Mayoral candidate and At-large City Councilor John Connolly told the Gazette that Mayor Thomas Menino’s reported decision not to run for reelection took him by surprise. “I was floored,” Connolly said, adding he has not yet spoken directly with Menino about the move. “The suddenness of it surprised me.” “I was reflecting on...
Source: Mayor Menino will not run for reelection
Mayor Thomas Menino, who has served a record-breaking 20 years in office as perhaps the city’s most popular and influential leader, has told close allies that he will not run for reelection and will announce that later today, according to a source close to the mayor. “It’s a colossal moment,” said the source, who...
Connolly pledges ‘new energy’ as mayor, blasts Menino
City Councilor John Connolly pledged to improve everything from public schools to the arts scene, while blasting incumbent Mayor Thomas Menino’s City Hall as lacking vision and transparency, in Connolly’s first major interview about his mayoral campaign. “While I deeply respect the mayor’s commitment to the city, we need an infusion of new energy...
As snow piles up, so do complaints
With 7 inches of snow and counting coming down in a worse-than-expected snowstorm today, complaints from Gazette readers are also piling up, especially about the City’s decision to keep Boston Public Schools open. By early this morning, many side streets had not been plowed since last night. Driving was treacherous, many sidewalks were unshoveled,...
NU to fund student housing study
Northeastern University (NU) will pay for an in-depth student housing impact analysis of its surrounding neighborhoods as part of its Institutional Master Plan (IMP) process, currently under way with the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). The BRA decided to require the study following community pressure for accurate information regarding NU’s impact on neighborhood housing, amid...
Affordable units to stay at 75 St. Alphonus
Following negotiations with City Councilor Mike Ross and state Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez, the owner of 75 St. Alphonsus St. has agreed to maintain 13 units as affordably-priced for another 15 years. The retail apartment tower will also see five ground-floor units converted to offices targeted at local businesses. And its population of undergraduate students...
Police reality show features local cops
A new reality TV show about the Boston Police Department (BPD) features three officers from District B-2, which includes Mission Hill. “Boston’s Finest” is also being advertised locally with a large mural that recently went up on the wall of the Boston Clutch Works building at 1486 Tremont St. The unscripted documentary show, airing...
New Eye and Ear facility designed around patients’ needs
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary’s new facility at 800 Huntington Ave. was designed with accessibility for its patients in mind. Mass. Eye and Ear treats patients with limited vision and hearing, and the designers of its new building went above the call of duty in creating an environment the patients can navigate more easily....
Pisos económicos en St. Alphonsus
Después de unas negociaciones con el consejero Mike Ross y el representante Jeffrey Sánchez, el dueño de 75 St. Alphonsus St. ha aceptado mantener 13 departamentos económicos por 15 años. Cinco departamentos en la planta baja de la torre se convertirán en oficinas. Su población estudiantil ha bajado bastante. “Reconocimos que este es un...
Candidates flock to Senate race
The race to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by John Kerry is becoming increasingly crowded. Two Democrats have already announced their candidacies for the special election, while several Republicans and third-party candidates have stepped into the race or have plans to. U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (8th District) and U.S. Rep. Ed Markey...
Muddy River project road work coming
LMA—Road work in the Park Drive rotary area will begin later this month in support of the Muddy River restoration project, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Around the week of March 25, crews will begin relocating the exit of the Landmark Center parking lot from Brookline Avenue to Park Drive. There...
City Councilor John Connolly to run for mayor
Second-term City Councilor John Connolly announced his intention to run for Mayor this year Feb. 26. Connolly started his campaign by focusing on the need to bring change to Boston Public Schools. He is a former teacher and the father of two school-aged children. “I am running because every child deserves a world-class education...
Tobin principal gets promotion
Cheryl Watson-Harris has left her position as principal of the Tobin K-8 School, moving up on the Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) hierarchy to become a network assistant superintendent. “I have loved every minute of working in Mission Hill, and am very proud of the progress of the Tobin School,” Watson-Harris, who was principal for...
RFP for Art Park delayed again
The lack of a City Council vote has again delayed the City from issuing the request for proposals (RFP) for redeveloping the Art Park site, which is City-owned land between Parker and Terrace Streets. The expectation is to get the matter in front of the City Council “very shortly,” said John Feuerbach of the...
Advisory group picks school-assignment plan
The External Advisory Committee (EAC), a group put together to help form a new school-assignment system, on Feb. 25 picked a zone-free “home-based” plan out of three options. The other two plans were a zone plan—similar to, but more varied than, the one used today—and a different version of a “home-based” plan. The “home-based”...
WIT students study JP planning
Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) students will be working in Jamaica Plain to develop design ideas for mixed-use projects along the Southwest Corridor this spring and summer as an academic exercise. The Community Design Studio program will analyze existing proposals for the study area, including the Jackson Square Re-development Initiative, and will make proposals...
CAMH seeks input on mission
The Community Alliance of Mission Hill (CAMH) is asking the neighborhood for input on what its goals for community improvement should be. At its Feb. 20 meeting, CAMH President Jessica Casey asked those present to come up with reasons they love Mission Hill. At its next meeting, CAMH is hoping to translate that input...
S. Huntington ‘vision’ draft presented
By Ryan Deto/Special to the Gazette S. HUNTINGTON—The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) presented a first draft of its “corridor vision” for S. Huntington Avenue to a generally accepting community on Feb. 27 at the Curley School in Jamaica Plain. The BRA is conducting a “corridor study” to assess the future of the stretch of...
2 wounded in double stabbing
Two people were wounded in a double stabbing in Brigham Circle on March 2, according to the Boston Police Department. The identities, ages and genders of the victims were not released by BPD. The victims were found around 11:30 p.m. in the area of the One Brigham Circle building on the Mission Hill side of...
Obituary: Ghazi Sami Saba; founded Sami’s falafel restaurants
Ghazi Sami “Big Sam” Saba of Dedham, formerly of Roslindale, a visionary who brought healthy Lebanese food and wraps to Boston, passed away on Feb. 6, 2013 after a long battle with cancer. He was 58 years old. Sami was the founder of Sami’s Falafel Truck of the Longwood Medical Area. Sami was the...
NU prof. pens wrongful conviction book
After years of fighting to set the wrongfully imprisoned free, Northeastern University School of Law professor Daniel Medwed has written a book outlining the systemic problem and its possible solutions. “I wanted to write a book about one of the major factors in false convictions, prosecutorial decision-making, and how it impacts all the people...
Hill Agenda, March 8-April 4, 2013
The deadline for Hill Agenda listings is noon, April 2 for the April 5 issue. Email listings to reporter@jamaicaplaingazette.com. Note: 617 should be dialed before numbers below, unless another area code is given. Meetings Wentworth Task Force meeting, agenda to include 500 Huntington Ave./Sweeney Field project, Tues., March 12, 6pm, Beaty Hall Multipurpose Room,...
School renovation bothers some residents
Construction at the 67 Alleghany St. school building has some abutters upset, complaining about a lack of information and loud construction noises at the site. “It is the process because we were never informed about the type of construction happening or the when and how,” Bob Francey said about what has made him upset...
Participacion, March 8-April 4, 2013
La entrega para la sección de Participación es mediodía el 2 de abril para la edición 5 de abril. Escribir news@missionhillgazette.com. Note: Todos los números tiene 617, a menos que dice otro número. Reuniones Reunión Wentworth Task Force meeting, agenda incluye 500 Huntington Ave./Sweeney Field, martes, 12 marzo, 6pm, Beaty Hall Multipurpose Room,...