Update on mayor's parking spot

Sorry for being late getting back on this ...

It seems that the mayor has a dedicated parking spot behind City Hall, at the police station (as I believe a couple of people pointed out), so the wording about Green Street was removed from the ordinance.

Now if we can get the city to change the wording in the ordinance about regular people AND POSSIBLY business owners being responsible for clearing the sidewalks, we'd be all set. The city (sometimes, I guess) plows the sidewalks downtown and ... well, I wrote all about it for NBPT Biz so I won't re-hash the facts.

I'm not necessarily against the city doing this, and I have since heard that most landlords to a really good job at keeping the sidewalks clear - except for Water St. between Market Sq. and the laundromat (it's awful!) - but it is a law, with a fine of I think $50 for not following the law.

A great night

We had a great launch party for Newburyport Business earlier this evening. Thank you to everyone who braved the cold to come into the warmth at Comina and especially all our friends who came out to support us as well as the fellow business people who some of us only met tonight.

And a special big "thank you" to Comina for letting us use their space - and a beautiful setting it was, with all those comfy couches and chairs and the decorations - it was incredible.

My feet hurt but it was worth it.

The Thirsty Whale

One of the comments that my reader said was rejected was one on my post about the Whale.

I told him I was being flip - as I tend to be on here - and since it has been the topic of more than one conversation with other people, I think I should comment further.

It's difficult for me to comment in a lucid way, though, because I know people who hang around at - and really love - the joint so there's a certain element of the emotional that comes into play.

As I said to (City Councillor) Brian Derrivan, the Whale seems to be like Cheers (the one depicted on the sitcom - if they made a sitcom of the Whale, I could play a less svelte and well-dressed version of Rebecca), at least in the daytime. It's a place where people go to hang around, watch NASCAR (yuck) and other stuff - and converse somewhat coherently with their pals. The bartenders and the owners seem to know their (daytime) customers, and I don't think they really send people out the door drunk without being at least somewhat aware of whether the patron is driving themselves or not.

There are places like this all over the world, and I guess if you want to be philosophical about it, they are in a way a vital part of a community, as long as those in charge know where the inebriated are going and how they're getting there, after they walk out the door.

We at my digital paper over there gave the owners two opportunities to respond/comment on the WBZ report. I really think it would have been a much better story if they had not ducked the chances ... I mean, literally, I think one of them ducked out the back when Stewart appeared in the front. We intended to be fair. And I really, really wanted to be fair, which is why I asked Stewart to try to get a comment, in my stead.

But wouldn't the essence of the place make a great Biz Profile? Do you think they'd go for it?

Newburyport Business update

We decided to change from changing the content weekly to updating whenever ... well, as we get stories done, hopefully every day (because that's the way it's been going with all the breaking news).

Unfortunately today, everything got posted - even the thing that wasn't supposed to go live until tomorrow - but oh, well. I figure it was late enough in the day that people won't see it until tomorrow anyway.

Last week, as I know at least one of you (Mr. Salemi) noticed, there was a snafu and content didn't go up until late on Friday. So we got kind of sidetracked by an issue that was being sorted out ... well this is an end to that kind of thing.

Thank you to everyone who's been sending in news tips and ideas. Wow, we're never lacking for stories and most times when I go out for one thing, I find out about something else.

I really appreciate the support, and I hope you'll all come to our launch party. After that, we are really in overdrive.

And I may even have time to post more on here. Aside from direct entries, this is the #1 referral to our site. And thanks to the aforementioned Mr. Salemi, referrals from Newburyport Posts rank #2. Thanks, Tom!

I haven't slept a wink

I'm so tired I can hardly even walk without feeling as if I'm going to topple over.

That's all - except for I fixed the Parker Street parking story on NBPT Biz so now the beginning makes sense.

This isn't as easy as it looks ... but it's getting better.

Message from Newburyport Business

For my faithful readers who care to do so, please take note:

Join us for our launch party! Wednesday December 16th from 5:30-7:30pm at Comina, 55 Pleasant Street. Free drinks and snacks!

