inside this week
Students advocate for free bus passes pg 2
A&E
business news
CARMEN EJOGO STARS IN THE MOVIE ‘IT COMES AT NIGHT’ pg 15
Mass Innovation Nights event highlights black tech founders pg 12
plus Vermont family farm celebrates African heritage pg 15 Film review: ‘Brazilian Wavy’ pg 18 Thursday, June 22, 2017 • FREE • GREATER BOSTON’S URBAN NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1965 • CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
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Millionaires’ tax clears Legislature
Roxbury Homecoming
Barring legal challenges, Fair Share Amendment to hit ballot Nov. 2018 By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
BANNER PHOTO
Members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity gather at the 20th annual Roxbury Homecoming, held in Franklin Park. (See page 20 for more photos.)
Activists call for repeal of mandatory minimums Bills debated in State House hearing would reform sentencing By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
The end could be nigh for mandatory minimum sentencing on drug offenses, Sen. Sonia ChangDiaz told activists on Monday. “This is my ninth year in the legislature and we’ve never been this close,” Chang-Diaz said to the crowd, who had gathered in advance of a hearing on criminal
justice reform legislation. On the docket: two bills that could repeal mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. One is an omnibus bill incorporating other reforms sponsored by Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz and Rep. Mary Keefe, the other sponsored by Reps. Evandro Carvalho and other officials. The pre-hearing rally and hearing featured testimony from repeal
advocates who said drug-related mandatory minimums are ineffective, disproportionately impact people of color and endow prosecutors with a power better left to judges. While black and brown residents constitute 20 percent of the state population, in contrast they represent 40 percent of people
See CRIMINAL JUSTICE, page 14
The Fair Share Amendment or so-called “millionaire’s tax” is on the path to go before voters in a November 2018 statewide ballot. During last week’s constitutional convention, the amendment garnered the necessary approval to appear on the ballot; 134 state legislators were in favor and 55 against, which exceeded the 25 percent favorable votes required by an additional 59 percent. The proposed amendment would introduce a higher income tax rate on the state’s top earners, with the revenue directed to public infrastructure and public education uses only. If enacted, the Fair Share Amendment imposes a 4 percent surtax on individuals’ earnings over their first $1 million. That $1 million threshold would be adjusted to cost-of-living increases so it continues only to affect the wealthiest residents. The added revenue would then go toward repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, and public transit and “quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities.” Estimates peg new revenue at about $1.9 billion annually. Lewis Finfer is the director of Massachusetts Communities Action Network and co-chair of Raise Up Massachusetts, the coalition behind the Fair Share Amendment. He told the Banner the amendment is the “chance of a generation” to combat years of budget crises and to fund projects and initiatives that will bring
transformative opportunities to residents. For instance, the revenue could support efforts to supply enough early education seats to meet demand, rein in college tuition costs and improve English as a Second Language offerings. Supporters of the amendment say it puts a small additional tax on those who can afford it most and leverages the funds raised to benefit the common good and reduce glaring equity gaps. Opponents say that while the identified spending areas are valuable, they do not believe the tax is the proper mechanism, nor that it will achieve the expected revenue. Currently, Massachusetts’ top earners pay lower shares of their income in state and local sales, property, income and excise taxes than lower-earning residents do, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economics. In 2015, those who made more than $860,000 annually (the top 1 percent of earners) paid 4.9 percent of their income in such taxes, while those making less than $22,000 annually (the bottom 20 percent of earners) paid 10.4 percent of their income. With the millionaire’s tax added in, top earners would pay about 8 percent of their income in taxes, still a smaller share than some lower-earners do.
Will millionaires leave?
Opponents, such as the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, call the amendment misguided,
See FAIR SHARE, page 7
Few gains for Latinos in city jobs Report details modest progress in hiring By YAWU MILLER
The administration of Mayor Martin Walsh has made modest gains in the hiring and appointment of Latinos in city government, but Latinos are lacking in key leadership roles, according to a report released last week by the Greater Boston Latino Network. Walsh joined the directors of the Latino-led agencies who make up the network at the report release event, and pledged to do
more to diversify city government. The report, titled “The Silent Crisis II,” followed up on a 2014 report and found that Latinos, who represent 19 percent of the city’s population, are underrepresented in leadership positions in city government, holding just 10.5 percent of executive positions and 5.1 percent of positions on city boards and commissions. Of the six Latinos who hold one of the 57 executive positions in city government, five of them are concentrated in Health and
Human Services, headed by Felix G. Arroyo. The report authors noted a slight increase in Latino hires during the more than three years of the Walsh administration, but said more work is to be done to make city government truly representative. “There has been some progress,” said Tufts University professor emeritus James Jennings, one of the report’s authors. “Not as much as we would want, but some progress.” The report follows up on a 2014
See LATINOS, page 8
BANNER PHOTO
James Jennings discusses findings of the Greater Boston Latino Network’s ‘Silent Crisis II’ report.
2 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
Students advocate for free bus passes By YAWU MILLER
Were it not for her boyfriend’s bus pass, Jaylean Sawyer would have to walk 1.8 miles from her South End apartment in the Villa Victoria housing development to Fenway High School in the Roxbury Crossing area. Instead, the pair follows a routine familiar to many students who struggle with the cost of an MBTA “S pass” – the $30-per-month option for students who live less
than two miles from their school. Her boyfriend, who lives farther from his school, taps his free “M7 pass.” Sawyer walks close behind, hoping an MBTA inspector doesn’t catch her for fare evasion. “One time, my boyfriend got busted,” she said. “I had to walk to school in the rain.” Sawyer told her story recently as part of a campaign, backed by the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, to secure M7 bus passes for all students, regardless of how far they live from their school. She
and other students spoke about their walks to and from school while organizer Jeff Rogers of DSNI illustrated the two-mile radius around different BPS high schools. While Sawyer has to curtail her after school activities to make sure she leaves with a friend who will help her through the turnstile, her friend Deshawn Jones Jr., who lives near Uphams Corner in Dorchester, has an M7 pass. “Jaylean is one of my friends at school,” Jones said. “To hear how
she has to walk or have her boyfriend tap for her is disturbing.” Jones noted that his M7 pass enables him to participate in after-school activities, volunteer at the Museum of Science and hold down a part-time job. Jones, Sawyer, Rogers and other members of their coalition are advocating for all BPS students who are not eligible for yellow bus service to be given M7 passes. Currently, there are more than 8,000 BPS students who do not qualify for M7 passes, Rogers says. Providing them passes would cost an estimated $3.2 million, an expense BPS officials so far have been unwilling to commit to. BPS Operations Chief John Hanlon noted that the department’s policy of providing transportation to elementary and middle school students who live more than a mile from their school is more generous than what state
law mandates. But as yet there are no plans to extend the M7 pass to all students. “We’re continuing to explore the possibility of doing that sometime down the road,” he said. In the meantime, students who walk face challenges ranging from 40-minute-long walks to sexual harassment. Rogers cited the case of one student who walks just under two miles from Bowdoin Street in Dorchester to Boston Day and Evening Academy in Dudley Square. With six siblings, her mother cannot afford the $30 a month it would cost for her to buy a monthly student pass. It’s not an easy walk, says Rogers. “She had to get a restraining order because a Level 3 sex offender was following her,” he said. “If she lived one block [further] away, she’d qualify for an M7 pass.”
BANNER PHOTO
Deshawn Jones, Jr. and Jaylean Sawyer speak about the difficulties of traveling to school without a bus pass. Activists are pressing for BPS to issue free M7 bus passes to all students, regardless of their walk-zone eligibility.
BANNER PHOTO
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative organizer Jeff Rogers illustrates the two-mile walk zone on a map of Boston.
Lead Change Serve as a member of BPHC’s Health Equity Advisory Committee
Apply By Friday, June 30, 2017
The Health Equity Advisory Committee is designed to engage Boston residents from different cultures, backgrounds, lived experiences, and neighborhoods in the planning, development, and implementation of BPHC’s Health Equity strategic plan.
Please consider applying if you: Are 18 or older. Live in Boston. Have ideas and lived experiences to share that can help us serve the diverse needs of all residents. Are able to commit to participating in up to 8 meetings per year.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please download the application at www.bphc.org. Call the Office of Health Equity at (617) 534-2376 or email eremigio@bphc.org for more information.
Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 3
Educators: school ranking system can mislead, hamper progress By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
Educators speaking at a State House briefing last week said the state’s school ranking system and local turnaround practices force struggling schools to adopt counterproductive reforms that undermine the interests of students.
When to intervene
Under federal law, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must identify its lowest performing schools, but has some freedom in how to do so and when to introduce interventions. Under DESE’s current system, schools performing in the lowest 20 percent of all schools statewide are ranked Level 3, 4 or 5. When a school is drops from Level 3 to Level 4, the state requires the local school district to produce a turnaround plan for it. If that plan fails to produce sufficient and rapid enough change, the state may declare it Level 5 and take it over. Some say that aid should be provide before schools hit Level 4, in order to nip problems in the bud and head off initiation of the more drastic changes of a turnaround process, such as staff overhaul. During the panel, Trinity Kelly, a rising senior at Excel High, called for earlier attention to school needs. She said Excel fell into Level 4 status after its funding and special education programming were reduced. Between Fiscal Year 2016 and Fiscal year 2017, Excel’s budget declined by $200,000 and its specialized autism program was removed from school offerings, a Boston Public Schools spokesperson told the Banner. “When we were Level 3, I think we probably should have gotten more money, not money taken away from us last year,” Kelly said. “Politicians and the school board don’t really pay attention to the schools until they are completely failing.” Liza Veto, BPS director of turnaround and transformation, told the Banner there are some interventions offered for Level 3 schools. This year those supports include additional learning time offered during school breaks, tutoring and additional professional development, and are provided thanks to a $450,000 state grant.
How to intervene
Boston Public Schools superintendents often have elected to
require all staff at a Level 4 school to reapply for their position as part of the turnaround process. Veto told the Banner the practice frees superintendents to select only the best candidates for a position, and make rapid changes. However, students and staff speaking during the panel say this can miss the mark. Mass dismissals are demoralizing, they say, and can result in the loss of valuable teachers. For students such as Kelly it means being at a loss to find a teacher familiar enough with her to write a college recommendation. Dave Williams, a teacher from Southbridge Public Schools and president of the Southbridge Education Association, said when his district went into turnaround the high teacher turnover created a climate of instability that interfered with students’ ability to focus and pushed parents to move their children to other schools. Williams’ entire school district was put into state receivership, but he said that the fixes applied seemed to be part of a standard set of interventions and not tailored to the district-specific problems. Veto said that a school does sometimes lose educators who may decide for personal or professional reasons that they do not wish to take on the working climate and demands of a turnaround school. Additionally, she said that while the process disrupts school culture and community, it allows for building a new culture focused on high expectations and collaborative leadership that aids school improvements. “Part of the work of school turnaround is creating a new culture and climate at the school,” Veto said. “That building of a new team of adults and new environment for the students is a critical foundation of the school turnaround.” Turnaround status also comes with an influx of money to the school. However, Kelly said Excel’s new funding amounted only to a restoration of the money that was cut. “We just got back the money we lost last year. Including with inflation, we need more money to function regularly than we have right now,” Kelly said.
