DUI Dishonor Roll

239 children died in drunk driving incidents in 2012

Yes it's probably overly disconcerting to be arrested for drunk driving during the holiday season, but certainly nowhere near as disconcerting as the potential carnage these drivers could have caused to innocent folks going about their daily routine at this busy time of year.

 William Zimmerman stands before Judge William O'Grady

In Eastern Hampshire District Court yesterday Shannen Mcmahon, age 22, and William Zimmerman, age 32, had pleas of "not guilty" entered in their behalf with their cases continued until next month.

Zimmerman was also charged an extra $50 fee for the arrest warrant which was issued after he failed to appear in Court on Friday morning as scheduled.

UMPD Statement of Facts

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Shannen Mcmahon stands before Judge O'Grady

Hadley PD Statement of Facts

Still A Stand Up Guy

Stan Rosenberg, Dave Sullivan, John Olver July 4th Parade Amherst town center 2009

As someone greatly concerned with government transparency at all levels -- especially when it concerns corruption or conflict of interest -- I can honestly say the recent soap opera backstory concerning our favorite State Senator doesn't have me concerned in the least.

At least not yet.

I've known State Senator Stan Rosenberg for 25+ years and have always found him to be the most responsive hard working politician in the state.

When he came out on July 4th, 2009 I called him a stand up guy -- both here on the blog, and in person as he was marching in the July 4th Parade I helped promote.

But even ten years before that, Stan attended as a guest speaker a controversial rally I organized on the Amherst town common decrying the (1999) cancellation of 'West Side Story', to this day one of the all time greatest stains on the reputation of our little college town.

Both he and ACLU Western Massachusetts Director Bill Newman gave a spirited defense of the First Amendment while lamenting the cancellation of the play at Amherst Regional High School.  Stan even tried to find state funds to bring a traveling professional troupe to Amherst to perform the iconic play.

And no matter how controversial the July 4th Parade became over the ten years it stepped off in Amherst (only in Amherst could a July 4th Parade become a heated controversy) he could always be counted on to march.  

So if anyone understands the light of media attention that can shine with blinding speed and luminance, it would be a guy who has had to deal with it for most of his adult life -- one who doesn't duck away from controversial issues.

Thus far he has handled the problem created by his significant other with a textbook response:  admit there's a problem and clearly outline a simple solution.

Erecting a "firewall" between his personal relationship and the duties of a powerful politician about to get more powerful is exactly the right answer.  Sort of like newspapers erecting a solid brick wall between editorial and advertising (or at least they used to back in the day).

Western Massachusetts always seems to fly under the radar with folks at the Boston Statehouse.  Our region will become a much bigger blip with Stan Rosenberg as State Senate President. 

Rest assured Western Massachusetts: we're still in very good hands. 

Senseless Slaughter

That thin blue line that stands between civility and chaos -- us and them -- just got a little thinner, and we all are diminished by this tragic loss. 

Even the most ardent critic of police involvement in the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown should be taken aback by the cold hearted assassination of two patrolmen, partners, sitting in their cruiser Saturday afternoon.  Assuming of course you're a rational human being.

Neither officer involved in the Garner or Brown deaths got up that morning thinking they were going to kill a black man.  Unlike Ismaaiyl Brinsley, who clearly decided he was going to kill that day, with the only prerequisite being the victims dressed in blue.

Unfortunately for them and the families they leave behind, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were in his line of sight.

 Amherst Police Station 12/7/14 #Ferguson protesters shut down Main Street

Have highly publicized demonstrations over the past few months -- some of them here in Amherst -- contributed to this outrage?  How could they not -- especially with chants like "Fuck The Police".

Self serving denials ring cold and hollow, like a freshly dug grave.

When a large group of college aged youth demonstrated in front of Amherst police station two weeks ago, they chanted in choreographed unison, "Who do you protect, who do you serve?"

Now the men and women in blue will be giving much more thought to protecting their own.

Police lives matter

We are heartbroken over the shooting of two #NYPD officers.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's families, friends and coworkers.
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) December 20, 2014

High Times In Pelham

Zachary Amadon, age 20, arraigned before Judge Shea on Friday

If you are on your way to a court mandated alcohol education class you probably should not be smoking pot ... or driving with a suspended license due to a previous DUI. 

