South Boston Online 8-9-18

THE PRINT EDITION

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

VOLUME XIX- ISSUE 63

William Gross Sworn In as 42nd Police Commissioner

by Rick Winterson

P

romptly at mid-day last Monday, August 6, the Swearing In Ceremony for William G. Gross as the City of Boston’s 42nd Police Commissioner took place. Martin J. Walsh, Mayor of the City of Boston, administered the formal Oath to Gross, and then presented him with the Commissioner’s Badge of Office.

The locale for the Swearing In was the Morning Star Baptist Church at 1257 Blue Hill Avenue.

The Ceremony was called to order by the Master of Ceremonies, Superintendent (Ret.) Randall J. Halstead. A large audience, which completely filled the Church’s sanctuary, took their seats. It was a diverse audience. The Red Sox CEO John Henry was on hand, as were many Boston athletes. WBZ radiocaster Carl Stevens was among those covering the Swearing In. The Colors were solemnly posted by the Boston Police Honor Guard; the escort was the Boston Police Gaelic Pipes & Drums Column. Police Officers Stephen McNulty and Kim Tavares rendered the National Anthem in harmony. A very meaningful blessing was called down by Bishop John M. Borders, the Senior Pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church. He thanked everyone who played a part in appointing William Gross as BPD Continued on page 4

7th Annual Boston Seafood Festival Returns to the Fish Pier

By Richard Campbell The Boston Fisheries Foundation summer event went off well to an enthusiastic crowd, as it continues to represent a family fun annual event. With seafood vendors and chefs promoting various ways to prepare and consume their product, some mild entertainments, fresh seafood meals from a variety of sources, the core of this festival is pretty good. But there is no question: the event’s down-home Continued on page 10

IT’S KIDS Super fun WEEK AT MASS BAY! BRANCH EVENTS AUGUST 20 - 24 SOUTH BOSTON:

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TUESDAY 8/21 Magic Show 10:30am

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MONDAY 8/20 Craft Time 10:30am-12:00pm

WEDNESDAY 8/22 Face Painter 10:30am-12:00pm

THURSDAY 8/23 Face Painter 10:30am12:00pm

THURSDAY 8/23 Ice Cream 11:00am-1:00pm

WEDNESDAY 8/22 Ice Cream Truck 1:15pm2:15pm

Ice Cream Truck 11:00am-12:30pm THURSDAY 8/23 Balloon Artist 10:30am-12:00pm

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Visit massbaycu.org for branch locations.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

To the residents of South Boston, local businesses, Gate of Heaven Church and Boston Police Department: In the wake of Colin’s passing, our family would like to say thank you.

The respect for our privacy, but also letting us know you were there to help in any way you could, speaks volumes of our neighborhood and our community. We greatly appreciate the outpouring of love, prayers, and support that you have shown us over the last few weeks. While the hole in our heart will never heal, the thought of the South Boston community behind us gives us comfort.

We are proud to be part of a community like South Boston.

With gratitude, The McGrath Family

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

Colin Brought People Together

By Ray Flynn, former Mayor of Boston and U.S.Ambassador to the Vatican

After stopping by St.Augustine’s Chapel and Cemetery in South Boston yesterday to say a prayer and take a look at how the renovation were going, one of the construction workers said, “ The Church is making a lot of improvements here, it’s going to look great when it is finished for the 200 th Anniversary in September”.

It seems like the community is really behind this effort. We were soon joined by a gentleman from Springfield, who drove all the way down to South Boston to visit the historic cemetery. He said he had heard a lot of important stories about the oldest Catholic Church and Cemetery in Massachusetts built in 1818, and the official grand rereopening dedication scheduled to take place on Saturday, September15, at a 4 pm Mass. But what he said to me next certainly gave made me pause. He said, “ I heard you on radio talking about this, but why all the enthusiasm? What make you think that young Catholics or newcomers to Boston will support this historic cemetery and chapel in the future?” I was a little caught off guard, but I’ve heard this argument many times before, so I was determined to make the most positive case I could, and not give in to cynicism and doubt.

I didn’t question his sincerity as a Catholic, if he was a Catholic. But I did politely yet assertively tell him about a couple of experience that I had, one just the other day and the other many years ago, right here in this community.

You probably heard about the little three year old boy who was killed by a car while being walked in his stroller on L Street, I said. It broke the heart of the people of Boston.

My wife Kathy, my son Eddie, my 11 year old Special Needs grandson Braeden, and I arrived at the funeral Mass 45 minutes before it began.

Before the Mass began, the Gate of Heaven Church was not only filled, but hundreds of young adults, many in their 20s and 30s, were standing up.

Their demonstration of love for young Colin McGrath, his family, and their faith in God was not only evident, but remarkable. People were crying and praying at the same time. I was one of them. Many of these young

people were from the Mass General Hospital where Colin’s mother was a medical doctoral and from Boston’s Financial District where his father worked. These dedicated and caring young people who filled the Church spoke volumes about the future of the Church. Yes, the priesthood has experienced some difficult times recently, but you would not see any evidence of that with the priests on the altar the other day. You would only see and hear concerned and caring priests. That’s tha priesthood I know: always there in time of need.

The other little story I told our visitor from Springfield was about my two immigrant cousins from Ireland, who lived directly across the street from St.Augustines Cemetery.

Every few days, they would scrub the floor and wash the windows of the Chapel. They even baked Irish bread and made hot tea for the poor homeless men who would wait outside the Chapel after Sunday Mass or the daily morning Lenten Masses - poor Irish immigrant domestics helping the homeless. This is the Catholic Church I grew up knowing about; this is the same Catholic Church I saw at the funeral Mass for our new, beautiful, lifelong friend Colin McGrath the other day. I only wish that we had a more effective way to tell the real Catholic history and story. People who have no idea of our history are criticizing us and lying to the public.

