Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Run Dan Run!


Representative Dan Winslow R-Norfolk (an Amherst native)

So if ever there was a compassionate conservative in the state of Massachusetts who could take the baton hand off from Scott Brown and set his own blistering pace it would be Dan Winslow.

Yes, amazingly enough, someone born in Amherst that's fiscally conservative, with a profound respect for bedrock family values -- including the American flag.

Back in the dark days of 2001 Dan, as council to Governor Romney, was sympathetically helpful to me in my crusade to get Amherst to allow the 29 commemorative flags to fly in the downtown; and just the past September Dan pushed in the state legislature for a bill that would require the state to fly the American flag at half staff to commemorate the in-the-line-of-duty death of a fire fighter or police officer.

And to further align him with ultra-liberal Amherst voters Dan supported the recently passed medical marijuana bill that Amherst  overwhelmingly supported in November by 83%.  Of course Amherst also supported President Obama by the same 83% margin.  Hmm ...

With Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) now State Senate Majority Leader, a win by Winslow for Senate will really put Amherst on a map no longer ignored by the Powers That Be in Boston.

####

Statement posted at 10:30 AM on his website:


  “Today I’m taking the necessary steps to form an exploratory committee to test the waters for the U.S. Senate. We need to fix a broken Washington where progress is being hampered by partisan gridlock. If we continue to elect the same Washington politicians, we can not expect different results.”

  “The people of Massachusetts and all Americans deserve solutions from their elected officials. Washington needs to focus on problem solving and implement ideas that will create jobs and grow our economy,” said Winslow

Monday, February 4, 2013

Amherst Peace Accords

Hobart Lane: The street with no name 

The war against rowdy rental units disturbing the peace and quiet of residential neighborhoods dates back a generation.  In fact, some of today's violators could very well be offspring of students who attended the University way back when it carried the ignoble moniker "ZooMass." 

A recent major skirmish, relatively short by municipal standards, came to a (sort of) successful close this past Thursday. The Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals allowed prominent local landord Grandonico Properties, LLC to withdraw their appeal of Building Commissioner Rob Morra's $100/day fine for violating the town bylaw forbidding more than four unrelated tenants per single-family household.

But not before paying $2,400 in fines and -- most important -- agreeing to change their lease language to clearly demonstrate they will abide by the town's zoning ordinance.

One down, a few more to go...





An Eerie Reminder

Rolling Green Apartments 

The Amherst Fire Department responded to Rolling Green Apartments -- scene of a devastating fatal fire two weeks ago -- early Friday night (7:00 PM) for a phoned in report of beeping smoke alarms. 

Only to discover the detectors from the burned out unit had been thrown into a nearby dumpster with the batteries still in them, and they continued to do their job long after the need for alarm had subsided.



The call was noted as a "Good Intent Call," also a timely reminder that citizens should not hesitate to dial 911 if anything raises suspicion. 

Also note, ETOH (drunk) calls are still too numerous.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Cold Sundown

Score 1 For Transparency

 
Stan Rosenberg on a visit to Pioneer Vally Chinese Immersion Charter School in 2009


So it's hard to believe it has been two years but I notice by today's Sunday Republican "How They Voted" that our state legislature finally got around to fixing their website so that roll call votes can now be posted online rather than only being available by hard copy in a remote State House office. 

Bravo!  (Of course now I have to wonder why it took two years.) 

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Choppy Surface

Puffer's Pond, noon today 

A combination of unseasonably warm weather, high winds and then back to normal deep freeze has produced an interesting mosaic at Amherst's favorite conservation area.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Tipsy Transit Take Two

 Sober Shuttle 1:15 AM Amherst Town Center

So, like last weekend, the regular Sunderland bus arrived at 1:13 AM and picked up two dozen or more college aged passengers at the downtown bus stop in front of the Amherst Post Office.  As that bus was leaving, almost full, the first ever Sober Shuttle arrives 1:15 AM, almost empty (except for a police officer), and then left six or seven minutes later with less than a dozen passengers.

Most of this crowd boarded the regular Sunderland bus
Sunderland bus leaves town center with standing room only crowd 1:15 AM


The 2:00 AM Sober Shuttle also arrived a few minutes early, but picked up only one passenger at the town center Post Office stop.