   Pelham PD Pot Incident

DUI Dishonor Roll

The rate of drunk driving is highest among 21 to 25 year olds (23.4 percent) - See more at: http://www.madd.org/statistics/#sthash.FMPelWkJ.dpuf

 The rate of drunk driving is highest among 21-25 year olds (23.4%) MADD statistic

Christmas time is certainly a time for good cheer, but unfortunately for all too many folks, that takes the form of too much alcohol.

In this case Amherst police arrested 21-year-old Laquan Wood after he crashed into a telephone pole on Snell Street, a busy cut through connecting Rt 9 and Rt 116, the two busiest roads in town at a somewhat busy time of night.

Click to enlarge/read

Laquan Wood is arraigned before Judge Michael Mulcahy in Easter Hampshire District Court yesterday

Festival of Light

Amherst Town Common 12/18/14

As per tradition the public menorah has joined the Merry Maple on the Amherst town common, as this year Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish celebration, started on Tuesday, December 16 and concludes on Christmas eve, December 24.

For those concerned about separation of church and state or playing favoritism with a religion, the town does not ban religious symbols in the public square, so if someone wished to put up a Christmas tree or erect a manger (but probably not with live animals) Town Hall would not deny such a permit.

After all, anti-war protesters demonstrate in town center every Sunday for the past five decades , so why not a symbol commemorating a battle for religious freedom?

Dedication monument a few feet from the menorah

Caving In To Terror

NASA Space Station photo taken 1/30/14

Normally,  I would not be in favor of our government spending tax dollars on Public Relations, prefering to let actions speak louder than advertising.

But in the case of a rogue nation invoking 9/11 in a cowardly anonymous threat to trample the First Amendment rights of a major private business, I'll make an exception.

The United States government should buy out the rights to "The Interview" from Sony Pictures Entertainment and release the movie for free on Christmas Day via Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and any other Internet or TV provider.

That way all Americans can, in the safety and privacy of their own home, send Kim Jong-un a collective "Fuck You."

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Cyber attack against Sony was not just attack against company & its employees, but on our freedom of expression & way of life –JCJ
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 19, 2014

"We are not going to tolerate … attacks from outlaw states by the strangest collection of misfits, loony tunes, and squalid criminals since the advent of the Third Reich."  President Ronald Reagan, 1985

Atkins North Delivers

134 Montague Road

The shopping experience at Atkins North, a proposed bookend satellite operation of an iconic South Amherst mainstay business, will be a tad more pleasurable -- not to mention safer -- thanks to the Amherst Planning Board, who voted unanimously last night to allow commercial use of the driveway at 134 Montague Road for deliveries.

 Amherst Planning Board 12/17/14

The Site Plan Review, Special Permit permission applies only to Atkins North and limits deliveries to smaller type vehicles (no 18 wheeler semi-trailer trucks), so it's not a carte blanche approval for all future businesses opening in The Mill District.

Those businesses will still have to come before either the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals to get the same permission to use the more convenient access via Montague Road for commercial deliveries, something W.D. Cowls, the current owners, have done for centuries.

 Atkins estimates only 10 deliveries daily 

According to Planning Board Chair David Webber:  

This is a great example of two highly successful Amherst businesses, Cowls and Atkins, creating economic growth by providing much-needed services in North Amherst. Hopefully Atkins North will serve as an “anchor” tenant for further redevelopment of the Mill District. 

The Planning Board also voted (mostly) 6-1 to allow around a half-dozen Mill District commercial signs (some of them illuminated)  for the convenience of the general public being able to more easily find their destination. 

Cinda Jones President W.D. Cowls, Inc largest private landowner in Massachusetts

Mr.  Webber also pointed out the business signs may slow traffic as drivers will realized they are coming into a commercial zone and may watch more carefully for pedestrians and other vehicles entering or exiting the 12 acre emerging development.

Montague Road current traffic is 5,712 cars per day

As this is only the first step in the commercial revitalization of North Amherst, the former "dirty hands district."

 A not overly happy Louis Greenbaum

Applauding Historic Preservation

Festive, patriotic Lord Jeffery Inn

The Amherst Historical Commission -- not to be confused with the Amherst Historical Society -- awarded three local landowners with a certificate of merit demonstrating the town's appreciation for how they maintain the historical look and feel of their property and as such, adding to the beauty of Amherst.