On Sunday we attended the 10:30 Mass at St. Brigid Church.

Young Colin was still on everyone’s mind, I’m certain. During the Mass we were all invited by Fr. Tom to wish the people around us “Christ’s Peace.” After I helped take up the collection, my wife whispered to me , “ Colin’s Mom and Dad are sitting directly in front of us.” Everybody after Mass came up to the family with a sincere expression of sorrow.

A little three year old boy had done something that no politician or Hollywood movie star could ever do - bring people and a community together.

Later in the day, I saw construction crews hard at work to improve the traffic safety conditions on L Street to make sure that this never happens to anyone else. Colin’s life is already making a difference.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

A Fair Shot for Every Child Letter to the Editor As parents, my wife and I are committed to giving our son the best education possible. As I talk to voters around the district, families who are deciding whether they can remain in our community usually cite access to a high-quality Boston Public School as a deciding factor.

Growing up in South Boston, I had access to excellent educational opportunities both in and outside the classroom. As our city grows and changes, I want to make sure that similar opportunities exist for future generations of students.

The question we should be asking at every policy meeting and budget hearing is: Are we doing enough for our kids? I think we can do better.

Research shows that the earlier a school system can engage children and their parents, the better the educational outcomes. Recognizing this, the City has proposed a universal pre-K program for Boston’s 3-year-olds.

The program—which smartly makes use of public, private, and nonprofit facilities alike—will cost about $30 million per year. That’s a quarter of what the city spends each year on school transportation. The Walsh administration has proposed diverting some tourism tax dollars to pay for the program, but they need permission from the state—and they’re still waiting.

Investing in early education is one of the most impactful things we can do for families in South

Boston and across the city. I’ll fight tooth and nail to get universal pre-K up and running if I’m elected.

Our education funding system also needs reform. Much of Boston’s education budget comes from the state, but the formula used to calculate the state’s share fails to account for how cost-intensive education in Boston is.

For example, our student population includes more special needs students than average and our students speak 85 different languages at home. The formula also assumes a much greater ability to raise property taxes than is realistic in Boston. These factors put a strain on the City budget. I believe that every child deserves a fair shot, and since our ability to give them that chance is suffering under the current system, we need to change the system. Unfortunately, a bill that would have done just that went down in flames last month. I’m prepared to pick up the torch for this reform as a member of the Legislature.

Many children are receiving an excellent education in the Boston Public Schools. However, the quality of that education can vary widely between schools and between zones, and that is enough to harm families’ confidence in the system. For your family’s sake and for my own, I pledge to do everything in my power as your State Representative to provide all our children with the world-class education they deserve.

Matt Rusteika is a father, fourth-generation South Boston resident, and candidate for State Representative in South Boston and Dorchester. He lives on M Street with his wife Katrina (an attorney), their son Simon, and their dog Watson.

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South Boston: A True Community

by Rick Winterson In times of tragedy, such as these, South Boston invariably comes together as a community. A community that cares – that cares about all its members.

Trauma was the topic at a Community Meeting in the Branch Library last week. Specifically, this meeting discussed how to cope with a traumatic happening. The discussion included children, who might have witnessed or heard of a

scary, painful, or frightening event.

Loving responses from adults can do much to help relieve the stress in children who have experienced trauma.

Both the South Boston Community Health Center and the Boston Medical Center were on hand. The Boston Medical Center has developed a program entitled “Child Witness to Violence Project”.

Kay Walsh, Project Director of South Boston’s Substance Abuse Collaborative, and Kathy Lafferty, Executive Director of the Neighborhood house, were in attendance. Numerous children with their mothers (and a cou0ple of dads) took part.

You may be surprised to hear this, but dealing with traumatic events is based (in part) on some very simple steps, such as exercising, building social connections, and even drinking enough water to stay properly hydrated.

It’s never easy, but this Community Meeting was evidence that recovery, even from severe trauma, is possible.

Councilor Flynn Holds Neighborhood Office Hours

Traffic Safety Meeting Thursday, August 9th Please join transportation and safety officials on Thursday, August 9th, at 6 PM at the Tynan School, 650 E 4th Street for a meeting about traffic safety improvements in South Boston.

Sponsored by: Mayor Walsh, Congressman Stephen Lynch, Senator Nick Collins, Clerk of Courts Michael Donovan, City Concilor Ed Flynn, and City Councilor Michael Flaherty.

In our August 02 issue, South Boston Online reported that District 2 City Councilor Ed Flynn would hold what he is calling “Neighborhood Office Hours”. Last Saturday, the 4th, these “Hours” took place. Ed met with constituents at Caffe Nero in the morning (8:30 to 9:30), and in the afternoon, at the Branch Library (4 to 5:00).

He reported that his Neighborhood Office Hours were successful.

Constituents from Downtown, Chinatown, and the South End also took part. There’s an old New York saying, “You can’t fight City Hall.” Well, with Councilor Ed’s Neighborhood Office Hours, in Boston you can talk to City Hall.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

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Continued from page 1

Police Commissioner... as BPD Commissioner. Borders then reminded the audience that in 1992, a gun-bearing zealot invaded the Church, while today, an African-American Police Commissioner is being sworn in.

Mayor Walsh took the podium.

His remarks included expressions of gratitude to the Boston Police Department. His recognition of outgoing Commissioner William Evans drew a prolonged standing ovation.

