Big Memorial Day activities

Newburyport’s Memorial Day Celebration
Monday - May 25th


Assemble in front of CVS parking lot, Pond Street 10:15 AM

Walk/March to City Hall 10:45 – We will have marching with us members of the 182nd Sapper Engineering Battalion Massachusetts National Guard stationed here in Newburyport.

Invocation 11:00 – Reverend Aram Marashlian

Star Spangled Banner – Newburyport High School Marching Band under the direction of Joe Nuccio, his 25th year. The vocalist is Barron Brissett Jr., from Newburyport, a retired Army veteran and professional singer.

Pledge of Allegiance – Kelly Bennett and her two sons Nick and Daniel. Kelly’s husband is presently serving in Afghanistan with the United States Army.

Introductions of elected officials and Guest Speaker(s)
Invited Guests:
U.S. Representative John Tierney
Massachusetts Senator Steven Baddour
Massachusetts Representative Mike Costello
Essex County Sherriff Frank Cousins
Newburyport City Council Members

Page Two – Memorial Day Press release

Medley of Military Music – Newburyport High School Marching Band.

Walk to the River 11:40 (approx.) –gather at the Boardwalk at the boat ramp next to Black Cow restaurant

This portion of the parade will honor fallen Coastguardsmen, Navy and Merchant Marine who have given their lives for this country. A forty-seven foot Coast Guard cutter will be holding close to the Boardwalk

The Newburyport High School Marching Band will play the Coast Guard Hymn – Semper Paratus.

The Newburyport Police Honor Guard will render a rifle volley of three shots

A wreath will be thrown from the Coast guard Cutter

Two vintage war planes will fly over, one trailing smoke

The parade continues up State Street to the Veterans’ Cemetery on the corner of Pond Street and Route One. Estimated arrival time 12:15.

Benediction - Reverend Aram Marashlian

Gettysburg Address recited by students from the Nock Middle School.

Solemn Music & Taps – Newburyport High School Marching Band

Newburyport Police Honor Guard Rifle Volley

Bagpiper walks up and over the hill and disappears

Rain will move the ceremony inside to the City Hall Auditorium

Plan to be there, if you can!

Hello again

I have some comments on stories appearing in this week's Current - but since I don't think the paper is out yet and the website hasn't been updated yet, those will have to wait.

Meanwhile, remember when I posted this, about the Literary Festival and Earth Day? Ye olde conflicting events?

I got some private feedback and it seems there is some bruising ... so I did some reflecting.

And it seems to me that there is not a whole lot of communication and/or cooperation going on - not just in this matter, but in general.

I don't think it's necessarily deliberate, I think people just forge ahead and do whatever they want, in some semi-haphazard way.

Good grief, the Eco Collaborative (hosting Earth Day) didn't even get City Council permission to use Bartlet Mall for the flower market until last Monday ... what if someone had objected?

(Although I have to add that the letter from the Bartlet Mall Commission to the City Council was dated in early March, so I'm not sure who/what was being haphazard in this instance.)

Stepping on toes ... everyone is stepping on everyone else's toes.

And coming up later, on the same topic:

How is it that the City Council did not know, when approving outside seating for a certain restaurant, that the Licensing Commission had a couple of weeks before approved the place for serving alcohol at said outside seating?

And not only that, but the Licensing Commission, when approving the license, was under the impression that the place had already secured permission to have outside seating ...

Who's to blame for a party gone out of bounds?

Literary Festival

I keep losing track of dates.

For example, I was most surprised to find that Easter is this Sunday.

Everything in my life is about meetings and deadlines.

That's an example of 'old school' journalism - just the facts, ma'am.

Anyway, the Literary Festival is traditionally the last weekend in April. Last year, I was on the PR committee so I was blowing its horn all over the place because it was on my radar.

This year - not so much.

I'm not complaining (Who has time for PR committees this year?), I'm just saying ...

So now I feel compelled to point out that, as opposed to last year, this year's Festival runs head-long into Earth Day festivities (or vice versa).

And while organizers of each of these multi-day events have been in contact with one another and have worked out the details to avoid pandemonium downtown, it seems that some people participating in one of them have their panties in a twist because of the perceived "conflict."

I wonder if your organization looked at the community calendar? The festival has been on the books since last year.

Well holy moly, Earth Day has been 'on the books' for many, many years - so I have to wonder when this person thought Earth Day should be celebrated ... in June, perhaps?

