A Matter Of Taste

The New York Halal Food cart, North Pleasant Street

Most small business owners would agree that competition is a healthy thing, because when products compete they get better.  At the same time, however, most small business owners would prefer their competition die an instant unhealthy death.

So it comes as no surprise -- especially in this treacherous economy -- that some downtown restaurant owners don't like the idea of a couple of competitors rolling into town every morning and setting up shop for the day, selling relatively cheap hot food to customers on the go. 

Kind of like the Athenian fleet outmaneuvering and mercilessly pounding the larger lumbering Persian fleet at the battle of Salamis.

But is that really direct (unfair) competition with our bricks-and-mortar establishments, who pay (or the owners of the property who pass it along) the ultra high $20/$1,000 valuation tax rate, plus the additional extra overhead of a Business Improvement District tax? 

Chance are the people who grab a quick bite to go were not about to spend the time and extra money for a fancier sit down meal anyway, so probably not.  This tempest in a teapot has arisen numerous times over the past thirty years and usually goes away when winter sets in, making outdoor dining far less hospitable.

The street vendors pay for their town license, pay for the gas to get to their location and run the generators and,  mainly, put in all the time necessary to make it work.

If the town is going to limit those food cart licenses as a form of protectionism, then perhaps they should also think about limiting the number of taxi business licenses sold (now at nearly a dozen) as cutthroat competition has led to maintenance short cuts and bottom of the barrel drivers providing unsafe driving conditions for customers.

As long as the business playing field is level, then let the unmerciful market decide.

Don't Delay

179 Northampton Road, Amherst

UPDATE:  The commission voted not to implement a one year demo delay but asked the Design Review Board to look over plans for new construction.  Zoning Board will also decide a Special Permit to allow the new home to be two family vs the current one family zoning.

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The Amherst Historical Commission will discuss a possible one-year demolition delay (their maximum authority) for this haunted house located on busy Rt 9, just opposite Amherst College luxurious Pratt Field.

The owner, Peter Wilson, aka Wilson Properties Group, LLC, will not be in attendance tonight as he was never officially notified about the meeting.

In Amherst it is standard practice for the Historical Commission to peruse any demolition permit before allowing the wrecking ball to swing. In September the commission failed to implement a delay on a 100+ year old barn on Lincoln Avenue (possibly connected to poet Robert Frost), thus clearing the way for a housing speculator to construct another rental unit in an area accelerating towards student rental domination. 

If the Historical Commission failed to delay the destruction of the  Lincoln Avenue barn, which was in comparatively good repair, they should not take long deciding to let this scary house fall. 

DUI Dishonor Role

 Drunk drivers also pose a threat to our first responders

One of the more chilling lines buried in a 40 some odd page police log has an almost air of routine to it, perhaps because it was the wee hours of Sunday morning (1:40 AM) on well traveled Rt 9, which is of course what I find so chilling:

"While on a traffic stop, vehicle almost struck me."  The laconic officer pursued the offending vehicle, pulled it over and administered a SFST (Standard Field Sobriety Test) to the driver.  He failed. 

Arrested for DUI and Marked Lanes Violation:

Jacob Bell, 350 Ridge Rd, Athol, MA, age 23

An Expensive View

615 Bay Road, Amherst

Even though the house and entire property are only valued at $343,800 total, safe bet Town Meeting will approve spending $505,000 for the (20 acre) property alone, which is only assessed at $163,500.

Why? Well it is indeed "nice" -- even the reserved assessor noted that on the property card. But one of the main reasons put forth in a memo to Town Meeting is perhaps the most typical argument used over the past forty years for conservation purchases:  

As the appraisal indicates, there is ample frontage and acreage to develop four single-family house lots from the Ricci property. With municipal water on the street and sewer within 300’ of the property, it is a concern of the Town that as the market demand for home sites and housing increases, the owners will seek to develop the property. The adjacent properties to the west succumbed to a similar fate in the early 1980’s as a larger property was subdivided into two large single-family house lots.

Amherst has one of the tightest housing markets in Western Massachusetts, yet we continue to stifle supply in the face of ever increasing demand. In this case, four housing units that will never get built.  And those twenty acres come off the tax rolls in a town where over half the property is already owned by tax exempt entities. 

And it's not like slumlords buy up brand new houses to rent to students. It's the tired older single family units they scoop up and expand the occupancy by two or three times in order to maximize rents.

