BSO

BSO

Monday, March 11, 2024

Primarily

 

Last Tuesday I headed up the street to my quaint New England polling place to vote for biotech engineer Vivek Ramaswamy for the GOP presidential nomination 



Didn't I know that Vivek dropped out of the race over a month ago? Yes, of course I did, but I have always felt that you should vote for whatever candidate you think is the best without giving any regard to whether you think they can win. Only then can your vote be pure. 

Here are the results of the Massachusetts Republican primary. 

 

 

How embarrassing that NO PREFERENCE came in third, above the vote totals for five flesh and blood contenders! 

Since when has Chris Christie been so popular in Massachusetts? And who the fuck is Ryan Binkley? At least 611 Massachusetts residents know.

Speaking of presidential subjects, did you know that the presidential library and museum for Calvin Coolidge, the former Northampton mayor who went on to become the only person from the Pioneer Valley to be elected President, is located up on the second floor of Northampton's Forbes Library?

 


Cal and Gracie will be glad to greet you if you go.

 

 

 

My sainted mother worked for decades in Forest Park and was a friend of Springfield Park Commissioner Patrick Sullivan, shown below standing between the late City Councilor Clodo Concepcion and former State Senator Brian Lees in 2005. 

 


 

Sullivan is also the nephew of the infamous activist Eamon T. O'Sullivan. Last week Pat Sullivan announced his retirement after 37 years of service and my family wishes him many long and happy years to come. 

On a sadder note, I was sorry to hear of the death of local real estate magnate Paul Sears

 


 

Sears was a prominent political figure in Springfield in the late 1960's and early 70's, when he served on the City Council. The political issue that Sears is best remembered for is having cried out in warning that it was sheer folly to build the New North Elementary School (now renamed Gerena) on a sandy swamp down by the riverfront. Supporters of the boondoggle accused Sears of opposing it because of anti-Hispanic bias.

Millions of dollars later in foundation leaks, bad air circulation and constant repairs, the passage of time has proven Sears completely correct in his misgivings. In fact, the building has problems to this day. Rumors persist about who profited from such an obviously corrupt decision and prominent names have been mentioned. 

However, that controversy has by this point probably disappeared forever into that over-flowing file cabinet on Springfield political history marked, "Never to be Known." If only today's City Clowncil had half the healthy skepticism of government and concern for public finances that Paul Sears did. 

 


 



Monday, March 4, 2024

Newspaper Anniversary

 

This year is the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Springfield Newspapers

 

 

As part of the celebration, the newspaper is re-publishing the front pages of some of the paper's most news worthy events, such as the Great Flood of 1936 shown here. Count how many articles appear on that front page. 

 


 

I count 17 separate stories starting on that one page of the paper. Now take a look at the front page of the edition of the Springfield newspaper published yesterday.


 

The modern version of the paper has two (count 'em) TWO stories on the front page. I realize the newspaper industry is in decline and has less staff to produce content, but this is simply pathetic. The great challenge for the Springfield Newspapers 200th Anniversary is to figure out how to celebrate the greatness of their past without inadvertently drawing attention to what a pale shadow of that greatness they are in the present. 


Meanwhile, this cartoon insulting north valley Congressman Jim McGovern appeared this morning on the window of the empty storefront where Faces once was. 

 

 

This Northampton panhandler has a cute donation can. 

 


A cuppa at the Woodstar Cafe



My new coffee hot-spot lately is Catalpa Coffee on Pleasant Street. 

 


 

View out the window of Catalpa Coffee



The house my Great-Grandfather built on Hood Street in Springfield had a Catalpa tree out front, although it has since been cut down.

When was the last time you visited the historic Miss Florence Diner, complete with their antique jukeboxes that still work? They are the exact same kind that once graced the booths of the late, lamented Russell's in Springfield's ol' Pine Point. 

 


Coming attraction. 

 


 



Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Too Red

 Someone ran around downtown Hamp on Valentine's Day spreading positive vibes.

 


Less uplifting is the depressing amount of evidence of left-wing extremism I've been seeing lately. 



This poster even brags about the shameful name of the UMass library. 



There are in fact conservatives at UMass, but the only interest in them appears to be as research subjects. 



"Names and details will be kept private" they say reassuringly. Good thing, or else participants might get a visit from the thought police. 

 

Land of legends in Springfield.

 


 

 Back when we used to have a sense of humor about our past. 


 

A badge of honor.

 


 

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Frank's Pizza

 


 

Much of our Valley and all of Pine Point was saddened last week to learn of the death of Francesco "Frank" Ferrentino, the founder of the Point's popular pizza joint, Tony's Pizza. He also dabbled a bit in MassGOP politics, being a prominent Springfield supporter of the late Governor Paul Cellucci.

Why was a pizza parlor owned by a guy named Frank called Tony's? Because when Frank bought the business back in 1979, it had originally been owned by some guy named Tony. As is common in business, when you purchase a place that already has a name, it is usually a good idea to keep the original name (and thereby hopefully the original customers). So for the rest of his life many people assumed Frank's name was Tony, and he became so used to it that he rarely corrected people who called him that. 

Originally, Tony's Pizza was located in a small storefront attached to a house on the corner of Boston Road and Barber Street. Later it moved up Boston Road a bit to the former hardware store next to Nora's Variety, then finally permanently settled several doors down, converting and expanding a former music store that had specialized in keyboard instruments.

 


 

Although officially a pizza place, Tony's actually featured a wide array of Italian food. Their grinders were especially good. Some nights after Tony's closed, Frank used to stop by the gallery of Richard Doyle the Twig Painter, also located on Boston Road, usually with a free pizza in hand. Needless to say he was always welcome. 

The last time I saw him at the restaurant Frank did not look healthy. We laughed remembering the wild times that sometimes went down at the Twig Gallery. I like to imagine that Frank and Doyle must be enjoying a heavenly reunion, preferably with some of Frank's Italian cuisine. He wouldn't be happy in heaven if he couldn't cook.

Rest in peace, Pizza-dude.



  

UMass had what was called a Queer Art Market this week. 


 

Despite the gay promotional angle, it was essentially a typical student arts and crafts fair. 



The Grateful Dead at UMass in 1979



The pride of Boston in Boston in 1979. 



Droning in Springfield's Forest Park. photo by m. cavanaugh