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Posts tagged "‘Stop"

First Night Boston to Stop Operating, Lay Off Staff

Boston residents and visitors used to celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Copley Square area may have to change their plans for ringing in 2014. First Night Boston, the nonprofit organization that has been running First Night festivals downtown since 1976, has ceased operations, citing a lack of funds to properly plan the annual affair, the Boston Business Journal reported Friday. A vote taken by the board of directors to end operations takes effect immediately, and means the organization will stop planning First Night Boston 2014, according to the article. According to a press release circulated by the First Night organization, the board hopes to transfer the First Night Boston trademark to the City of Boston, with the idea that the annual festivities might continue under the leadership of another organization. “The board, recognizing that First Night is one of the city’s signature events, plans to work with the city to identify an organization that can assume the First Night brand and eventually produce an event containing at least some of the elements of a First Night celebration,” the press release states. The non-profit agency responsible for the event will cease to operate June 30 and staff will be laid off, according to MyFoxBoston.com. If the city can only keep some of the traditional First Night events, which ones would you like to see them keep? Tell us in the comments. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch

Menino: Stop Terror List Suspects from Buying Weapons

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino wants to know how one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects was able to get a weapon, despite being on a federal terror watch list. “Right now there are thousands of people on terror watch lists who are considered too dangerous to fly on a plane, but when it comes to buying an assault weapon — no problem. It’s crazy,” said Menino to the Boston Herald. Menino, one of the co-founders of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said there are glaring loopholes in our federal gun laws, calling it the “Terror Gap”, which enabled Tamerlan Tsarnaev, to get his hands on weapons. Menino said current loopholes allow individuals on terror watch lists to pass background checks to purchase guns legally. But some detractors do point out that Tsarnaev did not purchase weapons legally, so it doesn’t matter if he was on a list or not. According to the Government Accountability Office, individuals on terror watch lists tried to buy guns and explosives 1,453 times between Feb. ’04 and Dec. ’10. And a staggering 91 percent of the time, or 1,321 occasions – the FBI could not block gun or explosives being sold to suspected terrorists. South End Patch

Taylor Street ‘Stop Work’ Order Lifted, East Wall to Be Rebuilt

The construction at 8-10 Taylor Street will go on, decided the South End Landmarks Commission on Tuesday night. The wooden home is only one of two in the South End. It has faced controversy in the neighborhood since construction started several weeks ago, had its stop work order lifted after the commission’s review. The stop work order had been imposed due to the homeowner and contractor’s decision to take down an extra wall during the demolition process. That demolished east wall will be rebuilt based on preservation’s standards, the commission decided. “The mistake was that you didn’t call when the wall had to come down,” said commission chair Christie Gamp. “I can’t believe knowing the contentiousness of this project and the neighbors that that didn’t happen… It’s unbelievable for the neighbors and all we’ve worked for and to feel like we’re blindsided,” said Christie Gamp. Owner Ramy Rizkalla said his project had always intended to rebuild the home’s east wall. “The design wasn’t discussed very much because we were under the impression because it doesn’t give onto a public way, it’s not under the commission’s purview,” he said. “The rebuilding of that east wall was approved from a construction perspective… the wall was bowing, it was rotting, there was termite damage and it needed to be moved because of the fire code.” After some public testimony, the commission decided to lift the stop work order, pending a further review of plans to rebuild the home’s east wall up to the state’s preservation standards. “I don’t think there’s any benefit to anyone to delay the project longer,” said commission member John Freeman. “We don’t have the purview to impose fines or a moratorium, although that can be done through the legal process. I want to see this project built because I’m embarrassed, quite frankly,” he said. Neighbors in attendance agreed, noting that since the wall was already down, it was too late for a stop work order to hold any value. “I’d much rather look at a home rather than a huge pile of rubble and a shoddily held up wall,” said Taylor Street resident Kate Alessi. South End Historical Society Executive Director Hope Shannon noted at the meeting that she’s concerned that the front façade is also in danger of being demolished. “To ensure it lasts is extremely important,” she said. Several neighbors and the Landmarks Commission also suggested to the owner to make amends in the neighborhood by adding improvements to the property’s nearby park. For now, expect to see construction on the house resume in the next few days, and expect to see an update during the commission’s March […]