Interestingly one of the properties refered to in the report to Town Meeting as one of those evil adjacent "large single-family house lots" is the Souweine Top Notch Farm, otherwise known as the "House" immortalized by Tracy Kidder.

Yes, the same book where Mr. Kidder aptly describes Amherst as  “a college and university town, the kind of place that has a fine public school system and a foreign policy.”

If Amherst conservation aficionados had their way, a great book would never have been written. 

Yet the venerable Amherst town seal is a book and a plow.

Property rolls up to the Holyoke Range

UPDATE Tuesday morning. Town Meeting did of course approve the purchase using $151,500 from Community Preservation funds but the bulk of the money ($353,500) will come from a state grant which is far from guaranteed.

Siesta Sunday

Catching some rays

Fiery Friday Finale

Professional Help For Crime Victims

Amherst Police Department 111 Main Street

While the town recently lost a $900,000 federal grant to benefit low and moderate income residents and a $4.2 million state grant for road improvements in North Amherst, a potentially lifesaving Amherst Police Department regional program designed to aid those devastated by the horror of sexual assault or domestic abuse snagged a $300,000 grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

The money will continue to fund a full-time counselor who splits her time between UMass and the town, add a part-time counselor for Northampton PD, increase training for all three departments and fund an additional full-time Amherst police officer whose exclusive beat will be sexual assault and domestic violence cases.

The renewal/expansion of the program, originally founded two years ago with $174,000 Justice Department grant, comes soon after our comfortable college town was rocked by a series of sensational sexual assault cases.

A long-form narrative first-person piece published on the front page of the Amherst College student newspaper shone a glaring spotlight on the inadequate system the prestigious college used for handling such sensitive matters.

Followed by a shocking incident of alleged gang rape at a UMass dormitory.

And just when you thought it could not get any worse, the heartrending story of yet another Amherst College student ill-served by an in-house amateur response to a situation requiring highly trained professionals.

Trey Malone committed suicide, leaving behind a devastatingly poignant final farewell blaming his self-induced death on the sexual assault by a fellow student, made even worse by the way Amherst College (mis) handled it.

Could this regional civilian advocacy program have made a difference for Trey?  Although funding is provided by the "Office on Violence Against Women" men most certainly are not excluded.

But, since Amherst College didn't report the incident to local police or the district attorney's office, we will never know.

This essential service program has helped hundreds over the past two years, and will now continue to help hundreds into the future.

Smooth Sailing

What a difference a day makes

 
Crew from Lane Construction prepares to mill and overlay S. Pleasant Street, heart of town center.  Early Christmas present for downtown merchants

A Decadent Crown Jewel

11 Phillips Street, Amherst/UMass border

Since Stephan Gharabegian is the "King of the Decadent Street", owning almost half the hovels on Phillips Street, the slum capital of Amherst & UMass,  I hereby dub (dripping in sarcasm) 11 Phillips Street his crown jewel. 

Exhibit A:  The most recent Board of Health investigation report that found 11 Phillips Street to be "in violation of the Minimum Standard of Fitness for Human Habitation."

11 Phillips St Health Dept report




Exhibit B:  The most recent Amherst Fire Department investigation citation that found dangerous shortcomings in fire safety requirements and flagrantly ignoring an order to stop using a one-family dwelling (maximum of 4 unrelated tenants) as a boarding house with 13 tenants.

An overcrowded abode, lots of alcohol and defunct fire alarms is a sure fire formula for catastrophe.

11 Phillips St AFD Ticket

And clearly, a recent Worcester Housing Court decision reaffirms the ability of cities and towns to enforce unrelated tenant zoning restrictions.  The town has known about the overcrowded conditions at 11 Philips since at least last June when the Health Department did their inspection.

Yet when Amherst police raided the address on October 30, to shut down an illegal basement bar, that busload of students still lived there.  The town needs to get serious about overcrowded illegal living conditions.  Before a tragedy occurs.

Play it Again Sam

Just to underscore the difference between the venerable Daily Hampshire Gazette and little ol' me I offer the following:  nine years ago I tried to run a half-page print ad supporting the Charter Change ballot question (at the ridiculously high "political ad rate"), dumping our antiquated Select Board/Town Meeting form of government for a more nimble, professional Mayor/Council, but I was turned down (at lost revenue to them of almost $1,500).

Why?  Because the ad consisted of only one name, blown up rather prominently, as having endorsed the "Vote yes on the Charter:" A signature ad that had run the previous week with over 500 other names besides his own.  And I hate to now out him, but that lone name was Amherst's (super) state Senator Stan Rosenberg.

