Landfill Update

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Here's considerably more on the landfill/Youtube controversy. Kudos to Gillian Swart and The Current for tracking this down, and she does a nice job of weaving traditional news reporting with links to the videos to tell a more complete story.

Gillian refers to a You Tube video where Everett mayor Carlo DeMaria told the city's Board of Alderman that he was told by Mayor Moak that Newburyport would reopen its landfill for dumping. Everett officials care a great deal of this, because the material to be dumped currently resides in their city.

I suspect the tip is the fruit of her labors on her own blog, Port Reporter Unlimited. She's been following the landfill issue religously, and it's a great example of how online and printed media can compliment each other.

Even though the printed current doesn't come out until tomorrow, the online version is up and available. The Daily News appears to try to play catch up on this one today in its Heard Around Town. Unfortunately I can't find a link to the article.

Landfill Video

Gillian Swart pointed the way to a series of interesting videos on Youtube related to the Crow's Lane landfill.

Two parties, presumably the Everett mayor and a city councilor, are discussing the messy situation with Everett's landfill. The person--again I think it's the mayor but I might be wrong--suggested the stalemate in Newburyport will be resolved over the next couple of weeks.

I'm not sure why these videos are broken down into 35-second increments, but they are.

Update

It's snowing out.

No More Mail?

Ari Herzog put forth an interesting thought in his blog yesterday, suggesting a way the city can save $32,000.

I like the thinking. My principal question is, "What percentage of folks actually pay their bills online?" I suspect it's pretty low for a few reasons. One, many folks still don't have regular access to the Internet. Two, people might be reluctant to use credit cards to pay their bill.

But I do see the stack of papers being carried around by the city councillors and wonder if there is a better way.

Oh Dear

WARNING: The below was written by an idiot who can't tell Nantucket from Martha's Vineyard. Actually I can, normally, but reason slipped away this morning and that slippage led to a number or erroneous comments, comparisons and wise cracks. If you get can look past that considerable error, the rest of the post makes just as much sense as anything else on this blog, which is rather depressing.

We're going to need more torches.

Boston.com had this little ditty today. Apparently, Nantucket's famous Black Dog store has chosen to open its newest "General Store" in Newburyport.

I'm sure this decision came after a nationwide search and Steve Karp's ownership of half the downtown and a great deal of Nantucket had nothing to do with the decision.

For the record, I don't know if Karp owns the building housing the Black Dog shop in Nantucket, but I'm assuming he does, which is why I snickered a bit reading this quote from Ann Lagasse.

"We are excited Black Dog has selected Newburyport for their newest location," she said. "It will give residents and visitors alike a fun place to shop."

No doubt, this will fuel the fears that Steve Karp is trying to turn Newburyport into Nantucket's Mini-Me. 

So let me toss another log onto the fire. Also from the article.

According to Newburyport Development, Newburyport is seeking to become a major tourist destination in Massachusetts.

Which is true of course, but no doubt this will rile some folks.

As for me, I've never shopped there so I can't say I'm all excited about the addition. But in this economy who am I to complain? If the shop can draw folks from the North Shore--this will be the company's only North Shore location--then how can this be a bad thing? Most of the other shops can be found on the Cape and Islands with the exception of shops in Mystic, CT, Newport, RI, Portland, ME and Annapolis, MD, so this is pretty good company.

(Since this is the 10th store, I think Black Dog would have been permitted by the proposed Chain Store ban, which in these times seems as dated as a thin piano key neck tie.)

I'm not sure where it'll be headed. Perhaps Chico's? It would be nice to fill that spot.

As an aside, I am surprised to not read this in the Daily News. Maybe NED just issued the release this morning, but a little love for the local press might have been worthy of consideration. Of course it's possible the News got the release and simply opted not to run with it.

More on Charter Review

I just wanted to highlight a comment posted by Ed Cameron.

Tom,Thanks for blogging about the Winthrop article. I actually was going to blog
about it--and you beat me to it!

And with much more coherence.The
Winthrop story is a cautionary tale on a few levels:

1) Be Careful What
You Wish For--sounds like their previous structure was marked by indecisiveness,
so they concentrated executive power. The position now makes decisions.

2) Leadership--we expect a lot from local leadership: Decisive but not
too pushy; bright but not a know-it-all; knowledgeable in all areas including
budgets, finances, bonding, union negotiations, infrastructure, education,
pothole fixing; experienced but not so experienced to the point where we can't
afford you; inclusive but must be quick about it; and great communications
skills including ability to communicate with constituents telepathically. The
Winthrop guy sounds like he traded off inclusiveness for productivity.

3)Structure and Staffing--you can have the right structure but pick the
wrong person.

Anyway all interesting.

Ed Cameron

Hand me a torch

I may need to join the angry mob on this one. While I threw the considerable and completely imaginary weight of this blog behind the Little River project in earlier posts, I'm really not buying what the developer is selling at this point.

