I'm a working on...

 Poor Farm Swamp

I was happy to see a railroad worker doing basic maintenance on the tracks running over Station Road recently, the location of two derailments last summer.  Looks like the crew also did some tree work a little further up the tracks as well.

Calm after the storm

 Theta Chi Frat, 496 North Pleasant, UMass, Amherst

Even though this past weekend actually included St. Patrick's Day, Amherst was a far calmer, nicer place to be.  Amherst police issued only one $300 Noise Bylaw ticket and four warnings as opposed to last weekend's 14 Noise Bylaw tickets, 12 Noise warnings, 7 Nuisance House violations, and 12 open container infraction arrests--the majority meted out on Saturday during the "Blarney Blowout".


And Amherst Fire Department did not have to transport a single ETOH (passed out drunk) patient as opposed to 14 last weekend.

Why the night and day difference?  Spring Break, of course. The students have migrated elsewhere for a week.  And just to show it is a very tiny minority of party types who give all students a bad name, the only ticket handed out this weekend was to a serial offender,Sergey Vuytik. 

Even Pike fraternity has behaved these past two weeks after APD issued them two "nuisance house" tickets for boorish behavior, but another on campus frat--Theta Chi--made the police report for a "panicky college age female who overdosed on shrooms and doesn't feel good now."

Still, this week promises to be a throwback to the quaint, quiet Amherst of old.  Enjoy it while you can.

Party Apartment of the Weekend

 Cathedral Apartments: brick building center

You would think somebody with a unique name like Sergey Vuytik would be a tad more careful about getting arrested--especially for a second time for the same obnoxious offense.  And let's not even talk about the Bad Boy being old enough to know better at age twenty seven.

According to police logs Mr Vuytik was arrested for "a blaring stereo" at 3:45 AM early Sunday morning in his apartment complex which is located almost in the center of Amherst.  Apparently Sergey moved from his former nuisance house at 83 Morgan Circle, much to the delight I'm sure of his former neighbors.

Arrested for Noise:
Sergey Vuytik, 51 Jacqueline Rd  Apt #12, Waltham, MA, age 27

Éirinn go Brách

 
Tom Kelley:  Faithful "domestic" to Miss Emily, and her lead pallbearer

Growing up on Crow Hill in Amherst in a single parent Irish Catholic household a couple generations ago, St Patrick's Day was more than a spring milestone--and much more than simply a day to wear green, or an excuse to consume beer for breakfast.

It was the only time I ever remember my mother hosting a formal party for friends, family and neighbors, and one of the few times the Kelley household looked more than presentable for an entire day and night. 

My mother always accented the positive traits of being Irish:  loyalty, gifted storytelling, determination, hard working, although stubborn was a trait that could go either way.  One of my favorite sayings I heard often enough was "get their Irish up," meaning to anger.

So I've always tried to use St Patrick's Day positively.  In 1991, over a ten consecutive year date with Mt Washington for the grueling bike race in late August, St Patty's Day commenced the first formal day of road training.  Over the following five months, and thousands of miles logged, I could count on one hand the days missed being in the saddle.

Five years ago today (2007) I started this blog to reestablish my voice.  I had lost a bet with an online Anon commenter on Masslive Amherst Forums (2004) about whether Amherst Regional High School, after the monumental national pounding they were taking for scheduling a performance of "The Vagina Monologues," would actually happen (it did).

I also resigned my monthly column after 14 years with the Amherst Bulletin because Editor in Chief Jim Foudy censored me from writing a follow up column (the first had sparked an international debate) on that same shameful incident.

Since founding, I have shed light on the truth--especially in places where powerful forces wished it stay hidden, given voice to the voiceless--when they spoke the truth, broken countless stories, and led the charge on a dozen important crusades.

A 19th century journalist using 21st century technology.

You may have noticed the sudden appearance of advertising last week.  Although my traffic reached a point of commercial viability years ago, I held off selling ads because I did not want to deal with the natural conflict of interest that oftentimes hamstrings newspapers--especially now with print ads down dramatically. 