The Gazette rationale was that he knowingly signed a signature ad assuming his name would appear with over 500 other names (and as a result get lost) but he had not signed off on a rather large spotlight.  My theory is when you go public, you go public -- all the way baby.

Take this Cowardly Anon Nitwit for instance.  He made a Comment at 3:41 AM this morning on a post from 6 months ago that would normally only get a couple dozen views -- mainly from folks doing a Google search for any of the numerous names that appear.

And obviously he is friends with one or two because how else would he know that some of the kids I mention are "recent graduates".

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Last Hurrah Party House Blowout":

I am appalled that you think it is okay to post the names and addresses of these young students and recent graduates. As I read this, and the string of comments attached, I wonder if you have ever attended college? Have you ever pursued a higher education? There may be flaws with the education system, and higher education is certainly not without its share of flaws. However, it is a community in which young adults can grow and learn from their accomplishments as well mistakes. I am biased, I suppose, as I am a doctoral student studying education. What is rather amusing, however, is the fact that you are still in the town in which you were raised, posting personal information about people you do not know. Why don't you post some of your flaws and your street address? I am sure that you have rolled through a stop sign, crossed a street without using the crosswalk, or perhaps upset a few people in your day.

You harp on people who disturbed the public, and yet here you are, disturbing the public.

Larry Kelley has left a new comment on your post "Last Hurrah Party House Blowout":

Seems to me the only ones I'm "disturbing" are the a-holes who party too much.
But thanks for stopping by. Now go work on your dissertation.

I'm actually happy the CAN brought me back to that particular Party House post.  In light of recent events, it's certainly worth revisiting.  Notice the record setting number of arrests (a dozen) at 11 Phillips Street that weekend.  Yes, that is the same house we now know had 14 kids living in it! (although it is only zoned for 4).

And they paid the rent by operating an alleged illegal basement bar at all hours of the night/early morning. If the town and UMass really want to send a message about these insidious student slums, then they should join together to support taking Phillips Street by eminent domain (via the Amherst Redevelopment Authority) and allowing a responsible developer to rebuild a Phoenix housing project we can all can be proud of.  

Remembering Those Who Served

 14 members of APD ... remembered

A granite monument memorializing former Amherst Police Department officers with at least 15 years of service now welcomes visitors using the Main Street front entrance to the department headquarters.

Any organization is only as good as the men and women who make it up.  And honoring those departed members who came before you helps perpetuate the professionalism this department is known for.

Banned in Amherst

Probably the #1 purveyor of expanded polystyrene in Amherst, but America runs on it

 UPDATE Wednesday morning:  As Brookline goes ...

Based on a distinct lack of pre-Town Meeting buzz, I feel safe predicting the request for a ban on expanded polystyrene by the Recycling and Refuse Management Committee (article #9) will easily pass our esteemed legislative body, especially since it only require a majority vote.

Perhaps another reminder of how hard it is to get zoning items passed that also benefit the general public at large but may, in a narrow sense, inconvenience a few neighbors. A two thirds vote is a very high hurdle.

And it's not like Amherst government is leading the charge on this issue as the majority of impacted businesses and our institutes of higher education have already ditched expanded polystyrene.

A far cry from a dozen years ago when the Amherst Board of Health started the 'Smoking Ban in Bars War', a huge controversy that played out for a year, and is now so completely accepted statewide that most people forget what an epic battle it was.

My farmer friends would probably describe this current ban as "locking the barn door after the horse is gone," or my more colorful air force friends would dub it a "milk run". 

DUI Dishonor Role

 Carnage caused by alcohol 

Only one DUI to report over the weekend, an almost record low. But drunk drivers are like encephalitis infected mosquitoes: it only takes one to ruin your life or that of friends, family or loved ones.

Around 1:00 AM early Sunday morning an improperly parked vehicle along Boltwood Walk in the heart of the downtown business district (close to all the bars) attracted police attention, thus giving the officer probably cause to question the parked driver. 

The occupant "displayed signs of impairment" and she was given a Field Sobriety Test, which she failed, capped off by a Portable Breath Test (not admissible in court) reaffirming impairment with a .142% Blood Alcohol Concentration.  Later, back at the station -- only a couple hundred yards away -- she blew a .126% BAC, or .08, on the more accurate Breathalyzer machine that is admissible in court.

Arrested for DUI:
Kristen Gargiulo, 286 Sunset Avenue (UMass dorm), Amherst, age 20,

Free $ No More

 Pine Street, North Amherst center

The town seems to have hit a dry spell acquiring Other People's Money for expensive infrastructure improvements.

First it was Community Development Block Grant funds from the federal government, a cool million no longer coming our way; and now the state has passed over a $4 million MassWorks Project proposal to upgrade North Amherst's Pine Street roadway, including water/sewer and sidewalks.

"Economic development" is one of the main criteria for MassWorks approval. Last spring, fearing more student party houses, Amherst Town Meeting vetoed the smart growth rezoning proposal for North Amherst.  Only months later, the town applied for the ill fated MassWorks construction grant. 

Now just another concrete casualty of rowdy student behavior.

Party House of the long Weekend

 233 East Pleasant Street, Amherst

Unseasonably warm weather and a long holiday weekend (at least for UMass students) combined to keep the party level high enough to attract late night police response to a number of locations around town, one of them at 4:19 AM this morning.

But only one house was bad-boy enough to garner an arrest, rather than verbal warning or civil infraction $300 ticket. Late Saturday night (11:30 PM) police were called to 233 East Pleasant Street, immediate neighbor to the town owned Hawthorne Farm, for loud music and college aged kids milling about the well-traveled road just outside town center.

Between 100 and 200 guests were cleared out by multiple responding units but party house host Michael Vuona, a UMass student, was nothing if not uncooperative, attempting to pull away from an officer. Police also confirm a "live DJ" was present contributing to the noise problem, although no word if it was former UMass student, Party Poster Boy, Peter Clark.

Michael Vuona, 233 East Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, age 22. Arrested for Noise and Resisting arrest.

About a half-hour later police responded to 338 Pine Street called by a nearby neighbor who reported to dispatch they had just counted "11 taxis dropping off students." Upon arrival police were asked by tenants for help clearing the party explaining that a simply birthday party had suddenly grown exponentially and gotten out of their control.

Because the party hosts were proactive (albeit last minute) and cooperative, police issued a verbal warning only.

A 21-year-old resident of 260 Grantwood Drive (who actually gives his legal address as so), however, garnered a $300 noise ticket after police found him and some friends loudly playing "beer pong" on the screened in porch at 4:19 this morning.

Police also paid multiple visits to houses tucked along South Prospect Street as they have done on previous weekends. In fact, an officer, as part of "community policing" visited a neighbor earlier in the day to hear her complaints about noise coming from #37. She has a small child and the late night decibels are playing havoc with sleep patterns. Sure enough, late Saturday (11:24 PM) police issued a warning to #37 South Prospect for loud noise.

The previous night police issued three residents of #55 South Prospect Street $300 noise tickets.

Killer on the road

Roadside memorial for Daniel Haley., Rt 116 northbound Hadley/Amherst line, parallel to UMass football stadium

Since his assailant was going the wrong way on a state highway and he was only a few miles from his Amherst apartment after a long late-night motorcycle trip from Pittsfield, it's safe to assume they were both going at least the 55 mph speed limit.

When he initially spotted her bearing down he may have assumed it was just an optical illusion -- that she was actually in the southbound lane where she belonged.  After all, who would anticipate a car going the wrong way on such a well marked, well maintained divided roadway, on such a clear night?

And in that split-second realization a high-speed missile was indeed locked on him, maybe he thought the UMass exit -- only a few hundred yards ahead -- could provide safe haven.  But two objects hurtling towards one another leaves little time to carry out a deliberative decision.

Whatever desperate evasive maneuver taken by Daniel Haley, age 24, it was not enough.  He was killed instantly, only a month before his scheduled UMass graduation.  By a drunk driver.  Worse, and all too typical, a repeat offender:  Brittini Benton, age 23, of Sunderland.

In a judicial review of 57,000 DUI cases spanning four years, sparked by a Boston Globe Spotlight team expose on leniency towards drunk drivers in Massachusetts, an independent special counsel found juries acquit drunken driving cases over half the time (58%).   But judges in similar situations (where a defense attorney has waived the right to jury trial) acquit a whopping 86% of the time!

In Massachusetts a driver can refuse a breathalyzer test without penalty of a license suspension, if they are later acquitted of the drunk driving charge.  And in the absence of concrete scientific evidence provided by a breathalyzer, that acquittal, sadly, is more likely to happen.

Allowing careless potential killers back on the road. So once again, sweet family will die.

Thank You!

