The Daily Free Press
Year xliii. Volume lxxxiv. Issue III
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MO’BAMA More photos from the inauguration, Page 2.
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Tuesday, January 22, 2013 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University
ROBO HOME
Smart appliances could change your home, page 5.
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NEW NOONAN
Men’s hockey seeks footing after tough weekend, page 8.
WEATHER Today: AM light snow/High 26 Tonight: Partly Cloudy/Low 7 Tomorrow: 18/5 Data Courtesy of weather.com
Hub bars violate food licenses, receive warnings BU students more cautious after 3 campus robberies By Amira Francis Daily Free Press Staff
After a hearing in front the Boston’s Licensing Board Tuesday, Mary Ann’s Bar and the Beacon Hill Pub were given warnings for violating their food licenses, but some students questioned the law requiring bars to sell food. Several bars in the Boston area have been given warnings for violating their food licenses. The suspicion began when Boston Police Department implemented police officers in Great Scott, O’Brien’s Pub, Mary Ann’s Bar and the Beacon Hill Pub, said Nicole Murati Ferrer, chair of Boston’s Licensing Board. Ferrer said bars in possession of a common victualler’s license, a license that allows an establishment to sell both food and liquor, must sell food. The food sold by each establishment varies according to what they presented to the board, Ferrer said. “It’s on a case-by-case basis,” she said. “I can’t tell you what would qualify as food in one place versus another. It also depends on what was originally presented to the board. If you originally presented to the board that you were only going to serve muffins, then muffins are enough.” After the bars’ hearing on Tuesday, the board found that Great Scott and O’Brien’s Pub do serve food, fulfilling their victualler’s license, but not at the time the police officers were in the establishments, Ferrer said. Mary Ann’s Bar and the Beacon Hill Pub admitted to not serving food at all, Ferrer said.
By Brian Latimer Daily Free Press Staff
you’re on the lease, you better make sure, number one, things don’t get out of control, and, number two, you don’t have students who are under the legal age of drinking,” Evans said. Chenlong Zuo, a School of Public Health second-year graduate student who lives in the GAP area, said he did not notice a difference in police presence this weekend, but thinks the initiative will be helpful in reducing partying and underage drinking. “It’s always good to know the news that they are increasing the police,” Zuo said. West Campus resident Danielle Cutts, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman, said she noticed the change this weekend. “Parties just ended sooner and everybody seems to be more on edge about partying, so there’s definitely a difference,” Cutts said.
Boston University students said they are more careful walking around West Campus and Brookline after three BU students were robbed in three different instances, one of which involved an armed suspect, on or near the Charles River Campus late Friday night and early Saturday morning. “Just knowing that there are more cops around may scare robbers into rethinking their decisions and make the area a safer place,” said Rivah Clemons, a College of Communication freshman. “I just avoid the area altogether because crime has been so frequent there the past few semesters.” Clemons said BUPD’s efforts to prevent more robberies are apparent. BU Police Chief Thomas Robbins said in an email sent to the BU community Saturday afternoon at least one individual robbed in each instance was a BU student. There were no injuries reported in any of the three incidents. “The BUPD and area police departments will be providing additional patrols to these areas over the holiday weekend to prevent and deter criminal activity,” Robbins said. “ … Although your chances of being the victim of a crime are small, your personal commitment to your own safety is crucial.” Robbins said while BU is in a relatively safe area, criminal activity is consistent with urban life. The first robbery occurred at 1065 Commonwealth Ave., next to the Shaw’s Supermarket at about 11 p.m. A BU student was walking alone in an alleyway when two males approached him. The first suspect was described as a white male in a North Face jacket standing between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8, of thin build with a possible righteyebrow piercing. The second suspect was described as an Asian male of muscular build. The suspects robbed the victim of his cellphone, Robbins said. At about 12:15 a.m. Saturday morning, three people, one of whom was a BU student, were stopped by whom they described as two white males on St. Paul Street in Brookline. The suspects presented a black handgun and took various items from the victims, including smartphones, Robbins said. The first suspect was described as 6-foot-2
Drinking, see page 2
Robberies, see page 4
HILLARY LARSON/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Boston-area bars have been given warnings by Boston’s Licensing Board for violating food licenses.
An anonymous source from Mary Ann’s Bar said he thought the snack machine in Mary Ann’s acted as the sale of food. “As far as I know, we have a snack machine and that satisfies the requirement for food service,” he said. Other bars given a warning by the licensing board declined to comment. Ferrer said the bars would not have to go
through the process of applying again in order to change their license. “All Beacon Hill and Mary Ann’s would have to do is file a petition to change the classification of their license from a common victualler to a general law premise license,” she said. “They wouldn’t have to go through the process of applying again, they just have to change the
Bars, see page 2
10 arrests in first weekend of increase BPD drinking patrols By Rachel Riley Daily Free Press Staff
Ten students from local schools including Boston University were arrested for alcohol-related offenses on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with several others summonsed to court, Boston Police Department officials said. These charges are the result of BPD’s effort to increase weekend patrols in the lower part of Allston, including Gardner, Ashford and Pratt Streets, also known as the GAP, in order to reduce underage drinking. “We’re dedicating several officers on nights where students tend to party, and their sole job is going to be riding around making sure things aren’t out of control,” said BPD Superintendent William Evans. Evans said the offenses police are targeting include disorderly houses, underage drinking and disruptive behavior. In cases
of parties where underage drinking is present, students on the lease will be arrested. “Our goal is to stop the students from hosting these parties that get out of control, and we feel the quickest way to do that is to hold those responsible for hosting the parties,” he said. “Sometimes, we can take enforcement against the student visiting the home, but ultimately, the student hosting the party where minors are found should be held responsible.” Allston residents voiced concerns at a recent community meeting, which prompted the increase in patrols, Evans said. “A lot of the residents down there have put up with a lot of loud parties and vandalism and everything else,” he said. “This stepped-up effort will hopefully improve their living conditions.” Evans said students hosting out-of-control parties will face criminal action from the BPD. “If you’re going to host a party and
COM senior honored to cover presidential inauguration with BU students, faculty By Margaret Waterman Daily Free Press Staff
College of Communication senior Deedee Sun said, while covering the presidential inauguration, she was struck by the energy of the American people and the historic significance of the moment. “You could really feel the enthusiasm of the crowd and it was just an amazing experience.” Sun is one of the students Boston University News Service sent to Washington, D.C. to cover the 57th presidential inauguration Monday, along with other associated events. Walter Montaño, BU’s Washington, D.C. program intern director, said Sun was one of 13 students covering the 72 hours surrounding Obama’s second inauguration. “They are out in the crowd and covering the parade — doing all of the reporting,” he said. “Anything political or historic we try to have a student cover.” Sun covered the Inaugural Parade and interviewed Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick for news outlets local to Boston, she said. She was on the
National Mall at the same time as Obama. Sun’s interview with Patrick was later aired on New England Cable News. “One of the things we asked was if after his term if he [Patrick] is going to work for the Obama administration because that is rumored and going all around,” Sun said. “Also, [we asked] if he is going to appoint someone for [Secretary of State nominee John] Kerry’s position.” Sun said she and her fellow student reporters contacted Patrick through his media team and benefitted from R.D. Sahl’s journalistic reporting experience. “It was really helpful to have a College of Communication professor who was established in the field there, even though I feel as if BU students are very proficient at what we do, it was helpful to have R.D.,” she said. “He knows D.C. like the back of his hand and was able to give great pointers.” Montaño said faculty members accompany
Inauguration, see page 2
BILLIE WEISS/BU NEWS SERVICE
Spectators gather on the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. on the day of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama.