Welcome back to our weekly update that highlights some of the cases appearing on 311 in the North End/Waterfront neighborhoods. All 311 cases are public information and can be found at 311.boston.gov.
Public Drinking in North Square
This 311 user says, “There are 7 people probably in their 20s, all gathered outside in the newly renovated North Square in the North End, having a party. They have a big bottle of champagne and all have champagne glasses and are publicly getting intoxicated in front of my apartment. Their dogs are licking each other and sniffing each other and will probably spread coronavirus to their owners as they all party outside. Not a single one of these people are wearing masks. This whole thing is very irresponsible/ unsafe.”
The original post can be found here. The post was submitted and opened on April 26, 2020 was and closed the same day with the following note, “Closed with status: Case Resolved. Notified BPD Dispatch.”
Basketball at Polcari Playground
This 311 user says, “Playing basketball in the Polcari Playground in North End, cut the nets to play.”
The original post can be found here. The post was submitted and opened on April 19, 2020 and was closed on April 23, 2020 with the following note, “Case Resolved. Removed rims.”
Note: Mayor Walsh closed all Boston recreational courts and fields on April 6 as part of the city’s attempts to slow the coronavirus.
Parking Space Request at Intersection of Hull St & Commercial St
This 311 user writes, “@ Lydia Edwards- many, many years ago, the city took away 2-3 parking spots at this corner (Commercial St & Hull Street) for Hansom Cab idling (they were housed overnight in the North End/Kinney garage). The horses & cabs are long gone. Can we get our parking spots back please? Thanks!”
The original 311 post can be found here. The post was submitted and opened on April 25, 2020 and remains open as of April 28, 2020.
Coronavirus Concerns at 92–96 Salem St
This 311 user says, “People are out and about and 50% of people at best are wearing masks in the North End. The city should make a stronger effort to stop the spread of covid19.”
The original 311 post can be found here. The post was submitted an opened on April 25, 2020 and remains open as of April 28, 2020.
Remember, to report a claim with 311, you can call 311, go to the 311 website, tweet at 311, or download the app. What do you think about these 311 cases? Follow our “What’s The 311?” tag to see past week’s postings!
I’ve commented on this issue several times. I fear that when this horrendous weather (Which was a blessing in disguise ) ends, If the City doesn’t play hardball & crack down on these people we are going to be right back in the same situation as we were a month ago. Calling 311 is a waste of time.
Sir, how do you expect the city to crack down on this? Would you like them to send in the police and arrest people for being close to each other? So then everyone can complain about the police? This 311 user should have stayed hidden under their bed. Taking the photo may have put him/her in harms way! You can’t expect people to stay home 24/7 and not interact with anyone due to a virus that 0.03 percent of America’s have!
The infection rate in Massachusetts is much higher than the national average. In fact, in Boston it is around and could have surpassed 1%. Through antibody search tests, they are finding that the many people are affected in different ways. They’re not sure why, maybe genes, blood type, etc… . The antibody tests are just beginning. In California and New York, they are finding many more people had the infection than were reported. So 1% should be considered the low number and based on estimates, more than 10% could be the likely carriers. For every 10 people that gather, it is likely that 1 of them is a carrier. This is a fairly high risk activity and Massachusetts politicians are reluctant to open up the economy until they see the infection rate decline. The persistent illness in this state is continuing to keep businesses closed. Both Baker and Walsh are extending their closure orders, Walsh wants to continue indefinitely. The group mentioned above appear to care less, maybe getting support from their parents or their trust fund, but most people need to work and can’t afford afternoon tea parties.
Brookline Somerville and Cambridge have made wearing masks mandatory. Punishable by a $300 fine. Public drinking and intoxication is and has been against the law for decades. The state of MA is third in positive cases only behind California & New Jersey. People can go out for a walk/ run food shopping,pharmacies trips etc. If their going out they should wear a face covering ,social distance and not be in groups like shooting hoops or conregating on street corners or parks f they don’t comply, fine them it’s that simple.
Thanks Doctor! Not sure where you got your statistics from but you’re missing this little place called New York where the virus is (supposedly) much worse than MA, CA, and NJ. They are releasing people from prison due to this virus and you want to punish people for not wearing masks? Come on now!
