ArtS and Entertainment
Fighting the ‘biggest wave of voter suppression’ since 1965.............pg. 8
This Forest is on Fire! pg. 12
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Race conversation rises to forefront of national consciousness Peniel E. Joseph Whether or not we want to admit it, Americans are finally engaging in a national conversation about race and democracy. But it’s not happening in a single town hall forum televised on C-SPAN or through a Twitter chat hosted by President Barack Obama, with millions tuning in. No, this conversation has been happening week after week, month after month, all summer, on the steps of the Supreme Court, in the halls of Capitol Hill and in small forums around the country leading up to the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Indeed, the collective conversation that some called for in the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict has actually been replaced by organic discussions as Americans react to a slew of events — from Supreme Court decisions to presidential press conferences to Justice Department decrees. And each one reminds me that this is what democracy looks like when it’s working. For instance, this past Sunday, the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston gathered civil rights activists and historians for a panel analyzing the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. The panelists discussed the way
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech offered a vision of multiracial democracy while challenging all American politicians to re-imagine the meaning of citizenship and freedom. Each speaker reminded the audience that even the passage of successful civil rights legislation required constant vigilance and enforcement. They also discussed the way in which President John F. Kennedy’s political evolution on the subject of racial equality paralleled the movement’s own maturity during the Civil Rights era. M o s t provocatively, the panel analyzed how King’s famous wish for his children to “be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin” has been hijacked. Colorblind racism in contemporary America substitutes rhetorical equality for genuine racial justice. More perversely, it accuses those who dare to mention race of being racist. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the former chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the only speaker from the 1963 March on Washington still living, delivered a keynote address that touched upon his personal experiences as a Civil Rights activist and the struggle for voting rights then and now.
Colorblind racism in contemporary America substitutes rhetorical equality for genuine racial justice.
Race, continued to page 18
The 50th anniversary of the Mach on Washington was celebrated with activities and events throught this week. Hundreds of New England locals traveled to Washington to take part. (Tayla Andre photo)
‘Unfathomable’ lab crisis may have tainted 40,000 cases Howard Manly Calling the state lab crisis “unfathomable” and resulting from an “unconscionable level of gross negligence,” the Massachusetts Bar Association Chief Legal Counsel Martin W. Healy nevertheless applauded the work of Gov. Patrick’s Administration in revealing that 40,323 defendants’ cases could have been tainted by the work of accused chemist Annie Dookhan. The number of potentially tainted cases was revealed last week after independent attorney David Meier released the results of an 11-month page-by-page investigation of 3.5 million pages of electronic and paper documents
at the now-closed state lab. Meier’s investigation saw the number of potential cases increase by 3,000 from previous estimates. Of the 40,323 cases identified by Meier’s team, about 10,000 were deemed priority cases because the suspects were incarcerated and awaiting trial in Superior Court or had been convicted based on samples tested by Dookhan, according to the report. Meier said the vast majority of the remaining 30,000 individuals were non-violent or firsttime drug offenders. “The overwhelming tide of individuals affected by Dookhan’s actions requires a systematic and speedy resolution to ensure im-
mediate redress for individuals wrongfully convicted or affected by tainted evidence,” said Healy. “The crisis will continue to negatively impact the state’s budget and reverberate throughout the commonwealth’s judicial system for years to come.” A state spokesman said last week that least 337 state prison inmates have been let out of custody as a result of the lab scandal, and the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association said at least 1,115 cases were dismissed or not prosecuted because of Dookhan’s involvement or due to problems with producing documents because of the lab closure. Lab, continued to page 16
Boston locals attend 50th anniversary of March on Washington Shanice Maxwell
Selwyn Malcolm’s costume at the Caribbean Festival on Aug. 24 portrays a fierce mare in keeping with the Trinidad and Tobago Social Club’s theme for 2013, “Nightmares.” See more pictures from the festival on page 20. (Yawu Miller photo)
Hours before buses left for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, youth members of the Boston NAACP’s Pipeline to Leadership program stood outside the Mall of Roxbury cheering and waving posters. For many, this trip would be their first to the nation’s capital. Nearly 300 people would join them on the journey and in their excitement. For some present it was a rite of passage to be a part of the 50th
anniversary because of their vivid memories of the original in 1963. For others it would be a chance to be a part of history in the making. “I feel like there’s this kind of attitude in the country that we live in a post-racial society and it’s totally not true,” said Jimmy Meade, 24, of Dorchester. “Trayvon Martin isn’t the only example but it was sort of like a flashpoint of exposing the continuing systemic and cultural racism that still exists March, continued to page 19
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2 • Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
Mayoral Election Campaign Calendar Below is the calendar for upcoming mayoral forums. This list gives you a great opportunity to get out and meet the candidates in person. We will update the calendar as it changes. If you have any questions email news@bannerpub.com
9/5
Here’s the list of mayoral candidates and their websites. Find out where they stand on key issues and how they plan on achieving their goals.
