Tech Community Seeks Repeal of Software Tax
Revenue from the new tax, which went into effect July 31, will go toward state transportation and infrastructure needs. South End Patch News
Q&A: Bill Walczak – More Charters, Bike Lanes, and Community Involvement
Bill Walczak founded the Codman Square Health Center and the Codman Academy Charter Public School – and he'd like your vote for mayor. South End Patch News
Massachusetts Community College Council v. Massachusetts Board of Higher Education/Roxbury Community College (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-128-13)
NOTICE: All slip opinions and orders are subject to formal revision and are superseded by the advance sheets and bound volumes of the Official Reports.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‑11250 MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITY COLLEGE COUNCIL vs. MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION/ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE. Suffolk. March 5, 2013. ‑ July 12, 2013. Present: Ireland, C.J., Spina, Cordy, Botsford, Gants, Duffly, & Lenk, JJ. Arbitration, Confirmation of award, Collective bargaining. Education, Public colleges and universities. Public Employment, Collective bargaining. Labor, Arbitration, Collective bargaining, Public employment. Civil action commenced in the Superior Court Department on November 10, 2009. The case was heard by Kimberly S. Budd, J. After review by the Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court granted leave to obtain further appellate review. Will Evans for the plaintiff. Carol Wolff Fallon for the defendant. Deirdre Heatwole & Joseph Ambash, for University of Massachusetts, amicus curiae, submitted a brief. James B. Cox, Special Assistant Attorney General, & Alison Little Sabatello, for Bridgewater State University & others, amici curiae, submitted a brief. BOTSFORD, J. The plaintiff Massachusetts Community College Council (union) and the defendant Massachusetts Board of Higher Education/Roxbury Community College (college) were parties to a collective bargaining agreement (agreement) containing a provision that “[t]he granting or failure to grant tenure shall be arbitrable but any award is not binding.” After a professor, who was a member of the union, was denied tenure at the college, the union submitted his grievance to arbitration. An arbitrator concluded that the college violated the terms of the agreement, and ordered as a remedy that the professor be reinstated to his position, and that he be eligible for a new evaluation and tenure review process. A judge in the Superior Court affirmed the arbitrator’s award. The judge reasoned that the issue before the arbitrator was the manner in which the professor was reviewed and considered for tenure, not the substantive tenure decision itself, and that the arbitrator’s decision was binding on the college. The college appealed, and the Appeals Court concluded that under the “clear language” of the above-quoted provision of the agreement, the arbitrator’s award was not binding on the college, and therefore the judge erred in confirming the arbitrator’s award under G. L. c. 150C, § 10. Massachusetts Community College Council v. Massachusetts Bd. of Higher Educ./Roxbury Community College, 81 Mass. App. Ct. 554, 562-563 (2012) (Massachusetts Community College Council). We also conclude that the Superior Court judgment must be reversed. Background. On January 8, […]
Meet Your New Community Editor
You might be wondering “who’s the new face” at the top of South End Patch. Well…it’s me! I’m Molly Buccini and I’m here to introduce myself as your new community editor. Now you’re probably wondering what that means, and what happened to Sara … but no worries, I’ll explain. To start, you need not worry: South End Patch’s local editor Sara Jacobi is staying right where she is, covering the news and stories that are important to you in the neighborhood. My role as the community editor will be to help you with everything else. Whether there’s an important announcement you’d love to post on the site, an event you want our readers to know about, or you’re interested in blogging but aren’t sure where to begin, I’ll be there to guide you along. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or feedback: I’d love to hear from you. Email: molly.buccini@patch.com Phone: (978) 818-0084 South End Patch Facebook South End Patch Twitter Looking forward to working with you, South Enders! -Molly South End Patch
Things to Know in the South End Today, May 15: Yoga for Toddlers at Community Music Center
1. Weather: The National Weather Service is predicting an increasingly cloudy day, with a high near 67 degrees, and a 30 percent chance of showers. 2. Yoga for Kids: The Community Music Center of Boston (34 Warren Ave.) is hosting musical yoga classes for toddlers ages 1-3 years old on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Classes incorporate sitting, standing, and floor poses that the caregiver performs with baby and toddler as well as poses caregiver can do for the child to help develop sensory skills and digestion. Classes are $ 15 at a drop-in rate, or $ 130 for ten classes. See here for more information. 3. South End Resident Elected: Gerard Doherty, MD, chief of Surgery at Boston Medical Center (BMC) chair of the Department of Surgery at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and a South End resident, has been elected as President of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES). He will serve as President-Elect through 2014 and as President through 2015. Read more here. 4. Downtown Schools: Learn more about options for downtown schools tonight at “Meet the Schools Night” at Kingsley Montessori School (26 Exeter St.) tonight from 6-7:30 p.m. Representatives from The Advent School, Beacon Hill Nursery School, The Boston Children’s School, John Winthrop School, The Learning Project, Montessori Parent Child Center, Old South Preschool, Park Street School, Pine Village, Spruce Street Nursery School, and the Torit Language Center will be available. See here for more information. 5. Art Show Announced: The South End Community Health Center (1601 Washington St.) is opening a new art exhibition on June 15th at its facility to raise awareness about its mission and its impact in the South End. The artists on display have committed to donate back at least 20 percent of the sale proceeds made during the show to the nonprofit. This year’s artists include: Susan Jane Belton, James Alan Edwards, Cathy England, Nancy Johnson, Evelyn Berde, Jennifer Ellwood, Betty Canick, Chandra Dieppa Ortiz and Vaughn Sills. See here for more information. 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
