Kathleen O’Connor Ives Running for State Senate

Kathleen O'Connor Ives for State Senate

On September 4, 2007, I met then candidate for Newburyport City Council at Large, Kathleen O’Connor Ives (Katy).

I found Katy to be delightful, smart, gutsy and energetic, someone who could be a real asset to Newburyport. But being a newcomer to Newburyport, I really and truly did not think she had a prayer in the upcoming elections.

It’s pretty gutsy to come into town and decide to get that involved in your new place of residence–to run for Newburyport City Councilor at Large.

And that she most probably didn’t stand a chance, but was running anyway, and against some pretty steep competition–a very accomplished incumbent and two former mayors no less.

That said a whole lot about Katy Ives.

And as I walked and talked around Newburyport, what I found was that everyone, once they had met Kathleen O’Connor Ives, wanted to see her on the Newburyport City Council (really, I’m not kidding).

And that’s no small accomplishment.

At first it was the more progressive folks and centrist folks that seemed to take a shine to Ms. Ives.

However, when I started to talk to more conservative folks, they had the same reaction. They liked her too.

And somehow Katy was overcoming the old Yankee suspicion about anyone “new,” combined with the old Yankee attitude of “you pay your dues.”

And Katy proved me wrong. She won. And Kathleen O’Connor Ives has turned out to be the Newburyport Councilor at Large everyone hoped she would be, winning two more terms handily for Newburyport City Councilor at Large.

Sound familiar.

Yup, Kathleen O’Connor Ives is now running for Massachusetts State Senate for the First Essex District. And as one of her supporters said, “In an old boy, old boy world, Katy may not be the most connected candidate, but she’s the smartest.”

And do not count Kathleen O’Connor Ives out in this election for Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday, September 6th. Once her voting constituency meets Katy Ives, they will have the same reaction that the people of Newburyport did in 2007, 2009 and 20011. And they will know she would be terrific as their state senator, and they will vote for Kathleen O’Connor Ives on Thursday, September 6, 2012.

Kathleen O'Connor Ives for State Senate

Katy’s website can be found here.

Katy’s Facebook page can be found here.

The Story of Lucky and What in the World is George Thinking?

George

In the previous post George got very upset with me for giving out a recipe to the readers of The Newburyport Blog about a gluten free, yummy coating for fish. George is upset because one of his “pals” who he would like to consider recommending as a political consultant to The Newburyport Blog is a catfish, and George did not like the idea that readers of the Newburyport Blog would be encouraged to eat his relatives (as distant as they might be).

I have never told George that the catfish in question, Lucky, is by no means alone. Frogs’ legs are considered a great epicurean delicacy, and the editor of The Newburyport Blog, moi, happens to love them. We will keep this one a secret, do NOT tell George, whatever you do!!

And I am only considering George’s request about Lucky becoming yet another political consultant to The Newburyport Blog because of his most unusual bio.

Lucky

Lucky is now 15 years old, and this is how he came by his name.

Lucky was a sole survivor of a batch, ie. school of fish, the rest of whom met an untimely demise. The owner was vacuuming the bottom of Lucky’s and his and companions’ (I am assuming relatives) fish tank, when the bottle attached to whatever was helping to do this task, filled up too fast and after lifting the bottle up, the flow reversed, filling the fish tank with soap suds. Horror.

One catfish (Lucky) was saved and put into a salad bowl.

The cat in the dwelling got the catfish (Lucky) out of the bowl and onto the floor. Lucky was saved, whew, and put in a bowl in the toaster oven for safe keeping. The toaster oven was mistakenly turned on to preheat supper. Lucky, inside the toaster oven miraculously survived, and at that point, low these many 15 years ago, was christened by his now catfish name, “Lucky.” (True story, I kid you not).

And somehow Lucky found his way to The Newburyport Blog and he and George have become pals. Could a catfish become yet another political consultant to The Newburyport Blog? George happens to think so, but I’m still on the fence, or on the proverbial side of the fish tank.

(Photo of Lucky courtesy of the catfish’s owner, Newburyport City Councilor Bob Cronin.)

