South Boston Today July 14 2022

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July 14, 2022: Vol.10 Issue 27

SERVING SOUTH BOSTONIANS AROUND THE GLOBE

Senator Collins Calls Out MCCA For Lack Of Community Process

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Community Input Missing In Pursuit of New Expansion Proposal

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tate Senator Nick Collins, whose Senate district includes the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) wants the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) to put forth more specifics on its new $400mm proposal to expand the Convention Center in the South Boston Waterfront and include a

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SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

July 14, 2022

EDITORIAL Kid Run Lemonade Stands Are Back. The Tradition Has Returned

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s the long-awaited summer settles in, many people are often reminded of summers past and how things once were, compared to how so much has changed.

But among the things that always remain are the beautiful sunsets visible during every clear cloudless evening and the rising moon that follows the long span of daylight that can be viewed along our shoreline.

And/or, if you’re an early riser, there’s always the sunrise that starts the day.

Many people take those long-awaited vacations and spend much more time outdoors. But what we’ve noticed is the return of the once common sight of the kid run lemonade stand that

for the most part has been missing for several years.

These lemonade stands are popping up in several parts of the neighborhood and most residents seem to be pleased that they are.

Many long-time residents are happy to see this near-forgotten tradition return, while many of our new arrivals seem to like it too and be a little intrigued by the concept of our local young entrepreneurs going into business for themselves. And both long-timers and newcomers have been quick to show their support by stopping by the stands and purchasing a tasty cool glass of the refreshing beverage and buy a cookie or two. This is to the de-

light of the hard-working youthful go-getters.

This newspaper has received quite a few calls, emails, Tweets and other social media comments and even one handwritten letter in the mail from neighbors, who wanted to bring the return of this old tradition to our attention and give praise to the kids. There have been no complaints at all; just one somewhat cautious person wondering if the beverages being sold were FDA approved.

Most editorials that appear in newspapers, including this one, so often deal with serious, even negative issues. But every once in a while, it’s nice to be able to take a break and talk about something pleasant

and positive. And the way we see it, what could be more pleasant than giving praise to local young people who show incentive to earn their own money while serving their neighbors? (But here’s hoping that the city and state don’t think of a way to hit these kids up for license requirements and taxes).

So, we’d like to make a

suggestion. If you’re out and about and you happen to come across one of these kid-run lemonade stands, why not stop and make a purchase? You’ll be doing your part to help encourage a good work ethic, while bringing smiles to the faces of some great local kids.

And from all the reports coming in, it’s unanimous the lemonade is delicious.

“I think it matters whether someone has a good heart” - Elon Musk

Hearts, Hugs & Hope: A Virtual Alzheimer’s Support Group Offered by Compass on the Bay

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uly 21, 2022, 6:00 pm. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share

Publisher

your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through. You will also learn about proven

John Ciccone

strategies to help you better care for your family member.

This group will be held in conjunction with our sister community, Standish Village.

Call 617-268-5450 or email Program Director Dean Tricarico at dtricarico@compassonthebay.com for more information and to register for the virtual meeting.

This is a virtual event sponsored by Compass on the Bay Assisted Living and Memory Support Community, 1380 Columbia Road, South Boston.

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July 14, 2022

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SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

Information Center The

They Dropped Gas Prices By 17 Cents A Gallon! Oh Hallelujah!

SOUTH BOSTON TODAY John Ciccone

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illions of Americans must be smirking this week as Biden and his puppet masters are strutting around boasting about how they have lowered the average price of gas at the pump.

The national average is said to have dropped by 17 cents. Smirking because people are in no mood to be conned anymore by this bunch in DC and the fast-dwindling number of supporters who echo their nonsense. Smirking because people can do the math.

Here is an administration (the term Regime better fits them) that has caused the price of gas to jump to an additional 3 bucks a gallon to 5 dollars (and many suspect deliberately) from what was less that 2 dollars a gallon and now they want praise for cutting a paltry 17 cents off the price. The Democrats nationwide are in a panic, because they are reading the polls and surveys. They will get devastated in the coming November midterms, because of their disastrous policies and hope we’ll all forget what they’ve been doing so it want be a total loss for them. But, it’s too late. They have hurt tens of millions of Americans financially and in so many other ways by their America Last actions, and again, Americans are in no mood to forget – not this time.

The outrageous price of gas, which is causing the cost of virtually everything else to skyrocket, Is hurting everyone but the very wealthy. And yet, rather than make serious attempts at bringing the price down, the Democrats had the nerve to ship 5 million barrels of oil from our country’s emergency strategic petroleum reserves to foreign countries; including some to Communist China. It also went to Countries in Europe and to India while American consumers are pleading for a break in

Note: talk back to John Ciccone by email at jciccone@southbostontoday.com

the price. Are they tone deaf? I really don’t think so. It’s more like they really don’t care how bad our own people are hurting. Their ‘America Last’ attitude is running the show.

Crime is up in just about every big city in the country run by Democrats and yet they continue to cut police funding and let violent criminals back out on the streets to commit even more crime. They are doing nothing to stop the flow of illegals pouring over the southern border, bringing in massive amounts of the deadly Fentanyl drug that is killing so many American kids. They are fighting tooth and nail to try to stop voter ID laws, even though huge majorities of Americans of all races and backgrounds and even a majority of Democrat voters want in place. This comes as no surprise, because if such laws go into effect nationwide it would make it much more difficult to rig the next election too. And they are pushing for more leftist indoctrination in our nation’s public schools. In some school districts, children as young as five years old are being subjected to sexuality classes and there are liberals who cannot see why parents are outraged at this.

There are many Red State governors now following the lead of Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis and are finally standing in the way of what’s going on. In fact, Governor Doug Ducy, Republican of Arizona has just signed a bill into law in his state that will give parents there, real school choice. Every child will receive a voucher that will enable them to attend any school they want, if they should choose to leave the public school system and go to a private or religious school. Of course, the teachers‘unions are furious over this, so you know it must be a good thing.

As far as showing an ID to vote in

Arizona, Governor Ducey is pushing that as well. In fact, he just released the following statement: “Everybody should now know that you must present an ID, be a citizen, be a resident and be alive on the day you vote”. It would be nice if Massachusetts and other blue states could one day have a governor with the will and the courage to do the same. I think everyone knows that if Maura Healy is elected to be the next governor, that won’t happen in Massachusetts.

And finally for this week, it seems everyone has their own thoughts on Brittney Griner, the basketball player being held in a Russian

prison, so here is mine. She demanded that our country’s national anthem not be played at any of her games and never misses an opportunity to bash the United States. Then, she brings ‘weed’, to, of all places, Russia, even though she knew that it is illegal there and the penalties are harsh. Apparently, she thinks she is special, and allowances should be made for her. Now, she, and some of her fellow America-hating allies want the country they despise to come to her rescue and get her out of there. But I say, let the Russians keep her for as long as they want.

Isn’t Karma great?

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SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

Window Into The State House

Window Into The State House provides our readers a synopsis of important issues of interest, past and current, that are being proposed, debated or acted upon by the Massachusetts Legislature. Many issues that are not related to local city government services are acted upon and have a direct impact on daily life. They are tax policy, transportation infrastructure, judicial appointments, social services and health, as well as higher education.

We will excerpt reports from the gavel-to-gavel coverage of House and Senate sessions by news sources focused on this important aspect of our lives.

These sources include a look ahead at the coming week in state government and summaries and analyses of the past week, re-caps of a range of state government activity, as well as links to other news.

-- Top House Dem lobbies Senate on abortion ahead of debate In a rare instance of lobbying between the branches, a top House Democrat on Tuesday wrote to Senate President Karen Spilka and members of the Senate urging them a day before they debate a sweeping abortion access bill to reconsider their decision to drop a late-term abortion measure passed by the House.

SHNS’s Chris Lisinski reports that Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan wrote to senators asking them to consider adding language that would allow for abortions after 24 weeks in cases of “severe” fetal anomalies.

-- Police recertification process progressing The state’s new Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission for the first times has recerti-

fied thousands of law enforcement officers, but MassLive’s Chris Van Buskirk reports that most of those who were denied failed to complete a required training. Van Buskirk also writes that the POST Commission is still deciding how much information about officers should be made available to the public.

been improperly approving municipal harbor plans through an informal process that contradicted state law.

While the ruling also cast doubt on the legal status of at least 17 other municipal harbor plans, Logan writes that the other were allowed to stand because the window for legal challenge had closed.

-- Boston back to drawing board on downtown waterfront plan The state’s top court ordered the city of Boston to redo its downtown harbor redevelopment plan, upholding a lower court decision that essentially scuttled the city’s plans for the waterfront that included a controversial 600-foot tower on the site of the Boston Harbor Garage.

The Globe’s Tim Logan reports that the Supreme Judicial Court found that the Baker administration had

-- Healey pledges to be “education governor” at Worcester stops MassLive’s Erin Tiernan caught up with Attorney General Maura Healey in Worcester where she made multiple campaign stops to talk with educators and plus the importance of vocational education. Healey said she wants to be the “education governor.” Tiernan has more from the trail.

-- Major milestone on tap for

July 14, 2022

Harvard’s Allston campus The Boston Planning and Development Agency could vote Thursday to green-light the first phase of Harvard’s development of long-dormant land holdings in Allston, Bruce Mohl of CommonWealth reports. City officials unveiled an agreement with Harvard that has the blessing of its neighbors, includes research facilities and a hotel and a housing component that contains the highest percentage of affordable units ever agreed to by a private developer in Boston.

-- Push to decriminalize drugs makes modest progress The Massachusetts legislature has referred for additional study a proposal to decriminalize all illegal drugs, the Herald’s Matthew Medsger reports. Though study orders are just a delicate way to kill proposals that have no chance of passing, Medsger writes that advocates are cheering the fact that lawmakers looked at the issue at all. They say it’s progress in their push to get the Bay State to follow the lead of Oregon, which decriminalized possession of all drugs in 2020. continued on page 5

MBTA Issues Update on Safety Work Progress

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he MBTA today reported on its progress to address ongoing safety concerns raised during a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Safety Management Inspection (SMI) last month. Over the last several weeks, the MBTA has implemented safety plans to address track conditions and maintenance, updated safety trainings and directives, and has addressed staffing shortages.

“Following the FTA’s initial safety review, the MBTA was asked to implement changes to the system to improve the way it is run and operated,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “I am pleased that the MBTA has completed many of those updates and continues to make progress on many more. These recommendations will make the T safer and more reliable for both our riders and our employees. Over the com-

ing weeks, we will continue to work closely with these safety experts to improve the MBTA system.”

The MBTA has met all the FTA’s deadlines and requirements to date in response to the four special directives issued and continues to develop Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) to address them. As part of these CAPs, the MBTA has taken the following actions to date: - Issued a new series of safety directives, trainings, and polices for operators regarding train movements in the MBTA’s yard facilities and car houses.

