inside this week
In UMass budget battle, costs may be passed to students, some say pg 6
A&E
business news
MARLON WAYANS TALKS ABOUT HIS LATEST MOVIE ‘FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK’ AND MORE pg 17
Dorchester firm helps foodies scale up retail operation pg 11
plus The Prelude connects communities to local artists, musicians pg 17 Thursday, February 18, 2016 • FREE • GREATER BOSTON’S URBAN NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1965 • CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
T fare hike blasted as unequal
www.baystatebanner.com
Black history celebration
Proposal burdens the most vulnerable, many say By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
Elected officials, transit activists and city residents slammed the MBTA fiscal management control board’s proposed fare raises at a public meeting held last week. They charge that the hikes unequally strike at the most vulnerable — no matter what the MBTA’s own equity analysis says. Time is running down for winning support for an alternative plan. With an operating budget deficit looming, the control board is looking to adopt one of two suggested fare increases to help bridge the gap. Its members are scheduled to vote on March 7, and any fare change expected to be implemented on July 1. The authority closed its period for accepting public comments on the proposals on Feb. 12. Under the MBTA control board’s two suggested plans, fares would rise systemwide by an average of either 6.71 percent or
9.77 percent. Looking at the average may obscure the fact that the pricing upsurge is not distributed evenly: Some kinds of passes would see severe hikes, while Outer Express Bus passes would become significantly cheaper. At an MBTA Fare Proposal public meeting at Roxbury Community College last week, Rep. Evandro Carvalho said the distribution of price hikes disproportionately burdens minorities, students and seniors. Many officials and residents who spoke out at the meeting added that for those with low and fixed incomes, any extra expense may be too much. Meanwhile, an equity study commissioned by the MBTA that examined the two fare hike proposals concluded that minorities and low-income riders would not be disproportionately burdened or impacted. The study was conducted by the Central Transportation Planning Staff of the Boston
See MBTA, page 10
PHOTO: MAYOR’S OFFICE PHOTO BY ISABEL LEON
Students at the Henderson School in Dorchester perform in their school’s African American History Show.
Northeastern plans towering new dorms Burke Street site, size, process contested By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
While many of Northeastern University’s Roxbury neighbors agree the school should house more of its student body in university dorms, some argue that the specter of a 20-story apartment complex towering over the neat, four-story apartment buildings on Burke Street is the wrong way to do it. The university proposes to create on-campus housing that could pull 800 students out of the city’s housing market — where they
traditionally hasten the sharp rise in rents. But residents raised concerns over the size and location of the project as well as a perceived lack of community say and benefits. Northeastern’s plans, announced in December, call for a 20-story high residence hall that will provide 800 student beds in 207 units. Known as the “Columbus Avenue Student Housing Project,” it will be located at 10 Burke Street in Roxbury, with Burke Street to its east, Columbus to the north, and Coventry to the west. The construction advances
toward Northeastern’s goal — set in its 2013 Institutional Master Plan — of creating 1,000 new student beds by 2018. The project’s task force presented plans to the Boston Redevelopment Authority on the morning of Feb. 8, but the public meeting to solicit feedback that was scheduled that evening was canceled due to snow. The planned apartments will include two-bedroom units with shared and private accommodations
See NORTHEASTERN, page 3
‘Diploma Plus saved my life’ Student makes case for school funding By YAWU MILLER
BANNER PHOTO
Youth members of the T Riders Union protested the MBTA’s proposed fare raises at a public meeting held at Roxbury Community College.
As a homeless teenager, Luis Aponte often found himself sleeping in parks and playgrounds between stints on couches and floors of friends and relatives. Between the daily struggles of meals, keeping clean clothes and a minimum wage job at Subway on Huntington Avenue, Aponte
often had trouble finishing his homework and making it to school. “I was living out of a bag with the little bit of clothes that I had,” he said. “I missed a lot of school.” Aponte’s life was spiraling out of control, and his teachers at Charlestown High recognized it. Now in his first year at Northeastern University, Aponte credits their decision to enroll him in the school’s Diploma Plus
alternative program with turning his life around. “Diploma Plus made me a stronger student,” he said. “It taught me study habits. It taught me critical thinking.” Two weeks ago, during a School Committee meeting, Aponte joined other students, teachers and alumni of Diploma Plus to make a case for continued funding for the program. Like many schools under the budget
See APONTE, page 13
2 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
On top of our game X1 from XFINITY® will change the way you experience TV We are a straight-up, no joke, can’t-get-enough sports family. If it’s on, we’ll watch it. And if it’s going to be on, we’ll know about it with personalized recommendations. With X1, we even have 24/7 sports coverage on all major networks and local-team coverage with XFINITY On Demand™ . Plus, XFINITY delivers the fastest Internet in America, according to Speedtest.net, which means we’re all connected to our favorite teams, from our favorite devices, from pre-season to the very last game. Now, if only winning a championship was as easy as XFINITY.
Get started with
89
XFINITY X1 Triple Play
$
99
Ask how to get a $200 Visa® Prepaid Card when you step up to a qualifying HD Triple Play
per month for 12 months with 2-year agreement
Call 1-866-492-6495 or visit xfinity.com today
Offer ends 2/28/16, and is limited to new residential customers. Not available in all areas. Requires subscription to Starter XF Triple Play with Digital Starter TV, Performance Internet and XFINITY Voice Unlimited services. Early termination fee applies. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, including regulatory recovery fees, Broadcast TV Fee (up to $5.00/mo.), Regional Sports Network Fee (up to $3.00/mo.) and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change during and after the promo. After applicable promo, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular charges apply. Comcast’s current service charge for Starter XF Triple Play is $148.49/mo. (pricing subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. XFINITY On Demand selections subject to charge indicated at time of purchase. Not all programming available in all areas. Internet: America’s fastest Internet based on report at Speedtest.net/awards/us. Speedtest is a trademark of Ookla, LLC. Used under license. Voice: $29.95 activation fee applies. Service (including 911/emergency services) may not function after an extended power outage. Two-year term agreement required with prepaid card offer. Money-Back Guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service charge and standard installation charges up to $500. Visa® prepaid card requires subscription to qualifying HD Triple Play with minimum term agreement. Early termination fee applies. Prepaid card mailed to account holder within 18 weeks of activation of all required services and expires in 90 days. Cards issued by Citibank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa® U.S.A. Inc. and managed by Citi Prepaid Services. Cards will not have cash access and can be used everywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted. © 2016 Comcast. All rights reserved. NPA178552-0001 DIV16-1-203-AA-$89TP-A5
111174_NPA178552-0001 Game ad_A5_10x15.75.indd 1
2/3/16 1:54 PM
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 3
Northeastern continued from page 1
as well as four-bedroom units with private accommodations, according to plans filed with the BRA in late January. Construction is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2016 and be completed in 2018. The site currently is a 58-space parking lot held by the university. Northeastern will ground lease the site to American Campus Communities Inc. — a Texas-based developer specializing in student-housing. Such leases give the property owner — in this case Northeastern — ownership of the land and improvements made on it, after allowing the tenant — ACC — an extended period of time in which to derive benefits from the development it makes on the site. Under a dormitory license from the city, ACC will develop, own and operate the residence. The ground lease stipulates that the site be used for student housing apartments and that Northeastern students in their third through fifth years be given first right to lease the apartments, according to plans filed with the BRA.
Local housing pressures
Kyle Robidoux, a board member for United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury and a former Northeastern University Community Task Force member, has lived in the neighborhood for ten years, during which he says he has seen a dramatic increase in students living in the area, accompanied by a dramatic increase in rent and homeownership prices. The more NU can take students out of the local housing market, the better, he said. “If there’s an opportunity to provide more on-campus housing for
AT A GLANCE Save the Date: The next public meeting on the
Northeastern’s Columbus Ave Student Housing will be Feb. 23, 6pm Details: Visit www.northeastern.edu/
communityaffairs/event/northeastern-university-columbus-avenue-student-housing-task-forcepublic-meeting/ students and more housing in our neighborhood for families, that’s a win-win for me,” he said. But the full extent of the effect will rely on the dorms being priced so they are more affordable to students than off-campus housing, he added. “Northeastern student neighbors of mine have said that living off-campus is less expensive than living in Northeastern dorms, which influences their decision to move off campus,” he said. According to information on Northeastern’s website, newly constructed or recently renovated housing designated for upper-grade students at the nearby Douglas Park costs $5,515 per semester for a two-bedroom apartment. Kathy Spiegelman, vice president and chief of campus planning and development for NU, said leases are expected to be competitive with other apartment-style suites on campus. City Councilor Tito Jackson said the Burke Street building could exacerbate housing pressures. Placing students on the very edge of campus makes it likely that they will later choose to expand the short distance into the community when they move out, he said. “I think this would actually increase housing pressure in the adjacent neighborhoods and communities of Lower Roxbury,” Jackson said. “Having that density of students
— who, at some point, are going to be very apt to want to move off of campus — on the edge of the community, I think that would be an issue that would push towards increased rents as well as upward pressures that would lead to displacement.” Jackson argued that the housing ought to be located deeper within the campus boundaries — for instance over the Pilgrim Parking Garage or behind the student center.
Towering presence
Burke Street is only one of several potential sites that have been proposed previously for student housing. Now that the scope of the project has been unveiled, Jackson says many community members object to a building of such height, massing and density being designated for that location. “This is an inappropriate site for a building of this height. We’re talking about 20 stories on a street that I don’t believe has anything over eight stories,” he said. Meanwhile, Kyle Robidoux had no issue with the size if it took more students out of the housing market. “I am comfortable with the scope and scale of the project. I think if the taller building means providing more beds in Northeastern-leased or -owned property, the better for the community.” Long-time activist and resident Mel King said displacement is a huge issue for people on limited income in the neighborhood, and that the university could combat the push-out and resolve its housing needs by converting more of its parking lots to dorms. “They have all that land that’s going to automobiles, and we’re in a struggle for getting appropriate housing for the people, particularly
those with fixed income in Boston,” he said. “They can build over [parking lots] and provide the housing that they need.”
Tense history
Northeastern’s housing plans could reopen old wounds, calling up twenty-year-old memories of a battle over the university’s plans for student housing at Tremont Street, which runs perpendicular to Burke Street. In the 1970s, the BRA invoked urban renewal powers and used funding from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development to relocate residents and clear the Tremont Street site. When it came time for the parcel’s disposition, it appeared to many residents that the city was biased toward selecting Northeastern as the site’s developer: According to activists in the South End and Lower Roxbury, the request for proposal process seemed designed to discourage other bidders. As the controversy developed, activists took the issue to the HUD, filing a complaint that the local residents were not given the same level of public review granted to white communities. The dispute was resolved with an agreement by Northeastern to set aside affordable housing for residents in the student housing complex.
Unasked-for “benefits”
According to plans filed with the BRA, the university would generate community benefits by providing approximately 3,000 square feet of ground floor real estate. “To contribute to the surrounding neighborhood, the building will include commercial space on the ground floor. These active ground floors uses will animate the street and present the internal life of the campus to the public realm,” the
document states. But the move represents the university deciding what the community wants — not asking residents and then seeking to meet those needs, said Bruce Bickerstaff, who represents the community on the Northeastern University Community Task Force. Residents had not requested student housing there, and are unlikely to either receive construction or management jobs — the university administration hired a Texas-based company for that — or to be the businesses on the ground floor, he said. “There’ll be no benefit to anybody but the institution,” Bickerstaff said. Northeastern and the developer have yet to determine which businesses will be located in the building, said NU spokesperson John O’Neill. So far in the process, there has not been a sense that community voice is heard and incorporated into the university and BRA’s plans, he said. And public say is limited: Bickerstaff is among those who represent community voice to the project’s task force, but has no power to block elements of the plan. “We are not a real authority,” he said.
UMass housing
Meanwhile UMass plans its first on-campus student housing: a 1,000-bed dorm for freshmen and transfer students, set to open on UMass Boston campus in September 2018. Capstone Development will lease land from the university to develop at a site adjacent to the school’s Peninsula Apartment complex and the Clark Athletic Center. After its completion, a nonprofit will take over management and operations, while UMass supervises student life aspects. That project is estimated to cost $120 million.
BOSTON STATE COMMUNITY TRUST, INC. REQUEST FOR GRANT PROPOSALS The Boston State Community Trust, Inc. a subsidiary of the Boston State Hospital Citizens Advisory Committee, Inc. is requesting grant proposals from community-based organizations located in the neighborhoods of Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, and Roslindale. This funding round invites proposals in the following funding categories: Education & Job Training Initiatives; Youth Recreation & Social Development Initiatives; and Mental Health Initiatives. A maximum of $10,000.00 per organization will be distributed in this funding round. The Request for Proposals (RFP) will only be available for distribution to interested parties via electronic mail on Wednesday, March 2nd between 8am and 6:00pm. NO REQUESTS WILL BE PROCESSED AFTER 6:00 P.M. On March 2nd, interested parties must submit an electronic mail request for a copy of the RFP. An electronic version of the RFP will be forwarded to each respondent. The request should be sent to: bjohnson@bevcoassociates.comcastbiz.net. The Boston State Community Trust reserves the right to suspend, withdraw, or amend the aforementioned RFP without prior notice.
4 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
EDITORIAL
SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
By fax: 617-261-2346 From web site: www.baystatebanner.com click “contact us,” then click “letters” By mail: The Boston Banner, 23 Drydock Ave., Boston, MA 02210 Letters must be signed. Names may be withheld upon request.
www.baystatebanner.com
INSIDE: BUSINESS, 11 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, 17 • CLASSIFIEDS, 22
Established 1965
Citizens crusade needed to end unfair wealth inequality Zealous patriots are quick to boast that the “U.S.A. is Number One.” This assertion usually is a compliment, but sometimes it can actually be an embarrassment. As the world’s greatest industrial nation, it is not a good thing for America also to have the highest rate of income inequality in the developed world. President Barack Obama paid considerable attention to that problem, but it remains unresolved. Income disparity now has become a major issue in the campaign for president, and voters will have to decide whether Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton offer the most promising solution. According to the Economic Policy Institute, wage stagnation has been underway in America since 1979. As the cost of living increased, the working class was pushed into poverty and many Americans were dislodged from their middle class status. While the lives of lower income families were decimated, the gross domestic product (GDP) actually grew 149 percent since 1979 and the productivity of labor increased by 64 percent. While workers’ wages stagnated, declined, or grew an average of only 10.9 percent from 1978 to 2014, the top CEO compensation, adjusted for inflation, blossomed by 997 percent. The CEO salaries of the 350 top U.S. firms are now three times more than 20 years ago. Back in 1965, the CEO earned only about 20 times the average salary of the workers. By 2014 that ratio had leaped to 303 times. As might be expected, the wage stagnation has been especially damaging to black family incomes. In 2014, median black wages were only 75 percent of the wages for whites. Hispanic median wages were at only 70 percent. Lower income and a higher cost of living create poverty. The higher wages to CEOs also led to substantial salary upgrades at lower executive levels. The higher salaries for business executives pushed up consumer prices. The U.S. Department of Labor maintains a consumer price index (CPI) to track the cost of living. In 1965 the average CPI was 31.5; by 2015 the CPI had ballooned
to 237. The cost of living has grown in that period by a factor of 7.5. With stagnating or declining wages, the consequences were an unfortunate economic decline for working class families. Well-managed family income is the basic ingredient for the development of wealth. A recent report entitled “The Color of Wealth in Boston” that was produced by the Federal Reserve Bank demonstrates that the lower incomes for blacks have impaired any chance of building wealth. The report stated that for every $1.00 of liquid assets held by white households, U.S. blacks have only 2 cents and Caribbean blacks have only 14 cents. The median wealth for white households was $247,500 compared with zero for blacks. The enormity of the wealth disparity suggests that a simplistic solution will not be effective. All Clinton can do is repeat what Obama tried with minimal success. Perhaps Sanders is right; it will take a revolution much like the unrelenting Civil Rights Movement, but with novel strategies. The wealthiest 1 percent possesses 40 percent of the wealth while the bottom 80 percent own only 7 percent. It is likely that the plutocrats would vigorously oppose any progressive tax proposal that is designed to benefit the financially less fortunate. A disappointing aspect of the problem is that taxpayers’ funds were used to bail out Wall Street from the crash that preceded the Great Recession, even though Wall Street was significantly responsible for the crisis. Yet, since the recovery period from 2009, an estimated 95 percent of the economic gains have gone to the top 1 percent. The general public is owed a better rate of return. Nonetheless, conservatives would undoubtedly organize to prevent the government from ameliorating the nations’ unfair wealth disparity. African Americans must, therefore, vote for the candidate for president who is most likely to mobilize a citizen’s crusade for equity. The election returns from New Hampshire indicate that Bernie Sanders is that candidate.
