Phillips Street Filibuster #Fail

11 Phillips Street, Amherst

By not showing up for his original "show cause hearing" before a Clerk Magistrate, Joshua Reiss, age 20, set himself up for a criminal proceeding in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Friday before a Judge for a possible felony conviction.  

He lost his case -- bringing a $1,000 fine for tampering with smoke detectors in his humble abode -- but the complaint was diverted to a civil offense, so he will not be stained for life with a felony conviction.

But considering the acts he was found guilty of, his lesson could have been a lot more costly ... like contributing to the death of a roommate.  Or the lesson you can't learn from, because you're dead.  

 APD report

AFD report

Smoke detector 11 Phillips Street: In the bag

Phillips Street has one of the largest concentrations of problem houses in the town (most of them owned by Stephan Gharabegian), but these days no neighborhoods are safe from "real estate investors" who buy up single family homes and pack them with student renters. 

 778 North Pleasant Street, Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity

Just up the road from Phillips Street, AFD Fire Prevention Officer Mike Roy recently fined the fraternity at 778 North Pleasant Street $500 for the second offense of tampering with smoke detectors. 

   UMass Frat fined safety violation

11 Phillips Street also had a second offense

Local Election Fever

 

Noon today, Amherst town center.  Note Select Board candidates don't even bother

With actual town-wide contests on the ballot, Tuesday's election will draw twice the voter turnout as last year's snoozer.

Although, that's not saying much since last year Amherst -- where even the H is silent -- saw a pitiful showing at the election booth of only 6.6%; compared to 69% the previous year for the Presidential contest (which in Massachusetts is not much of a contest).

And with two of four Select Board candidates firmly representing the status quo establishment vying for two open seats, and with each voter allowed to vote for two candidates, Finance Committee Chair Andy Steinberg and Amherst Housing Authority Chair Connie Kruger are nothing if not unbeatable.

The other two candidates -- John Boothroyd and Helen Berg -- can flip a coin to see who's last. Although considering her eccentricities, let's hope it's Helen Berg.



When it comes to the Select Board race -- after the tumultuous years of Czar Anne Awad, his lordship Gerry Weiss and t-shirt tosser Rob Kusner -- the last six years have been pretty smooth sailing.

Well, other than the perennial national embarrassment over censoring the commemorative American flags in the downtown on 9/11.

So I'm quite comfortable with Steinberg and Kruger assuming top leadership roles in town government, as it's not like "changing horses in mid stream." 

The School Committee is a different matter altogether.  Amherst has champagne costs with lite beer results.  And the PC problem, also a PR nightmare, of racism and bullying has been an issue for many years; an issue the current School Committee has done nothing to solve.

So I'm more than up for giving an outsider a chance -- especially since Vira Douangmany is not your usual white-bread upper middle class automaton, and her husband owns a small business.  Maybe now the connection between expensive school costs bringing on high property taxes in a town that has a tiny commercial tax base will be understood.

The Amherst Redevelopment Authority is dead but if it is ever revived it wouldn't hurt to have a stakeholder with some passion on board, so I will be voting for Paige Wilder, even though we strongly disagreed on the Gateway Project.

Phillips Street was the only area in the Gateway that was officially ruled "decadent" (making it easier to take by eminent domain) by a certified consultant, so maybe some day the ARA will take the  street, flatten it, and build something we can all be proud of.  That is, if they ever meet again. 

Same can be said for Amherst Housing Authority.  While I would strongly disagree with Tracy Lee Saraia Grace Boutilier's quest to take Echo Village Apartments by eminent domain (they are not considered "decadent") she would still bring an impassioned outsider perspective informed by experience.

Ah, Town Meeting -- that overwhelmingly white, overly educated bastion of democracy. Until Amherst grows up and switches to a more professional Mayor/Council it's the only game in town (what the gambler said about a rigged operation).

I can't argue with the recommendations of Sustainable Amherst, but I find it interesting the long-time Town Meeting members they did not endorse:  Media mogul Isaac BenEzra, landlord Richard Gold, Nonny Burack, Rob Kusner, Mary Wentworth to name a few. 

Matthew Cunningham-Cook (the UMass student who brought us the $15/hr Minimum Wage article slapped down by Town Meeting last week), also fails to garner an endorsement, which, after the recent debacle is more than understandable.