- Ensured all active rail transit employees are certified (completed in June). The MBTA is developing an improved internal tracking system and policies for ensuring recertifications are up to date.

- Prioritized track projects that address track conditions in need

of most repair and that currently have substantial speed restrictions. This work is being coordinated with current construction activities already underway and service diversions already scheduled to take place to improve rider experience. For example, on Sunday, July 10, the MBTA’s Track Department installed approximately 500’ of rail on the southbound tracks between Back Bay and Massachusetts Avenue stations. This rail is a specific kind of rail that is used in sharper curves. This track replacement work allowed the T to lift a speed restriction that was approximately 1500’ long from 10 mph to 25 mph, speeding up trips by about one minute. When all track work is completed in this area, the speed will be able to be increased to 40 mph.

- Updating procedures for accessing track areas to safely increase the time crews have to perform work on the tracks during the overnight hours when subway service does not operate in order to make the Orange line, Blue line, Green line, and Red line safer.

- Launched an aggressive hiring campaign to attract qualified candidates as drivers, dispatchers, and inspectors to improve safety and rider experiences, and updated work rules to allow for more manageable shifts and necessary rest time. Newly hired dispatchers will soon begin a rigorous 10-week training program prior to being assigned to the Operations Control Center (OCC) in the coming months. The T has rehired three former dispatchers (who are currently supervisory employees) to temporarily work in the OCC.

continued on page 6

July 14, 2022

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

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MAYOR WU APPOINTS MICHAEL COX AS 44TH POLICE COMMISSIONER

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ayor Michelle Wu announced the appointment of Roxbury native and former Dorchester resident Michael Cox as the 44th Commissioner of the Boston Police Department. Cox currently serves as the Chief of Police of the Ann Arbor Police Department in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Prior to his appointment to that position in 2019, Cox was a 30-year veteran of the Boston Police Department. He will begin serving in his new role on August 15, 2022.

“Having grown up here, having served in many roles within the Boston Police Department and roles elsewhere, Chief Cox is uniquely positioned to build the public safety infrastructure that Boston deserves,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “He will continue building on the community trust and community policing that our city has led on for decades.”

“I want to thank Mayor Wu for the opportunity to come back home and serve the citizens of Boston,” said Michael Cox, incoming Boston Police Department Commissioner.

“The Boston Police Department needs to look like the communities which we serve and include every resident to hear what is important so we can serve better. I took on public service because I wanted to help the public and give back to the communities in which I lived.”

Cox’s appointment follows a sixmonth search spearheaded by the Boston Police Commissioner Search Committee chaired by retired Justice Geraldine Hines of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. The other members of the Committee are Ed Davis, former Commissioner of the Boston Police Department, Executive Director Abrigal Forrester of Teen Empowerment, Senior Pastor Bishop

William E. Dickerson II of Greater Love Tabernacle Church, and Professor of Law and Deputy Director of Research & Policy Jasmine Gonzales Rose of the Center of Anti-Racist Research at Boston University.

The Search Committee’s public engagement process began with two public listening sessions–one on January 20, 2022 and one on January 26, 2022 and a multilingual community survey. The Search Committee also met with community stakeholders to inform the hiring process, including representatives from Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers (MAMLEO), representatives from Latino Law Enforcement Group of Boston (LLEGO), leadership of the Boston Police Superior Officers Federation, the Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society, and the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, civilian staff, former and current female-identifying officers in the Police Department, youth groups in Boston, members of the Boston City Council, criminal justice and police reform experts, representatives from several immigrant-serving community organizations, members of the former Boston Police Reform Task, former Chiefs of Police from Boston and other major U.S. cities, and City representatives from various offices, including the Office of Returning Citizens, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement, and the Office of Black Male Advancement.

Following three months of community listening sessions, the Boston Police Commissioner Search Committee released for the position, calling for candidates prepared to “inspire the confidence and trust of Boston’s diverse communities.”

The Committee drafted the job description to be a direct reflection of the comments and ideas generated during public and stakeholder listening sessions. Following the release of the job description, the Search Committee worked with the Police Executive Research Forum to assess, vet, and narrow the pool of candidates. After a series of interviews, the Committee recommended finalists to the Mayor, who made the final selection of Michael Cox to be the Commissioner of the Boston Police Department.

“Through our public listening sessions and meetings with a wide variety of community stakeholders, elected officials, academics and representatives of the law enforcement community, we heard our charge loud and clear,” said Justice Geraldine Hines. “This City is ready for a leader of the Boston Police Department who will embrace reform and lead the Department in a way that brings a fresh vision of public safety to Boston’s culturally, racially, and economically diverse neighborhoods. I am confident that Michael Cox is the right person for the moment in our city’s history and that he will serve with the utmost integrity.”

Cox last served in BPD as the Bureau Chief and Superintendent of the Bureau of Professional Development, overseeing the Boston Police Academy, the Firearms Training Unit, the Police Cadet Unit, Recruit training and in-service training for all sworn Boston Police personnel.

He served a total of 15 years on the Command Staff in a variety of positions. Cox served as the commander of the Operations Division, primarily responsible for the Emergency 9-1-1 Response Ser-

vices for the City of Boston. In addition, he was previously assigned to the head of Internal Affairs as the Assistant Bureau Chief of Professional Standards, Zone Commander of Area E, and the Commander of the Forensic Division and Assistant Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Investigative Services.

Before his Command Staff assignments at the Boston Police Department, Cox worked as a Sergeant Detective in the Intelligence Unit where he performed Dignitary Protection duties, served as the liaison to the U.S. Secret Service, and as a supervisor assigned to the Joint Terrorist Task Force. At this rank, he also served assignments in the Internal Affairs, Recruit Investigations, and Audit & Review Units.