Determining rankings
DESE states online that it sorts schools into Levels 1 through 5 based on factors such as student growth, graduation and dropout rates, attendance and chronic
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absenteeism and success at narrowing proficiency gaps. But some say the rating system misjudges schools. Speaking during the panel, Gina Sheehan, a Dearborn STEM Academy teacher, said that the ranking system emphasizes test scores more than student growth, which may obscure when schools are making strides. As such, DESE may get the signal that a school needs drastic intervention when it really just needs more time for its improvements to be result in bolstered test scores. The state ranking also does not capture instances in which a school’s low test scores are due to recently acquiring a large population of higher-need students, who need more years of learning to get up to speed on testing, said Kristen Leathers, a Brighton High School teacher. For instance, Brighton High gained many English language learners, who can take seven or more years to attain academic proficiency in English. Yet these students still may be required to take the MCAS within months of enrollment. As such, if test scores are below that of other schools, it may reflect a change in the level of student needs rather than a slide in teaching, she said. “The current accountability system unfairly targets schools with high proportions of English language learners and high need students,” Leathers said. Panelist Aveann Bridgemohan has a child in the Mattahunt,
BANNER PHOTO
BANNER: Dave Williams (left), president of the Southbridge Public Schools Association, and Aveann Bridgemohan, a Mattahunt parent, looked on as Trinity Kelly, an Excel student, spoke on the experience of being in a turnaround school. The three were panel member durings a State House briefing last week. which is due to close this month. Bridgemohan said the school offered some community-specific merits that seemed to go unrecognized by education officials. These included 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. wraparound services which made life easier on the many parents working four jobs, and swimming lessons, which were added after multiple instances of children drowning in Haiti when spending summers with relatives on the island, she said. Speaking from the audience, Monty Neil, executive director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, suggested that rankings be based on a broader array of factors such as suspension and discipline rates and school climate. March 2017 DESE documents show officials contemplating new methods for assessing and ranking school performance. The documents show an intention that the assessment process be straightforward so that school leaders easily understand how
BiggER BettER FastER
to improve their scores. DESE officials recommend school assessment focus on several aspects: academic achievement; graduation rates; and closing gaps for ELL students, special educations students and economically disadvantages students. Potential further aspects include attendance rates, dropout rates and student’s completion of broad and challenging curriculums. DESE officials acknowledge of stakeholder interest in assessing schools based in part on offerings of arts, physical education, advanced coursework, computer science and career development education. But they say it is better to keep the ranking system simple and focused on core academic subjects. Instead, DESE officials proposed publicizing such additional information to publicize such information in the form of school and district profiles.
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4 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
EDITORIAL
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Established 1965
Paying last respects Memorial services are rarely festive events, but the recent celebration of the life of Barbara Clark Elam seemed especially solemn. Even though she had been incapacitated for some time by the throes of Alzheimer’s, her death marked the end of an era when the role of community elders was significant. As Rev. Julien Cook preached allegorically in his sermon, “With the loss of an elder we lose the book.” St. Mark Church was appropriately the site of the service. St. Mark had been the village square for the Elams, the Clarks and numerous other families committed to progress. As a professional librarian, Barbara encouraged St. Mark youngsters to develop a love for books. Facility with language opened the world of literature and history to the children while elders encouraged them to achieve academically. Achievement was expected. Barbara became an administrator of Boston Public School libraries. Her husband Harry Elam became the first black chief justice of the Boston Municipal Court and was later appointed to the Superior Court in 1983. Their children also were achievers. Their daughter Tricia Walker is a writer, lawyer and educator. Harry Elam Jr. is vice provost for undergraduate education and vice president of the arts at Stanford University, and their daughter Jocelyn Perron is a bilingual preschool teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Judge Elam’s siblings were also very talented. His sister Harriet ElamThomas graduated from Simmons College and Tufts University and became a career diplomat in the U.S. State Department. She was the U.S. Ambassador to Senegal and has held other high diplomatic positions; she also is a professor at the University of Central Florida. It has been said that it takes a
village to raise a child. St. Mark’s Church was indeed an ecclesiastical village in Roxbury that functioned effectively. One of the elements of its success is grounded in respect for elders, a concept that is now declining. America’s fixation on youth and youth culture has diminished the value of the judgment and wisdom that elders customarily provide. It is not enough for an elder merely to age gracefully. One must have shown a profound commitment to the welfare of the community and earned the respect of others. Harry and Barbara Elam were so well regarded that in the best of times they could enjoy the respect of the community, even during a period of declining awareness for the importance of elders. It was difficult during Barbara’s memorial service to avoid plaintive thoughts of those elders who served and left in relative anonymity. Tom Brown, a Brown University alumnus, spent his whole professional career as the founder and CEO of Jobs Clearing House, an organization to provide managerial and administrative jobs for African Americans. Tom left quietly four years ago, without fanfare. Sam Perry, a 1941 alumnus of Boston Latin School, spent decades of his life providing low cost or free tutoring to black students trying to enter upscale prep schools or colleges. He left us with scant notice. Charles Steward, William Monroe Trotter’s brother-in-law and Harvard alumnus, class of 1896, kept the spirit of the Boston Guardian alive until he passed away in 1967. Few were there to mourn the last of the so called Boston Radicals. In failing to extoll the heroic deeds of our elders, we indeed “lose the book” as Rev. Cook proclaimed, and with it a significant loss of our own history.
“We’re losing the pillars of our community. Who will replace them?” USPS 045-780 Melvin B. Miller Sandra L. Casagrand John E. Miller Yawu Miller
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Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 5
OPINION THE BANNER WELCOMES YOUR OPINION: EMAIL OP-ED SUBMISSIONS TO YAWU@BANNERPUB.COM • Letters must be signed. Names may be withheld upon request.
OPINION
The Georgia special election is make-or-break for Democrats
ROVING CAMERA
What do you think of the changes Boston is going through?
EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON By all rights, Georgia Democratic congressional candidate Jon Ossoff shouldn’t even be in the Georgia special election race. He should be in Congress. The Georgia special election was a race that could and should have been won by him the first go around. The district seemed ripe for the Democrats to finally beat a Republican somewhere. There was a small army of GOP candidates running helter-skelter against each other in the GOP primary. There were lots of young, immigrant, Hispanic and African American voters that have fast changed the voter demographic of the district. Ossoff typified the change. He’s young, politically savvy and raised more money than practically any other newly-minted Democratic candidate running for a congressional seat ever did. Democratic committee organizing groups put boots on the ground in the district to rev up voter interest and excitement for Ossoff. He came close to an outright primary win. But that was the problem. He didn’t win. Now the test in elections like this is not just whether he can win, but whether Democrats can figure out how to beat Trump in races that they must win. The very first step toward doing that is to start winning some congressional seats in the run-up to the 2018 mid-term elections. They lost two special elections, in Kansas and Montana, that were arguably winnable. They lost in part because the Democratic national and local committees didn’t put money and troops into a massive on-the-ground voter education, registration and voter turnout effort. They lost in greater part because they ran scared of the GOP in both states. They assumed that they couldn’t beat a GOP candidate in a deep red state. Now there’s Georgia. Some lessons have been learned since the losses in Kansas and Montana and Ossoff’s failure to win the seat outright in the primary. There are more Democratic organizers in the district. The focus is on door-to-door, face-to-face voter outreach, targeting African American voters in the district and working the phones and voter registration rolls to get more people to the polls. However, there are three crucial lessons for the Democrats to learn to beat Trump and the GOP. The first is that the Democrats make a horrendous mistake in relying on a GOP opponent to shoot themselves in the foot. This thinking didn’t work so well with Trump, and it hasn’t worked anywhere else where Democrats try to link a GOP candidate to Trump, or go negative on a GOP opponent. The GOP won’t beat itself. Democratic contenders must do that through hard, patient organizing, telling voters why they should vote for a Democrat and not simply vote against a Republican. The second lesson is that putting time, energy and resources into an over-the-top reach for supposed on the fence white, mostly male, less educated rural and blue-collar workers won’t work. For now, they are locked down for Trump and the GOP. The Democrats must reconnect with and re-energizing their traditional base, African Americans, Hispanics and youth. Their voting numbers plunged in 2016 down from 2008 and 2012. The reason wasn’t just that Obama wasn’t on the ticket in 2016. The brutal reality was that the Democrats did what many black voters have screamed at them for years and that they take them for granted. The assumption was that the terror of a Trump White House win was enough for black voters to storm the polls. It didn’t happen. A party and a candidate must get off their haunches, put lots of face time into talking to voters about why they are important and what exactly the candidate will do for them for their vote. Black voters want to know, for instance, about health care, but they also want to know about issues such as police abuse and jobs, and what a Democrat will do about them. The other lesson is that spending millions on TV ads and getting big name celebrities or party big-shot endorsements means little. In more cases than not, it’s a turn-off. People get sick of being preached to in nonstop sound bite TV ads that endlessly go negative about the rival candidate. There’s much evidence that celebrities and a national party household name official barging into a local race and commanding voters to vote for a Democrat has almost no effect. The Democratic National Committee after the 2016 presidential election was, by any standard, a wreck and a ruin. It got pounded for misstep after misstep that included poor and disconnected leadership, leaked emails, gross favoritism, petty infighting, blatant manipulation of the primaries and gross cluelessness about the Trump threat. There were clearly hard lessons to be learned from this. Those lessons weren’t learned in the Kansas and Montana special elections. Georgia will tell just what the Democrats have learned since then. This could be a make or break election for the Democrats. If it’s break, the Democrats are in even bigger trouble.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst.
It’s progress, but for whom? There’s new ideas, different proposals. You ask why people are building in the community and they say ‘There’s nothing here.’ There’s an entire culture here that could be moved away.
I like seeing new housing. I voted for Mayor Walsh. I’m happy to see him bring more black people into construction.
I’m very excited about how familycentered the city is becoming. There are a lot of new spaces that bring people together. Franklin Park is being activated.
Ayanna Warfield
Everett Linton
Marisa Coleman Luse
Photographer South End
Community Relations Roxbury
We need more affordable housing.
There’s a lot of new development, but you have to ask who it’s for. It’s not for us. It’s for rich people.
Liza BehrendtO
Joseph Lewis
Things are good, but there’s still a lot of homeless people and low-income people. They can’t keep putting up buildings that don’t include subsidized units. You have to think about everybody.
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IN THE NEWS
TASHONDA VINCENT-LEE Mayoral candidate and City Councilor Tito Jackson is delighted to announce the appointment of TaShonda Vincent-Lee as his new campaign manager. Ms. Vincent-Lee has been a long-serving member of the campaign’s senior advisory team. She is a veteran of several political and social advocacy campaigns, most recently on the pro-adult use cannabis legalization side of Ballot Question 4, a measure Massachusetts voters passed handily. “I am very excited to have TaShonda formally come on board,” noted Jackson. “Our vigorous grassroots campaign to reclaim the soul and promise of a Boston for all keeps gathering more and more momentum among
voters across Boston. Since TaShonda has been so closely involved in developing and executing our campaign strategy, I am happy to know that momentum will continue to grow, is in very good hands, and the team we are building that she oversees is just amazing.” “I am proud of my appointment as Campaign Manager,” said Ms. Vincent-Lee. “Boston needs the leadership and judgement Tito Jackson continues to display, and I look forward to electing him mayor later this year. This campaign is the only one that will truly address Boston’s crisis of rising rents, access to a world-class education, job and business opportunities for all, and an open, scandal-free
government that we deserve. It’s an honor to step forward to manage such a broad and dynamic movement of people that will meaningfully tackle these issues.”
6 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
ICE targets noncriminal working dad By JULE PATTISON-GORDON
Activists say the case of Francisco Rodriguez Guardado, a father, small business owner and community member, lays bare how misaligned federal immigration priorities have become under Donald Trump. Rodriguez Guardado, a native of El Salvador, has lived and legally worked in the Greater Boston area for a decade, and holds no criminal record. His daughters, 10-year-old Mellanie and 5-year-old Jessica, are American citizens and he has a baby on the way. He is at risk of being
deported next month. Rodriguez Guardado has been working as an MIT janitor and owns a carpet cleaning business. He arrived in the U.S. in the mid2000s seeking asylum, and although federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents eventually denied that request, they have allowed him to remain in the country. In recent years, that permission was granted via a stay of removal. This year, ICE declined to renew the stay. He will meet with agents on July 13. His lawyer said it is not clear if he will return from the meeting or be held by ICE. Should ICE agents be
persuaded to hold off on removal, next year his mother, who is a legal permanent resident, will be able to petition for his citizenry.
