Stories Of The Past Week

Parade crowds estimated at 300,000

Holyoke police charge 22-year-old city man with threatening two victims with a handgun during St. Patrick's Parade



Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade gave local businesses shot in arm

Floats help parade shine

Cries & Whispers - Key to successful parade day

Hampden District Attorney William Bennett asks judge to reconsider decision to exclude nearly $2 million worth of cocaine from Holyoke drug case - Refuses to reverse his decision

Superintendent search begins

Pioneer Valley Planning Commission studies expanded rail service for Western Mass

Holyoke police raid North East Street apartment, arrest 22-year-old woman on heroin charges

Schools study lunch program

Governor No Longer Pledges To Remove W.Mass. Tolls

HG&E buys part of Mt. Tom

Unemployment rate averages 9 percent in Springfield, surrounding communities

Blue Sox 'pitch' community night fundraisers for local organizations

Dean Voke to host 13th annual Spring Gardening Symposium

Renovations continue on new low income housing

Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan plans to trim city's workforce by 20, without layoffs

Emissions cut planned at Mount Tom Station coal-burning power plant in Holyoke

Holyoke Girls Forced Out of Their League

Mike Burke: Holyoke boxing fete rekindles memories

Holyoke teenager publishes first novel

St. Paul's Nursery School in Holyoke celebrating 50th anniversary

More than 225 students from the Community Music School in Springfield will play for patrons of Barnes & Noble in Holyoke the weekend of April 4 to raise money for scholarships

Latino Chamber of Commerce expands

In Holyoke, walk along with dinosaurs

Holyoke election sparks races for clerk, treasurer for first time in more than 30 years

Edgar Delvalle of Holyoke charged with kidnapping Springfield girl walking to school

More than 1,000 residents line up for Western Mass. fair in hopes of landing new job

Man Arrested for Trafficking Cocaine While Out on Bail for Trafficking Cocaine

Two Mass. Men Face Crack Cocaine Charges

Sisters of St. Joseph mark 125 years of service to Western Mass.

Teenagers map future Holyoke

Holyoke - 1,000 places to define 'great' - Video

High St. Feb. 1959

Where Did The Week Go?

I apologize for the blogging down time. Spring has just begun, and already I'm so busy that I've neglected my little blog. I can barely remember the past week. Where did it go?

I remember something about Tuesday. It was late afternoon, and Don Sanders with the MIFA crew are waiting at Brennan's, and calling to say they arrived early. That didn't quite work for me since I had already planned to pick up my Nephew for a Tuesday evening away from his single father, and I just heard this meeting was taking place. So I retrieved the kid and brought him with me to Brennan's. The kid inhaled a Lucky Burger in true teenage fashion while I talked over MIFA's is quiet accomplishments. Their finances seem to be improving, and the Victory theatre is making progress too, but nothing in stone yet. I will be sure to post good news as soon as it's official.

On Wednesday I walked up to Open Square for a late afternoon meeting of the Community Conversation group. Afterwards I met with Jeff Byrnes to see a print he is donating to Wistariahurst for the silent auction during their 50th Gala.

Tuesday I ran around town on minor errands, and went to the Library for a presentation on the history of the Holyoke Street Railway. We Holyokers are such a romantic bunch. Many people asked questions about the possibility of reviving street cars in Holyoke.



After the Street Railway presentation there was a Crush Party at the Bungalow featuring small business support in Holyoke.



On Friday I totally missed the Open Mike Night at Paper City Studios due to a business meeting that ran late into the night. Around midnight, as I planned a trip to New Hampshire the next day, I started shaking my head while looking at all the things I would be missing on Saturday. There was a PodCamp at Open Square, Trash Bash at Pulaski Park, and Spring Stewardship (clean up) at the Dinosaur Footprints - all peaking my interest, but I had to go to NH to see my Dad.

Check out my Dad's old radios.



Sunday was a day to fix computers in Montague for good friends. They told a funny story of how a corespondent for the Montague Reporter came to their house to research a story, and didn't know how to spell 'Montague'. With the state of news reporting today I wasn't surprised.

I still don't know where my week went.

Stories Of The Past Week

Holyoke's top cop to push legislation

Charter study effort revived

Missing money probe continues in Holyoke

President's Gift Packaged in Holyoke

Holyoke Gas & Electric Eyes Mt. Tom for Renewable Energy

Health centers get aid for upgrades

Debts mount at authority in Holyoke

Greater Holyoke YMCA honors volunteers at annual dinner celebration

Teen parents from Western Mass. lobby for funds

Salvation Army Distributes Food to Hundreds in Holyoke

Jobless rate rises to 7.8 percent in Massachusetts

Man not guilty of Holyoke double murder

Patrick Tarpy tops field of 4,000 at Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race

Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race [video]

Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade

2009 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade [video]

Parade Day!