As a Police Officer, Cox worked in Area B-3 until joining the City-wide Anti-Gang Violence Unit. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1995. Cox is a two-time Medal of Honor recipient and received numerous other Commendations and awards while serving in the Boston Police Department.

Cox is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Police Executive Research Forum and holds degrees from Providence College in Business Management, Curry College where he obtained a Master’s in Criminal Justice, and Boston University’s Questrom School of Business where he obtained an MBA.

Window continued from page 4

Rail Station, which begins later this month. The Item’s Anthony Cammalleri and Charlie McKenna report both Mayor Jared Nicholson and state Sen. Brendan Crighton want the T to offer a free shuttle to the nearest rail station in Swampscott.

-- In New Bedford, rape kit review leads to arrest in 2012 assault The ongoing effort by Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn to review untested rape kits has led to another arrest. Dylan Ponte of New Bedford now

faces multiple charges in connection with the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in 2012, Frank Mulligan of the StandardTimes reports, marking the second time a cold case has been revived after Quinn pledged to revisit some 1,100 rape kits that were never analyzed.

-- Lynn officials fired up as commuter station gets shut-down date Elected officials in Lynn continue to call on MBTA officials to do more to help local commuters weather the closure of the Lynn Commuter

6 Convention Center continued from front page

community review process.

Last week, the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, which Collins Chairs, rewrote a section of a broader economic development bill to remove language allowing the MCCA to proceed with the expansion of the BCEC after the MCCA simply filed an already completed report with the Legislature. Instead, in the amended language approved

by Collins committee, the authority would need to appoint a Community Advisory Group of South Boston residents to advise on the expansion before it moves forward.

However, when the bill moved to the House of Representative, leaders there issued their own version of the bill allowing the BCEC expansion to proceed without the community review provision.

In 2015, a $1B expansion of the BCEC was halted by Gov. Charlie Baker. In 2019, the expansion was revisited by MCCA Executive Director David Gibbons but, due to the coronavirus pandemic, plans were halted again. This newest expansion plan, a $400 million project unveiled last month, has not had the same scrutiny as previous proposals.

Of the current proposal, Collins said, “It’s absurd to think that dropping off a pamphlet at offices at the State House constitutes a community process for an expansion.” By the very implications within the word ‘expansion’, the direct and resulting effects warrant community review.

Within the project is an addition dubbed “The Pavilion on D.” The Pavilion would feature a 75,000 square-foot “multi-purpose” space, a new ground-floor entry

MBTA continued from page 4

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

off D Street that could be enclosed by giant glass doors, and a deck overlooking the lawn. The project would also include a tunnel under Summer Street to the Omni Hotel, and a new 23,000 square-foot ballroom/meeting space in an empty part of the building. The MCCA is seeking more flexibility to hold major events at the same time, or in close proximity to each other.

Collins, in his committee role, has the responsibility to consider all matters concerning state lands, state buildings, the review of all legislation providing for the giving, loaning or pledging of the credit of the Commonwealth and determining the appropriateness of enacting new legislation containing increased bond authorizations and related matters.

MCCA director Gibbons remains hopeful about getting approval for the expansion before the Legislature’s July 31 adjournment, stating that the MCCA already takes neighborhood concerns into consideration, “We look forward, as we always have, to working collaboratively with the Senator and the local South Boston delegation.

We have always worked closely with them, and we appreciate their counsel.”

Senator Collins replied, “The bottom line is that, the affected neighborhoods must be involved in getting BCEC to fully address the ramifications of this expansion and its impact on the public’s use of the Lawn on D, a buffer zone, impact on Fort Point and the Lower End, jobs and job opportunities, traffic, transportation services matters and other issues that will come with any expansion. Stating further, Collins said, “The process needs to be deliberate, not hasty”.

The MBTA also has several ongoing initiatives underway as part of these CAPs, including: - Exploring ways to accelerate the maintenance of its existing rail construction equipment.

- Developing a PPE compliance checking program.

- Increasing staffing at rail yards.

- Developing a pilot program for Blue Flag procedures on rapid transit. A codified standard in railroad operations, Blue Flag procedures are clearly

July 14, 2022

The neighborhoods surrounding and directly affected by the Convention Center, in particular, Fort Point and the Lower End (socalled) are represented by active civic associations. The Fort Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA) and St. Vincent Lower End Neighborhood Association (SVLENA) are vocal in their demand for a voice in the proposal.

Ellie Kasper, president of SVLENA, was vociferous in her comments. When asked what her organization had been presented regarding this proposal by MCCA, she stated that “At a past Condon School meeting, arranged by Senator Collins, we had only been briefed on a concept proposal and frankly most of us thought it was no longer relevant”.

Asked further what the association is prepared to do to put forth its concerns, Ms. Kasper said, “If necessary, to take legal action is a possibility. In speaking with Rep. Biele, our elected representative in the House, I made the point that should any other developer, private

distinguishable blue flags/lights by day and blue lights by night that indicate workers are on, under, or between rolling cars or equipment. The purpose of the Blue Flag procedure is to protect workers from the movement of rolling equipment.

The four special directives received by the MBTA involve delayed critical maintenance, train movement operating procedures, staffing within the OCC, and the employee safety recertification process. The CAP to address delayed critical main-

or otherwise, propose a project of this magnitude, there would have been several community meetings, neighborhood association meetings, meetings with the City of Boston Electeds, our Congressman, an IAG, and not necessarily in that order.”