Do you hold back investigating/reporting a story because it shines negative light on one of your few remaining advertisers? 

For instance, I'm tempted now to make a snide remark about Gazette reporter Scott Merzbach grilling Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tony Maroulis to elicit negative feedback about McMurphy's and Stacker's embarrassing "Blarney Blowout" bar promotion last Saturday.  But, Tony's an advertiser (who, hopefully, has a sense of humor).

Last year, this special holiday marked my most important milestone of all:  giving up alcohol.

The painfully slow demise of my health fitness business combined with painful arthritic degeneration of my joints combined to overwhelm my fine tuned sense of control.

I thought I could not live without my business or being able to kick people in the head on an almost daily basis.  Soon enough, I thought I could not live without consuming 10 beers a day.  Now I live without both.

Because I came to realize the ultimate truth:  I can't live without my family.

May those who love us love us. And those that don't love us, May God turn their hearts. And if He doesn't turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles, So we'll know them by their limping.

Fore!

Free ad on the town website

Let the record show that our money pit municipal golf course opened for business yesterday, so naturally today it rained.  This pre St Patrick's Day opening is the earliest in a decade but that will not stop town officials from using the weather excuse this coming July at fiscal year finish when the course ends up in the (cherry) red once again.

Hickory Ridge, a 18 hole public/private course in South Amherst sold at auction yesterday to Appliedgolf, a major player who owns 13 other courses.  Cherry Hill would have benefited somewhat by Hickory Ridge staying closed but now it may be quite the opposite as the new owners may invest more money into renovations, making it an even better course.

On average Cherry Hill only covers about 70% of its total overhead with the other 30% covered by taxpayers--the vast majority of whom do not play golf.  Hickory Ridge needs to cover all its costs (including property taxes to the town) via membership fees, or the auctioneers gavel will fall again.

Careful What You Wish For

 28 Shays Street, Amherst

It will be interesting to see how neighbors here in South Amherst react to the request coming before the Zoning Board of Appeals to expand a house the former owner referred to as a "shack" from one family (four occupants max) all the way to three family (dozen occupants).

Dave Keenan purchased the humble abode at 28 Shays Street in 1994 for $2,500 but with back taxes owed($8,000)  to the town and DEP ordered clean up (backed by $30,000 in fines) required because of a leaky oil storage tank.  Dave never did add much in the way of window dressing, so neighbors were constantly complaining to the town about the general ramshackle appearance.

Finally with back taxes and legal fees owed topping $60,000 the town tried to foreclose and have building inspectors check out whether the house was even habitable.  Mr Keenan telegraphed that he would not allow entry without a fight and a Ruby Ridge was narrowly avoided.

Keenan came up with the money owed to the town via a friend, Eric Burt, who must have been savvy enough to have the house held as collateral.  Keenan never paid him back, and as a result lost the house.  Last September Mr. Burt sold it for $159,800 to Michael Ben-Chaim, who now wishes to triple the occupancy.

Do good things come in threes?  Perhaps...certainly for the new owner.

A stitch in time...

 APD in riot gear. Townhouse Apartments 3/10/12 

Even the Amherst Bulletin is aroused!

While the $10,000 state grant to the Amherst Police Department for party control, compared to their $4 million annual operation cost may not sound like much, it comes at a critical time for our beleagured officers of the law:  Spring.


Although, considering the level of drinking and debauchery on display this past weekend for the "Blarney Blowout," they could have put it to good use a little sooner.
McMurphy's, Stacker's Saturday 3/10/12 10:45AM  Tommy Devine vid

But with that other day of debauchery--the Hobart Hoedown--looming on the near horizon, APD could use all the extra help they can muster.  Too bad the  Amherst Fire Department, equally overburdened by party revelry, could not benefit by a temporary grant (or permanent increase in staffing).

AFD & APD respond to ETOH (passed out) student 3/10/12 4:00 PM