Is Chain-ge a'coming?

The closing of the venerable Newburyport Card & Gift shop -- as reported in The Daily News today -- is most interesting.

It seems to me that if a chain store were to come into Newburyport, this would be the place. I suspect the 2,400-square-foot space is one of the large retail spots downtown.

According to the paper, the owner of the store and building were one of the same. He sold the latter and closed the former when the buyer understandably decided to go into a new direction.

Let's see what happens.

All Aboard

The newest attraction on the Rail Trail. A guaranteed spot for anyone with kids. A very nice addition. It sits just south of the High Street overpass.

Incidentally, here's a last minute request from the Parks Commission.

I know many of you have put in some long hours in the parks recently, but I have a short-notice volunteer opportunity which we need help with this weekend if anyone is interested. We need Trail Counters tomorrow, Saturday, May 1, to count how many people are using the new Rail Trail. If you have any time, an hour, even a half hour, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. please call me, 978-463-3545 or email nportparkscommission@yahoo.com and I will arrange to get you a simple tally sheet to fill out.

And coming in at No. 63

New England Development!!

The magazine Retail Traffic ranks 62 property management firms higher than our Lords of the Castle.

SHAMELESS PLUG

You're all invited to our neighborhood yard sale this Sunday, starting at 8:30 am and ending at 1:30 pm. The Salemi household will actually be participating this year, offering an assortment of sundries and doodads as well as furniture and building supplies. So come on down to Oakland, Walnut, Jackson, Carlton & Collins Streets. As always, my opinions can be bought but they are neither cheap, nor valuable.

Newburyport.org

The domain name is up for sale. I have no idea who owns it but the negotiable asking price is $1,000.

Good luck with that.

Just what are they afraid of?

I'm calling you out Chinese authorities!

Just because I refuse to kowtow to townies and the khaki crowd doesn't mean my voice shouldn't be heard in mainland China!

Mr. Wen .... Tear down this Firewall!!! (I'm poking my mousepad vigorously)

(BTW, do yourself a favor and check in on Knifetricks regularly. Great stuff by PKL.)

Thank You

Dear Anonymous,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the new fence. It's exactly what I wanted.

You're the best.

Warmest Regards,

Tom

An Ode to the Opportunist State

Thanks Anonymous and Bean.

Summer's Blank Slate

Stay Classy, Newburyport

Word has it more than 2000 people took time to fill out the Charter Review Commission survey submitted with the census. AND they returned them to City Hall.

That's a nice bit of feedback. Good work people.

Charter Review Commission is meeting tonight at 7 pm at the Library.

If it's anything like the March 3 meeting (watch the tape) it'll be quite interesting. More on this later.

Danger Ahead

I'm not telling anyone anything they haven't already thought of, but still it's worth pointing out the rather dangerous situation that exists at the bottom of the rail trail.

I know the trail isn't officially open yet, but it's already become an integral part of the community. Walkers, bikers and dogs packed the strip over this past weekend. So while no ribbons have been cut, it's open.

And the trail could use some ribbon of some kind--or better yet some type of fencing--at the bottom of the trail near the old rail road bridge. Any kids who lose control of their bike going down the hill from the Merrimac Street overpass will land either on the rocky shore 10 feet below or get tossed into the frigid Merrimack.

The poles are a recent addition, so I'm guessing the fencing is on the way. I just hope it's sooner rather than later. I already heard a report from one dad who saw a little girl lose control of her bike. Fortunately, she dumped it before approaching the end so she only suffered some serious scrapes and scratches.

I'm sure she didn't feel lucky, but she was.

Ah, the Granite State

Toll booths, socialized liquor sales that draw from privately owned Mass. businesses, no sales tax and now casino gambling in Seabrook. I'm starting to think we should build a wall along our border.