Newton police are warning of a family of coyotes that were recently spotted in the area of Auburndale Avenue and River Street, Boston.com reports.
Coyote family spotted in Auburnale
by Village 14 | Dec 5, 2013 | Newton | 52 comments
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To those of us who have children with special needs, your headline shows an appalling lack of taste and sensitivity. I see no one had the courage to put their name to it. What is wrong with you people???
Headline was a draft that should not have been published. In this case “you people” was me. Now fixed, although I do think you overreacted.
You wrote “Coyote family spotted in Auburndale…no word yet whether pups will qualify for SPED classes.” What made you think comparing coyote pups to kids with special needs was okay even if it was only a draft?
Somedays we make a boo-boo, then the next day it ends up in a consultant report and the Mayor fires you on City Hall steps. It happens
“Coyote family spotted in Auburndale…no word yet whether pups will qualify for SPED classes.”
@Greg: Accusing Ted of overreacting isn’t how one accepts responsibility for a mistake. Clearly you still don’t understand how deeply offensive that headline was, and your claim that it was a “draft” that should not have been published is a feeble substitute for an apology.
Sometimes we try to be funny and sometimes, often in my case, it doesn’t work out. As chairman of Land Use I know you hear a lot of angst about how new families are going to add to our overcrowded school system. Certainly you’ve also heard some folks complaining about how many families move to Newton to take advantage of our excellent SPED programs and also tax our resources. Perhaps Mark Marderosian could have pulled this off. I’ll be appearing at the Sands this weekend and will try and clean up my act.
Greg: “You’ll never play the big rooms with that crap. Ask Redd Foxx. You don’t need the blue stuff, kid, you got talent!”
Greg,
For future reference, I don’t think even my favorite comic Lewis Black could pull this off. Denis Leary tried – and likewise failed. In the future . . . leave the comedy to the professionals. Nuff said.
For the record, that headline would probably have drawn laughs in many newsrooms in Massachusetts. If I had to guess, I’d say that Greg forgot who his audience was for second. That’s all.
Before you jump down my back: It’s not that journalists are insensitive to others’ struggles. It’s that they hear so many heated and sometimes irrational, but often competing, stories that they become desensitized to an extent. Then a story comes along that’s so astounding that it slaps them in the face. It’s almost a necessary cycle.
@Greg: “Try the veal, and don’t forget to tip your waitress.” (I got in trouble with Barry Cohen for that because he thought I was making fun of Tom “Chef” Sheff.)
My reaction was related to Geoff Epstein’s recent post about an NPS study showing that the number of minority children designated as having special needs was disproportionately high. So the headline kind of jumped out at me maybe even a little more than it might have otherwise. I hope/assume you didn’t mean to go there.
Yeah, I have heard it all a thousand times. And how affordable housing always brings more crime, makes the neighborhood more dangerous, and lowers property values. I don’t think any of that is funny either.
Nuff said.
Let me try then:
“Don’t try to tell that coyote family they live near the Waltham border.”
I’m here all week
As for coyotes, we have one (hopefully not a family) in Newton Corner that we have no use for, if there are any takers.
Just an FYI, About a week ago, around 5am, my wife and small dog was chased by a coyote from Lincoln Rd down Adams St. This is a real problem, so lets get off the headline. Whats the city going to do about it Mr. Alderman!
@Nonantum Resident,
It may be worthwhile reporting the incident to animal control, but one obvious issue is identifying the animal that chased your spouse. As we learned last time this issue came up, there isn’t a whole lot that the City of Newton CAN do to control the coyote population. They are a very adaptable creature and live trapping and relocating is neither legal nor effective. If you are a hunter, then it is feasible that you might go coyote hunting, but I’m not sure that you can discharge a firearm legally anywhere within the City of Newton. If a particular animal becomes a problem then measures can be taken to deal with that animal, but not the coyote population.
Coyote attacks are incredibly rare with a “human” present. They will devour little dogs and cats without second thought though. I’m waiting for my mom to learn no to leave her pug outside the hard way. We currently live out in the western part of the state and don’t let our little mutt outside without us. We’ve seen coyotes, bobcats, porcupines, and all other sorts of stuff walking him.
If you are really being chased by coyotes you should consider getting a (gasp) gun. The new Newton police chief I am happy to say has a little more respect for Newtonians civil liberties than the former one. Personal responsibility 101. At least pick up some pepper spray, otherwise don’t complain. Guess who was here first?
Mike
Actually, the coyotes only began moving into Massachusetts in the 1950s and are now in every community in the state. Because they are so adaptable and opportunistic, and are so numerous and living in such close proximity to humans, there is very little state and local officials can do to eliminate them entirely. New coyote families will simply move into a territory that has been vacated by the removal of another coyote family. I invited state wildlife and fisheries officials to come and give a presentation to the Board of Aldermen and answer questions a couple of years ago when we had some attacks on pets in West Newton (our family lost a pet, too). The city has a webpage that tracks reported sightings and the police send out alerts when coyotes move into densely populated neighborhoods (tip of the hat to Aaron Goldman who had it up and working shortly after I asked him to). The state also has a webpage with information about coyotes and what to do to reduce (albeit not eliminate) conflicts with humans.
