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.

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Executive Session email exchange by Larry Kelley