It's getting that our flag is down in a position of mourning so often that people will start to tune it out.
If they haven't already.
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UPDATE 3:00 PM:
This is an update to the below order from Governor Charlie Baker. *In accordance with the Presidential proclamation Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on Monday, December 7, 2015.
One of the downsides of Amherst having over 50 boards, committees, task forces and working groups is you have to staff them all. Last August for instance the Historical Commission was down three members and as a result could not muster a quorum to hold a "demolition delay" hearing.
So the grand old house at 1146 South East Street, with of course a great view of the mountains to the east, ended up slipping through the cracks. And now it's history.
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The most the Historical Commission could have done was to enact a one year demolition delay, although at their last meeting they are discussing trying to enhance their powers to delay demolitions for 18 months.
And what's that Santa is holding in his right hand?
The kiddies promoting this childish event took umbrage at the Santa Con (Manhattan) photos I used to illustrate my post when I first broke this sordid story, and two weeks later they are still crying about it on the front page of the venerable Daily Hampshire Gazette.
But it was okay for them to use a photo of an obviously passed out drunk Santa in their Facebook promotion of the event?
Which also exposes their true motives for unleashing on our downtown this travesty.
Michael Ketcham, age 25, stands before Judge Payne
Both APD impaired driver arrests last weekend submitted to breath tests that showed they were too much under the influence of alcohol to be driving, but then one of them changed his mind and refused to take the official chemical breath test back at the station, which is admissible in District Court.
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Portable Breath Test result of .114 is inadmissible in Court
As a result Michael Ketcham will automatically lose his license for 180 days. But he did tell Judge Payne he would be hiring his own attorney for his next pre-trial hearing in January.
And a DUI attorney loves it when you refuse the official chemical breath test because that obstinacy cannot be mentioned to a jury should the case go to trial.
Jacob Bodee, age 21, stands before Judge Payne
Since Mr. Bodee did take the official chemical breath test back at the station he should simply take the standard state offer of a 24D disposition and save himself an expensive attorney fee.
UMPD had to attend 2 Eastern Hampshire District Court hearings
I always try to blend in when covering Eastern Hampshire District Court proceedings and since they deal with a cross section of the Happy Valley it's not all that hard to do.
I also only use an iPhone for photos so I can be as inconspircous as possible, although I do carry a classic reporters notebook and old fashioned pen to take notes which does tend to stand out.
And on occassion I've been known to mutter under my breath -- but loud enough for some court officials nearby to hear -- when someone appears for their 4th or 5th DUI offense.
Or I occasionally laugh out loud at one of Judge Payne's animated expressions.
But yesterday was the first time I had to resist the urge to raise my hand and offer input on a matter as though I were attending an Amherst public meeting.
A woman was given a ticket for "failure to stop at a stop sign" at the intersection of University Drive and Massachusetts Avenue, a leading gateway to our illustrious University.
She had already lost the Clerk Magistrate's Hearing and was now appealing that to the Judge. She told Judge Payne that after the first hearing she returned to the scene of the crime but could find no stop sign.
The officer responded that a flashing red light is a stop sign and she did not come to a complete stop. Judge Payne agreed with the officer and upheld the ticket.
For those of you who come upon that intersection for the first time you probably think it's under repair and that is why the lights are flashing: red if you are on University Drive and yellow if you are on Massachusetts Avenue.
But they are always like that, going on many, many years now.
Yet the intersection is only a stone's throw away from the one at Massachusetts and Commonwealth Avenue, where the traffic lights are fully signalized.
And if you are on University Drive taking a right (which should be a "right turn on red") you can see all the way into Hadley to your left for oncoming traffic.
With as many Planners as UMass employs you would think somebody could tweak the lights at that busy intersection to serve a more useful purpose.
Yes, I did roll through this yesterday while enroute to a "box alarm" at Du Bois Library
Mr. Frost (left) having a dialog with Miss Emily (right)last winter
Mr. Frost taking a nap Thursday morning
Robert Frost will soon return to take up dialogue with the Belle of Amherst, a supporting role he has filled admirably since 1996. On Thursday morning he was found torn from his foundation and turned in to the DPW.
The public artwork "A Poetic Dialogue" by Michael Versi depicting a hypothetical interaction between Amherst' s two most famous residents was a tad controversial when first installed almost 20 years ago.
When dealing with sacred icons you are almost guaranteed to ruffle a few feathers. But at least it's not like that whole "Muhammad" thing, where a critical cartoon can bring on bearded dudes with AK47s.