“We have to be sure we’re on the right side of the battle to end unfair income inequality.” USPS 045-780 Melvin B. Miller Sandra L. Casagrand John E. Miller Yawu Miller
Publisher/Editor Co-publisher Assoc. Publisher/Treasurer Senior Editor ADVERTISING
Rachel Reardon
Advertising Manager NEWS REPORTING
Karen Miller Martin Desmarais Jule Pattison-Gordon Sandra Larson Kenneth J. Cooper Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil Anthony W. Neal Brian Wright O’Connor Marcy Murninghan
Health Editor Staff Writers
Contributing Writers
Ernesto Arroyo Don West
Staff Photographers
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Contributing Writers Colette Greenstein Susan Saccoccia Lloyd Kam Williams PRODUCTION Daniel Goodwin Caleb Olson
Art Director Graphic Designer ADMINISTRATION
Karen Miller
Business Manager
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Rewriting history The unknown Africans suffering under the U.S. slave system who gave Albert Bacheler their coat back in 1864 committed an act of kindness and bravery, covertly lending aid to a soldier they may have seen as their best bet to obtain freedom from perpetual bondage. In preserving the coat, Bacheler sought to teach his students a lesson about a great war that rent
the nation in two years before the students were born. But the story of the coat also underscores a different lesson: While most of our African American ancestors who suffered in the vile institution of slavery did not fight in the war, they did not sit idly. Bacheler’s story demonstrates that there was enough of a network of sympathetic slaves offering shelter, food and clothing that he could make his way through Virginia to
INDEX BUSINESS NEWS ………………………………...................... 11 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT …………………...................... 17 AUTO …………………....................................................... 20 CLASSIFIEDS ……………………………………....................... 22
the Northern side of the battle line, where he was rescued by the 8th United States Colored Cavalry. Those points are important, given the longstanding historical narrative, re-inscribed in American film and literature, that cast blacks as hapless victims of slavery, rather than active resistors of the institution.
baystatebanner.com
The Boston Banner is published every Thursday. Offices are located at 23 Drydock Ave., Boston, MA 02210. Telephone: 617-261-4600, Fax 617-261-2346 Subscriptions: $48 for one year ($55 out-of-state) Web site: www.baystatebanner.com Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA. All rights reserved. Copyright 2016. The Banner is certified by the NMSDC, 2016. Circulation of The Bay State and Boston Banner 27,400. Audited by CAC, June 2015. The Banner is printed by: TC Transcontinental Printing 10807, Mirabeau, Anjou (Québec) H1J 1T7 Printed in Canada
— Chris Anderson Dorchester
facebook.com/baystatebanner
twitter.com/baystatebanner
ONLINE STATS
»M OST VIEWED ONLINE
Fairmount Line Setback
» MOST TWEETED
Fairmount Line Setback
» MOST COMMENTED ON FACEBOOK
Roxbury Strategic Master Plan
» MOST SHARED ON FACEBOOK
Bright Plans for Freedom House
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 5
OPINION THE BANNER WELCOMES YOUR OPINION: EMAIL OP-ED SUBMISSIONS TO YAWU@BANNERPUB.COM • Letters must be signed. Names may be withheld upon request.
OPINION
ROVING CAMERA
The Republican primary’s poisonous legacy By LEE A. DANIELS With the recent primary in New Hampshire, this year’s momentous presidential contest has now begun in earnest. At last, the political world has actual votes in actual ballot boxes to focus on. But looming behind all the critical issues of policy and process that are — and are not — going to be discussed is an ominous, multi-part question: What are the American people going to do about Donald Trump’s poisonous political legacy. There’s no question he’s already left one that’s unprecedented in presidential-campaign politics: a combination of carnival-barker bluster, street-hustler shiftiness, and a deliberate embracing of ignorance of even simple policy matters, along with overt racism and the crudest public language possible this side of outright profanity. That’s Donald Trump’s political platform. No political extremist has ever before attempted to show all those “qualities” simultaneously at the national level. Nor have we ever had such dramatic evidence that apparently so many white conservatives are eager to participate in such a degrading hustle. The latest proof there’s no brake on Trump’s — and his mob of supporters’ — slide to deeper levels of cesspool politics came the day before the primary. Then, at a rally in Salem, N.H., Trump took up the disgusting insult of Ted Cruz a woman shouted from the audience. According to the account of it in the Washington Post, after the women shouted the insult, Trump said to the audience, “She just said a terrible thing. You know what she said?” before turning to the woman and commanding her to “Shout it out.” The woman did so, but, the Post account went on, her voice “still couldn’t be heard throughout the cavernous arena. ‘Okay, you’re not allowed to say and I never expect to hear that from you again,’ Trump said with mock seriousness, like a father reprimanding a child. ‘She said — I never expect to hear that from you again! — She said: “He’s a pussy.” That’s terrible.” The Post story noted that at this point “The crowd of several thousand burst into cheers, applause and laughter, while reporters asked one another if they had heard that right.” Later, it stated that Trump “made a show of distancing himself from the insult he had just repeated: ‘You’re reprimanded, okay?’ Smiling, he then polled the audience: Can she stay? Can she stay? The answer: A roaring yes.” This is the character of the front-runner for the Republican Party nomination for the presidency. And of the people who support him. Of course, there’s something more sinister than juvenile dirty hijinks at work here. For one thing, it’s easy to imagine the furor that would have erupted across the political and media spectrum if this despicable spectacle had occurred at a Democratic campaign rally. Or at a rally with a predominantly black audience. But last week no Republican Party official or other GOP candidate mentioned the outrageous stunt at all, let alone denounced it. Indeed, public attention to the incident barely survived that evening’s news cycle. This was partly due to the primary’s occurring the next day. But it’s also a powerful testament to how used the Republican electorate and the media have gotten — especially during this primary round — to hearing GOP candidates’ promises to be cruel. Those boasts, along with crude language and behavior, have become the dominant “values” the Republican electorate has pledged allegiance to, and it’s stripped the frightened Republican establishment of any sense of decency. Many say Trump has tapped into his supporters “anger.” But what he’s actually tapped into is their venom, their bigotry, their wanting to dominate others, their wanting to be cruel. That’s what their addiction to his language of crudeness, insult and cruelty, particularly toward people of color, shows. This isn’t “populism” — a virtually meaningless term in the modern political era. Trump’s supporters want to reconstruct that old, dirty American tradition: white rule. For that, however, one can’t blame Trump and his howlers alone. His leading the GOP presidential primary shows the profound damage done to the American political tradition by the Republican Party’s decades of thinly-disguised racist appeals and its stoking for the last eight years the “Obama Derangement” rhetoric of conservative politics. What kind of future for American politics as a whole does that suggest?
Lee A. Daniels’ collection of columns, “Race Forward: Facing America’s Racial Divide in 2014,” is available at www.amazon.com.
To what extent do you think income inequality is an important issue in this year’s presidential race?
I don’t think most candidates are paying attention to it. I think Bernie Sanders would be the best president to deal with income inequality.
Not much. Things haven’t changed for years. I hope it changes soon.
It’s an issue, but I don’t think anything they do will make a difference. I think this country needs to increase production to build more wealth.
Joe T
Doreen Amartey
Retired Roxbury
Retail Assistant Dorchester
I don’t think the candidates are paying attention to the issue.
All I hear them saying that they’re going to create more jobs. I want to see change.
Eric
None of the candidates are paying attention to low-income families and minority hiring. Blacks can’t get hired.
Mary
Eric Sebastian
Disabled Dorchester
Sales Dorchester
Carlos Nuñez Disabled Dorchester
Music Engineer Roxbury
IN THE NEWS
ALICIA ADAMSON Bottom Line is happy to announce the appointment of Alicia Adamson as the managing director of Development and External Affairs for Massachusetts region. Prior to joining Bottom Line in 2016, Adamson served as senior director at United Way of Massachusetts and Merrimack Valley for seven years successfully raising millions annually and transforming the philanthropic impact of donors. Prior to joining the nonprofit sector, Adamson worked in product and brand marketing roles for both Reebok International and Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions. Bottom Line’s mission is to help low-income and first-generation students get in to college, graduate from college and go far in life by providing one-on-one guidance and support. In Massachusetts, Bottom Line is serving 3,000 students out of the Dorchester, Jamaica Plain and Worcester offices. Bottom Line has grown into a multi-state support network with offices in New
York City and Chicago with plans to expand to Atlanta. “Alicia Adamson is a passionate leader with proven successes in engaging key stakeholders through fundraising, engagement and mission driven impact,” says Denella Clark, National Chief Development Officer, Bottom Line. She brings more than ten years’ experience in nonprofit management, development and marketing specializing in donor affinity groups. Adamson is the founder emeritus of the National Black Women’s Society Inc. (formally YBWS). She is a member of the Mayor Martin Walsh’s Women’s Commission. She has been recognized as a leader by Harvard Business School’s Young American Leader’s Program, is a Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40 award recipient and an NAACP Image Award recipient. She is committed to closing the opportunity gap for the next generation of leaders and empowering individuals to make an impact in their communities.
As managing director, Adamson will work with the executive director as a senior member to lead the fundraising and communications efforts for Bottom Line Massachusetts. She will serve as a key thought leader within the organization and will work closely with a range of internal and external stakeholders to retain and expand existing funding streams with a focus on increasing revenue from individual, foundation and corporate donors.
6 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
In UMass budget battle, costs may be passed to students, some say By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
Tuition and student debt are bound to spike throughout the University of Massachusetts system, some education and budget advocates predict — unless serious changes are made to Governor Charlie Baker’s proposed budget. “[Tuition is] already too much,” said Jojo Reyes, a junior at UMass Boston. She works until midnight at a burrito restaurant three to four nights a week to help afford her studies. Reyes is covering her tuition through a combination of grants, loans and working 25-30 hours a week. “Those loans are piling up every year,” Reyes noted. “When I graduate, I know it’ll be a big burden to me.” Baker’s proposal — $539 million budgeted for UMass in fiscal year 2017 — would be a 1.4 percent increase over the current $532 million the university system receives, but a far cry from the $601 million UMass administrators requested. That extra funding is necessary to cover the faculty pay raises resulting from collective bargaining, deferred maintenance costs and financial aid, administrators said in the request they submitted in December. According to Natalie Higgins, executive director of Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts, if Baker’s proposal is upheld,
it could put higher education costs out of the reach of some students, preventing them from enrolling or forcing them to drop out. “If fees go up, we see students who can’t afford tuition cost, and end up dropping out after two or three years,” she said. “That’s a huge loss — to have a student who took on student debt and drop out, and still have that debt.” Ann Scales, spokesperson for UMass’s President’s Office, said that this year, state funding makes up approximately 37 percent of the $1.5 billion UMass spends on core educational needs — items like faculty pay, academic buildings and equipment. UMass spends another $1.6 billion for items such as dining and athletic facilities and research, none of which get state support. The rest of UMass’s funding comes from sources such as tuition and mandatory fees, research grants, dining hall and resident hall fees and renting out campus space, Scales said. “The result of this budget,” Higgins said in a press release, “will be a significant hike in tuition and fees or cuts to programming integral to keeping our students on the path to completion, simply to keep public higher education campuses level funded.”
Tuition tribulation
There is precedent for thinking tuition will increase. In June 2015, UMass trustees raised tuitions for the first time in three years, citing
budget needs. That budget was at a similar level to what the governor proposes for 2017, noted Mass Budget and Policy Center in its analysis of the new proposal. Even with her grants and job, Reyes said she expects to graduate $15,000-20,000 in debt. For some friends, that number is closer to $30,000, she said. Reyes’ late work hours come on top of 25-30 hours a week spent on schoolwork, a balance, she said, that “gets tiring.” But Reyes said that even so, UMass is significantly less expensive that other higher education options. Because of this, she expected a $1,000-$2,000 tuition increase would not deter many students from enrolling.
Widespread strain
Under the governor’s budget, programs and faculty may suffer, PHENOM president Kim Selwitz warned in a press release. The effects could include a greater emphasis on using adjunct professors over full-time, struggles to pay for building maintenance and reduction in campus services. “Baker’s budget relies on the tired argument that public higher education can be just fine if they wring ‘efficiencies’ out of their budgets,” she said. “Here’s what ‘efficiency’ has meant over the past decade: hiring adjuncts with low pay or benefits and no job security; making campuses pay for most of their construction projects out of the regular operating
You’re Invited to the Second Annual
Diversity Career Fair for Teachers!
BANNER PHOTO
Jojo Reyes, junior at UMass Boston, combines loans, grants and 25-30 hours of work a week to afford current tuition levels. Next year, that tuition may rise. budget, something no other state does; continuing the decline in the number of full time faculty and campus services that help low income and minority students get through to graduation.”
Demand for grads
Easier access to higher education begets an educated workforce — something that brings prosperity to the Commonwealth as a whole, according to a Mass Budget and Policy Center statement. And making that education affordable in-state makes it more likely that graduates will stay in — and grow the economy. “Public graduates are also more likely to stay in Massachusetts after graduation, contributing to our economy over the long term,” asserts MassBudget’s statement. “Despite the evidence that a highly educated workforce helps strengthen our state economy, Massachusetts has cut state support for higher education by 20 percent since FY 2001, adjusting for inflation.” Business leaders have a strong demand for college-educated students with levels of debt that can be balanced alongside the cost of living in Massachusetts, said Peter Wilson, press secretary for state Senate President Stan Rosenberg.