Gluten Free Breading for Fish – A Eureka Moment!

The Newburyport Blog gets a lot of visitors looking for “gluten free,” that Celiac whammy moment can be quite a shock. And looking for a substitute for breadcrumbs, quite a head-scratcher. Took me two and half years to come up with a substitute that is wicked yummy, so I pass it on to all those who are gluten free searching (and as a btw it rivals or maybe even better than those regular breadcrumbs for those un-gluten free folks).

The great big wonderful secret, Kellogg’s has come out with a gluten free version of Rice Krispies (one would think that Rice Krispies would have always been gluten free, but not so). Put a bunch of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies in a plastic bag and then pulverize them with a rolling pin until they are crumbs (does not take long).

Take your fish fillet, squeeze lemon juice on both sides, coat both sides with oil (olive oil or whatever oil you would like), sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese, and then coat with the Rice Krispie pulverized crumbs (almost dust).

Cook, saute in oil.

The thing is that this Rice Krispie mixture makes the fish fillets not only brown, and delicious, but gives the fish a crispiness, that I’ve been unable to duplicate until Kelloggs came out with this wonderful gluten free gem (also great for meatloaf and meatballs, as well as a coating for chicken. It’s a Yum!).

Any fish fillet will do, Talapia, Catfish, Flounder etc.

Now, George is VERY upset with me that I mentioned catfish, because Councilor Cronin has a catfish called Lucky who is a big fan of George’s, and George does not appreciate the fact that I am encouraging the readership of The Newburyport Blog to actually eat relatives (however distant) of Lucky’s.

And to make matters even weirder for George (and now for moi), George is thinking about making Lucky a political consultant to The Newburyport Blog. This is all thinking out loud on George’s part, but at some point he would very much like me to consider adding Lucky to the political roster. This may take some head scratching on my part, never mind Newburyport City Councilor Bob Cronin! Although, Lucky does have quite a story to tell.

(If you can’t find Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, Gluten Free Rice Chex will do, not as good, but Ok.)

Citizens for Historic Newburyport to Take Down “Yes! LHD” Signs

This is a press release from Citizens for Historic Newburyport

Citizens for Historic Newburyport (CHN) thank Mayor Donna Holaday for speaking in support of a Local Historic District (LHD) at last night’s public hearing, and take to heart her appeal for all lawn signs and banners to be removed as the proposal moves to the Newburyport City Council.

LHD Yes! signs were made available by CHN last March at the request of residents upset by the appearance of signs installed earlier by opponents of historic district protections. Within days of becoming available, more than 200 LHD YES! signs were displayed by residents throughout the city.

“We think we’ve made our point,” said Jared Eigerman on behalf of CHN. “Proponents of an LHD are steadfast in their support of sensible, mainstream legislation to protect Newburyport’s historic character. Our 11 City Councillors will now take up the issue, and people of all views can contact them directly and at hearings going forward. Lawn signs won’t aid those deliberations.”

CHN volunteers have already begun to remove LHD Yes! signs in a process which should be completed by the end of the weekend.

Newburyport’s Local Historic District (LHD) Public Hearing

Public Hearing on the Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District (LHD),

Thursday June 21, 2012, at 7PM

Newburyport High School Auditorium (not City Hall)

This is the legally required hearing, the one where people, for, against and I’m not sure, get to make a statement about the LHD proposal.

There have been lots of changes to Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District (LHD), and no it’s not “lipstick on a pig” the way some folks have described it.

The LHD Study Committee has listened to the community, and those who may be totally against anything, well, nothing would make them happy. But, those who would like to find a “common ground” and are willing to compromise, boy or boy, the LHD Study Committee has listened to you!

For more information see previous post here.

Newburyport Daily News article can be read here.

You can also go to the City’s website for detailed information and updates here.

