65 degrees at 8am, Citgo in Acres is $1.87.
Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.
American Political Science Association is talking about "permanent war." From 1763 to 1878 Wilbraham and Hampden were one town until Hampden broke away. Sarah Blacher Cohen, author of Saul Bellow's Enigmatic Laughter spoke at UMass in 1987.
Peter Pan official says they expect to carry 100,000 passengers this Labor Day weekend. Former City Councilor and mayoral aspirant Peter Jurzynski has completed his eleventh swim across the English Channel. I have been buying grapes on sale and I had a triplet red grape this morning, three grapes in one skin. Plant 'em high, they won't die; plant 'em low, they won't grow.
When I write something I think about roughly what I want to say, and if there are some special ideas or phrases I put them on paper. But I feel the best thing to getting a writing project underway is simply to start writing and the project sort of organizes itself. If you write a concise, comprehensive introduction then where to go from there should be self-evident. But of course first you have to know what you want to do and say. The problem many students have is they gotta write a thousand words and they don't have the foggiest idea of what to say.
Today I laced on my boots and cleaned out the eaves troughs all around the house. My father never even had a pair of boots, although Uncle Fred Olmstead wore them all the time. There were a few maple seedlings growing in the eaves in front of the house. I was worried about getting up on the ladder because of my weak right knee, but it seems to have improved somewhat.
Red flag up on Colleen's mailbox when I drove out first thing to get a morning paper. Went to McDonald's to try their new chicken strips, one order get one free with a coupon. Everyone is now peddling chicken breasts with goo to dip them in. I took honey mustard goo only to find it contained no honey but tasted good.
Charlie Ryan is MAD because a report filed by the Control Board to Eric Kriss, Therese Murray and John Rogers in Boston gave a very negative appraisal of Springfield and had little input from Mayor Ryan or Council President Dom Sarno. Chairman Alan LeBovidge said "conditions are significantly worse than previously known by city officials." Described critical financial transactions being done manually, vital property tax info being on index cards and some ledgers being balanced by hand. In other words, an open invitation to corruption.
Speaking to a packed Aldermanic Chamber Ryan said, "We should have a harbor master put a ship in the middle of the Connecticut River and throw tea in it." He got a standing ovation. Today was also the annual Public Schools Convocation for teachers and Joe Burke spoke on TV about a "group of individuals down in Boston" pushing their "ideological point of view." In sum, polarization and conflict ahead on all fronts.
Labor Day, and a lovely, mild day.
Bush said on TV that terrorism "will not happen on my watch." Buddy, it already happened on your watch.
The family and friends of Wesley Perznowski, who died in 1998, have put a large memorium ad in the paper. Western New England College has an ad in The Republican saying "Insure Your Future." It should be "ENSURE." WNEC workers Steve Roulier of Media Relations and Barbara Campanella of Marketing are also appearing in an ad to promote advertising in The Republican.
Peter Picknelly is worth about $200 million. Former Bishop McGuire is 85. He served as bishop from 1977-1992. And what will happen to the Mason Square library?
I called Karen Powell and asked if she's seen the Mass Mutual Report on Springfield and whether she wants to borrow mine. She said no, she hasn't read it but a girlfriend in City Hall told her all about it and so no need to read it.
Johnson's Bookstore has been replaced (and even outdone) by the Whately Antiquarian Bookstore. I long ago predicted that the fate of Johnson's would be the fate of the city. Now look at Springfield just five years after Johnson's closed.
Mob businesses do not buy wholesale liquor. They buy from retailers so it is hard for the IRS to trace and they have five or six checkbooks.
Former Mayor Mike Albano is wasting no time moving out of Springfield, having purchased land on Abby Lane in East Longmeadow to build a new home. He's putting his house at 36 Florentine Gardens in Forest Park up for sale immediately.
Maureen Turner has an editorial in the Valley Advocate about the fees The Republican wants to collect for other papers to be distributed on their stands. At Stop & Shop they have a two yard long white two level cart which say The Republican on it but has room for maybe a dozen papers. An obvious ploy to try and stifle their competition.
Even better, Turner wrote a piece slamming Fran Gagnon as "a queen bee of certain Springfield social circles" whose tenure with the Historical Commission "has been described as inconsistent in its rulings" that were "more personality clashes or power struggles than legitimate disagreements over historic preservation." However, Steve Jablonski wrote a letter to the paper praising her.
Councilor Rose Marie Mazza-Moriarty is running for State Representative in the 9th Hampden District and has produced a slick newsletter that promotes her relation to the late State Rep. James L. Grimaldi (but not to Mike Albano) and features endorsements by colleague Jose Tosado and activist Gil Perron of East Springfield. She is spending serious money. I called Sean Curran and told him about it and he thanked me.
TV40 has been doing a series on all the candidates for Governor's Council and last night they did Tim Rooke. Today I called and got his answering machine which was speaking in the voice of a little kid. Not hiding behind anonymity I said my name is J. Wesley Miller and told him that the first time I ever saw him was on the Dan Yorke Show when he was an aide to Richie Neal and Rooke was so surly I was aghast. Rooke has been politer in recent years but he has failed to do his job as City Councilor and does not deserve to be on the Governor's Council. I added that the reason he has his kid on the answering machine is to show his family values yet he has never denounced the Catholic Church as an ongoing criminal conspiracy. That should take care of Rooke.