These colors require constant vigilance.  Our Veterans make it so

Coming Home

 Amherst College Homecoming this weekend

I was meaning to write one of those milestone remembrances last week as I hit one million page views -- the highs and lows over six years of blogging -- but then Frankenstorm came calling and I had to live in the moment for a few days.

One very low story that haunts me to this day was the sudden death of promising young Amherst College student Jenny Kim; "sudden" being a euphemism for suicide. I still get a few web searchers coming here every week as a constant reminder.

Now I have another name that will haunt me for a very long time, probably forever: Trey Malone.

Trey too was a promising student attending Amherst College -- and like Ms. Kim he took his own life.  Unlike Jenny Kim, we now know why he took his own life.  I'll let him speak (for the final time) but provide no follow up.

I'm left speechless.

(read at your own risk)

Trey Malone's final dispatch

A Matter of Discipline

Pike Party just (barely) off campus

UMass certainly cannot complain about the high number of noise, nuisance, open container and underage drinking citations handed out by the Amherst Police Department in their ongoing war against rowdy behavior.

Although I think our flagship institute of higher education was a tad lenient on some of the 652 students who garnered the attention of our police department last year for their obnoxious off campus behavior (only 5 were expelled).

But it seems to be a different matter altogether when infractions takes place on campus.  According to head disciplinarian Enku Gelaye (more formerly known as Dean of Students), a total of 2,818 students recieved sanction last year with 2,342 of them on campus (83%) vs 476 off campus (17%). 

Now yes, UMass houses 12,400 students on campus (45% of total) but that leaves 14,869 (55%) -- the majority  of the 27,269 total students -- to find housing elsewhere.

Simply put, less than half of UMass students (those who live on campus) garnered 83% of official sanctions handed out by our flagship of higher education last year.

Considering Amherst police cited or arrested 652 students during that same time frame for bad behavior off campus, it certainly seems the town pays more attention to these students than does UMass.

Not exactly what Fox News would describe as "Fair and balanced."

Back story

 

DUI Dishonor Roll

This past weekend was a relatively safe one on our roads compared to most as APD made only two arrests for Driving Under the Influence.  Lucky for us.

I'm reminded of the chilling message the IRA sent to Maggie Thatcher after a lucky last minute change in plans saved her from being blown to bits by one of their more sophisticated time bombs:  "You have to be lucky all the time. We only have to be lucky once."

Pleasant thought as we head towards another weekend ...

Early Saturday morning 1:42 AM.  Failure to stop/yield in town center tripped up a drunk driver.
Andrew Salvio, 55 Hazelmere Rd, New Britain, CT, age 22

Also early Saturday morning 2:35 AM.  At Ground Zero for all things alcohol related: Phillips Street and North Pleasant, police arrested Britney Porcino, 120 Pulpit Hill Rd, Amherst, MA, age 19 for OUI, Marked Lanes Violation, Speeding, Possession of Marijuana.

 Note ETOH (alcohol poisoning)

AFD 1st weekend November 

Barn Blast

 290 Lincoln Avenue.  A barn no more

Despite a desperate last minute attempt from neighbors for a stay of execution, the quaint old barn at 290 Lincoln Avenue is now kindling, paving the way for the construction of an additional non-owner occupied rental unit.  The other thing neighbors are seriously concerned about.

The Historical Commission decided not to impose a one-year demolition delay on the barn, rumored to have once been used by poet Robert Frost (but a rumor started by a real estate agent, so not exactly a reliable source).  On Monday rookie Building Commissioner Rob Morra issued a demolition permit, but neighbors filed an appeal with  the Town Clerk, setting up a possible hearing with the Zoning Board of Appeals.

That deliberation, however, would only judge whether the Building Commissioner acted properly in issuing the demolition permit, and since the landowner, You-Pan Tzeng, had a legit permit in hand at the time of this morning's demolition, the episode is now moot.

Somewhere in the distance, a Barn Owl wailed.

Right Way To Party

 UMass Amherst, the flagship of higher education and #1 employer in Amherst

So yes, UMass students in general get an undeserved bad rep from a distinct minority of classmates more interested in the next party as opposed to the next mid-term paper. But this once-every-four-year election certainly demonstrates the vast majority of our town's temporary citizens will soon lead responsible, productive lives outside the Ivory Tower.

 Bangs Community Center. Students by the busloads descended on voting precincts

Since mid-August our beleaguered Town Clerk's Office registered a whopping 7,000 new voters, a 33% increase, pushing the current total to over 22,000.  Town Clerk Sandra Burgess guesstimates students make up 95% of those new registrations, overwhelmingly from UMass, but a noticeable number from Amherst and Hampshire College as well.