(And this was not decided by the election on June 5, 2012, that was the school projects and the Senior Center, all 3 projects passed. The proposed LHD will be voted on by the Newburyport City Council. After the public hearing, there are several legal steps the proposal will go through before it gets to the Newburyport City Council, and then it will go into “Committee” for deliberation, and then finally come out of “Committee” for a vote. The proposed LHD ordinance needs at super majority vote, 8 out of the 11 Newburyport City Councilors to pass.)

Newburyport Rail Trail, Phase 2, Public Meeting and Maps

On Thursday June 28^th, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., there will be a public informational meeting in the Firehouse Center for the Arts theatre for Phase 2 of the Clipper City Rail Trail and Harborwalk project. This is the part of the Newburyport Rail Trail that will go through the South End of Newburyport.

Here are 3 maps courtesy of the Newburyport Planning Office.

Rail Trail map 1, press to enlarge

Rail Trail map 2, press to enlarge

Rail Trail map 3, press to enlarge

And for more information or questions Geordie Vining, in the Newburyport Planning Office, is the project manager for Phase 2 of Newburyport’s Rail Trail.

Katy Ives Running for State Senate

Our very own Katy Ives (Newburyport City Councilor) is running for Massachusetts State Senate (the First Essex District, Senator Steve Baddour’s old Senate seat), and she would be terrific!!

Kathleen O'Connor Ives for State Senate

Check out Katy’s campaign website!

Check out Katy’s Facebook page!

Check out Katy’s first campaign video on YouTube. You will see lots of Newburyport friends, conservative, progressive and in between, all explaining why she would be such a great State Senator!!

Public Hearing on Newburyport’s Proposed Local Historic District (LHD) and Updated Information.

There will be a Public Hearing (this is the legally required one) on the Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District (LHD),Thursday June 21, 2012, at 7PM at the Newburyport High School Auditorium (not City Hall).

Below is the summary of the LHD Ordinance and the LHD Ordinance updates (3rd draft, now officially called the “Preliminary Report”). Press images to enlarge.

LHD Ordinance Summary, page 1 (Press image to enlarge)

LHD Ordinance Summary, Page 1, Excluded Items and Reviewable Items (Press image to enlarge)

LHD Ordinance Summary, page 2 (Press image to enlarge)

LHD Ordinance Summary, Page 2, Additional Changes (Press image to enlarge)

The PDF version can be read here: 2012-public-hearing-lhd-ordinance-summary2

Or you can read the PDF version on the City of Newburyport’s website here.

Map of Newburyport's proposed Local Historic District (LHD), Press to enlarge

This is the map of the proposed Newburyport Local Historic District (Press to enlarge). It can also be seen on the City’s website here.

Complete information on the updates on Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District (LHD) can be read on the City’s website here.

The Newburyport School Vote and Senior Center Passes

The Newburyport school vote and the Senior Center Passes!!

Good go’n Newburyport!!

Below are the election results thanks to the Port Pride Facebook page!!

School vote and Senior Center passes (photo thanks to the Port Pride Facebook page)

Here is a breakdown of the voting totals, thanks to Newburyport City Councilor Ed Cameron.

Question 1, Building a new Bresnahan Model School building (Press to enlarge)

Question 1, (Press to enlarge)

Question 2, Renovating and upgrading the Nock/Molin Upper Elementary school (Press to enlarge)

Question 2 (Press to enlarge)

Question 3, Building a new Senior & Community Center (Press to enlarge)

Question 3 (Press to enlarge)

All three questions together (Press to enlarge)

Newburyport Election, June 5, 2012 (Press to enlarge)

Newburyport Postcards, Clam Diggers, Plum Island

Newburyport Postcard, Clam Diggers at Work

This is a Newburyport postcard that I had never seen, clam diggers at work in the Plum Island basin. (Press image to enlarge.)

Sticky, Gooey Political Taffy

Goo

Taffy, sticky, gooey taffy. That’s what the LHD (LHD = Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District) political brou-ha-ha has come down to. Just plain old weird, political stickiness.

No amount of calm recitation of the facts is going to do it.