Charlie Ryan has been on public access Channel 17 all the time complaining about his abuse by Boston. Apparently Eric Kriss demanded that Ryan curtail union rights and he refused, causing Kriss to threaten, "I can put you in receivership in about ten minutes." Now Ryan and Kriss are no longer on speaking terms. Eamon and I agree that Ryan is probably right that Springfield has been receiving too little state aid over the years. Boston and even Cambridge get a lot more than we do. And all this time what were our legislators doing? What were our City Councilors doing? Getting grants for failures like the Basketball Hall of Fame and Civic Center.
Today is the first day of school in Springfield. Although I am an English teacher with glowing recommendations, I am officially considered unqualified to teach because I have never sullied my record with any education courses. There is no shortage of potentially good teachers, but there is a union supported lock-out of the truly qualified by the actually unqualified. People like me could blow the current teachers out of the water and raise standards all around, but it won't happen.
Most of the "card" shops sell baseball and comix items but no actual postcards and have no postcard sleeves. I called Coin Exchange but they have no postcard sleeves either although occasionally they have old postcards for sale.
Colleen M. has a big pile of pebbles in the middle of her front lawn, making a drive-off area on the side of her driveway. She is a workhorse perhaps more than Mother was. Colleen had sweat on her brow and seemed to be enjoying what she was doing. She is a remarkable woman. Irving Cohn was in his driveway with the young guy next door. Cohn told me he is just beginning to understand James Joyce's Ulysses. He said he has read it fifteen times and the words on the page have nothing to do with the meaning. Mrs. Cohn has been rehabilitated to where she can walk a bit but not well and she may have to go to the Jewish nursing home.
Went to Louis & Clark and mailed stuff to Polito, Vannah and LeBovidge. Agawam United Methodist Church has new white vinyl siding with white aluminum trim. I'd say the job was just finished. New parking lines painted in the parking lot. Sign has pretty flowers around it. The place looks good.
I went to Frank Pugliano's Olive Oil's in Feeding Hills. It is next to a pizza place in a strip mall that fronts a housing development. It is a tony Italian place. Not a lot of accessories but doing the best they can for atmosphere. A bar with a skylight and two dining rooms that seat around 35. I ordered a Reuben sandwich and was pleasantly surprised. A large sandwich with a little side dish of cole slaw and potato strips all odd sizes and shapes, nicely browned. For $5.50 it was super. I recalled that Pam Jendrysik worked as a waitress there, but when I asked I was told, "She no longer works here," almost in a tone of disgust or at least indifference and disappointment. Out at 12:27. On the way home bus 1093 was puffing great plumes of black exhaust.
When I got home I called Edith Michaud to tell her I had been by the Agawam Methodist Church and told her it looks really nice. She said the windows needed replacement and the leaks in the roof were also fixed. Edith said she had a knee replacement recently and will probably have the other one done eventually. Says she isn't wealthy, only has her Social Security. She retired in 1973 from working for Efrem Gordon's father, who she thinks was "more settled" than Efrem. She recalled how the old man took in young law students and helped them prepare for the bar exams. We concluded with my saying how nice the church looks, thanking her for all she has done by way of good works in many places and hoping she has good luck with her new knee.
AIC President Courniotes now has a white Orr Cadillac DeVille, plate 48D M34.
The Republican called sometime mid-day, I saw the call on my machine when I got home but didn't return it. Probably trying to drum up sales, not likely a request to do a story on me. Mail brought another jumbo postcard from Mazza-Moriarty, this time as a report card giving herself a whole slew of A-plus grades and an F for Chris Asselin. Across the street at 1500 Wilbraham Road, where there used to be a Ryan sign, they now have an Asselin sign, the only one around.
Debate on TV by Governor's Council candidates at WNEC's Sleith Hall. Rooke said there are too many lawyers among the contenders and he offers a businessman's perspective. Actually there are too many Irishmen and we need change.
M.Y. O.B. - Ann Landers
I value truth, circumspection, objectivity, moderation and fairness.
My favorite American poet is Longfellow, who nobody teaches anymore. This day in 1504 the statue David was unveiled. They are having a birthday party for him. William F. Buckley says he writes 1500 words per day. Thoughtful words no doubt, not like my garbage.
On TV22 they had a story about congestion on Sumner Avenue during rush hour and interviewed Belle-Rita Novak without identifying her. Thomas R. Burton, president of Hampden Bank, kicked off the United Way campaign by saying, "Don't be a philanthropic girly-man."
Someone from The Republican called and said, "I see you stopped getting the paper." I replied, "Well, you never do a story on me, so why should I get your paper?" That got rid of her pronto.
The morning paper is full of Bill Cosby's speech in Springfield last night on personal responsibility, but no mention of Antonette Pepe, who did all the work to get him here and no mention of Eamon who told her how to get in touch with him. Larry McDermott was in the paper writing about "a seat at the table" for Bill Cosby, who wonderfully came to Springfield to praise Holyoke Police Chief Anthony Scott and dump on our Police Chief Paula Meara and District Attorney Bill Bennett. Meara is a product of female affirmative action. I took Chief Scott's picture a couple of years back at Sheriff Ashe's clambake.
Cosby has it just right, his comments are to be welcomed with gratitude. But Cosby hasn't said anything that Eamon T. O'Sullivan, with real documentation, hasn't been saying for over a decade. Eamon said it first and for having the guts and the character to speak up Eamon has been censored. The real point is that Arkansas carpetbagger McDermott and New Yorker David Starr only like those seated at the table who support their views. That is not democracy. There is no policy setting table in Springfield where all views are welcome.
