Cronin Blog

Note: While you can access Ward 3 Councillor Robert Cronin's blog in this post, and more directly here, you are not able to access a clean copy on the blog roll. I'm not sure why.

Houston, NED has a Problem

A Texas jury ruled that two entities affiliated with New England Development must pay $26 million in a soured real estate deal. The whole mess centers around the construction of a Lowe's in Nashua, NH but the plaintiffs are from Texas. (Interesting that it was not held in a NH court though...)

The NED-affiliated lawyers may appeal.

Now on to the NEXT election

From Councillor-at-Large Katie Ives:

Steve Grossman, Candidate for State Treasurer is coming to Newburyport on Thursday, January 28th at 7:00 pm

Location: Caffe Di Sienna, 33 Pleasant Street, Newburyport

Come meet the candidate and learn more about his campaign to put Massachusetts back on the road to financial stability.

Learn more about Steve Grossman at: http://www.stevegrossman.com

*thismessagewaspaidforabsolutelynoonesinceimnotresourcefulenoughtomakeanymoneyfromthisblog.

Panera Bread?

Newburyportbiz.com is reporting that a Panera Bread will be opening up on Storey Ave. on the site of the unsightly lot of the former Ming Jade. I recognize the concern that folks have for chains around these parts, but I can't find much fault with that location since it's far away from our downtown.

Going to 11 Plus One.

I walked down State Street this morning on the way toward my $1 coffee from Fowle's when I saw a sign reading "Opening Day" in the storefront housing Loretta, the former Aquatini. Not trusting anything I read these days -- or my ability to grasp things that I read -- I caught the glance of a man inside and mouthed, "Are you opening today?" He confirmed this fact. Score one for 12 years of public school education.

Now I'm fairly excited about this addition to the Newburyport restaurant scene. The menu sounds chock full of appetizing options including BBQ-style meals. So I posted the news on the blog's Facebook page. (Please follow the link to the right to sign up.) The news got passed around fairly quickly, and soon enough Ari Herzog posted a link to the restaurant's web site on the City of Newburyport fan page.

The web site is barren. No menu, details or descriptions but I'm sure that situation will be remedied soon. But what they do have is a logo,which you can see, and the hours.

27 State Street

Newburyport, MA 01950

Now open.

Daily: 11am - midnight

Phone: 978-463-0000

Midnight! Outstanding. A month or so ago the Mrs. and I went out with some friends to Michael's for drinks. We lost track of the clocks and by the time we needed food the kitchen was closed along with every visible kitchen in the downtown. We would have killed for an option like Loretta. No doubt their stamina will serve them well.

Welcome.

Add Cronin to the list

Councilor-at-large Ari Herzog informs us that Ward 3 Councilor Robert Cronin is keeping a blog. Welcome to the neighborhood. You can find his posts in the Bloggers and Blowhards section below.

Missed it by that much

Did I say 46% turnout in Newburyport (no, I didn't but I drew the info from the News.) Well, actually it was 66%, according to today's paper. In a snowstorm, no less. And I'm sure some people who were away from the day regretted not picking up an absentee ballot. I'm not sure I would have had the foresight to do so a few weeks ago.

Well done, Newburyport.

Next time Stop the Chant and Take a Look Around

I think one of the more interesting items to come out of the election was a last-minute press release sent out by Martha Coakley supporters, under the flag of the Concerned Citizens of Greater Newburyport. The item didn't generate any press as far as I can see so here was the gist:

Concerned Bay Staters will gather on Inn Street, Newburyport on Monday, January 18th at 1:30PM to highlight local concerns such as historic preservation, Plum Island erosion, education, and health care and how a Federal partnership can help local residents.

Newburyport City Councillor Ed Cameron called on Scott Brown to come clean: “In the 1940s the Federal government created the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island;  in the 1960s local will and Federal HUD resources preserved Newburyport’s historic downtown from the wrecking ball;  in the 1970s the Federal Clean Water Act sparked the clean up our Merrimack River. 

Our Plum Islanders need continued Federal partnership to control erosion on Plum Island; our businesses need Federal assistance for vital infrastructure like the Whittier Bridge over Route 95; our citizens need health care reform to control rising insurance costs; and our children and parents need Federal support for local education needs.

This is one of the more unstated elements of Newburyport's rebirth, at least in my opinion. The preservation of the downtown is sometimes presented as a local bootstrap-type of effort done by a group of stout-hearted locals. In many ways it was.  The time, sweat equity and local private dollars were enormous. They should be--and frequently are--commended. (BTW, you should buy and read a Port in Progress book from the Daily News.)

Ultimately, however, the fuel for this spectacular engine came from the Federal government. True, the Feds needed convincing not to tear down the place, but they were prepared to invest the bucks (including the tax dollars collected from non-natives like my parents) into some form of transforming the downtown. They listened to the local preservationists, and by every reasonable measure it worked.

So the next time the Tea Party-types congregate downtown and rail about the horrors of big government, I hope they take time to look around, buy a cup of coffee or book, take a stroll along the river and enjoy the fruits of a genuine USA-government funded project.

The election, in a nutshell

From today's Daily News:

With turnouts reaching nearly 70 percent in Rowley and Newbury, and more than 60 percent in Georgetown and Merrimac, it appeared the more voters who turned out, the bigger margin Brown took away. In Rowley, Brown won by a 2-1 ratio.

In Newburyport, with a turnout of 46 percent, Coakley eked out a narrow victory by 88 votes. But in a city with 4,000 registered Democrats and just 1,688 registered Republicans, even that could be considered an upset. Of the city's 7,600 unenrolled voters, Brown struck a chord, while Coakley's negative campaign ads soured many voters.

I can assure this poor turnout wasn't from lack of effort from our local Dem leaders. It was tied directly to a lack of enthusiasm about the candidate from the base, myself included. I voted for her but did not hold signs or make calls, perhaps I should have. But I just didn't care much for Coakley the candidate.

We Are Surrounded.

Salisbury, West Newbury and Newbury all have fallen to Brown. But she wins Port by a whisker.

Vote Today

I'm going with Coakley but you do what you gotta do.

Oh PKL continues to harass me, asking for a prediction on the race. Why? Local punditry is worthless. I'm the guy who came to believe those who told him he'd top the ticket for Charter Review Commission. Conventional wisdom suggests Coakley should win a Democratic-leaning community like this one, but Scott Brown has a local connection. Who knows what that's worth? Edge: Coakley

Welcome Back

To me and to you...


You'll see a new layout on the blog. New colors. New graphic. And a new arrangement of the blogs, sites and other sources of information on our fair city of Newburyport.


I decided I'd like this blog to be a bit more informational, a clearing house of Port-centric sites. If I'm missing anything essential please let me know.


I broke the sites into categories so they're easier to sort through. These may change as I find categories that make a bit more sense, but I'm feeling pretty good about the current set up.


I'll still opine as often as I can. I needed a few weeks off to catch my mental breath following the election, holidays and some serious work both at home and the office. 

Neat

I got the John Adams DVD for Christmas. Boston, at the time, had a population of 16,000.

Giddy Up

According to UPS tracking, my power cord and battery left Redmond, Wash. on Dec. 31 and arrived in Chelmsford last night.

I had no idea the Pony Express was still in operation.

Happy New Year

I'm still alive, but my laptop lies in a coma until a new battery arrives.

Pray for it, Tommy. You too Janie.