The Whale tanks

Well I suppose by now you've all heard the news about The Thirsty Whale. I'm on the case but wow, I did not know about it until one of my partners in NBPT Biz sent out an email after she saw it on the TV.

We (at NBPT Biz) have some thoughts on this, but since they are thoughts for over there, I won't go into them on here.

This kinda sucks, huh?

Did you know there's a blog on there, too? So now I have 3 email addresses, 2 blogs and ... and I miss not having a lot to do except fret about how little I have to do.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving - and don't forget your blessings (whoever you pray to). I am going to thank my lucky stars for all of you, even that anonymous poster who clearly thinks I'm a liberal lunatic.

Newburyport Business

We were so pleased last week to learn that a local social service agency plans to use our job listings section to match people who need a job with a job.

I don't know if you got the chance to read the piece in the Daily News, or my piece, about the new initiative ROOF Over Head, which is trying to help families who have become homeless because of the economy.

This is not a handout; it's transitional assistance and helping people to sustain themselves. The target is families with children.

And note that they define "homeless" as people who are living with friends or relatives.

The figures are alarming, considering how small an area we are talking about - Amesbury, Newburyport and Salisbury.

My partners and I hope that we can be of service, since that was our intent (although the phone call came as a very pleasant surprise).

We need more job postings. If you know anyone who needs help, or if you own a business and have any openings, please send them to info@newburyportbiz.com.

Pass it along ...

Thank you.

Blogging and stuff

I'm pondering whether I should suspend Port Reporter in favor of the Biz Blog over there on that site that actually generates money.

Then I think, "Noooo, I'd kinda like to keep this separate. You know, so I can criticize that site, when necessary."

Donna 'Holloday?' C'mon folks, let's get with it!

I'm not above trashing my own project.

So ... when things even out over there (meaning when we get someone else selling ads, soliciting job postings and writing some of the stories), I'll be be back here being on the tail of the old mayor, the new mayor and everyone else I happen to come across.

But yeah, if you are willing to write for us on barter for now, or sell ads (on commission, of course), let someone over there know by writing to info@newburyportbiz.com.

I become an entrepreneur

Newburyport Business went live yesterday. It's not all we want it to be - yet - so it's a work in progress.

This was our soft launch. We will have a hard launch in December, complete with celebration and fanfare.

I would like to thank my partners, Stewart Lytle and Melanie Wold, and our web designer Cindy Barnard, who not only gave us more than what we asked for but put up with three people simultaneously throwing input at her.

Suggestions/comments/story ideas are always appreciated. We're trying to fill a niche here, not supplant anyone else.

Introducing Newburyport Business

Two of my writing colleagues (Melanie Wold and Stewart Lytle) and I are launching the online paper Newburyport Business within the next two weeks. Here is our mission statement:

Newburyport Business is a weekly online, business-focused newspaper. Newburyport Business aims to be the go-to source for up-to-date news and information about businesses in the area. Newburyport Business publishes investigative news stories about local businesses, trends and issues. It also offers feature-length articles detailing local businesses, business people of interest and business trends. The articles, news stories and features will all be held to the highest journalistic standards. They will be neutral and balanced; all sides of any issue will be contacted for an opinion and, where possible, presented. Newburyport Business will not take sides in any conflict between businesses or townspeople. Newburyport Business contains a blog where the editors and guest bloggers can offer opinions on some of the issues in Newburyport that may affect business. These opinions will reflect only the opinion of the editor or guest blogger and not that of the newspaper.

We are also offering FREE job listings to area businesses because we feel it's important to have an easy, reliable portal for locals (and others) to identify and hopefully secure jobs locally.

If you, dear readers, have any ideas you would like to share about content/departments (and while our web developer is still in the process of putting the finishing touches on the site), please do so. Our aim is to be inclusive.


Also, if you own a business and have any job openings that you would like be listed on Newburyport Business, please send them to me ASAP.

