Salute

Amherst Town Common 11:00 AM

About 50 citizens showed up for the town ceremony on the historic North Common somewhat under the big ceremonial US flag the town flies on special occasions along with the 30 commemorative flags now flying in the downtown.

Select Board Chair Alisa Brewer gave a short measured speech about how the town needs to be accepting of veterans even if they seem somewhat different from our usual demographic.

 Select Board Chair Alisa Brewer briefly addresses the crowd

The Veterans Day ceremony/observance was revived exactly 15 years ago in the immediate wake of 9/11.

It had been at least a generation or maybe two since the town hosted a Veterans Day ceremony as back then the town was far more interested in hosting/celebrating the anti-war movement, which occasionally crossed into anti-veteran territory.

In fact the newly revived ceremony in 2001 was crashed by abrasive protesters (the invasion of Afghanistan to get Osama bin Laden had just begun) who outnumbered the more respectful celebrants who dared to show up.

Just when things were about to escalate to a riot stage, a pair of majestic A-10 warthogs screamed in from the south and flew over the heated crowd at the lowest altitude I have ever seen.

Everything came to a dead silent stop -- kind of like slapping a person who has briefly gone hysterical.  Folks on both sides came to their senses, and quietly left the field of battle. 

 Today's ceremony was nothing but respectful

And Then There Were 30

With liberty and justice for all

Amherst will remember the saddest day of our -- or any other -- generation this Sunday with the 15th annual 9/11 ceremony at North Fire Station.

The commemorative flags and the BIG flag in town center came down on Tuesday after being up for Labor Day but returned this morning for the sad Sunday anniversary.

And for the first time in history, the commemorative flags number the original 30 that were purchased back in the summer of 2001.

29 of them went up in town center in the middle of August that year on an absolutely gorgeous summer morning but immediately created controversy because they made our little college town look to patriotically festive.

On the night of September 10th -- the Eve of Destruction -- after hearing a UMass professor brand our flag "A symbol of terrorism and death and fear and destruction and repression," the Select Board decided to allow them up for only six holidays annually.

The next morning the world changed, but Amherst did not.

But last year, under the leadership of Chair Alisa Brewer, the Select Board finally came to their senses and unanimously added 9/11 to the annual days the commemorative flags can fly, for as long as the Republic stands.

A less responsive Select Board circa 2012

Old Chapel, UMass Amherst

Fatal Accident Town Center

Car vs Peter Pan bus Amherst town center

Regrettably the driver of the car, Adrienne Paquette age 22, that crashed head on into a Peter Pan bus that was legally parked at the bus stop yesterday a little after 5:00 PM has died.

She was transported from the scene by Amherst Fire Department (with three aboard) to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield the closest hospital with a Level 1 Trauma Center.

The accident is still under investigation by Amherst Police Department and the Northwestern District Attorney's office.

 Bus air brakes had locked up as a result of impact causing problems for tow truck driver

Haters Still Gonna Hate

Kendrick Place:  new mixed use anchor for the north end of downtown

After being described as "hideous" in public meetings, with charges of "good old boy" favortism on the part of the Planning Board, prognosticated to overwhelm town parking and becoming a despicable den for student parties rivaling Phillips Street, it's nice to see four months into their operations the apocalypse has not been unleashed by Kendrick Place.

And some professionals seem to appreciate the design of the building:

Click to enlarge/read

No Grant For You!

Historic North Common in front of Town Hall 

The town is on roll with state grants lately ... as in rolling off a high cliff.

Last night Interim Town Manager Dave Ziomek informed the Select Board the $400,000 PARC grant  (Parkland Acquisitions & Renovations for Communities) rehabilitation of the historic North Town Common was denied,  for the second time now.    

The town also recently lost out on mega-million MassWorks grants for rebuilding Pine Street and the funky intersection in North Amherst.

Of course the Community Preservation Act Fund is flush with money after the town increased the surcharge rate to 3%, so town officials will probably move to tap those reserves to get the needed job done.

