THURSDAY JULY 20, 2023
SOUTH BOSTON ONLINE
VOLUME XIX- ISSUE 74
Common Sense Versus Rats by Rick Winterson
W
hen we looked into local rat infestation, it quickly became evident that Boston has a serious problem. A couple of years ago, in 2021, Boston in one study was inelegantly ranked as the “rattiest” city in America. Another 2021“rattiest” study put Boston in second place. Philadelphia was named as the “rattiest” city in that study, but Boston was a close Number Two. Since then, the City has taken action. You’ve certainly noticed the black rat traps along many of our sidewalks. Boston’s ranking has measurably dropped to 13th “rattiest”, at least according to one study in 2023. And several major suburbs on our borders, such as Newton and Cambridge, have undertaken their own rodent control steps. But f u r t her back, in
2019 and before, Boston’s rat infestation was signif icantly lower than it is now. So what happened over the last few years? One surprising answer is the COVID pandemic, which led to many more home deliveries of groceries and ready-to-eat meals, which were left outside on doorsteps after doorbells were rung a couple of times. Also, Boston is a crowded seaport city with an old, leaky underground infrastructure. We have a lot of open spaces like Boston Common where trash collects; we have lots of restaurants and grocery stores. In addition, Boston’s population (especially in South Boston) has grown significantly. Our many construction projects may be causing rats to f lee into other nearby populated neighborhoods. There are several other reasons that Boston has a rat/ rodent problem, but part of the solution means that all of us living here in Boston must use simple common Continued on Page 2
Rhythm is Gonna Get You
By Ginger DeShaney
N
ew Latin Studio Proves Da nce is for Ever yone “Some people think they’re too old or they don’t exercise enough or you need to be in tip-top shape to do it,” said Liliana (Lili) Jimenez. “I’m just trying to break those myths
about dance. That’s what we’re about. I really just love trying to show everybody that anyone can dance if you just try it.” Lili owns Lili Latin Dance, which opened in May above the CVS on West Broadway in South Boston. She offers classes and private lessons for all ages in salsa and bachata. Continued on Page 3
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