Tuesday February 23, 2016 FROM 5-7pm
Meet representatives from dozens of schools across the city of Boston at this collaborative fair – all of whom are looking to hire the best for our students!
Hope ahead
There still is time for UMass’s budget to change. The House is expected to release its budget in April and the Senate in May, and Senate President Rosenberg has made it clear he supports higher funding, criticizing the governor’s budget as “woefully inadequate.” “We hope that by end of that process there will be adequate level of funding for UMass,” UMass’s President’s Office spokesperson Ann Scales said. She was hesitant to predict the budget’s effect on tuition, fees or deferred maintenance, emphasizing that there are months of negotiation to go. “[It is] too early in the process to fully grasp what impact the level of state funding would have for us.”
BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, 2300 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA Teaching in Boston is a guaranteed way for you to impact the lives of our city’s racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students and their families.
“In conversation with business leaders around the state, [the Senate President] has been told that they’re looking for bright students coming out of college with affordable levels of debt, so they can pay them to stay in the state,” Wilson said. “Public education is about providing access to people who have the ability, but may not have the means,” Wilson added. With this budget proposal, “We’re going in the wrong direction.”
PUBLIC MEETING
DOUGLASS PARK 150 CAMDEN ST WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
650 COLUMBUS AVE 1st Floor Lobby Boston, MA 02118
PROJECT PROPONENT: Hamilton Northeast Development, LLC PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Hamilton Northeast Development’s (the Proponent) proposal to construct a new five (5) story building with forty four (44) residential dwellings at the property. The proposal includes significant new landscaping and buffering designs along the frontage on Camden St as well as new curbing, fencing, and planting areas to provide an established residential feel (the Proposed Project). The Proposed Project, situated in Roxbury, will be located on approximately 15,500 square feet of vacant land that consists of a portion of the existing Douglass Plaza a/k/a Douglass Park Project.
mail to:
SPONSORED BY: phone: email:
CHRISTOPHER TRACY
Boston Redevelopment Authority One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617.918.4259 Christopher.Tracy@Boston.gov
Register Today: tiny.cc/BostonDiversityFair2016 Priority Registration Deadline: February 12, 2016
BostonRedevelopmentAuthority.org Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary
@BostonRedevelop
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 7
Researchers tackle BPS enrollment equity as many clamor for answers By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
Two years in, the impact of Boston Public School’s relatively-new school assignment system has yet to be fully assessed, and the Boston Compact is pushing for significant modifications. Against this backdrop, researchers gathered recently to probe a question hot on many parents’ minds, “Is the homebased system working?” “I don’t see how we move to a different assignment process without understanding the equity implications of the current system,” said Kim Janey, senior project director at Massachusetts Advocates for Children. Some parents say an equity analysis is long overdue on BPS’s homebased school assignment system, and that if it does not arrive soon, decisions may be made without it. The Boston Compact stated in a letter released last week that they are refining their unified enrollment proposal and Mayor Martin Walsh is expected to submit a proposal to the “decision-making bodies” in the city and state in “the months ahead.” As part of the proposal, charter schools would switch their enrollment model from accepting students from anywhere in the state off a lottery to one that prioritizes local students, a move the state Legislature would have to approve. Professors, researchers and BPS officials gathered at the Boston University Initiative on Cities headquarters for a panel discussion on the successes and challenges of the current system and what equitable access to quality schools truly means. The event was cosponsored by the BUIC, the BU School of Education and the Boston Area Research Initiative.
Home-based system arrives
Rolled out for the 2014-2015 school year, the home-based assignment model aimed to bring more equitable access to quality schools, while also prioritizing schools closest to where families live. Each family’s list of potential schools from which to select must include a certain number of schools with high MCAS scores within a one-mile radius of where the family lives. If there are not enough high-performing schools nearby, more distant options are added. Meanwhile, parents may
select citywide schools or send children to schools their siblings attend.
Promising start
Several panelists tentatively praise to the home-based system, saying that on the surface there seem to be improvements over the zone-based system — implemented in 1989 and modified over the years — but cautioned that it is early to say with certainty. In part this is due to the complexity of the system and the problem it seeks to solve. Among the many issues panelists said need further investigation are the wide variance in what parents regard as “quality education.” “Through very initial estimates at very surface levels, we’re seeing signs that [the home-based system] is working, that we’re moving in the direction that we intended to move,” said James Racanelli, operations management director for BPS. Racanelli said families now have more equal lists of school choices, and that children are traveling less distance to attend schools. Another achievement, he added: BPS analysis suggests that in the home-based system, families seem to have more equal access to the schools they choose, regardless of race, economic and income levels, and geographic location. “We didn’t see large differences across groups in terms of getting into their top three choices,” Racanelli said. Still, any verdict has yet to be made. “You really need at least three years to take a look to see what kind of impact this is having,” noted Kim Rice, assistant superintendent of operations for BPS. “We are cautioning everybody to not jump to conclusions yet.”
Place matters
Under the three-zone system that ended with the 2013 implementation of the current plan, children living in the East Zone — which included Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan — had a 37 percent statistical probability of getting into what was deemed a “quality school,” whereas in the West Zone, that probability was 62 percent, Rice said. With the home-based system, every child is guaranteed at least two Tier 1 schools among their options. However, the list only assures an equal number of schools, not an
equal number of seats. Children have a greater chance of getting a seat at a high-performing school if they live close to larger schools, Megan Wolff, a member of parent activist organization Quality Education for Every Student, told the Banner. And two Tier 1 schools are a minimum, not maximum: living close to many high-quality schools may generate more such options from which a student can select. “It still depends on where you live,” Wolff said. “There are some areas in the city where you could have five level 1 schools in your basket because you live within a one-mile radius of five level 1 schools.”
Defining “quality”
The home-based system assumes that it can create equity by giving families more equal access to Tier 1 and 2 schools — that is, schools with recent records of high MCAS scores. But that metric is not always as attractive to parents as BPS expected, panelists said. “[Tier ranking] doesn’t tell us as much about the school, as it tells us the socioeconomic status of the students,” Wolff said, noting that English Language Learner students and students with special needs tend to perform less well on such tests. “It’s not really telling us about the quality of the teaching.” Nancy Hill, professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a member of BARI’s Steering Committee has been examining how parents choose schools. She said parents consider factors such as extracurricular offerings, proximity to the parents’ work, proximity to home, presence of playgrounds, safety of the neighborhood traveled through, start hours and whether their child would be the only of their ethnic or racial group at the school. Barbara Rosa of the Citywide Parent Council said in a Banner interview that she enrolled her children in BPS under the zone system. Among the factors important to her: a start time that allowed her to get to work on time, after school-care and athletic facilities. Currently, DiscoverBPS, the district’s online tool for learning about schools, lists tier levels, but misses these kinds of important details, Janey told the Banner.
Registration divide
Even if BPS and parents agree on what counts as a high-performing
BANNER PHOTO
Left to right: Harvard’s Nancy Hill, BPS’ Kim Rice and Harvard’s Kelley Fong were among panelists speaking at the Boston University Initiative on Cities headquarters. school, it is not enough for the district to provide parents an equal number of high-performing options, several researchers said. BPS must also go further to tackle inequality that becomes evident in parents’ approach to the sign-up process. Kelley Fong, doctoral student in sociology and social policy at Harvard, said she conducted interviews and 800-900 parental surveys over the past few years about registration. While many parents believed they had all the information they wanted, it soon became clear they did not realize what they did not know, she said. “They may understand they have choice, but not which schools will be on their list, or that it matters when you register — that seats will be gone.” In her research, middle class parents were more likely to have examined their choices in advance and to have registered early, while more than two-thirds of working class and poor parents who registered by the deadline had never seen their lists before arriving at Welcome Centers to sign up, she found. “[These] parents are essentially often deciding on the spot.” Meanwhile, a substantial number of parents register late, meaning by the time they make selections, fewer seats are remain free in the high-demand schools. “These parents are severely disadvantaged,” Fong said. “[They are] getting slotted into least desirable schools.” Parents without easy access to the internet have less ability to use DiscoverBPS to learn about options, while parents who are not connected to organizations miss out on receiving information. Families who do use DiscoverBPS seemed to have positive responses. Wolff, who is on a parents’ listserv, said she had not heard complaints about the understandability of the system.
Boston Compact proposal
Meanwhile, theBoston Compact executive committee announced in a letter that it conducted threemonths of public feedback gathering on its proposed unified enrollment system, which would fold charter schools into the current enrollment process. The committee says this system would take more of the burden from parents by not requiring them to research and individually apply to charter school options. Instead, charter schools would automatically be included in their choice basket. The Boston Compact’s proposal received significant pushback from parents at several meetings. The committee reported families voiced concerns that over issue such as lack of a common definition of “school quality,” need for an equity analysis of current enrollment policies, and perceived lack of transparency regarding the Compact and its funders. Responding to these complaints, the executive committee said some changes will be made to the organization, including increased online posting of information about Compact meetings and funders, and that it will refine its proposal. The committee also acknowledged concerns about changing the home-based system before there is a full analysis of it. “We concur that we need to understand the impact of the Home Based assignment system on equity and are encouraged that the School Committee and BPS leaders are working to bring forward data in the coming weeks.” An equity study is expected from MIT, although some parents are concerned about the main researcher on the study having previous involvement developing the home-based assignment system and a unified enrollment-like system in another city, Wolff said.
8 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
ONE DAY SALE SHOP SAT, FEB. 2O 9AM-1OPM ALSO SHOP FRI, FEB. 19 9AM-1OPM HOURS MAY VARY. SEE MACYS.COM AND CLICK ON STORES FOR DETAILS
FREE SHIPPING ONLINE AT $25
VALID 2/19-2/20/2016. PLUS, FREE RETURNS. U.S. ONLY. EXCLUSIONS APPLY; SEE MACYS.COM/FREERETURNS
5O%-8O% OFF STOREWIDE DOORBUSTERS! 9AM-2PM FRI & SAT DEALS OF THE DAY ALL DAY, BOTH DAYS! OR, USE THIS SAVINGS PASS FRIDAY OR SATURDAY UNTIL 2PM EXTRA DOLLARS OFF SELECT SALE & CLEARANCE CLOTHING & HOME ITEMS
$
1O OFF
YOUR PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE. LIMIT ONE PER CUSTOMER. VALID 2/19 ’TIL 2PM OR 2/20/16 ’TIL 2PM
EXTRA DOLLARS OFF SELECT SALE & CLEARANCE CLOTHING & HOME ITEMS
$
2O OFF
YOUR PURCHASE OF $5O OR MORE. LIMIT ONE PER CUSTOMER. VALID 2/19 ’TIL 2PM OR 2/20/16 ’TIL 2PM
CANNOT BE USED ON DOORBUSTERS OR DEALS OF THE DAY Excludes ALL: cosmetics/fragrances, Deals of the Day, Doorbusters/web busters, electrics/electronics, Everyday Values (EDV), furniture/mattresses, Last Act, Macy’s Backstage, rugs, specials, super buys, Breville, Dyson, Fitbit, French Connection for her, Frye, Hanky Panky, Jack Spade, Kate Spade, KitchenAid Pro Line, Le Creuset, Levi’s, Michele watches, Nespresso, New Era, Nike on Field, OXO, Sam Edelman, Samsung watches, Shun, simplehuman, Stuart Weitzman, The North Face, Theory, Tumi, Vitamix, Wacoal, Wüsthof, athletic clothing, shoes & accessories; Dallas Cowboys merchandise, designer Impulse brands, designer jewelry, gift cards, jewelry trunk shows, previous purchases, select licensed depts., services, special orders, special purchases, tech watches; PLUS, ONLINE ONLY: baby gear, kids’ shoes, Allen Edmonds, Birkenstock, Cole Haan for him, Hurley, Johnston & Murphy, Merrell, RVCA, Tommy Bahama. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer, except opening a new Macy’s account. Dollar savings are allocated as discounts off each eligible item, as shown on receipt. When you return an item, you forfeit the savings allocated to that item. This coupon has no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash, used to purchase gift cards or applied as payment or credit to your account. Purchase must be $25 or $50 or more, exclusive of tax and delivery fees.
ONE DAY SALE PRICES IN EFFECT 2/19 & 2/20/2016, EXCEPT AS NOTED. OPEN A MACY’S ACCOUNT FOR EXTRA 20% SAVINGS THE FIRST 2 DAYS, UP TO $100, WITH MORE REWARDS TO COME. Macy’s credit card is available subject to credit approval; new account savings valid the day your account is opened and the next day; excludes services, selected licensed departments, gift cards, restaurants, gourmet food & wine. The new account savings are limited to a total of $100; application must qualify for immediate approval to receive extra savings; employees not eligible. N6010070B.indd 1
2/8/16 3:13 PM
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
@baystatebanner
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
BayStateBanner
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 9
Democratic activists to battle on primary ballot, in caucuses By YAWU MILLER
When voters go to the polls March 1, the biggest question for most of Boston’s predominantly Democratic electorate will be, Bernie or Hillary? While the selection of a Democratic nominee may be the most important choice on the ballot, in most of the city’s wards there will be other choices with local consequences for the next four years: whom to elect to the local ward committee. “It’s important for people to look at the whole ballot,” says 1st Suffolk state Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry. In Boston’s 22 Democratic ward committees, party activists old and new are running for seats that will give them a voice at the grassroots level of the party. The committees meet monthly and plan events that help educate voters on the issues and candidates for office. Ward committees also endorse candidates and often take positions on ballot questions. “We represent the party at the local level,” says Matthew Bennett, chairman of the committee in Ward 8, which includes sections of Lower Roxbury and
the South End. “We communicate neighborhood concerns to elected officials.” Ward 8 often joins forces with wards 9, 10, 11, 12 and 19 to hold candidate forums during local and state elections, giving the city’s more progressive-minded voters a chance to query candidates. “We tend to have similar demographics and concerns,” Bennett says of the wards, which include most of the city’s black, Latino and white progressive voters. The ward committee seats come with no tangible benefits or pay. Many ward committees may have fewer candidates than vacant seats. Those vacancies present opportunities, notes Dorcena Forry. “If there are 15 positions and only 14 people running, you can write your name in the ballot and vote for yourself,” she said.
National convention
Following the March 2 primary, supporters of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have a second chance to help their preferred candidate secure the party’s nomination. Massachusetts residents who were registered as Democrats as of December 31,
BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Put your child on the path to life success.
2015 can sign a nomination paper to run for a seat as a delegate to the national convention, scheduled for July 25 – 28 in Philadelphia. Nomination forms, available on the party’s website, must be signed and returned to the party by March 14. To be elected a delegate, candidates will have to attend a caucus meeting in their Congressional district. The caucus meetings have not yet been scheduled. All registered Democrats can vote. “As long as you’re a registered Democrat and can get people to come and vote for you, you get to be a delegate to the national convention,” said Ward 19 Co-chairwoman Karen Payne.