Rising in support
Community members turned out last week to rally in front of the ICE detention center downtown on Guardado’s behalf. Among them were members of Jobs Not Jails, Centro Presente, SEIU and the MIT community. Organizers said that by this point two petitions protesting Rodriguez Guardado’s removal had collected 5,000 signatures and that they were aware of 30 other letters in support from
elected officials and community members. Activists said Rodriguez Guardado is an engaged member of his community, serving as a member of the parent committee for his children’s school, the community organization Chelsea Collaborative, the Tabernáculo Bíblico Seguidores de Jésus church and the 32BJ SEIU at MIT. Should his residency not be renewed next month, Rodriguez Guardado told the Banner his top concerns are for his family’s safety, and that he may be murdered. Rodriguez Guardado emigrated from El Salvador seeking asylum after a gang member killed one of his employees. Since then, he made enemies by helping U.S. border control, when he served as a witness in a case against organized crime members who were seeking to enter the country, he said. “They may kill me,” he told the Banner. “I worry to show my face a lot for that reason.” The case demonstrates the uncertainty that nonpermanent
residents and their families face at the hands of ICE agents. When Rodriguez Guardado met with ICE this June, they originally told him to report back in six months. Later that day, they called back and truncated that time to one month, Matt Cameron, his lawyer, said. Speakers further charged that Rodriguez Guardado’s situation reveals a misuse of resources. Felix D. Arroyo and others said that ICE appears to be depleting its ability to pursue undocumented immigrants who actually represent public safety threats by instead spending money and officers on targeting law-abiding individuals who are assets to their communities. Cameron said that ICE only can afford to deport one in 100 people. Give that reality, “Why would you chose to deport someone like Francisco?” he asked. He said there is too little public awareness of ICE’s doings, but that rallies like this one help draw attention to their actions.
BANNER PHOTO
Francisco Rodriguez Guardado (center), who emigrated over a decade ago, could be deported in July.
BANNER PHOTO
Demonstrators protested outside ICE’s downtown Boston detention center.
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Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 7
fair share
decide the amendment is a mistake or needs adjustment, it will be difficult to alter it. Legislators would have to have their changes approved in two subsequent constitutional conventions.
continued from page 1
and say that the new tax will be an unpredictable revenue source that also could encourage wealthy residents to move out of state. During the recent constitutional convention, Rep. Randy Hunt said Massachusetts is relatively small and so closely abutted by other states that it will facilitate the choice to relocate. Advocates such as Sen. Jamie Eldridge disagree, saying that companies are drawn to Massachusetts for the very things the Fair Share Act invests in — an educated workforce with easy access to their places of work — and not to the tax climate. Max Page, a board member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which turned out for the convention, said given that individuals can deduct state income tax when calculating their federal taxable income, the surtax millionaires pay will in effect be smaller than 4 percent. Amendment supporters also argue that other factors would prevent wealthy individuals from relocating, such as a desire to stay near their social circles and nearby family, reluctance to uproot school-aged children and the potential difficulty of maintaining their jobs if they move.
Will it work?
The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation argues that new revenues will be unpredictable as the tax focuses on a millionaires, a relatively small population. The estimated $1.9 billion would come from about 19,600 people, or 0.5 percent of the
Legal dispute
BANNER PHOTO
Lew Finfer (center) is the co-chair of Raise Up Massachusetts, the coalition behind the Fair Share Amendment. Last week, Finfer and supporters gathered outside the room where that afternoon state legislators would determine whether the amendment could go before voters. state population. Of that pool, the 900 state residents who make more than $10 million a year are expected to produce $1 billion of the anticipate revenue. If some of them move out of state, it could be an oversized blow to funding. The MTF and Sen. Bruce Tarr also argue that many of these hyper-affluent individuals draw earnings from capital gains, which fluctuate greatly based on economic upswings and downturns. This would make it important to hold some of the Fair
Share Act funds in reserve for use during years with sparser revenue collection. Meanwhile, supporters say that the tax is meant to enhance, not replace, the transportation and education budgets. In that light, any additional revenue dedicated to worthy goals is worthwhile, even if the exact amount fluctuates. Advocates see embedding this measure in the state constitution as a way to ensure the revenue goes to the desired causes. Meanwhile, some including Rep. Paul
Frost, argue that the legislature cannot be trusted not to raid the fund and designate the Fair Share money elsewhere when faced with frequently-occurring deficits in the general budget. Some opponents say there is a risk that even if legislators obey the amendment and direct funding as required, they will then cut general funding that otherwise would have gone into education and transit, thus keeping funding level instead of increasing it. Sen. Brad Jones echoed a MTF fear that should the legislators
Opponents in the business sector seek to stop the measure from ever hitting the ballot by challenging it in a lawsuit. While the exact legal line of attack has not materialized, many expect opponents will charge that it is not legal to have a constitutional amendment dictate specifically how money can be used. Despite Rep. Frost’s fear that the act’s language does not prevent revenue redirection, these opponents say virtually the opposite: that the amendment is so binding that it usurps the power of the legislature to determine spending. Advocates of the amendment, however, say that the language is appropriately broad: The act dictates to the legislature the general aims for the revenue, but allows them freedom to determine which specific initiatives, line items and projects to fund in order to advance affordable education, transportation maintenance and other outlined goals. Furthermore, they say, there is precedent in the state’s gas tax, whose revenue is directed toward transportation. They also note that the language of the Fair Share Act was approved by the state attorney general. Raise Up Massachusetts’s assembled legal team includes Peter Enrich, a law professor at Northeastern University and a founder of the ballot committee, and pro bono support from Kate Cook of Sugarman Rogers.
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8 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
Latinos
continued from page 1 report GBLN commissioned that underscored the lack of representation of Latinos in civic life in Boston and Chelsea. In Chelsea, where Latinos make up 62 percent of the population, there was greater representation among elected officials, but a similar gap between percentage of the population and representation in city government. In both cities, the Latino populations suffer higher rates of poverty, lower incomes and lower rates of home ownership. Since 1980, Boston’s population has grown from 562,000 to nearly 680,000, with 92 percent of that growth coming from the Latino community. Walsh said the well being of the city’s expanding Latino population is vital to the city’s future. “If we don’t adapt our power structure to reflect that change, our city will not be ready for the future,” Walsh said. The apparent underrepresentation of Latinos in leadership positions is mirrored in other levels of city government, with Latinos making up just 12 percent of city employees, not including the Police and Fire Departments. While municipal jobs have for many been an entryway into the middle class, Latinos and other people of color have long been shut out of the word-of-mouth networks through which municipal jobs are often filled. The concentration of Latinos in leadership positions in Health and Human Services and at the Public Health Commission, agencies headed by Felix G. Arroyo and Barbara Ferrar, suggests that hiring people of color as department heads does make a difference. In 2014, GBLN members announced their findings at City Hall. This year the announcement was made at the Hyde Square Task Force, a youth development agency in Jamaica Plain. And in 2017, city government bears more of Walsh’s mark than it did in 2014.
BANNER PHOTO
Community members listen and tweet as members of the Greater Boston Latino Coalition discuss the findings of the “Silent Crisis II” report on the dearth of Latinos in City Hall. Shortly after he became mayor Walsh appointed a Chief Diversity Officer tasked with helping city departments find candidates of color to fill job openings. But in the initial formation of the office, there were no Latinos on staff. Earlier this year, Walsh appointed Tania Del Rio as diversity outreach director in the office. In his remarks, Walsh highlighted efforts his administration has made, including the creation of a diversity dashboard, which tracks the city’s workforce by race and rate of pay (the Police and Fire Departments are not on the dashboard) as well as a recent neighborhood career fair that attracted 94 percent people of color. The Office of Diversity has instituted an alert system for city
departments engaged in the hiring process, Walsh said. “If the applicant pool is too imbalanced, our Office of Diversity is immediately notified so they can do targeted outreach to make sure whatever job is posted in this city builds opportunity,” he said. GBLN member Ivan EspinozaMadrigal said efforts to include more Latinos in city government will have to be deliberate and sustained. “There is no silver bullet for this,” he told the Banner. “It has to be incremental steps across the board. Every small step matters. In the Police Department, the Fire Department, the public schools, in City Hall — collectively the small steps will make a difference.” Under the Walsh admin-
Public Meeting
istration, 90 percent of new firefighters and 75 percent of new police officers have been white. Espinoza-Madrigal, who is executive director at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, was scheduled to hold a forum Tuesday on Police and Fire Department hiring with the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, the Boston Society of Vulcans and the Boston branch of the NAACP. When asked about the scant representation of Latinos on boards and commissions — just 5.1 percent — Walsh questioned the importance of the bodies. “There’s 350 boards and commissions in this city,” he said. “We probably have way too many boards and commissions in this
Public Meeting
RIO GRANDE DUDLEY SQUARE
95 ST. ALPHONSUS STREET
TUESDAY, JUNE 27
MONDAY, JULY 10
6:00 PM - 7:45 PM
2315 WASHINGTON STREET Central Boston Elder Services, Community Room Roxbury, MA 02119
670 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Griffin Building, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02115
PROJECT PROPONENT: Rio Grande Dudley Square LLC
PROJECT PROPONENT: Wingate Companies
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project site is in the Dudley Square Commercial District, an important commercial and cultural center for the Roxbury community. Across Washington Street is the MTBA Dudley Terminal bus station and the newly constructed City of Boston Bolling Municipal Building utilized primarily for the Boston School Department. Project Description The proponent plans to develop a mixed-use retail, office and residential complex. The former Roxbury Institute for Savings Building and the former Boston Consolidated Gas Building are contributing structures to the Dudley Station Historic District and are key components of the project. In addition to these two structures a third component of the project is a new 25 story primarily residential tower to be constructed and an existing surface parking lot.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Public meeting for Wingate Companies proposal to redevelop an existing parking garage at 95 St. Alphonsus Street into a 6 story, 111,665 square foot, 115 unit residential building.
mail to:
mail to:
phone : email :
DANA WHITESIDE
Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617.918.4441 Dana.Whiteside@Boston.gov
CLOSE OF COMMENT PERIOD: 7/14/2017
phone : email :
BostonPlans.org
@BostonPlans
Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary
TIM CZERWIENSKI
Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 617.918.5303 Tim.Czerwienski@Boston.gov
CLOSE OF COMMENT PERIOD: 7/28/2017
BostonPlans.org
@BostonPlans
Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary
city. I’ll make recommendations, but I’m not going to be fine-tuning every single board and commission.” The report, authored by Jennings, Miren Uriarte and Jen Douglas, listed several key finding: n There is no particular effort to increase Latino leadership as part of governing in a way that can better address the challenges facing Latino communities. Nor are there explicit strategies in place to support existing Latino appointees in adopting an advocacy role or becoming active representatives of Latino communities n Latino appointees in Boston are few in number relative to the presence of Latinos in the population. Among executive positions, an increase from five to seven Latinos executives was achieved, largely through the presence of a concentration of Latino leaders in the Health and Human Services cabinet. n There are no Latino leaders in the critical areas of education and economic development and just one working in the areas of housing and land use. On boards and commissions, the story is of a small number of Latino appointees spread thinly across a minority of entities. While Latinos are dotted among a substantial number of managerial entities, they have scant presence on regulatory and fund-allocating bodies. n Just one of the Latinos currently in an executive position in the City has responsibility over substantive work related to housing, and no Latinos oversee work in the areas of education and economic development. Walsh warned against an adversarial approach to diversifying city government. “What we don’t need is people pointing fingers at each other,” he said. “I think it’s important for us now, at this particular moment in time, that we have an opportunity to work together, to move forward, to advance this report. I ask people here today, as we move forward, let’s not turn on each other. Let’s work together to make sure we continue to advance the needs of the people in our city.”
Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 9
HEALTH NEWS BROUGHT TO YOU BY BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER
RECOVERY FROM ADDICTION: ONE STEP AT A TIME When asked how long patients should remain on medications to treat addiction, “long enough” said Colleen LaBelle, R.N. La Belle is the director of the Office Based Addiction Treatment, or OBAT, at Boston Medical Center, home to the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine. LaBelle’s response was not intentionally elusive. There is no right answer to the question. As with other chronic diseases, medication may be a temporary solution for some or a permanent form of therapy for others. Addiction is a relapsing, chronic disease and has no cure, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). The condition can be managed, however, and lifetime recovery is possible. That is the goal of OBAT. Established in 2003, it is the largest outpatient treatment provider in the region for addiction, and currently services over 680 patients. The program has a high success rate. “After 12 months 60 percent of the people remain in care,” LaBelle explained. “The longer they’re here, they are more apt to stay.” The challenge for any recovery is finding the treatment that works for each individual. One size does not fit all. There is general agreement, however, that treatment has greater success with a three-pronged approach of medication, behavioral therapy and community support. The disease
does not exist in a vacuum. Medications can lessen the discomfort of withdrawal and block the effects of opiates. Behavioral therapy can offer strategies to cope with drug cravings and teach ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse. Community groups, like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, allow people to share their experiences and support each other in their efforts to continue abstinence. To be effective, the treatment must focus on not only the substance use, but also any medical, social, vocational or legal problems that may result from the addiction and, must also be relative to the person’s age, gender and ethnicity. In spite of best efforts, relapse is not uncommon. A study in JAMA found that it occurs in up to 60 percent of those in treatment for addiction. Several factors, such as stress, mental illness and interaction with the legal system, can trigger relapse. Those who stay in a program fewer than 90 days tend to have a higher relapse rate, according to NIDA. Some factors are associated with success, said LaBelle. Those who have more social support, comfortable housing and live in an environment free from trauma and drugs are more apt to succeed. In addition, the earlier the treatment begins the more positive the results.