City Councilor Felix Arroyo
Charlotte Golar Richie
John Barros
City Councilor Mike Ross
Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont St., South End 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Boston Courant is sponsoring the forum.
Charles Clemons
Bill Walczak
Dimock Center
District Attorney Dan Conley
State Rep. Marty Walsh
City Councilor John Connolly
David James Wyatt
City Councilor Rob Consalvo
City Councilor Charles Yancey
BOSTON ES NUESTRA HOGAR
BOSTON IS OUR HOME
Lo que pase en esta ciudad nos importa. Al votar estamos decidiendo sobre el futuro de las escuelas y la seguridad pública de nuestra comunidad. Por eso hoy mismo debes a inscribirte para poder votar en las primarias para elegir a nuestro próximo alcalde el 24 de Septiembre. Vota -por tus hijos, tu familia y tu ciudad
What happens in this city matters to us. By voting, we are determining the future of our schools and safety in our communities. For that reason you should make the decision to register TODAY so that you can vote in the preliminary elections on September 24th. VOTE – for your children, your family and your city.
8/29 South End Business Alliance Forum
9/4
Mayoral Candidates
Cheney Building, 4th Floor located at 55 Dimock Street, Roxbury MA 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is the only forum that deals specifically with the issue of healthcare and its impact on residents, businesses and the city. All 12 candidates will be in attendance. New England Cable News’ Morning Anchor Steve Aveson will moderate the panel.
www.forwardwithfelix.com
www.barrosforboston.com
www.charlesforboston.com
www.danconleyformayor.com
www.Connollyforboston.com
www.robconsalvo.com
www.charlotteformayor.com
www.mikeforboston.com
www.billforboston.com
www.martywalsh.org
www.davidjameswyatt.org
www.charlesyancey.org
Ward 19 and Ward 5 Democratic Committees First Baptist Church, 633 Centre St., Jamaica Plain 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
9/10 NAACP Forum
Salvation Army KROC Community Center, 650 Dudley St., Dorchester 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. RSVP – https://cocfforum2013.eventbrite.com
9/11 Action for Boston Community Development forum
Action for Boston Community Development, Inc., Melnea Cass Room, 178 Tremont St., South End 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
9/11 Boston Teachers Union Forum
Boston Teacher’s Union Local 66, 180 Mt. Vernon St., Dorchester 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
9/12 Boston University School of Education Forum
Boston University, Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
9/16 Back Bay Association Forum Liberty Mutual Conference Center, 175 Berkeley St., Back Bay 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
9/18 Dorchester Board of Trade
Freeport Tavern, 780 Morrissey Blvd., Dorchester 6:30 p.m. UMass Boston’s Professor Paul Watanabe to moderate.
9/19 UMass Boston’s McCormack School, The Boston Foundation and WBUR UMass Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Dorchester 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
BOSTON ES NUESTRA CIUDAD, BOSTON IS OUR CITY Este es nuestro momento y lo que pase aquí nos importa.
