‘City Hall To Go’ Truck To Visit the South End Every Month
Boston's "City Hall To Go" truck will begin making regular visits to several city neighborhoods this summer, starting on July 2. The bright red vehicle (which was originally a Boston Police Department SWAT vehicle) provides a range o South End Patch News
‘City Hall To Go’ Truck To Visit the South End Every Month
Boston’s “City Hall To Go” truck will begin making regular visits to several city neighborhoods this summer, starting on July 2. The bright red vehicle (which was originally a Boston Police Department SWAT vehicle) provides a range of city services, including the ability to pay or dispute parking tickets; request birth, death or marriage certificates; and pay property and excise taxes—all available right in Boston’s residential communities so constituents don’t have to go all the way to City Hall. In July, the truck will begin a regular rotation, visiting neighborhoods on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and available upon request on Fridays and Saturdays for special events, block parties and street festivals, according to a press release from the Mayor’s Office. The truck will be open weeknights until 7 p.m. and Saturdays until 5 p.m. The “City Hall To Go” truck will be in the South End on the first Wednesday of every month at 4 p.m. beginning July 3rd. On the fourth Tuesday of every month, residents can submit their preferred location for the truck that day via Twitter to @CityHallToGo. The most popular location will be announced on Twitter, and the vehicle will arrive there at 12:30 p.m. The truck will also host bilingual nights in certain Boston neighborhoods throughout the month, according to the Mayor’s Office. The “City Hall To Go” truck program was launched in December 2012 and since then, following a citizen’s survey, the city has added new services to the menu, including an opportunity to sign up for Renew Boston’s home energy audits and weatherization. The new menu also allows residents to request raffle applications and to submit claims to the city clerk, according to the Mayor’s Office. The full menu of offerings can be viewed online at cityofboston.gov/cityhalltogo. Below is a full list of locations scheduled for each month, beginning July 2. Locations are subject to change—for the most up-to-date information, follow @CityHallToGo on Twitter or call 617-635-4500. Allston—First Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. Back Bay—Third Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. Bay Village—Third Thursday, 12:30 p.m. Beacon Hill—Fourth Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. Brighton—First Tuesday, 4 p.m. Charlestown—Third Wednesday, 4 p.m. Chinatown—Third Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. Dorchester—Fourth Wednesday, 4 p.m. Dorchester (mid-Dorchester)—Second Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. East Boston—Fourth Thursday, 4 p.m. Egleston Square—Second Thursday, 12:30 p.m. Fenway—Second Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. Hyde Park—Third Thursday, 4 p.m. Jamaica Plain—First Thursday, 4 p.m. Mattapan—Second Wednesday, 4 p.m. Mission Hill—First Thursday, 12:30 p.m. North End—Fourth Thursday, 12:30 p.m. Roslindale—Fourth Tuesday, 4 p.m. Roxbury—Second Tuesday, 4 p.m. South Boston—Third Tuesday, 4 p.m. South Boston Waterfront—First Wednesday, 4 p.m. South End—First Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. West Roxbury—Second Thursday, 4 […]
Marathon Winner Gives Medal to City of Boston
Marathoners spend countless hours training to compete in races, and for elite runners like Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa, the goal is to come away with the medal for top finisher. But compelled by the tragedy that claimed three lives and injured hundreds of others after he won the 2013 Boston Marathon, Desisa gave that medal he worked to win to the city Sunday. Desisa honored Boston in a ceremony on Boston Common shortly after the completion of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) 10K, the first BAA event since the Boston Marathon Bombings. “We promise next year, in 2014, we will return to Boston to show the world that our commitment to sport, our commitment to our freedom is stronger than any act of violence,” said Desisa Sunday through a letter he wrote translated into English. Desisa added that “sports should never be used as a battleground” and offered his “heartfelt condolences” to those who were gravely impacted by the bombings. Mayor Thomas Menino was on hand to accept the medal from Desisa and thanked him for his generosity. “Thank you for your symbol of gratitude to help us,” he said. Watch the video above for more. South End Patch
Boston Marathon Winner Giving Medal to City
Lelisa Desisa, the Ethiopian runner who won the 2013 Boston Marathon hours before bomb blasts killed three and injured hundreds at the finish line, will be giving his medal to the City of Boston in a ceremony on Boston Common Sunday. According to a statement on the Boston Athletic Association website, Desisa will give the medal to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino at 10 a.m. on the common near Charles Street. Desisa is giving the medal to the city on behalf of all Boston Marathon runners to honor bombing victims and their families. Desisa said the bombings “brought pain to many families and tremendous sorrow into many homes” and that he was giving his medal to the city “as a gesture of my solidarity with the victims of this senseless act of violence,” according to the statement. He announced his intention to give his medal to Boston at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last month. Menino said in the statement that “countless acts of kindness and generosity have lifted our spirits and inspired us” since the bombings, this being one of them. “On behalf of the City of Boston, we thank Lelisa for his thoughtful and moving gesture,” Menino said. Desisa will be participating in the B.A.A. 10K prior to the ceremony. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
