Fireground: Amherst Road Sunderland

 313 Amherst Road, Sunderland heavily involved in smoke and flames

 

WMECO kills power to the structure

(UPDATED morning after:  scroll down)

A fire broke out just after midnight at 313 Amherst Road, Sunderland and many FD units were still on the scene two hours later.  The two story wood structure, fortunately, seemed unoccupied at the time.

A Sunderland police officer was first on the scene and tried to quash the flames with a portable fire extinguisher but was driven from the house by ferocity of the fire.

At one point a horn bellowed as a signal for firefighters to get out of the building.  

Ladders used to help assist venting the roof

Adjacent garage used as elevated platform to pour water in though window

Fire Departments from Amherst, Hadley, Leverett, South Deerfield, Montague, and Greenfield converged on the scene to assist Sunderland FD who was first on the scene.

Many firefighters on scene

313 Amherst Road, Sunderland 6 bedrooms 

The Morning After:

Roof took a major beating

Taste So Good

Jada loved the Chinese food

Tonight's crowd at the 22nd Annual Taste of Amherst seemed to make up for last night's wash out as pretty much the entire town common was almost shoulder to shoulder with pedstrians, most of them eating.

 Atkins Country Market, all the way from deep South Amherst

The only thing that seemed equally popular was the area in front of the stage set aside for hula hooping.

The feast runs through Sunday 4:00 p.m. and the weather is projected to be as cooperative as it was this evening.

This One's For You

One of the 29 commemorative flags commemorates Flag Day

Yes, the college town that allows its commemorative flags to fly only once every five years to commemorate the most horrendous attack on American soil in our entire 237 year history proudly flies them annually for Flag Day. And Labor Day.

Flag Day reminds me of the hack writer who thinks leading with the word "interestingly" will make the follow up material more interesting. If something is truly interesting the readers will figure that out quick enough if you simply let the story speak for itself.

In other words, every day should be Flag Day.

Game On!

 Taste of Amherst prepared for Friday opening

Bring your galoshes and maybe an umbrella, the once delayed 22nd annual Taste of Amherst will not  be twice denied.  (Virtual) Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and if you just want to walk around and smell the food, entry is free.  

Sad Symbol

 

Ghost Bike, Amherst College

A shell shocked aide to Robert Kennedy was lamenting a last-second change in plans for the Senator's exit from the Ambassador Hotel ballroom that fateful night, leading him directly into the path of his assassin.

Another more experienced aide then wondered how many times previously a last-second change in plans had diverted him from just such an ambush.

Anyone who takes cycling seriously has a near-miss story to tell.  So a ghost bike hits home:  There but for the grace of God ...

A freshly painted ghost bike has now appeared at the location of the May 26 Sunday afternoon fatal bike vs truck collision at the east entrance to Amherst College off busy College Street (Rt 9).

The tragic accident, still under investigation, took the life of Hampshire College student Livingston Pangburn, age 22.

Who probably also had his share of near misses. 

Raining On Our Parade

 Raindrops keep falling on my head ...

Well, actually, The 22nd Annual Taste Of Amherst. 

Breaking news from Chamber Director Tony Maroulis: the culinary event is cancelled for TONIGHT, but God  (or Allah) willing will be more than happening on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Friday 6/14, 5-10pm; Saturday 6/15, 12-10pm; and Sunday 6/16, 12-4pm.

You don't bring me flowers ...

On a cheerier note the Amherst Business Improvement District has installed flower arrangements throughout the heart of the downtown, brightening up even a rainy day.

Open Government To The Max?

Amherstma.gov  talks the talk

UPDATE:  Now I'm told the secret meeting will be held Monday at 11:00 a.m.

  I'm always a tad concerned when pubic officials hold a private meeting in a cozy office -- especially when it's the highest elected body in town government, the five-member Select Board. (For those of you outside quaint New England, they are the town's executive branch, aka Mayor if we were a city.)

Even more concerning when they are discussing land acquisition in northeast Amherst that could cost the taxpayers $6.5 million dollars, the most expensive land taking in town history.

To recap:  More than a majority of Amherst Town Meeting rejected the idea of taking by eminent domain (which requires a two-thirds super majority) 154 acres of woodland property in northeast Amherst as a means of stopping the student housing development known as "The Retreat."

