NorthEndWaterfront.com
News & Views for Boston's North End & Waterfront Community
As part of a $1.8 billion FY 14-18 capital plan announced on Friday, Mayor Thomas M. Menino designated $18.6 million for the expansion of the North End’s Eliot School. In addition, the plan includes $20.5 million for 585 Commercial Street, the building that will serve as a new downtown Boston K-8 public school starting in [...]
![Homeless Problem Addressed by City Councilors at Annual Meeting of Friends of Christopher Columbus Park [Video]](http://i2.wp.com/northendwaterfront.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/homeless-problem-addressed-by-city-councilors-at-annual-meeting-of-friends-of-christopher-columbus-park2.jpg?fit=290%2C193)
The annual meeting of Friends of Christopher Columbus Park was the forum for a lengthy discussion regarding increasing homeless problems in the park, including a recent death. One of the most troubled areas is the tot lot that often becomes an encampment for homeless people to sleep at night. Parents have found blood in the [...]
City Councilors Sal LaMattina and Bill Linehan have proposed using the current Boston building boom to increase funding for the city’s ailing parks system. The program would work similar to the Inclusionary Development Program (IDP). The IDP sets aside 13% of units for affordable housing in new developments or builders contribute 15% of the total [...]
A large crowd of North End residents gathered on Tuesday night to discuss how to improve the neighborhood’s parks and playgrounds. The meeting was chaired by Anne M. Pistorio of the NEWRA Parks and Open Spaces Committee. Special guest speakers were Parks Commissioner Antonia Pollak and City Councilor Sal LaMattina. Commissioner Pollak thanks North End [...]
Parks Commissioner Antonia Pollack and City Councilor Salvatore LaMattina “North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Parks” Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Nazzaro Center, 7:00 PM. Antonia Pollak, Commissioner of the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, will join City Councilor Sal LaMattina in a discussion about our neighborhood parks at the North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association’s (NEWRA) Parks and Open Space [...]
Today is Patriots Day, a day that reflects the freedom Boston has celebrated throughout its history. Boston is a tough and resilient town and so are its people. — President Obama, April 15, 2013 Hours before the explosions at the Boston Marathon, a much calmer and more celebratory event took place on the 2013 [...]
District 1 City Councilor Salvatore LaMattina provided a multitude of neighborhood updates at this week’s meeting of the North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA). The Councilor represents the North End as well as East Boston and Charlestown. In addition to making it clear that he is NOT running for Mayor, the Councilor addressed the [...]
On Saturday March 31, North End Against Drugs (NEAD) held its annual Easter Party at the Nazzaro Center. There were more than 100 adults and children in attendance all enjoying pictures with the Easter Bunny, egg coloring and a goodie bag containing a stuffed animal and candy and toys. City Councilor Sal LaMattina hosted the [...]
On Sunday, March 10th around noon, City Councilor Sal LaMattina, Code Enforcement Sgt. Steven Tankle and Senior Aide / NEWNC President Stephen Passacantilli walked through the North End to get a first hand look at the state of trash on the streets and sidewalks. During the one hour walk, Code Enforcement issued 12 violations / [...]
Neighborhood View of the Day The Hard Rock Café held a fundraiser for the St. John’s School in the North End. Donations were greater than $20,000. Shown in front: Nicholas Seaver (in red) and John Paul Giorgio. Shown in back from the left: Sarah Knotts, guitar teacher, Al Lindquist, General Manager of Hard Rock, David [...]
Video: Bartlett Place Improvements Public Meeting held on February 28, 2013 at the Nazzaro Community Center. Note: The projector was not working so there was only a laptop available to view the presentation. The full presentation is available here as a pdf. Neighboring residents, businesses and city officials reached a broad consensus on how to [...]
City Councilor Sal LaMattina gave a “State of the North End” update at the February 25, 2013 meeting of the North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC). LaMattina represents District 1, including the North End, Charlestown and East Boston and is one of the primary conduits between NEWNC, Boston City Hall and city agencies. Councilor [...]
In his last official event as the group’s President, John Romano, hosted the North End Against Drugs Family Dinner / Family Talk on Monday night, January 7, 2013 at the Nazzaro Community Center. City Councilor Sal LaMattina presented a citation on behalf of the Boston City Council to recognize Romano’s 23 years of service with [...]
Boston City Council unanimously passed the Nuisance Control Ordinance in response to constituent concerns regarding excessive noise and loud parties in the city, including the North End. The ordinance includes fines ($100 first offense, $300 thereafter) when Boston Police respond to a noise complaint. Fines will be issued to property owners as well as those [...]
News from the Office of City Councilor, Sal LaMattina, on fencing restoration at Copp’s Hill Burying Ground: City Councilor Salvatore LaMattina, Chairman of the Committee on City and Neighborhood Services held a hearing on Thursday, December 13, 2012 to have a $73,000 grant accepted and expended for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. The grant [...]
The 2012 annual North End Christmas Fund Luncheon was a crowded affair on Thursday afternoon when hundreds assembled at Filippo’s Ristorante for the charity event. Raising thousands of dollars for North End seniors and families in need, the committee chair, Robert “Ted” Tomasone said that over 200 checks of an increased amount ($40) were sent [...]
The City of Boston’s 2012 Trolley Tour and Tree Lighting visited the North End’s Paul Revere Mall (aka Prado) on Sunday afternoon. Mayor Thomas Menino is still recuperating so City Councilor Sal LaMattina and First Lady of Boston Angela Menino led the holiday celebration including caroling, a visit with Santa and the lighting of the [...]