Late last night, after major main stream media called the election, UMass (Southwest) erupted ... but with revelry of the good kind.  Like last year when President Obama made a late night announcement that Osama Bin Laden had finally recieved his well deserved dose of old fashioned justice.  

According to UMPD Chief John Horvath last night's  gathering was, "Celebratory in nature with no arrests. The crowd dissipated and dispersed without police intervention."

While I do not celebrate the outcome of the election yesterday, I most certainly celebrate what the process represents:  America at its finest!

Patriotic Pavers

Gallagher Asphalt applies Recycled Hot Emulsified Asphalt Treatment to University Drive

How would Miss Emily vote?

The Amherst of old (before UMass/Amherst became the giganormous flagship of higher education) was a L-O-T more conservative than we are today.  So I would have to imagine our beloved reclusive poet Emily Dickinson -- never able to vote in her lifetime -- would have supported our current Senator, Scott Brown and Republican challenger, and former Governor of our liberal state, Mitt Romney for President.

And since she was brilliant, Miss Emily would also have been smart enough not to tell anyone in the Amherst of today how she voted.

Bye-Bye Party Boys

Peter Clark: “As long as I’m here, there will always be a party to go to.”

So it looks like UMass finally took the hint and took out rowdy ringleader Party Boys Peter Clark and Emerson Rutkowski.  No, not with a predator drone strike, as our military does with terrorist hierarchy in Pakistan.

But whatever means they used, the less than dynamic duo no longer show up in the official UMass People finder database.

And they most certainly did on the morning I published this two weeks ago.  Now if only UMass would do the same with Paul Markham, we could really open a bottle of sparkling cider to celebrate.

Considering she misspelled my surname, I hope Chelsea was not in a Journo class

Party Apartment of the Weekend

Presidential Apartments, half-mile from UMass

In case you think the almost zero tolerance displayed by Amherst Police Department for noise/nuisance dwellings is not working I offer the following, normally not newsworthy events, occurring late Saturday night: Police received a call from Phi Sigma Kappa, a Frat located at 510 N Pleasant Street for help clearing a large throng of college aged youth who had showed up looking for a party and were now lingering in their parking lot.

APD and UMPD were happy to oblige and the potential party goers were quickly sent on their way.

And just before midnight a young woman on South East Street (far from the UMass campus) called for help dealing with hundreds of young adults who had showed up to her party "uninvited" and would not leave.  Amherst police convinced them to vacate and the cooperative party host was not ticketed.

Presidential Apartments (#82), on the other hand, was a less than cooperative scenario.  Police were called early Sunday morning (1:09 AM) for "loud noise coming from the basement."  A party of 25 was cleared out but the party goers belligerence, resulting in three arrests.

Louis Zachery Jacobson, 115 Converse St, Longmeadow, Ma, age 21 arrested for Noise and Nuisance violations
Austin J. Seabury, 130 Westmoreland Ave, Longmeadow, Ma, age 20 arrested for under 21 possession alcohol
Lucas Manzi, 148 Grassy Gatter Rd, Springfield, Ma, age 19 arrested for Disorderly conduct, Resisting arrest

On Sunday around noon in a follow up report concerning 11 noise complaints over the weekend an officer, in response to "ongoing problems with parties being held in the basement of Presidential Apartments", sent an email to property manager Kamins Real Estate, putting them on notice.  

#####

Police also arrested a perp for doing something stupid on Amherst Police Department headquarters (which I assume has 24/7 security cameras EVERYWHERE).  Last week three nitwits leaving their cell threw debris in the front entryway and were ticketed for littering, and this weekend at 1:50 AM Dax Tucker was arrested for "disorderly conduct" for peeing on the station's brick wall. 

Fire: A Dangerous Joke!

 Toy Box N. Pleasant Street, Amherst (my childrens favorite store)

Amherst police are investigating back-to-back incidents of arson that occurred in the early morning hours of Sunday (3:28 AM), striking two businesses close to downtown Amherst. 

Smoke was coming from the door of The Toy Box on the northern end of town center, possibly from a pizza box used as kindling, and only moments later police responded to the eastern end of town center for reports of two individuals "lighting a table on fire" at The Lumberyard restaurant on Main Street.  When police arrived, a wicker table was ablaze.  AFD quickly extinguished the fire.

