News Briefs

Published on May 16, 2008

Two businesses close

A barbecue restaurant and beauty salon in the downtown have closed in recent days.

Amherst Barbecue and Mr. Chicken, at 96 North Pleasant St., and Celebrity Beauty, at 321 Main St., both have "for rent" signs in their windows.

David Dali, owner of the barbecue restaurant and take-out service, said last week that the closing comes because his wife's mother is ill, and they are leaving the area to care for her. "It was not a lack of business," Dali said.

The restaurant had opened last summer in space just north of the CVS Pharmacy once occupied by the Souper Bowl, which moved and expanded into adjacent space, and Little Black Dress, which now occupies a storefront at 103 North Pleasant St. next to Bart's Homemade.

Dali, who has also run Crazy Noodles on Main Street for three years, said his wife's sister will handle that establishment. The vacant restaurant space is listed with Jones Group Realtors for $199,000.

The listing states that the restaurant is fully equipped, has a seating capacity of 76 and a special permit that allows for serving alcohol until 1 a.m.

Celebrity Beauty, at the corner of Main and Dickinson streets, had been open for more than a year prior to its closing.

APD begins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign

Amherst Police Department will actively enforce seat belt and child passenger restraint violations during the "Click It or Ticket" campaign that began May 14 and continues until June 4. The department received a $10,000 grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau to fund the campaign.

State law requires all drivers and passengers to wear a seat belt, booster seat or child safety seat. Police may stop a driver for having a child under 12 or younger improperly restrained. There is a $25 fine per unbuckled occupant. Children under 5 and weighing less than 40 pounds must use a child safety seat.

The Police Department conducts a Child Passenger Safety Checkpoint on the third Saturday of the month by appointment. Residents should call the department at 259-3355 or email police@amhertsma.gov to schedule a 30-minute appointment.

Applewood founders honored

The Founding Directors of Applewood at Amherst were honored at a reception Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Loomis Village in South Hadley. The Applewood founding directors are being honored for their steadfast commitment to excellence in life care, to wellness of body and spirit, and to lifelong learning. They include: Ted Bacon, Robert Gage, Robert Grose, Kurt Hertzfeld, Robert von der Lippe, Gale McClung, Jeanne Potash, Maida Riggs, Charlotte Turgeon, Allen Torrey, Mary Tuttle, and Susan Woglom. In addition, Alfred Guest, George May, Trudy Stella, Larry Selgelid, Carl Swanson and Gus Williams are being honored posthumously.

For information, call Sandy Ogiba at 532-5325.

Garden Club holds plant sale Saturday

The Garden Club of Amherst will hold its annual plant sale rain or shine May 17 at 8:30 a.m. on the Amherst Town Common.

Earnings from the plant sale support club horticulture and conservation projects in Amherst and surrounding towns.

Members grow the majority of the plants for this sale including some unusual plants, such as woodland and native plants, perennials for both connoisseurs and beginning gardeners, small flowering trees and shrubs and ground covers.

Bilingual panel convenes

A panel on "Helping our Children Become Bilingual" will be held May 20 at 7 p.m. in the Jones Library. Speakers include Kathleen Wang of the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School; Lisse Pierce Bonifaz, Lesley College professor of education; and Barbara Zurer Pearson, University of Massachusetts research associate and author of "Raising a Bilingual Child."

The meeting that is free and open to the public is sponsored by the Friends of the Jones Library System.

Anonymous donor offers up challenge

The Jones Library can avoid cutting hours if a challenge offered by an anonymous donor is met. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, representing an unnamed donor, has offered to donate up to $3,000 on a one-for-two basis to close the library's operating deficit for FY 2009. Under the terms of the challenge, $1 will be given by the Community Foundation for every $2 raised by the library from new private gifts. A successful campaign will raise an additional $9,000. The Jones Library Board of Trustees voted to accept the challenge at their recent meeting.

The trustees said the Jones Library will be closed all day on Mondays in fiscal year 2009 because of a funding deficit of $11,000. Non-benefited "extra help" employees would be laid off and only branch libraries would be open Mondays, unless additional funding is provided. The reference desk and circulation services at Jones Library would be open Tuesday through Sunday during the school year.

For information on library budgets and fundraising, call 259-3090 or visit www.joneslibrary.org.

Dickinson annual meeting to be held

The Emily Dickinson International Society is holding its annual meeting in Amherst from Aug. 1 to 3 and looking for hosts who could contribute accommodations for a guest or two between July 31 and Aug. 3. The Emily Dickinson Museum is sponsoring a bed-and-breakfast for scholars and Dickinson enthusiasts from all over the world who will be here for workshops, lectures, exhibits and more. Guests, in turn, would make a contribution to the Emily Dickinson Museum. For information or to volunteer as a host, leave a message at 253-5256 or 549-0893 or email info@emilydickinsonmuseum.org.