Mayor Ryan is on vacation, but there was a major meeting between the Control Board and the School Committee where the Control Board justified their financial numbers. Eamon says I should go to New York City and visit Strand Books which has twelve stories of books. Recalled that James Grimaldi was an alderman before he was a state rep. and had an oil company on Columbus Avenue. Also said James R. Landers is backing Sean Curran.
Went to the 16 Acres library and got a copy of The Mayflower Madam book on the discard rack. Asked the reference librarian for a list of Quadrangle staff telephone numbers. He found two lists and I asked if I could photocopy them. He said the copier was out of order and when I asked when it might be fixed he said, "Maybe two days but more like two months."
PHD program drop-outs are supposed to hang their heads in shame and slink off into the underbrush. Some become bums, a few commit suicide. It's surprising that more haven't murdered their major professors, but most grad students are ladies and gentlemen and live with their decisions. For me, on that sunny August 1978 morning when I was supposed to take my prelims, I boarded a bus for home in Massachusetts and a week later I was enrolled in law school. Dropping out of the University of Wisconsin was the smartest thing I ever did.
Overcast and 70 degrees at 7am.
Wonderful early fall afternoon, although technically still summer. I have seen three grasshoppers in the last couple of days so there must be still quite a few around.
My street literature collection is a wonder of the archival world, the more so because they are supplemented by my diaries, which are extremely detailed, treating humans in the same way public television reports on wild animals. The methodology is called "historical particularism." I am an only child and am my own severest critic. Great numbers of people, but not all, have difficulty with me. With some I have wonderful relations, like with the Valley Advocate.
Mother loved Boston Fruit Slices. The Kimball Hotel on the corner of Chestnut and Bridge Street opened on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 1911. Attendance at Tanglewood was down 11% this year. Weatherman Brian Lapis has become more serious and professional than he once was. The hurricane of 1955, named Dianne, made a mess of my parent's property in Wilbraham.
At Big Y there is a new Express Rewards brochure and no doubt about it, you get less. A year ago a silver coin and 24 cents got you a slice of pizza. Now it's a silver coin and 54 cents. The coins have become the equivalent of coupons to sell merchandise, not to reward people with free stuff.
Coming into the city there is a big billboard with Joe Carvalho of the Quad gaping at us over the words, "Inspire Your Community." It's an ad for Westfield State College, Carvalho's alma mata.
This is basketball weekend, the enshrinement ceremony is $400 a ticket. Six Flags has a full page ad for "Out in the Park" a day of fun for gays for $35. Can't help but recall that several years ago I was kicked out of that park for dressing gay.
Rep. Neal's office has announced that the groundbreaking for the new $55 million dollar courthouse is September 28th. Maybe 30 people doing a standout in 16 Acres center for Chris Asselin.
Springfield Newspapers editor Richard Garvey has died at 81, a journalist for 57 years but also a windbag of inestimable proportions. Hess called and asked if I saw about Garvey, Hess thinks he was a good teller of stories as a speaker but agreed that he used to attack Protestants. Said that Garvey's second wife was a nurse to the children of Calvin Coolidge. I called Larry McDermott and left a message telling him my low opinion of Garvey and about the bad English in Councilor Mazza-Moriarty's mailings. She is an embarrassment to the English Department of Elms.
Jim Polito on TV40 says that the new crime boss of Springfield is Anthony Arilotta, who is tied to the disappearance of underworld figure Gary Westerman. Tony is 35. Eamon suspects that R. Mazza-Moriarty is a mafia princess. He didn't like her mother and feels the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
Found a poster requesting information on the Daniel Croteau case on a telephone pole opposite 1663 Wilbraham Road. It shows a picture of Danny and reads, "Did you see me between 4pm and midnight April 14, 1972?" followed by a number to call.
Bo Diddly and Johnny Winter are appearing at Six Flags. Howard Ziff of the UMass journalism department has a letter in the paper praising Dick Garvey. The more I look like a freak the better. It is unfortunate that Springfield is such a provincial place that freaky dress is not appreciated.
There is still a Jim Dandy chicken place on State Street in Springfield in the Black neighborhood. About ten years ago at Eamon's suggestion I sent copies of Tom Devine's Baystate Objectivist to Newt Gingrich and received no reply.
I arrived at the Agawam United Methodist Church on Mill Street in Feeding Hills at 8:58 and there was absolutely no one there so I drove toward Stop & Shop and found a Getty station selling gas for $1.73. I returned to the Agawam Methodist Church at 9:22 and there were twelve vehicles in the lot. Edith Michaud greeted me graciously and I walked around a bit. I looked at the new heaters in the church wall. The inside courtyard is all picked up but not as ornate as it was. The organ is electronic and the aisle carpeting is red. PA system works satisfactorily.
The opening prayer rambled on and the sermon was delivered by a chubby lady with white socks who reminded me of Peppermint Patty. She alluded to Wanda Siemiatowski in her talk. She said "We have Maria Giroux to thank" for the renovations. She also said we need to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the Halls of Government.
I had thought my cousin Shirley Whittier Huang might come down for the church dedication but she did not. There were only 24 people present, yet another endangered Methodist congregation. Afterward they invited me to stay for coffee but I scooted out. They urged me to come again but I said I wouldn't. Out at 10:54.
Went to the Mattoon Street Art Festival and parked on Spring Street opposite the Federal Land Bank parking garage, which still has a bit of brownstone from the church it replaced on the back wall. I switched from the sport coat I'd worn at church to a uniformed queer with laced boots, tucked in pants, doggie collar, biker jacket and buttons. The craft fair was better filled than it has been in past years. I bought a lovely wooden vase stained green by Ron Pessilano of Brimfield. I also bought a print of fiddleheads from Nancy Bryant of Monson. Bryant didn't charge me sales tax but Pessilano did. There was music by the Down Memory Lane Barbershop Quartet.
