Lightning Rod Wins

 Protesters outside Student Union were mainly an older crowd

Maybe I'm spoiled having come of age in the 1970s when protest was at its peak and a darn site more creative than what I saw this evening: Abby Hoffman bringing the NY Stock Exchange to a halt by unleashing a bag of $1 bills (not all of them genuine) from the gallery.

Or protesters filled with enough resolve to continuing chanting "The whole world is watching," while Chicago cops beat their heads in.

No, what we got this evening was a smattering of clueless cuckoos who couldn't even read their cue card lines correctly, or loudly enough to be heard (Abby Hoffman had his own bull horn).  The first interruption, only minutes into Karl Rove's speech, brought no response from security so I thought it was going to be short night.

 Rove became animated when talking about Iraq (and how the Democrats supported the war)

Chancellor Subbaswamy, looking unhappy, struck a blow for Free Speech

But then after two more interruptions -- perhaps invoking the three strikes and you're out routine -- Chancellor Swamy took to the microphone demanding respect for Free Speech.  And with the next outburst security started escorting the protesters out a lot quicker, which seemed to dim the enthusiasm of the entire protest movement.

Ladies read their protest lines

 Even seated protesters holding sings were asked to leave

All in all between presentation and question and answers Karl Rove probably only talked for an hour and a quarter and the interruptions only consumed a few minutes.  The audience numbered about 500 people and the protesters were easily in the minority. 

Maybe there's hope for Free Speech at UMass after all.  Certainly paid off for Karl Rove.

What the Left did to @karlrove at UMass more proof living in #MA means living behind enemy lines:JOIN THE RESISTANCE!michaelgraham.com/the-conspiracy…
— Michael Graham (@IAMMGraham) April 10, 2013

DUI Dishonor Roll

Mass State Police arrested just over 5,000 drunk drivers last year

Just as last month's "Blarney Blowout" acted as a terrible turning point for town and UMass officials who now, finally, seem serious about addressing rowdy off campus student behavior (besides handing out oatmeal cookies) Saturday's shenanigans should also act as a wake up call on drunk driving.

Before someone gets killed.

Again!

At the very least it's time for another State Police "sobriety checkpoint" and this time it should be in the heart of UMass (North Pleasant Street) or Amherst town center.

Amherst police arrested four drunk drivers on Saturday late afternoon into early Sunday morning.  Yes, four.  All of them UMass students.  Most of them at times of the day when working folks and their families are going about their daily routine.

Like the head on, wrong way collision in the busiest intersection in Amherst town center at 4:55 PM on a busy Saturday which resulted in the arrest of Taylor Estupinan, age 22.  How many of you were out and about Saturday around that time, sharing the road with a potential killer?

 Raymond F. Racine

Or how about Raymond F. Racine also age 22, who almost ran over a cop at the Hobart Lane checkpoint?

Joint APD UMPD checkpoint Hobart Lane, hard to miss, but not if you're drunk

Or Matthew Collins, age 20, who committed hit and run on a grove of arborvitaes on Pine Street before dusk on Saturday.   Arrested for DUI and a bevy of other charges related to negligent operation of a deadly weapon.

Or Briana Virginia Roy, age 21, arrested for DUI early Sunday morning after drawing attention to her drunken self by speeding and following a car to closely.  A potentially deadly combination.

Like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, drunk drivers bring on sorrow and misery. These four Perps were lucky to have survived.

And so were we.

Blue, I'm So Blue

Jones Library chimney repairs continued today (courtesy of Community Preservation Act $)

Let The Sunshine In

From: Larry Kelley
To: AG Division of Open Government 

Sent: Mon, Apr 8, 2013 2:22 pm 
Subject: Open Meeting complaint

I was prevented entry to a meeting on April 4 at the UMass Police Station between high ranking school officials, town officials and private landlords to discuss a matter of utmost public concern:  rowdy off campus student behavior by a minority of students who attend the University. 

I was told in an email from a UMass offical that the meeting was closed because it was a "working meeting."  

UMass did issue a press release before the end of the day but, for instance, did not provide the names of the ten landlords who attended the meeting.  A violation of the very first rule in journalism concerning the five W's (WHO, what, when, where and why). 

 Since this issue is an ongoing problem in the town of Amherst and since these meeting will probably happen again, I would like the Attorney General to issue a ruling as to whether they should be open or not.  

