South End Answers: Do You Need a Permit to Sell on the Street?
In this week’s column of “You Ask, Patch Answers,” a new feature where we find the answers to your questions, a South End reader asked about what’s required to sell t-shirts or food on the sidewalk. “Can people on just randomly sell stuff on the sidewalk?” she asked. According to the folks at City Hall, you need a hawker’s and peddlers license to be able to sell anything on the street, whether it’s t-shirts or food. On the city’s website, there’s some information about the different types of mobile vendors allowed, such as the three different types of food trucks and the permits necessary for operating one. Note: There are several, including verification from the city’s Inspectional Services Depatment and the Boston Fire Department, and a statewide Hawkers & Peddlers license that must then be approved by the Department of Public Works. You can read more on that here. Hopefully that answers your question! Got a question about the neighborhood you want answered? Submit it in the comments below or email sara.jacobi@patch.com. Each week Patch will pick a question to research and answer the following week. Add your question today! SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Menino Endorses Markey as ‘There When We Need Him’
Calling him a friend to his city and state, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino endorsed Democratic U.S. Senate special election nominee Congressman Edward Markey in Dorchester on Friday morning. Speaking at a rally at the International Brotherhood of Eletrical Workers Local 103, Menino, a Democrat, said Markey has been with the city “at every corner.” Menino said Markey helped the city receive more Homeland Security funding, has been “out front” on gun control and sustainability. “He’s there for us all the time,” Menino said. Markey welcomed the endorsement, calling Menino “America’s greatest mayor” and a “transformative figure” for Boston and Massachusetts. “He has taken Boston and truly made it that shining beacon on a hill,” Markey said. “His name might be Tom Meni-NO, but he says ‘Yes’ to anything that makes Boston a greater city.” Speaking to reporters after the rally, Menino said that if the June 25 special election leads to a low turnout, he expects Markey to defeat Republic nominee Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset. “They don’t have the excitment they had,” Menino said of state Republicans. “(Former Republican Senator) Scott Brown had the excitement. There’s no excitement for (Gomez).” The race between Markey and Gomez took a nasty turn this week when Gomez called Markey “pond scum” for running an attack ad featuring images of Osama bin Laden. “I don’t think that the people of Massachusetts want to hear any name-calling,” Markey told reporters after the rally. “I think what they want to hear are real proposals. […] They want to hear about who the next Senator is and how it’s going to affect their family. And that’s what I’m going to focus on.” SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
When You Need to Paint the House (Sponsored)
It’s that time of year again and you’re outside, enjoying your yard. Then you start nosing around—maybe you’re inspecting your plants, or reviewing the condition of your lawn or setting up your sprinklers—and before you know it, reality hits. You need to paint the house. A daunting task. An expensive task. A necessary task—because it’s not just about how your house looks, it’s about your home’s value. Neglect is not an option. Take heart, however. Information and resources have never been more easily available to help you through this project. Know Your OptionsYour options are to either hire a contractor or paint it yourself. Hiring a contractor is an expensive option, but if it’s in your budget and you do the necessary research to find a quality contractor, you won’t regret it. The best method to find a professional painter is word-of-mouth. Ask a neighbor who’s recently repainted, or go to a local paint store and ask for recommendations. You could also use a service such as the popular Angie’s List. Once you’ve contacted the painter, ask for references before you even bother getting a quote. Most professional contractors will give you a free estimate. They know what they’re looking for and can point out important issues you may have missed such as carpentry work on deteriorated siding. If your house is extremely tall or has dangerous gables, professionals have the equipment and insurance to handle this type of treacherous job. And many contractors guarantee their work for a year, so if something chips or peels, you’re covered. Your DIY Checklist If your budget—or your house—is smaller, and you enjoy a good do-it-yourself project, you can paint your house yourself. It’s a multi-step process, and you’ll want to spend some time preparing for it. Here’s a brief game plan: 1. Decide when to paint. Spring and fall are the best times of year to paint. When outside temperatures are in the mid-50s and higher, the caulk, primer and paint cure properly. 2. Decide where to start your prep work. Do you need to scrape peeling areas? Do you have any rotten wood that needs to be replaced? Be sure to check the base of your columns and areas around and under gutters. Also check all window sills, especially windows that are in damp, shady areas. Replacing wood might require a handyman, and getting someone who knows what they are doing is worth every penny. Do you have metal railings or awnings that need painting? This requires a whole different set of supplies and techniques. 3. Once all the scraping and potential rot problems are addressed, the next job is to […]
Do You Need a Hand Shoveling in the South End?
Will you need shoveling out after the storm? Are you a student looking to make some money shoveling today or tomorrow? If you know someone who needs shoveling or wants to offer shoveling, have them post in the comment section below! Hopefully we can help set something up for the folks who really need it. South End Patch
Donate Used Prom Dresses And Suits to Boston Teens in Need
Think back to your own prom night. The feeling of getting dressed up and celebrating your senior year of high school with all your best friends was a pretty special, once-in-a-lifetime event. Now, picture what it feels like to desparately want to attend, but to be too short on money to buy a dress or a suit. That’s what Deputy Superintendent Lisa Holmes of the Boston Police Department saw through her work in the Grove Hill community center and the Burke High School in Dorchester about five years ago. And that’s why she decided to start a prom dress drive. “It came from working with young girls and hearing girls talking about how expensive it is and how many girls didn’t go to their proms because they couldn’t afford the experience, the dresses, the hair, the whole thing,” Deputy Holmes said. Knowing that she and her friends would go to formal events, wear a dress once and leave it hanging in her closet, Holmes thought about asking her own friends to donate their gently used dresses so that girls in need could attend their prom. And that’s when it started to grow. “The response from the girls was overwhelming,” said Holmes, and from there, the next year it just got bigger and bigger. Holmes has partnered with another community group that also holds a yearly prom dress drive, United Sisters of Color. Last year, 300 dresses were collected. New to the drive this year is the donation of suits for young men, too. “We had an overwhelming response from young men wanting to be included too,” said Deputy Holmes. Once the dresses and suits are collected, Holmes reaches out to Boston Public Schools, Boston Center for Youth and Families and other community organization to ask them to identify which students might be in need. Those students are then invited to come pick out a dress. “We spend a lot of time picking out the dress, and when they turn around and see themselves in the mirror, that look is priceless,” said Deputy Holmes. “They’re like, ‘Oh my god, that’s me?’ because they’ve never seen themselves that way and no one has taken the time to let them see themselves that way.” Holmes said that for her, that’s what means the most to her about the project. “It’s the one night a girl gets to be a princess, and feel beautiful and special,” she said. “So for me, its just that any young person who wants to should be able to experience it and finances shouldn’t be the reason teens can’t go through this rite of passage.” Operation Prom […]