Gone is the transit village, complete with affordable and presumably "affordable" housing. Now we're staring straight at a commercial/retail enterprise that would compete directly with our own businesses. It's promising retail shops, a supermarket, coffee shops and a restaurants.

Now the developer apparently now wants to build a hotel at the site, which would undoubtedly eat into any business that our much discussed hotel could tap in the near future (the lodging component at least, but probably not any functions.)

Article from today's Daily News.

To do this, the developers need water from Newburyport. This raises a legitimate question: Do we sell water to an enterprise that likely will undercut our own commerical base.

I don't really see how we can. Thoughts?

Charter Change in Winthrop

Interesting article in the North Weekly sectio n about Winthrop residents' struggling with their form of government. (update: i forgot the link.)

It appears they shifted from a selectman-style form of government to one made up of a town administrator and nine-person town council. This is one form of government that will come up for discussion if the city endorses a review of its charter.

The shortcomings are pretty obvious. The town manager, who left for a similar position in Dennis, was seen as autocratic and unresponsive to the public's needs. However, he was credited for getting things accomplished including (if I'm reading correctly) getting the city employees to sign onto the infamous state health insurance plan.

Now that he's gone, Winthrop residents are considering undergoing another charter change--or more of a charter tweak--that would give the town council more power, and the administrator a bit less.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, and it's certainly something to mind as we ponder our own form of government.

Incidentally, I intend to help collect signatures necessary to put the Charter Review Question on the ballot. If anyone wants to sign but can't find a petition feel free to shoot me an email. I'll make sure you get the chance.

If you have any thoughtful questions I suggest checking in with friend, neighbor and Ward 4 Councilor Ed Cameron.  He's at edcameronNBPT@gmail.com.

Not to be selfish but

what does Speaker DiMasi's decision to step down mean for Port. He and Costello were pretty tight, no?

Um

So I've been examining the wind turbine from various angles, and, well, is that thing turned on? I haven't seen it move.

What's Up with Mike's

I'm also glad the Water Department is making the owner of the Mike's Sub building toe the line (or possibly hook up to the line) before signing off on his plans to add to the building. This is exactly the kind of vigilance we need to see. See the article in the Daily News

However, the most interesting element of the article was the throwaway last paragraphs.

Finneran wants to add a second story to the Mike's Subs building and install an office there. The ground floor, he said, would house an operation similar to the previous sandwich shop, with no on-premises consumption of food.

He has approvals from the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Historical Commission for his plans, but can't go forward without a water and sewer OK.

The last we heard, wrote, and read about, the Historical Commission had issues with his expansion plans. I guess these have been resolved. Any details out there?

As an aside, I thought the name of his trust was interesting, First & Ocean, like the former bank.

Pennies for Poverty

You'll notice I added them to the link list at the bottom right hand corner. This article will help explain why. Good stuff.

I'm a new Dan Fan

The Daily News' Dan Guttenblog (which means good blog in German) takes a shot at WEEI's older morning windbag, John Dennis, in his WEEI.com post today.

Way to go, Dan. I haven't seen nerve like that since Spider told Tommy to go f*** himself in Goodfellas.

I suspect Dan is a safe from similar repercussions. No bullets in the foot (or the chest or the stomach), but he may be in for finding a rambling message on his voicemail one day.

Sorry, so many inside EEI references.

I did question whether it was actually John Dennis that made the comment. First, his wisecrack appears on the Internet, which requires rudimentary knowledge of a computer. Second, it refers to Deadspin, the sports blog, which is also on the Internet.

I thought these old media types didn't have time to waste reading get-a-life bloggers.

All right, back to Newburyport.

Moving on up!

Newburyport Posts is now ranked 977,094 at Technorati, a huge jump from 999,245.

Once again I have no idea how this is calculated, but I'm pretty sure lower is better.

Yee-ha!

So Long Ago

An article from the New York Times tells the tale of a Arizona homebuilder who had his financing pulled out from under him by his bank financiers. The pictures of half-built homes reminded me of our own monument to the new economy sitting behind the Towle Building.

I just reread the article detailing the construction of those 'million dollar homes ." It seems like a lifetime ago, a completely different era. In fact, I think the news about Lehman Brothers collapsing came out four days later.

Ah well. It's a shame so much work was done with no end of the end of financial misery in sight. (It's interesting that the developer proposing the 20-lot subdivision off Toppans Lane isn't planning to build any homes at this point.)

 I could deal with the blighted waterfront for a while, but I do wonder what's going to happen to the huge pit at Cashman Park, the gouge carved open to accommodate the old house being moved off the Towle site.

I don't suppose the city had a bond in place to complete the work, or at least refill the hole.