In the comment section of today’s Newburyport Daily News, Jared Eigerman, a spokesperson for Citizens for Historic Newburyport attempted a “clarification:”

“Please let me clarify that the “YES” signs and postcards were paid for by members of our private group Citizens for Historic Newburyport (CHN). As I explained to your colleague ___ by email weeks ago, we do not have any government funding. My understanding is that the City’s LHD Study Committee has had public funding, none of which is shared with us.
Thanks.
– Jared Eigerman”

Is this calm recitation of the facts going to convince some folks on the “Say No to LHD” side? As they say in New Yawk, “Forget about it.”

No, at least from comments and email that I’ve received, the pro-LHD folks are supposedly on “the take,” and apparently that includes me. I’m not kidding. Basically insinuating fraudulent activity, i.e. taking the CPA money given to the city and siphoning it (I guess) for private LHD advocacy.

A new low in the LHD wars.

Good grief!

Newburyport Anti-LHD Propaganda

The anti-LHD folks, we will scare you with lies. (LHD = Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District) The impression that some of the anti-LHD folks would give you is that Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District is “Un-American.” Really, I’m not kidding here.

“Another layer of Socialist bureaucracy, by a board of permit Komaczars…unAmerican.” I personally have received the moniker of “Nazi,” “Communist,” “Controlling zealot.” And these folks aren’t just throwing words around because they’ve had a bad day, unfortunately, they actually mean it.

And they will not compromise, period. All on record.

So the anti-LHD poster below, over the top, unfortunately folks, no. This is what they would like you to think about any version of Newburyport’s proposed LHD.

Sheer propaganda.

What the anti-LHD folks would like you to think about Newburyport's proposed LHD

“Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda.”

And what we’re doing is talking about protecting Newburyport’s historic assets here. UnAmerican? Oy Vey.

The Anti-LHD Folks, We will Scare you with Lies

This next number in the Newburyport Local Historic District (LHD) musical, “LHD-Bombshell,” (working title, see earlier posts), I think I’m going to call, “We will scare you, no matter what it takes.”

The scene opens with a row of 5 doors, set diagonally across the side of the stage. The doors are all painted different colors. And then, I think there would be 5 women all dressed the same, with the same wig, a piece of paper in hand.

Lights go up on the 5 doors and the 5 women march as if they are going door to door, and they line up in front of the five doors and knock, maybe pound on the doors and then stand back.

And then in unison the 5 doors open.

The musical number begins. The five women launch into song, “We will scare you about LHD, no matter what it takes.”

The first one sings, “Your home insurance premiums will go through the roof with LHD.”

The second one sings, “A board of appointed experts (who don’t even live here) will control your life.”

The third one sings, “With LHD you will be lost in litigation.”

The fourth one sings, “You’ll never be able to do anything ever to your house.”

The fifth one sings, “The LHD gestapo will make you pay fines, fines, fines.”

Mark Twain

And on the other side of the stage, historic preservationists, sitting on the edge of the stage, others standing behind them sing, “It’s not true, it’s a lie, don’t believe them, don’t believe them, they are lying.”

And, I debated how to do this again, but I think I’m going with Mark Twain one more time, even though the quote is not attributed to him. Everyone stops singing, lights go dim, the Mark Twain character walks on stage, center stage, spotlight on him, turns to the audience and says, not sings, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth” (the old proof by repeated assertion technique).

The stage goes dark.

And yes, the lies, misinformation, omission of the facts about Newburyport’s proposed Local Historic District (LHD) is off the charts, and “proof by repeated assertion,” what a way to lose Newburyport’s historic assets. Oy Vey.

Proof by assertion: “Proof by assertion, sometimes informally referred to as proof by repeated assertion, is a logical fallacy (a statement or an argument based on a false or invalid inference) in which a proposition is repeatedly restated regardless of contradiction. Sometimes this may be repeated until challenges dry up, at which point it is asserted as fact due to its not being contradicted (argumentum ad nauseam).”

You can read the entire explanation of what “proof by repeated assertion” is here.

The Newburyport Local Historic District (LHD) Musical, the Conspiracy Number

I’m thinking about a second number for Newburyport’s Local Historic District (LHD) musical, “LHD-Bombshell” (working title, see previous posts).