This is our time and what happens here affects us all.
INSCRÍBETE ahora y VOTA.
REGISTER RIGHT NOW and VOTE ON SEPTEMBER 24th
Visita: www.voteoiste.com ó llama a el 617-426-6633
www.voteoiste.com
City Council Candidates and Forums
MassVote will be hosting three forums for the City Council races. For more details go to massvote.org
District 4
Wednesday, September 11, 6-7:30 p.m. Codman Square Health Center, 637 Washington St, Dorchester, MA 02124
Candidates:
Charles Calvin Yancey Divo Rodrigues Monteiro Steven Godfrey Terrance J Williams
District 5 For Information on voter registration, where to vote, absentee voting or any other voting rights or procedure questions visit
massvote.org
For more information visit us: www. voteoiste.com or call us at 617-426-6633
Monday, September 16, 6-7:30 p.m. Roslindale Community Center (located at 6 Cummins Highway in Roslindale Square)
Candidates:
Michael E Wells III Jean-Claude Sanon Margherita Ciampa-Coyne Ava D Callender Andrew Norman Cousino Mimi E Turchinetz Timothy P McCarthy Patrice Gattozzi
Preliminary At-Large Wednesday, September 18, 6-8 p.m. Roxbury Community College
Candidates:
Martin J. Keogh Ayanna S. Pressley Catherine M. O’Neill Francisco L. White Michael F. Flaherty Frank John Addivinola Jr. Jeffrey Michael Ross Douglas D. Wohn Keith B. Kenyon Stephen J. Murphy Ramon Soto Jack F. Kelly III Christopher Conroy Michelle Wu Gareth R. Saunders Seamus M. Whelan Phillip Arthur Frattaroli Althea Garrison Annissa Essaibi George
The Bay State Banner’s weekly campaign update (also available at baystatebanner.com)
Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER • 3
Junior Advocates graduate nonprofit summer program Kassmin Williams Cedric Correia, 17, thought he’d spend his summer working an ordinary job. That was until he learned about an opening in the Junior Advocacy program, a new youth advocacy program created by Boston nonprofit Mothers for Justice and Equality. When he applied he thought of the position as backup in case he didn’t find a job, but after spending some time with Mothers for Justice and Equality, Correia came to like the program and decided to see it through. The summer program was the next step for Mothers for Justice and Equality in their mission to combat neighborhood violence in the city. After spending nearly seven weeks learning the ins and outs of working a job, networking with local organizations and politicians and planning events, the 15 youth celebrated their transition from everyday youth to young community advocates on Aug. 22. During an event at Franklin Field, the youth participated in outdoor activities and shared vision boards they created over the course of the summer that described their past, present and hopes for the future. Each individual’s past was shown on the left side of the board, the present was shown in the center and the future on the right. Some of the youth discussed hurdles they overcame in the past, such as the death of a family member, and their plans for success in the future, which included attending college. A drawing of a red staircase stretched throughout Diamond Correia’s board, with the lowest steps drawn in the past and the high-
est one in the future. Correia titled the drawing “Steps to Success.” A stick figure can be seen reaching toward a step in the present section and then attempting to climb the last step before the drawing continues into the future section. One of the images posted in the past was a photo of Diamond Correia’s cousin, who died at a young age. In the section on her present, Correia showed pictures of her and her friends and family and shared a quote she read that she liked: “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” The stick figure looks as if it’s running on the final step shown in the section depicting her future. Correia told observers that her ultimate future goal is to become a criminal investigator. During the seven weeks, the group organized two park rallies to combat violence. In the first rally, the youth marched from Mattapan Library to Almont Park, and during the second, the youth paraded from the Mattapan Police Station to Norfolk Park. The program also taught financial literacy, which required students to keep track of how they spent the stipend they earned during the seven weeks. Luisa Dossantos, a parent of two youths in the program, 15-year-old Luis and 14-year-old Leonardo Dossantos, said she appreciated the money management portion of the program. “They’ve learned a lot in the program and I think it’s also a sense of them [learning] responsibility,” Dossantos said. “They’re getting older so them understanding the reality of life of having to work [makes me happy].”