By the way

You're favorite Newburyport blog can now be found at www.newburyportposts.com.

That's right. I shelled out $10 for the URL.

Enjoy!

Wind Turbines

This Boston Globe article says most of Massachusetts doesn't enjoy strong enough winds to power turbines, except for coastal communities. Newburyport's turbine gets a single mention.

AH!

So I'm humming along, visiting some work-related blogs and I happen upon a random Ari Herzog mention.

It's a small blogosphere afterall.

This Just In

Newburyport Post fav and financial correspondent Bean reports getting whacked in the noodle by a giant icicle that had been seen hanging around outside the building housing the Thirsty Whale.

No signs of tears from the tough little Porter, but he says it hurt quite a bit.

The Daily News really should write a story about this threat.

Moral of the post: You'll shoot your eye out...I mean be careful out there. (Gotta go to 3 minutes for the icicle ref)

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Man

I know this isn't news to most of you, but Maudslay is just an absolute treasure when it's covered with snow.

Bring on the white stuff.



Note: I didn't take the photo. I found it on Google. Doug Maher took it.

Happy Time is Over

Okay, I had every intention of writing a lengthy blog post on the damn Wind Turbine, but I couldn't muster the energy. I blame the intoxicating optimism brought on by the inauguration. I'm having real trouble complaining.

So here's how I see it.

Yes, it's big. But it's not an eyesore. It's hasn't diminished the charm and beauty of Newburyport one iota. I've seen it from the highway. I've seen it from the Back Bay neighborhood. I've seen it while I've driven down Low Street. I'm sure I could find a few more angles to ponder its size, but I'm just not bothered by it.

In fact, I kind of like it.

I understand why those who live near the structure might be opposed, but I'm increasingly wary of those who are decrying the supposed paper cut-style assaults on Newburyport's character and history. It's as if we live in tiny snow globe of a town that can't ever change or evolve a single bit.

Yes, I agree, not all change is good. But all change isn't bad either. I see the turbine as a sign of the times, a historical milepost (not mile-high post) that marks the era upon which we've entered. It's time for all of us to get creative about our methods of using and generating energy, and this creativity will at times require some sacrifice.

That being said, I think we owe it to the folks in the Back Bay and other resident in town to re-examine the safety of this structures. I was glad to hear during the city council's meeting a few weeks ago that the subcommittee that came up with the turbine bylaw already had considered many of the drawbacks and potential dangers that abutters and residents have brought to the forefront. But perhaps a more public vetting of these worries would appease some of those who have concerns or come up with potential solutions.

I just ask that we temper our concerns just a bit. It's one thing to examine other bylaws, changes in industry standards, and other materials that emerged from a deliberative process, it's quite another to type in "Wind Turbine Accidents" into Google or some other search engine and then cling to the results as if they're inevitabile outcomes.

I don't think it's responsible to put too much weight on such due diligence methods for our policy making. Try typing in "Christmas Tree Fires" or "School Bus Accident" into Google News. The results might lead one to think we need to put an end to those dangerous menaces as well.

Guttenplan Joins the Sith

Daily News Sports Editor Dan Guttenplan has joined the sinister blogging world after winning WEEI.com's sports blogger contest. According to his debut post, he beat out 600 other contestants, which is 599 more than I bested to win this highly coveted position.

So you can find Guttenplan's mug and humor at WEEI.com. No doubt, he'll among the highest paid bloggers out there, so I suspect he'll still be keeping his day job at our very own Daily News.

Congrats to Dan.

Won't You Please Help

I got this email from a reader Jason C., so I'm passing on this important message. No doubt, we've all felt the pain of losing a favorite food place. Just this past December I thought we'd lost Plum Island Roas....hold on...sniff. still too soon to talk about.

Hope I am not interrupting your day, but I wanted to reach out on behalf of my favorite sandwich shop in Newburyport, Kindred Spirits. This is the small sandwich shop on Merrimac street, just at the bottom of Warren St. I live on 3-4 of their sandwiches a week, the two sisters that own/run the shop are fantastic. They have been in the location for a little over a year, and like all businesses are trying to get through the rough patches. In Dec, they almost had to close; and I know we all want to see town businesses thrive. I am not sure who would feed me if they closed, so I am reaching out - if you are hungry, swing by and check them out. You are my current Newburyport network; and if you could do me the larger favor of forwarding this to a few people you know in Newburyport and surrounding area that enjoy a good sandwich; I am sure the sisters would appreciate it.
I recommend the Cackling Chicken.

I didn't call the restaurant to verify this, but I too heard Kindred Spirits was getting hammered by ramming and subsequent closing of the Hines Bridge. Traffic has been a lot lighter on Merrimac, no doubt.

I honestly haven't visited the place. I'm not avoiding it but the location just isn't the best. However, that will change after I viewed their Web site.


