shackles.  And they would need to scramble to find a Bank of America to post the cash bail, since the proceedings concluded around 4:00 PM.

The 58A hearing was called so the prosecution could present evidence that the defendant is dangerous and should be held in jail pending trial.  But the witnesses for the prosecution were hardly compelling with their testimony.

Victim Henry Lancaster-Goguen, age 21, admitted he was "very intoxicated" after attending parties at Townhouse Apartments and another at a house on Sunderland Road earlier in the evening.  When police first arrived at the 66 Pine Street location he told them a fall caused his injuries.

Asked to explain that discrepancy by the Prosecutor, Lancaster-Goguen explained he was in shock and "delusional" from the assault. 

He also admitted sending a text message threatening Pfister, age 24, and he could not remember who pushed first when the fight started.  And when asked by the prosecution how he would feel if his attacker were released on bail, Lancaster-Goguen replied, "slightly concerned". 

The most devastating testimony came from Pfister's girlfriend who had previously had a "physical relationship" with Lancaster-Goguen but had broken it off last summer.

She testified the victim had threatened Pfister, her new boyfriend, many times; called her a "whore" and "slut" in text messages; and that Lancaster-Goguen initiated the fight that night by pushing Pfister while calling him a "faggot."

Amherst Police Detective Greg Wise testified that Pfister told him during an interview that he pulled the knife "to prevent further attack," and that the victim had grabbed the knife by the blade after starting the fight.  

Although it did not come up at the hearing, Henry Lancaster-Goguen is no stranger to the Amherst Police Department, having been previously arrested for noise along with the brother of his accused attacker.

The Judge set the next pre trial hearing for January 23 and told Pfister to stay out of Amherst and away from the victim until then.  The parents confirmed they were taking him back to Camden, Maine. 

Friday, November 22, 2013

A Half Century Ago ...


The ornate condolence certificate, autographed by the President, arrived two months after the sudden death of my father—a combat veteran who helped overthrow the Japanese in the Philippines but never discussed it with any of his four inquisitive children.

That letter brought radiance into our home on an otherwise dreary late November day.

So, suddenly transformed into a proud 8-year-old, I pestered my mother for the honor of bringing the document to school the following day. My pragmatic Irish mother denied the request--worried I could lose or damage the precious parchment.

Friday began as unremarkable as a hundred before: Morning prayers chanted effortlessly, the Pledge of Allegiance parroted as we stood with our right hands over our hearts facing an American flag.

I was having trouble concentrating on the curriculum, typical for a Friday when the weekend beckoned. But this time all I could think about was a letter that had arrived just yesterday from a revered man who could have met my father less than a generation ago.

With only an hour of captivity remaining, a high-school boy suddenly entered from the right door bearing a message. Snatching the note from his hand the nun appeared almost angry at the interruption. I could, however, see her face suddenly turn white—matching the mask-like habit all ‘Sisters of St. Joseph’ wore.

She crumpled the memo with one hand while reaching back to grab her desk with the other, slumping as though absorbing a blow from a heavyweight boxer. With a trembling voice she said, “Please stand.” Although puzzled, we responded immediately.

“Now extend your arms sideway, shoulder high, and hold them there,” she said still struggling to gain control. So there we stood, 26 of us, rooted near our desks like cemetery crosses wondering, as our shoulders started to ache, what could possible cause such a break in routine?

She regained the commanding voice of authority to announce, “President Kennedy has just been shot” Tears trickled down her cheeks as she concluded, “He needs our prayers.”

At St. Michael’s school in the year of our Lord 1963, President John F. Kennedy was fourth on the list of most beloved: just under the Holy Trinity and tied with Pope John. And in my home he was tied for second with St. Patrick just under my recently deceased father.

The big yellow bus rumbled back to Amherst with an interior as quiet as a crypt. The astonishing event blurred short-term memory like one too many drinks. I began to question whether the letter from the now martyred leader was actually real, or did I simply imagine it?

Bursting thru the front door I quickly spied the prized possession lying on a cluttered kitchen table. With relief and reverence I held it aloft, taking in the brilliant gold calligraphy etched on a pure white background: “It is with deepest sympathy…”

A feeling the entire nation now shared.

Originally published 11/22/07

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Graphic Update


 Attack occurred just north of UMass Campus Center

I have never posted a warning about public documents published over the past twenty years, so this will be a first: The "Statement of Facts" filed (over a month after the incident) in Eastern Hampshire District Court by UMPD in the UMass alleged rape that occurred on September 2 -- although it was hushed up for almost two months -- is both graphic and depressing.

Be forewarned



Patrick Durocher is expected to be indicted for the crime of rape and his case will then be bumped from Eastern Hampshire District Court up to Superior Court. 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Staggering DUI Disposition

 Daniel Dodman crash Triangle Street 6/20/13 Not far from Amherst High School

Many of you will remember Daniel S. Dodman my June 20 DUI Dishonor Role winner.  He's the kid who drove his Volvo off busy Triangle Street after sideswiping a telephone pole and then tried to surf a row of boulders.  He abandoned his damaged vehicle and sprinted north. 

Once captured he failed every aspect of the FSTs and blew a .16 BAC -- twice the legal limit.

The crash drew the immediate attention of Amherst police of course, but also tied up AFD since the damaged vehicle was leaking hazardous fluids. 