Next I paid $5 to go on the Downtown Living Home Tour through Chestnut and Mattoon Streets. Andy Scibelli was there and Jonathan Rice. First stop was Classical Condominiums, which is still a nice place impeccably maintained. I asked several people what their biggest complaint about the place is. Guy at the front door said security. Lady on the 4th floor said the old building needs repairs. Somebody else said dust, and two people said no problem. Guy with the biggest apartment said his condo fee is $280 a month.
From Classical we went over to Eliot, down Mattoon and over to the Kimball. In the Kimball I found paint peeling from the ceiling in the front grand lounge area. A woman who works there said she was responsible for getting the tacky awnings taken down but she can't get the city to fix the sidewalk. I decided to skip the two apartments at Armoury Commons. Apremont Triangle needs mowing.
Washington's support for Israel and the war on terror launched in the aftermath of the World Trade Center's collapse have only fueled Arab anger and violence.
Convenience store on the corner of Newbury and Carew that used to be so busy and always had cars parked in front while people ran in is closed. Can't remember what its name was. Hurst & Hurst now have offices opposite Raymour & Flanagan and Price-Rite.
WFCR isn't like other businesses, they don't have stockholders or investors but of course they use the euphemism "investments" for donations.
Visited Mother's best friend Mrs. Staniski. A Noonan Oil Truck #488 was there and the hatchway was open. She looks and sounds much better and gave me a wonderful National Geographic on global warming.
The name of Eamon's dog is Fitzy. Eamon is mad to discover that because his neighborhood supported Righty Keough (Frankie's cousin) when redistricting came around Rep. Asselin arranged to have the neighborhood removed from his district so today Eamon couldn't vote for Sean Curran against Asselin. He blames Petrolati and Finneran.
I headed to the polls at Glenwood Elementary School at 9:55 this morning and met the Durham Caldwells walking back from voting. There were two old ladies and a cop working, no refreshments. I wrote in Eamon's name against the unopposed Neal, and my own name against the unopposed Sheriff Ashe. Before leaving the polls I tried to take some school literature from the shelves in the hallway but a secretary came sputtering out and tried to stop me. I demanded to see the principal Ms. Sullivan and she went into a back room, then came out and said, "Take whatever you want."
I caught the election results on TV22 at ten o'clock tonight. To everyone's surprise Sean Curran won as Mazza-Moriarty (the teacher with terrible English) got walloped and Asselin only got around 500 votes. Both Charlie Ryan and Bruce Fitzgerald showed up at Curran's victory party. I had voted for my friend Issac Ben-Ezra for Governor's Council, but I really preferred Peter Vickery who happily edged out Tim Rooke. So I must say I am delighted with the primary election results.
I personally feel that Jesus Christ can be considered a great prophet (a socially conscious, sadomasochistic queer Jewish youth) with great teachings, but those who want to believe the mystical aspects of him do so at their own risk.
Sun came out at 11:05. B.B. King is 79 today.
There will always be a controversy about everything.
Fleet Bank in Wilbraham has a dish of varied candies and a lady with a clipboard greeting people as they come in. Springfield Symphony Orchestra has commercials on WFCR promoting their opening concert to feature the William Tell Overture and Brahms Violin Concerto No. 1.
Just outside the side entrance to the Quadrangle museums ticket office there is a cold drinks machine that has soda for a dollar a can, but Poland Springs bottled water is a buck and a quarter! Called Christopher Linquest, the librarian at the Westfield Atheneum and criticized the selling of all those books without stamping them discarded. Not proper procedure!
Went to Edmund's Opticians on Cooley Street run by Edmund Hasenjager and selected a pair of frames for my new glasses. Edmund's father was tall and thin but their mother was stocky. Edmund's brother Ted, who also works at the store, has a serious weight control problem. Edmund says they do a good business at 5 Town Plaza but the rent is high. He promised to do my glasses for $300.
Arrived at my dentist Dr. Edward J. Walsh, also located at 5 Town Plaza, at 12:32. He was wearing a blue shirt and just getting back from lunch. First I went to the teeth cleaning girl and she said she noticed that I hadn't had an X-ray in a year and a half. I asked what an X-ray would cost and she said $44. I said well my appointment was for cleaning so I'll settle for that today. At the end the dentist came in. Dr. Walsh said I have an infection in an old filling and one or two teeth will have to be removed, adding, "Your health is at risk." I said it's not really a problem, no pain or other irritation so out of the dentist's at 1:22.
I called Larry McDermott and told him that his paper's claim that 200 people attended Dick Garvey's funeral is contradicted by the picture they ran of the people sitting in the pews showing only about 60.
I've read Joseph P. Burke's job application and was not impressed. We should have hired that black guy with a doctorate in education from Columbia, but he made the mistake of candidly telling Springfield what was wrong with its schools. Superintendent Burke has not been subjected to the torrent of criticism Peter Negroni was. Negroni once told us he was working on a book but we never saw it.
Eamon hits to all fields in his most recent telephone message recording:
Outsiders visiting Springfield for the first time won't be impressed with the dull in the extreme downtown, badly designed misplaced white elephant buildings, few retail stores, no movie theater, tacky bars and strip joints, and third rate restaurants with no real entertainment. In the neighborhoods they'll find potholed, trash ridden streets and a large dumbed down unstable population prone to violence and undermining a last place ranked school system.
64 degrees, rain this afternoon. Gas at Six Corners is $1.85.
