THE PRINT EDITION
THURSDAY, NOVERMBER 2, 2017
VOLUME XVIIII - ISSUE 37
Huzzah for jetBlue and KaBoom! by Rick Winterson Last Wednesday, an action team composed of volunteers from jetBlue and KaBoom! descended en masse on the Curley Community Center, a.k.a. the “L Street Bathhouse” or just “the L”. In not much more than a halfday f lat (!), this team assembled a compact but complete playground area on the beach inside the Center’s K Street entrance. The design and supervision of this unique installation came from KaBoom!, whose motto is “play matters for all kids”; hardworking volunteers from jetBlue pitched in to build the structures in less than one full day. Now, this playground is a lot more than your ordinary backyard jungle gym. It required hundreds of cubic yards of mulch and ten tons of concrete, along with hand tools of all kinds, and of course, somewhat over fifty (50) energetic volunteers. Benches and tables to go with
the playground equipment were built as well. Construction was planned and arranged to be completed in less than eight hours (which it was). A complicating factor was the weather, i.e., the imminent arrival of heavy rains (the team finished off their work by 2:30 p.m., just ahead of the storm). Mulch had never been distributed and raked f lat so quickly. And just in time – the opening ceremony was commandeered from inside a tent onsite. The work team form KaBoom! and jetBlue gave themselves a weklldeserved cheer. Right after that, the skies opened up. Cake was served inside the “L” afterward – no one cared if it rained after that. What else can South Boston Online say, except to give an emphatic Southie shoutout and a profound “Thank You!” to KaBoom! and jetBlue.
THANK YOU!
The construction crews cheer their completed job. Who cares if it rains now?
Councilor Michael Flaherty, BCYF Commissioner Will Morales, and Council candidate Ed Flynn onsite at the new playground by KaBoom! and jetBlue.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
Candidates Endorsed by SBOL in Final Election Lap Perhaps not as contentious as the national elections, but more important to the living standards of the local citizens, the city wide elections for mayor and councilors spawn debates about the city future, glossy mailers, and candidate visits in the hope of bringing up the turnout across town. As we head into the city wide election on November 4th, South Boston Online offers a snap shot of the candidates we are supporting. Mayor Martin Walsh: Boston City Mayor. First on the agenda would be the incumbent Mayor Martin Walsh, who South Boston Online endorses, despite a few missteps with the Indy Road race and Olympics bids; the mayor has proved himself true to his Dorchester roots, and has visited South Boston on many occasions to bring forth community improvements and initiatives. He has lessened the partisan divides between neighborhoods through open dialogue, and we are looking forward to him shifting gears towards more detailed plans for newly designed innovative schools, truly affordable rental housing, and leadership on transportation infrastructure. Ed Flynn: City Councilor District 2 South Boston native son Ed Flynn
may not have the gift of gab of his father, former Mayor Ray Flynn, but he’s a quick study who showed a focused interest in all of the districts of the city. This is a candidate who will be particularly strong in family initiatives and education. His practical proposals have garnered him unanimous trade union support. As a veteran and experienced businessman, he has the requisite skills needed to keep City Council grounded in reality based plans. We know he will be putting Southie on the map in the chambers of City Hall, representing us with common sense and humility.
Michael Flaherty: City Councilor at Large
Michael Flaherty also brings plenty of experience as an Assistant District Attorney and at large City Councilor, and well deserved ample support of unions, veterans, and community groups. His preliminary work in education (SAT prep) and technology for schools, could be emboldened and greatly expanded- to bring about a badly needed architectural transformation in the Boston city schools. On preventing crime and tackling drug addiction, Flaherty has a solid track record of making our city more secure.
He proves all politics is local with his continued support of South Boston community groups, and Boston youth with summer job experiences. Flaherty has the knowledge to continually be an active liaison between city hall and first responders in securing safety in our neighborhoods.
Michelle Wu: City Councilor at Large
Michelle Wu continues to be a force in Boston with her fresh approach to the issues, her depth in education, tempered by life experience and community service. She reveals a diligence and tenacity in representing the true needs of her constituents, and is completely fearless in tackling tougher issues-not by merely proposing solutions, but seeing them through to completion with complex community partnerships. A strong advocate
for the less fortunate in our city, her exemplary compassion has shaped the better ethos of Boston.
Annissa Essaibi George: City Councilor at Large
Perhaps the least experienced in this race, Ms. Essaibi George is an incumbent who has made her mark in the short time she’s been in office. She possesses the ability to reach across community lines for important mandates in elderly services, health care, and education. Her understanding of technical education could be put in practice to increase vocational opportunities for students by connecting public schools with local higher education technical institutes. South Boston Online sees a candidate with a sensitivity to income inequality, and the ability to make communities more livable for families.
