The City of Boston continues to operate at Level 1 status with small numbers of cases of H1N1 or influenza like illness in the community. Delays continue regarding the availability of both seasonal and H1N1 vaccine. The City will announce public clinics as soon as vaccine is available. Free seasonal flu clinics are available. A Read More…
Health & Environment
Oysters Reintroduced to Boston Harbor
Oysters were reintroduced this morning into Boston Harbor from 601 Commercial Street in the North End by the Massachusetts Oyster Project. Initially, divers placed oyster cages in the harbor and then children distributed 50,000 oysters from boats. Some oyster facts: Each oyster filters 30 gallons of water per day They once were present throughout the Read More…
North End Cleanliness Tips
The Department of Public Works has updated its tip sheet for neighborhood cleanliness. Click here for 1-page PDF document. Neighborhood Street Sweeping Program Throughout the neighborhood, signs are posted indicating the mechanical street sweeping schedules. The program runs from April 1 through November 30. Your compliance, by moving your car during posted street sweeping times Read More…
City Council Supports Revised Bottle Bill
Bottle bills are laws that require a minimum refundable deposit on beverage containers in order to ensure a high rate of recycling or reuse. The current law was passed in 1983 and does not include many popular “new-age” drinks such as bottled waters, sports drinks, and juices. Currently the only beverages covered are carbonated soda, beer, and malt beverages.
Councillors Salvatore LaMattina and John Connolly sponsored the City Council Resolution in order to demonstrate to state lawmakers that the Boston City Council wants the Bill updated. About a dozen bills related to the Beverage Container Recovery Law, including House Bill 3057 filed by Rep. Basile on behalf of Mayor Menino, are before state lawmakers this legislative session.
The Council approved the Resolution at its weekly meeting on Oct. 21.
Toilet Trash on Freedom Trail
Tom Schiavoni sends in this picture and comment: COPP’S HILL MOMENT: A Clean Street Initiative Down the Tubes Since October 20, this illegally-discarded toilet bowel has greeted Freedom Trail visitors from around the world on Hull Street within yards of Old North Church. Why the stewards of the historic shrine or any of the commercial Read More…
Trash Compactors to be Installed on Parcel 9
At the October 19th Neighborhood Council meeting, Peter Gori of the Boston Redevelopment Authority announced that trash compactors would soon be installed on Parcel 9. The compactors would be used to help control the trash problem around the Haymarket vendors. The equipment would be installed on concrete pads. A question was raised as to whether Read More…
NEWNC “Tables” Confusing Plan for Cross Street Sidewalk Area
The North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) had a perplexing discussion at its October meeting regarding the proposed sidewalk plan in front of the former Martignetti’s Liquors site. The Cross Street sidewalk property is owned by the state’s new transportation department, that has absorbed the now defunct, Turnpike Authority. The BRA’s Peter Gori presented a plan Read More…
Green Ticket Bill Needs Support
NEWRA’s Clean Streets Committee is asking residents and merchants to send in the following letter in support of the Green Ticket Bill to our State representatives. The Green Ticket Bill is an important step in improving the trash problem in the neighborhood.
Download the Letter (also pasted below):
Text Format, MS Word Format, PDF Format
Here is a summary of the House Bill #3588 (Green Ticket Bill) and testimony from the City’s Inspectional Service Department (ISD) that explains why the bill is so important. House Bill #3588 is anticipated to be favorably voted out of Committee but still has a bit to go.
Globe Highlights Boston’s Harborwalk
The Boston Globe treks the Harborwalk, starting with the 4.5 miles from the Long Wharf through the North End to Charlestown. “Intimate gardens provide welcome oases at the ends of warehouses gone condo. But turn a corner, and you may see rotting pilings. Such juxtapositions are the soul of the Harborwalk. Though it has countless Read More…
North End Greenway Gardens – Call For Volunteers
Volunteer Call! Come Help Care for the North End Greenway Gardens! The Horticulture staff is seeking a group of five or so volunteers to assist with gardening tasks in the North End Parks on Friday, October 16th. Tasks will include deadheading (cutting back spent flower heads and finished plants), weeding. Meeting location will be the Read More…
Clean Streets Committee Keeps Working
The Clean Streets Committee of NEWRA keeps plugging away at the near insurmountable problems of trash and rats in the North End. Tuesday’s well-attended meeting brought a mix of old timers and newcomers, along with the Chamber of Commerce and neighborhood representatives City Councilor Sal LaMattina and State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz. The quantity and placement Read More…
City Council Hearing on Styrofoam Containers
The Boston City Council’s Committee on Government Operations will hold a public hearing on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 2:00 PM. The hearing will be held in the Christopher A. Iannella Chamber on the Fifth Floor of Boston City Hall. The subject of the hearing is
Docket #1083, An Ordinance Prohibiting the Use of Non-Recyclable and Expanded Polystyrene Food Service Containers
This matter was sponsored by Councilor Stephen Murphy and was referred to the Committee on Government Operations on Wednesday, August 26, 2009.
Members of the public are cordially invited to attend and testify.