The North End Beautification Committee held a special tree lighting event at the beautiful Christmas tree on the corner of Hanover and Cross Streets. This is the second year that the NEBC has funded the tree and streetlight pole wreathes in the North End. Santa arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to the delight of many [...]
On its third try, the Boston City Council voted 11-2 for a new redistricting map, including a significant change to the North End / Waterfront’s District 1, currently represented by Councilor Sal LaMattina. Much of Downtown and the Wharf District now join with South Boston’s District 2, currently represented by Councilor Bill Linehan. LaMattina voted [...]
A working session regarding the proposed Nuisance Control Ordinance has been scheduled for Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 10:00 am on the Fifth Floor (Curley Room) of Boston City Hall. This working session came out of the recent hearing where several North End residents testified. (See North End Residents, Police and Officials Testify to Support [...]
Boston’s City Council listened to resident feedback to a proposed Nuisance Control Ordinance, sponsored by the North End’s City Councilor, Sal LaMattina. (Video of the full hearing on October 25, 2012 can be viewed at the City Council Video Library, Docket #1052.) With the exception of two young citizens in the music industry, all of [...]
Reminiscing about 35 years at Lucia Ristorante, the Frattaroli family hosted a grand celebration on Hanover Street on Wednesday evening. Lucia owner Donato Frattaroli and brother Filippo served classic Italian favorites including a huge pancetta (pork roast) to hundreds of friends in attendance. Sister Anna was also on hand from the family as was Arturo, [...]
The John Eliot K-8 School and its Family Council kicked off a year-long celebration for the 300th Anniversary of the historic public elementary and middle school in Boston’s North End. The event spanned the school grounds into the Prado and on to Charter Street where Boston Fire brought out Engine 8 for the kids to [...]
There are two statues of famous North Enders in the neighborhood. Colonial patriot Paul Revere is honored in the Prado. And now, there is a bronze of Italian American boxing legend, Tony DeMarco, on the corner of Hanover Street and Cross Street at the gateway to the North End. The pride of the North End, [...]
The following news release is from Boston City Councilor Sal LaMattina’s office: Councilor LaMattina and Government Operations Committee to Hold Hearing Regarding Nuisance Control Ordinance Responding to constituent concerns regarding excessively loud parties in the North End and throughout Boston, District 1 City Councilor Sal LaMattina (North End / Waterfront, Charlestown, East Boston) filed “An [...]
There is still quite a bit of puzzlement over what happened in Thursday’s primary election, specifically regarding sitting City Councilor Sal LaMattina‘s loss by 799 votes (48%-51%) in the Suffolk Register of Probate race to relatively unknown newcomer, Patty Campatelli. Both candidates vying for the vacated seat hailed from East Boston, but LaMattina has been [...]
There was at least one surprise coming out of the 2012 primary election results held on Thursday, September 6, 2012. If you went to the polls, then you know the lines were short with low turnout of only 11% of registered voters casting ballots. Patty Campatelli won the primary for Register of Probate against Sal [...]
Remember that new City Council map that narrowly passed after a redistricting process? Well, forget about it because Mayor Tom Menino just vetoed it. According to a letter to the City Council, Boston’s Mayor said that, My central objection is my concern that the plan concentrates our many citizens of color into too few districts, [...]
It is an odd day to have an election, but the State primary elections are on Thursday, September 6, 2012. *Important for independents: Voters enrolled in a political party (Democratic, Green-Rainbow or Republican) may only vote in that party’s primary. Unenrolled voters (registered voters not enrolled in a political party commonly referred to as “independent”) [...]
As required by law after the latest 10-year census, the Boston City Council narrowly approved by 7-6 a redistricting map that made significant changes to the North End / Waterfront’s District 1, currently represented by Councilor Sal LaMattina, and Downtown/South Boston’s District 2, currently represented by Councilor Bill Linehan. The North End’s Precincts 1-4 of [...]
The race for Suffolk County Register of Probate is profiled by Boston.com’s Jeremy C. Fox with interviews from both candidates, current District 1 City Councilor, Sal LaMattina, and current Program Supervisor for the Office of Community Corrections, Patricia Campatelli. LaMattina and Campatelli are both Democrats hailing from East Boston. “I managed a department with 99 [...]
Responding to constituent concerns regarding excessively loud parties in the North End and throughout Boston, District 1 City Councilor Sal LaMattina (North End / Waterfront, Charlestown, East Boston) has filed “An Ordinance Regarding Nuisance Control.” (View the full ordinance in pdf, also pasted below.) The “noise ordinance” targets unruly gatherings within private properties and classifies [...]
An enthusiastic North End neighborhood crowd turned out for Robert “Bobby” Dello Russo, candidate for Criminal Clerk of the Suffolk County Superior Court. The fundraiser on Monday night at Filippo’s Restaurant was sponsored by State Representative Aaron Michlewitz and brought out plenty of Democratic political firepower including Frank Bellotti, former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor and Attorney [...]
Dozens of North End residents joined with Mayor Tom Menino on Friday morning for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated tot lot and wall construction at DeFilippo Playground, commonly known as “The Gassy.” In a year-long series of community meetings, the City of Boston invested $933,000 to renovate certain [...]
The Committee to Elect Sal LaMattina held a fundraiser this week at The Living Room for the current Boston City Councilor that is entering the election race for Register of the Suffolk Probate and Family Court. LaMattina lives in East Boston and is currently Boston City Councilor of District 1 representing the North End / [...]
The Boston City Council approved an ordinance to ban new satellite dish installations on street-facing building walls, unless it is the only way to get a signal. It also orders removal of dishes not being used. Satellite TV dishes, dominated by DirecTV and Dish Network, will still be allowed on rooftops or the side/rear of [...]