To the Residents of South Boston The great industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie once said, “As I grow older I pay less attention to what people say, I just watch what they do.” I have watched Ed Flynn for over 30 years as a dedicated father, husband, serving his country and all of us in the U.S. Navy, and as an effective leader in our community. He doesn’t just say what he’s going to do, he just goes out and does it. As a state senator, I worked closely with Ed on numerous community and veterans’
legislative issues and came to witness his passion for others and love of his neighborhood and fellow veterans first hand. Ed is a fine and decent man who has gained my admiration and respect for the person he is and for the leader and fighter he will be on the Boston City Council. He’ll work hard for all of us. I hope you will join me in voting for Ed Flynn on Tuesday, November 7th.
Jack Hart
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER2, 2017
3
Building A Future For All of Us
By Mayor Marty Walsh I’m lucky to call Boston home.
My parents immigrated here with little more than their hope for a better life. They raised me in Dorchester, where I learned the value of hard work, second chances, and standing up for what you believe in, no matter what. And this city made my dream come true. As mayor, I have fought every day to make Boston a city where everyone can make their dreams come true. Over the last four years, we’ve made a lot of progress together--improving our schools, building more affordable homes, creating good jobs, making communities safer. Boston is stronger now than it was four years ago, but we’re not done. That’s why I am running for reelection, so we can keep working on being a city that works for all of us. It starts in our schools: we increased the Boston Public Schools budget every year, for a total of $154
million in new resources. We created 725 new, high-quality pre-kindergarten seats, to get more 4-year-olds the strong start they need. We added more learning time to the school day for 23,000 students. We built Boston’s first new high school in 22 years, the cutting-edge Dearborn 6-12 STEM Academy. We made community college tuition-free for BPS graduates from low-income families so that more Bostonians than ever can go to college. The results are clear: our schools are the best they’ve ever been. We now have 46 schools ranked among the highest-performing in the state. Our high school graduation rate is at an alltime high. And we’re not done yet. We have a plan to bring high-quality prekindergarten to every child in Boston. And we’ve only just begun our 10-year, $1 billion BuildBPS program to modernize school buildings for 21st-century learning. We have also tackled the housing crisis head-on. In 2014, I unveiled a plan to add 53,000 units of housing by 2030, including thousands of new homes for low-income families, middle-class families, and seniors. With 22,000 units already either built or in construction, we are ahead of pace to meet those goals, and it’s having the right effect: rents in existing housing stock are stabilizing. All told, we’ve committed over $100 million and hundreds of city-owned lots to affordable housing, more than ever before. At the same
time, we have provided permanent housing for 1,200 formerly homeless people, and we have ended chronic veterans’ homelessness in our city. That’s something I’m very proud of. I know that housing demand is still pushing costs out of reach for too many families, so we’re doing more. We’re enacting new protections for tenants and we are helping people stay in their homes with a new Office of Housing Stability. And we led the fight for the Community Preservation Act, which will bring millions of dollars more each year to affordable housing, open space, and historic preservation. Together, we are going to make sure Boston can be home for all of us. I’ve always believed that a good paying job is the foundation of the American Dream. That’s why I’ve fought to build a strong economy that works for everyone. We’ve added 60,000 jobs and with companies like G.E., Lego Education, and Reebok, we have become a headquarters city again. We directed $11 million to job training for thousands of low-income Boston residents, we got hundreds more into apprenticeships that lead to good careers, and we invested $5.2 million in youth jobs. We are expanding support for neighborhood entrepreneurs with the first citywide Small Business Plan. We’ve also put job training at the core of our second-chance programs for
court-involved young adults, like Operation Exit. There’s much more to come. My whole life, I’ve stood with working people, and I always will. In these uncertain times, being mayor of this great city means protecting Bostonians from reckless decisions in Washington. I am the son of two proud Boston immigrants, and I know that immigrant families make this city great. I will always stand up for Boston’s people and Boston’s values, no matter what. These are just a few of the big challenges we’ve taken on. Whether it is our work fighting climate change, our investments in arts and culture, our efforts to become a more bike friendly city, or our commitments to our seniors, Boston has shown that in the absence of federal leadership, Mayors can lead - and that is just what we are doing. I’m very proud of all we have accomplished in our city in the last four years. Our schools are better, we’re building affordable housing, we’re creating jobs and job training, and we’re making our city safer. But there is more work to do. So I invite you to join me as we recommit ourselves, together, to this work in every school, neighborhood, and workplace. Over the next four years, we’re going to keep fighting to make sure Boston is truly a city for all of us.