A private developer, Landmark Properties, has offered a private landowner W.D. Cowls, Inc $6.5 million to purchase the property.  Since the property is currently in Ch61A conservation the town has a "right of first refusal" on the property, but only a yes-or-no option to match a legitimate offer. 

Town Counsel has twice rejected the Purchase & Sale agreement between the two private parties as not being "legitimate" because it offers the buyer too easy a way out somewhere down the road.  Attorneys for both private parties agreed the first offer was problematic but feel strongly the second one is "legitimate."

 Amherst Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe speaks to Town Meeting

Yes, Ms. O'Keeffe says she has tentatively scheduled a "public discussion" of the Right of First Refusal for July 29; but I wonder what happens in the first few minutes of Friday's meeting if the Town Attorney tells them -- aka breaking news -- that the Purchase & Sale agreement is indeed legitimate?

Because at that point there's no "bargaining strategy" to discuss. It's an all-or-nothing $6.5 million bid to which the town can either match or fold.

And the vast majority of taxpayers, unless they live in Cushman Village, would prefer the Select Board take a pass. But at the very least, EVERYBODY needs to see this play out in the clear, open, light of day.

Click headline below to enlarge/read or click here

Executive Session email exchange by Larry Kelley

Cart Before The Horse?

 

Maria Geryk addresses Amherst Town Meeting mid May

So in rather all too typical ass backward style the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee is taking public input (until tomorrow) on the performance of the town's highest paid public employee ($147, 000), Amherst Regional Public Schools Superintendent Maria Geryk.

I say ass backwards because back in April this same rubber stamp committee extended Maria Geryk's lucrative contract for a whopping five years. 

Yes, Amherst does go though Superintendents like college students go through kegs of cheap beer, so maybe a five year contract will bring stability to the top spot, but you have to wonder how serious the committee takes public input when they are only now asking?

Amherst Downtown Business Shake Up

 
 Alex Krogh-Grabbe addresses Amherst Select Board

The Amherst Business Improvement District announced rather suddenly this morning by way of unscheduled email that rookie Director Alex Krogh-Grabbe will step down as Director on July 1st, start of the new fiscal year.

Krogh-Grabbe was hired last year to lead the fledgling BID which, like the Director,  is still in its start-up year.

The Amherst Select Board gave final approval for the BID in October of 2011 after business icons Barry Roberts and Jerry Jolly spent two years laying the groundwork for formation of the district.

Northampton created a BID in 2009.

According to Executive Committee Chair Barry Roberts the decision of the Executive Board was unanimous and mutually agreeable to the current director, as the BID "needed somebody with different management skills."

According to Krogh-Grabbe, "I'm proud of everything we've done at the BID in the past year, and I look forward to seeing the BID do many more exciting things in the years to come!"

The Executive Board will meet this Thursday and the full board on Friday to discuss the immediate future of the position.

And Then There Was One

 The DV Den, 320 College Street Amherst

The second to the last movie rental store left in Amherst, The DV Den, has called it quits.  Or as they say in Hollywood, "Fade to black."

While the business was ahead of the curve at one time -- becoming the first rental operation in the area to phase out video tapes and go all-DVD in 2006, in the end it was a technological shift in the delivery of movies that all but exterminated the storefront movie rental industry.

Netflix made rentals as easy as point and click for instant access to thousands of movies, and if you did not mind waiting a day or two, first run DVD movies delivered to your mailbox.  All with a comparatively cheap low monthly subscription cost. 

The recent rise of Redbox was probably the final blow as first run moves were conveniently available in ubiquitous vending machines located near and far (one of them within disc throw of The DV Den) where the discs could be returned to any location and only costs $1.20 per rental, almost four times cheaper than the price charged by The DV Den.

Redbox, 360 College Street, Amherst

But you cannot ask a vending machine for a movie recommendation, or briefly discuss how your day is going thus far.

Efficiency always seems to be at the expense of humanity; and Amherst is now diminished because of it.

Party House of the Weekend

 73 Curtis Place, Amherst 

So yes even though UMass, our number one generator of Party House participants, is currently on sabbatical, that doesn't magically flip a switch and guarantee the bucolic village of Amherst a quiet weekend.