Sacrificing transparency for the expediency of public employees is not a healthy trade off. 

Thank you for your attention and time spent upholding the People's right to know. 

Larry Kelley 

#####

To: buffone Cc: jeankim ; jkennedy ; egelaye ; edblag 
Sent: Mon, Apr 8, 2013 7:35 am 
Subject: Public Documents Request 

Could I please get any and all written correspondence -- email, text, snail mail -- between any UMass employee and Amherst town officials (either appointed or elected) between January 1, 2013 up until this morning concerning off-campus student behavior especially but not limited to the recent "Spring Strategy Meeting" held April 4, as well as any correspondence concerning Amherst's Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods upcoming town meeting bylaw. 

Since this request is in the public's interest I would also request a fee waiver.  

Larry Kelley

#####

To: MusanteJ ; selectboard ; ZiomekD  
Sent: Mon, Apr 8, 2013 9:42 am 
Subject: Fwd: Public Documents Request 
Subject: Public Documents Request 

Could I please get any and all written correspondence -- email, text, snail mail -- between Amherst town officials (either appointed or elected) to any UMass employees between January 1, 2013 up until this morning concerning off-campus student behavior especially but not limited to the recent "Spring Strategy Meeting" held April 4, as well as any correspondence concerning Amherst's Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods upcoming town meeting bylaw. 

Since this request is in the public's interest I would also request a fee waiver.  

 Larry Kelley 

 #####

Sent: Mon, Apr 8, 2013 11:19 am 
Subject: Public Documents Request 
Sally Linowsky Campus and Community Coalition 

Could I please get a list of the  ten landlords who attended the April 4 "Spring Strategy Meeting" held at UMPD as well as a list of all the landlords who were invited.  

Thanks, 

Larry Kelley

Vote Early, Vote Often

I actually like my borrowed tagline better than the one the League of Women Voters came up with for these lawnsigns.  My 11-year-old daughter was confused by them; when I explained their purpose she replied, "That's kinda dumb."

And the fiscal conservative in me would have avoided printing the exact date so that they could be reusable.  Amherst's tagline used to be "Recycling works for Amherst," although that has been replaced by "Open Government To The Max".

Well ... except when engaging in secret meetings with UMass about matters of great public concern.

As I posted earlier, this particular local annual town election tomorrow will be a snoozer.  Even if every voter violated the law and voted twice, the turnout would still be pathetic.

 

Town website today, and reverse 911 call from Town Manger will not help much

But I do, however, have one endorsement ... only it concerns Hadley, Amherst's original Mother who wisely jettisoned us 254 years ago.

 Guilford Mooring, Amherst DPW Director

Guilford Mooring for Selectman.  Yes, in Hadley they still call it "Board of Selectmen".

I have known Guilford Mooring since he became Amherst DPW director in 2002, and if I had to pick the most popular employee in town (even with curmudgeons in Amherst Town Meeting) it would be him.

Guilford runs a tight ship fiscally, makes the trucks run on time, and has a sense of humor -- much needed in this town.

Plus he's a proud veteran, which probably plays far better in Hadley than it would in Amherst.  And he's a great neighbor. 

Going, Going ...

 

608 South Pleasant (Rt 116)

This big old sugar maple at 608 South Pleasant street is coming down after perhaps 75 years of service to my neighborhood providing shade, drinking up water run off, absorbing carbon dioxide while infusing the area with good clean oxygen.

And in it's time,  quite the beauty.

 

Tree required a large crane

 Tree Warden Alan Snow reports the tree was dying in the wrong spot and could not be saved, but in its place the town will plant four more. 

Such is the cycle of life.  And death.

 All that remains

Taking It All Off (for a good cause)

Tony Maroulis Amherst Chamber of Commerce Director (after shot)

It was actually nice to go to an Amherst party scene with loud music, alcohol and lots of good friends all having a great time, without worrying about a police response ... or more precisely, the crowd responding to the police response.

Live (above ground) band

And even though there was not a cover charge at the door (for an all-you-can-drink red plastic cup) the St Baldrick's shave your head to help children with cancer event at Rafter's Sports Bar has thus far raised almost $50,000.

 Heck, I'll drink to that!  (NA of course).

 

Large crowd under the bigtop

Ryan Willey before

Ryan Willey soon after