We do have a handful of other students running for Town Meeting, so in all likelihood some will be successful.  Of course Town Meeting drags on until June, so it will be interesting to check their attendance records after UMass lets out.  

Indiegogo fundraiser for Amherst Record Digital News

Public Safety Crackdown

11 Phillips Street

The Amherst Fire Department is getting serious about public safety.  Well actually, they've always been serious -- but now they are getting deadly serious about public safety in a pro active way.

Or as my Irish mother used to say, "A stitch in time saves nine."  And in this case it's lives that are saved.

On Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court before Clerk Magistrate Bill Nagle,  fire safety officer Mike Roy won a $1,040 judgement against a leaseholder at 11 Phillips Street, perhaps the most notorious Party House in all of Amherst.  Owned, naturally, by the King of the Decadent Street, Stephan Gharabegian.

Party House Fire Complaint by larry_kelley_1

The house was being used as a "rooming house" with W-A-Y more than four unrelated tenants packed into the 10-bedroom abode.  Once that was exposed, resulting in a town crackdown, the landlord -- Stephan Gharabegian -- padlocked six of the rooms.

But the occupants of the four remaining rooms have removed all the furniture and use the open space as a giant party room.

11 Phillips Street, interior view

And the kids engaged in Russian roulette by covering  the windows with black plastic (which in a fire instantly gives off deadly fumes) and covering the smoke detectors with bags as well, probably so the cigarette or  pot smoke does not set them off.

The most recent major structure fire that resulted in a death  at Rolling Green Apartments last year could have been far, far worse if the smoke detectors had not done their job.

In fact, AFD responded a few days after the deadly fire for reports of an alarm sounding.   Turns out smoke detectors from the damaged building had been thrown in a dumpster and some of them were still sounding the alarm.

Previously AFD would issue a $100 civil ticket and if you ignored it, they would have to take you to Land Court in Northampton.  Now they will be issuing criminal complaints which could result in six months in jail.

Or most likely, as with this plea bargain case, the court converts it to a civil infraction with the $1,000 fine. 

Complying with these common sense safety regulations is far less a hastle than dealing with District Court ... or planning a funeral. 

Weekend Wrap (in a "College Town")

 Small herd of students Fearing Street Saturday night 11:25 PM

So it was neither the best of times -- although the weather on Saturday was pretty perfect -- or the worst of times -- considering how bad things have gotten before around this time of year.

Friday into early morning Saturday seemed once again to be the worst of times for Amherst Fire Department, as once again an ETOH (alcohol OD) incident occurred at a time when all five ambulances were out, many of them for ETOH students, and had to be handled by "mutual aid," courtesy of Belchertown FD.

As usual the ETOH calls came during the Third Watch, starting around midnight, with an ETOH male at UMass.  Dispatch called the ambulance en route to inform them there was another patient, also possible ETOH, who had fallen and hit his head while at the UMPD lock up. 

AFD transported one to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and UMPD kept the other in "protective custody."

At 1:15 AM an ambulance responded to the s curves in Shutesbury for a downed motorcyclist, and since that is at the farthest reaches of the AFD protection zone it would tie up an ambulance for well over an hour.

At 1:19 AM another ETOH UMass student fell and hit his head at Kennedy Dorm Southwest high rise.  As all our ambulances were tied up dispatch sent a firetruck with emergency first responders who stabilized the patient until Belchertown FD arrived to transport (A fire engine cannot transport patients).

Around 1:30 AM AFD responded to Gorman Dorm for a male student who had taken "liquid THC."  That too was initially handled by Engine 3 until an AFD ambulance could arrive to transport. 

Saturday was a very busy day in town with traffic backed up in the center for most of the morning and early afternoon.  In addition to the usual Farmers Market the town common was also hosting the Fall Apple Harvest Festival, and of course McMurphy's Uptown Tavern was attracting a hoard of college aged youth dressed in green and wearing tacky plastic Irish hats for the "Half Way To Blarney Blowout" non-event.

AFD responded to a "box alarm" (meaning smoke had been detected by an actual witness) to a UMass dorm around 1:30 PM.  The fire -- quickly extinguished by UMass Environmental Health & Safety -- was caused by a candle, and AFD engines stayed on scene to ventilate the building.