What a nice day for a parade. I had a great time hanging with family and friends. Did you have as much fun as I did?



Here's a few photos I took yesterday including two of the police taking away a guy who had a gun in his waistband.


.

Irish Cream

No one had foreseen the dramatic economic down turn when MIFA began planning the Irish Cream Contemporary Irish Dance last Summer. Performances like this are always planned many months in advance. Back then it seemed so easy to put on. A three part show co-sponsored by Culture Ireland, which cost only a few thousand dollars for MIFA, and it's donors to put on.

It was about this time last year when MIFA's donations began drying up, but from the myopic perspective of Holyoke it seemed like a local problem. One that would probably correct itself as the year progressed. Well that didn't happen, and by the end of the year it was clear that the economy was to blame. MIFA had been a 'canary in the coal mine' so to speak. It saw the very early indications that something was wrong with the economy.



The first of the three performances is called Match, a dance of contest between two men where a victor emerges stronger, and survives.

Despite the bad year MIFA soldiered on. By January 1st it was scheduled to collect new grants that would put it back on the track, and help launch the upcoming season. However the Jan 1st date came and went. No major donations appeared, and as the new year progressed the economy continued to slide. Grantors were watching their endowment principles loose huge amounts on the the stock market. Grants to MIFA were not canceled, they were simply impossible to pay. Stocks that payed good dividends a year earlier were paying little to nothing in the new year, and even worse the value of those stocks fell dramatically making re-investment difficult.



The second performance is called Shared Material on Dying. Three women, dimly lit, dance silently in a drama of movement.

The beginning of the new year also saw Broadway shut down more shows than ever in it's history, but as Winter was winding down new shows started opening up. It looked like the shock of the bad economy was over, and people were prepared to go out and enjoy themselves again. With the March 20th date for Irish Cream rapidly approaching Don Sanders, and the MIFA staff went into high gear. They solicited small donations from local sources, sold ads in the show's program, and found creative ways to get free labor. Turns out the Sheriff department has plenty of able bodies (convicts) sitting around with nothing to do. Money trickled in, and show began to take shape.



The third performance is called Hang in There. It Aped the peace process in the North of Ireland in a funny, and thought provoking style.

By show day the dancers had arrived, the lighting was setup, and the chairs were in place. As show time approached MIFA volunteers came in to help in anyway they could. I myself was suppose to help, but found all positions fully staffed as I got back to the War Memorial building after eating a late lunch.

I really have to hand it to the staff at MIFA, and Congratulate them for going ahead, and putting on the Irish Cream show in the current economic climate. The show was great, and everyone enjoyed meeting the performers afterwards.

Stories Of The Past Week

State trooper, prosecution witness, give conflicting testimony in double murder trial of Julio Garcia of Holyoke

Holyoke forms new group to raise money to build a new senior citizens' center

Lisa Lavoie Case Draws Widespread Media Attention

Director says Holyoke Geriatric Authority plans to remain open

Urban renewal plan proposed in Holyoke

Holyoke eyes razing needs

Holyoke man arraigned in tanker crash

HCC Foundation helps students attend Holyoke Community College

Holyoke High students to perform '42nd Street'

Holyoke police arrest 17-year-old after downtown car chase

Councilor plans to run for mayor of Holyoke

Holyoke captures state hockey title

Action urged on Holyoke's teen birth rate

Lowe's project still on track in Holyoke

Warming Hearts helps Holyoke family

Holyoke missing tax fund case still open

Police search for weapons after chase

"The Cameraman"

I had a great time viewing "The Cameraman" last night at the United Congregational Church. This was the second silent film event I attended at UCC having seen "La Terre" last Fall.



The film, starring and direct by Buster Keaton, moved at the pace of life in 1928 New York. It was not as primitive as you would think for a silent, black and white production. It was funny, fast moving, with a completely understandable story line. Keaton was an amazing actor, the equivalent of Jackie Chan today. Most people would get seriously hurt if they attempted his stunts.



Turnout was good at around 300 people. This is the vast main sanctuary of the church, and with the E. M. Skinner Organ piping music at both ends of the room, the movie was hardly silent. Again Peter Krasinski played it masterfully.



After the movie I spoke with Peter, and a few of the people who put the show together. An interesting fact about the organ, it was rewired a few years ago using a system very similar to the DCC system I described here. In essence the organ keys now operate a digital interface. So it works 99% of the time instead of needing work 99% of the time.
Correction - read comments below.

The next cool thing happening in Holyoke is the triple billed - Irish Contemporary Dance called 'Irish Cream'. It'll be performed at the War Memorial on Mar 20th, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Admission $18-. This isn't river dance. It's throughly modern, and straight from Dublin.