PHOTO: COURTESY BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER
Addiction providers at the Office Based Addiction Treatment at Boston Medical Center. (l-r) Ludy O. Young, MEd, LADC I, Supervisor for BMC’s Project ASSERT; Alexander Walley, MD, MSc, Associate Director of Faster Paths and Founder of BMC’s Inpatient Addiction Medicine Consult Service; Colleen LaBelle, MSN, RN-BC, CARN, Director of BMC’s OBAT Program.
Michael Botticelli, executive director of BMC’s Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine and former director of National Drug Control Policy on President Obama’s White House staff, knows the journey of recovery all too well. His drinking began in his freshman year of high school. It’s not that he was really trying to fit in. “It was the prevailing norm,” he said. “Weekends in bars were standard.” In college and later in employment he said that he never felt different or that his behavior was problematic. But it was problematic to the state trooper who arrested him after he rear-ended a parked car
on a Massachusetts highway. The trooper gave him a choice: legal consequences or court-mandated group. He chose the latter. Yet, the crash failed to convince Botticelli that he had a problem. When threatened with eviction — largely because his money went to alcohol instead of to rent — a family member finally confronted him. That proved to be the turning point in Botticelli’s life. He joined a 12-step program and embraced what he called its “loving recovery community.” That was more than 28 years ago. He has not had a drink since. Botticelli is now the executive
director of the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine at BMC. The $25 million gift from the Grayken family is the largest in BMC’s history and the largest private gift in the U.S. in the last decade for addiction treatment and medicine. The Grayken Center will be a leader in the treatment, prevention, research and training in addiction medicine. The road to recovery is not easy. “Stopping drinking is easy,” Botticelli said. “The hard part is staying stopped.” People find incentives to help them stay on track. One patient in the OBAT program made his choice clear. “I don’t have to choose between drugs and my kids,” he said.
ICTION D IS AD
HERE SO
IS
. C BM
NT C E
E R
Boston Medical Center is committed to pioneering breakthroughs in substance use disorder treatment, prevention, and recovery. By launching the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine, we take another bold leap forward for everyone touched by this epidemic. Learn more at bmcaddiction.org
10 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
BOSTONSCENES CHECK OUT MORE LOCAL EVENTS AT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.BAYSTATEBANNER.COM
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Inaugural Nuestra Voz Conference Held at EMK Institute to Advance Next Generation of Latino Leaders On Saturday, June 17, 2017, the Latina Circle, in collaboration with the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at UMass Boston hosted the inaugural Nuestra Voz Conference to train and advance the next generation of Latino leaders at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate. Morning speakers featured local Latino leaders, including Dennis Benzan, former Cambridge ViceMayor; Juana Matias, MA State Representative; Simon Rios, Reporter for WBUR; Jossie Valentin, Holyoke City Councilor; Andy Vargas, Haverhill City Councilor; and Damali Vidot, Chelsea City Councilor At-Large, who served as ‘Firestarters’ with their inspirational stories; and a keynote address by Maria Hinojosa, host and executive producer of NPR’s Latino USA.
1
2
3
1. Amplify Latinx Advocacy Session at UMass Boston. 2. Attendees at the afternoon elected leader ship session 3. From left New Politics Founder Emily Cherniack, Councilor Ayanna Pressley and Latino Victory Project Director Mayra Macias 4. Keynote Speaker Maria Hinojosa, host of NPR’s Latino USA. 5. Latina Circle Co-Founders Eneida Roman and Betty Francisco, with NPR Latino USA. Host Maria Hinojosa at Center. PHOTOGRAPHER: CREDIT ALEC LOFTUS
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5
SPOTLITE Party hosted by LiteWork Events Sunday, June 10, 2017 La Fabrica Central 450 Massachusetts Ave For information on upcoming LiteWork events visit www.liteworkevents.com PHOTOGRAPHER: DEONDRAE JONES
Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 11
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12 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
BUSINESSNEWS CHECK OUT MORE BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/BUSINESS
www.baystatebanner.com
BIZ BITS TIP OF THE WEEK investment strategies that can outlast market spikes
5
You’re familiar with the saying “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”? Just like any other scheme to “get rich quick,” attempting to buy low and sell high based on intermittent fluctuations in the stock market — also known as “market timing” — is almost always a losing proposition over the long term for the investor. Studies repeatedly have shown that those who attempt to align their investments with short-term fluctuations earn less than those who stay in over the long haul. The truth is that even the most stellar investment advisor lacks a crystal ball into the future, and can only make recommendations based on historical research, industry guidelines and experience. Unfortunately, past performance in the stock market is not at all an indicator of future performance. So what are some better guidelines for investing in the stock market? Consider the following sound strategies, built on the mounds of evidence saying market timing doesn’t work as a longterm strategy.
1
Establish a long-term plan. Set clear goals and objectives such as funding children’s college educations or investing for your own retirement. An advisor can help you evaluate risks, decide on asset allocation and set benchmarks for success while minimizing risk.
2
Use dollar-cost averaging. Instead of trading when you think it’s the right time, the principle of dollar-cost averaging (DCA) says to invest a fixed dollar amount at predetermined intervals. The result is that you’ll end up buying fewer shares when prices are high and more shares when prices are low.
3
Ride the market by tracking an index and optimize your costs. Trying to achieve alpha — i.e., beating the market with price returns — isn’t necessarily the most evidence-based way of getting the highest returns over time, especially looking at your returns net of costs and taxes. By investing in funds that largely track a market index (index funds), historical results show that the lower fees typical of index funds and the long-term gains often outperform actively managed funds with higher fees.
4
Be aware of tax implications. A major reason why investors should lean on professional support in today’s world is so that they can optimize their investments to lower taxes. Specifically, how assets are located within tax-advantaged and taxable accounts can be managed to lower your tax liability. Also, investment losses can be “harvested” via a process called “tax-loss harvesting,” and that’s generally a process many investors cannot do themselves.
5
Stay skeptical. When it comes to outlasting a spike in the market, any investor should be aware of their own biases and behaviors. Pay little attention to financial TV shows and other media reports that hype short-term fluctuations. And be cognizant of the speaker’s motivation. Those who think they have a real get-rich-quick scheme are unlikely to share it with others. — Brandpoint See BIZ BITS, page 13
PHOTOS: SANDRA LARSON
At Mass Innovation Nights in Grove Hall, Black Girls Nutrition was represented by (l-r) Katia Powell, founder and CEO; Tangela Kindell, digital marketing strategist; and Béthy Diakabana, software engineer.
Innovation in Grove Hall
Mass Innovation Nights event highlights black tech founders ON THE WEB
By SANDRA LARSON
Katia Powell, a self-described “nutrition geek” with a background in biology and health policy, saw a problem in existing nutrition and dieting programs that failed to address cultural issues for women of color. So she founded Black Girls Nutrition, a digital health company that guides and connects those who want to improve their diet without sacrificing culture and food traditions. “Lose the weight, not your roots” is the company’s tagline. Kristen Ransom, CEO and founder of IncluDe, formed her software development company with a mission to use her expertise in human factors engineering to provide minority- and women-owned businesses with digital design and usability analysis services. Formed in 2015, the company’s client list includes Social Good Marketing, Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen and OneUnited Bank. Both Black Girls Nutrition and IncluDe were among the 14 local black-owned technology and innovation companies showcasing new products and services at last week’s Mass Innovation Nights product launch and networking event in Grove Hall. Since 2009, Mass Innovation Nights events around Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts have enabled some 1,000 companies to showcase new products, with the in-person exposure amplified exponentially through social media. “It’s not just an event — it’s
Mass Innovation Nights: mass.innovation-
nights.com, @MassInno Greater Grove Hall Main Streets:
www.greatergrovehall.org, @greatgrovehall Video: “Diversity in tech: Voices of change”: http://usat.ly/1Xe2ZRC
Mass Innovation Nights exhibitor Kristen Ransom, founder and CEO of IncluDe software development and digital design agency, had some extra support at her table from 2-year-old son Pierce and husband Brandon Ransom. actually a month-long marketing program that we do for the companies,” said MIN Founder Bobbie Carlton, who also is founder of Carlton PR and Marketing. Extending the impact through social media is a key component, she said, noting that social media posts before, during and after the events, compounded, reach more than a million people each month. The June 14 event, sponsored by Greater Grove Hall Main Streets and held at the Thelma D. Burns Building on Warren Street, was MIN’s 99th — and its first to focus specifically on African American and African tech company founders. Enthusiasm ran high as nearly
250 attendees — community members, entrepreneurs and business experts — crisscrossed the room to browse and share business information and to sample food from small businesses that operate out of the Dorchester food incubator CommonWealth Kitchen. The nonstop buzz of greetings and networking continued even through the speaking program, which included pitches by selected businesses and self-introductions by featured business experts — all of them people of color — as well as brief remarks from sponsors and state and city officials. Mayor Marty Walsh noted that the technology sector’s income and
wealth potential is key to addressing income inequality in Boston. “Bringing technology and entrepreneurship together helps us foster economic inclusion and equality and helps bridge the wage and ethnicity gaps,” Walsh said. “To be and continue to be an inclusive, global city, we have to make sure innovation and technology is not just happening in one part of our city, but in all parts of our city.” Greater Grove Hall Main Streets Executive Director Edward Gaskin spoke of meeting high school students who showed interest and accomplishment in computer game creation, but had not thought of channeling that into forming their own companies. They had the technology skillset, he said, but not the entrepreneurship mindset. Speaking to the Banner after the event, Gaskin expanded on the “digital divide” problem which he defined not as a gap between those who have and don’t have access, but between those who consume technology and those who produce it. “All of our kids consume all types of social media. We all use technology. But [in our community] we’re not producing it. So how can we find ways to become producers?” he
See INNOVATION, page 13
Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 13
BUSINESSNEWS CHECK OUT MORE BUSINESS NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/BUSINESS
MONEY TALK
Are you a local landlord? Here’s how to select great tenants Would you rather lose the rental income for another month or take on a bad tenant? Bad tenants can cost you much more than a month’s rent in the long run. Make sure you do your due diligence on the front end (at application time) before accepting an applicant. Here are five very good ways to make sure you fully understand your next potential tenant.
Sufficient income
Does the proposed tenant make enough money to pay the rent and utilities? Landlords typically require annual income to be at least 40 times the monthly rent. For example, if you have a young couple looking at a $3,000 per month
innovation continued from page 12
said. “If you’re in Kendall Square, in every coffee shop you run into someone with an idea for a company they can take public and make money on — but in Roxbury or Dorchester there’s not as much of that same mindset. So how do you create the expectation?” There’s a lot at stake here, Gaskin emphasized. “We won’t be able to revitalize the Greater Grove Hall area with just retail commerce. People will need higher paying jobs than what retail typically pays in order to be able to afford to stay in the area,” Gaskin said. “Fostering technology start-ups has been a successful strategy used to revitalize urban areas and old manufacturing plants and even towns. This strategy could work in Grove Hall, as we have the available commercial space.” Bringing MIN to the neighborhood was a good first step, he said, serving to raise the visibility of those community members who already are founding businesses, and of the black experts in the room. The “expert corner” included Derrick Duplessy of the Duplessy Foundation; Winston Henderson of Sankofa, Inc; Glynn Lloyd of Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation; Beth Williams of Roxbury Technology Corp; Marv Jones of Kinergy Power; Walter Callender of Práctico Innovation; and Nia
apartment, you should require a combined income of $3,000 × 40, which equals $120,000. To determine how much rent tenants can afford, simply divide the combined annual incomes by 40. It’s important to make sure your tenants are financially capable (in your eyes) of paying the rent and utilities. Do the math, and if the budget appears too tight, move on to the next applicant.
