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."

#####

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