Three categories were covered:  Retail, residential and institutional.  The winners were all invited to the 12/15/14 Amherst Select Board meeting for a public presentation.

Amherst College, the town's largest landowner, won in the institutional category for the picturesque Lord Jeffery Inn "on the Amherst town common."

Even though they are tax exempt on all their academic buildings and property Amherst College is still the town's largest annual taxpayer due to all the houses they own and rent to faculty, plus the commercial Amherst Golf Course (that puts our municipal one to shame) and Lord Jeff.

Historical Commission Chair Michael Hanke highlighted how Amherst College recently did many millions of dollars in renovations, yet the exterior of the Lord Jeff looks the same as it has for the past 60 or 70 years.

He also mentioned that same exterior attribute when presenting the award for retail to the Cushman Market in North Amherst.

And in the residential category the Historical Commission awarded Henry Hills House, LLC (Jerry Guidera and Russ Wilson) the award for saving historic old houses previously owned by Amherst College, (and another one owned by the town) that were moved to their current location on Gray Street adjacent to the historic old Henry Hills House.

38 Gray Street, Henry Hills House built 1863

14 Gray Street, historic Tuttle homestead

32 Gray Street, historic Chapin-Ward house

Fanning The Flames

Opening Christmas Day.  What could go wrong?

"But you always risk offending people when you open people's eyes to the way the world is. Sometimes the truth is a bit unpalatable."  So said Peter Dale, the head of an entertainment company defending the release of a controversial film depicting the assassination of a sitting world leader.

No, he's not talking about the current controversial comedy depicting the North Korea leader Kim Jong Un's head exploding from a tank round.  Back in 2006 a British documentary style TV film, "Death of a President" showed a realistic assassination of our sitting President, George W. Bush.

So the concept of a fictional film showing a head of state suddenly sent into the afterlife in a rather gruesome manner, has been done before.  And the unprecedented horror of November 22, 1963 -- forever preserved in living color -- serve to remind us that truth is more powerful than fiction.

The attack on the First Amendment rights of Sony Entertainment to release movies as they see fit has taken an ominous turn with the cowardly terrorist threat to physically assault movie theaters showing the film.

Invoking 9/11 as a psychological weapon -- especially in broken English -- against the most sacred freedom we Americans enjoy, is doubly sacrilegious. 

I had not planned to see "The Interview" at the Hadley Cinemark, mainly because it's not the kind of movie I could attend with my kids.  Now, assuming they have the backbone to show it, I may see it twice. 

Sony cancels Christmas Day release

Have App Will Travel

Coming soon:  Amherst town website version 5.0

Have you ever wanted to report a pothole soon after hitting it, or a traffic control signal not working properly after it delayed you at an intersection, or a tree limb hanging precariously over a wire? Well now you can do it from the convenience of your smart phone (after pulling over of course) because: there's an app for that!

In addition to unrolling a new and improved main town website early next month our award winning IT department will also unveil "Amherst Connect," a part of the wider state program called Commonwealth Connect, which allows citizens to instantly report and track non emergency problems.

Amherst first unveiled the main town website back in 2001 with a whopping 3 pages.  Today it has over 10,000 with almost 30% of users now accessing it via a mobile device.  Hence the new minimalist reversion of the main page.

Last year Amherst won second place in the Massachusetts Excellence in Technology category, but over the past year upped their game enough so that two weeks ago they were awarded first place.

Another Amherst Box Alarm

 Chief Nelson on scene 1100 South East Street 6:10 PM

 Ladder 1, Engine 1 on scene 1100 South East Street

For the second time in less than a month Amherst Fire Department scrambled to a box alarm after smoke was reported in a dwelling.  This time it was 1100 South East Street, the former home of former long-time Town Manager Allen Torrey.

AFD Chief Nelson confirms there were no injuries to first responders or residents of the home, although an ambulance was called about an hour after the fire was first reported just as a precautionary evaluation of the tenants for carbon monoxide.

Chief Nelson also confirms that after a routine investigation by his Fire Investigation Unit (the Chief does not like the term "Arson Squad" because "It makes the most innocuous seem sinister") the fire was NOT considered suspicious.