Things to Know in the South End Today, March 27: Community Meeting on South End Health
1. Weather: The National Weather Service is predicting a mostly sunny day with a high near 51 degrees. 2. South End Health: The South End Healthy Boston Coalition (SEHB) and the Boston Public Health Commission are hosting a community health forum from 6:30-8 p.m. Blackstone Community Center, (50 W Brookline St.) They’ll be sharing Health of Boston, South End Quality of Life results, hearing from District 4 Police Officers about community initiatives, and conducting an interactive forces of change session. See here for more information. 3. Two Upcoming Easter Egg Hunts: There is not one, but two upcoming Easter Egg hunts this weekend, one at the South End Library and one at Titus Sparrow Park. The Ringgold Park hunt was cancelled for this year. 4. Street Sweeping On for This Week: The city has not yet cancelled street sweeping for this week, so it is on! Make sure you move your cars during your street’s designated street sweeping time. 5. Running the Marathon? Share Your Story: If you’re planning to run 26.2 straight miles, chances are you’ve got a good reason to do it. Share your own story by uploading your photo and more about yourself and your charity. 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
Things to Know in the South End Today, March 12: Community Garden Plots Available
1. Weather: The National Weather Service is predicting a rainy day with a high of 54 degrees. Today’s chance of precipitation is 80 percent. 2. Garden Plots Available: Community garden plots are available in Titus Sparrow Park, located between Columbus Ave. and the Southwest Corridor Park along West Newton Street and West Rutland Square. If interested, please contact Ann Hershfang. See here for more information. 3. Meet the Rock Lobster: Aaron Fricke, author of the acclaimed autobiography, Reflections of a Rock Lobster, will discuss his inspirational journey from bullied high school student to acclaimed author and activist at a post-show reception on Friday, March 15, 2013 at 10:30 pm at the Boston Center for the Arts’ Calderwood Pavilion. See here for more information. 4. Teach Your Kids French: The Montessori Parent Child Center, (566 Columbus Ave.) is offering a Montessori-based French program designed to introduce French naturally and respectfully to children between the ages of 6 months to 5 years old through stimulating sensorimotor activities, songs, rhymes and fingerplays. Classes are taught by a native French speaker and Montessori specialist.Classes start this week and last for eight weeks. See here for more information. 5. Protect Yourself: In honor of National Consumer Protection Week, the Better Business Bureau compiled various tips to help protect you while you’re online or on your smart phone, like locking your phone, avoiding unsecure Wi-Fi, and other tips. See here for more information. 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
Things to Know in the South End Today, Feb. 26: Community Meeting on Albany Street Project Tonight
1. Weather: The National Weather Service is predicting a partly sunny day with a high of 42 degrees. 2. Community Meeting on 275 Albany Street: If you’d like to have a say about the recently changed hotel-to-apartment-complex project designed for 275 Albany Street, stop by a South End community meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Project Place 1145 Washington St. The developer of the Albany Street site was first approved in 2010 to build two hotels and a parking lot at 275 Albany Street. That plan changed the first time in the summer of 2012 to become half hotel, half residential, and the developer is now seeking to change the project to two new residential buildings. See here for more information. 3. “Townie” Author at South End Library: Tonight, the South End Library and Friends of the South End Library will host acclaimed author, Andre Dubus III who will read from his compelling memoir, Townie. It describes his early life growing up amid violence and chaos on the poor side of local towns –including Haverill –after his father, the eminent writer Andre Dubus, left the family and visited only on Sundays. The talk starts at 6:30 p.m. See here for more information. 4. Art at OWK: Starting tonight, United South End Artists, Inc. and OKW Fine Clothing & Gallery will present the 4th annual Small Works Show at OKW Fine Clothing & Gallery in the South End.The exhibit will feature original paintings, photography and sculpture produced by member artists of United South End Artists, Inc., and will run through April 4. See here for more information. 5. Coda Does the Harlem Shake: File this one under “viral video craze we barely understand,” but check out this video of the staff at Coda donning their crazy costumes and joining in the latest Internet video fad, the Harlem Shake. 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
Albany Street Project Community Meeting Slated for Tuesday
Due to the large change in scope in Normandy Real Estate Partner’s Albany Street project, the Boston Redevelopment Authority will hold a community meeting on Tuesday for South End residents. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Project Place (1145 Washington St – Suite 2) on Feb. 26th. The developer of the Albany Street site was first approved in 2010 to build two hotels and a parking lot at 275 Albany Street. That plan changed the first time in the summer of 2012 to become half hotel, half residential, and the developer is now seeking to change the project to two new residential buildings. The applicant, BH Normandy 275 Albany Street LLC, is scheduled to appear before the full BRA on the project changes on Thursday, March 14 at 5:45 p.m. in Boston City Hall’s Room 900. The previously approved project featured two buildings, one a hotel with up to 325 rooms and one housing 220 residential units, according to a filing with the BRA. “However, given current market conditions, the applicant was unable to secure a hotel operator despite diligent efforts to do so,” according to the filing. The new proposal includes up to 220 residential units in the building on the north end of the site at 275 Albany St., identified as the “Traveler Structure.” The second building, located on the south end of the site and called the “East Berkeley Structure,” would feature up to 180 residential units in the second building. The total number of units would not exceed 380. Parking has also been increased from 165 to 180 spaces. The developer has also increased the amount of space on the site accessible by the public, from no less than 15 percent of the property to no less than 20 percent. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch