Whew. Last week is finally over. If you consider the guys who planted the bombs on Boylston Street, the Mississippian who sent ricin-laced letters to a senator and our president, and the husband and wife accused of murdering Texan law-enforcement officials—vermin we became aware of within one 48-hour period—you’d think we’re living in a perverse, Read More…
For the last three weeks this column has featured the three Democratic candidates for the 8th Suffolk District state representative seat Marty Walz left in January. There have been new developments. One candidate, Nils Tracy, dropped out. And the elusive reported Republican candidate found me. So I can introduce you to him too. Victor Navarro, Read More…
Three Democrats are running for state representative in the Eighth Suffolk District, which includes the Back Bay, the West End, most of Beacon Hill and Cambridgeport. A Republican is supposed to be running, but we haven’t unearthed him yet. Nomination papers are due April 16 so we’ll know for sure at that point. This column Read More…
Mary Romano got laid off at ABCD in the North End last week. She has worked there tiredlessly for around 20 years or more. She worked to help many seniors with Fuel Assistance, food stamps cooked lunches for them, ran trips and held parties at each holiday. She had special parties for those turning 90 Read More…
Please look at these disgusting sanitary conditions on Cooper Street. Theses photos were taken on March 30, 2013 in front of 17 and 19 Cooper Street. This is not the first instance for these two buildings. I have repeatedly observed food and bottles (meat, vegetables and fruit) being thrown out in paper bags in front Read More…
I understand compromises come with city life. But why does this helicopter hover over us often at sunrise, sometimes for at least ten minutes? It is no stranger to the ‘hood, thumping overhead of late at 6:20 to 6:30am – with the promise of arriving ever earlier as the days lengthen. I live in the Read More…
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the profound fatigue that last fall’s presidential and senatorial election brought on. How could we face another round of debates, accusations and ads that two special elections were bound to produce? As I was trying to shed the dismal feelings, Jay Livingstone called me up. Dismal feelings gone. Read More…
A friend recently commented that she thought the Eliot School was in trouble under the new school assignment plan, approved by the Boston School Committee last week. And she made it very clear that a lot of other parents feel the same way. I was surprised at that reaction. But I shouldn’t have been – Read More…
Most neighborhoods have iconic trees. The Back Bay has its magnolias. Beacon Hill blossoms with Callery pear trees in late April. The North End’s favorite trees are the lindens and locusts along the Prado, slated this spring for pruning. Charlestown has variety, with especially good gingkos. Downtown residents get pretty agitated about trees. When city Read More…
I’m provoked at Marty Walz. She used to be the state rep for the Eighth Suffolk District, which encompasses Back Bay and most of Beacon Hill as well as a slice of Cambridge. But she resigned to take a job as the head of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. She was a good state Read More…
Urban designer Julie Campoli has a new book out called “Made for Walking: Density and Neighborhood Form.” It’s not about Boston neighborhoods. It’s about sections of spread-out cities such as Denver, Alexandria and Albuquerque. Still, the book explores features Bostonians will recognize. Typically, these neighborhoods thrived in the early 20th century, then declined after World Read More…
What a storm. What a wonderful storm. When we moved to downtown Boston years ago, we didn’t do it for the walkability, the neighborliness or the convenience of living in a place where the electricity stays on when a blizzard bears down. I’m not sure now why we moved here, except I knew that if Read More…