Don’t believe everything you read. The media is skewing these numbers!
These come from the John Hopkins web site today.
295,106 confirmed – New York US
113,856 confirmed – New Jersey US
58,302 confirmed – Massachusetts US
48,102 confirmed – Illinois US
46,483 confirmed – California US
The Globe publishes counts by county in Massachusetts, but you can also see this by expanding the map on the Johns Hopkins site as well. JH gets their domestic information from the CDC.
Thanks Joe, be careful drinking the Fox news Kool aid and the Lysol disinfectant COVID -19 cure We know the virus is a “Hoax” just can’t understand where these 60 thousand bodies came from?
New York City is the epicenter…. the state is much bigger than the city.
The second largest city (Buffalo) only has around 250,000 and if you want to compare apples to apples Albany (the capital) has less than 100,000 residents compared to almost 700,00 in boston.
There are over 30 counties with less than 100,000 residents in NYS.
Hamilton county has less than 5000 residents and the north end has a population of around 10000.
Yes, the police should hand out tickets to those not wearing face covering. They should be using them running and biking as well. The sports have shown a distance increase to 16 ft for runners and 30ft for bikers. It’s almost like an aerosol treatment. I am a front line nurse and unless people don’t care that I may have contracted it at work… then everyone should been wearing them. It’s hard and sucks trying to breath through them running but makes a difference if others are wearing theirs too. I find that millennials and the old groups are not wearing them. Just remember this disease now is showing Strokes in ages young adults 20’s, 30’s to 40’s. They are dying from that instead. Be smart & be respectful and keep us safe on our days off. Most have no idea that it’s a war zone inside BOSTON Hospitals right now.
Catherine, thank you for what you do Bless you .Stay safe. 😷
Thank you MichaelD 😄
This is good information. I try and stay away from runners and bikers, the mask is hard to wear while you are exerting yourself. But I never knew about the eorsol distances when passing someone running or biking. I thought holding my breath would help, but at those distances it’s hard to hold it that long, and now appears to be not enough. There was a good article in the Globe last week about the strokes in healthy people. Pretty shocking, but thanks for the info.
Yes, it’s so hard to run with a mask on. I do it to protect others. Thankfully Gov Baker as of today is requiring runners and bikers to wear them. You are blowing twice as hard running. They compare it to an aerosol treatment. Cigarette smoke is the same… so I avoid any areas with that. This is All so scary and thank you for being someone that respects the distance.:)
Wow. People are ridiculous. Calling on neighbors for having a few drinks outside. Being outside apart from one another is not a high risk situation
Joey whether they live in the North End or not it’s risky that they’re doing that. Seven is a lot of kids too let along the dogs who are eligible to get the virus. North End don’t need to hear the first set of cases regarding 7 idiots. They should’ve rented a Airbnb with a rooftop. That 311 case is a example of why the ban got lifted again today. Bad enough people are partying in hotspots like Roxbury, not gonna happen in Little Italy. That neighbor is justified I don’t blame him I be irked too pandemic or not.
Joey, your not going to win that debate. None of us enjoy wearing a mask & having to practice social distancing or having to stay at home day after day but we do it. Who celebrates when people are sick & dying ?
Have you ever celebrated in your entire life? Because people have been sick and dying since the dawn of time. I’m so tired of hearing people complain about others. Maybe those 7 people have all been quarantined for the last several weeks. Maybe they all got tested and are negative. Truth is nobody knows, and the editorializing in the original 311 post demonstrates other motives and an overstepping of their own role. What was the purpose of writing “a *big* bottle of champagne?” And “the dogs are licking each other and sniffing each other?” How do you know they weren’t washing their dogs when they got home? The part about “getting intoxicated in front of *my* apartment” shows just as much entitlement as was intended for the the “7 people probably on their 20s.”
Really battening down the hatches. Get the extra checks from the government and load up on the champagne with it. God forbid this all ends and they have to sober up and go to work. The new American Depression not like the old American Depression.
Today, several people, adults and small children, in the Nazzaro Playground. Adults with red solo cups…no masks.
Just sayin’.
Catherine, thank you for what you do Bless you .Stay safe. 😷