The Mayor referred to newly appointed Commissioner Gross as the “right man at the right time”, and then administered the Oath of Office (“ Do you solemnly swear to uphold …”) and presented Gross with his Commissioner’s Badge.

Commissioner Gross then took the podium. His remarks were also filled with gratitude to the people in his life. He thanked the many levels of the Boston Police Department, concluding with those Police Officers who work the streets of Boston. Perhaps Gross’s most special thank-yous went to his mother, for how she raised him. “She had a tough life”, he said, and presented her with a magnificent bouquet. There were ovations throughout Gross’s remarks, especially for his mother.

Gross praised the Boston Police

Department – “the first in America, since 1630”. He turned to the officers and shouted “I salute you!” He listed four steps he wants to implement in the Department, including ongoing community policing, transparency, and “officer wellness”. He closed with “God Bless” three times – Boston, Massachusetts, and America.

Police Officer Theodore Hendricks

then sang “Lift Every Voice” in his vibrant, basso profundo voice. The Police Department Chaplain, Rev. Fr. John “Doc” Connolly, closed with a Benediction that had a nice touch.

He asked, in the interests of diversity,

that everyone hug the person next to him or her, which we all did. It was a marvelously uplifting ceremony, full of sincerity, fine speaking, and enthusiastic ovations, and which lasted precisely one hour (as promised).

D Street Market

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11th • Noon to 11 pm

The Lawn On D will be transformed into a European-style market for the first ever D Street Market! Come enjoy a farmers market, a cut flower stand, a mini car show, and roving street performers: jugglers, face painters, magicians, and aerialists! Plus, delicious food, drinks, lawn games, and live music throughout the day.

Outgoing BPD Commissioner William Evans applauds the swearing in of Commissioner Gross.

South Boston’s City Councilors Michael Flaherty and Ed Flynn at BPD Comm. Gross’s swearing in.

Weekend Schedule Friday, August 10th 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Boston Herald Radio Live Broadcast

6:45 pm to tournament end Citizens Bank Cornhole Tournament 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm Movies at The Lawn: Empire Records

Saturday, August 11th noon to 11:00 pm Signature Event Series: D Street Market

Sunday, August 12th 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm Live Music with Closing Time

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm DJ Dakeya

Enjoy delicious food and drinks, available for purchase noon to 11 pm on Friday & Saturday and noon to 10 pm on Sunday!

For a full schedule or to plan your event here, visit LawnOnD.com.

STAY CONNECTED

/TheLawnOnD

@LawnOnD

@LawnOnD

Master of Ceremonies Supt. (ret.) Randall Halstead opens the swearing in festivities @LawnOnD

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

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Flynn Recommends 12 Point Safe Streets Plan Together We’ll Make Our Streets Safer The entire South Boston community continues to mourn the loss of a beautiful, young boy in our neighborhood, Colin McGrath, due to a tragic crash recently at L & 6th St. I can’t imagine the loss that the McGrath family is experiencing. Our town remains heartbroken and we keep them in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

In order to show respect and allow our focus to remain with the family, I refrained from discussing this topic during the period of mourning and until the funeral had passed.

South Boston has certainly changed over the years, but one thing that will always remain is the spirit and kindness of its people. That much is evident by the outpouring of support for the McGrath family, the blue ribbons all over town, the volunteers at Gate of Heaven Church, the donations made by our local businesses and those made to South Boston Catholic Academy in memory of Colin McGrath. In times of crisis, we stick by our friends and neighbors. We are compassionate people.

To those of you who contacted my office about pedestrian safety issues that are prevalent throughout South Boston, thank you for your passion, advocacy and feedback. I spoke with many residents on the phone and via email, along L St and at the Monsignor Powers building, and at neighborhood office hours at the South Boston Library. Your comments and advice have been helpful in reinforcing my thoughts and shaping new ideas.

It doesn’t matter if you have been here 50 years or 5 months; if you’re a senior, disabled, a parent, or a child- we all know that our roads are unsafe.

We’ve all witnessed speeding cars on our streets, fire trucks not being able to get to calls due to double-parked cars, blocked intersections by cars not properly parked; causing pedestrians to weave through vehicles to cross the street. Many times, I’ve had to dodge vehicles while crossing the street in South Boston. I’ve had too many conversations with friends about near misses and crashes. My elderly parents often walk around town with my special needs nephew. Hardly a day goes by that they don’t tell me about a car that has blown by them in the crosswalk. My kids, Caroline and Stephen, tell me the same thing coming from the street hockey courts or the South Boston Library.

In June, I met with neighbors following a crash at Farragut Road and Broadway to talk about pedestrian safety. We discussed these very same issues and helpful traffic calming policies. I also met with Boston Transportation officials about that crash and offered recommendations.

Cars continue to speed through our streets, block our intersections and create difficulty for pedestrians to gain access to crosswalks. We have double-parked cars and delivery trucks on West Broadway, adding congestion and treacherous routes for pedestrians, other cars and buses. We see vehicles driving the wrong way on one-way streets. Ride-sharing companies can be unfamiliar with our roads, some inconsiderately stopping right in the middle of busy streets. We have distracted drivers texting and distracted pedestrians buried in their phones.

In order to fix the problems at hand we need to recognize and acknowledge them. Drivers and pedestrians alike must always show common courtesy, respect, awareness and concern for each other.

We all can be better. And I respectfully ask all of us to take it upon ourselves to make our streets safer.