She went on to suggest that the lack of transparency and the rush to legislate this process is not only a “sneaky way to go about it but an insult” to the neighborhood and the residents who were part of the teams that were in place, and still live here, when the convention center was originally constructed, and when our input was valued and necessary to accomplish the initial construction.

Additionally, beyond the neighborhoods associations themselves, many of the local non-profit social service and other beneficial organizations hope to share their views on the potential of the expansion.

South Boston and the Convention Center can continue to be compatible, but the residents want their voices heard and respected.

tenance is due to the FTA on July 15. The CAP to address train movement operating procedures was submitted on time to the FTA on June 30. The CAP to address staffing issues within the Operations Control Center was submitted on time to the FTA on July 5. The CAP regarding employee safety recertifications is due to the FTA on July 20.

For more information, visit mbta.com, or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook / TheMBTA, or Instagram @theMBTA.

July 14, 2022

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

7

CONOR NEWMAN APPOINTED AS SPECIAL ASSISTANT OF THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES

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ayor Michelle Wu announced the appointment of Conor Newman as the special assistant of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS). He will work to encourage, facilitate and maximize citizen input and participation through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings and emergency responses.

As special assistant, Newman will oversee the department’s public processes including but not limited to the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Boston Cannabis Board, and the Boston Licensing Board while supporting the liaisons as they facilitate these meetings. Newman will serve under the Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Neighborhood Services and also spearhead special projects in the office.

“Conor has served Allston-

Brighton with positivity and a passion for making connections in the community, and I’m thrilled to see he’ll be using these skills in a new role that represents our entire City,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am thrilled to witness Conor’s growth in the Office of Neighborhood Services and his continued contributions to the people of Boston,” said Director of Neighborhood Services Enrique Pepen.

Conor Newman was born and raised in Arlington and went on to graduate from Stonehill College with a Bachelor’s in Political Science. After college, he moved to Boston and worked on a number of local campaigns and statewide referendums. Newman served as the liaison for Allston-Brighton in the Office of Neighborhood Services for four years. Before that, he worked as a constituent advo-

cate for Boston 311, the Mayor’s constituent services hotline. He brings to the new special assistant role an extensive background and passion for community engagement and public service.

“From working as a constituent advocate with 311 to serving as a neighborhood liaison at the Office of Neighborhood Services, it will be a great privilege to continue working with the Community

Engagement Cabinet in a new capacity,” said Conor Newman.

“I am looking forward to bringing my experience and passion for serving the public to the role of special assistant.”

When outside of the office, Newman pursues such activities as frisbee golf, adding more vinyls to his record collection, and cheering for his favorite soccer team — Glasgow’s Celtic Football Club.

Frog Pond Spray Pool now open M ayor Michelle Wu, Boston’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space Rev. Mariama WhiteHammond, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, and The Skating Club of Boston welcomed children and guests to kick off the 2022 summer season as the Boston Common Frog Pond spray pool reopened on Tuesday, June 28. The day included a fun and exciting celebration and the official opening of the spray pool sponsored by H.P. Hood LLC.

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SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

The

Wine Guy

How Sweet It Is!

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ne of the fastest-growing categories in white wine consumption over the last several years in the North American market has been sweet white wines, according to Wine Spectator Market Statistics. The following wines run the gamut from slightly sweet to syrupy and everything in between.

Ménage à Trois Sweet Collection Moscato White Blend, California, ($11.99) opens with distinctive flavors of ripe peaches and bright pineapple drenched in honey and orange blossoms.

Delicate carbonation and a lively finish lift the richness of this wine with aromas of orange zest, honeysuckle and crisp acidity, unusual for a wine this sweet. Serve this

California wine with cheese and vegetable platters or Asian fusion cuisine to really bring out the best, both in the wine and the food.

Schlink Haus Auslese, Nahe, Germany, ($17.99), is surprising in that, despite its light body, it’s a wine that delivers bold and crisp flavors of candied honeysuckle, lemon zest and mountain flowers, with a pleasant and long finish.

Nahe, located in a region between the Rhine and Mosel valleys ,gets the warm night mist from the Nahe River and its tributaries, the Glan and the Alsenz; like the Pacific night mist that’s so beneficial to California vineyards, the night mist in Nahe helps the grapes to build their residual sugar, producing distinctly sweet, nearly syrupy juice. It’s great to have with game birds, Roast Pork Loin with a raspberry/pepper glaze or, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, Roast Boar.

Sauternes, (pronounced sawturn) might be the most expensive dessert wine you ever order. This “Noble Rot”-affected wine is one of the lushest, most delectable sweet wines available, but it’s not cheap to produce. Sauternes is an Old World wine, so it’s named after its area of origin, the Sauternais region of the Graves area in Bordeaux.

Sauternes is composed of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes. While Noble Rot usually isn’t easy to come by, the climate where Sauternes is grown allows the benevolent fungus to do its magic more often than not. How-

July 14, 2022

ever, harvests still vary.

A great example from one of the five communes that make up the region is Chateau Cantegril Sauternes, 2016, Bordeaux, France, ($32.99). The Wine Advocate says, “the 2016 Cantegril delivers musk melon, warm apricots and creme caramel scents with nuances of orange blossoms, allspice and shaved almonds. Satiny textured with plenty of freshness lifting the citrus-laced sweetness, it finishes sublimely”.

Chenin Blanc, a grape from France’s Loire Valley, is popular for its versatility; it can be made to be anything from slightly sweet to having nearly Eiswein levels and is grown in nearly every major wine region on the planet.