It's funny how huffy people can get, dontcha think?

But don't let that deter you from participating in the Literary Festival and the Earth Day celebrations. Like I said, the organizers of both are down with the overlap.

Lots of fun, starting next week.

Last dance for fireworks?

So, according to this report in today's Daily News, it's not the development at the Towle Bldg. per se that is the problem with firing off fireworks at Cashman Park, it's that carriage house they're moving from the Towle property over to the park.

Oh, the power of the blog. Thanks for clearing that up, Daily News.

Saving the carriage house was part of the deal the city made with the developer, according to ... can't find the story I wrote about it for the Current last year online. But here's what it said, in part:

With Planning Board approval the developer, First Republic Corporation of America, is closer to breaking ground for the seven buildings with 15 condominium units proposed for the site next to and behind the Towle Office Building, former location of the Towle Silver Factory. Three buildings with two units each will be closer to Merrimac Street to the west of the office building at the end of Tyng Street and four buildings with a total of nine units will be closer to the river. The plans also require the displacement of a historic carriage house, which will be moved into Cashman Park at the owner’s expense [see sidebar, Youth Services and Parks Commission get a space]. A clear line of sight to the river from Tyng Street will be maintained.

Most of the proposed units close to the river face the water but this one duplex will have a side view of the river and its rear will abut the park. All along the property line and down to the boat ramp are oversized parking spaces for boat trailers.

I don't know where they plan to put the carriage house in the park, but my guess is that they're now re-considering the location. Unless, of course, it is the condos that are the problem.

Where exactly do they shoot the fireworks from (never having been there at the time)? You've got condos to the east and now condos coming in to the west - and Jason Lacroix did say, in the first story, that it was the change to the parking lot that was the problem (some of the condos will be right up against the park, where I believe there is now a parking lot).

"This is truly unique, especially in light that there may not be any fireworks next Yankee Homecoming," Lacroix said. "With the change to the Towle building parking lot, there is not enough of a safety zone and there is no other place in Newburyport we could have them."

Did Jason mis-speak? Did Katie Curley mis-hear? Who knows? It is what it is.

Tom Salemi comments briefly on the fireworks and the "last bang" implications of the development here, btw. I agree with Tom - people should not be complaining.

I usually go down to Gloucester for the annual display, and I remember one year there was heavy overcast. It was actually kind of cool.

Don't rain on MY parade

Oh *yawn* it's 11:15 a.m., and there's nothing good upon which to comment.

This blogging thing is starting to wear on me.

So ... I guess I'll comment on an issue that has raised a few hackles over on the Daily News website: chairs set out well in advance of the Yankee Homecoming ending parade.

I noticed this the other day as I was spinning along High St., in the Jetta. I thought, "Wow, that's really early for trash collection," which on PI is Monday morning.

It looks crappy, especially considering the aesthetic nature of historic High St.

One person who comments on the letter says that the chairs are set out for elderly/handicapped people. I'm all for everyone being able to view the parade, if they so desire.

But remember the days when people saw an elderly person, or a child, struggling to see a parade, and they let them through to the front? Helped them carry chairs, helped get them settled in?

Whatever the offenses to personal taste and aesthetics, apparently it is not illegal to put furniture along a street for days and even tie a string of chairs together with rope.

It's ugly, but I guess it's necessary.

Spring Fest

This weekend the long-anticipated Spring Fest takes place in town. (Actually, I had forgot all about it until just now.)

What does the Spring Fest mean to me? Avoid downtown at all costs.

But I'm antisocial.

All of you should go out and enjoy yourselves. Encourage all your friends to visit you and take them downtown (preferably on foot or by bicycle; better yet, think pedicab, and call ahead for one, 978-465-1496). Spend lots of money at the 'upgraded' vendor booths. Make the Chamber happy.

I will not be seeing you there, but I'll be thinking of you.

More musings on blogging

Speaking of blogging, I suspect that many people I know and communicate with often check on here frequently to see if I've put some offhand comment they may have made in my presence on here.


In fact, one of my neighbors used to preface everything he said to me with, "This isn't for you to put in the paper ..." and then proceed to tell me some innocuous story that had no relevance to anyone but himself, or myself on occasion.

But sometimes he would, because he's lived here a long time and knows everything that's going on, give me a lead that he would make clear was a lead. A couple of them turned into stories.