To improve pedestrian safety in South Boston, we all need to work together to slow down traffic and increase our awareness of others on the road. It will take all of us as a community to implement traffic calming policies to help try and realize Vision Zero. It will take the work of engineers at our transportation departments, along with public works, to apply physical changes to make our roads safer. It will take consistent enforcement by the Boston Police and the MA State Police. It will also take drivers and pedestrians to be respectful and aware of everyone on our roads.

I provided suggestions to transportation and city officials regarding a number of traffic calming measures to be implemented at high-traffic locations throughout South Boston. I have described these measures below. In addition, I’ve included others from concerned residents. Moreover, I would like to see the speed limit reduced to 20 MPH in South Boston. 25 MPH is simply too fast for our streets.

Please note the City of Boston and your elected officials will hold a meeting to address long-held pedestrian safety concerns at the Tynan School Thursday, August 9th at 6pm.

From conversations with residents, I am respectfully recommending to establish a comprehensive program to make our streets safer, including the following South

Boston Safe Streets 12 Point Plan: 1. A complete traffic study of South Boston and all high traffic roads.

2. Reducing the speed limit to 20 MPH throughout all of South Boston.

3. Speed humps (permanent or temporary to move for plows) and raised crosswalks along L St and other high traffic roads, near parks and recreation centers where children and seniors gather.

4. 4-way stop signs along L St and relevant locations throughout Southie.

5. Additional posting of Speed Board Signs on high traffic roads throughout South Boston for feedback to reduce speeds.

6. Blinking Pedestrian Crossing signs at high traffic areas like we have on Summer Street.

7. Bumping out our sidewalks at crosswalks on Farragut Road, school zones and elsewhere to shorten crosswalks, make stop signs more visible & narrow our streets to encourage slower speeds.

8. Road Diets on Day Blvd, one lane from G St to O St, and speed humps in appropriate locations.

9. Increased police patrols in order to reduce speed. Increased fines for driving the wrong way on a one-way street and trucks on Day Blvd or L St. 10. More delineators in high traffic areas reminding to stop for pedestrians; paint in the roads advising drivers to slow, yield and stop.

11. A Study to determine if our numbered streets would become safer if they became one-way streets. An examination of data from the winter of 2015.

12. Designated time and space for delivery trucks on East & West Broadway to eliminate double parking.

I hope these suggestions have merit as we all look to do our part to prevent serious crashes in the future. I realize some may not agree with these, but please know I offer these recommendations with public safety and Vision Zero in mind.

The South Boston elected officials have been in constant contact with Mayor Walsh on this issue. I will continue to work with the Mayor, our city and state departments, Councilor Flaherty, Congressman Lynch, Senator Collins and Clerk Donovan on this critical issue. I welcome your thoughts on what we can do to make our streets safer. Please call my office at 617-635-3203 or email ed.flynn@boston.gov.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM

“Summer Reception” for Michael Donovan

By Rick Winterson The occasion was a “Summer Reception”, which was co-hosted

by District 2 City Councilor Ed Flynn and his father, Ray Flynn, former Mayor of Boston and Ambassador to the Vatican.

One of the honored guests was Congressman Steve Lynch. This “Summer Reception” event was held Wednesday evening, August 1, from 6 to 8 p.m. at J.J. Foley’s Café, the oldest family-owner bar, pub, or tavern in all of America (more about Foley’s a bit later).

The “Summer Reception” was in support of Michael; Donovan and his re-election bid to be returned as the Clerk of Suffolk Superior Civil Court. An enthusiastic crowd of Michael’s supporters filled Foley’s back room – the one that opens directly onto East Berkeley. It’s generally known, but worth repeating, that Michael Donovan is our longest-serving elected official.

After 42 years (since 1976), Mike brings a certain dignity to the position of Clerk of Court, along with the maturity and experience needed to manage that position quietly and efficiently.

District 2 City Councilor Ed Flynn emceed the event’s program. He himself spoke of how well he knew Mike and what

a contribution he had made, both professionally as Clerk of Court and privately as an active resident of South Boston. Former Mayor and Ambassador to the Vatican Ray Flynn reminisced about working with Mike during their years together in public service.

Mike then spoke. He thanked Foley’s for putting on his “Summer Reception” event and talked about his plans for the future.

Congressman Steve Lynch closed the program by describing the importance of our court systems. He said, “We often take them (the courts) for granted, but they are essential to our way of life.” He then vividly compared our courts to the systems in Africa and the Middle East, where he has often traveled on political missions.

He credited Mike with the less visible, behind-thescenes efforts that ensure our Suffolk Superior Civil Court runs smoothly and accurately.

The use of J.J. Foley’s for Mike’s “Summer Reception” was fitting, perhaps even symbolic.

One of America’s longest running local institutions (since 1909) was the locale of a reception for our longest serving elected official.

Yes, it fits! Michael Donovan’s “Summer Reception” at Foley’s was definitely a memorable event.

Clerk of Court Michael Donovan (c.) with co-host City Councilor Ed Flynn and Congressman Steve Lynch. The occasion was a “Summer Reception” for Mike at J.J. Foley’s.

Mike Donovan (l.) at Foley’s – his “Summer Reception” was co-hosted by Ed and Ray Flynn.

Ray and Cathy Flynn at Mike Donovan’s “Summer Reception” in J.J. Foley’s Café.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

Dr. Margaret Morgan Lawrence

by Rick Winterson South Boston was, is, and will continue to be the home of many remarkable people. This Year of Our Lord 2018 was graced by yet another remarkable person settling within our borders – quite fittingly overlooking Old Harbor/Dorchester Bay across Columbia Road. She is Dr. Margaret Morgan Lawrence, the eminent American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.

