Making The Naughty List

McMurphy's Uptown Tavern:  A college aged youth favorite

A little late for Christmas but just in time for New Year's Day the Boston Globe published a list yesterday of Massachusetts bars and restaurants named as the last place the perp had a drink before getting behind the wheel of a deadly weapon only to be taken off the street by a sagacious patrol cop.

Now I will have to make inquiries on Tuesday because the Globe states these were a byproduct of being "convicted" of drunk driving.

Because after a few years of covering Eastern Hampshire District Court I'm used to hearing the name of an establishment that served the last drink to a driver arrested for drunk driving but they were smart enough to take a plea deal known as a 24D disposition.

In other words they were not "convicted" of drunk driving and after a year the charge is dismissed.

But over the years I've observed perhaps a 100 or more of these plea deals and I have heard McMurphy's Uptown Tavern named more than a few times as the last place the driver was served a drink.

For instance (A BAC almost 2.5 times over the limit)

Sure the perp could by lying and just trying to get a particular bar in trouble because they once made them stand in line too long to get in, but I seriously doubt it.  Because that would be perjury -- and the Courts frown on that even more than they do DUI.

So I was not surprised in the least to see McMurphy's name appearing  on the list published by the Boston Globe.  After all, they were the architects of the infamous Blarney Blowout. 

Drunk Driving Clarification

Christopher Dalkas, age 22, stands before Judge John Payne this morning

In what is perhaps the first Driving Under the Influence case brought to a Judge since District Attorney Dave Sullivan suspended use of Breathalyzer results in upcoming trials, Christopher Dalkas accepted a standard 24D disposition plea, available only to 1st time offenders.   

Dalkas will lose his license for 45 days, pay $650 in fees/fines and be on probation for one year.  

 Count 1 standard 24D disposition, Counts 2&3 "dismissed", Count 4 "not responsible."

Amherst police arrested Dalkas in the early morning hours of April 16th for speeding on his Harley Davidson motorcycle on Amity Street in town center, where he was clocked at 55 MPH (more than twice the speed limit).  

Dalkas was unstable on his feet, smelled of alcohol, had blood shot eyes, and slurred speech.  He failed the Field Sobriety Test miserably, losing his balance four times and missing the turn on the "Nine Step Walk and Turn" exercise, and pretty much could not hold one leg up for the "One Leg Stand."

In response to the usual question "Have you had anything to drink?" he admitted to the classic "two beers" at McMurphy's Uptown Tavern in town center. 

The Assistant District Attorney did mention at the very end the Breathalyzer result of .11%, but since then the DA's office has issued the following statement.  According to Steve Gagne:

"The moratorium that we announced regarding the use of BT evidence was focused on cases scheduled for trial, but the case that was resolved via plea this morning in Belchertown highlighted the need for clarification re: cases being resolved by way of plea.  We have since advised our prosecutors to omit any reference to BT evidence during pleas, and to proceed instead on non-breathalyzer evidence (which there almost always is in OUI cases)."

Proven Track Record?

McMurphy's Uptown Tavern 9:45 AM

Well at least the Gazette did not put this front page story about bars opening late on Blarney Blowout above the fold.  Although they still forget to mention how important weather will be on Saturday.

Since Amherst Select Board members are the town Liquor Commissioners they can do pretty much anything they wish with a liquor license.

So you have to wonder how hard it was for the Town Manager to "negotiate" a later bar opening on Saturday when the town could simply have said, "Okay fine, we're suspending all alcohol sales on Saturday in the name of public safety."

After the disaster unleashed in town center in 2012 the Select Board should have suspended McMurphy's and Stacker's liquor license for a few days to send a message, which would have gone a long way towards avoiding the riots in 2013 and 2014.

Now they are giving them a medal for "working toward the common good."  Better late than never I suppose.

Blarney: Overly Optimistic Update?

Today's Gazette (note Police Chiefs happy expression )

So the Gazette does pretty much a long form story on the Blarney Blowout prominently placed front page above the fold and forgets to mention the number one contributing factor to the mayhem over the past three years:  It's the WEATHER, stupid!

In 2012 when the event first caught everybody's attention (and probably was the first time "Blarney Blowout" was actually used as a title) there were no major riots but general mayhem all over town, the temperature was in the 40s.
  
In 2013 when there was a riot (6 arrested) the temperature was in the high 50s.

In 2014 when there was a major riot (58 arrested) the temperature was in the low 50s.  