I tried when I was on the Current, and I still do try, not to put stuff that people say that's not relevant to what I'm writing about (and then I don't identify the person, as is a rule, I would guess, of blogging), is too personal (to them), or may cast them in a bad light. Unless it's a public official or anyone else speaking publicly.

Having said that, I can't resist sharing a couple of things I heard over last weekend at events revolving around the Literary Festival. (And if someone can tell me why the 'o' key on my laptop has suddenly become sticky, I'd really appreciate it!)


"Are you you, or are you your brother?"
Said to Chris Sidford, twin brother of local architect Andy Sidford. I don't know if the person meant, "Are you you (Andy), or are you (his) brother?" or if he meant, "Are you you (the brother), or are you your brother (Andy)?"

"You know, it was the (book) where the pirate was always trying to get into her cove."
Said to me, who almost did a spit-take across the table, at the dinner to open the literary festival, by a writer of my acquaintance. Oh how we laughed. I'm sure my 2 cosmos and her chocatini at Mission Oak Grille previous to dinner helped fuel our hilarity. She was trying to remember the name of Daphne du Maurier's novel, Jamaica Inn, which is about a young woman, a pirate and I gather, a cove.

The narrative line

I think last weekend's literary festival also has prompted much of the musing I've been doing yesterday and today.

As someone who did not write for years and years, who thought of herself as a vendor manager or an admin assistant who wrote on the side, or who rather had that narrative line running through her head but never wrote it down, it's rather a shock to my system to have a group of people who consider me to be a writer first and foremost.

I have always struggled with my identity. Unfortunately, I missed The Latino Boom program at this weekend's festival (so much going on at the same time) where I understand they discussed this very topic. At the post-festival party I did have the opportunity to speak with one of the participants, Sergio Troncoso.

He, too, had that struggle until he decided to give everything else up and devote himself to being a writer. Author Frank Schaeffer said much the same during the festival.

"I found what I should have been doing all along at age 39," he said.

I went from being a writer to not being one then back again over a span of years that I don't regret in the least. What else would I have to write about if I had not been the person who bought stuff for Kuwaiti royalty, if I had not met so many interesting people while working for a startup Internet company or not had such horrible experiences at the two publishing companies (haven't mentioned the book publisher I worked for, except in the "About Me" section, but it's how I ended up living in Newburyport so it's significant).

Well, there is my life: born in England, grew up to age 7 on Barbados, transplanted to rural Michigan at age 7, never interacted with extended family I was connected to by blood until I was in my 20s, etc.

And then there are all those quirky and wonderful people I know here, some of whom I complain about ad nauseum to others but still value as part of my panorama, if not outright love in a pleasingly platonic way.

For the record

Just want to say that I think the selection of artisan and fine jewelry we have on offer here in exceptional. When I'm shopping for my mom, for instance, I'm more than willing to spring for a really nice piece from one of our local establishments. Well, I was when I had a real job, anyway.

And while I like Newburyport the way it is, I see that things are going to change. I think it's a shame, as I did when I lived in Boston and things changed. But the city has to go the way of the general trend and the general trend here now is upscale.

So I was thinking last night before I fell asleep about newspapers and blogs (the temptation to write, "bloggity, bloggity, blog" is too strong - sorry, Ari), promted by something a character said in the HBO series "Oz." I was watching it before I went to bed, on HBO on Demand.

"Journalists are supposed to be impartial," he said. And I thought, I've never really thought of myself as a journalist (even when I was one); I think of myself as an observer and chronicler of my observations. In other words, a simple writer. We are by nature observers and reporters.

Or, as author Lou Ureneck put it so well Sat. morning, "We always want to lay a narrative line over our life."

We write what we see and feel and then a lot of times feel bad about what we just wrote.

So having a blog suits me just fine, except for the low-paying aspect. The feeling bad comes with the job.

Lit Festival

Wow, what a day!

It was my first Literary Festival and it was fantastic. I started off the morning by going to the breakfast with poets then went to City Hall to hear two great authors, Frank Schaeffer and Lou Ureneck, talk about their new books. I bought Schaeffer's book "Crazy for God" and plan to buy Ureneck's "Backcast." Both are about father-son relationships.

Following that I met up with fellow NLF volunteers and co-conspirators Melanie Wold and Jennifer Karin (and fellow writer's group member Jean Foley Doyle) for a heart-fluttering hour with Andre Dubus III at the Firehouse. The man has charisma oozing from every pore.