An excellent example is the 2020

Dormilona Chenin Blanc, Margaret River, ($30.00). Red apple flesh, quince, ripe stone fruits, with superb balance, fresh acid and purity on the palate, Loaded with aromatic lift, the perfume and palate drive are pure and enticing, It presents a spectrum of white stone fruits with pears and apples that’s met with a delicate but striking grip. Complex and beautifully balanced, it might come from a cold climate and sandy soil. Nose of dry hay, with very delicate and slight aromas of lemon pith.The acidity shows the wine is at an early age, showing green apple, lemon sherbet, spice and a lanolin/ waxy lift. The palate on this one just keeps building-delicious, plus the drinkability factor is fantastic.

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July 14, 2022

Virtual Public Meeting

17 Farnsworth Street Tuesday, July 19 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM

9

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

Zoom Link: bit.ly/3QoQ5m8 Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864 Meeting ID: 160 823 8454

Please join us for a

Virtual Public Meeting

The 776 Summer Street team will present the Phase 1 design. Both meetings will cover the same materials. To submit questions or comments ahead of the meeting please reach out to HRPInfoNortheast@hilcoglobal.com.

TUESDAY

July 26 6pm

Project Proponent: BentallGreenOak

Project Description:

WEDNESDAY or

August 3 6pm

The Project proposes to replace the existing, parking garage with a life science building. 作为波士顿居民和利益相关者，本会议的信息对您来说是至关重要的。可以提供翻译服务以 传达本会议的内容，您无需承担任何额外费用。如果您需要翻译服务，请通过以下方式进行 联系: (nick.carter@boston.gov) (617-918-5303) 会议定于 2022 年 07月 19日，请在会议 前5天内申请口译服务. 作為波士頓居民和利益相關者，本會議的信息對您來說是至關重要的。可以提供翻譯服務以 傳達本會議的內容，您無需承擔任何額外費用。如果您需要翻譯服務，請通過以下方式進行 聯繫: (nick.carter@boston.gov) (617-918-5303) 會議定於2022年07月19日，請在會議前 5天内申請口譯服務。 mail to: Nick Carter Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 phone: 617.918.5303 email: nick.carter@boston.gov

Close of Comment Period: 7/29/2022

BostonPlans.org

@BostonPlans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

Virtual Public Meeting

Virtual Public Meeting

776 Summer Street Public Meeting

7 Channel Center Public Meeting Wednesday, July 27 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Zoom Link: bit.ly/3yKuRZd Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864 Meeting ID: 161 823 0992

Zoom Link: bit.ly/3OKawrT

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864 Meeting ID: 161 809 0443

Project Description: 7 CC 73 Owner, LLC (the “Proponent”) proposes to redevelop 7 Channel Center Street in the Fort Point neighborhood of Boston (the “Redevelopment Site”), by constructing a new office/research and development (“R&D”) building (the “Redevelopment”).

mail to: Daniel Polanco Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 phone: 617.918.4460 email: dan.polanco@boston.gov

Wednesday, August 3

Close of Comment Period: 8/3/2022

Project Description: The BPDA is hosting a Virtual Public Meeting for the 776 Summer Street - Phase 1 project located in South Boston. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Project Notification Form (PNF) and Planned Development Area (PDA). The meeting will include a presentation followed by Q&A and comments from the general public. The Phase 1 Project will be located on 8.4 acres / 364,409 square feet within the approximately 15.2 acre (approximately 661,500 square foot) parcel of land known as and numbered 776 Summer Street in South Boston. The Phase 1 Project includes the rehabilitation of the Edison Turbine Halls 1, 2, and 3 and the construction of the buildings on Blocks D and F.

mail to:

phone: email: BostonPlans.org

@BostonPlans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

Stephen Harvey Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617.918.4418 stephen.j.harvey@boston.gov

Close of Comment Period: 9/2/2022

BostonPlans.org

@BostonPlans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

10

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

I Was Just Thinking…

I

rights and duties. Everyone will be free. The people represent the general will and is in essence the legislative power of the state. Then we have the government, distinct from the sovereign power-the peoplewhich is needed to deal with specific matters such as applications of law.

But, as Rousseau declares, when government exceeds the boundaries set in place by the people, it is the mission of the people to abolish such government and begin anew.

Eighty-eight percent of Americans feel the country is headed in the wrong direction. Trust in our President and Congress is at an all-time low. Americans believe it will get worse before it gets better. They have lost hope.

Every day we see, read, or hear about another shooting.

More murders and mass killings.

by Kevin Devlin

n Rousseau’s The Social Contract, he breaks down his ideal society into two distinct bodies.

He asserts the people to be sovereign, and by agreeing to this social contract, the people have equal

More assaults and robberies.

Savagery in our streets, in our homes, in churches, at events, inside subway systems.

Violence and crime are commonplace, the new normal, and this is just one area of grave concern which has befallen our society.

People are worried, disillusioned at the lack of thoughtful leadership, forceful personalities who can truly make a difference and steer the ship back on course in the right direction.

We need the government to maintain law and order. We need leaders to enforce the laws and protect innocent people. We need leaders who forsake power and uphold the mantle of the common good. We need them to be honest, not blatantly disingenuous. Sadly however, conveniently blind to their grievous deeds, they are enriching themselves in aristocratic fashion at the expense of those they purportedly serve.

Without a responsible and pro-

July 14, 2022

active government to protect the general will of the people, anarchy thrives. Division festers and grows.

Our leaders have forgotten that piece of the puzzle and must be reminded of their responsibilities because they’re not doing their job.

Although we desire a more nonintrusive and limited government, I know we can’t abolish our government nor should we.