Location, Location, Location

Ladder 1 and Engine 2 with aerials extended about 75 feet up

About the only thing I'm going to miss with Central Station when the town FINALLY gets around to building a new fire station in South Amherst is the great access the general public has to the department in their heart of the downtown location.

Like today's successful annual Open House, which always coincides with "Fire Prevention Week."  And that's just one of the great things about our local department:  They would much rather not have your business when it comes to fire.



And a little training can go a long way should the unimaginable ever happen in your home, office or school.  AFD also gets out of their office and takes fire safety training to our schools with the highly successful SAFE (Student Awareness of Fire Education program).

 Demonstrating extraction techniques

Of course the other huge problem the town needs to address is the inadequate staffing levels that all too often requires mutual aid supplementation from a surrounding department and frequent requests for off duty firefighters to report in for "station coverage."

Smokey Bear and Jada

Or, maybe we could just draft Smokey Bear.

Click to enlarge photo

 Why we need an adequate full-time profession FD. Those who fail to learn from history ...

Busy Fall Weekend

Saturday noon September 19

This weekend -- especially Saturday -- will be another busy one as our little college town has now fully shaken off the final remnants of a slow but all too brief summer.

The weather is expected to be borderline perfect for outdoor activities so the 28th annual Apple Harvest Crafts Fair on the town common will easily attract an overflow crowd to town center.

In addition, the always popular Amherst Farmers Market will be in the usual spot set up on the Spring Street lot between the North and South Town Common.  And Amherst Regional High School, located nearby, is having its homecoming.

 Grace Church, Boltwood Avenue, Amherst town center

And of course a somber, once in a lifetime event will also attract a standing room only crowd to Grace Episcopal Church next door to Town Hall: the funeral ceremony to remember/commemorate beloved Town Manager John Musante, who passed away suddenly on Sunday morning.

Public Safety departments will be in all-hands-on-deck mode after the sun goes down.  The Fire Department "impact shift" -- extra staffing for two ambulances funded by UMass, a deal brokered by Mr. Musante -- will bring total AFD strength up to 13.

I hope it's enough.

After all a (relatively) quiet weekend would be a fitting tribute to the memory of our Town Manager, who prioritized and helped implement the paradigm shift towards safe and healthy neighborhoods. 

Amherst (Selectively) Remembers

First Congregational Church 1:00 PM

In addition to the usual 40+ year Sunday Peace Vigil in town center Amherst's oldest established house of worship, the First Congregational Church, put on their own public display for peace this afternoon by remembering the devastation unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70 years ago.

Of course they don't anything special to remember December 7,  "A date which will live in infamy."

And thus far, 70 years later, has probably only been exceeded in infamy, by that Tuesday morning almost 14 years ago when death rained down from a crystal clear blue sky ...

Happy BDay America!

Amherst Town Center 7:15 AM

South Amherst Town Common 9:45 AM

 And they're off!  For a few leisurely laps around the common:

Entering the 1st turn

Abe Lincoln (and his dog) came a calling

The rains stopped just minutes before the 5:00 PM start time of Leisure Services and Supplemental Education July 4th extravaganza at UMass McGuirk Stadium. 

McGuirk Stadium 6:00 PM

McGuirk Stadium 7:30 PM 

And of course FIREWORKS!

Umass McGuirk Stadium 9:30 PM

Smokey haze envelopes McGuirk Stadium 10:10 PM

Post event traffic was a nightmare:

"The Lot"

Amherst Town Common as designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1874

Yes, that swath of green space south of College Street directly in front of Amherst College Converse Memorial Library is part of the original Amherst Town Common.

Click photos to enlarge

Olmsted was invited to town by Austin Dickinson on behalf of Amherst Ornamental Tree Association

Back in 1927 Amherst Town Meeting voted in favor or Article 27:

“To see if the Town will vote to relinquish the care and use of that portion of the common at the center of the town which is southerly from College Street, to the Trustees of Amherst College for their use for park purposes only, and to allow said trustees to construct a crosswalk thereon, and plant suitable shrubbery, it being understood and agreed that the area herein described shall at all times be neatly cared for and maintained or take other action thereon.”