Vote for Michael Flaherty on Tuesday, November 7th! #3 on the Ballot for Boston City Councilor At-Large
As your Boston City Councilor At-Large: • I have supported a property tax deferral program for seniors and longtime homeowners in the city. • I have called for expanding police presence and community partnerships in all of our neighborhoods to protect our children from drugs, gangs, and violence. • I have fought hard to strengthen Boston’s public education pipeline by expanding early education opportunities, putting more advanced work programs in more of our schools, educ and improving transition from high school to college.
On Tuesday, November 7th, I respectfully request your vote.
Paid for by e Flaherty Committee
www.MichaelFlaherty.com
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
Botanical Garden for Seaport District: Still a Very Good Idea
By Richard Campbell
Upon visiting relatives in Washington DC I made a point of visiting the United States Botanical Garden to enjoy some indoor time during the unseasonably cool DC weather. The large collection of plants in both a conservatory and outdoor gardens is something to behold, and highly recommended. Ever since the Seaport District appeared on the map as a developing location, advocates for green space have clamored for increased outdoor green spaces, with some marginal victories; but in so far as this writer knows, no one has advocated for the Botanical Garden that Boston was promised years ago as part of the Big Dig. The whole idea disappeared almost as soon as it was proposed. To those who have not walked the Seaport in the winter, the idea of an inviting indoor garden may seem like a superfluous request for winter wise Bostonians. For anyone who has walked Seaport Boulevard in December, the
absence of indoor public space in this area is not a mere oversight: it is a major design flaw. No matter how charming the restaurants and stores are that are spread throughout the district, they are not really public spaces. The one public space, the District Hall, may be an okay place to park your laptop momentarily, or have a small business meeting, but it hardly represents a go to destination for visitors wishing to discover the Seaport District. The ICA has interesting views
Joseph Nee South Boston Collaborative Center
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of the harbor, though it is a membership only space, with limited free hours. I was talking to a city official about the concept of a free, public, botanical garden as an extension of the Rose Kennedy Greenway placed somewhere in the Seaport district, and the person’s eyebrows raised when the word free was mentioned. I noted that, for example, even Cleveland has a free Art Museumone that is every bit as good as our expensive MFA. Yes, Cleveland. In point of fact, every museum in Boston is expensive, and rare are the free options. The College of Wellesley has a free outdoor Botanical Garden, that isn’t close to downtown, and recently closed its greenhouses. An established university botany program would seem like the best candidates to operate such a facility. “Impossible”, I hear, from all sides. “We can’t do that, the homeless would congregate there!” This is the usual answer to every public space proposed in our city. What is stranger is that in a city that is cold, dark, and wet for more than half the year, you have to convince city officials that an
indoor botanical garden is a good idea. Practically speaking the Seaport District is still developing an identity, and this would help a great deal. When people visiting Boston ask me what is there, I mention the ICA and the nearby Children’s Museum, but there is very little to recommend in the way of public spaces in the late fall and winter. Now don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate the adjacent Greenway’s Merry-GoRound, Farmer’s markets, and the new Trillium Beer Garden, but these amenities do not provide much shelter in the stormy months. Boston’s lush Emerald Necklace, including Franklin Park, the Fenway, Arnold Arboretum or Jamaica Pond would seem to be the natural location for a large indoor botanical garden, but the Seaport District really needs this kind of green space. For nature lovers have an embarrassment of summer season riches in these other locations, and there is hardly a blade of grass in the Seaport. There may be an opportunity to create an inviting indoor botanical space for Bostonians to find a seasonal get awaythe question is if the Convention Center or some other big lot owning resource could see the ultimate value of a Seaport Botanical Garden. I realize that highways and big business are the priority in this area. As space gets filled in day by day, it would ultimately be a project on the order of Olmstead to create an indoor botanical garden, marking our current city leadership as having some awareness about gardens similar to past generations who gifted us with the Emerald Necklace, one of the prominent features that made Boston a great walking city.
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER2, 2017
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Ed Flynn Humbly Asks For Your Vote Tuesday, November 7th As this election approaches its conclusion this upcoming Tuesday, November 7th, I would like to extend my best wishes to my neighbors and thank you for the hospitality that you have extended to me, my family, and my supporters as we knocked on thousands of doors and made tens of thousands of phone calls throughout our district. I have had the pleasure of meeting many new neighbors and becoming re-acquainted with so many longtime friends throughout South Boston, Chinatown, the South End, Downtown, Back Bay, Bay Village and Beacon Hill. Beginning in March, I have spoken out on many important issues through public hearings, house parties, literature, press releases and candidate forums. These issues include improving our Boston Public Schools and providing support for our teachers, keeping our streets safe, and developing a plan to increase recovery services via the re-opening of the Long Island Treatment facility. I have led the fight against overdevelopment in our neighborhoods and proposed a Bus Rapid Transit plan to bring our district the reliable transportation it deserves. I have called for the creation of a Domestic Violence Committee on the Boston City Council, as well as the regulation of short term rental platforms like AirBnB to prevent large corporations from driving up the cost of rent and displacing our residents. Following recent reports of more than 63,000 needles found this past September, I have called for the creation Special Services Division to monitor our city parks and playgrounds to ensure the safety of our children and families. Government serves us best when it takes seriously the legitimate concerns of its citizens and civic organizations. I have not just listened to your concerns, but have been out front in this race every step of the way on issues affecting our most basic government services.