I hope that hurricane Jean hits Florida as the judgment of an angry God against Florida for the election of Bush and against America for destroying Iraq. A car bomb a day should scare the U.S. away. Today is the first day of the Eastern States Exposition, the ninth largest fair in the United States.
Mixing up a batch of succotash. Mother used corn and shell beans. I had three ears of corn, a can of lima beans, a can of pink beans and two boiled onions. Added pepper but not the salt and margarine Mother always did.
Jason Russell of ABC40 also does the weather for News 10 in Albany. Karen Powell's husband Bob has his auto repair shop at 29 Fisher Avenue in East Longmeadow. Former Longmeadow resident Bradford Cohen got fired by Donald Trump on "The Apprentice." Jack Hess is having his house painted by AA Painting for $3500.
Eastern Avenue School has a nice Victorian stack but it lacks the cornices which were removed about the same time as those on Homer Street were removed. Homer Street School had a variety of good art in it. There were a couple of pieces of hanging statuary, one of which was Della Robbia's "Una Formella della Cantoria."
Arrived at the Quadrangle at 1:37. Into the Connecticut Valley History Museum and saw Ms. Hubertson, who is decidedly plumper than ever but still looks good. She was meeting with Davis Johnson and we talked about the bookstore. Then into the Museum of Fine Arts where a jovial black man was on duty. There is a large image of a compass in the middle of the court marquetry floor, but it is related only to the four walls of the court and not to magnetic north so it is rather silly. A compass that you can't use to tell direction! On Christmas when I was a little kid Father gave me a U.S. Air Force compass with a pop-up lid and a ruby in the middle of the needle. It was a real treasure to me, which pleased Father who always hoped I would become more masculine than I ever did. Then finally to the City Library where there were a lot of science fiction books being discarded along with piles of Congressional Quarterly.
Businesses are closing on Columbus Avenue because of the length of time the ramp and highway construction has dragged on. They're killing the businesses to keep the unions working.
Bruce Fitzgerald appears to be growing a beard in the picture in the paper of Charlie Ryan's birthday party. Eamon talked to Jim Johnson of the State Department of Revenue, who was unaware of Ryan's frequent appearances on the local cable access channel talking against them. Johnson is coming for a meeting with Ryan on Wednesday.
Alfonso Carrano, 32, has been indicted for stealing school vending machine revenue. He formerly worked for Frank Keough. Appointed manager of the school lunch program by Albano in 1998 at $36,000 per year. His mother-in-law is Luisa Cardaropoli, who was earlier indicted as a no show worker at MCDI. She is a relative of the late Al Bruno.
55 degrees, just beautiful out, a very few puffy clouds.
The carillon was playing in Hilcrest Cemetery when I drove through. There have been several pictures of rollerblading in the paper lately, one at Forest Park. I do my rollerblading at Mary M. Lynch School, it is nice and flat and safer for old bones.
Dan Rather and CBS are apologizing for basing an expose of Bush's military record on phony documents. This is extremely bad because it will lead to charges that the liberal media can't be trusted and voters will have sympathy for Bush. Dan Rather should step down as news anchor, he has been around too long and he has not made the cut as a Walter Cronkite.
101 Birchland Avenue is for sale for $135,000. Heard there may be moisture problems in the basement. The Salty Dog Saloon downtown is having their Bike Appreciation day on October 2nd.
Former Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn was conducting a Catholic voter registration drive after Mass today. I decided to go and parked next to St. Michael's rectory rather than in the lot. Lots of cars down the other end of the street parked around the Latino Baptist Church. Mass was in the Marshall annex, with around 100 people present. I noticed Fran Gagnon and her husband sitting in the back. When the collection plate went by I put nothing in.
Ray Flynn sat in the first row in front of the hymnals. Mums of various colors were on either side of the altar. The church program made note of the death of Richard Garvey. The sermon was about developing one's spiritual life with the same fire in the belly that we devote to other things.
Following Mass everyone was invited to the Parish Hall to meet Mayor Flynn, have coffee and register to vote. Flynn, who was also Ambassador to the Vatican under Clinton, met well wishers and passed out the political leaflet "The Challenge of Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility" which urged voters to consider a candidate's stands on abortion, the death penalty and stem cell research, all of which the church opposes.
On the way back I noticed that the time/temperature digital clock atop The Republican building is three minutes slow. When I got home I called Larry McDermott and told him that his paper is behind the times! That little greasy luncheonette on the corner of State and Main I used to go into for breakfast when I visited Effie Gordon has a sign on it that says it will become Crown Fried Chicken and Pizza also serving breakfast and grinders.
Jim Landers says that the woods around the Atwood neighborhood make for a lot of break-ins. Robbers sneak into the woods and lurk there until the opportunity is right to break-in. Some of the streets in Atwood are very secluded.
Eamon says he is setting up a meeting between Michael G. O'Reilly, Supervising Agent of the Springfield FBI office, with people in the School Department to talk about corruption in the schools. He says Mayor Ryan showed up at a celebration for the San Salvadorians in chino pants and jacketless (not even his blue blazer). Eamon said he anonymously sent Ryan some clothing catalogs, and claimed that Ryan's wool coat is so old the lapels are curling. Eamon said he brought some more info to Phil Puccia's office and added that Antonette Pepe is in pain after the doctor stuck a needle in her eye. J. Burke has suspended Chris Asselin's wife for being indicted, but she is appealing.
Richard C. Berte, former Wilbraham basketball star and henchman for reputed mob boss Anthony J. Delevo of Westfield, has pleaded guilty to masterminding a phony drug raid on an Amherst ecstasy dealer in 1998.