 Lumberyard Restaurant (left) Main Street, Amherst

One of the perps is described as "Asian with glasses" and the other was wearing white green sweatshirt.

In late December 2009 a one night, 15 fires arson spree left two individuals -- an elderly father and his mentally disabled son -- dead, and the entire city of Northampton terrorized.  Anthony Baye was arrested for arson and murder but his taped confession to State Police investigators was later thrown out by the courts.

Message for Troubled Times

Homeless Person, Kendrick Park, Sunday morning

UPDATE: Monday morning
 A few hours after this photo was taken Amherst Police arrested Michael Chayet after receiving reports of a male party "possibly homeless" yelling at people and urinating in public. When the officer approached Mr. Chayet he threatened to "punch him in the face."

When Bad Things Happen

American spirit in action 

Once again we are reminded of the common bond that ties us all:  life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  And common decency.

Today for hours on end, Western Mass residents of all ages, race, creed and color descended on a parking lot in Amherst bringing desperately needed  supplies for our friends in New York devastated by a natural disaster.

 Truck #1 around noon

The first 17-foot truck filled up just after high noon taking only two hours to complete, and a second 15-foot truck was full by 2:00 PM the scheduled close of the event.  Both trucks left together for the trip into the city where they will go to a staging area for unloading.

 2nd truck done at 2:00 PM.  A tired Sydne Didier on left

Event coordinator Sydne Didier expressed concern over the availability of gasoline, so everybody keep your fingers crossed.  Although when she filled up over in Northampton a woman noticed the signage on the sides of the trucks and gave them $100 cash.

Lots of dog and cat food. Even some for rabbits

My view from inside the truck

  UPDATE: 7:30 PM SUCCESS! Truck being unloaded in NYC 

TV Ch 22 Reports (TV reporters get such cool jackets)

Wounded Again: New York, NY

My Facebook and corporeal friend and neighbor Sydne Didier is spearheading a drive to pack up a 17-foot truck loaded (we hope) with relief supplies for New York City, leaving Amherst tomorrow afternoon.  If you can spare any of the materials you stocked up on for storm Sandy, please drop them off Saturday between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM at the Amherst Common School, 521 South Pleasant Street.

Because truly, there but for the grace of God ...

Donation List:

Blankets, candles, flashlights, batteries, water, food, socks, towels, printer paper, baby items: diapers etc. pet food, Propane grille or camping style oven, plates, cups, forks, bowls, spoons, etc jackets, gloves, hats, anything to keep folks warm, cleaning supplies - buckets, squeegies, mops, bleach masks, gloves for cleaning tarps garbage bags

Boxes of 12" candles left over from 10 years ago when Yankee Candle donated over 3,000 for the 1st anniversary of 9/11 candlelight vigil on the Amherst Town Common will be on their way to New York.

Don't Do The Crime ...

 Lady Justice (Don't you just love her sword?)

From: XX
To: amherstac@aol.com 

Sent: Mon, Oct 29, 2012 12:58 am 
Subject: Privacy 

Hello, 
I am mentioned in your article about arrests this weekend. I would suggest that you take my name out before you get a call from my lawyer. Your misinformation is not only slanderous but also jeapordizing my future and career. Again I greatly appreciate your cooperation. 

XX

##### 

-----Original Message-----

From:XY
To: amherstac <amherstac@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 12:09 pm
Subject: Only in the Republic of Amherst

Hello Larry,

My name is XY and It was brought to my attention the other day that I was written about in your blog under the article "Frightening Weekend Party Houses".  I noticed that you included my home address where my family lives in Boston.  I would like to respectfully ask you to take down my home address from your site, out of respect for my family's privacy which I value very highly.  I appreciate your cooperation and look forward to hearing from you. 

XY


On Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 5:03 PM, Larry Kelley <amherstac@aol.com> wrote:

XY,

You should have thought of that before you assaulted an Amherst Police officer (on top of all those other stupid things).

Larry

Yet Another Underground Frat

45 Phillips Street: Broken Window (bottom left) theory in action 

If you are not zoned for it you probably should not create a public frathouse Facebook page and post to it pictures of a front porch full of residents in a "one family" house that can legally shelter only four (4) unrelated tenants.

Or, interestingly enough, register at UMass/Amherst as an RSO and use that illegal address for official contact information. Apparently UMass does not do much vetting for Fraternities and Sororities.

Even more interesting the photo shown of the house on the official town assessors card shows a "Grand Opening" banner across the upper floor!  Gotta wonder whether it was for the grand opening of Alpha Delta Phi, or a late night bar ... or both.