So I take little consolation in the Gazette telling us how prepared everybody is this year.  After all last year two days before the most riotous Blarney in history they posed Town Manager John Musante in front of McMurphy's downtown bar telling us how prepared everybody was.

Gazette 3/6/2014 (two days before the Blarney to end all Blarney's

And we know how well that turned out.

The previous year, just after the major riot in North Amherst at Townhouse Apartments, they ran a headline about how great things went in the center of town. 

So here's the scoop.  If it's cold and miserable on March 7, 2015 then Blarney Blowout will be a thing of the past.  If it's sunny and warm -- God forbid hot -- then officials should consider mobilizing the National Guard.

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Today's Bulletin carried inside the Gazette

And since today is "pick on the Gazette day" the weekly Amherst Bulletin stuffed inside, once again shows how timely a weekly newspaper is (sarcasm)  with a banner headline about UMass banning Iranian grad students. 

As you probably heard by now (or can see on the front page of the Gazette above) UMass surrendered on that stupidity quicker than the 1940 French army.

DUI Dishonor Roll

 Scott Urban, 22, stands before Judge Madous on Monday 

This week it's a tie:  the perp, Scott Urban, and the downtown bar that served him his last drink, obviously when he was already quite intoxicated, McMurphy's Uptown Tavern.

Even if he did have only "two cups of bud light" while at McMurphy's, with a BAC a few minutes later of .189% -- more than twice the legal limit -- he was pretty plastered when the bartender slid him those drinks.

McMurphy's Uptown Tavern, Blarney Blowout day 2012

Beer and Art and Human Rights. Oh My!

Apparently all the alleged recent violations in town are driving the Human Rights Commission to drink. 

It's one thing for a Select Board or well known Town Meeting member to tweet about having a beer (or two) downtown after a typical contentious night of Amherst Town Meeting, but quite another for an offical town committee to set a public meeting with beer on the agenda.

Especially considering all the problems our little college town endures because of alcohol.

Yes, the Amherst Brewing Company is a sterling example of a business that does alcohol correctly.  And they are far from a rowdy youthful watering hole -- aka McMurphy's or Stacker's.

But still ... 

DUI's Coming and Going

 Evan Pollard

In Eastern Hampshire District Court this morning Evan Pollard, age 24, took a standard 24D disposition for his drunk driving arrest on an early Sunday morning (1:30 AM) April 6th.

As he was turning from Kellogg Avenue onto North Pleasant Street in the heart of the downtown police observed his vehicle cross wide over the yellow lines. And it went downhill from there:

Upon stopping him the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol, and noted Mr. Pollard had glassy eyes, slurred speech. When performing the Field Sobriety Test he took the wrong number of steps, and used his arms to help balance while trying to stand on one foot.

Pollard also admitted to the officer he had, "a couple beers at McMurphy's." He also blew a .13 on the breathalizer back at the station.

The Public Defender told the Judge Mr. Pollard had no prior record and he has just graduated from UMass. The Judge imposed $600 in fines, 45 day loss of license, and $65/month per month probation fee for the next 12 months.

When the Judge asked where he had his last drink, Pollard replied, "McMurphy's Uptown Tavern."

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, Amherst police arrested Katherine Roberts for DUI.  

Blarney Blowout: Eve Of Destruction?

Townhouse quad this morning:  Calm before the storm?

Unfortunately the "Blarney Blowout" is a state of mind.  And unlike the Hobart Hoedown, which was always pretty much grounded in a certain narrow location, you really can't lock down the entire town.

 Hobart Ln:  Note sign height to avoid souvenir hunters

Perhaps the Select Board should have nipped things in the bud by pulling the liquor license of McMurphy's and Stackers three years ago when they first dreamed up this abomination.  Town officials (and the mainstream media) have been behind the curve on this issue since inception.

 Gazette trying to make up for last year

So here we are now, the day before the biggest party event of the year.  Yes, this time town and UMass officials have done an avalanche of advance messaging, dutifully carried by the mainstream media.

But nobody hired a shaman (or the CIA) to bring us a blizzard tomorrow.  The predicted weather is for the best day we've seen in a l-o-n-g while. And in this case, good weather is a cop's worst enemy.

 McMurphy's this morning:  note absence of Blarney Blowout advertising

Police and private security will try to be proactive and keep crowds from growing to the massive throng was saw at the Townhouse quad area last year.  But that may not be all that easy or even legal since the constitution does guarantee the  "freedom to assemble in public places."