Dr. Lawrence’s achievements not only include teaching and clinical care, but also ground-breaking psychiatric research in child psychology, such as her studies of the development of youthful ego strength in inner city families. She was the Chief of

Developmental Psychiatry Services for Infants and Children at Harlem Hospital as well as a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University.

Dr. Lawrence is also a highly regarded author in her field – her books are entitled “The Mental Health Team in Schools” (1971) and “Young Inner City Families: Development of Ego Strength Under Stress” (1975). She is a co-founder of the Rockland County Center for Mental Health in New York. She has received an Outstanding Women Practitioners in Medicine Award. She has given the Commencement Address at Swarthmore College; she received the Frantz Distinguished Women in Medicine Award in 2004 from the College of Surgeons and Physicians at Columbia University. And that mentions just a few of her achievements and honors.

In addition to their professional work, the Doctor and her husband Charles Lawrence II were both social activists, especially in the causes of religion and pacifism. They raised three children – sociologist and author Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot; Paula Lawrence Wehmiller, an Episcopal priest; and

Charles Lawrence III, a law professor. In 1998, Dr. Lawrence (at age 84) was the oldest in a group who marched 85 miles for peace, from London to Canterbury in England. In 2003, she received the Episcopal Peace Fellowship’s Sayre Prize. A short article cannot possibly capture the entire lifetime of a person as noteworthy and accomplished as Dr. Margaret Morgan Lawrence, but South Boston Online can help celebrate her birthday. On August 19, she’ll be 104.

She now lives at Compass on the Bay, who gave her a truly memorable Birthday Party last week. Family and friends came from as far away as India. All of the Compass residents attended the party,

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too. Mayor Walsh sent Dr. Lawrence a City of Boston Citation; Compass conferred a Lifetime Achievement Award upon her. Her daughter Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, the Episcopal priest, led the crowd in “We Shall Overcome”.

It was really a great party. Compass on the Bay deserves many compliments for all that they did. As one not-sosmall example, the Compass desserts included two (yes, 2) personalized birthday cakes and, believe it or not, hone-made, hand-made baklava (!).

Welcome to South Boston, Doctor Lawrence, and have a Happy 104th Birthday on the 19th.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

“She Village” Pops Up in Seaport

A “She Village” photo icon: Black bag, pink lettering, minimalist folding red chairs.

by Rick Winterson First, a few definitions: WS Development is a Massachusettsbased property developer responsible for transforming 23 of our waterfront acres into South Boston’s Seaport District. Seaport is currently the City of Boston’s largest single development project. Parts of this mega-development include an ever-growing group of retail businesses, having “names” such as Mr. Sid and L.L. Bean (do you know what the initials “L.L.” stand for?).

In order to foster their all-important retail segment, WS Development has officially unveiled an outdoor pop-up incubator, which they are calling The Current. The Current will consist of a rotating collection of retail enterprises that feature both local and national brands.

And just as important, The Current has

been set up to accomplish some really good things. Two of these “good things” were evident at The Current’s gala opening last Thursday evening, the 2nd.

The first good thing was the female-oriented Grand Opening itself.

The Current devoted this first event entirely to a festive Summer Block Party of female-owned and fashion-forward enterprises. It was actually a pop-up retail micro-neighborhood called “The She Village at The Current”. You don’t have to be told about the progress of enterprising women; “She Village” celebrates that progress. And the ladies’ Grand Opening of “She Village” was a monument to female creativity, originality, and just plain good taste.

The “She Village” Block Party featured food, drink, a DJ named Malyna, embossed black swag bags airbrush tattoos (non-permanent), two palm readers (really!), and even a cotton candy machine. One of the more remarkable outdoor areas in “She Village” offered hassocks, lounge chairs, pillowed sofas, and ground quilts as alternates to the usual park benches. The nine actual pop-up shops themselves border the Seaport Green and Seaport Boulevard.

The future of retail here in Seaport, or in all of Boston and Vicinity for that matter, sets up some interesting economic questions. There are popular – even legendary – retail areas in and around Boston already. Copley Square/ Newbury Street, Chestnut Hill, and Harvard Square come to mind. And

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there are several newly planned or recently completed retail projects, such as Somerville’s Assembly Square, South Bay, the Ink Block, the Dot Block, and the Globe’s property on Morrissey Boulevard. But South Boston’s Seaport District has the prime location, the space for expansion, and an unmistakable panache about it, so we’ll see.

It’s worth listing the pop-up retail enterprises now in “She Village”: Booty by Brabants (fitness and street style apparel), Brass (tailored workplace clothing), Bref (unique shopping for lovers of art and design), Cynthia Rowley (fashions that are adventures), Havenly (concept to delivery interior design), Margaux (heritage styled and crafted footwear), Monica + Andy

(creative layette clothes and blankets), Orly Khon Floral (floral arrangements that tell a story), and the Giving Keys (jewelry that pays forward by creating jobs for the homeless). Please visit them.

We mentioned “two good things” above. The first was the focus on women-owned enterprises. The Giving Keys caught our eye as the “second good thing”. Their jewelry, including pendants that have keys instead of lockets, supports homeless people – especially as the homeless transition from their current status to full members of society. The Giving Keys’ work is ongoing until it is successful. It truly “pays forward”.

Oh, by the way (or BTW?), the “L.L.” in L.L. Bean stands for Leon Leonwood.

A corner of “She Village”: not your ordinary, everyday park bench set-up.

Orly Khon Floral features white flowers within its pop-up doors as well.

The Giving Keys at Love in “She Village” – help us end homelessness.

SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

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Harm Reduction or Harm Continuation Brianne Fitzgerald RN, MSN, NP, MPH It may be time to re-think the harm reduction (HR) model. The Canadian press reported suspected 11 fatal overdoses in Vancouver the week of August 4. So far in 2018 206 people have died from suspected overdoses in the safe injection capital of North America.

The modern concept of harm reduction came up in the 80’s when what we soon knew to be AIDS was wreaking havoc among injection drug users. We taught them about this strange virus and asked them if possible not share their equipment and if they must share how to clean them to reduce the transmission of blood borne infections. The goal

was not necessarily to help them attain a drug free and productive life, but rather to make drug use safer for themselves and for those in the community whom they might infect through sharing or sex. HR frames the argument that some approaches may be more important than others. It directs efforts toward outcomes, perhaps at the expense of broader social and moral questions. The original goal during those years was to protect their sex partners and to reduce the shared pool of infections. This is not where we sit today. I would posit that HR has its place and would never suggest that it has not saved lives, yet he movement appears to have normalized drug use. Not only do

David Biele: As Rep, I Will Hold State Agencies Accountable In 2014, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized $25 million to spend on transportation improvements in South Boston. For over a year, officials from the City of Boston, MassDOT, Massport, and the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) conducted over 50 meetings across our community to gain community input and develop a plan of action on how to address the transportation needs in our community.

we provide needles and syringes, we offer supplies to help one smoke crack (Chore Boy and vitamin C). The latest HR intervention is a Bad Date reporting sheet. A bad date is defined as “someone who offers to pay for sex but is abusive or violent when you are with them.” It then outlines what this includes; kidnapping, robbery, verbal abuse, refusing to wear a condom., refusing to pay, forcing sexual acts and rape. Is this HR or is this normalizing a behavior that rarely turns out well.

The goal of abstinence has been abandoned and, in its place, we say that we are educating addicts (who by the very nature of their illness have lost control) how to reduce their drug use or use more safely. Two just released books Dopesick by Beth Macy and The Addiction Solution by Lloyd Sederer are stark reminders that we have yet to make a dent in this ever-growing health crisis. The idea of recovery and wellness has been lost in the singleminded efforts to medicalize this illness and in the good hearted

but misguided attempts to reach the most vulnerable populations through an HR model that has gone beyond its original intent.

The paternalistic effort of HR does not accept the concept of coerced treatments saying that one’s human rights are being trampled by forced treatment.

Governor Charlie Baker’s proposal would authorize police, medical professionals and family members to commit someone suspected of opioid abuse to treatment, even against their will, for up to 72 hours was rejected by the House in July and instead we are being pressured to consider a safe injection site.

Does any of this make sense?

Recovery Matters is holding a conference in early September focusing of recovery joining w front line providers, communities, family members, people in recovery to advocate for recovery and safe, dignified and compassionate care for all who suffer. The program is free of charge. Your event URL is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ recovery-matters-raising-the-barfor-recovery-tickets-48074277458

The final recommendations, known as the South Boston Waterfront Sustainable Transportation Plan, identified the following needs on our local streets: · Reduce congestion along South Boston streets; and · Install traffic calming measures to improve pedestrian safety and make those routes less desirable for cut through commuters.

In order to address these concerns, the Plan recommended implementing the following short-term fixes within three years: · Conduct a roadway safety audit on Day Boulevard; · New traffic signals at Day Boulevard, L Street, Columbia Road; · Implement lane management, restriping, pedestrian, and signal improvements along L Street corridor; and · Address safety at eight intersections in South Boston along Broadway, Dorchester Avenue, and Old Colony Avenue.

These recommendations were published in January 2015 to be implemented within three years. It is now three years later and many of these recommendations have not been implemented by our transportation agencies, despite having the money and plans to do so.

What is frustrating for so many is that these solutions are well known, relatively easy to implement, and there is money to spend on them. It is a fair question to ask why we have not seen these investments in our community to date.

As your next State Representative, I will use every tool at my disposal to hold the executive branch of government and its agencies accountable to the people of South Boston.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

Seafood Festival Returns to Fish Pier...

continued from page 1 nature needs an aesthetic brush up.

The festival is about good seafood, and that it has in spades.

The food demonstrations, along with accommodating vendors, were up to the usual high standards, once you got through the lines. You want to selectively shop for the best lobster rolls.

This year we found Captain Marden’s Seafood Truck had the most reasonable rolls with fries. Harmon’s Seafood from Portland Maine made delicious crab cakes with their own home made tangy tarter sauce. Local calamari kings, The Daily Catch, had their trademark calamari and grilled shrimp, while Mike Padilla demonstrated preparing fish for cooking. The people from Essex Clam Bake had the most elaborate meal set up right on the pier looking out over the boats. Their boiled lobster plates were moving fast as people bibbed up to crack and rack the critters for their juicy meat.

For real spicy and original tastes, one has to have the patience to watch the full chef demonstrations to obtain the tidbits of their creations. Chef Charles Foster from Woodland Grill offered up some spicy recipes and tips for cutting Blue Fish, how to prepare a seafood brine and put together tasty spicy toppings. Basil Freddura, head chef from the Daily Catch, was there to demonstrate their Sicilian style seafood, as well as Brendon Burke from the exclusive French Bastille Kitchen in Fort Point. The humble surroundings of the demonstration areas did not do justice to the style and quality of the food.

The Boston Fisheries Foundation people presented their traditional Seafood Festival T-shirts, and offered up a raffle, while out on the harbor there was the blessing of the fleet,

Coast Guard and Boston Fire ship demonstrations. Nagle Seafood’s Vinnie Nagle was back this year to support the festival, jovially promoting events.

There was a music barge this year, which was supposed to substitute for a real stage. With all the vessels around the Boston harbor that could have been used, this one didn’t really inspire, but kept performers at a distance. However, that didn’t stop Sonya Rae & The Ryan Taylor band, whose soulful treatment of popular songs was pretty on the spot.

Local sponsors, East Boston Savings Bank staff showed up to support the event, as did Massport, Harpoon, and the New England Regional Council of Carpenters. The Fishing Partnership organization that supports New England Fisherman’s families with health insurance and other services for 11,000 New England industry members was handing out bling and quizzing people on water safety. Marine biologists from Umass Dartmouth were busy promoting their programs, as Save the Harbor Save the Bay stamped out fish prints. Wayne Hayes Seafood of Hyannis provided oysters for fresh shelling, and he gave a shucking demonstration with his staff.

The events are there in a rustic form, but not quite appealingly staged to move it from a mere eat fest to an enticing Festival.

First on the list of improvements is the plaza of this festival is a real roaster, that has little accommodations in terms of shade. This festival cries out for better umbrellas for the main area, a real sound stage, better wayfinding, and some cool down tents. The college dorm treatment with the double humiliation beer lines does not engender happy feelings. With a ticket price of $15.00 ($5.00 for Kids) it’s easy to drop $75.00 to purchase of a seafood dinners, so the entertainment factor should be better orchestrated. It is understood that there are licensing restrictions and limitations on how festivals operate, but this event is a little stuck in a rut of its own creation.

This is a festival that supports a worthy cause, but it could be so much more if the organizers made a few simple upgrades. If they moved the festival time back to include the evening, hung some lights and emulated the feasts in the North End a little.

The kid’s aspect is sorely in need of an upgrade. All that aside, if you’ve never been to this event, it’s worth a stopover. I recommend going later in the day and applying copious sun block, to avoid becoming a lobster yourself!

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Society of Arts & Crafts Summer Offerings

By Richard Campbell

T

he venerable Society of Arts and Crafts gallery in the Seaport District is such a manageable showcase of recent arts, and so accessible to Seaport travelers with its free admission and friendly gallery talks, it’s a hidden gem in plain sight. Shows running through the summer are The Cover Up featuring fabric works of Donna Rhea Marder, Infinite Vibration, sculptural and wall pieces of by Niho Kozuru, and Artist in Residence Wood Quilts by Laura Petrovich-Cheney.

I attended Donna Rhea Marder’s presentation on her work which was one of those rare moments when a visual artist reveals a quirky sense of humor that approaches a respectable entertainment value all by itself. Her descriptions of how she arrived at various techniques using primitive sewing machines and other tools, and tales about how she acquired silk from her father’s ties, mother’s old pants, and from a variety of sources, revealed resourceful creativity. She started out with a small showing of paper objects she made over time that resemble “real” objects but are not to be used like them- among them a paper basket and paper dress that served as sculptural objects made of recycled paper.

Although these gave an indication of her quirky style, they would not have prepared one for the large scale, serious wall installations in the main gallery. With bright colors

obtained from silks and cottons woven in elaborate patterns and sewed together, these were the kind of works that you see in museums. One work in particular made out of her father’s ties revealed tiny patterns of her handwork that glittered in gold thread above the larger patterns.

She speaks of identities of people who were the source of the materials, and reveals the relationships that clothes have to the way people think about themselves. The pieces stand alone without her descriptions, but knowing the background gives them extra meaning.

In the entrance gallery stand a series of tall glass-looking polymer sculptures by Niho Kozuru, like totem poles, they have a sturdiness that belies their fragility. In bright colors shapes appear stacked and assembled in a manner that reminds one of either futuristic architecture or charming centerpiece figures. The abstractness is not cold though, as they can remind the viewer of scifi settings, or ornaments, depending upon the way the light hits them, or how close or far away you look at them. Some are more garish or playful, depending upon the artist’s intent, or the viewer’s frame of mind.

The wall art looked ready for the set of Devil Wear’s Prada, or some spiffy Boston Ad Agency- having a pristine color and shape appeal. There are other works that are more traditional looking, revealing the ability of the artist to create in a variety of styles. Coming from a family background of ceramists in Japan, and having studied at Parsons School of Design, Niho is based in Boston.

The Artist in Residence, Laura

Petrovich-Cheney has her miniature studio sent up at the rear of the main gallery, allowing patrons to see her works in progress. These are also art works that used reclaimed materials and are called wooden quilts. The materials that these are made from are obtained often from reclaimed objects from storms or natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy. Meant to “resonate themes of feminism, environment, and social narrative” they resemble geometric quilts that New Englanders will immediately recognize. I don’t quite feel the detailed emotions or ideas her descriptions invest in these constructs, though Petrovich-Cheney is informed by multiple degrees in the arts from literature to fashion design to studio arts, and multiple prestigious awards, that puts her in a special category of accomplishment. All of these works and more are on display at the Society

Donna Rhea Marder of Arts and Crafts, 100 Pier 4, Suite 200. For more information see their website at: https://www.societyofcrafts.org/. This is a cool break off the hot streets of the Seaport. Be sure to patronize their gallery shop for fine arts gifts that are strikingly

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Dana-Farber Cancer Screening Van Visits Carson Beach

Will return Wednesday, August 22, 11 a.m.

by Rick Winterson For many years now, the DanaFarber Cancer Institute has offered an important free medical service to the community of South Boston.