Apparently a stuffed chair had smouldered for a long period of time (with the HVAC system sending the carbon monoxide and soot throughout the house) but never actually burst into flame.  

 Engine 2 (the quint) on scene 222 Belchertown Road 11/29/14

The other structure fire AFD handled a little over two weeks ago at 222 Belchertown Road was far more sinister.

 Mark Andre, 54, will remain incarcerated until 1/2/15 "dangerousness hearing"

In Eastern Hampshire District Court yesterday before Judge Shea, Mark Andre was ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation and his arson case was continued until January 2, 2015.

The state will argue for a Chapter 58A too-dangerous-to-be-out-on-bail decree at that hearing.

Fortunately, he will stay behind bars until then.

   Amherst Arson by Larry Kelley

Go Team!

There's a new team in town:  Positive Team Presence

The UMass Student Government Association is taking the $160,000  Davis Report on the Blarney Blowout to heart -- as well they should.

In response they created "MinuteMarshals", now renamed "Team Positive Presence", a group of fellow students who will be embedded into the potential party scene as peer counselors hoping to deescalate things before they get out of hand.

Naturally they will also use Social Media prior to events to send a message about being responsible and maintaining control.  

 

Walk This Way group on Fearing Street last Labor Day weekend

The peacekeeping program will be in addition to and a step up from "Walk This Way", where a group of students stand out on late night weekends in heavily traveled corridors just off campus to request the herds keep quiet when traveling through residential neighborhoods.

Town Manager Musante report to Select Board last night

This just completed Fall Semester has been the quietest in memory, with noise/nuisance tickets and arrests down dramatically, so this new program comes at an opportune time.

But the true game changer -- also heartily endorsed by the Davis Report -- is the hiring of an "off campus Resident Assistant".

Boston College has successfully used the program for many years to keep peace between off campus students and nearby neighbors.  The Off Campus RA is an official representative of the school and as such wields far more authority with potential miscreants.  Either abide by his/her wishes or risk being expelled.
 
UMass has already acknowledged they will probably make such a hire.  Since Team Positive Presence hopes to be in operation by the Super Bowl, it would be nice if UMass hired the Off Campus RA before the weather gets warm this coming spring.

Because even with Team Positive Presence and Walk This Way crews, plus an Off Campus RA, they still would not have stopped the Blarney Blowout last March.

Only Mother Nature, conjuring up a blizzard, could have done that.

Public vs Private Documents

The Sony Entertainment hack has led to some salacious materials meant to be private suddenly making it into the bright limelight provided by media bandwidth, which many readers probably find entertaining.

Over the past few years I have published more local public documents than all the media outlets combined who cover Amherst. 

And as someone who relishes that role of being first I have to say, I would not publish the Sony trove, even if contained mentions of Amherst (My "Only in Amherst" movie deal is still a few years away).

Sony is a private sector organizer, not some government agency doing harm to the American people.

The materials were stolen via a criminal illegal act.

They are being used to bribe a private company into scuttling a movie that makes fun of the whacko despot of evil empire, and since the hackers probably work for that goofball government, a clear violation of Sony's First Amendment rights.

Do journalists who ethically have their own version of the Hippocratic Oath to live by, really want to be used as pawns by a chubby little North Korean killer?

DUI Dishonor Roll

This post is a tad late as both these DUI arrests (or OUIs) occurred last weekend.  I'm still working out an efficient (i.e. quicker) line of communication with my friends at UMPD for these public documents.

APD had no drunk driving arrests last weekend, when UMass was still in session and of course one of these UMPD arrests, Calvin Wynder,  is not a student.  Both Wynder and Kravchenko appeared before Judge Payne in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday, 12/8 and had their cases continued to next month.

Sergey Kravchenko stands before Judge John Payne

   UMPD OUI arrest

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UMass Amherst police also arrested Calvin Wynder, age 36, in his second brush with the law on this serious charge. 

When Duty Calls

Flags are flying at half staff in Connecticut today, not that anybody in that state needs reminding of the horrific event that once again stunned our nation with its raw savagery.

 Sandy Hook Elementary School, 12/14/12

We expect to occasionally hear the unfortunate news that a first responder is suddenly cut down in the line of duty. However, all first responders know death is in their job description.