I promise to keep my commitments to the people of District 2. I will: Do all I can to support our young people and families, especially when it comes to issues such as education, youth fulfillment opportunities and mental and behavioral health; Promise to ensure that our seniors receive the respect and dignity they deserve; Demonstrate my firm belief that the people who reside in a neighborhood should have a say in what happens in their neighborhood; Advocate for collective bargaining and equal pay for equal work. I thank you for your support and I humbly ask for your vote on Tuesday, November 7th. If elected, I will listen to your concerns, be accessible, and work hard every day to deliver results for all of our neighborhoods. If you need a ride to the polls, please call us at 617-302-0686 or 617-302-0685.
Sincerely, Ed Flynn
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
Butler Park Opens by Rick Winterson Friday last, on a late October day just made to order for the occasion, the blue ribbon was cut on Tom (or “Tommy”, if you wish) Butler’s Park at the intersection of Farragut and First. The Park is formally entitled the “Thomas J. Butler Freight Corridor & Memorial Park”. It is two-thirds of a mile long, and serves as a buffer zone between First Street and the Conley Terminal. On the west end, it terminates in a dog park that had been opened late last year. The big news during the opening of the Park was the size and the demeanor of the crowd. It
might have numbered as many as a thousand – a truly fitting tribute to Tom. The delight everyone took in seeing that many people who remembered Tom so fondly was contagious. It was indeed a memorial, as well as a celebration of Tom’s life and his many accomplishments. Everyone remembered him; everyone loved him – Tom was unforgettable. The blue ribbon was cut early in the program. Beginning with Gov. Baker and Mayor Walsh, all of the speakers spoke about Tom and his unequalled record of devoted public service, along with his love and regard for his family, friends, and South Boston. Please use the Thomas J. Butler Memorial Park. It’s yours to enjoy.
Family members, elected officials take the stage to cut the Park’s ribbon.
The Flynns and the Bulgers bring a touch of South Boston to the Butler Park opening.
A red carpet with images of Tom at Butler Park’s opening ceremony tent.
The main gate to the newly opened Tom Butler Park at Farragut and First.
Tom Glynn, Chief of Massport, opens the Butler Park’s opening program.
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SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER2, 2017
Tom Butler Honored in Southie
By Ray Flynn, former Mayor of Boston & U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican
I recently finished reading the almost 1,000 page political biography of South Boston’s legendary U.S. Speaker of the House John W. McCormack, by Professor Garrison Nelson. What an amazing record of public accomplishment and service to the people of the United States. He championed legislation that resulted in the passage of Social Security, quality health care for our senior citizens, safe working conditions for men and women in factories and on our docks, decent wages and of course a strong military defense for our country. And like our present Congressman Stephen Lynch, he was a fierce advocate for our military veterans who fought and some died in the defense of our country. The people of South Boston and our district certainly elected some of the most hard working and effective politicians in the country who knew how to get things done. Not just media darlings and for politically correct special interest groups. I had the opportunity to talk to
Mr. McCormack many times growing up in South Boston and even played for his baseball team that he sponsored in the Senior Park League. His brother “Knocko” would pick me up in his old beat up Pontiac car, take me to the park in Dorchester and throughout Boston to play and than later we sometimes stopped by Jimmy’s Harborside Restaurant or the Speaker›s home on Columbia Road. I was born just up the street on Boston Street from Mr. McCormack so our families shared a lot of mutual friends through life. Even my Providence College President Fr. Robert Slavin, O.P., was also born just up the street in the same close knit Polish Andrew Square neighborhood and we were friends with both families. Friday, at the dedication of the Tom Butler Freight Corridor Memorial Park in South Boston, we heard speaker after speaker and neighbors talk about Tom›s loyalty and kindness to the children and people of the area. «Ray, you started the Southie Men›s Softball League and the kids citywide basketball league and just like Tommy, you know how important sports were to kids and families growing up here. Tom made
Limited Time Special