THAT is a damn fine looking sandwich. It deserves to live.

Tom on Tom

Hey!
What.
What gives.
What?
Why the hell haven't you been blogging?
Well, this week has been crazy.
Boo hoo.
Hey, shut up. Work was nuts. I had to get all my work done by Sunday because I had to get to a conference.
Waaa, waah.
Oh nice. You think blogging is easy? You just can't force this stuff. Plus, I've got a real job, one where people actually pay me to write! You going to pay me to write this blog stuff?
Sure, just after I start paying pigeons to crap on the sidewalk.
Well then, work has got to take priority. And then there was all that damn snow. The shoveling, oh, the shoveling. I need a snowblower.
Yeah, yeah, so are you going to start blogging again?
Any day now, I swear.
About what.
I don't know. I still need to catch up on the papers. Certainly the mayor's re-election plans. That's worth a mention. I've contemplating a piece on the wind turbine for sometime, wrote half of it in fact, but just didn't get to finish it.
What do you think of it?
I don't mind it. Saw it from 95 this morning on the shuttlebus back from the airport. Looks fine to me.
That's it? That's the piece you've been contemplating?
No, I had more to say. But that'll do for now. I've got to finish up all the work I was supposed to finish by Sunday. And, I hear it's going to snow again...

Mail Bonding

I just saw a two-car que at the mailbox. The woman in the first car, which was parked in front of the mailboxes, was writing out the checks that had to be mailed.

The woman in the second car had to climb out into the slush to mail her items. She didn't look excited.

Scratch That

A couple of guys are working on the site of the once and future mailbox as I type.

Will they change the name?

Just saw this item in the Globe. The Bridge Gallery, which sits on the west side of the railroad bridge that crosses Merrimac, is moving away from the landmarks that presumably provided its name. The Web site says it's migrating eastward to 1R Water.

I'm sure its a good move for the gallery, but I'll miss the one bright little spot in that dark spot on Merrimac. Of course if the extended boardwalk is every completed I'll likely bypass that area all together on my walks.

I still do find that section of town interesting. The shops along the bottom of Winter Street appear to be filling up, slowly, with businesses that don't appear to require high volumes of traffic. I'm eager to see what moves into the largest spot on the corner.

If parking weren't a concern I always thought it'd be an interesting site or a cafe.

What Happened

A week or two ago I swear I saw the postal service install a giant mailbox at the corner of Green and Pleasant Streets, no doubt to handle the over stuffing of the three existing boxes.

But I went by yesterday and the mailbox is gone, along with one of the other smaller mailboxes.

Can anyone else confirm this has happened?

The Bridge Works

Enjoyed a small road trip down to Rowley's American BBQ, courtesy of the new Route 1A bridge.

The structure got positive marks from all of us, as did the feed at American BBQ.

Polls Closing

Today's the last day to vote. Once again, I'm surprised by the a** whupping being delivered by the Crow's Lanes supporters.

But the people are speaking.

Nick's Delivery Delivers

I've had pizza delivered from Nick's twice now. Very happy with it. The pizza still was piping hot and hard to beat.

Thanks

I couldn't find a direct link to the article, but thanks to the Newburyport Current for the prominent mention in this week's lead story.

Incidentally, in that same story that I can't link to, Mayor Moak is paraphrased suggesting that Newburyport has the "greatest amount of public boardwalk, greater than Boston and any other coastal communities (sic?) in the Commonwealth."

Can this be true? Perhaps if one just talks about actual boardwalk--as in a walk made of board--perhaps, but Boston has some serious waterfront walking space near the Children's Museum, the Fort Port Channel and the Boston Harbor Hotel.

New Blog

I've been wanting to write a post about this new (to me at least) blog, The P. Preservationist: Preservation Activist in Newburyport.

I've only given it a cursory reading. The posts seem to be informed and well-thought out--clearly a change from we we serve up here--so please take a look. It appears as if the blogger wants to plant the seeds for a broader campaign to implement a larger district in the city, which is certainly something I could embrace. But the postings go beyond that issue.

As far as I know, the author is anonymous but I could be missing something.

Welcome to the neighborhood, P.P.

Mutherf....

My blog roll got wiped out for no apparent reason. Will try to repopulate. Must be payback for complaining about the comments function. Hell hath no fury like Silicon Valley geeks criticized...

Feel free to suggest some. They should be related to Newburyport or written by people I know.

Poll Update

I'm quite surprised by the butt-kicking being delivered by the Crow's Lane crowd given the meager interest most of the city--elected officials excepted--in their plight.

Either this is reasonating more than I thought, or this poll is getting emailed around to the folks affected by the landfill, or we're getting some visitors from Everett who share similar concerns.

Four more days.

UPDATE: Interesting letter from an Everett type on Gillian Swart's blog. Kudos to the author of the letter mentioned.