As I’ve said in earlier posts we have the John Birch Society mixed in with this wild LHD concoction. Again, you can’t make this stuff up. So they’re not going to make an appearance in the musical? Forget it. This is way too yummy.

So this is what I’m thinking, we have a guy decked out in a suit, gray hair slicked back, emerging center stage, the lights go dim to bright on him and he bursts out with the new musical number, “It’s a conspiracy.” The lyrics go something like, “It’s a conspiracy, the LHD is a UN conspiracy. Historic preservation destroys the masses.”

And then we have the lady who’s on tape (see earlier post) who accused the Mayor of Newburyport and the LHD Study Committee of conspiracy (and if she was willing to say this on tape, she must believe it, right?) and we have her character emerge from behind the John Birch character, and burst into song with, “Yes, it’s a conspiracy, the LHD will ruin your life!”

And when I felt this whole weird LHD mess was because of the John Birch Society, and some of our more right wing conspiracy minded Republican friends, I thought to myself, “That’s unrealistic Mary, the Republicans in Newburyport are out numbered by the Democrats.” (Although there are Republicans that support Newburyport’s LHD, this is not just a Democrat liberal agenda thing by any means–it’s most definitely non-partisan.)

So we got to have the townies in this number.

In the musical “The Producers” where they have the musical number with the little old ladies and the walkers and everyone gasps at first. Well, I think I’m going to borrow from that one. The townies, like it or not, are a dying breed here in Newburyport, forced out by gentrification and higher taxes, and they are pissed.

So I’m thinking we have one townie with a walker, and maybe 7 or 8 eventually emerge, and they burst out into song, “They (the Birchers) are so good at this, shall we let them just have their way.” The lyrics go something like, “They’ll get rid of these elitist blow-in carpetbaggers, the ridiculous architectural gestapo, taste-police!” You get the idea.

Will the curtain go up on the musical "LHD-Bombshell" (working title).

And then at the end, the LHD Study Committee shuffles in as a group; they do a huddle, and then turn around and look at the Birchers and the townies in the walkers, and kneel down and huddle again. They are now center stage with the Birchers and the townies singing wildly on either side (clearly this is another ensemble number).

And then the singing stops, the lights are just on the LHD Study Committee huddle, and then one member stands up, dressed in a suit, looking dapper, spotlight just on him.

It goes something like this. The LHD Study Committee character, living here in Newburyport let’s say for well over 40 years (still considered a carpetbagger), “My…(pause)… We are in a shit storm… (pause) And we are surrounded by crazy people.”

Lights out. The conspiracy musical number, “LHD-Bomshell” (working title).

Newburyport’s Local Historic District (LHD) as a Musical

I’m liking this whole Newburyport Local Historic District (LHD) mess as a musical (see previous post).

It could open with a Tom Salemi, one of Newburyport’s esteemed bloggers, character singing a solo, “Keep it Classy” (based on Tom’s great essay, “Take the Bagels, Leave the Petition,”on Newburyport’s LHD in Newburyport Today).

The stage is dark except for Tom’s character, and then in the background, lights come up come slowly, we have two ladies in front of an establishment handing out fliers. Their musical number is called “Fines, Fines, the LHD will Bankrupt You.”

And huddled at the front of the stage are preservationists (Newburyport preservationists tend in general to be meek and mild, “fierce” is not an adjective I would give to most Newburyport preservationist. “Fierce” goes good with some of the the anti-LHD folks, but not most preservationists, so that’s why they are huddling). Lights come up slowly on them, and their musical number is, “It’s not True, It’s not True, It’s a Lie.” (Clearly this will be an ensemble piece.)

So Tom’s character is singing “Keep it Classy,” while the two anti LHD women are singing “The LHD will Bankrupt You”, and the Newburyport preservationist are singing “It’s not True, It’s a Lie.” And then everyone freezes, you know the way they do on stage.