State convention
With the national convention looming on the horizon and no statewide races, this year’s June 4 state convention may not receive as much attention. But the convention offers grass roots party activists a chance to weigh in on the issues the state party prioritizes. Caucuses to elect delegates to the state convention will be held in February and March. Specific dates and locations can be found on the massdems.org website.
SATURDAY, MARCH 5 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Grades K1-8 application deadline: Feb 28
www.thenhcs.org/enroll
10 LAMARTINE STREET
Ana M. Cole Community Center Bromley-Heath Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Please join your neighbors for a special Saturday morning Community Workshop to discuss emerging visions for JP/ROX! Open House 8:30AM-9:30AM PLAN JP/ROX is a visioning and planning process for the area between Washington Street, Columbus Avenue, and Amory Streets in Jamaica Plain and Roxbury. Launched in July 2015, PLAN JP/ROX is crafting a community vision to guide future growth in the study area. Prior community workshops have explored ideas for improving land use, getting around, development, job opportunities and the people who need them.
Advertise in the Banner call 617-261-4600 x7799 for more information
PHOTO: ISABEL LEON, MAYOR’S OFFICE
City of Boston Office of New Bostonians Director Alejandra St. Guillen welcomes members of the agency’s advisory board to their first meeting of 2016.
BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
PLAN JP/ROX COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
Apply now.
First meeting of the Office of New Bostonians
PUBLIC MEETING
NORTHEASTERN TASK FORCE/PUBLIC MEETING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
1175 TREMONT STREET NU Crossing Boston, MA 02120
PROJECT PROPONENT: Northeastern University and American Campus Communities PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Proponent proposes an approximately 310,000 square foot (sf) building for student housing that will contain approximately 800 beds in apartment units on the upper floors as well as ground floor commercial space. The 2016 Northeastern IMP Amendment Project (the “Project” ) is located at 10 Burke Street, bounded by Burke Street to the east, Columbus Avenue to the north, Coventry Street to the west, and an existing building to the south.
On March 5th, we will be seeking your feedback on early recommendations and future building scenarios. We hope you attend and continue to share your ideas and enthusiasm for JP/ROX!-Enter off of the SW Corridor Park between Heath and Centre Streets (north of Jackson Square T Station)-Parking: No towing on site, or behind the new Urban Edge offices (1542 Columbus Ave)-Light refreshments and Spanish interpretation services will be provided.
mail to:
phone: email:
MARIE MERCURIO
Boston Redevelopment Authority One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617.918.4352 Marie.Mercurio@Boston.gov
WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/planjprox
mail to:
phone: email:
BostonRedevelopmentAuthority.org Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary
@BostonRedevelop
KATELYN SULLIVAN
Boston Redevelopment Authority One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617.918.4425 Katelyn.Sullivan@Boston.gov
BostonRedevelopmentAuthority.org
CLOSE OF COMMENT PERIOD: Tuesday, March 1, 2016
@BostonRedevelop
Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary
Connect with the Banner Follow us on
Like us on
@baystatebanner
BAY STATE BANNER
www.baystatebanner.com
10 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
MBTA
continued from page 1 Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. Added to the mix: Members of the T Riders Union, a public transit advocacy program of Alternatives for Community and Environment, insisted at the event that budgets can be resolved with no change to fares or passes and no service cuts required. The MBTA’s expects its operating budget to fall short by $242 million in fiscal year 2017, and that $7 billion needed for repairs will go unfunded, according to Brian Shortsleeve, the agency’s chief administrator.
Any cents too much
What may be a few extra cents per ride amounts to a substantial quality of life burden for those with low-incomes, claimed individuals such as Lynn Dann, community education coordinator for Epilepsy Foundation New England. “A fare increase would be detrimental to those living with already-challenged monthly income,” Dann said during public testimony. She uses a Senior/TAP LinkPass, the cost of which would raise 10.3 percent under either MBTA plan.
For some riders, the higher cost may present a barrier to getting to medical care, Dann said, and she expected to dip into her food budget to cover the extra transit expense. “It would impact my ability to get healthy food,” she told the Banner. Hakeem Foreman, age 19, graduated high school last year. The cost of a T ride to school was always a consideration on his mind, weighed against the convenience of skipping a 15-20 minute walk in the cold, he said. “12-30 cents might not seem a lot, but it adds up,” he told the Banner. Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz said that even with current fare levels, she receives reports from principals of students who miss school because they cannot afford the T pass. For struggling families, there may be a real decision between paying for a parent to go to work or for a child to go to school, she said. Under a 2013 law, if the MBTA raises fares 10 percent this year it will not be able to increase them again for another two years. “Our policy now is to have modest and predictable fare changes every two years, and by no more than 10 percent system-wide,” Shortsleeve promised at the meeting.
Not everyone was comforted. One person who took the mic pointed out that individual’s salaries are unlikely to increase on a similar two-year schedule.
Fare fairness
If the MBTA enacts its 9.77 percent average fare raise proposal, the cost of a single local bus trip with a Charlie Ticket will go from $2.10 to $2.25. With this change, a rider will break even if they buy a LinkPass and use it 38 times — and the average rider uses their pass 40 times, according to the MBTA’s Shortsleeve. But there is disparity in how passes would be priced under the proposals: While the cost of an outer express passes would drop 22.6 percent, student’s five- and seven- day monthly LinkPasses would rise by 23.1 percent. “Under both options presented, racial minorities will bear an increased burden in funding our system,” Rep. Evandro Cavallho said, “The increase in hikes are mainly on the bus line and the student passes and our seniors, and those are the areas that we have the most minority uses.” Lack of other options makes residents more reliant on buses in Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan, he said, noting that 66 percent of the rides made with
student passes and 60 percent of those made with local bus passes — the cost of which would rise 16 or 19.5 percent under the proposals — are made by minorities. The raises on these passes would also come at a time when there are cuts to projects such as the Fairmount Line, he added. Planned improvements to the line would bring greater transit access to a corridor with limited public transportation, which is largely home to minorities and those with low-incomes. City Councilor Tito Jackson also railed against the price increase on student passes, and said such a move may inspire the city to discontinue sending its approximately 4,500 grade seven and eight students to school on the T. “The proposals before us are between horrendous and terrible,” he said. “They will have disparate effect on most vulnerable, poor riders” The equity study commissioned by the MBTA painted a different picture. “In CTPS’s fare-equity analysis, staff compared the absolute and relative fare increases between riders who are minorities and all riders, and between low-income riders and all riders. We applied the MBTA’s disparate-impact and disproportionate-burden policies and found neither the presence of a disparate impact nor a disproportionate burden,” stated CTPS’s reports on both options.
Public’s transit
Statewide taxpayers who do not use the T contribute more than a billion dollars to its functioning, Shortsleeve said. “That’s one reason people think it’s reasonable to our riding customers to pay a little bit more.” But one need not use the T
BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
personally to benefit from it, or to recognize its value to the wellbeing of the Commonwealth, ChangDiaz asserted. “Transit is a public good. It’s not a deal for the riders,” she said. “I urge you not to fall into the trap that transit is for riders only and ought to be paid for by the riders.” Along with reducing pollution and traffic congestion, public transit connects unemployed individuals with jobs and other opportunities, bringing greater prosperity to the state and allowing for cycles of poverty to be broken, she said. Louise Baxter, a member of the T Riders Union, pointed out that taxes are not a pick-and-choose subscription service. “I pay taxes for stuff that I don’t use,” she said, during the public testimony session.
Option 3?
Members of T Riders Union promoted a third funding possibility: Utilize the Transportation Finance Act of 2013 to its full effect. Under the act, the governor and state Legislature may direct further funds — generated through tax increases on goods like cigarettes and gas — to transit needs, such as funding the MBTA. The legal option is there, but the state would have to seize it. Should state government elect to put in the full amount allowed under the act, the MBTA could receive $261 million, clearing out its projected operating budget gap, said Lee Matsueda, political director for Alternatives for Community and Environment. “[We want to] make sure the board members know they have the ability to balance the budget without fare increases, and the way to do that is to remember they have more state funding,” Matesuda said.
OPEN HOUSE
PLAN: DUDLEY SQUARE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
2300 WASHINGTON STREET Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building Roxbury,MA 02119
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The BRA is launching a process to create an updated vision and plan for Dudley Square in Roxbury. Residents, property owners, business owners, community and civic groups are invited to this open house event to learn more about the study, the area, and how to get involved.
mail to:
phone: email:
HUGUES MONTESTIME
Boston Redevelopment Authority One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617.918.4320 Hugues.Montestime@Boston.gov
BostonRedevelopmentAuthority.org
WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/PlanDudley
@BostonRedevelop
Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary
Advertise in the Banner call 617-261-4600 x7799 for more information
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 11
BUSINESSNEWS CHECK OUT MORE BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/BUSINESS
www.baystatebanner.com
BIZ BITS TIP OF THE WEEK
3 tips for evaluating what your business is worth Financial and business education is a critical pathway for the future of America’s small business community. To start with, business owners should ask themselves: “What is the true value of my business?” It’s an important question because the value of your business will have a big impact on both the professional and personal aspects of your life, including the well-being of your family, employees and possibly even the community in which your business in located. The 2015 Business Owner Perspectives study commissioned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) revealed about half of business owners say they’ve had their businesses valued in the past three years, yet one out of three says they’ve done the valuations themselves. When business owners value the business themselves, they can significantly over or under value their business. Knowing your business’ true value gives you a more realistic perspective and allows you to put effective strategies into place for future growth, business continuation, succession planning and retirement planning. Here are three tips for evaluating what your business is worth. 1. Times to know the value of your business. Because of constant change in the economic, competitive and regulatory landscape in which so many businesses exist today, it’s a good idea to review the value of your business on a regular basis. Doing this will allow you to have a firm grasp on the business’s current value and track its growth over an extended period of time. With this knowledge, you could consider adjusting your business plans to focus more on the drivers of value or simply be in a better position to take advantage of opportunities. In addition to measuring business health and preparing it for sale at some immediate or future date, there are other considerations in knowing what your business is worth including funding a buy-sell agreement, retirement income planning and estate tax planning. 2. Turn to a credentialed valuation expert. A proper business valuation is not a “rule of thumb” or a figure agreed to with a handshake; it’s thoughtfully crafted by a credentialed appraiser after thorough research and is documented in writing. Credentials to look for include: certified valuation analyst (CVA), accredited senior appraiser (ASA) or accredited in business valuation (ABV). 3. Fund any potential “value gaps.” Once you know the value of your business, it’s common for there to be a discrepancy between what you thought the business was worth and what you need the business to be worth. The good news is proper planning can help reduce potential “value gaps” created by an owner’s over- or under-estimation of the business’s value. For example, having assets outside the business, such as qualified plans and other investments, can help reduce the value gap in your retirement plan. In addition, insurance products, such as life insurance and disability income insurance, can help address the value gap created if a business goes into forced liquidation following the death or disability of an owner. Take the next step. Talk to a qualified financial professional about where your business is now and where you’d like it to be in the future, and to find financial solutions that can help you reach your goals. — Brandpoint
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MEI MEI STREET KITCHEN
Two of three sauces Mei Mei Street Kitchen manufactures at CommonWealth Kitchen are Apple Hoisin and Smoked Maple Ginger.
Ingredients of success
Dorchester firm helps foodies scale up retail operation By MARTIN DESMARAIS
Food startup incubator CommonWealth Kitchen can already be credited with helping cook up some of the most creative and popular small food businesses in Boston — from food trucks to catering services to online retail brands — but now the organization has jumped into small-scale manufacturing in an attempt to further help the city’s burgeoning small business food sector. Its first manufacturing deal has helped Mei Mei Street Kitchen, a sibling-run food truck and restaurant serving Chinese-American cuisine, launch its first line of specialty products, as well as an entirely new business arm. With first manufacturing done in December and subsequent production in January, the company’s “Pantry at Mei Mei” line has now launched three sauces for sale online and at some local grocery stores. The sauces — Apple Hoisin, Cranberry Sweet & Sour and Smoked Maple Ginger — are derived from the sauces used in the making of Mei Mei’s cuisine. The food company has a small restaurant on Park Drive between Fenway and Boston University, a container food kiosk at the Innovation & Design Building in the Seaport District and a food truck that travels around Boston.
Mei Mei was launched with its food truck service out of Gourmet Caterers in Roslindale in 2012. A year later, the company opened its restaurant. Last fall, it opened the container location. The sauce line is the next step in the company’s expansion. “We had a lot of people ask could we get this sauce to take home and that kind of spurred us into thinking it would be great for people to be able to buy this that couldn’t get into the restaurant and also expand to a wider audience and expand our brand and our reach,” said Margaret “Mei” Li, who handles Me Mei Street Kitchen’s business development. She started the business along with her brother Andrew and sister Irene. Andrew runs the restaurant and events and Irene runs the kitchen and back of the house operations.
Kitchen help
But as is the case with many small-businesses with aspirations for growth along the retail lines there is always one big problem — not enough resources or expertise to handle the actual manufacturing of products. This is where CommonWealth Kitchen wants to step in for Boston’s small food businesses, and Mei Mei has proved the perfect case in point. Small manufacturing facilities often need to run thousands of
Siblings (clockwise from left) Margaret “Mei” Li, Andrew Li and Irene Li, founders of Mei Mei Street Kitchen. products at a time to make it profitable on their end. A business like Mei Mei, hoping to run off a couple hundred bottled sauces to test and launch the product, has no real place to turn. Although there are small-scale manufacturing facilities out there, locally there are not many options. “Mei” Li said it wasn’t hard for her company to come up with the
products for their first sauce line or even to have confidence that there was a demand, but how to manufacture a line of products was not something any of the sibling co-founders understood. “What is great is that CommonWealth Kitchen has the expertise to actually produce it,” said Li.
See MEI MEI, page 12
12 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
BUSINESSNEWS CHECK OUT MORE BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/BUSINESS
Mei Mei
continued from page 11 “It would have been very difficult for us to start without CommonWealth Kitchen. … We couldn’t handle it.” CommonWealth Kitchen Executive Director Jen Faigel acknowledges the difficulty of scaling up food production. “In the food industry a lot of businesses don’t actually make their product. They hire someone to do it for them,” Faigel said. “They may want to, but they realize they don’t have the licenses, they don’t have the equipment or the expertise.” The contract with Mei Mei shows how CommonWealth Kitchen can help a business develop a retail product and take it to market and keep producing the product for sales. CommonWealth Kitchen has one kitchen facility in Dorchester and one in Jamaica Plain for a combined 40,000 square feet of cooking, prepping, storing and packaging space to offer a small food business looking to get off the ground. At any given time, CommonWealth Kitchen has about 40 different small food businesses using their facilities. The advantage for the small businesses is that they can rent the facilities only when they need them to cook, bake or prepare food and not have to pay for rental space or kitchens not in use. CommonWealth Kitchen also has the
most advanced food cooking, prepping and storage equipment — the kind of stuff that a small business could never afford to just buy at startup. Well over 25 different small food businesses have “graduated” from CommonWealth Kitchen and are now off with their own locations and facilities. The other key factor is that CommonWealth Kitchen also has experienced food staff that can be hired as needed. This staff plays a big role in manufacturing work as well. For CommonWealth Kitchen the goal is to have its staff manufacturing products for all different companies and create fulltime jobs for these workers. “One day a week they might work for one food business and the next day work for another,” said Faigel. “We can aggregate
contracts. It is part of our job strategy for us as an organization.” According to Faigel, the deal with Mei Mei Street Kitchen is just the start of the manufacturing work. CommonWealth Kitchen produced 350 bottles of sauces for Mei Mei in December and in January produced another 500 bottles that the food business is selling online and in local specialty food stores. According to Faigel, her organization has about 20 other such contracts in the works and hopes to continue to ramp up its smallscale manufacturing work. As another example, CommonWealth Kitchen is helping Island Creek Oysters manufacture its own cocktail sauce line. “Lots of different companies come to us and say we need help to do this,” Faigel said. “This is a great way to create jobs but also help businesses scale as well.”
