DUI Dishonor Roll

Amherst was fortunate again last weekend as APD only took one alleged impaired driver off the road. Since no female officers were on duty Amherst College PD sent one of theirs to assist with booking.

 Erica Wheeler-Perkins, age 52, arraigned before Judge Murphy

I overheard the shift supervisor alerting everyone as Ms. wheeler-Perkins, "was more than a handful" during the initial stop.

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In Eastern Hampshire District Court she was released on her own recognizance and will return for pre-trial with her own attorney on March 21.

Never Ever Punch A Cop

Cullen Driscoll, age 18, stands before Judge Murphy

So this mistake -- sucker punching a female officer in the face -- will cost Mr. Driscoll dearly.

Obviously UMass will bounce him for at least a year, and they don't give refunds for payments already made to cover this semester. 

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All because he can't figure out how to drink responsibly -- a trait he probably shares with all too many freshmen, away from home for the very first time. 

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday Driscoll was assigned a public defender at a cost of $300 and his case was continued until March 29.

Party House of the Weekend

104 Belchertown Road

In Eastern Hampshire District Court yesterday all five bad boys took the standard deal:  Pay one of the $300 tickets (each) and stay out of trouble for the rest of the semester 




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Drug Deal Gone Bad

William McKeown arraigned before Judge Murphy in Eastern Hampshire District Court

I just wish everybody showed this much interest when somebody is shot dead in Holyoke or Springfield, which happens all too often.  Turns out the handgun McKeown used was really a BB pistol but the charges still remain the same since even a BB gun is considered a "dangerous weapon."

   UMass Gun Incident by Larry Kelley

Hearing attracted local TV news and print reporters

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Bomb Threat

APD on scene Amherst Regional High School 1:45 PM

 

Blarney Blowout Warm Up?

Townhouse Apartments, North Amherst 3:45 PM Saturday

Yes of course everyone both young and old should be able to enjoy a warm Saturday afternoon especially considering the Arctic like conditions we endured the previous weekend.  And nothing goes better with a warm day than a cold beer, or two.

But the problem lies in moderation, both in crowd size and number of beers.

The quad at Townhouse Apartments in North Amherst can  hold 1,0000 revelers.  On Saturday it never approached half that and Amherst police never received a complaint about the noise or activities of the crowd, so all ended well.

But all it takes is for one participant to throw a snowball which is answered by an empty beer can and some idiot throws a full can or bottle of beer.  Then it starts rained dangerous projectiles. Or someone in the middle of the crowd passes out from too much alcohol and AFD needs to get to them fast.

In 2013 AFD  needed to get to an overly intoxicated young woman in the center of the quad. The surly crowd responded by lobbing bottles, cans and chunks of ice.  APD made six arrests.  Of course the following year the weather was also nice and all Hell broke lose.  Police made 58 arrests.

Last year thanks to stern messaging from UMass, an expensive concert at the Mullins Center, and the presence of 225 police officers townwide, the Blarney Blowout was a non event.

So I expect this coming March 5th weekend to be the same.

But on any given weekend between now and graduation, when the weather is right, things can go south with the speed of a flying beer can.

By Any Other Name ...

Amherst College:  Named after the town, not the General

Amherst College history professor Kevin Sweeney gave a one hour presentation -- "Smallpox, Natives, and Jeffery Amherst" --  to a packed crowd at the Jones Library on Saturday afternoon to shed light on the history of small pox, which he concluded "seems to attract dubious stories".

So did General Amherst start on purpose a pandemic with a couple of infected blankets that spread small pox like wildfire among the Native American population?

 Professor Kevin Sweeney at the Jones Library

Standing room only crowd in the Goodwin Room

Well, no.

According to Professor Sweeney small pox had been ravaging the native North American population for a hundred years before Lord Jeffery Amherst was even commissioned.

The commander of Fort Pitt, Henry Bouquet, had first suggested to Amherst that he be allowed to use small pox as a weapon.  In a letter dated July 16, 1763 -- but only as a post script -- Amherst approves the concept.

William Trent, a local militia commander inside Fort Pitt, wrote in his journal on June 24, 1763 "we gave them two Blankets and an Handkerchief out of the Small Pox Hospital. I hope it will have the desired effect." 

Thus the deed was done three weeks before General Amherst gave his permission.

Trent's journal also mentions the return of the two recipients of the infected garments, Turtle's Heart and Mamaltee, a month later and both of them were in good health.  Small pox has an incubation period of two weeks.

Two settlers who had been captured by the warring tribes but managed to escape reported the small pox outbreak was devastating the Shawnee and Delaware in the spring of 1763, well before General Amherst and Colonel Bouquet had their small pox discussion by snail mail.  

Thus if Lord Jeffery Amherst were ever brought before a Nuremberg type trial for war crimes, aka biological warfare, he would most likely be declared innocent. 

Although that still probably would not make him worthy of being an "unofficial mascot" for the Amherst College sports teams. 
 

Lord Jeffery Inn:  Soon to be renamed (but not the College)