Early Sunday morning (12:49 a.m.) Amherst police responded to 73 Curtis Place, an owner occupied home in a tranquil neighborhood, and issued a verbal warning for noise.

The rowdy residents -- not taking the hint -- returned to their noisy ways.  The second time around (2:37 a.m.) Amherst Police issued a $300 noise ticket.

73 Curtis Place, in a tucked away neighborhood

Another Common Sense Zoning Tweak

 

Amherst Town Meeting will take up discussion of article 32 tonight, the second in a "package" of zoning amendments (unanimously supported by the Planning Board) meant to stimulate smart growth development in commercial centers; although North Amherst NIMBYs seem to be the main organized opposition to anything development related that also involves residential uses. 

By reducing minimum lot area and frontage required for development the change would obviously allow for in-fill development on smaller parcels of land.

One other important change would be the way height is measured on a proposed building.  Non usable pitched portions of roofs would no longer be counted towards maximum height.

Kind of like those rear fins that were all the rage on cars in the 1950s, except a pitched roof is far more useful in dealing with heavy snows, solar panel placement or communications antennas.

Combine this new way of measuring with the increase by five feet to a new 55 foot maximum height allowance, and a developer could squeeze out an entire extra floor.  That too is encouraged by increasing the maximum number of floors on a building from four to five.

Amherst has a well earned anti-business reputation built up over generations of obstructionism.  Town Meeting killed more sweeping changes to the zoning bylaws last year with the narrow defeat of Form Based Zoning.

The changes in this article, like article 31 approved last week, are incremental improvements vitally necessary for a healthy mix of much needed development.

Transparency Tweak

 

Amherst Town Flag, Town Hall

So better late than never, the village that -- like President Obama -- wants to be known for transparency has uploaded to our award winning town website all town employee salaries, mimicking the 18 month old state program known as "Open Checkbook."

Well, all town employees -- but that does not include the public schools who eat up the lions share of our $68 million budget.

Northampton, our sister city to the west, has been doing this for years now and of course my readers will note I uploaded both schools and town salaries a couple months ago.

And yes it still attracts a fair number of hits.  And will continue to do so since folks seem more interested in the schools than the town.

Breaking news bulletin from amherstma.gov

Editor's note: opening sentence contains sarcasm

Ready ... Aim ... Release

 

Scenic Bramble Hill Farm 

The Amherst Archery Academy held its first outdoor Olympic style archery competition this morning using tournament like rules and regulations, held at the wide open, bucolic Bramble Hill Farm on the outskirts of South Amherst.  

The "Spring Gathering" event was limited to students of the Amherst Academy but was so successful it may morph into a more open competition next year.

2 archers per target, 12 arrows to score

The monsoons of yesterday gave way to bright skies and dead still air, picture perfect for an outdoor event like this. Friends and family gather to the rear of the contestants with each archer in the line of just over a dozen firing six arrows per "end", times six ends (36 arrows) comprising a "round". 

Today's event totaled three rounds.

 Bow(dacious) line up

The Amherst Archery Academy was founded in 2011 by Kyle Bissell,  a level two certified USA archery instructor.  Around that same time the Hollywood blockbuster  "Hunger Games" sparked a wave of interest in archery. 

Archers on the line

Tight Squeeze

 

Snell Street Bridge 4:35 p.m.

So it took less than a year for our first somewhat serious accident to occur under the new Snell Street Bridge.  Obviously weather played a big role.  Fortunately no serious injuries.

It happened late Friday afternoon and by the looks of it the car coming down the slight incline hit her brakes and then slid on the wet pavement into the other car already in the underpass.

One woman was transported by AFD to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and both cars were towed from the scene.  Each vehicle had air bag deployment.   

Of course if the clearance under the bridge were a tad w-i-d-e-r people might not instinctively brake when they see another car already in the tight zone.

Last year's $315,000 state project did increase the height by 12", giving ambulances breathing room, but did not widen the space at all.

Editors note:  before taking picture I called 911, turned off one of the vehicle's engines, and helped one of the drivers find her glasses.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Washington Post Photo

No wonder Woodward & Bernstein always used payphones with Deepthroat

The number one role journalists play in a free society such as ours (although now I'm starting to wonder) is guarding the rights of "The People" from The Powers That Be.