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MEI MEI STREET KITCHEN
Left, the sauce used on this Maple Noodle dish, served at Mei Mei Street Kitchen’s restaurant, is an example of what inspired its new sauce line. Right, Apple Hoisin and Smoked Maple Ginger are two sauces offered by Mei Mei Street Kitchen. Below, the Mei Mei Street Kitchen food truck.
GREATER NEW ENGLAND MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
Certify. Develop. Connect. Advocate.
Awards Gala WHAT’S NEW AT GNEMSDC?
GNEMSDC 41 st ANNIVERSARY
1
Colorplay: Teal + Sand
March 24, 2016 Aqua Turf Club, 556 Mulberry Street, Plantsville, CT Reception | 5:00pm Dinner | 6:30pm
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council
TO REGISTER, VISIT GALA.GNEMSDC.ORG GNEMSDC
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council
GNEMSDC
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts recently chose GNEMSDC as the certifying entity for MBEs. An MBE that is certified by GNEMSDC will no longer be required to complete the Commonwealth’s MBE Certification application. As a result, qualified MBEs will receive a dual certification from GNEMSDC and the Commonwealth. For details, please contact Jennifer Little Greer at jlittle-greer@gnemsdc.org or call 203-208-9744.
2
Colorplay: Orange+ Blue
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council
GNEMSDC
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS CERTIFICATION
GNEMSDC
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council
GNEMSDC & MBDA OFFICE ADDRESS CONNECTICUT 333 State Street Bridgeport, CT 06604 203-288-9744
MASSACHUSETTS 101 Huntington Avenue | 17 th Floor, Ste. 1300 Boston, MA 02199 617-578-8900
www.gnemsdc.org
41 Years of Minority Supplier Development Excellence
Thursday, December 3, 2015 • BAY STATE BANNER • 21 Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 13
Aponte
continued from page 1 axe this year, Charlestown High is facing a $600,000 budget shortfall caused by the gap between rising costs and level funding. And as is the case at other high schools, it’s the special programs — like advanced placement courses, arts, SAT prep at Boston Community Leadership Academy and Diploma Plus at Charlestown High — that are least likely to survive the budget crunch. Speaking to School Superintendent Tommy Chang and members of the School Committee, Aponte used his personal story to underscore the effectiveness of Diploma Plus. “I’m a living, breathing example of what this program does,” he testified. Aponte told the Banner programs like Diploma Plus should be expanded, not cut. “You have schools where you’re producing socially-aware students and they’re taking funding away from them,” Aponte says. “It doesn’t make sense to me.” The concerns Aponte and other students, parents and teachers raised in the School Committee meeting will likely dominate discussions of the city’s budget in the coming months. In his State of the City address, Mayor Martin Walsh announced expanded investment in kindergarten seats, but this year’s school department budget includes more than $30 million in cuts, most of which will be absorbed by high schools. City Councilor Ayanna Pressley said she supports the mayor’s calls for strengthening kindergarten to
PHOTO: COURTESY LUIS APONTE
Luis Aponte give children a strong start, but she also wants continued investments in high schools. “It is just as important that our children have a strong finish,” she said. “I’m really concerned about the projected draconian cuts to our high schools. When you take away teachers and librarians, you’re diminishing the quality of education in a school. It destabilizes the learning community.” While the costs of salaries and transportation have long been increasing, the cuts haven’t hit high schools hard in recent years. Three years ago, the school department agreed to expand Diploma Plus, approving plans to increase its enrollment from 75 students to 230 as part of an Innovation Schools proposal. “We never received the funds to move forward,” said one Charlestown High teacher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Diploma Plus was founded in 2009 by Charlestown High teachers to help students who are not on track to graduate. In the program, students learn in smaller classes
and receive one-on-one help from teachers who monitor their progress with weekly meetings. “They meet with each other and ask each other how the student is doing,” Aponte said. The teachers working with Aponte quickly saw his brilliance – and his challenges. “They say that the work was easy for me,” Aponte said. “It wasn’t that the work was hard. My life was hard.” Aponte enjoyed the coursework and the individualized attention he says taught him study skills. In biweekly community circles, Aponte and other students held discussions about their personal challenges. “We would talk about our highs in our lows in that week,” he said. “We would talk about racism, police brutality, gender fluidity. The beautiful thing about Diploma Plus is that it helps students learn about themselves.” Although Aponte eventually moved back in with his mother, a difficult home life still made his school work difficult. Recognizing his proficiency in his subjects, his teachers in the Diploma Plus program recommended he take the GED exam, rather than finish his
coursework. Aponte passed the test on his first try, then returned to the program to volunteer as a teaching assistant in history. After high school, Aponte worked with the city’s Summer Jobs program painting murals and eventually enrolled in Northeastern University’s Foundation Year program, which allows local students to earn a year’s worth of credits. As long as he earns a grade point average of 3.4 or above, Aponte will be able to attend on a full scholarship. Aponte says he
currently has a 3.8. “It’s a competitive environment,” he said. “But among black students, there’s a sense of community. At the moment, I’m leaning toward a double major in African American Studies and Public Health.” Aponte says none of his current success would be possible had he not enrolled in Diploma Plus three years ago. “If I didn’t go through Diploma Plus, I’d probably be a drug dealer, a gang member or dead,” he said. “I didn’t have hope.”
Looking for an affordable college? frugaldad.com can help. frugaldad.com/cheap-colleges
BANNER BUSINESS DIRECTORY GET YOUR BUSINESS IN OUR LISTINGS: EMAIL ADS@BANNERPUB.COM • $250 FOR A 30-WORD LISTING IN PRINT FOR SIX MONTHS
AUTOMOTIVE HICKS AUTO BODY, INC 10 Talbot Ave, Dorchester, MA 02124 Repair, refinish damaged vehicles. Complete interior and exterior recondition/detail. 24 Hour Towing. (617) 825-1545; fax (617) 825-8495; www.hicksautobodyinc.com
CATERING DARRYL’S CORNER BAR & KITCHEN Let us “Serve You Right” for your next celebration or event! We offer pick-up & drop off, or full service catering with great Southern and American cuisines that will satisfy all your guests. To discuss and place your catering order call (617) 536-1100. www.darrylscornerbarboston.com
HALEY HOUSE BAKERY CAFÉ Breakfast Specials, Signature Muffins and Scones, À la Carte Breakfast, Lunch Package Deals, Wrap and Sandwich Platters, Steamin’ Hot Entrees, Soup and Salads, Pizza, Side Dishes, Appetizers, Desserts, Beverages and more. To place an order call catering line Monday through Friday 8 am–4 pm at (617) 939-6837
CONSTRUCTION KERRY CONSTRUCTION, INC 22 Sylvester Rd, Dorchester. Interior & Exterior Painting; Replacement Windows & Doors; Carpentry; Roofing; Gutters; Masonry; Kitchens; Bathrooms; Vinyl Siding. Free Estimates. Licensed & Insured. Call James O’Sullivan (617) 825-0592
PHILLIPS ELECTRICAL Maintenance and construction. One Call Does It All. Floor refinishing, brick and concrete repair, painting, powerwashing, electrical and wall repair. (781) 488-3880. Kenneth C. Phillips Jr., 92 Arlington St, West Medford, MA 02155. email: Pemcocctv@aol.com. Lic: Masters A7602
FINANCIAL PLANNING & INVESTMENTS LURIE DAVIS WEALTH MANAGEMENT Lurie Davis, Registered Investment Adviser Investments, Financial Planning, Mutual Funds, Debt Management, Roth IRA, 529 College Savings Plans and Life Insurance. (781) 595-0396; ldwm@comcast.net; 40 Baltimore Street, Lynn MA 01902
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FIRECODE DESIGN LLC. 195 Dudley Street Roxbury, MA 02119 617-442-CODE(2633) Roxbury’s #1 Fire Extinguisher & Fire Sprinkler Company Inspections, Maintenance, Sales, Installation FREE Workplace Fire Extinguisher Training (some restrictions apply)
HYPNOSIS
MUTARE HYPNOSIS LLC Live a Fuller Life Professional Hypnotists for weight loss, tobacco, stress, fears, chronic pain and illness, dental concerns, self-esteem, salesmanship, sports, leadership, test jitters. Downtown Boston or by Skype. (617) 266-3057; www.MutareHypnosis.com.
LAWYERS RICHARD ASKENASE, ATTORNEY
(former Chapter 13 Bankruptcy trustee) Attorney in Boston area for over 35 years AREAS OF PRACTICE: Bankruptcy, Mortgage Loan Modifications, Financial Issues, Real Estate (buy and/or sell). Offices in Charlestown Navy Yard and Andover, MA call for appointment: (617) 241-7555/978-470-1601 e-mail address: askenaselaw@aol.com website: www.askenaselawoffice.com “Put my experience to work for you”
LAW OFFICE OF VESPER GIBBS BARNES & ASSOCIATES 10 Malcolm X Blvd, Boston, MA 02119; (617) 989-8800; Fax: (617) 989-8846. Attorneys Vesper Gibbs Barnes and Felicia E. Higginbottom, practicing in the areas of Real Estate (Buyer/Seller), Landlord/Tenant, Probate, Family Law (Divorce/Child Custody and Support), and Personal Injury. Open M-F, 9 am-5 pm.
DAILY GENERAL COUNSEL, PLLC Finally, small businesses can get help from a smart and experienced business lawyer at an affordable price, on a One Day and Done™ basis. n Business Formations n Contracts n Customer/Vendor Disputes n Employee Issues n Employment Manuals www.DailyGeneralCounsel.com; Email: info@dailygc.com; Phone & Fax (800) 296-7681
OPHTHALMOLOGISTS URBAN EYE MD ASSOCIATES. P.C.
183 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115 720 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118 (617) 262-6300; (617) 638-8119; www.urbaneyemd.com. Benjamin Andrè Quamina, M.D.; Lawrence I. Rand, M.D.; Clifford Michaelson, M.D.; Sergey Urman, M.D.; Lessa Denis Mahamed, O.D. Treating: Glaucoma, Cataracts, Diabetes, Ocular Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery and other vision threatening conditions and diseases. Offering: Routine Eye and Contact Lens Exams
REALTOR BERNICE OSBORNE, SRES, REALTOR PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES Residential, Commercial, Land, Estate sales and short sales, 14+ years of experience. Serving Greater Boston and surrounding areas. SRES® Seniors Real Estate Specialist specializes in working with seniors (persons 50+) and their caregivers. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Direct: (617) 804-5789 Office: (617) 696-4430 Email: Bernice.Osborne@nemoves.com, Web: www.nemoves.com/Bernice.Osborne
REMOVAL SERVICES FREE TREE WOOD REMOVAL Good hardwood only. Call Akee Roofing (781) 483-8291
ROOFING AKEE ROOF REPAIRS Roof Leaks repaired, Gutters repaired, cleaned, and replaced, Flatroofs replaced. Free estimates. Call (781) 483-8291
SKILLED NURSING FACILITY SKILLED NURSING & REHAB CENTER Proudly serving the Community since 1927
BENJAMIN HEALTHCARE CENTER
120 Fisher Ave, Boston, MA 02120. www.benjaminhealthcare.com; Tel: (617) 738-1500; Fax: (617) 738-6560. Short-term, Long-term, Respite, Hospice & Rehabilitation. Tony Francis, President & CEO, Notary Public
SNOW REMOVAL Want your ad included? EMAIL ADS@BANNERPUB.COM
KERRY CONSTRUCTION INC snowplowing / sanding / salting driveway’s and parking lots bobcat and loader services roof shoveling, fully insured (617) 825-0592
14 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
BLACKHISTORY CELEBRATE: FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin:
A pioneer in the black women’s club movement By ANTHONY W. NEAL
This is Part 2, continuing on the February 4 article about Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin The second day of the National Conference of Colored Women of America opened at 10:45 a.m. on July 30, 1895 with Josephine Ruffin chairing. A secret session opened to women only was held, at which the letter of John W. Jacks to Florence Balgarnie was discussed. After debating in closed session for three hours, the convention adopted resolutions denouncing Jacks “as a traducer of female character, a man wholly without a sense of chivalry and honor, bound by the iron hand of prejudice, sectionalism and race hatred, entirely unreliable and unworthy of the prominence he seeks.” In the afternoon session, Margaret Murray Washington, wife of black leader Booker T. Washington and president of the Tuskegee Woman’s Club, read an influential paper on “Individual Work for Moral Elevation.” She divided black women into two classes: a class who “had the opportunity to improve and develop mentally, physically, morally, spiritually and financially,” and another who had been denied that opportunity due to enslavement. Washington said that the latter class, overwhelming in its numbers and mighty in its strength, could be lifted up, inspired, taught and sustained. She asked rhetorically, “Is there no bond between these two classes of the same race?” She insisted that a bond was essential, since the race did not make progress when individuals among it climbed the ladder in almost all of
the avenues of life. It was the “lifting as we climb,” she said, which meant growth to the race. On the third day of the conference, energy and enthusiasm abounded because a national organization was sought. Indeed, the consensus among the delegates was there should be a permanent national organization, but they could not agree on how to form one. Some suggested that the convention be merged into the National League of Colored Women, which gained its national character because it had representative organizations in a handful of states. Others recommended that the call of the Woman’s Era Club for a national conference of black women be the foundation upon which to form a national organization. These two positions were hotly debated until it became apparent that another day would be required before the matter could be settled. An added session of the conference commenced on August 1 at 10 a.m. at the Charles Street AME Church. Florida Ruffin Ridley presented resolutions calling for the immediate formation of a national organization as the outgrowth of the convention and looking to a union on equal terms with the already existing National League of Colored Women. She argued, “We need the National League, and the National League needs us. I believe that we should form a distinct organization, elect our officers and confer with the National League. I believe that this body should have some distinct expression.” Helen A. Cook countered, “It is not my purpose to become an advocate for the National League. I only
want to impress upon your minds that our place is fixed by our organization. Now is a grand opportunity to complete a national organization.” Cook hoped that if they formed a separate organization, both would eventually merge into one. At the conclusion of the debate, the resolutions were unanimously adopted, and a committee composed of one delegate from each delegation was appointed and charged with looking into the matter of organization. That afternoon, the committee reported back and recommended that a national organization be formed known as the National Federation of Afro-American Women (NFA-AW) and that a corps of officers suited to the needs of the federation be elected immediately. Washington was elected president of the NFA-AW. The Boston Globe reported that she “was escorted to the platform amid the waving of handkerchiefs. She thanked the conference for electing her … and said that she would work for the best interests of the organization and try to make it a national success.” Vice presidents were chosen as well and Ruffin’s name was suggested as treasurer of the organization, but she declined to serve. It was agreed that the Woman’s Era would become the organ of the NFA-AW. The delegates adopted a constitution and resolutions thanking the Woman’s Era Club and the people of Boston for their kindness during the conference. They also thanked the pastor and trustees of the Charles Street AME Church for the use of their house of worship during the closing session. Ruffin
Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin was presented with a large bouquet, as were the two secretaries of the conference.
