Take No Prisoners

 Butternut Tree on Shays Street in the public way

Normally I would say anything left leaning will have a long and happy life in the People's Republic of Amherst--just not when it's a tree leaning in the direction of a utility powerline.  For instance, take this butternut on Shays Street--which they are about to do.


Amherst Tree warden Alan Snow gave me a demonstration last week of an inspection double-check on trees marked for death by Western Mass Electric Co. This butternut, besides the lean, has a host of problems--exposed roots, bug bore damage, rip away bark, and a couple of splits he could put his hand in.

Sure he could insist that WMECO simply trim off the overhanging limb as the tree would most likely survive...for now. Until all the other problems meet up with a major storm.

 Tree Warden and DPW division director of trees and parks, Alan Snow

Being judge/jury/executioner for the town's tree canopy is a tough job--perhaps made even tougher by  town meeting approval for 2,000 new trees. Healthy trees--even beautiful old historic ones--are now more subject to extermination for the convenience of developers and the utilities simply because they are so easily replaced by new ones, although a lot less beautiful and historic.

Therefor it's even more imperative we have someone who will speak for the trees.

Parking Problems

 Newfangled Parking Machines

So it comes as no surprise that overall parking revenues are down $52,716 compared to last year. The new Internet based computerized system took some getting used to, and the Spring Street Parking lot--in a super prime town center location--took many months to renovate.

Of course the real cost is hard to calculate as that $52,716--when measure in nickels and dimes-- represents drivers who did not come to our downtown to shop, eat or catch a movie.  Or perhaps they did come, but then drove away in anger and hence may never come back. 

But town officials are working on it.  They made a (long) check list.  And the Chamber of Commerce and new Business Improvement District will chime in with (self) helpful suggestions.

Amherst Parking Machine Problems

Meanwhile, summers in a college town are the slowest/deadliest time of year for business--unless of course you sell frozen yogurt.

FroyoWorld, North Pleasant Street

GoBerry, Amity Street

Guppies Rejoice

Although you will not know it by perusing the town website (and currently the phones lines are down so you cannot call to confirm either) the War Memorial Wading Pool is, finally, open.  As you can imagine anything mechanical constructed when Give 'em Hell, Harry (Truman) was in office is prone to cascading failures:  you fix one thing and something else goes.

So parents, you may want to enjoy it will you can.  I'm told by a nice lifeguard that the hours (starting today) are weekdays 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM and weekends 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

About the only good idea former Town Manager Larry Shaffer (and now former city manager of Jackson, MI) had over his three year tenure here was to consider turning the wading pool and basketball court at War Memorial into a spray park like the one at Look Park in Northampton. 

Since the state was kind enough to cover most of the cost of renovating War Memorial (what us townies used to call "the big pool"), town officials should reconsider Mr. Shaffer's idea in the near future.  Heck, maybe Larry will return to Amherst to oversee the project.

Party House of the Weekend

406 Northampton Road (RT 9)

Hey just because it's the middle of the summer in a bucolic college town like Amherst doesn't mean the few, the proud have to stand down.  These kids are holding down the party fort until reinforcements arrive next month.

According to APD logs (1:24 AM early Saturday)

RP reports loud voices in area

Arrived on scene and observed a female party climbing into a second floor window from the porch roof.  Loud voices and laughing heard from the residence.  Guests did not open door for officers.  Several guests hid in another room with the door closed after being instructed to leave.  All residents under 21 years of age.  Yard/driveway house filled with empty or half empty beer cans and bottles.  Residents identified and advised they would be summonsed for TBL Unlawful Noise.

All three UMass students will be fined $300 and of course UMass officials will be made aware of the transgression.

Construction Continues

In addition to the Atkins Corner reconstruction in South Amherst, the sudden bridge closing in North Amherst, now we have East Amherst joining the growing list of projects bringing headaches to commuters.

The town is closing off Amherst Road during weekday business hours for the sewer line extension up into Pelham.  The state is also scheduled to renovate/replace the Pelham Road Bridge which is located at the half-way point along the sewer line project. 

And yes, we still have the Snell Street Bridge replacement coming soon in the western part of Amherst closing off that busy road.  Let's hope they do not all converge into one BIG perfect, dusty, storm.

Tequila, Cocaine & Speed

 Amherst Police Department

Amherst police arrested three young ladies, all of them UMass students, just off campus early Sunday morning. Two of them--the drivers--potential killers.  Yes, alcohol played a major role.  

According to APD logs: 

 
Vehicle stopped for speed 45+ in a 25 MPH zone (1:52 AM).  Operator displayed signs of impariment due to alcohol and consented to a Field Sobriety Test.  As the operator exited the vehicle, she attempted to conceal a large open bottle of tequila under the seat.  The operator performed FST's satisfactorly however she was found to be 20 years old so placed under arrest.  During the inventory search, a passenger's purse was located with a plastic baggie inside containing a white powder that field tests positive for cocaine.  Passenger placed under arrest.  The sole party in the vehicle that was 21years of age was summoned to court for procurring alcohol to minors.  Vehicle towed by Ernie's Towing.  

Claire Rowat, Brook Street, Sherborn, MA, age 20.  Under 21 possession, Open Container, Speeding
Aulona Halilaj, Catalpa Circle, Worcester, MA, age 21, Drug possession Class B

 #####

(3:40 AM) Vehicle stopped for entering into oncoming lane of travel.  Operator displayed signs of impairment.  FST's indicated impairment at .134% BAC.  Operator placed under arrest for OUI.

Christina Moroney, Harrison Avenue, Peabody, MA, age 20, OUI, Marked Lanes Violation

Remembering Howard

How do you sum up in a few minutes to a room full of people the staying influence of a bear of a man who, in life, would have dominated that room?

Simple really, you tell a sliver of a story with a beginning, middle and an end of an interaction with Howard Ziff and almost everyone in the room will relate to it.  Call it speaking to the converted.

Friends, family, former students and co-workers converged this glorious afternoon on Memorial Hall in the center of the UMass campus, a stone's throw from Bartlett Hall, home base to journalism since Howard founded the program in the early 1970s

And we heard touching stories, a song, recited a prayer--but most important--simply remembered...together.


Karen List, current Director of UMass Journalism, talks about the man who founded it

The Republican reports