 Emerson Dorm, UMass 1:45 PM Saturday

Around 6:00 PM AFD responded to two potential Q-5 (suicide) incidents in different parts of town, one where young lady had cut her wrists.

As the gorgeous day became night the calls turned to the usual drugs/alcohol related:  Around 10:00 PM AFD responded to UMass for a female student who had "smoked something and now feels funny."  I'm guessing it was not a carcinogenic cigarette.

 AFD at 51 Phillips Street for ETOH female 11:15 PM

An hour or so later an ambulance (and APD) responded to 51 Phillips Street for an ETOH young female; and 15 minutes later another ambulance was needed at Townhouse Apartments for a young female "dazed and confused."

AFD on scene 50 Meadow Street 11:30 PM

By 1:00 AM AFD would respond two more times to UMass for ETOH students. Keep in mind the Red Sox playoff games have not even started, and it's not yet Halloween.

The (down) beat goes on ...

   AFD Sept End Runs by larry_kelley_1

Standard Saturday? (In A College Town)

 

Bus stop N. Pleasant Street near Newman Center 11:00 PM last night

So for no apparent rhyme or reason last night was less rowdy than the previous two Saturdays  -- with a lot less foot traffic than usual -- although what passes for standard is still unacceptable:

The "liquor law violations" started a little later than usual as the first arrest seemed to occur at 11:00 PM, one hour later than the previous night.  Although the first call I heard for an AFD ambulance to cart a drunk female UMass student (ETOH) to the hospital came in at 10:45 PM.

APD also investigated a mysterious explosion on Rt 9 near the Hadley border called in by someone at Hawkins Meadow Apartment just after 11:00 PM.  I could also hear Hadley dispatch and patrol officers mention it as well.  Neither department found anything.

Over the next hour APD responded to loud parties at 18 Foxglove Lane, Sand Hill Road in North Amherst, South Whitney Street in East Amherst and they cleared a large crowd in front of 45 Phillips Street (contiguous with UMass) at the request of the tenants, who said the large crowd was not "invited."

Between midnight and 1:00 AM police responded to three more loud parties: two of them at apartment complexes and one large home based party at 15 Taylor Street which garnered the young female hostess a $300 noise ticket.

During that same one hour period AFD would respond to three separate intoxicated student incidents (ETOH) all of them requiring transport to Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

At 1:10 AM on South Pleasant Street, a stone's throw from town center, APD performed a Field Sobriety Test on a college aged driver (who was hopping on one foot and listing badly when I passed by) and based on the results placed him "under" for DUI.  AT 1:35 AM police responded to a fight in town center called in by an AFD vehicle returning to quarters.

Meanwhile in neighboring Hadley, at 1:40 AM,  police responded to reports of a young college aged female staggering down the middle of a main road.  At 1:45 AM UMass PD called in AFD to transport a young ETOH female who was vomiting.

Five minutes later, at 1:50 AM, AFD responded to Amherst Police Department headquarters at 111 Main Street to evaluate a young female who had been in a fight (and apparently did not fare all that well).

At 1:55 AM, Amherst College police requested two ambulances for two young female students, one ETOH and the other "having trouble breathing."  Both were located in the same men's bathroom.

And with that I called it a night, or I should say morning. APD and AFD did not.  

 

Lawn ornament vandalized last night at a house near UMass

Frisky Friday (In a College Town)

APD makes alcohol related arrest after MV stop corner of Lincoln/Fearing last night 11:05 PM

Once again a major police presence and preemptive police footwork seemed to keep a lid on loud out of control parties last night as Amherst Police started the evening with courtesy calls ("community policing") to  some of the usual suspects on Alan Street, Phillips Street, and Nutting Avenue. 

Comfortable weather brings out the crowds, and it seems freshmen move in herds, but it also allows the APD bike patrol to operate at full efficiency.  They made a good number of "liquor law violation" arrests in and around the immediate neighboring streets to UMass starting at around 10:00 PM.

 APD bike patrol cruising down Fearing Street 11:45 PM

AFD was also kept busy with alcohol related runs.

A fight at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Fearing Street around 11:00 PM resulted in a head injury for a college aged male.   And almost two hours later AFD responded to the UMass campus for an ETOH male who had fallen and hit his head.  Liquor, naturally, was involved. 