In the fully-equipped medical van provided by the Blum Family Resource Center, Dana-Farber screens everyone for skin cancer who shows up. You have to fill out a couple of short forms before being

examined by an M.D. Dermatologist, but the whole process takes less than 30 minutes. And please remember, this valuable professional service is blessedly free to anyone who wants it.

If you missed the screening van’s first visit on August 1, it will return on Wednesday morning, August 22, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The van will park on Day Boulevard in front of the McCormack Bathhouse located at the middle of Carson Beach.

Parking for your car is available there.

After you fill out the necessary

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forms, a Medical Doctor from DanaFarber, who is a dermatologist, will examine you completely for skin cancer. In addition, your face will be checked for any sensitive areas on a video tube that uses a special light.

You will also learn some important questions-and-answers, and you’ll receive brief instructions and takehome literature about how you can protect yourself from skin cancer, while still enjoying beach outings and all of your other outdoor activities.

We are not doctors at South Boston Online and we don’t want to alarm you, but here are some basic facts about skin cancer. There are three kinds of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma. Both the basal and squamous cell skin cancers should be detected and treated (of course!). However, these two are much less dangerous because they usually won’t spread (“metastasize”) to other parts of your body. Both basal and squamous cell skin cancers are mostly caused by exposure to the sun – use at least SP 30 sun block.

Melanoma – the third type of skin cancer – is the most serious form of skin cancer, because it is more aggressive than the other two types and it can occur anywhere

on your body. Melanoma can be detected by examining your skin yourself. Look for changes and anything on your skin that seems to be unusual in appearance. If you find anything that concerns you, contact your Primary Care Provider or Dermatologist right away.

And South Boston Online will remind you once again – the DanaFarber Cancer Institute in the Blum Family van will return to Carson Beach by the McCormack Bathhouse on Wednesday, August 22, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Join the writer of this article as one more skin-cancerfree South Boston resident. Despite his many moles, blemishes, and liver spots, Dana-Farber examined him and then informed him that he has no skin cancer of any kind.

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SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018

Susan Rodgerson Invites You …

Susan Rodgerson invites you to attend the Grand Finale of Artists for Humanity’s “People’s Harbor” Interactive Art Series - a superb outdoor art exhibition in A Street Park. The exhibition will be on Thursday evening, August 16, from 5 until 7 p.m. You can also watch the sun set on Artists for Humanity’s newly expanded EpiCenter Building. Susan also invites you to read the article about her in the current issue of The Improper Bostonian (“Boston’s Brightest Stars”, page 47)

Many Exciting Changes Ahead for South Boston Seaport Catholic Collaborative The South Boston Seaport Catholic Collaborative (SBS Catholic), which includes St. Peter, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Monica-St. Augustine parishes has many exciting and relevant changes in store for August.

Tuesday, August 14th, from 5 pm to 7 pm, is the next Peace Picnic. This is held on the grounds of St. Monica-St. Augustine church. The Peace Picnic provides an oasis of calm where individuals and families, including those battered by stress can be renewed by the hospitality of our faith community and enjoy the company of many friendly faces.

On Saturday, August 18, St. Monica-St. Augustine parish will kick off a week-long celebration of the feast days of the saintly mother and son the parishes are named after.

The first annual Feast of St. Monica-St. August will begin on the 18th with a yard sale on the grounds of St. Monica’s, 10 am to 4 pm. Then on Saturday, August 25th, there will be a festival on the grounds of St. Monica’s with food, music, games, and activities. The entire South Boston community is invited to these events.

Additionally, the SBS Catholic offices at 307 West Broadway will be moving by the end of August to the lower church hall of St. Peter’s, at 75 Flaherty Way. We apologize for any disruption this will cause but are excited by the opportunity this will afford our neighbors. We will maintain a presence at the church and even be able to open the doors during the day time like the olden days, when you could walk into a church and say a prayer.

The St. Peter-St. Vincent de Paul communities worship at St. Peter’s parish every Saturday at 5 pm, and Sundays at 9 am and 11 am. The 11 am Mass is the Lithuanian liturgy. The St. Monica-St. Augustine communities worship every Sunday at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. The 12:30 pm Mass is the Spanish liturgy. All are welcome at every one of these liturgies.

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Andrew Square Seizes Up

Andrew Square is South Boston’s busiest intersection.

Reasons for this range from heavy traffic flowing into the Square from six directions, to homeless people stemming for spare change (or dollars?) on the streets. A bus that was a non-starter caused the chaos shown above, in which traffic backed up to Old Colony and vehicles had to use both sides of Dorchester Avenue to get across the Square.

BPDA Income Restricted Homeownership Opportunity 150 West Broadway 150 West Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127 www.WestBroadwayLottery.com 3 Income Restricted Homeownership Units # of Units

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Selection by lottery. Asset, Use & Resale Restrictions apply. Preference for Boston Residents. Preference for Households with at Least One Person per Bedroom. Preference for First-Time Homebuyers.

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SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2018 THE PRINT EDITION

K & Marine Rd Two-Family with 4 off-street Parking Spaces

47 Marine Road Asking Price: $1,779,000

K & Marine Rd Two-Family with 4 off-street parking spaces? Need I say more?...Here's the deal: The current owners are approved (Permit in hand) to renovate and expand their twofamily to include two bi-level units that are approximately 2,000 Square feet each. Yes, that's 4,000 SF total. The upper unit will have great water views. This building is about 50 yards to K Street beach. The parking is accessed from Deady Lane which is at the end of K Street near Columbia Road. So, if you are up for a renovation project, this is the location to do it! It is estimated that the finished product is worth close to $3 Mil... Call or Email for Plans.