Creation of the National Association of Colored Women
The National Federation of Afro-American Women met at the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., from July 20 to July 22, 1896. On the second day of the conference, Washington delivered an address on the “Progress of Women,” and the balance of the morning session was devoted to a presentation of reports from the various women’s clubs and leagues. The afternoon and evening sessions were dedicated to the reading of papers. Among them were: “More Homes for Our Aged,” by Harriet Tubman, of Auburn, N.Y.; “Mountain Women of Virginia,” by Jennie S. Dean, of Manassas, Va.; “The Douglass Monument,” by R. Jerome Jeffrey, of Rochester, N.Y.; “Temperance,” by Lucy B. Thurman, of Jackson, Mich.; “Reform,” by Ida B. Wells Barnett, of Chicago; “The Separate Car System as It Affects the Dignity of Afro-American Womanhood,” by Lillian Thomas Fox, of Indianapolis, Ind., and “Prison Reform,” by Marie S. Foster, of Cambridge, Mass. A joint committee, made up of seven members of the National League of Colored Women and seven
members of the National Federation of Afro-American Women, was appointed and charged with looking into the matter of merging the two organizations. After conferring nearly the entire afternoon, the joint committee, chaired by Mary Church Terrell, presented a written agreement consolidating the two organizations. As a direct outcome of Terrell’s strong leadership and individual effort, as well as the efforts of Ruffin and others, the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) was born. The joint committee also agreed to draft a constitution and elect officers for the ensuing year. On the last day of the conference, it presented a list of newly elected officers. Terrell was elected founding president and Fannie Jackson Coppin was elected first vice president. Ruffin was selected second vice president and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was chosen third vice president. Apparently taken from Washington’s July 30, 1895 speech in Boston, “Lifting as We Climb” became the new association’s slogan. The NACW would become the major national organization of African American women and would remain so until 1935, when Mary McLeod Bethune, one of its former presidents, founded the National Council of Negro Women. Ruffin also was a founding member of the Boston branch of the NAACP, and in March 1920, she, her daughter, Florida and Maria Louise Baldwin co-founded the League of Women for Community Service, Inc. Still around today, the organization undertakes charitable, civic, educational and social work for the benefit of Boston’s African American community. Ruffin was a member of the Trinity Church and also worshipped at St. Mark’s Congregational Church. In her twilight years, she resided at 223 West Springfield Street in Boston’s South End. She died on March 13, 1924. The Boston Globe eulogized the civil rights activist as “an active worker in a number of organizations for the benefit of the colored race.” Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin is buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.
Stay connected to the
Bay State Banner PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE • SOCIAL baystatebanner.com facebook.com/baystatebanner @BayStateBanner To subscribe, call 617-261-4600 To advertise, call 617-261-4600 Ext. 7799
T:10”
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 15
T:15.75”
This month, XFINITY® X1 brings you iconic Black lms and the actors behind the characters we love — those that inspire, make us laugh and even those we love to hate. From the many vibrant characters of Oscar® winner Whoopi Goldberg to brand new faces, join us as we discover the next “Greatest Of All Time.” Plus, watch “For the Love,” a special 5-part video that takes a personal look at what drives Hollywood’s best and brightest stars to do what they do. Catch this series, produced by the American Black Film Festival, and more, at CelebrateBlackTV.com and with XFINITY On Demand.™
X1 will change the way you experience Black film.
Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. © 2016 Comcast. All rights reserved.
16 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
Real Possibilities is a trademark of AARP.
Celebrating Black History. Honoring Hallowed Grounds.
As we celebrate Black History, we remember the long marches, the stirring speeches and silent sit-ins. We may forget that the places where history was made are still here. And that history is still alive in the solid iron of bridges, the creaking wood of courtrooms and the sun-dappled dirt of back roads where a dream took root and grew to change a nation. Write the next chapter by embracing your Real Possibilities. Visit us at aarp.org/blackcommunity.
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 17
ARTS& ENTERTAINMENT CHECK OUT MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT
FIFTY SHADES of MARLON Marlon Wayans PHOTO: COURTESY OPEN ROAD FILMS
MARLON WAYANS
TALKS ABOUT HIS FAMOUS FAMILY, HIS LATEST FILM, ‘FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK,’ THE OSCARS AND HOW COMEDY HAS NO COLOR By KAM WILLIAMS
M
arlon Wayans is a true multi-hyphenate: an actor/producer, comedian, writer and film director. His films have grossed more than $750 million in domestic box office, an average of nearly $50 million per outing. As a stand-up comedian, Wayans sells out theaters and clubs alike, nationwide.
On the feature film front, he recently starred in and produced “A Haunted House,” which grossed over $18 million on a $2 million budget. On the television front, he’ll soon be shooting a pilot for NBC slated to debut next fall. Wayans’ additional big screen credits include “White Chicks,” “Scary Movie,” “Scary Movie 2,” “Mo’ Money,” “Above the Rim,” “Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood,” “The Sixth Man,” “Senseless,” “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Requiem for a Dream,” “The Ladykillers,” “Behind the Smile,” “Little Man,” “Norbit,” “Dance Flick,” “G.I. Joe:
The Rise of Cobra,” “Marmaduke” and “The Heat.” On TV, Wayans has appeared on “In Living Color,” “Children’s Hospital,” “Second Generation Wayans” and “The Wayans Bros,” which was the highest-rated comedy on The WB network. Here, he talks about his latest offering, “Fifty Shades of Black.”
Where did the inspiration come from to do a parody of “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Marlon Wayans: Initially, I just wanted to learn something from the novel, because women loved it so much. I was thinking of writing my first parody book, until I saw the movie. Then it
kinda just hit me. I decided to scrap the book and do a spoof because the film gave me such great archetypes to work with in characters that I knew would be enjoyable to take to extremes. Playing a really bad lover was a lot of fun.
So, your approach to Christian was to flip the script. MW: Yeah, he goes to extremes. He’s a stalker, and it gets uncomfortable. And he’s also an extremely bad lover. I thought, what if he’s a great package with all these tools that excite women until they get him into bed where he’s just awful.
How was it working opposite Kali Hawk, who plays your primary love interest, Hannah? MW: Kali was great and a lotta fun! She was perfect for Hannah because, in the movie Hannah’s a virgin and, in real
life, Kali’s a prude. So, that kinda worked hand-in-hand.
What message do you think people will take away? MW: I think women were a little upset with ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ because the female lead was so submissive. ‘Fifty Shades of Black’ is different in terms of that. Movies are always fun when there’s an objective and you meet a lot of obstacles along the way. And in this film, the hardest person to dominate is a black woman. She refuses to play that stuff white girls will play. You get a couple of spanks in and she’s like, ‘Oh, hell no!’ Hannah flips that from the original.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about your ancestry when your brother Keenan had your lineage traced by Skip Gates on the See WAYANS, page 18
www.baystatebanner.com
EVENT
Arts for everyone The Prelude connects communities to local artists and musicians By COLETTE GREENSTEIN
“The Prelude came about as a way to reconnect artists of color to art and music in different spaces,” says Catherine Morris, founder and president of the new arts and cultural organization, The Boston Arts & Music Soul Collective (BAMS Collective). The idea for the Prelude developed through a series of conversations that Morris had with elders and members of the community about the local music and arts scene for people of color. “What I saw in those conversations was that when I was asking elders of the community who were born and from Boston, they had a sense of energy for what Boston used to be like for artists who would come in like Earth, Wind & Fire and Chaka Khan. I could tell that they really enjoyed when the opportunity was there for them and their families, and then I would ask a question ‘Where is it now?’ ‘Where is it going?’ Then I noticed that the energy shifted and it was much more negative,” explains Morris. The sentiment across the board was that there really isn’t any entertainment here in Boston geared towards communities of color. The BAMS Collective hopes to change that perception by hosting the Prelude, a traveling art and music series held around the Greater Boston area, six times this year and six times in 2017. The Prelude will be held in February, March, June, September, October and November, with the first one kicking off this Friday at the Bruce C. Bolling Building in Roxbury. The event will feature singer, artist and arts educator Valerie Stephens performing blues, jazz and spoken word along with the Berklee College of Music student band, Vibe Collective. Upcoming locations for this year’s events include Cambridge, Quincy, Dorchester and Mattapan. Morris’ goal for the Prelude is “to help folks see different neighborhoods and spaces and places that are new, known,
See THE PRELUDE, page 19
DR AM A
18 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
Wayans
continued from page 17 PBS-TV series “Finding Your Roots”? MW: It was interesting to learn I was Asian. I had no idea. I was wondering why I liked sushi so much. [Laughs]
— WICKED LOCAL
TICKETS ONLY $39 WITH CODE “BANNER”
AT TH E
ION
DP AVI L
ERW OO
T. CHARLES ERICKSON
CA LD
I found it fascinating how strong your ancestors’ bonds were even during slavery, with an escaped slave being willing to risk his freedom to rescue relatives. MW: Yeah, they went back to go get somebody. He thought, ‘Hey, what’s freedom without my family?’ For him to go back was awesome.
I see that sort of loyalty as a trademark of the Wayans family to this day. I can’t tell you how many actors and actresses have told me over the years that somebody with the last name Wayans gave them their big break. Just think of all the people who got their start on “In Living Color” — Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Foxx and Jim Carrey, to name a few. And so many others since.
BC A
DI
RE CT
ED
BY
BY
KIR GR ST M. EENI EN BEV DGE IN O’G AR A
EO
ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT
Well-written with beautiful touches of poetry.”
ING BIE AW AR D-W INN
“A PLAY WE ALL NEED TO SEE!
TSO HR M UT U I L HE S K ND FE U B.2 GA LIK 7O R E NLY ! PR OV OC ATI V
A&E
Carolina Sanchez, Jasmine Carmichael, and Shazi Raja
MW: It’s funny you should say that. Generosity kinda runs in our family. My dad is a very generous guy, and my mom’s always giving advice. So, Keenen was ultimately a wonderful teacher. He taught me and Shawn and Damon to be the same way. Those jewels are of no value ‘til you pass them down. Sound advice is one of the best things you can share with someone. We want to see other people succeed, and I guess that’s something we all inherited. It’s just part of our matrix.
Will you be boycotting the Oscars? MW: Look, if I get the memo and everybody’s doing it, sure. I’m happy that they’ve immediately started making some changes. I was really touched by the swift reaction. But the bottom line is that everybody has a little bit to do with it. It’s not entirely the Oscars’ fault. The Oscars represent Hollywood, and Hollywood needs greater diversity. We need more African American filmmakers, and we need the larger budgets to make big box-office spectacles like ‘The Revenant.’ And we need the audience to support a smaller-budgeted art film that’s about us, if we put one out. So, it’s kinda everybody collectively, from the studios to the distributors, especially the overseas distributors
who tend to look at blacks a little differently. I do comedy. Comedy has no color, and that’s what I’m constantly trying to convince them. I don’t make black movies. I’m a black man that makes comedy. comedy is colorless. Also, we as filmmakers have to develop young directors and cinematographers who’ll make the kind of films that are needed. Then, if we have an onslaught of these pictures coming out, it’ll be undeniable. Of course, we’d get the accolades we’re looking for. But you can’t expect it, if you’re only releasing 4 or 5 movies a year. That’s not enough. So, we have to over-produce, Hollywood has to help us with that, and then the audience has to come support it. We all have to put our money where our mouths are and support each other. At the end of the day, what I look for is a communicative approach to resolving problems. I don’t think you need segregation and separatism. I think you have to come together at the table, communicate, and make things work. You have to build bridges, not burn ’em. Right now, I believe that, collectively, we’re all at that impasse where we all need to come to the table, and all take some responsibility for making sure this never happens again.
Speaking of colorblind casting, I just saw your nephew, Damon, Jr.’s upcoming film, “How to Be Single,” where he plays one of Dakota Johnson’s love interests, but with no mention of his color. How do you feel about going up against your nephew? MW: It’s not a direct competition, since it’ll be released a couple weeks after ‘Fifty Shade of Black.’ I’d be rooting for my nephew regardless. I don’t believe in competition. Everybody has their own audience, and I wish everyone luck. in the film industry, one success is good for us all.
What’s your target audience with “Fifty Shade of Black”? MW: I don’t know. It’s everybody who loved ‘Fifty Shade of Grey,’ everybody who hated ‘Fifty Shade of Grey’ and everybody who never saw ‘Fifty Shade of Grey.’ [Chuckles] My audience is people who like to laugh, and I’m hoping to get a good female crowd in there, because I think this movie really plays to them as much as it does to guys. So, I’d say it’s a perfect date movie.
UPCOMING EVENTS AT HALEY HOUSE BAKERY CAFÉ Thu 2/18: Art Is Life Itself! with Nina LaNegra feat. Maggie Leon, Warrior, and People’s Poet, 7 pm Thu 2/25: Lyricist’s Lounge from BDEA, 7 pm Fri 2/26: The House Slam feat. Siaara Freeman, 6:30 pm Thu 3/3: Jazz By Any Means Necessary with the Fulani Haynes Jazz Collaborative, 7 pm Sun 2/21: 8TH ANNUAL SOUPER BOWL FUNDRAISER Entry times: 4 & 5pm Tickets $35 at SouperBowl8.bpt.me
Come By The Bolling Building to check out our new enterprise, Dudley Dough Haley House Bakery Cafe - 12 Dade Street - Roxbury 617 445 0900 - www.haleyhouse.org/bakery-cafe
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 19
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT CHECK OUT MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT
The Prelude
Celebrating Chinese New Year
continued from page 17
unknown, and underutilized.” Based on the conversations that she’s had with various community members, she hopes that hosting the Prelude throughout the Greater Boston area will open up people to the possibilities of what’s going on in their cities and their towns, as well as introducing new artists, “whether they’re musical, or performing, recording or visual,” she says. The Prelude is part of the pre-festival programming leading up to The Boston Art & Music Soul Festival (BAMS Fest) scheduled for the last week in June of 2018. BAMS Fest will include multiple stages and will feature music, film, art, dance lessons and more with Morris anticipating 10,000 people over the course of the two-day fest. Also included in the programming will be the “Love Your City Art Project,” in which Morris and her team will tap artists across the region to represent their city or town in an on-site art project. The artists will be given a theme and they’ll have all day to interpret that theme as they see fit. The audience will be able to vote on the project that they like, and the winner will then be chosen to show their work in a local museum for the month of June. Of her hopes and dreams for BAMS Fest, Morris says, “We want to make sure that the festival itself adds to the cultural attractiveness of our city and our state but also to make sure that people
PHOTO: COURTESY VALERIE STEPHENS
The Prelude series will begin this Friday with singer, artist and arts educator Valerie Stephens performing blues, jazz and spoken word. particularly artists are still proud to know that a festival represents their interests.” She goes on to add, “that I feel like that what I’d like to accomplish is that people feel are proud of where they’ve come from and that they don’t have to go anywhere else to see art and culture. They can see it in their hometown.”