Last weekend the boisterous activity peaked on Sunday night into early Monday morning due to the Labor Day long weekend.  Tonight's weather is going to be a tad warmer than yesterday.

Neighbors are now holding their breath.

Labor Day in a College Town

 

Town center 1:20 AM this morning

Last night into early this morning seemed to be the busiest time this Labor Day weekend for Amherst public safety personnel.  With all hands on deck APD managed to keep things under control, with no major disruptions -- aka Blarney Blowout -- to report.

 133 Fearing Street, Sunday morning

Around 10:00 PM the alcohol related arrests began -- open container, underage drinking (usually in combination) -- in and around the immediate neighboring streets to our UMass flagship:  Fearing, Phillips, Alan streets, Nutting and Lincoln Avenues, Hobart Lane, Meadow Street and with assist from UMass Police Department,  all along North Pleasant Street.

These early interventions send the message that law and order will be maintained.




Amherst Fire Department, on the other hand, was pushed to the breaking point.  Around midnight, just after dispatch issued a call for two off duty personnel to come in for station coverage.

Northampton Fire Department had to respond for a call to a high rise Southwest dorm for a female with a head injury.

At the time all five of our ambulances were tied up -- the majority of them dealing with passed out drunk students.  Late Sunday into early Monday morning AFD responded to UMass for a total of 11 emergency medical calls -- seven of them for ETOH students.



Over the course of the evening I passed by the scene of a young person down (usually female) with concerned friends trying to help them up at least a half-dozen times.  Particularly concerning because a young woman died last year after falling and hitting her head while staggering down Fearing Street with friends. 

The previous night APD and AFD responded to 45 Phillips Street for a young woman passed out in the yard.  She was only seventeen. 


127 E. Pleasant St. around midnight "First and last party of the semester."

Anatomy of a Bust

Returned Search Warrant, 11 Phillips Street, Amherst

So I guess you could argue this well publicized APD operation was a waste of time and resources since no charges were ever brought before the District Attorney concerning the operation of an  illegal cash bar in the basement of 11 Phillips Street.

  

11 Phillips Street, Amherst

Just as you could argue the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong never won an individual battle large enough to have a name during the US intervention in Vietnam.

But in the end what matters is, well, the end.

By most accounts Vietnam cannot be chalked up as a US victory; and I would argue the raid on 11 Phillips Street turned out to be a turning point in the battle against rowdy student party houses.

For  that particular house at least.

   Search Warrant, 11 Phillips St, Amherst

Amherst In Bloom

Snell Street Rhododendrons

As we head towards a quaint New England summer, made less so by the lack of a July 4 Parade, Amherst becomes a different town. Especially now that our number one employer, UMass/Amherst, is on hiatus. Friendlier, more intimate, and a l-o-t less busy.

And prettier (well, mostly).

 Having just taken down one Kellogg Avenue Pin Oak the church decided to trim the remaining two

 

400 of these (for the birds) NIMBY stop signs have sprouted all over Amherst

 

11 Phillips Street sprouts weeds

 

621 East Pleasant Street sprouts tents

Turning Up The Heat

11 Phillips Street (this morning)

Some of you may remember 11 Phillips Street as the house busted last fall by APD for hosting an underground bar as well as cramming 14 students into living quarters only zoned for four.  Kind of a BIG difference wouldn't you say?

Well our Building Commissioner certainly thought so, and hit owner Stephan Gharabegian with a $100/day fine, racking up a $2,400 tab before coming into compliance.  Better late than never.

 Stephan Gharabegian, yesterday, Amherst landfill.  A regular one man band

   Amherst Landlord Surrenders

An Extensive List

So you know that private meeting held on public property between high-ranking UMass bureaucrats, town officials and a few landlords that I complained to the Attorney General about for barring my presence?

Well guess how many local landlords were invited?

2,500 -- give or take.

And since only 11 showed up that's a response rate of .0044%.  Reminds me of  the voter turnout for the local election Amherst just held.

The only landlord I was curious about was Stephan Gharabegian, King of the Decadent street (Phillips Street).  Strikes me as kind of inept that he was not even invited. 

