WMASSA Blog Contributors

For now, Scott Connolly - profile below, is the sole blogger for
WMASSA. Should you interested in contributing a piece relevant to
Western Massachsetts as a member, contact him .. and use an e-mail or
profile and name which affords the degree of privacy you desire. No
'flaming' or 'offensive' matter ; nor sheer advertising ... otherwise
its pretty open.

Comments are also welcome on each blog post - which are indexed below -
and those comments can be linked to start a separate 'discussion string'
-- ie a 'blog' within a 'blog'.

Thanks

WATERSHEDS in Western Massachusetts

No part of New ENgland like Western Massachusetts would be the same
without water -- a little or a lot of it. Keepng it in supply,
ccontrol, and safe is the modern management of its resources. A few
links below for the 'water works' in Western Massachusetts.

<a href=http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/state.cfm?statepostal=MA><img
src=http://www.epa.gov/surf/states/images/ma.gif></a>

US-EPA's 'Surf Your Water-Shed' provides maps by watershed ..and also
denotes the affected waterbody's permitted pollution -the Federal
permits and so on.

<a href=http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/state.cfm?statepostal=MA>EPA-Surf Your
Watershed</a>

USGS's Streamflow data is a computer repted fllod guage at selected mill
and other dams in the area.

<a href=http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ma/nwis/rt>Real-Time River & Stream
Flow Data for Western Massachusetts</a>
from the US Geological Survey

The US Corps of Engineers still leads the 'works' with its major dams
and reservoirs in Western Massachusetts.

<a href=http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/damlist.htm>US Corps of
Engineers - New England Dam & Flood Control Project List</a>

Other Projects at the State level are handled with the Department of
Conservation which absorbed the MDC which manages the Quabbn Reservoir.

Mnemonic for remembering the towns flooded under Quabbin Reservoir:

"Pretty Good Dam, Eh ?

Prescott-Geenwich-Dana-Enfield

<a href=http://www.mass.gov/dcr/rec-act.htm>Mass State Dept. of
Conservation</a>

County Solutions?

Springfield Massachusetts, in its current fiscal crisis, is laying off
specially trained teachers - an investmet in Federally and state funeded
professionals for its magnet schools. That city cannot now afford them.
Holyoke Massachusetts -- the poorest area school system has a chronic
teacher shortage and the lowest pay.
Certainly the prospect of a larger school district, perhaps a county
option (with optional town inclusion-exclusion) can attract resources
and produce economies with more Federal and State monies.   Enrollment
can also be by parent-student preference (subject to space available)
with the student arranging transportation where not directly available
-as an option to the magnet school (a big resource drainer).

While on the county subject - HAMPDEN County ... Holyoke Massachusetts
now also faces a firm Federal deadline to reduce its storm water
drainage (a consequence of combined storm-water & sewage systems) into
the Connecticut River - a matter it must face itself with Federal and
State help. Again, surely the county option if used can bring in more
money and aid the planning and costs affordance which Connecticut River
& Westfield River watershed communties need. Sewage treatment plants are
a modern necessity - centralizing and addressing siting costs and sewage
& drainage planning are cheaper in greater size.

Massachusetts, as many New England states uses its county jurisdiction
only for courts, jails & land recordings ... expanding that option makes
a little more sense ... and the county political accountability when
done - should be locally electorally accountable -- not a bureaucratic
sub-administration.

Spring Thoughts

<a href=http:/www.wistariahurst.org>WistariaHurst</a> ... the old
Josiah Allen Skinner Mansion on Beech Street in Holyoke ... is again
abloom with its fabulous century od growth of traditional purple and
white Wistaria. The old mansion is a part of Holyoke's old mill past
(the Skinners ran spinning mills including silk -which brought our area
so many Mulberry trees).
I enjoy Wistaria and that house every spring -- especialy because my
Wistaria at home doesn't bllom. Solution? - It needs son --especially a
hlf day or afternoon son -- a materially unobstructed southeast or
southwest exposure - mine gets too much shaade by mid-day. So enjoy the
thought and beauty of it --the old house is also open for tours &
special event use.

On other points -- wine prices -- alleged higher becasue of fuel costs
-- don't fully believe it -- shop around. Certain South American imports
are cheper .. and expensive northern California costs sometimes are the
overhed reason ratthan fuel. So a look at <a
href=http://www.bigywines.com>Town & Country - Big Y WInes</a> can still
bring you a good varietal - like Gallo's Twin Creek Sauvignon Blandc at
$2.99 for a 750 (fifth). (That's central California's mass production
center.) Keep shopping and bring them down. Had mine with a casual
<i>paella</i> .. and you can get saffron for $1.29 in 500g packets at <a
href=http:/www.christmastreeshops.com>Christmas Tree Shops</a>
Other Area Events:
<a href=http//www.hampshire-hills.net>Hampshire Hills</a> <a
href=http://www.thebige.com>Big E Fairgrounds</a> - events year round at
West Springfield.

Western Massachusetts Farmers & Farm Stands

When in Western Massachusetts .. cultivate and use the farmers ambience -- keep them in the 'GREEN' business ... For fruits, vegetables, flowers, dairy products & nursery items ... while country-siding, pick a local farmer. A few links

MassGrown
MassFarmStands
Mass Farmers Markets

Bulger & Springfield

Nothing troubles a neighbor more than seeing an old adjoining city in economic distress. Springfield bears the bane and casual shun of its 'town' neighbors and their taxbases, and is now in State Bankruptcy recovery/receivership. They must as a city deal with that restriction and all that its mayor can get from a Republican Governor and the Democratic controlled state legislature.

My suggestion? Lets encourage Charles Ryan to step aside as Mayor and endorse William Bulger as his preferred candidate to see what he can wheel and deal for the city in his classic state neo-Curleyesque style.

Tongue and cheek aside -though .. the city needs the reality of a tax base and relief from an urban core social services pile-up which it cannot afford to maintain alone. And Bulger? ... well I can remember in this state when desiring a newer competitive Springfield Civic Center, the city wisely learned that bigger was better for business ..would the state assist?

"Well" ... maybe but we wouldn't want anything to compete with the Mullins Center" (meaning the new field house and civic arena of commercially competitive size twenty-four- away at Amherst said William Bulger in a house whisper.
And so it went... Springfield was granted State assistance for a lesser medium sized 'white elephant' civic center .. newly uncompetitively reopening after size refurbishment - a cost it still bears.

Springfield's best latest historic recovery --is "The Republican" as its newspaper was renamed a couple of years ago in recollecting publisher Samuel Bowles' Abe Lincoln favoring pro-abolitionist paper.

Western Massachusetts

While not pretending to be the sole voice and sage of western Massachusetts .. hence 'WMASSA' ... this Blog and its blogger will from time to time post topical matters of it here and occasionally vent a point of view.
This is the inaugural post ... by the way .. we occasionally speak with 'Durango' accents here until Boston & the East get the point! ... Our main Congressional District is MASS-1 -- and of course for which remarks of ours, our Congressman from there - John Olver - is not responsible; ditto a part of MASS-2 the district of Richard Neal -mainly of mighty and troubled Springfield, Mass.
Enjoy and comment as you choose.