FUN&GAMES SUDOKU: SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 22
IF YOU GO The BAMS Collective presents The Prelude on Friday, February 19, at the
Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, located at 2300 Washington Street, 6th Floor in Roxbury from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Tickets: $25 online regular tickets (until February 18); $30 at the door. To purchase, visit: www.bamsfest.com/events.
PHOTO: MAYOR’S OFFICE PHOTO BY JEREMIAH ROBINSON
Students at the Josiah Quincy School in Boston’s Chinatown took part in the school’s Chinese New Year performance.
20 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
AUTOMOTIVE PROVIDED BY: SIMPLYRIDES.COM
AUTO BITS
www.baystatebanner.com
AUTO REVIEW
TIP OF THE WEEK
Should you buy a new, used or leased car? Buying a car is a complex process with lots of factors to consider. In addition to deciding which car is perfect for you and your family and how much money to spend, you also have to figure out if you should buy new, used or leased. Here are tips for deciding which of those three options is best for you. n Reasons to buy new: There is no denying the appeal of having a shiny, new car in your driveway and it does come with benefits. New cars include new car warranties so you won’t be shelling out cash for unexpected repairs. They often include a period of roadside service and even routine maintenance so you won’t have to worry about suddenly needing to cough up a lot of dough to keep your car on the road. n Downside to buying new: There’s a little thing called depreciation and it hits you big time when you buy a new car. If you’re planning on keeping your new car for a long while, then this isn’t as big a deal. The problem comes when you unexpectedly need to sell and have a car that’s worth less than what you still owe on your loan. You also have a potentially higher monthly payment, down payment, and insurance costs. n Reasons to buy used: Those on a tight budget will find a used car much easier to afford. That dreaded new car depreciation happened when someone else owned the car so you don’t pay the price. The lower price for used cars means you may be able to get a more well-equipped car and still being paying less money than you would for a new one with fewer features. There are also warranties on many used cars to take away the worry of repair costs. n Downside to used: It’s crucial that you know what you’re getting when you buy used. Do extra research to be sure the model you’re looking at does not have a history of problems that will hit you in the wallet in a few months. The more reputable the seller, the better, so be particularly cautious if you’re buying from an individual rather than a dealership. An inspection by an independent mechanic is advisable to ensure you’re not buying a car that has hidden damage. n Reasons to lease: Leasing lets you get into a new car without worrying about that pesky depreciation. After a few years, you turn it in or can opt to buy out the lease and make the car yours for good. Leasing also requires less of a down payment and if it turns out you hate your leased car, you’re only stuck with it in the short-term. Once that lease is over, you can opt for something else. n Downside to leasing: The big worry with leasing is going over the mileage cap. There are mileage limitations that will cost you if you drive too much. There are also fees if you return it in less than stellar shape. Some wear and tear is expected, but anything considered excessive will cost you when you turn in your car. It’s also difficult to get out of a lease, so be sure you can live up to the loan term before you commit.
AUTO NEWS Fans of the television’s Top Gear already know that after the departure of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in the future the show will be hosted by presenter Chris Evans. Joining him will be German racer Sabine Schmitz and journalist Chris Harris when the show returns on May 8 in the United Kingdom.
PHOTOS: COURTESY SIMPLYRIDES.COM
The all-new 2016 Kia Sorento (right) sits next to the 2015 Kia Sorento.
Kia running with the ‘big dogs’ 2016 Sorento offers classy, comfortable, fun family SUV
By BRITTNEY M. WALKER SIMPLYRIDES.COM
I’m sticking with my mantra about Kia — they are definitely running with the “big dogs” of the car industry. While in California (enjoying the sunshine and warm weather while the rest of the U.S. endured winter), I spoiled myself with long drives and road trips in the new 2016 Kia Sorento. This SUV is impressive, classy, comfortable, roomy, stylish and fun. Most notably, however, is the fact that it appeals to a wide range of people from different walks of life. While test driving the car, I couldn’t help but ask family and friends for their opinions. The results? The Sorento nearly converted a Porsche lover. Kia hit the mark (again) with a panoramic sunroof that reaches all the way back to the rear passenger seats. Each time I opened it with new passengers, their responses were along the lines of, “Oh wow!” and “This is beautiful.” Each time it happened I felt proud, as if I designed the car myself. A sunroof is especially important for Californians, many of whom love the state’s endless blue skies, warm sunshine and cool breezes. Another great aspect about having a panoramic sunroof in an SUV is that it makes the car feel a bit like a family-sized convertible. Many SUVs have the tendency to sell drivers on the space, but often steer clear of the comfort factor.
AT A GLANCE
2016 KIA SORENTO n S tarts at about $25.5K n N avigation system allows you to make changes while in motion n S orento alerts driver about being low on gas and then searches for nearby gas stations n O ffers a turn-by-turn display on the dashboard, behind the steering wheel, which is helpful for keeping your eyes on the road n T he Sorento also offers safety features like lane departure and blind spot notification, along with proximity alerts n P assenger comfort is high with three rows of seats and lots of space n Storage space is limited with a car full of people The 2016 Kia Sorento can seat six passengers comfortably. Not only does the front passenger get to enjoy all the same luxuries as the driver, the back seat passengers can also recline, charge their devices, enjoy a decent amount of legroom, and set their own climate temperature. I managed to fit at least four adults in the back without complaint. In fact, someone nestled into the third row seats and fell asleep immediately on one of my Sorento road trips. That said, if the Sorento is full of passengers, it only has enough storage space for two small, carry-on luggage bags. This was a discouraging factor, particularly for the moms and traveling families that checked out the car. On one of my many road trips, the car was pretty packed with people, but there was hardly any space for luggage. If you have a big family, you might need to add a rooftop storage container.
Above, the interior of the 2016 Kia Sorento. Below, the 2016 Kia Sorento in action.
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 21
NEWSBRIEFS VISIT US ONLINE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS: WWW.BAYSTATEBANNER.COM Parcel 3 project moves forward After lying vacant for more than 50 years, Roxbury’s Parcel 3 may finally get new life. Last week, developers submitted plans for an approximately one million square foot project spread over three city blocks that includes a mix of retail, housing, office space, parking spaces, an art museum and a centrally located public plaza. The parcel, known at Tremont Crossing, abuts Whittier Street Health Center, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. The city acquired it in the 1960s via urban renewal and it falls under the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversight Committee’s purview. Several city and state administrations tried and failed to secure new use for the site: former Mayor Thomas Menino sought to bring Partners HealthCare offices to Parcel 3, but company chose a location in Somerville instead, and former Governor Deval Patrick’s plans to move the Department of Transportation Headquarters later were rejected by Governor Charlie Baker. Now developers Elma Lewis Partners and Feldco Development Corporation have filed plans with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, submitting a supplemental draft project impact report last week. The duo propose an estimated $5 million project and seek to begin construction before the end of the year. A new “Market Street” would be traversing the parcel. Features include 700 apartments, including studio, one-, twoand three-bedroom units, as well as 400,000 square feet of retail, 200,000 square feet of office space, a 200-room hotel, a museum for the National Center of Afro-American Artists and 1,600 parking spaces in a multi-level garage. Seventy-five parking spaces will be reserved for abutter Whittier Health Center and 31 for Boston Public Schools. “I believe [the community] is very supportive,” said Jorge Martinez, co-chair of the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversight committee, when asked about the project. Earlier site plans called for providing housing for students and only a few hundred units for residents, but some community members pushed
back. Instead, all housing will be for residents, with 91 made affordable for those earning 70-80 percent of area median income, and 609 released at market rate. “We heard loud and clear from the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversight committee that student housing was not appropriate at this location,” Mayor Martin Walsh said in a statement. “While there is still more work to be done, including additional feedback from residents and the Oversight Committee, I’m hopeful that we’re headed in the right direction.” BJ’s Wholesale Club will be the anchoring entity for the retail section, located on the second level of the project’s east block. The ground floor will feature smaller shops, restaurants and boutiques. The developers estimate the project will create approximately 2,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jobs. The Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversight Committee created a project review committee for Tremont Crossing. It meets for the second time this Thursday, at 6pm at the Central Boston Elder Services at 2315 Washington Street Roxbury. -Jule Pattison-Gordon
Civil rights coalition calls for greater inclusion A coalition of civil rights groups and community activists is calling on state and local government to create more opportunities for Boston’s black and Latino residents to improve earnings and wealth in the wake of a Brookings Institution report that found the city leads the nation in income inequality. “In Boston, households in the top 5 percent of earners make 18 times as much as households in the bottom 20 percent,” reads a letter released by the coalition Monday. “Not surprisingly, the Federal Reserve Bank found that ‘while white households have a median wealth of $247,500, Dominicans and U.S. blacks have a median wealth of close to zero’ in Boston. In this manner, Boston’s concentrations of wealth and poverty are dividing us into a city of ‘haves’ and ‘have nots.’” The letter was drafted following a roundtable meeting of civil rights activists in January, according to Priya Lane, director of the Economic Justice Program of the Lawyers’
Cambridge College to host African entrepreneurs
PHOTO: COURTESY CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE
Cambridge College School of Education Dean Sheila Wright and Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs Catherine Koverola. Beginning in June, Cambridge College will host 25 of Africa’s brightest emerging business and entrepreneurship leaders for a six-week academic and leadership institute sponsored by the U.S. Department of State as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. Lane said many were disturbed by the Brookings Institution’s report identifying Boston as the U.S. city with the highest rate of income inequality. Because blacks and Latinos are concentrated at the bottom of income and wealth levels in Boston, the group sees income inequality as a civil rights issue. The letter calls for inclusion criteria mandating equal opportunity for minority-owned businesses to compete for public contracts and is signed by 15 individuals and organizations, including the NAACP New England Area Conference, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, The ACLU of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Association Minority Law Enforcement Officers and the Boston Society of Vulcans. While programs at the city and state level, such as the city’s Boston Resident Jobs ordinance, currently mandate minority hiring and contracting on state-involved projects, Lane said members of the group will be examining existing guidelines to ascertain their efficacy. “We need to look at these programs and see if they’re actually making a difference,” she said. The current Boston Resident
Jobs ordinance calls for 50 percent of jobs on publicly-funded construction projects be set aside for Boston residents, 25 percent for minorities and 5 percent for women, many city-funded projects, like the Bolling Building, come in far below those numbers. The groups also are calling for greater access to city jobs, including those within the Police and Fire departments, where the number of black, Latino and Asian recruits have been declining in the last 10 years since court-ordered hiring policies expired. “Diversity in the workplace — from city hall to our schools, and from the police force to the fire department — is a critical component of addressing income inequality,” the letter reads. The civil rights groups’ push comes as activists in Boston’s black community are pursuing strategies to help blacks compete in the city’s growing economy. Louis Elisa, a member of Freeze Frame Black Boston, says the two initiative’s goals are aligned. “We support the idea,” he said of the civil rights groups’ initiative. “Anything that will help people who are from here, stay here is helpful.” -Yawu Miller
Cambridge College to host Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
Walsh visits More Than Words
PHOTO: JEREMIAH ROBINSON, MAYOR’S OFFICE
Mayor Walsh participated in a Q&A session with employees while visiting More Than Words in the South End Neighborhood of Boston. MTW is a used bookstore run by local youth with the aim of empowering youth who are in foster care, court-involved, homeless or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.
Cambridge College has been selected as a partner with the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning in mid-June, Cambridge College will host 25 of Africa’s brightest emerging business and entrepreneurship leaders for a six-week academic and leadership institute sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities and support for activities in their communities. Fellows are young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa who have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive change in their organizations, institutions, communities and countries.
The cohort of Fellows hosted by Cambridge College will be part of a larger group of 1,000 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at institutions across the United States this summer. These exceptional young leaders will meet at the end of their institutes in Washington, D.C. for a Presidential Summit; select Fellows will also spend six weeks in professional development training with U.S. non-governmental organizations, private companies and government agencies. “We are extremely excited to be one of the top U.S. colleges and universities nationwide selected to host 25 of the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellows this summer,” said Deborah C. Jackson, President of Cambridge College. “President Obama’s initiative deeply resonates with the social justice mission of Cambridge College to empower individuals to become catalysts of change in their communities. We are honored to participate in this important national and global initiative that endeavors to build strong relationships for our work and collective growth as global citizens.” Working closely with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational Affairs and its implementing partner, IREX, host institutions have designed academic programs that will challenge, inspire and empower these inspiring young leaders from Africa. Some highlights of the Cambridge College program will include plenaries and workshops by leading business entrepreneurs in the Greater Boston area, site visits to innovative industry leaders in healthcare, finance, technology, transportation & education, engagement with peer collaborators to build opportunities for shared dialogue supportive of international partnerships and the ongoing work of Fellows in their home countries and arts and cultural experiences designed to immerse YALI fellows in the vibrancy of American culture in the New England area. The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is a U.S. government program that is supported in its implementation by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit MandelaWashingtonFellowship.state.gov and join the conversation with #YALI2016. -Cambridge College
22 • Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER
SUDOKU ANSWERS FROM PG 19
BANNER CLASSIFIEDS
LEGAL
LEGAL
MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 100 SUMMER ST., SUITE 1200 BOSTON, MA 02110 NOTICE TO BIDDERS Electronic proposals for the following project will be received through the internet using Bid Express until the date and time stated below, and will be posted on www.bidx.com forthwith after the bid submission deadline. No paper copies of bids will be accepted. Bidders must have a valid digital ID issued by the Authority in order to bid on projects. Bidders need to apply for a digital ID with Bid Express at least 14 days prior to a scheduled bid opening date. Electronic bids for MBTA Contract No. T92CN01, KNOWLEDGE CORRIDOR – NORTHAMPTON UNDERPASS PROJECT IN NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, CLASS 1- General Transit Construction AND PROJECT VALUE – $4,806,200.00, can be submitted at www.bidx.com until two o’clock (2:00 p.m.) on March 24, 2016. Immediately thereafter, in a designated room, the Bids will be opened and read publicly. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail program, the Knowledge Corridor - Restore Vermonter Project restored intercity passenger rail service on the Pan Am Southern (Pan Am) Connecticut River Main Line (CRML) between Springfield, Massachusetts and White River Junction, Vermont. Work on the Knowledge Corridor Underpass Project generally consists of the construction of a precast concrete underpass structure to accommodate a bike path beneath the CRML in Northampton, Massachusetts.
and to evaluate how well the City and the Consortium are carrying out the goals set out in last year’s action plan. After the conclusion of the community meetings, a draft of the Annual Action Plan will be created and made available for public comment. At that time two public hearings will be held to obtain feedback on the document. The public comments received will then be incorporated into the final draft of the Annual Action Plan, which will then be submitted to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The two Community Meetings will be conducted for the purpose of receiving comments on local housing needs and community development needs at the following dates and locations: (Both of these locations are accessible.)