As he is the Poster Boy for Bad Boy landlords.

Back story via emails

Another Frisky Friday?

 

UMPD hands out ticket this morning on Fearing Street (town property)

UPDATE Midnight:

 Baby Berk

The Baby Berk, a large UMass food truck, was not doing a whole lot of business around 11:30 PM, parked alongside Mass Ave in a parking lot near Lincoln Avenue.  The food truck was supposed to draw students away from migrating down Fearing Streets and Lincoln Avenue by giving kids an incentive to walk through campus.

A large group of perhaps a dozen volunteers were stationed at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Fearing Street attempting to redirect students away from the residential neighborhoods, but they were gone by midnight (although advertised to be out until 2:00 AM).

APD has been busy all night doing "liquor violations" and they have made many arrests.  The Personal Transport Vehicle was activated at 11:00 PM to efficiently cart the perps to APD headquarters.  

UPDATE 10:15 PM

I can almost guarantee there will be no problems on Phillips Street this evening as the APD/UMPD joint patrol includes UMPD's mounted patrol unit. Unlike last September.

UPDATE: 9:00 PM 

Fire at Mill Valley Estates 7:30 PM

A "box alarm" at Mill Valley Estates apartments in South Amherst around 7:30 PM brought a massive and swift response from both APD and AFD.  The stove fire was quickly put down by an officer first on the scene with a portable extinguisher carried in the trunk of his cruiser.

UPDATE 3:15 PM

Hadley police just chased a motorcycle into Amherst on Rt 9 at speeds over 100 mph, sometimes on the wrong side of the road.

The errant bike took a right in town center and headed south on Rt 116.

And no, he did not slow down two miles down the road for Crocker Farm Elementary school, which was just getting ready to let out for the day.  Grrrr.

The perp abandoned his bike, and APD now has it tagged as evidence.

Original Post 1:00 PM

Amherst Police patrols have been doing CP (Community Policing) activity all morning with the usual suspects: rental properties along Fearing, Phillips, Meadow streets, and the infamous Hobart Lane.

Thus, if after knocking on doors and politely informing residents to be on civilized behavior over the weekend and then later having to respond to said location for bad behavior, let's just say a stern response is more easily justified.

Amherst PD and UMPD joint patrols start in earnest this weekend, AFD will have two extra ambulances staffed and ready to go -- paid for by UMass -- and State Police are but a phone call away. Yes, the little college town of Amherst is ready.  For anything.

Stan Rosenberg reports on his Facebook page (and Twitter) that he met this morning with Amherst and UMass officials to discuss student off campus bad behavior.

Let's hope he champions the idea of an off campus RA bouncer to nip problems in the bud, as done at Boston College.

Wow, I'm somebody now.  A discussion topic at Reddit.

Frisky Friday

 

500 Sunderland Road, Amherst (just barely)

Late Friday night around 11:45 PM,  Police were called to 500 Sunderland Road, almost at the Sunderland border, to break up a huge party, sending a stream of kids -- like a zombie herd -- staggering back to UMass via busy Rt 116.

One college aged youth was arrested for "failure to disperse" and a $300 "Nuisance House" ticket issued to the responsible tenant. Obviously neither of these kids read the memo from UMass Nanny -- I mean Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs -- Jean Kim.

 

45 Phillips Street 5:00 PM

And it's still early yet!

800 North Pleasant Street (Minutes before APD stopped to chat)

A Decadent Crown Jewel

11 Phillips Street, Amherst/UMass border

Since Stephan Gharabegian is the "King of the Decadent Street", owning almost half the hovels on Phillips Street, the slum capital of Amherst & UMass,  I hereby dub (dripping in sarcasm) 11 Phillips Street his crown jewel. 

Exhibit A:  The most recent Board of Health investigation report that found 11 Phillips Street to be "in violation of the Minimum Standard of Fitness for Human Habitation."

11 Phillips St Health Dept report




Exhibit B:  The most recent Amherst Fire Department investigation citation that found dangerous shortcomings in fire safety requirements and flagrantly ignoring an order to stop using a one-family dwelling (maximum of 4 unrelated tenants) as a boarding house with 13 tenants.

An overcrowded abode, lots of alcohol and defunct fire alarms is a sure fire formula for catastrophe.