Mark Twain

And what I’m picturing here is having someone dressed as Mark Twain, maybe with a sign hanging across their chest so the audience will get it, walks on stage, spot light on him, everyone else is dimmed out. Doesn’t sing, just looks at the audience and says, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”

The Mark Twain character walks off, and the Tom Salemi character sings one last line of “Keep it Classy?” with a question mark in his voice, and then the lights fade out on all the characters. (Irony here, how elitist!!)

First possible scene of the new possible Broadway hit, “LHD-Bombshell,” (still a working title-the “Smash” thing again, see previous post).

Newburyport Local Historic District (LHD) Theater

My lovely young theater friends in NYC hate the TV program “Smash.” (I am secretly addicted to “Smash,” don’t tell them-truly they will be offended!!)

I suppose for them it’s a little like me watching Bravo’s “Next Great Artist,” The TV show reminds me of an advanced art class in college (not even grad school). But, whatever quality the art may be, or how “unrealistic” the “reality” process may be, the press and the buzz probably helps whoever like crazy in their career, that’s just the nature of the biz, at least in my world.

So my NYC theater friends may be addicted to Bravo’s art stuff, who knows.

But thinking about “Smash,” I kept wondering, too bad someone couldn’t do something with all this Newburyport Local Historic District (LHD) drama. Historic preservation may be boring (this is certainly the first time in the 31 years I’ve been here that it’s gotten this much attention!!), but my, we’ve got a lot of great characters, on both sides, and mucho drama. A LHD sensation!!

On the pro side we have Jerry Mullins who has outed himself recently as the P.Preservationist. Jerry is dedicated. All that dedication makes some people just uncomfortable, positively squirm. But through all of this LHD stuff, one of the great gifts is that I’ve gotten to know Jerry Mullins, and he’s my new bff.

On the anti side, we’ve got great characters. We got one of the leaders, on tape, accusing the mayor and the Local Historic Study Committee of secretly meeting, and implying that they are engaged in illegal acts. You can’t make this stuff up. What a TV writer wouldn’t give for this!

We’ve got the John Birch Society messed up in this LHD stuff. If you were a fiction writer, no one would believe you. It’s yummy.

We’ve got a colorful Bossy Gillis character from Plum Island, telling people, on tape again, that LHD (like it’s some sort of terrible medical disease) will control you. The LHD has nothing to do with Plum Island. It’s not on Plum Island. Bossy Gillis is alive and well. How cool is this? Wowza!!

And then you have the somewhat deer stuck in the headlights Local Historic District Committee caught in the shit storm. It’s almost like you can hear them saying, “Say what??” (We’ve got a chorus number here in the making.)

And a newspaper person declaring really, really early on that the LHD is already lost in a messy defeat .. Honey, this is at least a 4 part play. A little speedy on the getting to the conclusion thing, don’t you think??

Marilyn Monroe

It’s a musical in the making. We could make preservation history in Newburyport. Can we ramp it up a little more? Let’s really go at this full throttle. Let’s make history, let’s make this whole LHD mess worthy of a TV sitcom. I’ll take Broadway. Or it could be a TV drama (I’m not fussy here) about Newburyport’s LHD being a Broadway musical-just like “Smash,” only it’s about historic preservation not Marilyn Monroe. TV and Broadway. Is that fun or what? (And I bet my lovely young NYC theater friends would watch it!) Think casting, Newburyport Blog readers, think casting. (I’m sure everyone’s brains, for or against, are turning on the casting thing… now, don’t be mean.)

They did it

Green Theatre Collective at Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island, NY, Season 2011, As You LIke It (press image to enlarge).

Green Theatre Collective at Sylvester Manor, Shelter Island, NY, As You LIke It (press image to enlarge).

They did it. Green Theatre Collective (GTC) raised $10,000 in 4 weeks. Oh me of little faith. And that means that this eco-theater company with its roots (pun intended) in Newburyport, can gather the just plain old lovely young men and women who made up the company last year, and go for it again this year, this time with Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Tempest.