sure that Mass Port Authority always was a good neighbor to the people of Southie, sponsoring various girls and boys teams,” said Rep. Nick Collins, a tireless fighter for South Boston. Yes, as we often hear the city has changed, but we still have our outstanding sports programs here. And yes, we know the town has had to stand up over the years to some powerful outside political enemies who constantly tried to put us down and change our way of life. As I often heard many residents often say, “they are jealous of South Boston’s stability and political effectiveness.” But thanks to the interest and civic pride of our voters, local political leaders in the past and today like Nick Collins, Mike Flaherty, Jack Hart, Bill Bulger,Brian Wallace, Joe Moakley, Paul Gannon, Jim Kelly, Bill Linehan, and youth sports coaches like Bill Collins, Kevin Lally , Kathy Davis, Kathy Lafferty, Bill Baker, Ted Cunniff, Bob Ferrara ,Dan and Eric Manning our great youth sports programs and traditions will continue But as I said on National Public Radio at the Tom Butler Memorial Dedication, we are lucky to have outstanding stand up political leaders
like Governor Baker, and Mayor Walsh, because our families are under great stress today because of the high cost of education for our kids, the extraordinary costs of luxury housing, and the threat of deadly illegal drugs, that our kids and families desperately need our united support today more than ever. Yes, we certainly had many renowned citizens coming out of South Boston who helped make our country great, like McCormack, our military veterans, political leaders, compassionate religious leaders like Cardinal Cushing, Fr. Bob Casey,Fr. Joe LaPorte, Fr.Jim Lane and Fr. Richard Cannon. But we must always remember that it was also our military veterans and unsung community heroes like Tommy Butler, Harry McDonough, John Mullin, Tom Lyons,Paul Evans, Ted Gavaghan, Dennis Flynn, Jim O’Sullivan, Eileen Dwyer, Leo Stapleton,” Jack Pudso” Barry, Doc Tynan,” Injun” Horan, Kevin Conroy, Jimmy “Coach” Donovan, Frankie Kelly just to name a few, who made us all proud to say, “Southie is My Hometown.”
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* Rates expressed as Annual Percentage Yields (APYs), are accurate as of 9/20/17, and are subject to change without notice. The bump-up option can only be exercised once during the term of the certificate. The certificate term is not extended by the bump-up/APY increase. To initiate the one-time bump-up contact a Member Service Representative at any branch office. City of Boston Credit Union will use its best efforts to comply with all APY increase requests by the close of business on the next business day. APY increases are not retroactive, and will apply to the remainder of the certificate term. APY increases can be initiated on the 34-month certificate if the then current APY for City of Boston Credit Union’s 34-month certificate or 36-month certificate is above 1.40%, or on the 46-month certificate if the then current APY for City of Boston Credit Union’s 46-month certificate or 48-month certificate is above 1.78% APY or on the 58-month certificate if the then current APY for City of Boston Credit Union’s 58-month certificate or 60-month certificate is above 2.15%. In no event can the bump-up rate exceed the then current rate for the certificate. Dividends will be credited to your account and compounded every month. Upon maturity, 34-, 46- and 58-month Bump-Up Certificates will automatically rollover into the member’s City of Boston Credit Union share account. All other certificate terms and conditions will apply. Minimum deposit of $500. Deposits can not be made during the term of the account. Rates may change after account is opened. Fees could reduce earnings. Subject to penalty for early withdrawal. Not available for IRA Certificates. Must be a member of City of Boston Credit Union to open certificate account. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Federally Insured by NCUA. Excess share insurance by MSIC.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM
by Rick Winterson
South Boston Veterans Day Social
Please reserve Monday evening, November 13, for a get-together at CAPO (443 West Broadway, 6-9 p.m.). Meet the 2018 St. Patrick Day Parade Chief Marshal, along with the newly elected cadre of the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council (the SBAWVC), who organize, arrange, and stage the Parade – South Boston’s single biggest community event. Veterans Day is at hand. The Holiday itself, November 11, falls on a Saturday. On that day at 9:15 a.m., attendees at a Memorial Service will assemble at the Fitzgerald Post, VFW No. 561. They will then march to a Memorial Mass in St. Brigid Church. More marches, ceremonies, and observances will take place all during the weekend through Monday, November 13. In South Boston, the Veterans Day weekend will close out on Monday evening, the 13th, with the South Boston Veterans Day Social – a celebration of South Boston’s veterans sponsored by the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council (the SBAWVC).