11 Phillips St AFD Ticket

And clearly, a recent Worcester Housing Court decision reaffirms the ability of cities and towns to enforce unrelated tenant zoning restrictions.  The town has known about the overcrowded conditions at 11 Philips since at least last June when the Health Department did their inspection.

Yet when Amherst police raided the address on October 30, to shut down an illegal basement bar, that busload of students still lived there.  The town needs to get serious about overcrowded illegal living conditions.  Before a tragedy occurs.

Play it Again Sam

Just to underscore the difference between the venerable Daily Hampshire Gazette and little ol' me I offer the following:  nine years ago I tried to run a half-page print ad supporting the Charter Change ballot question (at the ridiculously high "political ad rate"), dumping our antiquated Select Board/Town Meeting form of government for a more nimble, professional Mayor/Council, but I was turned down (at lost revenue to them of almost $1,500).

Why?  Because the ad consisted of only one name, blown up rather prominently, as having endorsed the "Vote yes on the Charter:" A signature ad that had run the previous week with over 500 other names besides his own.  And I hate to now out him, but that lone name was Amherst's (super) state Senator Stan Rosenberg.

The Gazette rationale was that he knowingly signed a signature ad assuming his name would appear with over 500 other names (and as a result get lost) but he had not signed off on a rather large spotlight.  My theory is when you go public, you go public -- all the way baby.

Take this Cowardly Anon Nitwit for instance.  He made a Comment at 3:41 AM this morning on a post from 6 months ago that would normally only get a couple dozen views -- mainly from folks doing a Google search for any of the numerous names that appear.

And obviously he is friends with one or two because how else would he know that some of the kids I mention are "recent graduates".

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Last Hurrah Party House Blowout":

I am appalled that you think it is okay to post the names and addresses of these young students and recent graduates. As I read this, and the string of comments attached, I wonder if you have ever attended college? Have you ever pursued a higher education? There may be flaws with the education system, and higher education is certainly not without its share of flaws. However, it is a community in which young adults can grow and learn from their accomplishments as well mistakes. I am biased, I suppose, as I am a doctoral student studying education. What is rather amusing, however, is the fact that you are still in the town in which you were raised, posting personal information about people you do not know. Why don't you post some of your flaws and your street address? I am sure that you have rolled through a stop sign, crossed a street without using the crosswalk, or perhaps upset a few people in your day.

You harp on people who disturbed the public, and yet here you are, disturbing the public.

Larry Kelley has left a new comment on your post "Last Hurrah Party House Blowout":

Seems to me the only ones I'm "disturbing" are the a-holes who party too much.
But thanks for stopping by. Now go work on your dissertation.

I'm actually happy the CAN brought me back to that particular Party House post.  In light of recent events, it's certainly worth revisiting.  Notice the record setting number of arrests (a dozen) at 11 Phillips Street that weekend.  Yes, that is the same house we now know had 14 kids living in it! (although it is only zoned for 4).

And they paid the rent by operating an alleged illegal basement bar at all hours of the night/early morning. If the town and UMass really want to send a message about these insidious student slums, then they should join together to support taking Phillips Street by eminent domain (via the Amherst Redevelopment Authority) and allowing a responsible developer to rebuild a Phoenix housing project we can all can be proud of.  

Yet Another Underground Frat

45 Phillips Street: Broken Window (bottom left) theory in action 

If you are not zoned for it you probably should not create a public frathouse Facebook page and post to it pictures of a front porch full of residents in a "one family" house that can legally shelter only four (4) unrelated tenants.

Or, interestingly enough, register at UMass/Amherst as an RSO and use that illegal address for official contact information. Apparently UMass does not do much vetting for Fraternities and Sororities.

Even more interesting the photo shown of the house on the official town assessors card shows a "Grand Opening" banner across the upper floor!  Gotta wonder whether it was for the grand opening of Alpha Delta Phi, or a late night bar ... or both.

Naturally this bootleg building is owned by Stephen Gharabegian who also owns 11 Phillips Street currently under investigation for being an "underground Frathouse" and an "illegal bar" as well as being a Station Nightclub waiting to happen.

Frat paraphernalia on side porch of 45 Phillips Street this morning

No wonder this neighborhood is such a late night weekend attraction!