It takes an extraordinary event like the Worcester fire tragedy or 9/11 to grab us by the throat so we suddenly pay attention again.

Teachers on the other, are not expected to die in the routine performance of their daily duty.  Columbine changed that.  Sandy Hook moved the bar a little higher.

And since not much has changed, the next one will be even more unspeakable.

Shouldn't they call this "Shelter in Place"?

One Hand Clapping

Just don't use the other hand to smoke a cigarette

Massachusetts motorists by the millions will want to applaud the Board of Fire Prevention Regulators come January 1st as multi-tasking while filling up at your local self-serve gas station will get a whole lot more comfortable. 

For the first time in a generation, drivers will be allowed to use hold open clips so you don't have to keep one hand on the squeeze handle to keep the gas flowing.

Self-serve gas stations were also banned in Massachusetts until the mid-1970s and the ban on hold open clips coincided with the relaxing of regulations allowing such stations.

So for some of us, this could be our first time using them.  Hence this instructional video:

I asked AFD Assistant Chief Lindsay Stromgren if he had any concerns about this new development and he said he brought it up at a recent Hampshire County Chiefs meeting and nobody seemed alarmed.

Although he was quick to add, "But I'm sure we'll see some unique cases in the next year or so."

Executive Office of Public Safety and Security

School Meeting Confirmed (We Hope)

Amherst Regional School Committee

Anyone remember that episode of the The Flintstones where Fred was fired for the umpteenth time by Mr. Slate but because he had modified over the years the operational controls of the big old front end loader at the rock quarry to where only he could run it, his boss pretty much had to rehire him?

Apparently long-time secretary Debbie Westmoreland fits into that unique category as she does all the intricate interactions with the town clerks for both the Amherst School Committee and Amherst Pelham Regional School Committee ... and she's on leave until early January.

Hence the reason for recent scheduling snafus: Two RSC meetings canceled for not being posted in Pelham (one of the four towns in the Region) in time, and the mislabeling of the 12/16 meeting.

The mysterious, is it a Regional or just an Amherst School Committee meeting on 12/16 has been solved:  It is an Amherst School Committee meeting, not a Regional School Committee meeting.

Since the 5 member Amherst School Committee makes up more than half of the 9-member Regional SC it's easy to be confused.  And since Amherst comprises 88% of the Region, you also have to wonder why it's only 5-of-9 and not more like 8-of-9?

But then math was never my strong point.

So the simple take away is rookie RSC chair Trevor Baptiste is not to blame.  Although if I were him I would hand deliver a meeting notice to the part-time Pelham (his hometown) Town Clerk in plenty of time to be properly posted for the next RSC meeting.

And the simple solution of voting the "alternative method" of posting to the regional ARPS website (an option open to them for many years) should be endorsed forthwith. 

Merry Once More

Merry Maple last night

Some of you more sagacious types may have noticed the Merry Maple went dark soon after the unveiling last week, but as of last night it's back for the duration of the Christmas, err, holiday season.

Apparently the problem was an "amateur hour repair on the cut wires performed by the contractor in charge of stringing the lights."  According to town electrician Fred Hartwell, "The Merry Maple should now function properly for the remainder of the holiday season."

Hallelujah. 

Box Alarm UMass

 AFD Engine 1 on scene near UMass Southwest towers

The  still alarm -- automatic response due to tripped smoke detectors -- first came in around 10:30 PM last night but then within minutes became a box alarm as UMass first responders reported "smoke in the building."

 AFD Engine 2 (the quint) gets in close to Berkshire Dining Commons

The Quint has a 75' aerial ladder 

The tone sent out to all on and off duty firefighters brings a massive response to the UMass Berkshire Dining Commons, in this case Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Ladder 1, an ambulance, AFD Chief Nelson and assistant Chief Stromgren.

Off duty firefighters and Call Force are automatically mobilized

 AFD Ladder 1 with a 102' aerial platform standing by

Two firefighters went up on the roof and headed down into the building searching for the source of the smoke, which turned out to be electrical: Burned out motor on a HVAC system.

By midnight all AFD assets had packed up and returned to quarters, waiting for the next tone.

E2 taps into Fire Dept Connection to supplement building's sprinkler system