Youth celebrated the completion of Mothers for Justice and Equality’s new Junior Advocacy Program with food and games at Franklin Park on Aug. 22.
The junior advocates also had the opportunity to meet with many local politicians and mayoral candidates, including candidate John Barros and City Councillors
Ayanna Pressley and Felix Arroyo. The highlight of the program for Cedric Correia was the networking, he said. “We go the chance to meet so many people and I got a lot of contact information from a lot of people,” he said. The violence in the city hits close to home for Correia. He says he has lost a lot of family members to violence and has seen some of his friends get arrested after landing in trouble.
After seeing how the violence impacted him and his family, Correia says it’s good to have a program like the Junior Advocate program. “I think the worst part about it is a lot of people my age, if you ask them if they know someone who’s been a victim of homicide, they could easily say yes or they know someone who knows someone,” Correia said. “The thing about that is I honestly think it’s sad that so many people can say, ‘I know someone who has been shot to death.’”
Leshawn Cornelius told attendees that the ladders on his vision board are symbols of him climbing toward his future. (L to R) Cedric Correia and Leshawn Cornelius. (Photos courtesy of Mothers for Justice and Equality)
4 • Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
Established 1965
A conspiracy to suppress the black vote Conservatives reject the assertion that the objective of new voting rights laws is to suppress the minority vote. According to the Brennan Center for Justice there have been 25 laws and two executive actions passed in 19 states since 2011. While it is true that every state proposing or making a change does not have a history of racial unrest, there is still substantial evidence to conclude that one goal of the new laws is to frustrate efforts of blacks and the less affluent to vote. The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court last June to strike down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 seemed to sanction efforts to revise voting laws across the country. With a stroke of the pen the court freed nine states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia) as well as several counties and other political jurisdictions from the restrictions of Section 5. Changes in voting laws in these locations no longer have to be subjected to federal pre-clearance. Despite denials by conservatives of a plan to restrict the voting power of minorities, there is a sufficient history of voter suppression to cause suspicions. That is what the Jim Crow era in the South was about. In many areas of the South, freed slaves who became citizens with the passage of the 14th Amendment in 1868 outnumbered whites. Without the imposition of literacy tests, poll taxes and outright violence, blacks would have become politically dominant in the post-Civil War South. A similar demographic reality is now developing. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of July 2011, a majority of the nation’s population (50.4 percent) that is younger than age 1 are what were once called “minorities.” Projections are that by 2043, whites will no longer be the nation’s majority population. Republican analysts know how to read the tea leaves. The Romney voters in 2012 were primarily older white men. Obama won 93 percent of
blacks, 71 percent of Hispanics and 73 percent of Asians. As the white population declines relative to the total U.S. population in future years, mitigation of the minority vote will be a significant strategy for conservatives to win political victories. The growing political assertiveness of blacks makes the electoral problem for conservatives even more serious. In the 2012 election, 66.2 percent of registered blacks went to the polls compared with only 64.1 percent of whites. In 2012, blacks constituted 12.5 percent of the eligible electorate but were 13.4 percent of those voting. These data on successful black performance do not indicate, as some suggest, that conservatives did not attempt to obstruct the black plebiscite. What they show is that any efforts failed. The new voter ID bill passed in North Carolina and signed into law by the Republican Gov. Pat McCrory illustrates the excessive provisions that are designed to exclude minorities, the poor and the young. The law requires a government-issued voter ID — a driver’s license, passport, veteran’s ID or a tribal card. Same-day registration is eliminated as well as early registration for those who will be 18 on Election Day. Early voting will also be reduced. As one might expect, such restrictions reduce voter registration in the U.S. Records indicate that only 68 percent of eligible Americans were registered in 2006. The rates are higher in other industrialized nations: In Great Britain, 97 percent of eligible citizens are registered, in Canada and Germany 93 percent are and in France 91 percent of those eligible are registered. Conservatives claim that states have a constitutional right to establish voting procedures, even if it is a hardship for minorities and the poor to comply. The right to vote is too fundamental to permit procedures that disenfranchise so many.