Naturally this bootleg building is owned by Stephen Gharabegian who also owns 11 Phillips Street currently under investigation for being an "underground Frathouse" and an "illegal bar" as well as being a Station Nightclub waiting to happen.

Frat paraphernalia on side porch of 45 Phillips Street this morning

No wonder this neighborhood is such a late night weekend attraction!

Town officials and UMass need to get serious about substandard housing on Phillips Street, which pretty much means the entire street.

The Amherst Redevelopment Authority should take the property by eminent domain, flatten it, and rebuild high-end housing that would attract more responsible graduate students and faculty with families and would pay way higher property taxes than the current undervalued properties.

UPDATE:  9:10 PM

So I just heard from Matt a "representative from the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity" stating that my post "constitutes libel, and if it is not removed immediately we will pursue legal action."  Of course he then goes on to admit that Alpha Delta Phi frat members did indeed occupy 45 Phillips Street but "we do not live there anymore"

He then goes on to rat out another unnamed frat:  "In regards to the paddles that you saw at the residence, those do not belong to the Alpha Delta Phi and are in fact a different fraternities paddles. Currently a few members of a different fraternity which is not associated with us in anyway live there."

Not that I keep score, but that makes the third legal threat this week (up from the normal one or two).  Truly, I'm on a roll.

More Beds Than A Barracks

 11 Phillips Street, Amherst (but touching UMass)

The crackdown continues on Phillips Street, the slummiest street in Amherst.  Over the weekend police busted 33 Phillips Street, arresting eight young men (including UMass party anthem "singer" Paul Markham) for rowdy behavior, and now 11 Phillips Street is in the crosshairs.

Of course both dwellings are owned by the "King of the Decadent Street", Stephan Gharabegian.  And yes, notice 11 Phillips is catagorized by our assessor as a "one family" dwelling, meaning only four (4!) unrelated housemates can set up shop under that particular roof.

From: McKay, Donald, Assistant Fire Chief
To: amherstac
Sent: Wed, Oct 31, 2012 1:51 pm
Subject: 11 Phillips St.

Larry,

              The following is the verbatim copy of the email I sent to the Building Commissioners office yesterday:            

At approximately 10:00 am today the Fire Department was contacted by APD Lt Ron Young who had concerns about the fire safety of the occupants residing at 11 Phillips St.

APD had obtained a criminal search warrant and discovered the fire safety concerns upon gaining entry to the residence. I responded and conducted a fire safety inspection.

My findings are as follows: The fire alarm system panel was in trouble and I question whether or not it was serviceable.  No permit has been issued for the new panel. I found a first floor pull station that had been activated and not reset.  I have no record of a fire department response to this address.

14 students in residence in the single family occupancy per APD. 1 bedroom with 2 beds on the 1^st floor with 2 additional mattresses stored under each bed, 2 bedrooms with 2 beds each on the 3^rd floor (# 7 & 8). Covered, disabled, or missing smoke detectors east and west bedroom, basement rooms 4, 5, 6, 9, 2^nd floor rooms 7, 8, 3^rd floor. Access to the fire alarm panel obstructed. Egress from the kitchen obstructed.

This spring and summer, Health, Fire, and Building inspected this residence on the 29^th of June and the 17 of August.  Each inspection found the same number of bedrooms or possible bedrooms.  The owner did not allow us entry into most of the bedrooms as they were occupied and locked.

The students will not be allowed to sleep in the building until the fire alarm system is returned to service. I was able to make contact with the owner who was in New York and he did arrange to have the fire alarm system placed back in service.  I checked on this about 5:30PM last night.

Mike Roy is at the National Fire Academy this week but he and I have talked and upon his return we will issue fire safety violations to the owner.

Assistant Chief Donald R. McKay,
EMT-P, MPH Amherst Fire Department

The (Springfield) Republican reports

A Pair No More

Constant companions for over a generation  (Camperdown Elm rt)

My site meter informed me an unusual number of folks had suddenly come here from a Google search for "Amherst College Elm tree" or close variations of that theme.  I was worried the majestic Camperdown Elm had taken a beating from super storm Sandy, but well before I arrived at the  part of Pratt Field the historic tree has occupied for over 100 years, I instantly knew what stimulated the sudden interest in an elm tree ... or lack thereof.

Now I'm told the whacked tree was a Hop Hornbeam.  And it was a beautiful specimen.

Now but a distant memory

 

Standing in the way of progress ... no more