Town officials and UMass need to get serious about substandard housing on Phillips Street, which pretty much means the entire street.

The Amherst Redevelopment Authority should take the property by eminent domain, flatten it, and rebuild high-end housing that would attract more responsible graduate students and faculty with families and would pay way higher property taxes than the current undervalued properties.

UPDATE:  9:10 PM

So I just heard from Matt a "representative from the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity" stating that my post "constitutes libel, and if it is not removed immediately we will pursue legal action."  Of course he then goes on to admit that Alpha Delta Phi frat members did indeed occupy 45 Phillips Street but "we do not live there anymore"

He then goes on to rat out another unnamed frat:  "In regards to the paddles that you saw at the residence, those do not belong to the Alpha Delta Phi and are in fact a different fraternities paddles. Currently a few members of a different fraternity which is not associated with us in anyway live there."

Not that I keep score, but that makes the third legal threat this week (up from the normal one or two).  Truly, I'm on a roll.

More Beds Than A Barracks

 11 Phillips Street, Amherst (but touching UMass)

The crackdown continues on Phillips Street, the slummiest street in Amherst.  Over the weekend police busted 33 Phillips Street, arresting eight young men (including UMass party anthem "singer" Paul Markham) for rowdy behavior, and now 11 Phillips Street is in the crosshairs.

Of course both dwellings are owned by the "King of the Decadent Street", Stephan Gharabegian.  And yes, notice 11 Phillips is catagorized by our assessor as a "one family" dwelling, meaning only four (4!) unrelated housemates can set up shop under that particular roof.

From: McKay, Donald, Assistant Fire Chief
To: amherstac
Sent: Wed, Oct 31, 2012 1:51 pm
Subject: 11 Phillips St.

Larry,

              The following is the verbatim copy of the email I sent to the Building Commissioners office yesterday:            

At approximately 10:00 am today the Fire Department was contacted by APD Lt Ron Young who had concerns about the fire safety of the occupants residing at 11 Phillips St.

APD had obtained a criminal search warrant and discovered the fire safety concerns upon gaining entry to the residence. I responded and conducted a fire safety inspection.

My findings are as follows: The fire alarm system panel was in trouble and I question whether or not it was serviceable.  No permit has been issued for the new panel. I found a first floor pull station that had been activated and not reset.  I have no record of a fire department response to this address.

14 students in residence in the single family occupancy per APD. 1 bedroom with 2 beds on the 1^st floor with 2 additional mattresses stored under each bed, 2 bedrooms with 2 beds each on the 3^rd floor (# 7 & 8). Covered, disabled, or missing smoke detectors east and west bedroom, basement rooms 4, 5, 6, 9, 2^nd floor rooms 7, 8, 3^rd floor. Access to the fire alarm panel obstructed. Egress from the kitchen obstructed.

This spring and summer, Health, Fire, and Building inspected this residence on the 29^th of June and the 17 of August.  Each inspection found the same number of bedrooms or possible bedrooms.  The owner did not allow us entry into most of the bedrooms as they were occupied and locked.

The students will not be allowed to sleep in the building until the fire alarm system is returned to service. I was able to make contact with the owner who was in New York and he did arrange to have the fire alarm system placed back in service.  I checked on this about 5:30PM last night.

Mike Roy is at the National Fire Academy this week but he and I have talked and upon his return we will issue fire safety violations to the owner.

Assistant Chief Donald R. McKay,
EMT-P, MPH Amherst Fire Department

The (Springfield) Republican reports

Frightening Weekend Party House (s)

Hobart Lane late Saturday night.  

APD deployed the PTV (Personal Transport Vehicle) for the numerous alcohol related busts. Although kids kept referring to it as the "Paddy Wagon."

 33 Phillips Street:  come out come out wherever you are

Yeah, I guess that's the most frightening thing about my headline title:  the weekend is not even over yet and already there are enough party house contenders to bring on writers cramp from recording all the details.  With Halloween on a Wednesday the excuse to party with frightening vigor impacted this weekend, probably next weekend, and of course the actual "holiday" dead center between the two.

And now that UMass cancelled all classes Monday because of #Frankenstorm, that will -- for a tiny but destructive minority -- become yet another excuse to party all the time, party all the t-i-m-e.