In the weeks since the not-guilty verdict in the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman, widespread outrage and legitimate questions about the treatment and perception of young black men in America have reverberated throughout the nation. Last month, in an unscripted appearance in the White House Press Room, President Barack Obama spoke personally about the historical racial context and the negative preconceptions that may have led to the death of Trayvon Martin. He also talked about the racial indignities and systemic disparities that millions of black men face every day and the questionable “stand your ground” laws that may be causing more violence than they are supposedly meant to prevent. And the president suggested he would use his “convening power” to engage a cross-section of citizens in doing more to give African American boys “the sense that their country cares about them and values them
What’s Inside
and is willing to invest in them.” We applaud the president for his insightful comments. We hope they touch the nation’s conscience and advance the kind of dialogue and action that is needed to heal America’s festering racial divisions. The death of Trayvon Martin has re-energized the civil rights community and inspired an outpouring of citizen action not seen since the height of the movement 50 years ago. As President Obama noted, “there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws, everything from the death
penalty to enforcement of our drug laws.” These disparities are more than demeaning, they are leading to the overincarceration, underemployment and disenfranchisement of millions of African American men. The death of Trayvon Martin has ignited a firestorm of protest. And it’s not just about the shooting, but the many ways America continues to devalue young black men. Justice for Trayvon is about justice for all. arc H. Morial M President and CEO National Urban League
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Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER • 5
RovingCamera
Opinion Reinforcing the self-serving myth that black killers choose white victims because they are white
How far do you think America has come toward realizing Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream?
Earl Ofari Hutchinson
The predictable happened as soon as the race of the three teens charged in the Oklahoma slaying of Christopher Lane, a young white Australian baseball player, was known. Two are black. The cry immediately went up yet again that whites are in dire peril of being victimized and likely killed by young blacks. There is not a shred of evidence or even a hint that Lane’s killing was racially motivated. The teens themselves could only say that they killed him and that he happened to be an accessible and convenient target. This in no way minimizes the horror and tragedy of their alleged act, and prosecutors wasted no time in filing charges against them as adults. Oklahoma is a tough death penalty state, and it’s almost certain that the death penalty will loom large in consideration of the sentences of the two black teens that are charged with first-degree murder in the killing, their age notwithstanding. Meanwhile, the FBI’s annual figures on homicide rates in America repeatedly show that of the thousands of killings in the nation annually, only a minuscule number of whites are killed by blacks. The plain fact is that whites are likely to be killed by other whites, blacks by other blacks. Yet it’s because interracial killing, more specifically black-on-white killing, is so rare that it lends itself to fear, sensationalism and hysteria. The clamor even extends to the press. It’s now become a ritual for right-wing bloggers and talk show hosts to browbeat the national media for supposedly clamping down with a wall of silence in black-on-white killing cases because journalists fear inflaming racial tensions, and are scared stiff that they will be called racist for talking up black-on-white crimes. Yet when whites assault or kill blacks the press and civil rights leaders supposedly leap over each other to blare it out as headline news. This supposedly proves that the national The suggestion that press is somehow in collusion with the national press civil rights leaders to cover up the an engages in cover-ups epidemic of black-on-white killings. This is false. The accusations to quash discussion of are a self-serving and cheap ploy to killings committed by knock the press and civil rights leaders. Yet the horrific killing of Lane blacks of whites because does cast a troubling glare on an it’s afraid to offend aspect of violent crime in America blacks is just absurd. that isn’t much talked about beyond race-baiting digs at