Mt. Park site 2000 - 2009

Stories Of The Past Week

Anti-Coal Protest At The Mt. Tom Power Plant

Mass. transportation secretary tries to sell Western Mass. residents on proposed 19-cent per gallon tax hike

Massachusetts Treasurer Timothy Cahill tells legislators to approve three casinos with only slot machines

Trial begins for Julio Garcia, formerly of Holyoke, accused of shooting 2 cousins to death

Homeless families placed in apartments, hotels in wake of state's closure of 3 shelters in Springfield and Holyoke

Ex-shelter families get apartments

Transfer station appeal planned

Health centers hope for stimulus money

Senators Stephen Buoniconti, Michael Knapik endorse bill designed to boost economic development in cities like Springfield, Holyoke

Lawmakers hear of heavy cuts to health, human services

The Cottage in Holyoke offers gifts in welcoming surroundings

Gas Tax Debate Continues as Gov. Patrick Travels to Western Mass.

Prosecutor says Holyoke teacher took boy to four states

Mt.Tom Ski Area Fire

No charges for teens in Mt. Tom fire

Holyoke preps to go green on March 22nd

Circuit City closes doors

Holyoke schools balance budget

Western Mass. community colleges booming

Building - Take Down

The Holyoke Public Safety Committee held a meeting last night including the Building Demolition permitting group. Almost every city councilor was in attendance, as well as dozen members of the public.

The Permitting Group seemed to know very well what people wanted to know beforehand. Why was $400K being spent to take down a building on Maple Street, and why wasn't the building owner being held responsible?

The Group went around one by one describing what they did, how the process worked - everything they go through with vacant, run down, and abandoned buildings in Holyoke. They eluded to the long story behind the Maple Street building, and several other buildings that have degraded over the years.



One problem they listed was the fact that people flipped properties when the city began catching up with them causing the city to start the process all over again. Another thing that happens is deeds don't get registered after cash transactions, so the city wastes time going after the wrong person. One thing I found annoying is that the City has outstanding warrants for property owners who failed to respond, but the city can't touch these people because they live out of state. The city had gone so far as to call the governor's office to try and get the State Police to cross state lines in pursuit of one property owner with an arrest warrant. The city knew exactly where the person lived, but couldn't touch him unless he entered Mass. The State has no laws allowing for such a pursuit, and seemingly no intentions of creating them.



An encouraging thing mentioned during the meeting was the State's receivership program in which a neighborhood building owner, in good standing, could take over abandon properties, run them, and eventually own them. The decision of who gets these properties is up to the judge, and he chooses from a list of people already signed up. It works best with properties that still have some income coming in. The problem with much of Holyoke's abandoned properties is that they are not financially viable any longer. Even if they look good on the outside the amount of money it would take to bring them back is more than they would ever be worth.

Another positive note was the new Holyoke Redevelopment Authority. It does have the power to deal with these properties in a strong way, but hasn't gotten off the ground yet.

In the video Chief LaFond talks about the X signs the Fire department puts on buildings.



Overall I wasn't happy with the information offered up. Even thought the Group portrayed their work as exhaustive, it seemed rather weak in comparison to what other cities do. Please don't get me wrong, theses are good people - working hard on this issue, but I can't help think that with some new codes, or different way of looking at things, they could be working smarter. This is something the next Mayor will probably have to deal with.

No public questions were allowed during the meeting, and it lasted little more than an hour and a half.

Stories Of The Past Week

Holyoke grants tax credits to seniors who volunteer for city

Citizens protest Geriatric Authority closure at Patrick's office - Future remains in limbo

Holyoke picks Grand Colleen

Holyoke picks School Committee member

Schools consensus claimed

Teacher allegedly runs off with student - found in West Virginia - behind bars on statutory rape charges - 8th-grader returned to Bay State - to attend school in another district

Mill Power - Conversion Projects Are Just Part of a Resurgence for the Paper City

Federal stimulus funds to help Mass. combat homelessness

Holyoke advances to D-IIIA semifinals

Holyoke case said 'resolved'

Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick comes to Whately to help scientists study family of bears <- Read comments at bottom

WMass asked to pay for sins of the East

Final Friday Followup

Here at Rambling VanDog we appreciate the ramblings of a mad man as Max calls it. This was the second Final Friday, Open Performance Salon, I attended at Gonzo Comix, and even though the weather dampened the crowd, it didn't dampen the fun.



Andy Laties performed Kurt Schwitters Ursonate. A Dada performance with it's roots in pre-WW2 Europe.



Rebecca Midgal presented an outline of a work she is constructing based on the painting in the background.

I even got to show a few of my photos, and might show some more next time.



These Open Performance Salons will continue on the Final Friday's of every month with the next one scheduled for the 27th of March. They are welcoming artists, comics, cartoonists, poets, and burlesque acts. So all you wannabe garden musicians get out your hoses and come down to Race Street at the end of the month.
.