Qualifying credit
What is the tenants’ credit score or rating? Do they have any accounts in collection? Have they ever been evicted from a prior residence? Either you or the tenant should be pulling credit for each Evans of Boston Ujima Project. The five companies chosen through advance online voting to present a short pitch onstage were FABLabs For America, Pulse 24/7, Kids In Tech, Donii and UZURI. In addition, OCC Youth Unleashed, a student-run nonprofit based at Wentworth Institute of Technology, was featured in a “student startup spotlight.” More than a year of planning preceded the MIN event. Gaskin began visualizing it after attending many tech business showcases in places like Boston’s Seaport District, Cambridge’s Kendall Square and the Route 128 corridor. Seeing few faces of color at these events, he decided it was time to host one in Grove Hall and to ensure that it drew entrepreneurs and attendees from Roxbury and Dorchester communities. Gaskin said he worked to promote the event as youth-friendly and urged parents to bring their kids, which some did. MIN events are free to exhibitors and attendees, but they require paying sponsors. Gaskin made a point to thank the local sponsors that helped his Main Streets organization afford the $5,000 sponsorship fee: The Boston Foundation, Eastern Bank, Boston Private Bank, One United Bank, Dorchester Bay EDC, Quincy Geneva CDC and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). The next Mass Innovation Nights event is July 12 at the Museum of Science.
applicant that applies for your empty unit. If you are going to pull a credit report, make sure the application you supply the tenant clearly provides you with authorization to do so.
Reasons for moving
Why are they moving? Where are they coming from? What don’t they like about their current residence? Have they notified their current landlord of their intent to vacate? These are four great questions to ask a prospective tenant when you receive their application. If you want to take this search a step further you can Google Earth their current residence or even take a drive
Biz Bits
continued from page 12
by (if you’re local). Gathering an image of the tenants’ current residence may help you get an idea of whether their new home (your apartment) will fit the bill.
Employment verification
Call the prospect’s current employer’s HR department. Do they work there? How long have they worked there? Is employment expected to continue for this individual? Make sure the application you’re using to collect tenant information provides authorization for you to make this inquiry. The HR staff may need to verify some information about the employee, so have the application in hand when making the call.
Google search
Do a quick Google search for the applicant’s name and see what pops up. Does America’s Most Wanted pop up as the first website or is a photo of the prospective tenant donating time to a local charity? In the first case you’ll certainly want to contact local authorities about your possible discovery. In the second scenario you will hopefully have a better feeling about the tenant you were going to accept. Note: Any negative information you find on Google should be taken through some type of verification process. You cannot deny an application based solely on something you found online.
Money Talk is written by William Mandrell.
Race Amity Day
THE LIST According to the World Economic Forum, the world’s 10 biggest economies are: 1. United States ($18 trillion) 2. China ($11 trillion) 3. Japan ($4.4 trillion) 4. Germany ($3.4 trillion) 5. United Kingdom ($2.9 trillion) 6. France ($2.4 trillion) 7. India ($2.1 trillion) 8. Italy ($1.8 trillion) 9. Brazil ($1.8 trillion) 10. Canada ($1.6 trillion)
TECH TALK Entertainment companies come together to fight piracy Entertainment companies such as Netflix, HBO and NBCUniversal and 27 others have joined forces to fight online piracy. Called the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the group will focus on allowing content creators to pool resources to conduct research and work with law enforcement to locate and stop illegal users from stealing movies and TV shows. To help combat the problem, ACE will partner with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and European organizations to uncover criminal piracy operations. — More Content Now
PHOTO: MAYOR’S OFFICE PHOTO BY DON HARNEY
City of Boston Chief Resilience Officer Atyia Martin speaks during the Race Amity Festival on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
14 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
BANNER PHOTO
Sen. Mary Keefe (left) and Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz (center) are co-sponsors of the Justice Reinvestment Act, an omnibus bill of criminal justice reforms that includes repeal of long mandatory minimum drug sentences.
criminal justice continued from page 1
incarcerated on drug offenses and 75 percent of offenders serving mandatory minimums, Carvalho said. “I believe it’s a racist policy — and I used to be a prosecutor,” he said. This creates ripple effects, Carvalho noted. People locked up are removed from the workforce and education opportunities, and once released, their criminal records may bar them from job opportunities, thus exacerbating the racial wealth gap. A Springfield resident who was incarcerated on a narcotics offense told those at the rally that he lost years during which he said he could have been advancing in a career and contributing to society. “During those five years [I was locked up], I was not able to get a job,” he said. “The judge’s hands were tied because of the
Introducing
circumstances of the case. That was my first-time offense and he wasn’t able to give me a lesser sentence. I ended up doing five years and coming home with nothing.” Ultimately he went on to attain bachelor’s and master’s degrees and become a licensed social worker and drug counselor. “Had I been able to get out earlier, I could’ve helped more people in my community,” he said. A stark worldview divide emerged between former prosecutors, elected officials and civil rights workers who oppose mandatory minimums as over-used and ineffective, and district attorneys who say they are a critical tool. Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley argued for keeping mandatory minimums, saying they are used only sparingly and to lock up the worst drug traffickers who drive violent crime. Meanwhile, Rahsaan Hall, director of the racial justice program of the
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During a pre-hearing rally at the State House, Rep. Evandro Carvalho spoke on the disproportionate rate at which black and brown residents are incarcerated for offenses carrying mandatory minimum sentences. ACLU of Massachusetts, said that often there is no distinction between a dealer and a user and that many impacted by mandatory sentencing are addicts who sell drugs to support their habit. Hall said the evidence shows it is far from “the worst of the worst” who are being trapped by such sentences: One-third of those currently doing time in Massachusetts on mandatory minimums have either minor criminal records or none at all, and more than half have moderate records or below. While Conley said mandatory minimums are a valuable aid he credits with protecting
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communities, Sen. Creem said that mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses have not been shown to improve public safety outcomes or costs. “There’s no evidence that it deters or reduces the rate of drug crimes or addiction,” Creem said. “[Or] that it doesn’t result in disproportionately long sentences.” The debate also brings up questions on how much discretionary authority prosecutors should have to determine sentences, or if that should reside solely with judges. Conley said that he believes prosecutors are better able to assess individual
circumstances than are judges. “Judges don’t have as deep or full understanding of communities as prosecutors do as to who is driving violence.” Meanwhile, Hall argued that even for the worst offenders, mandatory minimums are a less effective solution than leaving judges the discretion to determine appropriate sentences. Rep. Jay Livingston said that mandatory minimums are unnecessary to secure public safety against threats. “The worst of the worst, under any sentencing scheme, will go to jail for a long time,” he said.
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Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 15
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Q&A
Ejogo’s Largo
Carmen Ejogo stars in the film “It Comes at Night” By KAM WILLIAMS
Finding ome H
PHOTO: CELINA COLBY
A Vermont family farm celebrates African heritage
L
By CELINA COLBY
ydia Clemmons “junior” stands in the square wood silo of the 18th-century barn on her family’s farm in Charlotte, Vermont. She grew up feeding the livestock in the main room next door. Now, she holds a beautiful, handcrafted African vase and points out the intricate carvings. At her feet lie dozens of worn, brown boxes with equally priceless artworks inside. The 148-acre Clemmons Family Farm is the only site on Vermont’s African American Heritage Trail with living residents and living stories. “We are the bridge between the past, the present and the future,” Clemmons says. Of the 7,300 farms in Vermont, only 19 are owned or operated by African Americans. Lydia’s parents, Jackson and Lydia “senior” are now in their mid-90s and their days of farming are over, but they wanted to preserve the culture and
heritage of the farm and share it with the community. The farm now serves as a multicultural art space, hosting a variety of events related to the art and history of the African diaspora. Last week, they staged an Ethiopian coffee ceremony and author Donna Sherard read from her children’s book “The Splendiferous Adventures of Ryan Odongo.” The farm’s primary visitor space, The Barn House, carries a wealth of art and family history. Jackson Clemmons built the stunning residence by combining two smaller barn buildings from other areas of the property. He was 73 at the time. It becomes clear after a few moments with the Clemmons patriarch that this was no ordinary household. On paper, Jackson was a pathologist and professor at the University of Vermont. He and Lydia senior also traveled extensively in Africa, where he studied the HIV virus and she began an import business of African art. It’s clear from the design of The Barn
House that he was also an artist. Large windows that he picked up for free from the roadside create beautiful, airy room partitions. Stone, brick and wood intertwine for a textural interplay “Country Living” would write sonnets about. The building is decorated with rare African art gems Lydia senior brought back during her art dealing days. If you open the white marble table in the living room of the downstairs apartment, you can see Jackson’s wood-block prints of farm life, a la Hokusai. The Barn House serves as part residence, part exhibition space, currently showing a selection of posters from the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.
See CLEMMONS, page 18
ON THE WEB For more information about Clemmons Family Farm, visit: http://www.clemmonsfamilyfarm.org
Carmen Ejogo has established a distinguished career in both feature films and television. She is best known for her leading role of civil rights activist Coretta Scott King, playing opposite David Oyelowo in Ava DuVernay’s universally acclaimed “Selma,” as well as for her mind-blowing lead role as Sister in “Sparkle,” alongside Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks. Ejogo was seen most recently playing the key role of Seraphina Picquery, President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America in J.K.Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” alongside an all-star cast that included Eddie Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, Jon Voigt and Samantha Morton. Ejogo also plays a key role in Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated prequel, “Alien: Covenant,” with Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender and Katherine Waterston. The story follows on from 2012’s Oscar-nominated “Prometheus,” as the crew of the colony ship Covenant discover what they think is an uncharted paradise, but actually is a dark, dangerous world whose sole inhabitant is the synthetic David, survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition. Ejogo currently is filming the second series of Starz’ acclaimed drama “The Girlfriend Experience,” from executive producers Steven Soderbergh and Philip Fleishman. In one of two parallel storylines, she plays Bria Jones, who, after discovering disturbing information about a regular client, is forced to relocate to a remote location in New Mexico. Unable to shake her desire for risky relationships and the finer things in life, Bria navigates her new penniless and surreal existence by forming eerily intimate
See CARMEN EJOGO, page 17
ON THE WEB To see a trailer for It Comes at Night, visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKnigN8OiNc
16 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
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Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 17
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SATURDAY
JULY 15
TH
7:30PM
PHOTO: COURTESY A24
Carmen Ejogo in “It Comes at Night.”
Carmen Ejogo continued from page 15
transactional relationships. While Bria’s ghosts from the past continue to haunt, her new connections with men redefine the meaning of the girlfriend experience. Earlier last year Ejogo won plaudits for her lead role opposite Ethan Hawke in the independent feature “Born to be Blue,” depicting jazz legend Chet Baker’s musical comeback in the late ‘60s. She made her U.S. film debut opposite Eddie Murphy playing Veronica “Ronnie” Tate in the 1997 comedy “Metro.” She then went on to star in films such as Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost”; “What’s the Worst that Could Happen?” opposite Martin Lawrence; Neil Jordan’s “The Brave One” opposite Terrence Howard and Jodie Foster; Gavin O’Connor’s “Pride and Glory,” opposite Ed Norton; and Sam Mendes’ 2009 indie hit “Away We Go,” opposite Maya Rudolph. On television, Ejogo garnered the attention of television critics and audiences for her portrayal of Sally Hemings, the title character in the 2000 CBS miniseries “Sally Hemings: An American Scandal.” She first took the role of Coretta Scott King in HBO’s critically acclaimed “Boycott,” opposite Jeffrey Wright and Terrence Howard. That earned her a 2001 Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a TV film or miniseries. She also starred in HBO’s Emmy nominated “Lackwanna Blues,” where her role as Alean earned her a second Image Award nomination, also for Outstanding Actress in a TV film or miniseries. Ejogo also has starred as FBI agent Becca Sunjata in the ABC television series “Zero Hour,” opposite Anthony Edwards. She recently sat down to reflect on her career and latest film.