We moved on to a panel featuring two other members of the writer's group, Aine Greaney and Elisabeth Brink. Both have new books in the works. I haven't read Elisabeth's 2006 novel "Save Your Own" yet (since I just bought it) but I did manage to breeze through (and thoroughly enjoy) Aine's slim volume of short storis, "Sheep Breeder's Dance," before heading off to the closing ceremony.

Later we hooked up again to attend a panel on which another of our little group, Anne Easter Smith, discussed women writing about women with 3 other authors. Anne's new book is "Daughter of York."

The closing ceremony included our lovely lady poet and festival honoree, Rhina Espaillat, and an equally inspiring Alfred Nicol (I believe from Amesbury) reading their poetry to musical accompaniment (guitarist John Tavano). I was entranced while Nicol recited his poem about a bat, aptly titled "Bat."

At a post-festival party in Newbury, I talked a little with Ureneck and Nicol and three beautiful women writers, including Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Mirta Ojito.

A great day, all in all.

Festivals go froufrou

I always thought the whole idea of a "crafts fair" was to provide access to all levels of craft. It would appear that there is no longer room in Newburyport for those people whose wares don't make an unspecified grade.

According to this story in today's Daily News, our new spring festival will be an upscale event featuring only the finest in handmade ... er, stuff. No facsimile plovers on sticks stuck into a block of wood, thankyouverymuch.

It began last year with Yankee Homecoming, that festival that is for (all) families to come out and have a good time in our little city. The relative lack of interest in the crafts booths was attributed to the low quality of wares being hawked.

Forget that most people think everything at YH should be cheap, if not free. "It's gone too commercial," a neighbor (who has lived here her whole life) told me last year. She still goes, at least for the parade, she added.

But who imagines buying a $150 bracelet at a crafts booth? I imagine buying a $20 (or less) bracelet at a crafts fair.

"We focused on bringing in quality, beautiful items and works that you would find here ordinarily," (Kim Gobbi, owner of The Studio) said. "We want to make it a part of the downtown."

The higher-end craft shows may become the way of life for such festivals in Newburyport.

(Stuff about Yankee Homecoming).

At this year's Spring Fest, (Ann) Ormond said the chamber also, for the first time in a decade, increased the price to enter the show from $250 to $300. The show will have about 30 to 40 crafters.

"We wanted to try to make some changes to upgrade it a little more," Ormond said. "It has a new logo, a new look, a new feel."

Welcome to Karptucketport, folks. No crap that tourists love to pile on allowed.

Our caper is in the paper

Well we (PR committee of Literary Festival) did get into the Daily News. Tomorrow will tell what happened with the Current. There will hopefully at least be a photo.

It didn't go over quite as we had planned, but it was good. Instead of creeping and stealth, the two photographers kept telling us to smile as we deposited books in such "hidden" locations as a bench at Market Square.

Bryan Eaton (DN photographer) wanted nothing to do with us making our "escape" via the Mini Cooper. Nicole Goodhue Boyd (Current photographer) loved the Mini idea but had us beaming through the open back end of the vehicle instead of fleeing the scene.

"We're supposed to look menacing," we kept insisting, to no avail.

So if you find one of the books of poetry we left strewn about in various downtown locations and at The Tannery, read it and pass it along. Of course, the first person I gave one of Rhina Espaillat's books to today (my mother) refused to surrender it after reading the poems in the slim volume. Then my sister (the one who lives in Malden, for a change) came in and she also wanted a copy, after reading a few of the poems.

It's good stuff. Enjoy.

Inflicting imagery, allegory, and symbolism on unsuspecting public

Tomorrow (Wednesday) 4 miscreants will be carrying out a top-secret literary mission around town. They will not be easily identified because they will be wearing sunglasses.

(Hey, I wanted wigs and black trench coats as well but none of us had a wig. Someone suggested pantyhose, but in the end, we figured our would-be rescuers from jail would be too busy laughing their proverbial asses off to bail us out.)

The narrative of our mission will be told in at least the Current. Not sure about the daily. I wrote to Stephen Tait but got no response. Our fearless leader, however, seems to believe some other DN reporter will be somewhere in the vicinity as we attempt to perform our ode-ious parody of lyrical naughtiness - and make our various escapes in a Mini Cooper.

The headline of this post, btw, was culled from a suggestion by one of the cohort, JKS. Thanks to her for being, as always, so clever.

We'll be creeping down alleyways and peering 'round corners at just about noontime.