Amherst College is therefor caretaker of the property, but not the owner.

Interestingly enough the original Amherst Town Common extends south all the way down to the railroad tracks (now the Norwottuck Rail Trail) where Amherst Farmers Supply has been located for 70 years.

Common area south and below The Octagon and in front of Memorial Hall is part of the original Town Common

Green in front of AC Alumni Gym is also part of original Town Common

Olmsted originally wanted to level the hill where Octagon now sits so folks in town center could better view Holyoke Mountain Range

Amherst is currently considering much needed basic repairs and improvements to the historic North Common located directly in town center.  Within the next few weeks a $500,000+ proposal will be submitted to the state for possible 70% reimbursement.  

If that grant proposal is turned down (as it was three years ago) maybe Amherst Town Meeting should vote to "relinquish the care and use of that portion of the common" to Amherst College.  

North Common in front of Town Hall and Grace Church is far more forested than the rest of the Town Common

Making The North Common Uncommon

From above the North Common looks more like a forest

North Common is a square island of green bordered by concrete on all sides

A dozen citizens turned out last night for the public hearing concerning the North Common, which outgoing Amherst Historical Commission Chair Mike Hanke deemed "forgotten territory," but he also pointed out it's "the centerpiece of our town."

 Only 1 downtown business person attended

Discussion centered around making the area "more inviting," like Sweetser Park which is wide open, sunny and has the beautiful Cook Fountain as a centerpiece.

 Sweetser Park was laid out by Amherst Town Common designer Frederick Law Olmsted and his son did the final design implementation

North Common does have a historic 1904 water fountain donated by Young Women's Temperance Union, but it is broken

The Public Shade Tree Committee attended and lamented the condition of many of the trees due to soil erosion and heavy foot traffic in and around exposed roots.

 The most ailing maple will need to have lights removed before it can be taken down safely

 Current Merry Maple (rt) is healthy

At least three trees -- including the oldest and largest in the center of the North Common are ailing and could come down in the near future, whether the town does renovations to the North Common or not.

 Biggest tree on the North Common (125+ years old) is not doing well

 Railroad ties used to box in trees are rotting

At least two other trees were planted as "living memorials", one -- a Tulip tree -- for former Town Manager Allen Torrey and the other a Norway Maple planted by the Valley Peace Center in 1969 to remember "casualties of the Vietnam war."

  Tulip tree planted for Amherst's first official Town Manager,  Allen Torrey

Unlike trees, plaques will be easy to move

The town will be applying for a PARC grant within the next three weeks and should hear back by the Fall.  Other than necessary tree removal the renovation of the North Common is dependent on the grant, which reimburses the town 70% of the cost.  

Town was turned down three years ago for such a grant proposal of $500,000

Drainage problems near town center and antiquated electricity hook up

Anyone who runs their own business will agree, "You only get one chance to make a good first impression."  The North Common is indeed the centerpiece of our town -- and has been for 140 years. 

Grant or no grant, it's time for a sprucing up.  Let's put a smile on the face of Amherst. 

Sad Sunday

APD and AFD on scene assisting victim

The bustle of downtown Amherst on the most beautiful day of the year came to a brief horrific pause a little before 2:00 PM as two pedestrians were injured (one more seriously than the other) by a car in the Main Street Lot that jumped the granite curb and pinned the young women against one of  the recently installed cedar tree boxes.

Offending vehicle was using a handicapped space

Both victims were transported in separate ambulances by Amherst Fire Department and an ambulance from Northampton had to be called to assess the elderly female driver who was shaken up by the incident and transported by police to APD headquarters.

 AFD was overtaxed by the incident.  NFD ambulance arrived via "mutual aid"

The driver signed a "patient refusal" and was not transported by NFD to the hospital.

 APD investigating prior to Mass State Police arrival

Mass State Police accident reconstruction team was on scene for almost two hours and the vehicle was towed from the scene with a police escort a little before 5:00 PM

 State Police accident reconstruction team on scene