Kam Williams: You’re really enjoying a renaissance in recent years, after taking a break to raise the kids. You were in “Selma,” “Fantastic Beasts,” “Alien: Covenant,” and now this film. Carmen Ejogo: Yeah, I feel very fortunate to be able to have the kind of career that I want. It’s not always so easy with children.
What interested you in “It Comes at Night”? CE: Coming into it, we knew we were going to be working with a visionary director in Trey Edward Shults, having seen his first film, “Krisha.” It was so striking and original that you just knew that any movie he made was going to have a unique stamp on it. So, it wasn’t that difficult a decision to be a part of this film, although it was still a very ambitious, high-risk experiment in many ways. But that pushing of boundaries was part of the project’s appeal, quite frankly.
How did you manage to produce a masterpiece on a modest budget? CE: It wasn’t about money, really. It’s more about a strong script, excellent ideas and a great application of those ideas. Trey exhibited resourcefulness at its best as a director, and we all became one unit with the same intention. Sometimes, with the right attitude, you can actually be inspired by the absence of a budget.
Your co-star, Joel Edgerton, was brilliant as your husband in this film, as he was in “Loving.” CE: Yes, he’s phenomenal in this. Like so many people, I’m just discovering him in real time. He’s quite a gift and an immense talent: writer, director, actor. He’s quite a special human being in many ways.
Riley Keough is also in this film. Had you worked with her before? CE: No, although she was at the helm of the first season of “The Girlfriend Experience,” and I’m going to be taking on the role for the second season. We talked about the show on set, but I hadn’t yet signed on. I had much trepidation until Riley and I had some conversations about it. So, she’s part of the reason why I ended up going for it.
What message do you think people will take away from “It Comes at Night”? CE: I think Trey’s intention was to leave it enough open to interpretation so that multiple messages might be taken from it. But there was no agenda or particular intention other than the film’s being an examination of human nature at its best and worst, and of what the family unit can
descend into when survival and tribal mentality kick in. Personally, I feel the film is deeply relevant to what’s happening culturally at this point in time, in terms of people fearing anyone from the outside and choosing to isolate.
You often manage to end up in very interesting movies. How do you recognize a great script? CE: I’ve often wondered about that myself. At the end of the day, I really go with my personal taste and with what’s on the page in terms of character. But beyond that, there’s a complexity about the scripts I tend to respond to. I’ve not lost my curiosity about how the world functions. And a script that can embody that and thematically explore bigger questions in a way which seems fresh is likely to get my attention. Frankly, I also have an eye for what will appeal to an audience, as opposed to a self-indulgent exercise that isn’t taking the audience into account.
How did you prepare for the role of Sarah? CE: I definitely tried to fill her back story, which I don’t do for every role. Sometimes, it doesn’t feel necessary. But with this one, I felt it was important to have a sense of Sarah’s relationship with her husband because where you meet her is a place of such deterioration and lack of communication. I needed to understand how they’d arrived at that point. I also felt it was worth exploring Sarah’s relationships with her father and son. And because Trey wanted the picture to have a sense of timelessness, I felt quite excited by the idea of Sarah’s aesthetic being the subject of a Dorothea Lange, Depression-era portrait. Traditionally, you didn’t see people of color in this kind of movie I was watching while growing up. So, there was something very interesting to me about the idea of a mashup, a reinterpretation of the genre.
Given that you sing, would you be interested in doing a musical on Broadway or on screen? If so, would you like to do a revival or an original like “La La Land”? CE: All of the above. Yeah. Music is so much a part of my being. I haven’t gotten to explore it much in recent years.
Tickets at ticketmaster.com
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18 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
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FILM REVIEW
‘Brazilian Wavy’ explores Korean domination of black hair care industry AT A GLANCE
By KAM WILLIAMS
In recent years, a couple of groundbreaking documentaries have addressed some serious issues pertaining to African American hair. The first, Aron Ranen’s “Black Hair,” chronicled the Korean takeover of the black hair care industry. The second, Chris Rock’s “Good Hair,” was an eye-opening exposé of the dangers and costs associated with the efforts of sisters to straighten hair and purchase wigs in capitulation to a European definition of beauty. Now we have “Brazilian Wavy,” a wacky comedy that takes a lighter look at the same two themes. Directed by Kirk Henriquest, the thought-provoking film packs a wealth of information before delivering its emotional punch, despite its runtime of 21 minutes. Much like your typical TV sitcom, the film manages to entertain while sending you away with a worthwhile message to ponder. The picture’s plot is straightforward enough. First, we meet Remy (Barry Floyd), a nerdy brother who just had his heart
“BRAZILIAN WAVY” The verdict: Very Good (3 stars) Rating: Unrated Running time: 21 minutes Studio: Maroon Work
ON THE WEB To see a trailer for “Brazilian Wavy,” visit:
https://vimeo.com/174867558
PHOTO: COURTESY MAROON WORK
broken by his two-timing girlfriend, Jin (Celeste Seda). To add insult to injury, word gets around that she left him for an undocumented midget driving a garish, pumpkin-looking jalopy. More importantly, she’s also Korean and the daughter of the owner of the only beauty supply store in this neck of the ’hood. That conveniently dovetails with
the fact that Remy’s something of a scientist and has just invented a new styling gel called Brazilian Wavy, which he’d like her father to carry. But after being turned down, he hatches an elaborate plan to burglarize the store in the middle of the night, with the help of his brother Mavo (Lamont King) and roommate Zakia (Jasmine Burke). Of course, things don’t go as planned, and the ensuing developments are best left unspoiled. Suffice to say that “Brazilian Wavy” is a fun way to learn that the chemicals black folks use in their hair can cause serious harm, like baldness and blindness. Nevertheless, many are willing to assume the risk and “Live by the perm, die by the perm, and go out in style.”
PHOTO: CELINA COLBY
Art adorns the barn of the Clemmons family farm in Charlotte, Vermont.
Clemmons continued from page 15
Opening July 1, “The Power of Color” features portraits and statements by high school students from Hardwick, Vermont, who have struggled to come to terms with their ethnic identity in an overwhelmingly white state. The group reached out to Lydia junior looking for a place to exhibit their work and explore their cultural history. She’s currently working on
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developing more collaborations of this kind, where groups and individual artists can convene on the farm to create, connect and grow. For Lydia junior, that’s what this project is about: coming home. She finds that people are drawn to the farm as a place to feel connected to and to explore their cultural roots. She says, “Especially in this time, this place is where people can come and create positive experiences with different cultures. This is a place where people can come to find themselves.”
Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 19
FOOD
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TIP OF THE WEEK
Chocolate milk: The ideal recovery drink? Before you reach for another sports drink after your next run or gym session, consider this: Studies show chocolate milk helps muscles recover after a workout, says WebMD. The chocolate supplies carbohydrates to your muscles and liver, and replenishes energy stores in anticipation of your next vigorous activity. The protein from the milk also aids in muscle repair, while the drink’s electrolytes help with hydration.
EASY RECIPE Quick Strawberry Salsa This season, look beyond the strawberry dessert recipes and try this easyto-make strawberry salsa. It goes great with grilled chicken or fish. n 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries n 1 tablespoon orange juice n 1 teaspoon grated orange peel n 1 green onion, finely chopped, top included n 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard n 2 tablespoons dried currants n 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Chill before serving.
HEALTHY EATING Benefits of canned fish Fish that is frequently canned — such as herring or mackerel — have the following health benefits: n According to the Mayo Clinic, eating fish such as mackerel, herring, salmon and other cold-water fish can reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. n Herring, mackerel and salmon are rich in lean proteins that build muscles, aid in recovery and help you lose weight. n They’re loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which promote weight loss and heart health and improve brain function.
DID YOU KNOW? Fun facts about watermelon Whether you slice it or cut it into chunks, watermelon is a staple at summer picnics and parties. Here are some facts from the National Watermelon Promotion Board: n Watermelon is a cousin to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. n By weight, watermelon is the most consumed melon in the U.S., followed by cantaloupe and honeydew. n Early explorers used watermelons as canteens. n The world’s heaviest watermelon was grown in 2013 and weighed 350.5 pounds. — Brandpoint
Toast with the most
Avocado toast is the breakfast du jour By ARI LEVAUX, MORE CONTENT NOW
Avocado toast is having quite the moment. Toast, in general, is figuratively on fire, the carb darling du jour at coffee shops everywhere. And avocado is in the midst of a boom all its own. Worldwide, we are eating more avocados than ever. Avocados have lots of fat and hardly any carbs, making them a favorite among lowcarb dieters. As evidence of their fat content, the texture is buttery, and spreads perfectly on the sharp, pocked surface of hot toast, where it forms a new material altogether: its own creamy, crunchy, chewy layer of food that you are happy to ingest. But beware. There are dangers lurking beneath the crispy, possibly pre-buttered surface of that avocado toast. An injury known as “avocado hand” has emerged recently in England, where avocado consumption recently leapt by more than 25 percent. The broad diagnosis of avocado hand includes various forms of self-inflicted knife injuries, some of which require surgery, that occur in pursuit of avocado pit removal. “People do not anticipate that the avocados they buy can be very ripe and there is minimal understanding of how to handle them,” plastic surgeon Simon Eccles told The Times of London. “We don’t want to put people off the fruit, but I think warning labels are an effective way of dealing with this.”
Hidden costs?
As if avocado hand isn’t enough to worry about, the avocado toast world recently learned about yet another hazard aficionados must face: a lifetime of being a tenant. “When I was trying to buy my first home,” recalled Australian real estate tycoon Tim Gurner to Australia’s “60 Minutes,” “I wasn’t buying smashed avocado for $19 and four coffees at $4 each.” Predictably, Gurner was maimed on social media and in the news. Several teams of journalists crunched their local housing and avocado toast numbers to determine how many average-priced orders it would take to forego
SUDOKU ANSWERS FROM PG 20
PHOTO: ARI LEVAUX
Avocados have a buttery texture, and they spread perfectly on hot toast.
the average house. Others looked at maths of making avocado toast at home, where one would have to add caviar and poached dodo egg to get the price tag above five bucks for two slices. Speaking of price, avocados are likely to be expensive this year, thanks in part to severe floods in avocado-producing South America. But not to worry, because in Mexico, huge swaths of old-growth jungle are being clearcut in order to plant more avocado trees.
Make it yourself
I first heard about “toast” years ago from an aspiring coffee shop owner whose wife had just returned from a trip to Los Angeles. I thought “toast” was the silliest thing ever. Now, a decade later, my friend lives in a house that was paid for, basically, by avocado toast. My friend’s best-selling slab is built on a thick slice of toasted sourdough loaf. Half an avocado is smeared on, and dressed with salt, pepper and coconut oil.
Personally, I prefer a good olive oil to most coconut oils available on the market. And I fancy a squeeze of lemon or lime. After the pit has been safely removed, I gently slice the flesh with a butter knife, while the peel is still on, and then squeeze it onto the toast and mash it around. Before adding the oil and lemon, consider adding whatever seasonal delicacies you can assemble: A thin slice of radish or turnip. Eventually, tomatoes. In the meantime, a poached egg is a decadent addition to anything, including avocado toast. Some leftover chicken, toasted on the bread sprinkled with cheese, can be smeared with avocado for glorious results. Spinach pesto, pickled jalapenos, capers. Salt and pepper, of course. And chile flakes. It all seems to work just fine with avocado toast. Just watch that knife.
Ari LeVaux writes a syndicated weekly food column that’s appeared in more than 50 newspapers in 25 states. Ari can be reached at flash@flashinthepan.net.
Look online for
NUTRITION & HEALTH NEWS at www. baystate banner.com/ news/ health A publication of The Bay State Banner
20 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
ROXBURY HOMECOMING
PHOTO CREDIT
(above left) Diane Teal, Barbara Teal, Peachy White and Janet Teal enjoy a moment with Mayor Martin Walsh during Roxbury Homecoming in Franklin Park. (above right) Conan Harris and Rufus Faulk. (below left) Kalya Murray, Kim Janey and Sufiyak McKenley. (below right) Student Minister Rodney Muhammad and Bro. Joseph 6X.
FUN&GAMES SUDOKU: SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 19
Thursday, June 00, 22, 2015 2017 •• BAY BAY STATE STATE BANNER BANNER •• 21 21 Thursday, Month
ROXBURY HOMECOMING
7.6474 in PHOTO CREDIT
(above left) Gaynell McGee, Norma McGee, Kathy Nelson and Gina White enjoy a moment with City Councilor Tito Jackson. (above right) Sufiyak Mckenley and Michael Thomas. (below left) Danielle Williams with daughter Domonique Williams and son Michael Williams. (below right) Shawn Jones and state Representative Chynah Tyler.
BANNER CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed General Bids for MPA CONTRACT NO. L1359-C1 HVAC REPLACEMENT – SOUTH CARGO BUILDING 57, LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, will be received by the Massachusetts Port Authority at the Capital Programs Department Office, Suite 209S, Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, East Boston, Massachusetts 021282909, until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2017 immediately after which, in a designated room, the bids will be opened and read publicly. Sealed filed sub bids for the same contract will be received at the same office until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017, immediately after which, in a designated room, the filed sub bids will be opened and read publicly. NOTE:
PRE BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT (ABOVE ADDRESS) AT 10:00 LOCAL TIME ON THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017. A SITE VISIT WILL BE OFFERED TO ALL INTERESTED CONTRACTORS, REFER TO PAGE P-4, INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS, OF THE BID PROPOSAL.
The work includes PHASED REMOVAL OF EXISTING AND INSTALLATION OF NEW WET SPRINKLER PIPING AND HEADS; PHASED REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING HEATING AND VENTILATING SYSTEMS SERVING THE CARGO AREAS AND HVAC SYSTEMS AND AIR HANDLING UNITS SERVING THE OFFICE AREAS, PHASED MODIFICATION TO EXISTING DUCTWORK; PHASED MODIFICATION TO EXISTING HOT WATER PIPING TO ACCOMMODATE THE DESIGN. Bid documents will be made available beginning WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017. Bid Documents in electronic format may be obtained free of charge at the Authority’s Capital Programs Department Office, together with any addenda or amendments, which the Authority may issue and a printed copy of the Proposal form. In order to be eligible and responsible to bid on this contract General Bidders must submit with their bid a current Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Division of Capital Assessment Management and an Update Statement. The General Bidder must be certified in the category of General Building Construction. The estimated contract cost is $4,146,000. In order to be eligible and responsible to bid on this contract, filed Sub-bidders must submit with their bid a current Sub-bidder Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance and a Sub-bidder Update Statement. The filed Sub-bidder must be certified in the sub-bid category of work for which the Sub-bidder is submitting a bid proposal. Bidding procedures and award of the contract and sub contracts shall be in accordance with the provisions of Sections 44A through 44H inclusive, Chapter 149 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A proposal guaranty shall be submitted with each General Bid consisting of a bid deposit for five (5) percent of the value of the bid; when sub bids are required, each must be accompanied by a deposit equal to five (5) percent of the sub bid amount, in the form of a bid bond, or cash, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or a cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, payable to the Massachusetts Port Authority in the name of which the Contract for the work is to be executed. The bid deposit shall be (a) in a form satisfactory to the Authority, (b) with a surety company qualified to
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do business in the Commonwealth and satisfactory to the Authority, and (c) conditioned upon the faithful performance by the principal of the agreements contained in the bid. The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a performance bond and a labor and materials payment bond, each in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract price. The surety shall be a surety company or securities satisfactory to the Authority. Attention is called to the minimum rate of wages to be paid on the work as determined under the provisions of Chapter 149, Massachusetts General Laws, Section 26 to 27G, inclusive, as amended. The Contractor will be required to pay minimum wages in accordance with the schedules listed in Division II, Special Provisions of the Specifications, which wage rates have been predetermined by the U. S. Secretary of Labor and / or the Commissioner of Labor and Industries of Massachusetts, whichever is greater. The successful Bidder will be required to purchase and maintain Bodily Injury Liability Insurance and Property Damage Liability Insurance for a combined single limit of $10,000,000. Said policy shall be on an occurrence basis and the Authority shall be included as an Additional Insured. See the insurance sections of Division I, General Requirements and Division II, Special Provisions for complete details. Filed sub bids will be required and taken on the following classes of work: MISCELLANEOUS AND ORNAMENTAL IRON ROOFING AND FLASHING ACOUSTICAL TILE PAINTING FIRE PROTECTION SPRINKLER SYSTEMS PLUMBING HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIR CONDITIONING$ ELECTRICAL
$35,000 $46,700 $96,600 $27,100 $204,707 $39,125 1,784,717 $445,662
The Authority reserves the right to reject any sub bid of any sub trade where permitted by Section 44E of the above referenced General Laws. The right is also reserved to waive any informality in or to reject any or all proposals and General Bids. This Contract is also subject to Affirmative Action requirements of the Massachusetts Port Authority contained in the Non Discrimination and Affirmative Action article of Division I, General Requirements and Covenants, and to the Secretary of Labor’s Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Opportunity and the Standard Federal Equal Opportunity Construction Contract Specifications (Executive Order 11246). The General Contractor is required to submit a Certification of Non Segregated Facilities prior to award of the Contract, and to notify prospective subcontractors of the requirement for such certification where the subcontract exceeds $10,000. Complete information and authorization to view the site may be obtained from the Capital Programs Department Office at the Massachusetts Port Authority. The right is reserved to waive any informality in or reject any or all proposals. MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY THOMAS P. GLYNN CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS The MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY (Authority) is soliciting consulting
services for MPA CONTRACT NO. A359 FAA NEXTGEN / ATC TOWER SPACE CONSOLIDATION PROJECT, LOGAN INTERATIONAL AIRPORT, EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. The Authority is seeking qualified multidiscipline consulting firm or team, with proven experience to provide professional services including planning, design and construction related services including resident inspection for a project relocating FAA offices, equipment and support areas to open up space for FAA Next Generation equipment. The project will consolidate FAA offices, training room, support space, as well as provide space for FAA equipment. The Consultant must be able to work closely with the Authority and other interested parties in order to provide such services in a timely and effective manner. The consultant shall demonstrate experience in several disciplines including, but not limited to Planning, Architectural, Information Technology & Electronic Telecommunication, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, Security System Design, Code Compliance, Asset Management, Laser Scanning, Lean Design and Construction, Cost Estimating, Construction Phasing, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC/ BIM) for all disciplines, Scheduling and Sustainable Design. The consultant shall also have demonstrated experience in Construction Management at Risk, MGL Chapter 149A. The contract will be work order based, and Consultant’s fee for each work order shall be negotiated. Estimated construction cost for A359 is $5,000,000. A Supplemental Information Package will be available, on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017 on the Capital Bid Opportunities webpage of Massport http://www. massport.com/doing-business/_layouts/CapitalPrograms/default.aspx as an attachment to the original Legal Notice, and on COMMBUYS (www.commbuys.com) in the listings for this project. If you have problems finding it, please contact Susan Brace at Capital Programs SBrace@massport.com The Supplemental Information Package will provide detailed information about Scope Of Work, Selection Criteria and Submission Requirements. In recognition of the unique nature of the project and the services required to support it, the Authority has scheduled a Consultant Briefing to be held at 1:00 PM on TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 at the Capital Programs Department, Suite 209S, Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, East Boston, Massachusetts 02128. At this session, an overview of the project will be provided, the services requested by the Authority will be described, and questions will be answered. By responding to this solicitation, consultants agree to accept the terms and conditions of Massport’s standard work order agreement, a copy of the Authority’s standard agreement can be found on the Authority’s web page at www.massport.com. Consultant shall specify in its cover letter that it has the ability to obtain requisite insurance coverage. This submission, including the litigation and legal proceedings history in a separate sealed envelope as required shall be addressed to Houssam H. Sleiman, PE, CCM, Director of Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs and received no later than 12:00 Noon on THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2017 at the Massachusetts Port Authority, Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, Suite 209S, Logan International Airport, East Boston, MA 021282909. Any submission which is not received in a timely manner shall be rejected by the Authority as non-responsive. Any information provided to the Authority in any Proposal or other written or oral communication between the Proposer and the Authority will not be, or deemed to have been, proprietary or confidential, although the Authority will use reasonable efforts not to disclose such information to persons who are not employees or consultants retained by the Authority except as may be required by M.G.L. c.66. MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY THOMAS P. GLYNN CEO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
22 • Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER
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INVITATION TO BID The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is seeking bids for the following: BID NO.
DESCRIPTION
DATE
TIME
OP-358
Phase 8 Sewer Manhole Rehabilitation
07/11/17
2:00 p.m.
WRA-4402
Purchase of Low Voltage Variable Frequency Drives
07/12/17
11:00 a.m.
To access and bid on Event(s) please go to the MWRA Supplier Portal at www.mwra.com. MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed General Bids for MPA CONTRACT NO. LP1701-C1, FY2018-2019 RUNWAY/TAXIWAY INFIELD MAINTENANCE TERM CONTRACT, LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, will be received by the Massachusetts Port Authority at the Capital Programs Department Office, Suite 209S, Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, East Boston, Massachusetts 02128-2909, until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017 immediately after which, in a designated room, the bids will be opened and read publicly. NOTE: PRE BID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT THE CAPITAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT (ABOVE ADDRESS) IN THE BID ROOM AT 1:00 PM LOCAL TIME ON FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017.
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by the Trustees in accordance with the provisions of the 17 Fort Avenue Condominium Trust. The Unit is subject to the provisions of G.L. c. 183A, the Master Deed and Condominium Trust recorded with said Deeds in Book 14879, Page 133, and any by-Laws and Rules and Regulations from time to time adopted thereunder, all as may be amended of record.
In the event of a typographical error or omission contained in this publication, the description of the premises contained in said Unit Deed shall control.
1. A non-refundable deposit payable in cash, certified or bank check in the amount of $5,000.00 for the Unit shall be payable at the Auction. 2. The balance of the purchase price is to be paid within thirty (30) days of the auction. 3. An Auctioneer’s Release Deed will be issued to the purchaser, upon payment of the balance of the purchase price, within thirty (30) days of the auction. The Deed shall convey the premises subject to, and with the benefit of, all restrictions, easements, improvements, outstanding tax titles, municipal or other public taxes, assessments, liens, or claims in the nature of liens, and existing encumbrances of record senior to the lien hereby being satisfied, whether or not reference to such restrictions, easements, improvements, outstanding tax titles, municipal or other public taxes, assessments, liens or claims in the nature of liens or encumbrances is made in the deed.
Bid documents will be made available beginning WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017.
6. The successful bidder shall pay the future condominium common charges commencing with the date of the auction.
Bid Documents in electronic format may be obtained free of charge at the Authority’s Capital Programs Department Office, together with any addenda or amendments, which the Authority may issue and a printed copy of the Proposal form.