Dave Falvey (center) being sworn in as Commander of the Allied War Veterans Council, along with Bernie Trager (l.) as Vice Commander, by Ed “Butch” Shifflet (r.). James Mullen and Barbara Signor are looking on. This event takes place at CAPO, 443 West Broadway, near Perkins Square, from 6 to 9 p.m. It’s a relaxed, enjoyable opportunity, in all good fellowship, to let veterans from South Boston know that their service will always be appreciated – never forgotten. The SBAWVC is officially designated as the group responsible for the Annual St. Patrick\’s Day Parade. This will take place on Sunday, March
Please Join
for a Complimentary Luncheon with
18, 2018. You will be briefed on Parade progress by the newly elected
Commander of the SBAWVC, Dave Falvey, who lives on Second Street. And there’ll be lots of news: Perhaps most important, the 2018 Parade Chief Marshal will be introduced to South Boston. The official Parade logo, designed by South Boston’s Casey Smith, will be unveiled as well. You’ll be informed of Parade fundraising needs and progress. Newly designed Parade T-shirts will be on sale. The “Vet Center” from the VA will be there to inform all veterans of benefits and memberships available to them. Take this opportunity to get acquainted with the 2018 Parade CAPO (443 West Broadway), where the South Boston Veterans Day Social will be held 0n Monday even-ing, November 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. – ALL ARE INVITED!
South Boston Learn to Skate Mite & Squirt House League Sign-Ups Learn to Skate (LTS)
This is where it all begins! The Learn to Skate program is a beginner ice skating program Coach: Teddy Cunniff Cost: $150/Season Start Date: Sunday November 5th @ 4pm Season continues until March 11th. Registrations found on our website at www.SBYHL.ORG or at the Murphy rink skate shop Mon-Thu from 6-8.
Mite & Squirt House League
Thursday, November 2, 2017 12-2pm at
40 West Third Street
South Boston, MA, 02127
Playing House League Hockey is the best way to introduce new players to the game of Hockey! House League Players play one game and attend one clinic per week Cost: $325/season Mite House League Games begin on 11/1/17 (Wednesday Nights) @5PM Squirt House League Games begin 11/2/17 (Thursday Nights) @ 6PM & 7PM Register NOW so you do not miss out! It is not too late to join. Registrations found on our website at www.SBYHL.ORG or at the Murphy rink skate shop Mon-Thu from 6-8.
SOUTHBOSTONONLINE.COM THURSDAY, NOVEMBER2, 2017
Boston Book Festival By Richard Campbell Few free events in Boston beat the ginormous Boston Book Festival. In its tenth year, this past weekend, it provided three days of events replete with entertainments and vendors. For once Boston staked good claim to the often hyperbolic statement: Athens of America. A large cadre of brainy people from around the world presented lectures on subjects from the erudite to the esoteric, along with popular demonstrations within a few square blocks of Copley Square in churches, libraries, and cafés. There were kids only story time booths with clever mascots, books piled high to buy, free bling, music and food trucks. We attended on Saturday, with first a symposium on the Beatles in Church of the Covenant hosted by Shira Springer, where writers Adam Gopnik, (the New Yorker), Alan Light, and Rob Sheffield (Rolling Stone) and Toure, (podcaster: Love City) discussed their takes on the Fab Four, illuminating their cultural impact across generations. This was a confection designed for baby boomers, but there were a few younger folks in the audience. The only disappointment was they didn’t play any songs. From here we went to the newly renovated and beautiful BPL Rabb Hall, to see the most entertaining Australian editor, Ella Morton of “Atlas Obscura”, which is both a book and a website. This was an exploration of “curious places” one might never see around the world. From the sublime: huge grass made rope bridges in India, to the absurd: Galileo’s index finger persevered in a museum in Florence, and every kind of creature or environmental phenomenon in between- she held the audience in rapt attention. After a brief lunch we took in a few jazz bands on Copley Plaza, and perused the vendors. There were workshops on book making, authors confessing their literary errors, short story talks, professors rubbing shoulders with literary idols, talks on architecture and digital cyber sleuths, fiction and non-fiction works on war, and poetry readings. Our last stop: “Poetry and Pints” at the Exhale Lounge was a suitable dose to the day as the sun set, three poetesses, the elegiac Rebecca Morgan Frank, fire-filled Krysten Hill, and sardonic Natalie Shapero, gave rousing renditions of their recent works. There were so many events that it was difficult to choose the exact ones to attend. If you’ve never attended the Boston Book Festival, I heartily recommend putting it on a go to list for free events in Boston for next year! For more information, go to: https://bostonbookfest.org/
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TD Bank N.A. | NEW ACCOUNT BONUSES: 1The primary owner of the new personal checking account must be a new customer to TD Bank who does not have any existing or prior relationship with TD Bank. The primary owner must also be the person who supplies a Social Security Number for tax reporting purposes. If the offer criterion is met within 90 days of account opening, the bonus will be credited into the new personal checking account no later than 125 days from account opening. Account must remain open, active, in good standing, and in the same product type through the qualifying period to receive the bonus. Bonus will be reported as taxable income to the IRS on 1099-MISC. Offer may be withdrawn at any time and is subject to change. One bonus per Customer and cannot be combined with any other offer. TD Bank Employees, TD existing and former TD Bank Customers and Canadian cross-border banking Customers are not eligible. Offer valid 10/21/17 through 11/18/17 at the South Boston Store. | 2$300 bonus offer available to eligible new TD Bank customers when opening a TD Premier CheckingSM or TD Relationship CheckingSM account with cumulative direct deposit funds of $2,500 or more into the new account within 90 days of account opening. | 3$150 bonus available to eligible new TD Bank customers when opening a TD Convenience CheckingSM account with cumulative direct deposit funds of $500 or more into the new account within 90 days of account opening. | 4Qualifying direct deposits are recurring electronic deposits of your paycheck, pension or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your Employer or the Government. Person-to-Person and bank transfers between your TD Bank accounts or accounts you have at other financial institutions or brokerages do not qualify. Payment received for goods sold do not qualify. | 5$50 bonus available to eligible new TD Bank customers when opening any TD Bank personal checking account and who complete $500 in Visa® Debit Card purchases within 90 days of account opening. Qualifying Visa® Debit Card purchase transactions are those made using a TD Visa® Debit Card to buy goods and services and are not of returns and other adjustments. ATM withdrawals do not qualify. Net qualifying purchases are determined in the sole discretion of TD Bank and must post to the new account within 90 days of account opening. ©2017 Visa U.S.A.