South End’s Ross Launches City Council Campaign
Long time South End resident Jeff Ross announced this week he would officially start his campaign for an at large seat on Boston’s City Council. Ross, a resident of the South End for the last 19 years, is an attorney in Boston, serves on the Democratic State Committee, and works as a local activist for LGBT rights. If elected, Ross, as an openly gay man, would be the first LGBT person to hold the at-large seat. “I’m running for the City Council At-Large because I believe our city is best served when it is represented by a diverse group that is reflective of the city itself,” said Ross. “While I’m not in the race to make history as the first openly gay At-Large city councilor, the significance of it is not lost on me. Boston is a city that is strong because of its diversity and I am excited about how my campaign is already bringing people together across identities to focus on the issues facing us all.” Ross said his main issues he wants to tackle would be to invest in small business owners, improve public school education make every neighborhood safer, and have each of Boston’s neighborhoods become a “destination” neighborhood. “Each neighborhood has differnet aspects of culinary, art, business, venues and theater, and I think that each neighborhood can become a destination neighborhood for the city,” he said, specifically mentioning improvements in transportation to Hyde Park and Mattapan. Ross also said he’d like to see more development in the city to help increase Boston’s tax base, and reduce resident property taxes at the same time. “I struggled to establish a life where I could support a family, and I want to create better opportunities for the talent that comes here to Boston from all over to stay in the city,” he said. Ross is one of about 20 candidates running for four at-large city council seats, including another South End resident, Michelle Wu. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
City Fighting Beetles in Boston’s Parks
The city of Boston is expanding its beetle-fighting program to help stop the spread of the nasty elm bark beetle that threatens to destroy trees in the city’s parks. The Boston Parks and Recreation Department has placed 24 traps in location around the Emerald Necklace and Copley Square to help stop the spread of the beetle. The program first started last year. This year, six traps have been placed on Boston Common, five in the Public Garden, five in the Fenway Victory Garden, five on side streets along Commonwealth Avenue Mall, two along the Muddy River, and one in Copley Square. This doubles last year’s placement of a dozen traps. The traps consist of 18.5″x 28″ green plywood boxes mounted approximately 15 feet off the ground on trees located at least 150 feet away from any elms. Each trap contains a paper lining with a sticky surface that acts like old fashioned flypaper. The paper is infused with a pheromone lure to attract the insects. The traps contain no pesticides or harmful chemicals, the city said. The traps will remain in place until early October. This particlar type of beetle, the elm bark beetle, destroys tree bark when they live beneath the tree bark as larvae. As adults, they pose an additional threat by carrying the Dutch elm tree disease from sick trees to healthy trees. “Using elm bark beetle traps and monitoring them closely provides important data for scientists fighting the transmission of Dutch elm disease,” the Boston Parks Department said in a statement. “With this field research, they are able to identify the species of elm bark beetle attacking the elm trees, better understand their life cycle including emergence and breeding patterns, keep track of the existing population, and disrupt their normal breeding behavior.” Have you seen any damage to your trees from these beetles? Tell us in the comments. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
PHOTOS: Mayoral, City Council Candidates Parade in Boston
With Boston’s mayoral and City Council races heating up, many of the candidates turned out Sunday for Charlestown’s Bunker Hill Day Parade, taking advantage of an opportunity to get their faces and names out in the community. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Things to Know in the South End Today, May 23: ‘Informal’ City Councilor Debate