Autumnal Equinox at 12:30am.
As a diarist I have written down many small details over the years. I remember some, but I write things down so I can forget them.
I recall that an endorsement letter from Joe Carvalho of the Quad was the only item in the middle of the front door of Albano's campaign headquarters on Main Street the first time Albano ran. The Quadrangle is in such a mess that nobody in their right mind can trust them. There needs to be a comprehensive audit of all the grant monies received from all sources to the Library and Museums Association. Pat Markey is an old Quad insider. Barbara Garvey is an old political hand who was fired from a big job at Westfield State and Charlie Ryan her lawyer was unable to obtain relief. Carvalho is in my view a two-faced, glad handing tool of David Starr who promotes his people and puts down all opposition. I should have a Pynchon Medal for my efforts to save the library's collections.
Peter R. Johnson has stepped down from the South Hadley Conservation Commission. Bought cider at Big Y, where the deli counter was distributing cheese cubes on a toothpick. Jim Landers wants me to contribute to the Performing Arts High School in Hadley, so I'll send them a hundred bucks and mention Lander's name.
Upper Sumner Avenue Friendlys is closing. At the old Friendlys on the corner of Berkshire and Bay there is a Grand Opening sign for the Wong Wok, a few cars were in the lot so they must be open.
Mayor Ryan is criticizing the Control Board for not making more use of the Mass Mutual Report. He is also telling the Bright Nights holiday display to pay up their overdue bills and also targeting the abuse of sick leave by many departments.
Out at 9:34 and dropped off some stuff for Puccia at the State Office Building with Daryn Springarn, who said he'll be sure Puccia gets it. Stopped at Gifford's Locksmith and an old man named Ed Delphia was there. He said they started in business in 1868.
Then I visited Easthampton for the first time in ages. I can see why people like it, a small town atmosphere combined with Northampton hipness. No parking meters. Had breakfast at the Cottage Street Cafe, now under new management, and walked around collecting posters.
I drove over to the Valley Advocate at 116 Pleasant Street, Suite 3350 to drop off some things for editor Tom Vannah. The receptionist Dianne Dragon was very friendly, and said Vannah doesn't usually get in until after ten. There is a good bulletin board in the Advocate building but no elevator. I asked the receptionist if Sean Glennon is still working there but she wouldn't say, then a big guy walking by said in no uncertain terms that "Glennon doesn't work here anymore." Wanted to ask if he was still married to Maureen Turner but didn't. Then I headed home, stopping at Fleet to withdraw $100 and where they had root beer lollipops in the candy dish.
79 degrees at 12:51pm, a beautiful day. Wilbraham Citgo $1.87 per gallon.
"Status quo" is Latin for "the mess we're in."
My audience is any educated reader.
John Kerry: "I fought in a war and we were not told the truth."
Wonder Bread of Hostess and Twinkie fame is in Chapter 11. My parents never bought Wonder Bread; it was too expensive even if it did build strong bodies eight ways. We only bought Twinkies when discounted.
The State Legislature over-rode 299 out of 300 budgetary vetoes by Governor Romney. Mayor Ryan addressed the 16 Acres Civic Association the other night. The Springfield Control Board consists of Chairman Alan LeBovidge, Jake Jacobson, a turnaround specialist, former deputy state treasurer Thomas H. Trimarco, Mayor Ryan and City Council President Dom Sarno. LeBovidge works for Romney and is serving on the Control Board free of charge. Four new members have been nominated for the Springfield Historical Commission: Robert S. McCarroll, Ralph Slate, Maria Acuna and Joseph Divenuto.
Charlie Ryan says an elderly couple who wishes to remain anonymous has given the city a check for a thousand dollars to help with the fiscal crisis. I seldom give people money because they spend it so foolishly. Springfield has spent so foolishly that I would never give it a dime, although I always pay my taxes six months early.
A judge once dismissed me from jury duty because I complained I could not hear and he said he didn't want me to be embarrassed. I replied, "Your Honor, I am seldom embarrassed, but I frequently embarrass others."
I looked up Charles Kingston in the 1970 City Directory and he is listed as an adjuster for Allstate Insurance. In the 1986 directory he is listed as self-employed working out of 95 State Street. His father State Rep. William Kingston served on the Mass Banking and Insurance Commission.
M. Bewsee and Tory Field of ARISE are in trouble for running an unauthorized needle exchange program out of their Rifle Street headquarters.
This evening on TV40 Beth Ward said good-bye, she is starting a public relations business with her husband Mark. She's been with Channel 40 for eight years. Listing of shows at First Church's "Music at First" is out and I called to find out about the organ playing. The lady said I would have to ask organist Paige. I told her the last time I sent him a letter he got mad and didn't answer. She replied, "as one that's leaving the church I'm not surprised." Interesting.
There has been a change at the Springfield Newspapers. Larry McDermott has taken over and is improving things without admitting how dreadful they were under the iron thumb of David Starr. He has not taken responsibility for his own go-along to get-along yes-man behavior during the Starr regime. The appropriate response to the "new" Springfield Newspapers under McDermott is, "Where have you been?"
Driving down Boston Road I saw that the Scantic Valley Y was open and offering tours, so I pulled into their freshly paved parking lot. Free apples in a basket inside the door. An exercise room with maybe 100 machines in it, pool is unfinished. Out at 2:15.
Visited Irving Cohn and gave him Terry Eagleton's book on James Joyce to help give him the conceptual framework for reading Ulysses.