Thursday, March 10th, 2016 at 6:00 P.M. At Peabody City Hall, Lower Level Conference Room, 24 Lowell Street, Peabody Citizens, all interested parties, representatives from the City of Peabody and from the Consortium’s member communities, and nonprofit providers are urged to participate in these hearings. Written comments are also encouraged, and may be addressed, on or before April 19th, 2016, to: For Peabody and the NSHC: The Department of Community Development and Planning City Hall, 24 Lowell Street Peabody, Massachusetts 01960 FAX (978) 538-5987
Additional information and instructions on how to submit a bid are available at
Haverhill Department of Community Development
On behalf of the MBTA, thank you for your time and interest in responding to this Notice to Bidders Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
February 15, 2016 INVITATION TO BID The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is seeking bids for the following: BID NO.
DESCRIPTION
DATE
TIME
*WRA-4171
Purchase of Portable Gas Meters
02/29/16
2:00 p.m.
*WRA-4174
Purchase of Thirty (30) 6” Plug Valves; Glass Lined with Grooved Ends, Dezurik (or Equal)
03/02/16
10:00 a.m.
Purchase of Thirty (30) 6” Plug Valves; Eccentric Glass Lined with Hand Wheel Actuation, Dezurik (or Equal)
03/02/16
10:00 a.m.
*WRA-4172
Aquatic Invasive Macrophyte Survey Update at MWRA/ DCR Source and Emergency Reservoirs
03/02/16
2:00 p.m.
*WRA-4173
Supply and Delivery of Carbon Dioxide to the John J. Carroll Water Treatment Plant
03/03/16
3:00 p.m.
*OP-321
HVAC Systems Maintenance
03/10/16
2:00 p.m.
**F239
RFQ/P Banking Services – 03/11/16 Account Payable Disbursement Services and Payroll Depository Services
SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU15D2555DR
Divorce Summons by Publication and Mailing
11:00 a.m.
please
request
to
Notice of Community Meetings and Request for Public Comment The City of Peabody and the City of Haverhill, in cooperation with the North Shore HOME Consortium, an organization comprised of thirty cities and towns in the Merrimack Valley and the North Shore, will convene two Community Meetings in preparation for the creation of its One-Year Annual Action Plan for the Program Year 2016, beginning on July 1st 2016. The City of Peabody, the City of Haverhill, and the Consortium are hoping to receive comments from interested parties concerning 1.) The use of HOME funds for the development of affordable housing in the North Shore HOME Consortium region in the coming year; and 2.) The use of CDBG funds in the City of Peabody and the City of Haverhill in the coming year. The Consortium’s member communities include: Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Georgetown, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newburyport, North Andover, North Reading, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury and Wilmington. These meetings are being held to obtain information from the public on how needs have changed in the region from the prior years
vs.
Medina, Lorraino
To the Defendant: The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for irretrievable breakdown of the marriage pursuant to G.L. c. 208, Section 1 B. The Complaint is on file at the Court. An Automatic Restraining Order has been entered in this matter preventing you from taking any action which would negatively impact the current financial status of either party. SEE Supplemental Probate Court Rule 411. You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon: Ana Espinal, 1 Shandon Rd. #208, Dorchester, MA 02124 your answer, if any, on or before 03/10/2016. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action. You are also required to file a copy of your answer, if any, in the office of the Register of this Court. Witness, Hon. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: December 21, 2015
REAL ESTATE
Felix D. Arroyo Register of Probate
REAL ESTATE
283 Grove Street, Brockton, MA 02302 508-587-1030 (P) / 508-584-8168 (F) TTY/TDD MA Relay Dial 711
Trinity Village Apartments is re-opening its waiting list and will be taking applications for 1 & 2 BR apartments for elderly/disabled ONLY and 3 BR family households. Section 8 income eligibility requirements, preferences and other criteria apply.
*To access and bid on Event(s) please go to the MWRA Supplier Portal at www.mwra.com. **To obtain the complete RFQ/P MWRADocumentDistribution@mwra.com.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department
Trinity Village Apartments
Francis A. DePaola, P.E. General Manager of the MBTA
*WRA-4175
e-mail addresses: lisa.greene@peabody-ma.gov or stacey.bernson@peabody-ma.gov
For the City of Haverhill:
4 Summer Street, Room 309 Haverhill, MA 01830 e-mail: aherlihy@cityofhaverhill.com Fax: (978) 374-2332
Espinal, Ana
Tuesday, March 8th, 2016 at 10:00 A.M. At the Haverhill Public Library, 99 Main Street, Haverhill, MA
Bidders’ attention is directed to Appendix 1, Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Insure Equal Employment Opportunity; and to Appendix 2, Supplemental Equal Employment Opportunity, Anti- Discrimination, and Affirmative Action Program in the specifications. In addition, pursuant to the requirements of Appendix 3, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Participation Provision, Bidders must submit an assurance with their Bids that they will make sufficient and reasonable efforts to meet the stated DBE goal of Eighteen (18) percent.
http://www.mbta.com/business_center/bidding_solicitations/current_solic itations/
LEGAL
Applications will be available from 2/19/16 - 3/10/16. To obtain an Application: 1. Visit the management office located at 283 Grove St. Brockton, MA 02302 M-F from 9AM-4PM; 2. Print the application from our website at www.waboston.com; or 3. Visit the Main Brockton Public Library located at 304 Main St., Brockton, MA 02301 M-T 12PM-8PM & W-F 9AM-5PM.
Share an apartment 1000 per month Includes: n Heat and electricity n Private bathroom n Off-street parking n Close to commuter rail and Red Line n Cable ready n Share kitchen and living room Serious inquiries only No couples Contact Darrell Ramsey (617) 903-2000
Applicants who cannot use these methods may call 508-587-1030 to request an alternate method. Returning completed Applications and lottery selection: Applications must be returned by mail, fax, or in person no later than 3/11/16 by 3PM. Applicants who appear to be eligible will be notified in writing by mail 10 days prior to the lottery date. Position on the waiting list will be decided by lottery to be held at the Main Brockton Public Library (address above) on 4/5/16 at 1PM. Applicant positions on the waiting list will be decided by lottery and preference. It is not necessary to attend the lottery. Professionally Managed By:
SUBSCRIBE to the banner call: 617-261-4600
baystatebanner.com
Thursday, February 18, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 23
BANNER CLASSIFIEDS
REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE
NORWOOD RENTAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING 38—One ($1,134), Two ($1,362) and Three ($1,566) Bedroom
Brand New Renovated Apartment Homes
One Upland Apartments—1 Upland Road Utilities are not included.
Public Information Meeting 6:30 p.m., Monday March 14, 2016 Morrill Memorial Library 33 Walpole Street, Norwood Application Deadline April 18, 2016 Lottery 11:00 am, Monday, May 9th—Library Units distributed by lottery. Reasonable Accommodations Available for persons with disabilities Units available to all eligible applicants. For Info and Application Availability: Pick Up: Norwood Town Hall, - Town Clerks Ofc, Public Library & Leasing Office Phone: (978) 456-8388 TTY/TTD: 711, when asked 978-456-8388 Email: lotteryinfo@mcohousingservices.com FAX: 978-456-8986
MAX ALLOWABLE INCOME 80% of AMI 1 person household: 2 person household: 3 person household: 4 person household: 5 person household: 6 person household:
Parker Hill Apartments
$48,800 $55,800 $62,750 $69,700 $75,300 $80,900
Language/translation assistance available, at no charge, upon request.
Stainless Steel Appliances New Kitchen Cabinets Hardwood Floors Updated Bathroom Custom Accent Wall Painting Free Parking Free Wi-Fi in lobby Modern Laundry Facilities
Two Bedrooms Starting at $2200
How to Return Application: FAX: 978-456-8986 Email: lotteryinfo@mcohousingservices.com Mail: P.O. Box 372, Harvard, MA 01451 Drop Off: 206 Ayer Road, Harvard, MA
888-842-7945
Wollaston Manor 91 Clay Street Quincy, MA 02170
Senior Living At It’s Best
A senior/disabled/ handicapped community 0 BR units = $1,027/mo 1 BR units = $1,101/mo All utilities included.
Call Sandy Miller, Property Manager
#888-691-4301
Program Restrictions Apply.
HELP WANTED Are you interested in a
Healthcare CAREER?
Application available online at: www.mcohousingservices.com
Project Hope, in partnership with Partners HealthCare is currently accepting applications for a FREE entry level healthcare employment training program.
45 Marion Street Affordable Housing Lottery Brookline, MA Two Studios @ $765*, Ten 1BRs @ $805*, One 2BR @ $958* *Rents subject to change in 2016. No utilities include except Water and Sewer. Tenants will pay own Gas Heat, Gas Hot Water, Electricity and cooking fuel (electric). No parking spot is included.
Program eligibility includes: • • • • •
Have a high school diploma or equivalent Have a verifiable reference of 1 year from a former employer Pass assessments in reading, language, and computer skills Have CORI clearance Be legally authorized to work in the United States
For more information and to register for the next Open House please visit our website at www.prohope.org/openhouse.htm or call 617-442-1880 ext. 218.
MAXIMUM Household Income Limits: $34,500 (1 person), $39,400 (2 people), $44,350 (3 people), $49,250 (4 people)
Central Transportation Planning Staff Transportation Equity Program Manager The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is seeking a Transportation Equity Program Manager who will act as the MPO’s Title VI Specialist and will be responsible for overseeing implementation of the MPO’s Title VI and Transportation Equity Programs; ensuring consistency among the various other Title VI/Nondiscrimination projects and tasks conducted by staff; and interfacing with the MassDOT Office of Diversity and Civil Rights (ODCR). For details about this position, please visit www.bostonmpo.org. Send your resume and cover letter to Recruitment Director, CTPS, 10 Park Plaza, Ste. 2150, Boston, MA 02116, or recruitment@ctps.org. Applicants must have legal status for working in the US. AA/EOE
Section 8 (HCV) Mgr. North Attleborough Housing Authority seeks staff replacement for Section 8 / HCV Rep. This position requires comprehensive knowledge and skill in common office administration software (MS Office), as well as public service patience with people of differing cultures, income-levels, education-levels, and logic. Computer skills and the ability to learn new software (PHA Web) are required. Also required is the ability to manage time between routine tasks while assisting the Receptionist with walk-in clients AND assisting the Executive Director with clerical duties (Staff benefits, report filing, etc.) Applicant should have 3-5 years’ experience in public housing administration AND degree beyond high school. Reliability and being present and “on time” are key to success in this position. This position is currently 30 hours / week but negotiable. Multi-lingual skills are preferred. For copy of full job description and other information, please email dan@northattleborohousing.org Letter of interest and resumes must be received by 12:00 noon March 4, 2016. Send to: Dan Ouellette, North Attleborough Housing Authority, 20 S. Washington Street, North Attleborough MA 02760
The Budget Associate at the Massachusetts Port Authority assists in monitoring Authority-wide monthly operating revenues and expenses by unit, conducts data analysis to document variances, performs research on industry and operational (Aviation, Maritime) and administrative budget practices. Prepares, updates, and creates various budget reports relating to the Authority’s revenue and operating expense budgets.
Completed Applications and Required Documentation must be received, not postmarked, by April 19th, 2016 A Public Info Session will be held at 6 pm on March 7th, 2016 in Room 103 in Brookline Town Hall (333 Washington Street). The Lottery for eligible households will be held on May 11th, 2016 at 6 pm as the same location as the info session.
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance (or related field). EXPERIENCE: 1-3 years’ experience in Accounting or Budget required.
For Lottery Information and Applications, or for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, go to www.s-e-b.com/lottery or call (617) 782-6900 (x1 for rental then x4) and leave a message. For TTY Services dial 711. Free translation available.
(Library hours: M-Th 10-9, F-Sa, Fri-Sat 10-5, Su 1-5)
HELP WANTED
BUDGET ASSOCIATE
45 Marion Street is a 64 unit rental apartment located in Brookline. 13 of these apartments will be made available through this application process and rented to households with incomes at or below 50% of the Area Median Income. Units will first be available July/August 2016.
Applications also available at Brookline Public Library on 361 Washington Street
New Jobs In Fast-Growing
HEALTH INSURANCE FIELD! Companies Now Hiring MEMBER SERVICE CALL CENTER REPS Rapid career growth potential
MASSPORT IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO WORKFORCE DIVERSITY For a detailed description, visit Massport website and apply online by clicking on the job title you are interested in and clicking on the “Apply” link! http://agency.governmentjobs.com/massport/default.cfm
$ STIPEND DURING 12-WEEK TRAINING Are you a “people person?” Do you like to help others? Full-time, 12-week training plus internship. Job placement assistance provided.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ADMINISTRATOR
FREE TRAINING FOR THOSE THAT QUALIFY
CITY OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS
HS diploma or GED required. Free YMCA membership for you and your family while enrolled in YMCA Training, Inc.
The City of Medford, Office of Community Development is seeking qualified applicants for the position of CDBG Administrator. The position is responsible for developing the CDBG Annual Program, maintaining financial management systems and ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations. Duties shall include coordinating the preparation of the City’s Annual CDBG plan and CAPER, Maintaining the HUD IDIS financial system, subrecipient monitoring, Davis –Bacon compliance, working with auditors and HUD to ensure compliance and related grant management duties.
Call 617-542-1800 and refer to Health Insurance Training when you call
LECTURERS IN LAW Boston University School of Law is seeking part-time lecturers to teach legal research and writing to first year and international LL.M. law students during the 2016-17 academic year. Applicants must have outstanding academic records and substantial experience in legal research and writing. In addition, applicants should have at least two years work experience as an attorney. Women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply. Applicants must submit a resume, writing sample, law school transcript, and three letters of recommendation no later than April 8, 2016 to: Director, First Year Writing Program Boston University School of Law 765 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 022l5 rvolk@bu.edu No phone inquiries please. Boston University School of Law is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.
The successful candidate shall have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree and five years of progressive experience with interpreting federal CDBG regulations, financial management systems, IDIS, contract compliance and working with the public. The position is funded by a federal grant and reports to the Director of the Office of Community Development. The salary range is CAF-12 $63,298.24 - $71,124.59. A complete job description is available at: www.medfordma.org or by contacting Ms. Jeanine Femino-Camuso at 781-393-2406. Please submit an original cover letter and three copies of resume to Ms. Teresa Walsh, Chief of Staff, Room 204, Medford City Hall 85 George P. Hassett Drive Medford, MA 02155 no later than March 8, 2016. The position will remain open until filled. AA/EEO
“Do not miss this season.
it’s a WOW!”
Rachael MclaRen. Photo by andRew eccles
–the huffington Post
March 17-20 Citi Wang theatre
4 Days Only! preSented by
SponSored by
celebrityseries.org