One of only two remaining wading pools in Amherst remains closed this hot afternoon but this morning it was being filled with cool clean water and life guard accessories were at the ready.
Unfortunately the best I could get out of town officials when I asked if it would be open for families this coming weekend was a not so concrete, "Maybe."
One h-u-g-e advantage of the spray park that will replace this 50+ year old wading pool is it does not require a lifeguard so it will save substantially on overhead costs.
Tim O'Brien, new Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director
The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, after a 3.5 month search, has appointed a new Executive Director, but since they are pretty good at writing press releases I'll let them tell the story:
Big Y is requesting removal of these Arborvitaes for better visibility
The Amherst Shade Tree Committee is working on a new by-law they hope the Select Board will place on the November Town Meeting Warrant to update rules and regulations concerning public trees or those growing in the public way, which often extends 20' or more from public roads.
The bylaw would allow the Tree Warden to fine unauthorized removal or purposely vandalizing a tree in the public way $500, on top of the somewhat steep per inch replacement cost.
The bylaw would also loosen restrictions somewhat by increasing the size of trees from the current 1.5" to 5" in diameter that trips a tree review by the Tree Warden.
And they are attempting to come up with a "hardship" scenario where the Tree Warden could exempt a homeowner from paying the tree replacement costs for removal of a healthy tree, such as the little old lady who needs to remove a tree from fouling up a sewer line.
Removal of a tree in dangerous decline would still be allowed at no replacement costs and if located on town property, carried out by the DPW.
The Amherst Shade Tree Committee would still be an "advisory" group to the Tree Warden and the Select Board would still hear appeals of the Tree Warden's decision as they maintain ultimate authority over the public ways.
New bright yellow flyers are attached to trees involved in a public removal hearing
These four on Kendrick Park will go to make room for a new roundablut
This entire island will be removed for new roundabout
Principal Mark Jackson (rt) conferring with AFD Assistant Chief Don McKay and APD detective bureau chief Ron Young (center) at scene of bomb threat Amherst Regional High School (November, 2014)
One of the nicer things the Amherst Select Board gets to oversee is the welcoming of new recruits to our beleaguered Public Safety Departments -- which of course doesn't happen often enough -- and the ceremonial swearing in of officers promoted to higher rank, which happens even less often.
But on Monday night the Amherst Select Board, surrounded by a bevy of officers dressed in blue, will witness the promotion of Ron Young to captain. Bravo!
7:30 AM the first car (and driver was proud of it)
The centrally located Amity Street Parking lot, after two months closure, reopened this morning with everything except pay machines. So for the time being parking is free.
The lot increases slightly in capacity from 33 to 35 spaces with three of them handicapped accessible, where previously there were only two.
4:00 PM
The improvement plans also call for a raised crosswalk connecting to the Jones Library instead of the current temporary painted crosswalk as well as sidewalk improvements.
Later this month the Planning Board and Tree Warden will decide the fate of the large (22") Linden tree which stands in the way of the construction.
Hannah Frilot, age 20, was hit by a car on North East Street July 31, 2014
The Commonwealth came to terms with Cynthia May in Hampshire Superior Court this morning in the accidental death of UMass student Hannah Frilot almost two years ago, or perhaps I should say Cynthia May came to terms with the Commonwealth.
Click to enlarge/read
Obviously there's a h-u-g-e difference between someone who acts with intentional malice and the person who simply makes a mistake.
And we're all entitled to a second chance. Something victims like Hannah never get.
The weekly Sunday peace crowd was a little larger today in town center
After passing them by thousands of times over the past forty years, today -- for almost the full hour -- I joined them.
No, it was not to protest the war in Afghanistan, drones taking out targets where ever it is our military drones operate, or the high financial costs of funding our military.
The sign I held aloft said "Stop The Killing", and I hope and pray it's a message everyone can embrace.
'Twas simply a statement of solidarity with minority citizens who feel unsafe, frustrated and angry over the two highly publicized deaths earlier this week at the hands of police but in equal measures a sign of respect for the five Dallas police officers who had absolutely nothing to do with those two deaths.
Good men with family and friends who love and need them, taken from this world simply because they wear the blue uniform. Just doing their thankless job, to serve and protect.
Vira Douangmany Cage recorded my peace protest debut
When Bobby Kennedy broke the news to a large predominantly black crowd in Indiana on April 4, 1968 of the tragic murder of non-violent peace activist Martin Luther King, his aides feared for his safety.
As he delivered his impromptu five minute speech after the initial gasp and wail from the crowd there was nothing but silence and respect for this white man who knew the pain of losing a loved one to senseless violence.
His call for peace and understanding, a heartfelt appeal to their better angels, was embraced. And Indianapolis was one of the few American cities that did not go up in flames that awful night.
"Let us dedicate ourselves to that; and say a prayer for our country, and our people."