But Paul Markham, Phillips Street most infamous resident, will probably not be in a celebratory mood.  Three weeks ago the young, white, hipster rap star wanna-be removed his childish ode to UMass "Welcome to the Zoo" from YouTube after garnering almost 100,000 hits and a plethora of negative comments.

 Next door to #33 Phillips

Hopefully it was something I said ...

Late last night after a patrol car spied two under aged residents consuming alcohol from an open container a black-and-white armada descended on #33 Phillips Street where police arrested 8 college aged youths, three of them for open container and underaged drinking and the other five (including Markham) for two usual town bylaw infractions, Noise and Nuisance ($300 each), as well as the unusual state charges of "keeping a noisy and disorderly house" and "disturbing the peace."

Which looks to me like officials are clearly sending a message to #33 Phillips Street.  Since Markham is tone deaf, no guarantee he will get that  message.

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 Town Center late last night.  Bars were very busy all night up to 1:00 AM closing

 Police arrested young man for causing a disturbance in town center late last night

Late Friday around midnight police were called to 985 North Pleasant Street and discovered about 100 youth milling about outside and another 50 in the house.  One young lad got things off to a bad start by being particularly uncooperative and attempted to flee on foot.  He then resisted arrest, assaulted an officer and broke his expensive flashlight.

 985 North Pleasant Street

Andrew DeAngelo, 44 Auriga St, Dorcherster, Ma, age 20 arrested for open container, underage drinking, A&B on an officer, resisting arrest, disorderly, and destruction of property.

Arrested for Noise and Nuisance:

April Dawn Huff-Ring, 6 Hathway, Arlington, Ma, age 21
Jonathan Weingart, 200 Hudson St, Northborough, age 22
Cathryn Alyse Carmichael, 62 Reardons Field Ln, Attleboro Falls, Ma, age  21
Daniel Harold Fenichel, 985 N Pleasant st, Amherst, Ma, age 21


Arrested for noise:
William Hickey, 182 Hollaston Ave, Arlington, Ma, age 22
Scott Baron, 3 Stonecleave Ln, Swampscott, Ma, age 22

Ownership card for 985 North Pleasant Street, Amherst

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Around 1:00 AM early Saturday police busted up a loud party at 219 East Pleasant Street because of noise and "lots of people spilling into the street."

219 East Pleasant Street

Arrested for noise:

Erik Doty, 26 Plain Rd, Hollis, NH, age 21

Nicholas Powers, 5 Nolan Ave, Milford, Ma, age 21

Cameron Smith, 11 Maple St, Upton, Ma, age 21

David Hoch, 219 East Pleasant, Amherst, Ma, age 21

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And a party weekend would not be complete without an apartment complex joining in the fray: 1:10 AM Salem Place Condos lower Main Street. Loud noise and stereo. "Clearly unreasonable" according to APD first responder.

And the reporting party said they had warned the residents earlier to quiet down or they were going to call the police.

Arrested for Noise: Ashley Ann Zimmerman, 120 Curtis Ave, Attleboro, Ma, age 20 Kelly Elizabeth Marsh, 7 Ward Ln, Medway, Ma, age 20 Deryn Lee O'Brien, 652 Lynn Fells Parkway, Melrose, Ma, age 20

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Which leads me to me to just one more, exceedingly sobering thing.

An old friend and long-time Amherst resident forwarded me an email response she received just this morning that left her in tears, from a 26 year old, Chinese-born American woman serving in Afghanistan as an occupational therapist.

Hello XXX,

Thank you so much!!! I just got your box of goodies and we love them. The cookies are all gone. 

I have 10 soldiers (wounded) with me from a smaller military location of only 200-300 total soldiers.  A few days ago they were under attack and many were injured.  According to them, they do not have hot showers and food most of time. Their living condition is similar to a 3rd world country ... if not worse.

They loved your cookies and some of the younger soldiers (18-20yr) cried while they were eating them.

You made my day with all the sweet and lovely reading materials. I gave them to the soldiers who needed them more.  

I am really proud to be an American and really proud of myself and the job I do here. God placed me in this location.  This job allows job me to assist others, while giving me a bigger dream and better appreciation of life and freedom.

Thank you for being my supporter and friend. Please, pray for our Soldiers