An afternoon with NPR

I've been listening to NPR all afternoon so I'm just full of info.

First - I just heard some report about money approved for wind turbines and at the end, it said there was some approved project in Newburyport.

HUH? I was only half listening since I was writing. I can't find anything about this on line.

Anyone know what this is about?

This NPR reporter on now keeps saying, "relator." Very annoying.

Second, there was a report about debit cards and how banks have managed to make them into credit cards.

It's simple - and I've had a rant about this before - the bank "covers" your overdrafts and then charges you $35 for this "help."

I had a similar situation to the one they described happen a few months ago when I put a $2.09 latte on my debit card and got slammed with a $35 fee because I forgot about a check I wrote (I hardly ever write checks anymore). I think I could have scrounged up the $2.09 out of my laundry quarters and change I have strewn about the car.

I politely asked Bank of America to stop authorizing charges if it put me in overdraft. I was told that small charges don't require bank approval and they have no control. Further, I was told, most customers like it because it saves them embarrassment.

They removed the $35 fee.

But now NPR has told me that they will probably have to allow me to opt out of this "service," which is what I tried unsuccessfully to do.

The government is looking into this, NPR told me.

Good.

Give the man a break

I just read this story in the Daily News, about yesterday's rally to save the White Hen Pantry on Pond St. I did not attend, by the way.

The only comment I have is that James Shanley did NOT just stand up and parrot New England Development's stance and then run out the door.

He actually told people that he had moved his pharmacy business to Lynch Pharmacy, and he suggested they do the same if they are upset with CVS.

Honest, I was there - and I reported what he said in the Current. He also sat and listened for a bit more before he left.

And besides - he was right, it is a done deal.

This is not an endorsement of James Shanley (I'm not doing endorsements), but the story that's out there just is not what actually happened.

Horrors!

Continuing on my rant about Monday's City Council meeting ... now that I know how the Patriots game went down, I'm extra peeved ... (I started this post on Tuesday).

Late in the meeting (probably around the time the Patriots were getting ready to win the game in dramatic fashion), the Council had the first reading of an ordinance to ban parking on the northwesterly side of Opportunity Way, in the industrial park.

It seems that the evil company Home Made Brand Foods (aka Greencore Group) has gone and been so successful that they needed to expand their facility, and the influx of trucks from this success-based expansion is causing trouble.

The facts as I understood them (keep in mind this was about 3.25 hrs. into the meeting):

The truck traffic to HMBF has increased 10-fold since they expanded.

Trucks are parking on the edge of the road.

Opportunity Way can't handle the trucks.

The trucks are ruining the side of the road!

I was stunned that they appeared to be bitching about a business in the city being successful. Did anyone from the city approach HMBF to seek a mutual solution to this problem?

Wouldn't it be funny if they do ban the parking and HMBF moves out of the city because they can't conduct business here?

That'll teach 'em to grow and expand. Begone, foul successful business; there is no place for you in this city.

It's in the books, maybe

This is from the city's Code of Ordinances. Seems like it applies to lots of stuff, including CVS expansions, turbines ... landfills (don't hold your breath).

SECTION XV. SITE PLAN REVIEW*

XV-B Purposes.

To implement goals, strategies, and actions recommended in the 2001 Master Plan for Land Use, Housing, Natural and Cultural Resources, and Transportation and Circulation, and to otherwise protect and enhance residents' quality of life, these regulations address:

a. Community character: To protect the city's distinct community character and historic and scenic qualities. To revitalize targeted areas for reinvestment and new economic development as well as protect existing investments and property values of the city. To provide for smooth transition between industrial, commercial, and residential areas, to preserve the character of individual city neighborhoods, and to reinforce natural topography by controlling features of development.

b. Traffic, parking, and public access: To promote roadway traffic safety and traffic calming, and to protect the capability of state and local roads to conduct vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic smoothly, safely, and efficiently. To minimize or prevent adverse impacts to neighborhood character from excessive traffic or on-street parking. To encourage alternatives to single-occupant vehicle travel. To encourage pedestrian access to scenic, historic, recreational, and natural areas.