It would be foolhardy.

Democracy is truly “the best of the worst” but until we rid ourselves of devious leaders, which we can, by voting them out of office, we can turn to faith.

There is power in faith.

We cannot see it.

However, we can feel it inside ourselves, and it is all powerful.

“The darker the night, the greater the faith we must have in the morning.”

And that morning needs to come sooner rather than later for our ailing nation in need of guidance.

Kevin Devlin’s trilogy of the “Southie Pact” & “A Collection of Stories” now available on AMAZON. COM

TRAFFIC & PARKING NOTICE There will be no parking on Day Boulevard from I Street toNOTICE Shore Road, and along Shore Road from TRAFFIC & PARKING Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 10:00 pm through Sunday, There will be no parking on Day Boulevard fromJuly 24, 2022 at 1:00 pm There will be no parking on Road, Day Boulevard from I Street to Shore and along Shore Road from Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 10:00 pmfrom through I Street to Shore Road, and along Shore Road WHAT: On Sunday, July 24, 2022, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Sunday, July 24, 2022 at 1:00 pm Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 10:00 pm willthrough close William J. Day Boulevard in South Boston to all traffic to accommodate Sunday, July 24, 2022 at 1:00the pm Boston Triathlon. All four lanes on Day Blvd will be used for the race. Traffic

TRAFFIC & PARKING NOTICE

On Sunday, July 24, 2022, the Department of Conservation Recreation (DCR) will be detoured toand adjacent roadways: Columbia Road, Farragut will close William J. Day Boulevard inRoad South will Boston to allas traffic to accommodate serve a route to and from Castle Island. Parking will the Boston Triathlon. All four lanes on Day Blvd will be used for the race. Traffic along Day Boulevard Shore Road.

On Sunday, July 24, 2022, the Department Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will be detoured to adjacentof roadways: Columbia Road, Farragutand Road, and Shore RoadBoulevard will serve asin a route to and from Castle Island. to Parking will be prohibited will close William J. Day South Boston to all traffic accommodate Day lanes Boulevard and WHEN: 24,race.

2022Traffic the Boston Triathlon.along All four on DayShore BlvdRoad. willSunday, be usedJuly for the WHAT:

Road, and Shore be prohibited

will be detoured roadways: WHEN: to adjacent Sunday, July 24, 2022Columbia Road, Farragut Road, and Shore WHERE: Day Boulevard willprohibited be closed from Kosciousko Circle to Shore Road from Road will serve as a route to and from Castle Island.

Parking will be approximately 5:30am to 2:00pm.

WHERE: Boulevard will be closed from Kosciousko Circle to Shore Road from along Day BoulevardDay and Shore Road. approximately 5:30am to 2:00pm.

Sunday, July 24, 2022

If toyou would to be DCR added to an email list to receive DCR announcements, If you would like to be added an email listlike to receive announcements, Day Boulevard will be closed from Kosciousko Circle questions to Shore Road from or if you have or wish or if you have questions or wish to report a concern, please contact:to report a concern, please contact: approximately 5:30am to 2:00pm. mass.parks@state.ma.us ormass.parks@state.ma.us Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, Office of of Conservation & Recreation, Office of or Dept.

Community Outreach, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114; Community Outreach, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114; Tel: (617) 626-4973 .

uld like to be added to an email Tel: list to receive DCR. announcements, (617) 626-4973 have questions or wish to report a concern, please contact: ks@state.ma.us or Dept. of Conservation & Recreation, Office of y Outreach, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA 02114; 626-4973 .

July 14, 2022

11

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

This week,

Danny reacted to some of the top stories in the sports world:

F

irst off, shoutout to South Boston’s own Michael Callow on being drafted by the Anaheim Ducks last weekend.

Callow, 18, was selected in the fifth round (154th overall) by the Ducks. He led St. Sebastian’s in goals last season with 26, and has committed to play at Harvard.

Congrats, Michael. Free round of golf for you and the boys at Broadway Golf Club when we open later this year. But only if you promise to let me hoist the Stanley Cup after you win it. Kidding (kind of)!

—Speaking of golf, Tiger Woods is playing at The 150th Open at St. Andrews this weekend. The big news though, once again, is the reaction by PGA Tour members — this time, by Woods — towards the new LIV Golf league, which I’ve spoke about several times here in the last few weeks.

PGA players seem openly outraged at the idea that any of the top players in the world would leave to go sign massive, guaranteed contracts with the Saudi-funded league run by the legendary Greg Norman.

And in my honest opinion, I think the spoken outrage by PGA golfers like Rory McIlroy is a little too over the top. Settle down, Rory. Every-

thing’s going to be just fine.

They can call it “blood money” all they want. But at its core, the real issue is that the PGA Tour feels threatened by a new league that’s decided to do business much differently. And apparently, seeing how many big-name golfers have jumped ship, the new LIV Golf business model is working.

Look, it’s 2022, and the norm right now is for people to get all worked up whenever it might seem something shady is going on. But if PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan wanted to be a smart business man about this, then he’d embrace the competition, rather than send all his top guys out to the shark-invested media waters and sound like whiney spoiled brats in a press conference.

Monahan should take a page out of Vince McMahon’s book and “do what’s best for business.” Instead of sending Woods and McIlroy out to cry and complain that Norman and LIV are doing things the wrong way, Monahan should be trying to set up a PGA vs LIV tournament. Why not take advantage of the situation, rather than just complain about it?

I’m all for a little competition making the PGA Tour step up its

game and make some positive adjustments in order to go toe-totoe with LIV. You know who will benefit from that? Everyone who loves golf.