Or as the hard core rowdies might put it, "Fight for your right to p-a-r-t-y."   Probably not what our Founding Fathers had in mind, however.

Daily Collegian with helpful Blarney Blowout advice  (They forgot "Don't drink and drive!")

 

Even the damn lawyers are into it

Downtown bars loading up Noon Friday

Story of the Year 2013

 APD, State PD and UMPD gather at west entrance to Townhouse Apartments

The war on off campus student rowdyism took a serious turn during 2013 and that turning point was the Blarney Blowout, Amherst's version of the Mardi Gras or Florida's Spring Break -- only seasoned with a tad more violence.

As usual good weather was a contributing factor but by far, marketing was the #1 reason for the out-of-control debauchery.

Downtown bars -- most notably McMurphy's and Stackers -- used social media to hype the "Blarney Blowout" promotion, a bait and switch name change from "Kegs & Eggs" which had drawn sharp criticism over the previous ten years for promoting bad behavior i.e. drinking in the morning.

In 2012 the Blarney Blowout had contributed to awful visuals in the downtown and an unusual strain on public safety, including an incident where a drunken college aged male hit on an 11-year-old girl.  The Select Board used their bully pulpit to chastise the pernicious promotion, but as the town's Liquor Commissioners did nothing to penalize the offenders.

So it should not have been too hard to figure out , even if you don't have sitemeters, that the Blarney Blowout, March 9, 2013 was going to be bad day for civility.  Really bad.

The promotion started at 11:00 AM (my first published report was 11:07 AM) and all eyes were focused on the downtown.  Meanwhile crowds, mostly dressed in green,  were gathering at Townhouse Apartments in North Amherst where violence had erupted the year before.

 Entire quad taken up by revelers

The crowd grew to over 2,000 taking up the entire quad and beer cans (some of them full) and snowballs started to fly.  A young woman in the center of the mob passes out from too much alcohol (ETOH) and AFD is called.

 Note UFO

When police and EMTs try to get to the young lady lost in the crowd the mob became uncooperative.  Objects now started flying in their direction. Public Safety personnel retreated after pulling the young woman from the crowd.

ETOH female (age 17) loaded into the ambulance under police escort

Over the next few hours, under the influence of a lot more beer, the crowd would only get surlier.  Vandalism starts to take place.  APD had put out an SOS after the incident with the ETOH female, with many State Police and UMPD officers responding to the call -- all of them dressed in riot gear.

A little after 5:00 PM they uniformly moved in, quickly dispersing the huge crowd while making six arrests.

Moments after police dispersed the unruly crowd

At the following Select Board meeting irate members -- particularly Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe -- blamed UMass for not putting out sternly worded emails to students and parents before the weekend.  UMass -- via a Letter to the Editor from PR guru John Kennedy -- blamed the town for allowing the promotion.

Of course the Select Board, unlike previous years, had not given the bars permission to open early that day and since advertising via social media is protected by the First Amendment there is little they could have done prevent the promotion.

But the acrimony led to UMass announcing it would donate $40,000 per semester so AFD could run two extra ambulances on weekends; and more importantly, the disturbing incident convinced the two major powers that something structural needed to be done.

 Chancellor Subbaswamy addresses Amherst Town Meeting 5/15/13

For the first time in history a UMass Chancellor came to spring Town Meeting to champion town/gown relations.  The $30,000 warrant article (matched by $30,000 from UMass)  to hire a consultant passed, leading to the formation of the Town Gown Steering Committee, a heavy hitter group of top UMass and Town officials that mirrored the ultra successful Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods Working Group.

The SHNWG formulated a Rental Registration and Permit Bylaw, the most important legislation passed by Town Meeting in a generation, and a direct outgrowth of last year's "Story of the Year".  

The Town Gown Steering Committee finished up a Request For Proposals a few weeks ago and will continue to meet after the consultant issues a report.

After all, implementation is the key. 

Weekend Wrap (in a "College Town")

 Small herd of students Fearing Street Saturday night 11:25 PM

So it was neither the best of times -- although the weather on Saturday was pretty perfect -- or the worst of times -- considering how bad things have gotten before around this time of year.

Friday into early morning Saturday seemed once again to be the worst of times for Amherst Fire Department, as once again an ETOH (alcohol OD) incident occurred at a time when all five ambulances were out, many of them for ETOH students, and had to be handled by "mutual aid," courtesy of Belchertown FD.

As usual the ETOH calls came during the Third Watch, starting around midnight, with an ETOH male at UMass.  Dispatch called the ambulance en route to inform them there was another patient, also possible ETOH, who had fallen and hit his head while at the UMPD lock up. 