And GTC had its maiden voyage right here in Newburyport, Massachusetts, sponsored by Theater in the Open, in a gorgeous setting for Shakespeare’s As You Like It at Maudslay State Park last summer. With a big thank you for a plug by Tom Salemi at Newburyport Posts and JC Lockwood at Newbuyrport Arts, along with the Newburyport Daily News and the Newburyport Current.

Ok, its personal. The GTC founder and Executive Producer is my son, who got his education right here in Newburyport, Massachusetts (yes, we do have great schools that are most worthy of our support). And the first performance was dedicated to most beloved Newburyport High School theater teacher, Suzanne Bryan and all Newburyport educators (those graduates do appreciate you folks!).

Am I proud and excited for this young eco-theater company. You betcha!

Green Theatre Collective at Maudslay State Park, Newburyport, MA, Season 2011 (press image to enlarge).

Green Theatre Collective at Maudslay State Park, Newburyport, MA, As You Like It (press image to enlarge).

Tom Salemi’s Latest Posts

I like the last two posts over at Tom Salemi’s Newburyport Posts.

The first one “Give it Time,” on Jared Eigerman’s immensely sane Letter to the Editor in the Newburyport Daily News.

“Our hope is that the councilors can cut through the noise and emotion and debate the pros and cons of the LHD concept rationally.”

And Tom’s second one today, “Wasn’t them” the decisive response in today’s Newburyport Daily News to what Tom labels “one of the oddest letters of the LHD debate,” which, as he points out, got 10 comments, and Tom wonders:

“Ah, the end of Anontyranny. Anonymousity?

Still working on it….”

Fear and Newburyport’s Local Historic District (LHD)

I walk down the street and I see her sweeping in front of her Newburyport home. I call her name, but not until I call out, “Hey beautiful, what you do’n,” does my friend turn her head. She’s one of the first people I ever knew when I moved here 31 years ago.

My neighbor, way back then, was a crusty old guy, and my friend was the sister of his very longtime girl friend, Ollie.

“What’s go’n on Mary?”

“I don’t know, what’s go’n on?”

My friend shrugs.

Me, “The LHD.”

“You for it or against it?”

“Advocating for it.”

“That’s the one where they want to tell you what to do with your home.”

Not the first time I’ve heard this by a long shot. “It’s mainly to prevent people from tearing down old homes.”

“That’s not such a bad thing, is it.”

“Nope,” I say “And no one’s going to come into anyone’s home. And no one is going to tell anyone what color they can paint their house.”

A little tension goes out of my friend’s shoulders, and we change the subject.

She tells me she turned 87, and we reminisce about her sister and my crusty old neighbor Jim.

Tomato Plant

Jim and Ollie used to have a huge garden (a real old time neighborhood garden) up on Johnson Street, on the land on the left as you’re walking down the hill towards the Nock Middle School. All built up now. I always wish that I had painted the portrait, or at least taken pictures to paint a portrait one day, of Ollie and Jim, sitting on the side of his old beat up dark green van, the side where the door slid open, in the middle of the huge vegetable field. They were a great, almost iconic Newburyport pair.

Cutworm damage

So Jim knew a lot about gardening, and laughed and laughed at me when my little tomato plants in my tiny Newburyport backyard were felled by cutworms. (I’m from New York City, who knew from cut worms?).

And Jim came over and told me how to put a ring of paper around the stems of my little tomato plants, and push the the ring of paper down into the earth so the little critters couldn’t snip and destroy.

Jim's cutworm prevention recipe

And Jim was as delighted as I was with my eventual tomato triumph.

“He used to laugh and laugh at you.”

“He sure did.”

“I don’t ever look at a tomato plant without thinking of you and Jim.”

We talked about her children and her grandchildren and folks that are no longer around.

And as I turned to go on with my walk, I winked at her.

“You’d give anybody a lift, Mary.” And that made my day.

A Mallard Duck in my Backyard

A Mallard Duck in my backyard

A mallard duck in my backyard. Really! Who knew. It’s a first (there is no pond in my back yard).

And he was all by himself on this lovely wet spring day, a day that reminds me of the spring days that my father (an avid trout fisherman) would look at me and say, “Mary, I think the trouties are biting.”