But anyways, Woods was asked this week about LIV, and here’s what he said: “The players who have chosen to go to LIV and to play there, I disagree with it,” said Woods. “I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position. Some players have never got a chance to even experience it — they’ve gone right from the amateur ranks right into that organization and never really got a chance to play out here and what it feels like to play a Tour schedule or to play in some big events.

“And, who knows what’s going to happen in the near future with world-ranking points, the criteria for entering major championships? The governing bodies are going to have to figure that out. Some of these players may not ever get a chance to play in major championships. That is a possibility that some players will never, ever get a chance to play in a major championship, never get a chance to experience this right

here, walk down the fairways at Augusta National. That, to me, I just don’t understand it.

“What these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice?” added Woods. “You’re just getting paid a lot of money up front and playing a few events and playing 54 holes. They’re playing blaring music and have all these atmospheres that are different.

“I just don’t see how that move is positive in the long term for a lot of these players, especially if the LIV organization doesn’t get world-ranking points and the major championships change their criteria for entering the events. It would be sad to see some of these young kids never get a chance to experience it and experience what we’ve got a chance to experience and walk these hallowed grounds and play in these championships.”

The PGA is screaming “earn your money,” while every Players’ Union in pro sports fights for guaranteed contracts. Who sounds more out of touch, LIV or the PGA? Sorry, Tiger. Not everyone has as much money as you.

Follow Danny on Instagram @ DannyPicard.

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SPORTS TODAY

J

T

here’s a new coach in town, and his name is Jim Montgomery.

Montgomery has been named the 29th head coach of the Boston Bruins, and was introduced at a press conference earlier this week.

“The Boston Bruins are pleased to introduce Jim Montgomery as the next head coach of the Boston Bruins and welcome Jim, his wife, Emily, and his children, JP, Colin, Ava and Olivia, to the city of Boston,” said

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. “Jim has a winning history, and throughout the interview process he conveyed his ability to connect with all types of players while also demanding that his teams play with structure. We are excited for Jim to begin to make his imprint on our team.”

Montgomery, 53, was an assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues from 2020-2022. He served as head coach of the Dallas Stars from 2018-2020. Prior to being the Stars’

FRIDAY, JULY 15 Boston at NY Yankees 7:05 P.M. NESN

MONDAY, JULY 18 Home Run Derby 8 P.M. ESPN TUESDAY, JULY 19 All Star Game 8 P.M. FOX GOLF THURS, JULY 14 - SUN, JULY 17 The Open 7 A.M. USA/NBC

deal with Boston. According to reports, the second year on the deal is a player option.

Gallinari averaged 11.7 points per game in 66 games with the Hawks last season. The Celtics will be the sixth team that Gallinari will suit up for. He was drafted No. 6 overall by the Knicks in 2008 and spent his first three NBA seasons in New York.

From 2010-2017, Gallinari played for the Denver Nuggets, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers from 2017-2019, the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019-20, and the Hawks the last two seasons.

BRUINS HIRE MONTGOMERY AS NEW COACH SBT Staff

MLB THURSDAY, JULY 14 Boston at Tampa Bay 7:10 P.M. NESN

SUNDAY, JULY 17 Boston at NY Yankees 2:20 P.M. NESN

SBT Staff

Milwaukee Bucks, who drafted him in the second round out of Virginia in 2016. While with the Bucks, Brogdon was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2016-17.

Before to the 2021-22 season, Brogdon signed a two-year, $45 million extension with the Pacers.

That extension won’t kick in with the Celtics until next season.

The C’s also signed Gallinari, who turns 34 next month. Gallinari was traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the San Antonio Spurs and was then placed on waivers.

Once clearing waivers, Gallinari signed a two-year, $13.3 million

WHATTOWATCH

SATURDAY, JULY 16 Boston at NY Yankees 7:15 P.M. FOX

CELTICS Tweet TRADE FOR of the BROGDON, SIGN Week GALLINARI ust one month after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics are beginning to load up for the 2022-23 NBA season, acquiring point guard Malcolm Brogdon and forward Danilo Gallinari.

The Celtics completed a trade with the Pacers for Brogdon, sending Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Nik Stauskas, and a 2023 first-round draft pick.

Brogdon, 29, led the Pacers in scoring last season, averaging 19.1 points per game. He spent the last three seasons in Indiana.

Prior to that, Brogdon played his first three NBA seasons with the

July 14, 2022

head coach, Montgomery was the head coach for the University of Denver from 2013-17, where he won a National Championship in 2017. He was named NCAA Coach of the Year the same season.

Before coaching, Montgomery played 14 seasons as a forward in the AHL and NHL from 19932005. He played in 122 NHL games for five different teams: St. Louis, Montreal, Philadelphia, San Jose, and Dallas, total-

THREE RED SOX HEADING TO ALL-STAR GAME

T

SBT Staff

his year’s MLB All Star Game will be at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and the Boston Red Sox will be represented by three players: Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and J.D. Martinez.

Devers is the only starter of the three.

He will start at third base for the American League. It’s the second straight year that Devers was voted in by the fans to start at third base for the AL.

ing 10 goals and 25 assists.

Montgomery played four seasons at the University of Maine from 198993, where he led the team in scoring during their National Championship season in 1993.

Now, he’s coaching the Bruins.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity,” said Montgomery. “I guess the words that come to mind are grateful, excited. Not many people are given the opportunity to get behind the bench and lead an Original Six team in a great city like Boston with a rabid fanbase and with players who have won before.”