So you answer is to Me is dont complain, get a gun or a history lesson. OK, well my wife assures me it was a coyote less than 10 ft from her with the teeth being shown! So when someone gets bitten or mauled I will make sure that I notate the advice the city official provided me.
What A waste of tax dollars
When we start building settlements it throws off the balance causing some animals to thrive and forcing others to move. This is happening constamtly as we expand. I understand at least as of recent times coyote populations are not native to Newton… but as far as America goes, wildlife was here first… certainly before pugs and terriers. Newton wasn’t always suburbia.
mike — Are we sure it’s not basic overpopulation as a result of bans on leg-hold trapping?
I think Mayor Warren should turn to Former Mayoral Candidate Mike Striar with regards to dealing with our coyote problem.
@Nonantum Resident,
As I posted above, you can and should contact animal control. That’s the local division that deals with aggressive animals but they have to act in accordance with state law. You can also contact the Mass. Division of Wildlife and describe the animal’s behavior. They can and do deal with individual instances of aggressive animals. What you cannot reasonably expect is a wholesale annihilation or removal of the population from Newton. You also can’t expect local officials to try to take actions that are illegal and I certainly would hope that as a parent you don’t expect the cops to run around your neighborhood taking potshots at coyotes in the hopes that they nail the right one.
Nonantum Resident, I don’t mind your taking out your frustrations on me, but please understand that coyotes attacked and killed our cat in front of one of my kids, so I am not taking your concerns lightly. Your wife should report the incident to police. But do not be surprised if there is not much they can do.
@Joshua– I’ve already been badly bitten by coyotes, so it’s best that I keep any advice to myself. I did get a chuckle seeing Greg get bitten here on this thread. I warned him those darn coyotes were dangerous.
Well, in fairness to you Mike Striar- at least you were trying to contribute something thoughtful to the discussion. If Greg does decide to pursue his fledgling comedy career, hopefully he will take a word of advice from W.C. Fields who said “never work with children or animals”. In Greg’s case, that would be – don’t use them for your material. 😉
You guys took down my comment??? I didn’t swear. Now you’re censoring my comments???
Is the mere mention of SPED offensive? What exactly is offensive about fictitious coyote children qualifying for SPED? Abuse of the SPED program is a very real problem in this city. It doesn’t mean that all SPED kids are abusers. So are we just not allowed to joke about anything SPED even though we may have a problem here in Newton?
No, the mere mention of SPED isn’t offensive. However, when you make children the brunt of your sarcasm – that is offensive. When you make disabled children the brunt of your feeble attempt to be humorous, I and many others find that particularly noxious and offensive. And while we may have a problem of over-identification in this City, it isn’t the children who are abusing the system. The bottom line to me is very simple: you don’t make fun of children with disabilities or illnesses.
What Lisap said. What Greg did was literally dehumanizing.
Oh for heaven’s sake….what “I did” was live for about 120 seconds. Although yes I suppose suggesting animals have human qualities is “literally dehumanizing.”
Too far. Too much PC-ness. Greg did not target children or make a sweeping statement about families with SPED kids. He drew a comparison between a coyote family and that of a family looking to leverage Newton SPED services.
Is this funny? No. Greg violated the cardinal rule of comedy: know your room. Kids with SPED is not a funny topic, and this cut a bit too close, here.
However, so what if he makes a comparison to coyotes? Ever hear of foxes and hedgehogs? Bulls and bears? Coyotes are resilient, clever creatures, that so far seem to be outsmarting the highly educated community of Newton. Start acting as smart as a coyote and then you can talk about it being a put-down.
Thanks Bill.
But don’t be too hard on Ted. You see, last summer, Ted had just boarded an airplane when a coyote carrying a dead squirrel sat in the seat next to him. Ted complained to the flight attendant be she said, “I’m sorry sir, but that’s totally permissible, it’s carrion.”
I think it’s funny that’s you’re arguing about whether it was funny.
And did you know that Ted was a bartender when was in college?
One day, a coyote came in the bar, pounded on the bar, demanding a drink.
Ted said “We don’t serve coyotes here.”
But the coyote did it again, pounding on the bar and demanding a drink.
Ted reached under the bar, took out a gun and shot the coyote in the paw. The animal whimpered and hobbled away.
A few days later, the coyote stormed back into the bar wearing a holster and pistol and shouted:
“Where’s the man who shot my paw?”
There’s a website for coyotes jokes?
Yes, it’s called Village14.com
Bill,
You’re trying too hard to justify something you even admit wasn’t funny. It’s especially not humorous in light of the fact that the city has a problem with over-identifying Black and Latino children as needing special education services. Hard as you are trying, this doesn’t cut it as an example of anthropomorphism, but there are a few other “isms” that this does fall into.
No one would have defended anything if “SPED” instead said METCO.
I’m now thinking about Wind in the Willows and Charlotte’s Web and Mr. Ed and all those other places we’ve humanized animals. At the risk of offending right-to-life people, I wonder if there’s any research being done on coyote birth control — contraceptive-laced yummies left out where coyotes forage. Hasn’t that been done with deer?
@Julia: Funny you should ask. Did you know that Ted has a brother who is an alderman in Montana?
Well as you know, Montana has a terrible problem with coyotes devouring livestock. So one day Ted’s brother docketed an item to put out food that would sterilize the coyotes.
But an outraged ranched said: “Aldermen Hess-Mahan, you clearly don’t understand, the coyotes are eating my sheep, not having sex with them.”
No, LisaP, I just don’t see the world in black and white, and nor do I imagine what something might mean rather than what it does. Shall we discuss the implied oppression of coyotes because of western colonialism while we’re at it? They were, after all, here first.
Having known Greg for a while (as well as Ted), I do know that Greg would not attempt to put down disadvantaged people, but is capable of missing with a joke. And while Ted is often well-intended, he has a tendency to not understand the meaning of “brake.” Your “isms” brush does not apply.
Which reminds me of this priest, lawyer and dog who walk into a bar. And the bartender looks up and says, “what is this? A joke?”
Bill,
Actually, if you think that joke really WAS about animals then you are seeing it as black and white. The point though, is that it wasn’t and that’s why it was not funny (a point which you already conceded). As for whether or not a comment is an intentional put down, I’ve found that many people use humor as a way to say some pretty awful things.
And I’ve found that many people will never let go of a grudge.
@Lisap: I gave my comedy writers the afternoon off which gives me this opportunity to be the outraged one.
How DARE YOU accuse me of racism, hating children, hating special needs children or any thing you unjustifiably deducted from a headline I wrote and already said was a failed attempt at humor and removed nearly as soon as I wrote it.
There is no evidence in anything I’ve EVER written, EVER said or EVER done in my entire life to support your OUTRAGEOUS accusations. NOTHING.
I do not and never have equated any ethnic or racial group to any sort of animal. EVER. (I can’t believe I even have to defend that one.)
I was not making fun of children with special needs or any child when I drafted that headline. I was making fun of those adults who have suggested over the years that if Newton’s special education programs weren’t so terrific, then we’d have less families looking to move here. I don’t agree with that view. The headline failed to make that point so I deleted it.
You me an apology.
@Greg. Oh, dear (deer?), interspecies sex. Now I”m thinking about Rick Santorum.
Julia –
Ugh. That’s worse than Greg’s jokes.
Gail, a grudge pertains to holding onto something from the past. This has been an ongoing conversation in a singular thread. If I bring it up again in the future, then you say I have a grudge: if I continue to discuss it in response to the discussion I’m being topical.
Worse than this?
A car was involved in an accident in a street. As expected a large crowd gathered. A newspaper reporter, anxious to get his story could not get near the car. Being a clever sort, he started shouting loudly, “Let me through! Let me through! I am the son of the victim.” The crowd made way for him. Lying in front of the car was a donkey.
I know what a grudge is.
And another coyote joke for posterity-
When a visitor to a small town in Georgia came upon a wild coyote attacking a young boy, he quickly grabbed the animal and throttled it with his two hands. A reporter saw the incident, congratulated the man and told him the headline the following day would read, “Valiant Local Man Saves Child by Killing Vicious Animal.” The hero told the journalist that he wasn’t from that town. “Well, then,” the reporter said, “the headline will probably say, ‘Georgia Man Saves Child by Killing beast’.” “Actually,” the man said, “I’m from Connecticut.” “In that case,” the reporter said in a huff, “the headline should read, ‘Yankee Kills Family Pet’.”
Greg,
Let me see if I get this straight: in a community which has an apparent over-identification of children of color into special education, your comment about how many children of a particular group will “qualify” for special education was in actuality you making fun of other people – and namely, those people who suggest that if our special ed programs weren’t so great, we wouldn’t have so many people moving here? Well now, that’s as clear as split pea soup. But you know Greg, you didn’t say anything about making fun of those critics of our wonderful special education until your 8th comment on the topic, and you also managed to post 4 comments before finding your outrage over my post. And even when you took ownership of the fact that it was a poor attempt at humor, from the very beginning you lashed out others for even calling you on it. Thou doth protest too much, methinks.
I’m with Ted from two days ago – Nuff said
Yank the plug
This thread is overdone. Comments are closed.