And it's a little hard to be an effective watchdog when those all-powerful entities are tapping your phone lines or perusing at will your email inbox.

But according to President Obama -- even after Guantanamo,  Benghazi, and the drone program controversies -- his administration is "The most transparent administration in history."

Well as of a couple weeks ago I was thinking maybe somebody should get him a bottle of Windex.

But now, after the insidious invasion of privacy controversy of the past few days, brought to us by The Guardian, a British publication, an American reporter might want to ask our transparent President a follow up question:

Define transparency?

Pretty bad when the author of the Patriot Act is pissed

Too Much Sharing? (Not Enough Follow Up!)

Governor Deval Patrick: stone cold sober as a matter of fact

So maybe it's just my weekly fascination with drunk drivers, but I have to wonder how  Governor Deval Patrick got home to his giganormous retreat in the Berkshires after he "... got quite drunk, by myself" in a West Stockbridge restaurant that is at least 3.5 miles from Richmond.

Walk-- or stagger -- back perhaps?  Called a taxi?  Or a State Police helicopter?

Maybe -- just maybe -- the reporter could have asked?  Oh never mind, the "interview" took place at a Cambridge marketing firm.

Used to be a tabloid like the Boston Herald would run stories about the rich and powerful getting drunk and acting badly, then denying it.  Only to have a reporter interview a waitress to verify the drunken tomfoolery.

Now we have the exact opposite.  Oh how far the investigative watchdogs have fallen. 

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.

Well that didn't take long.  The Governor's press person issued a statement, sort of (while here in Amherst, no less).  According to the venerable AP:

A spokeswoman for the governor, Heather Johnson, said Thursday that Patrick was driven home that evening by his state police driver. She said the governor is always accompanied by a trooper when he goes out, but wasn't sure if the driver was elsewhere in the restaurant or waited outside.

"I'm a human being. Sometimes they do things," Patrick said Thursday while at UMass Amherst to announce a life sciences grant.

Sore Losers

In case a Town Meeting member decides to "Move to reconsider" badly beaten Article 43, the anti-business, socialistic land grab of 154 acres of private property in northeast Amherst, the Town Clerk should hand out dunce caps at check in Monday night as only a Nitwit would admit they were "confused" by the June 3rd discussion and vote.

The article lost 99-90 by way of a "Move to Dismiss."  My six-year-old, not yet even in 1st grade, understands the meaning of the word "dismiss." 

And I find it hard to believe anyone who saw my initial five-minute presentation could somehow find it "confusing," and think I was doing so in support of such a dangerously naive warrant article. 

But I'll let you be the judge of that:

Slow Down!

 Drivers ignore speed limit

So tonight's sometimes contentious joint public meeting between the Amherst Planning Board, Tree Warden Alan Snow and homeowner Mickey Rathbun to discuss the fate of ten public shade trees firmly rooted in the way of a new driveway was continued to July 17.

 A strategic mirror on the other side of driveway helps homeowners see oncoming traffic

The Planning Board gave Ms Rathbun a list of materials they need to see in order to make their decision about whether the trees can be removed:  An engineering study of the impacted area, copy of the traffic report done by the town, feedback from the DPW on if they will allow another curb cut, and photos of all the trees marked for extinction.

Ms. Rathbun complained, "It would be nice if I had a little more guidance."  To which Planning Board Chair David Webber responded, "That's the process."  Webber, who has been on the board four years, later stated this was "The most complex tree hearing in my experience."

 

Amherst Planning Board 6/5/13

After  the homeowners consulted with the Town Manger and DPW Director last year the town did do a traffic study which showed drivers do indeed drive too fast, with about 85% clocked at 40 MPH.  The town installed a 25 MPH sign, but drivers ignore it.

 Current driveway on left looking south, blind curve on right

Tree Warden Snow pointed out, however, that moving a driveway only 60 feet north with a car coming at 40 mph would still not allow enough time to avoid a crash. 

While only 4 or 5 trees stand directly in the way of the proposed new driveway the rest will be mortally wounded by root damage.  Therefor Mr. Snow insists 10 trees of varying width, totalling 127.5" would require removal.  At the current rate of $90 per inch for replacement costs, the homeowners would owe the town $11,475.