AFD transported one to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and UMPD kept the other in "protective custody."

At 1:15 AM an ambulance responded to the s curves in Shutesbury for a downed motorcyclist, and since that is at the farthest reaches of the AFD protection zone it would tie up an ambulance for well over an hour.

At 1:19 AM another ETOH UMass student fell and hit his head at Kennedy Dorm Southwest high rise.  As all our ambulances were tied up dispatch sent a firetruck with emergency first responders who stabilized the patient until Belchertown FD arrived to transport (A fire engine cannot transport patients).

Around 1:30 AM AFD responded to Gorman Dorm for a male student who had taken "liquid THC."  That too was initially handled by Engine 3 until an AFD ambulance could arrive to transport. 

Saturday was a very busy day in town with traffic backed up in the center for most of the morning and early afternoon.  In addition to the usual Farmers Market the town common was also hosting the Fall Apple Harvest Festival, and of course McMurphy's Uptown Tavern was attracting a hoard of college aged youth dressed in green and wearing tacky plastic Irish hats for the "Half Way To Blarney Blowout" non-event.

AFD responded to a "box alarm" (meaning smoke had been detected by an actual witness) to a UMass dorm around 1:30 PM.  The fire -- quickly extinguished by UMass Environmental Health & Safety -- was caused by a candle, and AFD engines stayed on scene to ventilate the building.

 Emerson Dorm, UMass 1:45 PM Saturday

Around 6:00 PM AFD responded to two potential Q-5 (suicide) incidents in different parts of town, one where young lady had cut her wrists.

As the gorgeous day became night the calls turned to the usual drugs/alcohol related:  Around 10:00 PM AFD responded to UMass for a female student who had "smoked something and now feels funny."  I'm guessing it was not a carcinogenic cigarette.

 AFD at 51 Phillips Street for ETOH female 11:15 PM

An hour or so later an ambulance (and APD) responded to 51 Phillips Street for an ETOH young female; and 15 minutes later another ambulance was needed at Townhouse Apartments for a young female "dazed and confused."

AFD on scene 50 Meadow Street 11:30 PM

By 1:00 AM AFD would respond two more times to UMass for ETOH students. Keep in mind the Red Sox playoff games have not even started, and it's not yet Halloween.

The (down) beat goes on ...

   AFD Sept End Runs by larry_kelley_1

Blarney Blew It

McMurphy's Uptown Tavern 1:00 PM

Even though the "Half Way To Blarney Blowout!" promotion disappeared from their Facebook page only 24 hours after it was first posted (long enough to get over 130 "people are going" responses) that did not stop college aged youth from lining up at their door starting well before noon. 

McMurphy's Facebook page September 19 (since deleted)

Before this weekend even started ETOH (alcohol OD) transports by Amherst Fire Department to Cooley Dickinson Hospital so far this month were tied with last year's September total. 

Last night into early this morning there were at least four ETOH runs.

And based on the line at McMurphy's this morning, today's gorgeous weather, and what happened last year at the Blarney Blowout, tonight could be alcoholically epic.

Ban The Blarney

 

McMurphy's downtown Amherst 3/10/12 10:45 AM

UPDATE (Sunday afternoon):   

Looks like the "Half Way to Blarney Blowout" promotion disappeared from the McMurphy's Facebook page over the past 24 hours. What's up with that? Something I said, hopefully.

Original Post:

"You're name is mud" may still be a familiar expression as the negativity is obvious -- even if you don't know the sad story of Dr. Mudd and his cold hearted patient, John Wilkes Booth. 

The term "Blarney Blowout," unlike the innocent doctor just doing his job,  has also earned a mud like moniker.  A well deserved one.

This promotion encourages exuberant college aged youth to consume copious amounts of alcohol starting very early in the day, all in the name of profit.  What could go wrong?

In July an Amherst man was acquitted of rape using the "morning-after-regret" defense.  Of course the morning after was a follow up to a day of partying during the "Blarney Blowout" 2011 edition.

And we already know the pernicious public safety impact of the 2013 event, when thousands of youth packed the quad area of Townhouse Apartments requiring a bevy of police (town, state and UMass) dressed in riot gear to bring under control. 

UMass/Amherst recently became serious about the dangers of out-of-control partying.  Cancelling Fantazia at the Mullins Center due to concerns over the drug "Molly" certainly demonstrate that. 