All the wrong people have received Pynchon Medals, such as windbag Garvey, arrogant Starr, pliable Gagnon, etc.
The Springfield Civic Center has never been profitable, and the thrust for its expansion has come from the hotel interests. So sell the Civic Center to them and let them pay operating costs. Symphony Hall should never been given that name. It should return to its original name of Municipal Auditorium since it serves, now as always, many non-symphonic functions.
Springfield is roughly $22 million in the hole. We should bill the Democratic City Committee for $22 million since we got in the hole under Democrat Party leadership. The Mass Mutual Report lists 195 ways to improve how the city operates. Some years ago former Mayor Albano put together a "Renaissance Group" of which I was made a member (definitely not to the delight of all, especially Peter Picknelly) to come up with ideas for reviving Springfield. I prepared a 123 page report of how to do things better in Springfield. Attorney Eugene Berman was the Renaissance Group secretary and may still have a copy. He was just the person to collect information about a morally and financially bankrupt city since he is a bankruptcy counsel.
Lovely, sunny, mild, color is early this year. Cumberland Farms opposite Liberty Church is $1.77 per gallon.
Lawyers are seekers after truth.
I plan to see the film Motorcycle Diaries, an account of Che Guevara's ride across South America with a friend who radicalized him. The have-nots see what the haves have, they want theirs and it radicalizes them, as it should.
Did the dishes, going to paint the hatchway lid tomorrow. Deezer Sullivan's house is rumored to be so packed with stuff that you almost have to tunnel your way through it. Jim Landers makes lots of apple pies this time of year. His son Sean is thinking of coming home from California, he finds the people out there too phony.
Quick Stop Variety is the name of the convenience store at the corner of Carew and Newbury that closed. A truck with a big plastic tank on the back was re-filling with water from a fire plug in front of the old A&P on Boston Road, now Hampden Dodge. Lions Club having their fall festival on the triangle in front of Foster Memorial.
Joe Carvalho was elected to a three year term with the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities. He also serves on the board of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Karen Powell has a job in the office at Talmadge School, where Bruce Fitzgerald's brother is principal. Hired about a month ago, she works three days a week but complains they give her "nothing to do." Eamon says the Ryan Administration is "loaded with lesbians" planted by Cheryl Rivera, with suspicions focused on Mary T. and Mary Elizabeth Beach. In the gay community we have a saying, "We can tell our own."
A. Pepe and her husband have gone to their hideaway in Vermont for the weekend. The School Committee Executive session was very heated the other night, Mayor Ryan said he never wants to go to another one again. Beth Ward of TV40 was supposedly forming a consulting firm with her husband, but suddenly she is being hired by the School Department as a Communications Consultant for $40,000. Pepe asked why the job wasn't advertised and Burke replied that she was being hired with "private funds."
I was brought up in the Wesley Methodist Church in Springfield, a magnificent Queen Anne style Akron Methodist Church on State Street financed by Milton Bradley the lithographer, dealer in school supplies and manufacturer of children's games. Our minister always wore a Masonic button on his lapel and each year we had a Masonic Sunday at which all the Masons wore their aprons and sat together and the sermon had a Masonic theme. My father worked for the Masonic-founded Monarch Life Insurance Company.
We had a distinguished, polished African-American City Councilor Paul Mason and I proposed we get his son to join. "Would you want your sister to dance with one?" snarled our advisor who was in the roofing business. I have always regretted that I didn't have the wits to say "I dance with them all the time and sometimes I even sleep with them," but I was young.
After I went away to college increasing numbers of black people started attending Wesley and the white people deserted. Then a fire broke out in the organ and smoked the place up, and the new congregation opted to build an ugly modernistic building to replace it. I took over 150 photos of the demolition of Wesley Church and of the darkened inside. I was even there when an immense tractor trailer backed in and loaded on the ornamental glass windows and golden oak pews to be carried away, they said, to Seattle for installation in a pizza parlor.
I am a gypsy scholar and everything I do is unconventional.
The seven deadly sins are Pride, Ire, Avarice, Gluttony, Sloth and Lechery. I may not be as bad as some people think I am, but then again I may be worse.
I call myself a conservative but most people think of me as a radical. The Free Speech Movement at Berkeley was not a call for radical restructuring but for the implementation of our nation's founding principles, so the Free Speech people were strict constructionists promoting Jeffersonian democracy.
I am considering putting money in a Testamentary Residuary Fund which would be directed by my will to be used for flowers at the Hillcrest Cemetery Mauseleum where I will be interred and for an annual block party at the Blanche and John's Fernbank I am donating to Wilbraham.
Mary Alice Stusick erected a short, squatty Polish obelisk out in Indian Orchard in honor of her father the beloved physician. She died of cancer a year ago and I bought the Stusick family memorabilia and published postcards in their memory. Mark Mason of Cooley, Shrair, P.C. in Springfield has been elected Vice-president of the Massachusetts Bar Association. Bob Collamore, son of Leonard, is running for State Representative again.
The Route Nine Collective at 68 Russell Street, Hadley is seeking housemates. They describe themselves as "community and coalition builders, educators, organizers, housing rights advocates, farmers, health care workers, students, musicians, dissenters, artists, culinary experimenters, amateur accordion players and whistlers." $500 per month.
Attendance at the Quadrangle museums is up 16%. The new $1.9 million mausoleum at St. Michael's Cemetery will be officially open this week. Amherst punk band Ampere Wasteland is playing the Flywheel in Easthampton.