Mickey Rathbun address Planning Board, Alan Snow in background under town seal

Ms Rathbun seemed to be requesting a full fee waiver as the cost of the proposed driveway was already prohibitive.  Tree Warden Snow said according to the law a hardship waiver "was at the discretion of the tree warden."  But he also seemed to indicate it was something used for little old ladies on fixed income.

Planning Board Chair Webber then said, "We've never done a waiver."

Normally the Tree Warden has sole say in the removal of a public shade tree, with input from the Public Shade Tree Committee.  But since South East Street, originally established in 1704, is designated a "scenic road" the Planning Board also has equal say.  

Neighbor Janet McGowan agreed with Ms. Rathbun about the safety factor and even suggested the removal of the trees would "open up the views of the Pelham Hills, so the scenic aspect actually cuts the other way."

Kathleen Auble another neighbor and 15 year resident disagreed wholeheartedly:  " I don't want scenic trees taken down for a driveway."  Besides, she added "It will not be any safer."

 Marked for death

 

New driveway entrance on left current one, center, would remain

Safety Stop

Not the kind of thing you want on your front display window

Building Commissioner Rob Morra issued a prominent "stop work" order to the owner of "Oriental Flavor" in the heart of downtown Amherst for having unauthorized personnel perform gas and plumbing work.

 Oriental Flavor:  Opening on hold

According to Commissioner Morra:

"The job was stopped because plumbing and gas installation had proceeded without the required inspections.  The plumbing contractor that was hired for the project and who secured the necessary permits did not perform any of the work and was unwilling to take over the job that was done by others.  In order for the work to continue the business owner must hire a licensed contractor to make correction, complete inspections with this office and finish the work.  We found several issues and violations with the work that was completed by an unlicensed individual."

Some of you may remember the 2005 pernicious basement fire at the old Plumbley's Building adjacent to the Boltwood Walk Parking Garage.

The leading contender for fire causation?

Faulty wiring installed by a handyman rather than licensed electrician for the heavy-duty commercial equipment associated with a tanning salon that Gold's Gym was preparing to open.

The fire pretty much put La Cucina Di Pinocchio's restaurant out of business.

Cooper Mine tanning salon: never opened for business.  Sold 7/1/11 $190,000

DUI Dishonor Roll

About one-third of all drivers arrested for DUI are repeat offenders

Once again we had only one drunk driver taken off our streets over the past weekend, down from the usual 3 or 4 when UMass is in session.

And like last week our incapacitated driver, Paul R. Comtois,  age 43, was bagged on a major travel road (Rt 9), in the wee hours of the morning (1:42 a.m.) and he has no obvious connection to UMass. 

Although unlike last week's "winner" this Perp is a repeat offender.  Times three!

South East Street Shuffle

 650 South East Street, Rock Farm

It did not take Greenfield Savings Bank long to do their due diligence on the property located at 650 West Street.  I had expressed concern about three 55-gallon rusty oil drums right before the town bought it last week.  I guess a $500,000 deal stimulates clean up motivation -- especially for a bank.

The town purchased the property using $60,000 in Community Preservation Act money, private funds from helpful  neighbors, and flipping two building lots for $132,000 each.  Of course the town cannot cut the bank a check until July 1st, start of the new fiscal year.

The clean up crew from Environ International Corporation will be done by the end of the week. A senior associate said two of the drums were empty and the one with some content still in it was specially packed for removal and the contents will be analyzed.   As will soil around the other two empty drums.

But he was optimistic at this stage contamination was not a concern.

666 South East Street, trees with notices are marked for extinction

Meanwhile right next door another environmental action was playing out, as the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee met to discuss the clearing of trees by a homeowner for a new, safer driveway.  The committee could not muster a quorum, so no vote was taken. 

The Shade Tree Committee only advises Tree Warden Alan Snow; he has the semi-final authority with removal of trees in the public way, which extends roughly 30 feet from a public road onto private property.

The Amherst Select Board would have the final say if an appeal is made of the Tree Warden's decision. 

The costs to the homeowners, Christopher Benfey and Mickey Rathbun, with such a large grove of trees using an inch-per-inch replacement calculation could total as high as $12,000.

The Amherst Planning Board and Tree Warden have a joint meeting tomorrow tonight in Town Hall to discuss the removals.