1. Weather: The National Weather Service is predicting a mostly cloudy day, with a high near 75 degrees, and a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. The afternoon will be windy with gusts up to 20 mph. 2. ‘Impromtu’ Candidates Night: At-large candidate Shaun Ivers will be hosting an “impromptu candidates forum and open debate” at Slades Bar and Grill (958 Tremont St.) tonight. The idea is to have an informal “debate” where people can come and talk about issues that currently face Boston. See here for more information. 3. South End Elections: Two candidates are officially in the race for the District 2 City Council seat, which includes the South End neighborhood. Find out more about Suzanne Lee and Bill Linehan, who will be seeking election and re-election this year. 4. Lt. Governor to Resign: In case you missed yesterday’s breaking news, Lt. Governor Tim Murray officially announced that he would be resigning from office as of June 2nd. The next day he will take over as president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Read more here. 5. Marathon Bombing Update: In other breaking news yesterday, the FBI disclosed that an agent shot and killed a man who reportedly had ties to marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnev, after the man attacked the agent with a knife during questioning. See here for more details. Things you can do every day on South End Patch: Share your news with the rest of the community. Click here to add an announcement. Add your events to our events calendar. Click here to sign up for breaking news updates. Want up-to-the-minute news? Click here to follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Share your thoughts on your community in a blog. Click here to get started. South End Patch
Lee and Linehan Will Face Off for South End City Council District
It’s official: As of Tuesday’s deadline for signatures, candidates Suzanne Lee and incumbent Bill Linehan had turned in the required numer of signatures to qualify for this year’s city council election. Lee, of Chinatown, and Linehan, of South Boston, are the only two candidates in the race for the District 2 City Council Seat, which includes the South End, Chinatown, South Boston and Bay Village. The 2013 race is an exact copy of the 2011 race, which Linehan won over Lee by less than 100 votes. “I am confident that my first six years in office will stand up in comparison to anyone who has held office both as a State or City elected official from the neighborhoods of South Boston, South End, Chinatown, Bay Village, Downtown and look forward to continuing my efforts and improve on my ability to deliver for the people of District 2,” said Linehan in a statement. “As I’ve continued to talk to residents throughout the district, I still hear concerns about jobs and liveable wages, about ensuring that every child has a quality education and about making Boston a place where families can find affordable housing options,” Lee said. “As City Councilor, I will build on my years of service to our communities and work hard to deliver the results that our families deserve.” The next step in the process is for the registrar to verify all 200 signatures for each candidate by June 25th. The preliminary election will be held on Sept. 24th, with the final election to be held on November 5. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
City of Worcester v. College Hill Properties, LLC, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-083-13)
NOTICE: All slip opinions and orders are subject to formal revision and are superseded by the advance sheets and bound volumes of the Official Reports. If you find a typographical error or other formal error, please notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Judicial Court, John Adams Courthouse, 1 Pemberton Square, Suite 2500, Boston, MA 02108-1750; (617) 557-1030; SJCReporter@sjc.state.ma.us SJC‑11166 CITY OF WORCESTER vs. COLLEGE HILL PROPERTIES, LLC, & another[1] (and four companion cases[2]). Worcester. January 7, 2013. ‑ May 15, 2013. Present: Ireland, C.J., Spina, Cordy, Botsford, Gants, Duffly, & Lenk, JJ. Lodging House. Contempt. Practice, Civil, Contempt. Words, “Lodgings.” Civil actions commenced in the Worcester Division of the Housing Court Department on January 13, 2010. The cases were heard by Timothy F. Sullivan, J., and complaints for contempt were also heard by him. After review by the Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court granted leave to obtain further appellate review. Gary S. Brackett for the defendants. Ann S. Refolo, Assistant City Solicitor, for the plaintiff. Philip S. Lapatin & Nathaniel F. Hulme, for Greater Boston Real Estate Board, amicus curiae, submitted a brief. LENK, J. The defendants own two-family and three-family rental properties in Worcester. They leased dwelling units in these properties to groups of four unrelated adult college students. Each such dwelling unit contained a living room and dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms. The inspectional services department of the city of Worcester (city) determined that, where such a dwelling unit is occupied by four or more unrelated adults, “not within the second degree of kindred” to each other, the dwelling unit is a “lodging” for purposes of G. L. c. 140, §§ 22-32 (lodging house act or act), and that each of the defendants was accordingly operating a lodging house without a license. See G. L. c. 140, § 24. This case presents the question whether such dwelling units as occupied constitute lodgings so as to render the subject properties lodging houses under the lodging house act. We conclude that the dwelling units are not lodgings and the properties are not lodging houses under the act. 1. Background. The essential facts are undisputed. The defendants own two‑family and three‑family rental properties in the city.[3] The properties contain dwelling units commonly referred to as apartments, consisting of a living room and dining room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and an unspecified number of bedrooms. Each apartment at issue here was leased to four local college students for a twelve‑month period. The students, all adults, were not related to each other or to the defendant lessors.[4] The students sharing an apartment each had access to the entire apartment and the use of all […]