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Tuesday Judge John Payne heard pretty much an admission of guilt and plea for mercy from Dodman and his attorney.  His mother was also in court, and the Judge heard about his successful older siblings.   A DUI conviction on his record would dramatically reduce the likelihood of his ever matching their success in life.



The prosecution was not overly moved, citing his fleeing the scene, struggling with police and also mentioned  how he emptied a toilet with his bare hands when finally put in a cell, weirding out one of the officers.

UMass suspended Dodman for one year but he will restart his senior year this coming spring.  And he is getting professional help from an Amherst therapist.  

The Judge was convinced (by the defense).  Out of the six counts filed against him he dismissed three (Resisting Arrest, Leaving Scene of Accident, Marked Lanes Violation) and the most important ones -- DUI and Negligent Operation -- he continued for a year without a finding.

He was also found  "responsible" for "open container of alcohol" (whisky) in an automobile, but the charge was simply filed for one year.

Dodman will lose his drivers license for 45 days, be on probation for a year, pay court costs and continue with his therapy.

Maybe he has learned a harsh lesson.  Maybe.  If not, the next time he could die -- or worse, one of those innocent teen-age bystanders you see below.


 
Daniel Dodman's rolling weapon disarmed (note teenagers in close proximity)

Fire Glendale Road


 AFD Assistant Chief Stromgren directing the attack

Amherst Fire Department knocked down a structure fire at 214 Glendale Road South Amherst in about a half-hour this cold morning, confining the major damage to a family room addition at the rear of the house, where the fire originated, and roof.  There were no injuries.

Assistant Chief Lindsay Stromgren was on the scene directing the efforts of two original responding engines and an ambulance, that were quickly supplemented with many more pieces of heavy apparatus.


Anxious moments until firefighters confirmed nobody was in the house

Amherst police were first on the scene reporting smoke and fire on the back porch which quickly spread to the attached one family ranch.  Animal control officer Carol Hepburn also responded but no word if there were any pets impacted. 

High pressure hose getting the job done

AFD Engine 2 (Quint) on scene

Note large natural gas liquid propane tank bottom left, near where fire started.  Yikes!



Assistant Chief Don McKay (center) also on scene

AFD Chaplain Bruce Arbour (left) on scene

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Pine Street Stabbing


 66 Pine Street

Accused slasher Noah Kelly Pfister made a brief appearance this morning in Eastern Hampshire District Court before Judge John M.Payne Jr.,  and by way of his attorney Thomas Whitney entered a plea of "not guilty" to the charge of "assault with a dangerous weapon."

He remained seated the entire time, letting his attorney do all the talking.  Two Amherst Police detectives sat close by.

The case was continued to this Friday at 11:00 AM to give the prosecution time to coordinate the testimony of three witnesses -- the victim (Henry Lancaster-Goguen), an Amherst police officer, and one bystander present that night.

The 58-A hearing is a "Motion for Pre-Trial Detention" (under MGL 276) made by the prosecution to declare Mr. Pfister "dangerous" and should be held in jail until trial.  Until then he remains in police custody and Mr. Pfister was escorted back to jail by Detective Tina Knightly. 

Defense Attorney Whitney told the Judge he would be calling two witnesses present that night. In addition he requested from the prosecution copies of photos and videos taken during the investigation and audio of the 911 call.

 Reading between the lines of the "Statement of Facts," safe bet the defense will be "self defense."

Party House of the Weekend



So as I mentioned last week when the house a couple doors down made my pernicious Party House list, these neighborhood single-family homes were actually built for families to live in, and now many have been converted to student housing.

While these particular perps did not throw bottles at police officers they were hardly cooperative when officers arrived after someone in the neighborhood complained about the noise and foot traffic.

All four responsible tenants were issued both noise and nuisance house tickets amounting to $600 in fines.  Interestingly if they had been arrested they would have appeared before Judge Payne yesterday, and he routinely fails to enforce both tickets, allowing the matter to be settled for just $300. 




Monday, November 18, 2013

Slasher Weekend

 A 15" double-edged blade can ruin your entire evening

Maybe it was the full moon, or the unseasonably warm weather or -- more likely -- too much alcohol, as this past weekend turned a tad violent with Amherst Police Department (and AFD) dealing with two separate dangerous weapon assaults.

The Pine Street incident early Saturday morning where a UMass student was stabbed multiple times by Noah Kelly Pfister, 24, who was arrested when he turned himself in at APD headquarters this afternoon.

And on Sunday a little after 10:00 PM at Village Park Apartments, adjacent to UMass, a couple of gentlemen got into a disagreement and one, Russell St. Andre, age 50, used a sword cane to settle it.

He must have grown up on James Bond movies.





Party House from the Past

621 East Pleasant Street, formerly known as Babetown, early November

Just to show our Building Department means business when issuing tickets for zoning violations, aka slovenly behavior, I give you this morning's proceeding in Eastern Hampshire District Court where Building Commissioner Rob Morra put in an appearance to follow up on tickets written to 621 East Pleasant Street for, among other things, cars parked on the lawn rather than in the driveway.

My more ardent readers -- who especially like to read the comments -- will remember 621 East Pleasant was the household that was going to file suit against me for shining a light on their not so neighborly behavior.

The owner of the house, Robert Bonsall, failed to appear this morning in Civil Court; and if he does not appear in Criminal Court on 12/20 to answer the charge he will be arrested.  Merry Christmas.