The 5-member Amherst Select Board are also the town's "Liquor Commissioners" (and ironically enough, "Sewer Commissioners".)

If Umass can impose its will on the privately operated Mullins Center to cancel a potentially dangerous production, the Select Board should follow suit and come down on McMurphy's Uptown Tavern like a ton of kegs.

And that's no blarney.

Giving responsible drinkers a bad name

DUI Dishonor Roll

Every day in America, another 27 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes

While incidents of Party House revelry will, mercifully, decrease rather dramatically over the next three months now that our #1 industry is on hiatus, the more dangerous by-product of alcohol abuse, drunk driving, will probably not let up all that much. Sadly.

For instance, neither of this past weekend's arrested "college aged youth" show up in UMass, Hampshire or Amherst College people search, although they could very well be friends who came to visit a student.

 If I had to pick a clear cut winner between the two, it would easily be Briana Howell.

Click to enlarge

McMurphy's 1:20 AM early Sunday

 Even though she was bagged at 1:23 AM, the location at East Pleasant/Chestnut Streets means she just drove through town center, and oddly enough at that time the town was packed with kids getting out of the bars and waiting for their $1 slice of pizza at the best little pizza shop in the state, Antonio's.

Antonio's 1:18 AM early Sunday

But Kurt Russavage would still be a close second, since his time of arrest was 11:14 PM on a Friday night ... when even us old  fogies might still be on the road.

By Any Other Name

After a brief emergency meeting this morning at an undisclosed location the Amherst Select Board and Town Manager invoked Executive Order #19, a rarely used provision of the Amherst Town Government Act that allows the Executive Branch to do pretty much anything it wants.

One of less controversial decrees hatched at the secret meeting will change the name of the town from Amherst, where even the h is silent, to Salk -- where every letter is pronounced.

After 254 years of snarky remarks about the town being named after Lord Jeffery Amherst, the (bastard) father of biological warfare, and in a ritualistic bow to karma, the town will now be renamed after Dr. Jonas Salk, the researcher who came up with a polio vaccine. 

"Since education is our #1 industry, it's only fitting we rename our little college town after one of the greatest researchers in the history of science," said Select Board Chair Stefan O'Keefe. 

In keeping with the altruistic principles of Salk, who responded to a gotcha media question about patent ownership with ""There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?", the town will lease the Cherry Hill Golf Course to BlueWave Capital for a 5 megawatt solar energy farm.

Former golf course now guaranteed to generate profits

All proceeds will go towards funding research to find an HIV vaccine, the last project Dr. Salk was working on.

A Secret Documents Request also reveals via meeting minutes that the Select Board sold Amherst Town Hall to local developer Roberts Barry and the Business Improvement District for $10 million.

Amherst Town Hall to become "Townhouse On The Green"

Plans are to renovate the former seat of government to a mixed-use development with retail on the bottom floor and student housing above.

 "Since the Blarney Blowout downtown was such a success last month, this will help make next years' event even BIGGER" said Douche' Drinker, manager of McMurphy's Uptown Tavern.

Blarney Blowout 2013

And so it begins: Friday afternoon delivery to Stacker's.  My Anon photo contributor tells me there were at least three dozen kegs that came off this one truck.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MOST RECENT UPDATES

APD checking up on Stackers 10:55 AM Saturday morning

Hide the women and children, the 2013 Blarney Blowout has begun! And, unfortunately, the weather is fine.

Yeah, sounds like I'm writing a song.

I don't wake up this early for class but ill sure wake up this early to drink #blarneyblowout
— Tim Collins (@m0hawk_f0_sH0) March 9, 2013

Crowd waiting at The Pub much larger than Stackers or McMurphy's 10:30 AM

 Amherst Town Center 1:30 PM Post Office Bus Stop

 

 North Pleasant Street just outside Town Center

#####

4:00 PM

Townhouse Apartments Meadow Street North Amherst

Townhouse Quad area starting to look like Woodstock (including the mud) 

APD and AFD on scene for 18-year-old female passed out drunk

Couple thousand students cram into the Quad area Townhouse Apartments

#####

5:00 PM 

And we just knew this was gonna happen.  Amherst and State Police, including a K-9 unit break up the party.  Rather quickly.

Somebody is going to have a major clean up tomorrow 

How many cop cars do you count? This was shot just after Amherst and State PD broke up the party.

#####

The Morning After

45 Phillips Street 

20 Allen Street

However ... According to the venerable Daily Hampshire Gazette:

BUSY DAYS FOR AFD