c. Health: To minimize or prevent adverse impacts in air quality, light and glare, and noise. (my emphasis)

d. Public services and utilities: To minimize or prevent adverse impacts to existing public services and facilities, including sewers, storm drains, solid waste disposal systems, parks, schools, streets, and services. To promote energy conservation when feasible.

e. Land use planning: To ensure that proposed uses are reasonably compatible with surrounding uses and are consistent with city zoning and master plan goals. To discourage unlimited commercial "strip development" and curb cuts along highways, to provide for commercial development that is sensitive to Newburyport's distinct community character and diverse but consistent architectural framework, and to provide for industrial growth in nodes and clusters.

f. Open space and environmental protection: To preserve open space, public access, and scenic views to the Merrimack River, and for the protection of natural features and other environmentally sensitive areas. To prevent against erosion and adverse drainage impacts. To minimize the loss of wildlife habitat and other vegetation which have substantial aesthetic, educational, ecological, and/or economic value.

(Ord. of 10-28-02(3))

XV-C Applicability.

Major and minor projects: site plan review shall be required for any structure intended for residential use which includes five (5) or more residential units on one property and for any and all other new nonresidential uses or structure(s) including, but not limited to, industrial/infrastructure, marine, business or institutional/government/medical use(s).

The following criteria shall be used to determine whether the proposed project is reviewed as a major or minor project.

a. Major projects: Within a two-year period after the date of the most recent application for a building permit for any portion of the property, any project which consists of changing the outside appearance of a building and/or includes one or more of the following is considered a major project subject to site plan approval from the planning board: (my emphasis)

1. Construction of one thousand (1,000) or more square feet of gross floor area;
2. Exterior remodeling or renovation of an existing structure that exceeds twenty-five (25) percent of the existing gross floor area;
3. Construction of a drive-through facility;
4. Construction of ten (10) or more new or additional parking or loading spaces;

b. Minor projects: Any project not included within the definition of a major project which involves one or both of the following is considered a minor project subject to site plan review by the planning board.

1. Alterations, expansions, additions, or renovations that are less than five thousand (5,000) square feet gross floor area on any properties located within the "I-1" or "I-1B" industrial zoning districts that do not abut a residential zoning district.
2. Construction of less than ten (10) off-street parking or loading spaces.

(Ord. of 10-28-02(3))

I don't think site plan review is a weapon but it could give activists another venue for protest. Not that I'm advocating protest.

Something positive, for a change

Perusing the City Council agenda further, I see that Judy Lacroix, that whirlwind of community service, is proposing to donate a granite bench in the memory of Shirley Lattime. The bench will hopefully be placed on Inn St. near where Mrs. Lattime had her hotdog cart for so many years.

(In fact, it's still there, being run by other family members.)

The cost of the bench, its delivery to the city and installation would be paid for by Mrs. Lattime's brother, Harold Gadsby, who has been very generous keeping his sister's memory alive also by sponsoring "Shirley's General Store" at Yankee Homecoming.

As most of us know, Shirley Lattime was much more than just a vendor of hotdogs. I wrote this story for the Current, just a little more than 3 years ago. Since then, Linda Fonseca, Lattime's daughter who inherited the cart, has also passed away.

An attached photo of the proposed "Shirley's Place" bench looks to be a fitting tribute. Perhaps if/when the senior center is every built, the powers that be might consider naming it in her honor.

I never met Mrs. Lattime - many times I walked by her cart, saw the line, and thought "someday I'll have to write a story about her" - but I left it too late. I was and still am very sorry I never took the time.

More on White Hen

So I'm reading the story in the Daily News about last night's White Hen meeting ... yeah.

The piece conveniently leaves out anything Ward 3 councillor (and mayoral candidate) James Shanley said, how passionate the people were and how both Moak and Shanley advised people to move their prescription accounts over to another pharmacy if they are unhappy with what CVS (and by extension New England Development) are doing.