7. No representation is or shall be made as to any other mortgages, liens, or encumbrances of record.
The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a performance bond and a labor and materials payment bond, each in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract price. The surety shall be a surety company or securities satisfactory to the Authority. Attention is called to the minimum rate of wages to be paid on the work as determined under the provisions of Chapter 149, Massachusetts General Laws, Section 26 to 27G, inclusive, as amended. The Contractor will be required to pay minimum wages in accordance with the schedules listed in Division II, Special Provisions of the Specifications, which wage rates have been predetermined by the U. S. Secretary of Labor and / or the Commissioner of Labor and Industries of Massachusetts, whichever is greater. The successful Bidder will be required to purchase and maintain Bodily Injury Liability Insurance and Property Damage Liability Insurance for a combined single limit of $10,000,000. Said policy shall be on an occurrence basis and the Authority shall be included as an Additional Insured. See the insurance sections of Division I, General Requirements and Division II, Special Provisions for complete details. This Contract is also subject to Affirmative Action requirements of the Massachusetts Port Authority contained in the Non Discrimination and Affirmative Action article of Division I, General Requirements and Covenants, and to the Secretary of Labor’s Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Opportunity and the Standard Federal Equal Opportunity Construction Contract Specifications (Executive Order 11246). The General Contractor is required to submit a Certification of Non Segregated Facilities prior to award of the Contract, and to notify prospective subcontractors of the requirement for such certification where the subcontract exceeds $10,000. Complete information and authorization to view the site may be obtained from the Capital Programs Department Office at the Massachusetts Port Authority. The right is reserved to waive any informality in or reject any or all proposals. MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY THOMAS P. GLYNN CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SALE OF REAL ESTATE UNDER M.G.L. c. 183A:6 By virtue of a Judgment and Order of the Suffolk Superior Court (Civil Action No. 14-1059E), in favor of the Trustees of the 17 Fort Avenue Condominium Trust against Tantura, LLC, establishing a lien pursuant to M.G.L. c. 183A:6 on the real estate known as Unit E of the 17 Fort Avenue Condominium with a street address of 17 Fort Avenue, Roxbury, Massachusetts for the purposes of satisfying such lien, the real estate is scheduled for Public Auction commencing on June 30, 2017 at 12:00 NOON at 17 Fort Avenue, Roxbury, Massachusetts. The premises to be sold are more particularly described as follows:
5. No representation is or shall be made as to any amount of taxes due and outstanding.
8. No representation is or shall be made as to the condition of the Premises or the Condominium. The Premises shall be sold “as is.” 9. Other items, if any, shall be announced at the sale. 10. The sale is subject to and in accordance with the Judgment and Order, a copy of which may be obtained from the seller’s counsel, Attorney Laura White Brandow, Marcus, Errico, Emmer & Brooks, P.C., 45 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 107, Braintree, MA 02184, (781) 843-5000. 17 FORT AVENUE CONDOMINIUM TRUST, By its Board of Trustees Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
The Unit is located in the 17 Fort Avenue Condominium created by Master Deed dated May 31, 1988 and recorded with Suffolk County Registry of Deeds in Book 14879, Page 117 in accordance with the provisions of G.L. c. 183A, and is shown as Unit E on a plan recorded with the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds in Book 14893, Page 231, which is a copy of a portion of the plans filed with the Master Deed and to which is affixed a verified statement in the form provided for in G.L. c. 183A, Section 9. The Unit is conveyed together with the listed percentage interest (a) in the common areas and facilities of the Condominium, as described in the Master Deed, and (b) in the 17 Fort Avenue Condominium Trust, recorded with the said Registry of Deeds in Book 14879, Page 133. The Unit is to be used only as a garage and uses accessory thereto permitted from time to time by the Zoning By-Laws and expressly permitted
Docket No. SU17C0223CA In the matter of Ayana Mya Johnson of Roxbury, MA
NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all persons interested in a petition described: A petition has been presented by Ayana M Johnson requesting that Ayana Mya Johnson be allowed to change her name as follows:
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
IF YOU DESIRE TO OBJECT THERETO, YOU OR YOUR ATTORNEY MUST FILE A WRITTEN APPEARANCE IN SAID COURT AT BOSTON ON OR BEFORE TEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING (10:00 AM) ON 07/06/2017. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: June 2, 2017 Terri Klug Cafazzo Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department Docket No. SU17C0273CA
SUFFOLK Division
In the matter of Sean Robert Cheatum of Boston, MA NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all persons interested in a petition described: A petition has been presented by Sean R Cheatum requesting that Sean Robert Cheatum be allowed to change his name as follows: Sean Robert Cheatum Gauthier
To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Matthew R. Kaufman of Boston, MA a will has been admitted to informal probate. Matthew R. Kaufman of Boston, MA has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner. Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. 17W0538, 17W0539, 17W0540 Summons By Publication and Mailing Karl Nicholson, Plaintiff (s) vs. Carolyn Euell, Defendant (s)
To the above named Defendant (s): Carolyn Euell A Complaint has been presented to this Court by the Plaintiff (s), Karl Nicholson seeking a Complaint For Custody-Support-Parenting Time. You are required to serve upon Karl Nicholson whose address is 20 W. Tremlett St, Dorchester, Mass 02124 your answer on or before 13th day of July, 2017. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action. You are also required to file a copy of your answer in the office
Docket No. SU17D1207DR
SUFFOLK Division
Divorce Summons by Publication and Mailing Minette Diann Barker Gonzalez
vs.
Adolfo Gonzalez Montero
To the Defendant: The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for irretrievable breakdown. The Complaint is on file at the Court. An Automatic Restraining Order has been entered in this matter preventing you from taking any action which would negatively impact the current financial status of either party. SEE Supplemental Probate Court Rule 411. You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon: Minette Diann Barker Gonzalez, 120 West St., Apt 1, Hyde Park, MA 02136 your answer, if any, on or before 08/10/2017. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action. You are also required to file a copy of your answer, if any, in the office of the Register of this Court. Witness, Hon. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: June 6, 2017 Terri Klug Cafazzo Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU17P0943EA Estate of Cecil J Miles
INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Michael A Miles of Roxbury MA a will has been admitted to informal probate. Michael A Miles of Roxbury MA has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner.
IF YOU DESIRE TO OBJECT THERETO, YOU OR YOUR ATTORNEY MUST FILE A WRITTEN APPEARANCE IN SAID COURT AT BOSTON ON OR BEFORE TEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING (10:00 AM) ON 07/13/2017. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: June 7, 2017 Terri Klug Cafazzo Register of Probate
Docket No. SU17P0942EA Estate of Marcia Asquith Kaufman Also Known As Marcia A. Kaufman Date of Death March 17, 2017
INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE
Ayana Mya Guyton
DESCRIPTION: Unit: E. Percentage Interest: 7.37 Post Office Address: 17 Fort Avenue, Unit E, Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119.
Terri Klug Cafazzo, Register
TERMS OF SALE:
4. Additionally, and not by way of limitation, the sale shall be subject to and with the benefit of any and all tenants, tenancies, and occupants, if any.
A proposal guaranty shall be submitted with each General Bid consisting of a bid deposit for five (5) percent of the value of the bid; when sub bids are required, each must be accompanied by a deposit equal to five (5) percent of the sub bid amount, in the form of a bid bond, or cash, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or a cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, payable to the Massachusetts Port Authority in the name of which the Contract for the work is to be executed. The bid deposit shall be (a) in a form satisfactory to the Authority, (b) with a surety company qualified to do business in the Commonwealth and satisfactory to the Authority, and (c) conditioned upon the faithful performance by the principal of the agreements contained in the bid.
Witness, Hon,Joan P. Armstrong, Esquire, First Judge of said Court, this 26th day of April, 2017
For title see Deed to Tantura, LLC dated December 1, 2003 and recorded with the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds in Book 33397, Page 77.
The work includes GRADING AND RE-TURFING OF INFIELD AREAS ADJACENT TO AIRFIELD RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY PAVEMENTS, INCLUDING EXCAVATION, GRAVEL FILL, TOPSOILING, SEEDING AND SODDING, WATERING, INSTALLATION OF BLAST STONE, INSTALLATION OF FRENCH DRAINS, ADJUSTMENT OF CASTINGS, AND MISCELLANEOUS INFIELD REPAIRS.
The estimated contract cost is $500,000.
of the Register of this Court at Boston, MA.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU17P0844EA Estate of Rita T. Gorman Also Known As Rita Powers Date of Death 3/29/1993
INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Rita L. Gorman-Moon of Dorchester, MA. Rita L. Gorman-Moon of Dorchester, MA has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner.
Thursday, June 22, 2017 • BAY STATE BANNER • 23
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department Docket No. SU16P2221EA
SUFFOLK Division
Citation on Petition for Formal Adjudication Estate of Gwendoline Elizabeth O’Brien Date of Death: 05/16/2016 To all interested persons: A Petition for Formal Probate of Will with Appointment of Personal Representative has been filed by William A Bibbo of Boston, MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. The Petitioner requests that William A Bibbo of Boston, MA be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in an unsupervised administration. IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 07/27/2017. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an Affidavit of Objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you. UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC) A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to file an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: June 14, 2017 Terri Klug Cafazzo Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department
Representative has been filed by Richard F Naples of Billerica, MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. The Petitioner requests that Richard F Naples of Billerica, MA be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in an unsupervised administration. IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 07/06/2017. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an Affidavit of Objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you.
UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC) A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to file an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: May 25, 2017 Terri Klug Cafazzo Register of Probate
REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE
Brand New Homes Moderately Priced Think you can’t afford to buy a home in Boston? Think again! The City of Boston is building homes for people earning moderate to middle income wages. Great design, new construction, affordable price!
$385,000
18 Hildreth St & 98 Willowwood St
Both are two-family homes in Dorchester; ~2400-2800 sf
To qualify, you must earn less than:
22 Hildreth St
$425,000
1 person
2 persons
3 persons
4 persons
$57,900
$66,200
$74,450
$82,700
Docket No. SU17P1051EA
SUFFOLK Division
Citation on Petition for Formal Adjudication Estate of Dorothy E Naples Date of Death: 03/18/2017
Two-family home in Dorchester; ~2800 sf
To all interested persons: A Petition for Formal Probate of Will with Appointment of Personal
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To qualify, you must earn less than:
1 person
2 persons
3 persons
4 persons
N/A
$82,700
$93,050
$103,400
HOMES SOLD BY LOTTERY APPLY BY JULY 7, 2017
REAL ESTATE
BOSTONHOMECENTER.COM 617-635-4663
Affordable Rental Housing Opportunity / Selection by Lottery - 1 , 2 & 3 Bedroom Apts. Rents*:
3 Evergreen Drive Middleborough, MA 02346
Type # of Apts. Rents at 80% AMI 1BR 7 $1,242** 2BR 13 $1,491** 3BR 4 $1,722** **Utility allowance deducted from gross rent allowable.
Homes are sold by lottery. Only qualified applicants may enter. The property is deed-restricted; owner-occupancy and rental requirements apply. Qualified applicants must be first-time homebuyers and complete an approved homebuyer education course prior to closing. Minimum household size requirement is number of bedrooms minus one, but a preference is given to households with one person per bedroom. Income limits for 18 Hildreth and 98 Willowood are based on 80% Area Median Income Limits (AMI) as defined by HUD; 22 Hildreth is available to those earning at or below 100% AMI. Preference given to Boston residents. This information is subject to change.
Banner Connect with the
Applications available beginning 6/1/17 thru 7/31/17 at • Middleborough Central Library, 102 N. Main St. Income Limits: • Middleborough Town Hall, 10 Nickerson Ave. #HH 80% AMI • Middleborough Housing Authority, 8 Benton St. 1 $46,400 or E-mail middleboroha@verizon.net; 2 $53,000 or by phone 508.947.3824 (TTY 711) 3 $59,650 Mail completed application to: Middleborough 4 $66,250 Housing Authority c/o Woodlands Lottery 5 $71,550 8 Benton Street, Middleborough, MA 02346 6 $76,850 or email to middleboroha@verizon.net AMI = Area Median Deadline: Postmarked by July 31, 2017 Info Session: June 15th | 2 & 6 P.M. Lottery Drawing: August 9th | 3 P.M. Both events held at Middleborough Housing Authority, 8 Benton St.
REAL ESTATE Union Towers 210 Washington Street Weymouth. MA 02188
Elderly Housing Low- to moderateLow-income elderly income housing housing applications being acceptedbeing for the applications waiting list. Studios, accepted for the waiting onetwo-bedroom list.and Studios, one- and apartments. two-bedroom apartments.
(781) 335-2667 Equal Housing Opportunity
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Income, as of 4/14/17 *Rents & income limits based on HUD guidelines & subject to change. Please inquire in advance for reasonable accommodation. Info contained herein subject to change w/o notice.
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at Labouré College in Milton, MA
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: n Routinely clean assigned sections of a 3 building campus, Assist with cleaning activity of other custodial staff as directed, other duties assigned. n High School Diploma required, 1-3 experience in environmental services Applicants should apply online only at: www.laboure.edu -> about Labouré tab -> work at Labouré
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POAH Madison Associates LLC is looking for interested General Contractor (GC) bidders for the on-site redevelopment of Whittier Street Apartments Phase 1A in Roxbury. Total of 92 units with podium and 4 story wood frame construction. GC’s interested in being added to the bid list need to contact Meena Jacob at mjacob@poah.org before June 30, 2017. Interested GC’s will be given a RFQ package that will need to be completed before July 7, 2017.