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South Boston Catholic Academy Visits the Pumkin Patch
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Kings Opens in the Seaport: Sweet Entertainment By Richard Campbell You’ve got to hand it to them, Kings knows how to throw a party. Their latest installment opened this past Monday night, in the Seaport District, with all the glitz and glowing fun their bowling game palace usually offers, and then some. I actually like the layout of this one better than the one in Back Bay, there is something more moving up front,
and spectacular about the graphics, design and gaming sections. This is a well-trained hospitality staff. They know the objective: help you have fun. The opening night patrons early on were those smart ones who logged themselves in for the free bowling promotion. I loved the fact that some people were real amateurs on the lanes, and for quite some time the music mix was in the 80’s – 90’s zone, chalked full of real heart pounding rhythms and great
vocals. People were clamoring to get into the place shortly after opening at 6:00pm, and they stayed solid for about three hours. Because the place is so big it wasn’t like people had to wait long to play games. After the shoot I ordered the barbeque pizza, which is less tangy than the one I got in Back Bay, but still had the requisite heart clogging cheese. This with an extra big beer, (32 ounces) sets you back twenty something, which is a little
steep-but in this neighborhood, you might consider it a deal. Don’t count the calories. You can keep track of your Celtics or Patriots game, of course, with all the screens. This place is family friendly early on, and black light ready for the late night college crowd. This is a company that knows how to do fun. So, your company keeps dragging you to boring places over the holidays? Here’s a solution. Trust me, Southie will eat this place up.
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Halloween at the Castle: The Children’s Magical Halloween Photos by Rick Winterson It’s hard to believe that last weekend’s “Children’s Magical Halloween Castle” was the 35th such event. Thousands (yes, thousands!) showed up to be treated, delighted, and occasionally scared. There has to be a big “Southie shoutout” to the Castle Island Association and its many highly creative and imaginative volunteers. Led by Bill Spain (who’s looking great these days!), the CIA volunteers outdid themselves in 2017. The photos will give you some small idea of just how much they accomplished, but you really should have been there. Oh well, there’s always next year.
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Annual Fort Point Pumpkin Pageant #13 by Rick Winterson Among South Boston’s various neighborhoods, Fort Point is one of our most active. This is mostly due to the highly active Fort Point residents’ associations, such as “The Friends of Fort Point Channel”. Continuing their tradition of these activities, the Friends held their 13 Annual Pumpkin Pageant on Thursday, October 19. To say that the Pumpkin Pageant was “colorful” is really an understatement. Now, most of us feel that there is only so much you can do with a pumpkin – cut some eyes and a jagged smile, put a candle inside, and so on, whatever. But the colors of the pumpkins at the Pageant were astonishing – white, pink, blue, green, red, and teal, along with the more natural orange tones. The carving of the 21 pumpkin entries epitomized the Halloween spirit – if it can be called that. This “spirit” ranged from horrifying to whimsical, and even on to outright creative. One pumpkin was carved so as to be chomping down on another; one of the entries seemed to be melting away. Certain entries were reminiscent of Sesame Street characters. One entry was a pumpkin carved into a giant ‘burger. Two of the more original Pumpkin Pageant entries were carved into a ukulele (seriously!) and a teacup that held models of the three Tea Party ships – the Beaver, Eleanor, and Dartmouth. There was a fourth tea ship (again, seriously!) named the William that sank off the Cape and never made it to Griffin Wharf on Fort Point in Boston Harbor. After the Pumpkin Pageant concluded, the Friends of Fort Point Channel held a “Fall Fling” nearby, in the Boston Tea Party Museum.