I have to say, I was pretty impressed with what the mayor had to say (although since he was sitting right behind me every time he said something I was hit by a cloud of mouthwash fumes) because when he said that about moving prescriptions, he also pointed out that some people are tied to a CVS under their health plans.

Isn't that interesting? And people think they have freedom to choose under the current health care system.

It's also pretty impressive that Shanley has his prescriptions at Lynch, the only privately-owned pharmacy left in town.

The deal has been done, and even if it hadn't, I don't know what the success rate would be of this group of people. But I love that they are doing it because Karp and the Lagasses need to know that people aren't going to just roll and while they are rolling all over the city.

Hey, I wonder if Karp has found a way to get access to his property on the waterfront yet? The paid parking area on the parcel owned by the Waterfront Trust would suggest, "Well, not through there at any rate."

But of course, the development wouldn't be there for years and who knows what could happen in the interim?

Saving the Hen

All I've got to say is: these people are serious, and I never realized how attached people are to this little convenience store.

I'm telling you, it's because it is not a big, impersonal place. I heard it all tonight.

More than that I cannot say, without scooping myself.

White Hen meeting tonight

According to the Daily News, there is a meeting tonight, at 7 p.m., about the White Hen Pantry/CVS debacle.

City Council President and mayoral candidate James Shanley said last week he hopes to see the White Hen Pantry find new retail space to lease next spring when they are forced to vacate the space at the Pond Street shopping plaza to make way for an expansion by CVS.

Shanley represents Ward 3, the area where the store is located and said he does shop there.
"I'll miss it," Shanley said. "I hope they find a place."

The news about the shop's closing has sparked controversy in the city as over 2.000 people have signed a petition urging the property owners New England Development and its local office, Newburyport Development, to reconsider the plan.

Shanley said he has reached out to Newburyport Development to talk about the situation. Shanley added that he is unsure as to whether he will attend tonight's meeting at the library, which was organized by shop owner Liz Frame, who is spearheading an effort to save the store.

That meeting begins at 7 p.m.

How many available commercial spaces are there in Ward 3, I wonder, that have parking? Of course, maybe the people in Ward 2 might appreciate another Ward 3 evacuee, since everyone has adopted the video store that was once in the Pond St. plaza and which is now in The Tannery.

I will be attending the meeting. It will be interesting to see if more people turn out to fight this than turn out for the landfill or the beach erosion or any other issue I make a big deal out of on here.

Like I said before - the first thing I missed about Boston when I moved out here was the corner store I used to patronize for the odd item.

I have an idea

Since Newburyport is so into sharing services with neighboring communities, how about we 'share' that giant (ugly) CVS that was just built in Salisbury Square and leave our perfectly reasonable-sized one alone?

I'm with fellow blogger Tom Salemi on this one.

While I understand that property owners have the right to do whatever they will with their property, I seem to recall someone named Steve Karp standing up in front of us and telling us how much he loved Newburyport.

So, yeah, let's put some locals out of business. That's true love.

Giant corporations have already cheapened our lives and taken the love and caring out of communities.

Where are all those corner stores I keep hearing about every time I interview a native? I used to enjoy one, when I lived on Beacon Hill. There was a cobbler there, too, across from the State House ... where's the cobbler here?

Who needs one? If you only pay a few dollars for a pair of shoes, who's willing to pay to have them fixed?

Well, my neighbor needs one, actually.

It's time to push back against this cheapening, this whitewashing - call it what you will - of everything around us.

Not too long ago, I heard a local developer being called "The Desecrater." Where are the harsh words for New England Development? If Karp gets his access through the waterfront, watch out.

This CVS/White Hen thing is just the tip of the iceberg.

I used to go to my native land, England, because I enjoyed the green grocer, the butcher and etc. Now all you see there is mega-stores. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

And do let us remember General Motors and how it dominated a certain city in Michigan that is now in ruins because people got sick of buying shoddily-manufactured cars once something better - and cheaper - was put in front of them.

How about we force ourselves to do better?