Went to Amherst where the parking lot at Atkin's Farm was filled, with many also parking in the road on both sides. Saw signs for Jeanne Traester for State Rep. along the way. I got a parking spot by the town common and gathered about 25 posters in downtown Amherst. The Amherst Art Show was in progress with People's Bank blue canopies over each booth, but I didn't mess with the artists. I drove up to the University but the parking at Haigis Mall was all full so I went to South Hadley and bought a few things at Odyssey Bookshop, then headed home.
Mayor Ryan is insisting that Peter L. Picknelly pay the $700,000 interest on back taxes owed on the Court Square building on Elm Street he purchased in 2000 to turn into a hotel. Picknelly says he does not intend to move forward on the project unless the debt is forgiven.
Caffeine's downtown is being sold, according to lawyer Frank A. Caruso. Special tax breaks for politically connected businesses granted by Albano era hacks Matthew E. Donnellan and Donna Williams may have been illegal. Selective tax breaks are fraught with potential for abuse, and among the recipients were James M. Santaniello of the Mardi Gras and Felix Tranghese of Mulino's Restaurant.
Ten people have been indicted for land-flipping real estate scams including Albert V. Innarelli of Agawam, Michael Bergdoll of Wilbraham, and Pasquale A. Romeo of Springfield. Real estate brokers bought cheap and sold high, often on the same day. Victims were often people in the poorest neighborhoods.
66 degrees, deeply overcast in the morning, then rained all day. Gas is 1.91 at Pride.
On September 27, 1983, WNEC President Beverly Miller sent me a notice excluding me from any further presence on campus. I am well aware of how fragile my diaries are.
The first Tonight Show host was Steve Allen, then Jack Parr, then Johnny Carson and presently Jay Leno. WFSB has just broken ground in downtown Hartford for a new broadcast tower which is slated to be completed by their 50th anniversary in 2007. Immaculate Conception Church in Holyoke needs $3 million in repairs.
Called the Mayor's Office and got his aide Claudio and told him to congratulate Ryan for me for standing up to Peter Picknelly and urged him to protest the sweetheart job for Beth Ward. Also called the School Department and complained to Tina about the Ward deal. Restaurant owner John Bonavita was on TV22 speaking in favor of the city helping Picknelly out on his Court Square building taxes. Picknelly himself came on saying that what Ryan is doing is "just unfair" and that he is "deeply hurt." Downtown is largely dead, the entertainment district is sleazy, bottom line: The Court Square building tax break was a sweetheart deal handed to Picknelly by Albano.
At Commerce teachers Tsai and Rice are looking into how student activity funds are being spent. Eamon has been playing "Bring in the Clowns" as the intro to the political message on his answering machine. Eamon told me that he told Jim Landers four years ago that he bet Bishop Dupre was involved in the church sex scandal and now he has been indicted, although District Attorney Bennett says he can't try the case because the statute of limitations has run out. Eamon described Bennett as being "AWOL on political corruption and white collar crime."
Eamon said that Tommy O'Connor spent $75,000 to get elected mayor. Paul Caron spent $150,000 in his mayoral bid, which is about average. But Mike Albano claims he spent $600,000 to defeat Caron, a suspiciously high figure. Eamon wonders whether Albano was using his campaign to launder dirty money. He bases that speculation on a conversation he had with Ed Murphy, brother of CPA Dan Murphy. Eamon stopped by Russell's on Boston Road and the lady who runs it told him that "business is awful."
63 degrees, raining this morning. Boy, did September fly by!
Jim Lehrer was the moderator of the Presidential Debate last night. Kerry did good and Bush didn't make an ass of himself so the media is saying it was a tie.
I bought a can of Libby's Luncheon Meat and the can was terribly hard to open. I like the product itself although it is rather fatty. I always scrape some of the fat off before eating. The product is okay but the cans are a problem.
Christine Robinson of South Hadley is the Happy Face Painter for children's parties. Suzanne Strempek Shea will be speaking at the Westfield Athenaeum about her book Shelf Life. Women in Black is a group of women who gather in downtown Amherst every Friday all dressed in black and carrying anti-war signs.
Big Y now urges you to enroll in their supplies for schools program. You accumulate points by saving the register tapes and the school of your choice gets supplies from Big Y. What are the tax consequences of this? Do I get to deduct the value of the gift or does Big Y? I have not enrolled.
Hampden County has the highest percentage of Hispanics in Massachusetts, even more than Boston. The Springfield Newspapers have a daily circulation of around 95,000 and 140,000 on Sundays.
Mory's Pub over in the 1060 Wilbraham Road strip mall is all boarded up with an eviction notice dated September 2nd. All that's left is the barber shop, the salon Beauty and the Beach and the Greek restaurant Mylanos III. Frank's Nurseries are liquidating. I liked the one they had on Boston Road where the Salvation Army is now.
Drove through St. Michael's Cemetery past the mausoleum dedication. There were maybe 50 cars parked around but the ceremony was inside. I didn't go in. I stopped at Harris Plaza and got donuts at Freihofer's.
Mayor Ryan has announced that Blue Cross is costing the city too much money and are switching to Cigna. I smell a connection to Mass Mutual. James Santaniello of Longmeadow, owner of the Mardi Gras strip club in Springfield, has paid $402,910 in back taxes never collected by Albano.
The new courthouse in Springfield is supposedly needed because a study conducted after the Oklahoma City bombing determined that the Springfield courthouse is vulnerable to attack. But I find it interesting that a name was never put on the current Springfield courthouse. Could it be that they built the current one so that Congressman Boland and friends could make some money short term with a view to another courthouse in the near future?
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