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Trick or Treat on Broadway, 2017
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“Curiosity Cube” at Children’s Museum By Rick Winterson “Breakthroughs Begin with Curiosity” is a saying at Millipore Sigma. To develop curiosity, they created what that firm calls a “Curiosity Cube”. Millipore Sigma is a company that began providing advanced separation equipment to America‘s advanced chemical industry. They understand hightech. They developed the “Curiosoty Cube”, because they want to excite young peoples’ curiosity and turn
them on to STEM subjects (or STEAM studies, if you wish). Millipore Sigma sent its “Curiosity Cube” to Children’s Museum a fortnight ago. It was jammed – as you can see – with curious kids learning about science, to these kids’ Immense satisfaction. “Curiosity killed the cat” is an old, old saying from the 1800s. “Satisfaction brought her back” is the 21st Century response to that now outmoded saying.
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Lyric Revives Director’s Favorite Souvenir
By Richard Campbell
Are you looking for something to laugh about? Look no further than the Lyric Stage revival of Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins. The first time I saw this show ten years ago I laughed so hard my chest hurt when I left the theater. This time around it was still entertaining, but the comedy was tinged with a little whimsy. As Artistic Director Spiro Veloudos reminded the audience before the show, we are all ten years older, and it feels like more than that! It is easy to see why he chose to revisit this two person show of non-stop laughs; because it demonstrates how live theater can blow going to the movies out of the water. One can put both the performances of Leigh Barrett as Florence Foster Jenkins, and Will Mc Garrahan as Cosme McMoon, in the awards category. Mr. McGarrahan for his musical direction, light keyboard work, soft singing voice, and frazzled comic timing; Ms. Barrett for her spectacular character acting, vocal gymnastics, and respect for the inner world of her character. But let’s face it: the real reason to go to see this show is to laugh with wild abandon at the crazy one liners, set-ups, in-jokes and
fierce farce. Sure, there are a few moments of pathos when Florence discovers the world is laughing at her imagined beautiful voice that tears the wall paper off walls, that gives the fantasia a little sting- but playwright Stephen Temperley does so many things right in this script, we even forgive ourselves for falling into his trap. There was a more somber movie version of Ms. Florence Foster’s real life-one which involved more drama than comedy. After she inherited money from her father, she created such a sensation in New York with her unbelievably bad opera acts that raised money for charities- mostly in concerts in the Ritz Ballroom. It was said that
people clamored for tickets to see her, and literally had to stuff handkerchiefs into their mouths to keep from laughing out loud during her concerts. I know how they feel. Cosme McMoon, the desperate lounge pianist and second rate composer is lured into her snare to be her accompanist by the “easy” money. From record recordings to Carnegie Hall McMoon spends the show trying to escape the accompanier’s nightmare, only to end up respecting the dear lady for her perpetually distorted, delusional honesty. Rare are things this bad and this funny. There are moments in their “rehearsals” created by Mc Garrahan where only clinging to his
baby grand paralyzed in disbelief can save his sanity, and thus catapult the audience into laughter. It is hard to describe the enticing chemistry between these two actors in this show: they create a virtual reality that dope slaps the audience at regular intervals. From a production stand point this is a simple show: a baby grand and some Ritz like furniture in front of creamy ballroom walls with a small chandelier. Simple, that is, except for perhaps Florence’s costumes by Gail Astrid Buckley, which continually reveal a cunning that elevate the laughs. Leigh Barrett’s performance is one that young actors wishing to enter the theater should witness, for underneath the great clowning and vocal antics, there is a genuine respect for acting. The jazz ballads Mc Garrahan plays and sings give the show a piano bar cabaret feeling, reminiscent of when people performed music with a little style- as opposed to screaming at the audience while grabbing their crotches. One could simply call this clean comedy, but in the case of this particular cast, they have created their own Souvenir for director Spiro Veloudos. Running until November 19th, for tickets go to Lyricstage.com.
“BCYF Tynan Council Halloween Party Attended by 100 Youths Dressed in Costumes” This past Friday the Tynan Council held its annual Halloween party but with a twist this year adding a bouncing house for our youngsters. Instead of having our party in the cafeteria this year we decorated the gym in a spooky design, rented a bouncing house, added an obstacle course, put out snacks and beverages along with candy bags donated by Dedham savings bank and to top it off we had a surprise visit from the BPD ice cream truck which indeed the kids loved! The Tynan Council does a great job partnering with BCYF and over the years has provided many, many programs and events for the community that wouldn’t be possible without them volunteering their time for the youth and families of our great community! So a thank you to our council members!