the media and civil rights leaders. And that’s the reasons that blacks do kill whites. Even though the numbers are small, a higher proportion of whites are likely to be killed by blacks than whites killing blacks. As in the Oklahoma slaying, there is no evidence that the killings are racially motivated. Whites are targeted because they are perceived to have valuables in the home: cash, a luxury car or other conspicuous objects of value that criminals seek out and that poor blacks aren’t likely to have. In other words, these killings are almost all cases of garden-variety street crime. The alleged Oklahoma teen shooters prove that point. There is no talk about “getting” whites in their Facebook page rants, but rather an exulting of the pseudo-tough guy, gangster lifestyle. In trying to determine whether to prosecute an interracial killing or attack as a hate crime or not, prosecutors have to figure out whether there is racial animus in the crime. For an instance of black-on-white violence to be ruled a hate crime, the prosecution has to prove that a black perpetrator intentionally targeted a white victim solely because of his or her color. It takes hard evidence of racial taunts, threats, writings or statements by the perpetrator to prove race was the motivating factor in an attack. In the absence of that evidence, the charge that the attack was a hate crime won’t fly. The suggestion that the national press engages in cover-ups to quash discussion of killings committed by blacks of whites because it’s afraid to offend blacks is just absurd. The better explanation is that crime news is so routine that many people never hear about a killing unless the accused murderer is O.J. Simpson, Phil Spector, Robert Blake or a big-name celebrity, or if — as in the case of the alleged killers in Oklahoma — the accused are teens, and the explanation they give as to why they killed is so jaw-dropping and senseless that it alone insures that the incident will become a leading news story. Still, black-on-white violence anywhere stirs fear among some whites that crime-prone blacks are out to get them, and will seize any opportunity they get to commit violence against white people. When blacks say or do nothing about these attacks it is taken by some as a tacit signal that blacks put less value on white lives than on black lives. This is ridiculous. But that won’t stop some from screaming loudly that the killing of Lane proves there’s a double standard in interracial killing cases. There’s nothing of the sort, but his heartbreaking death will unfortunately reinforce that belief. Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. The Banner welcomes your opinion. Email Op-Ed submissions to:
hmanly@bannerpub.com Letters must be signed. Names may be withheld upon request.
I think we’ve come pretty far. But a lot of things need to change. Boston is pretty racist. Many of us don’t seem to notice because we’ve lived here all our lives. It’s subtle, but there’s a lot that should change.
We’ve come a long way, but there’s still work to be done. Racism is still alive and well. It’s up to us — black, white, red and brown — to fix it. We need to make our leaders accountable for our progress.
Shawntell Usher
Henry A. Winbush
Student Roxbury
We’ve come a long way, but there’s still progress to be made.
Abdur Rahman Student Roxbury
I guess we’ve come pretty far. But there’s still a ways to go. I major in mechanical engineering. People say, “You’re a black female — good luck.” What do they mean by that? It’s like I’m not supposed to be doing this.
Retired Roxbury
Renee Baxter
I think we still have a long way to go. Back in the ‘60s, people were segregated based on race. Now we’re segregated based on education and economics, and those differences are based on race.
I think it’s come pretty far because we have a day to celebrate his life. We celebrate what he’s done for the world.
Aaliya Turner Student Roxbury
Student Roxbury
Shaylah Thames Student Roxbury
INthe news
Michael Davis
Northeastern University has appointed Michael Davis as director of public safety. According to the school, he will serve in a critically important position as the university’s programs and people expand across the nation and around the world. Currently the chief of police in Brooklyn Park, Minn., Davis brings a proven track record of more than 20 years in law enforcement. Davis will oversee all aspects of Northeastern’s Public Safety Division, which includes police, security, crime prevention, fire safety and emergency medical services. As chief of police for Brooklyn Park, Minnesota’s sixth-largest and second-most-diverse city, Davis implemented strategies to reduce reported and violent crimes to the city’s lowest rates in 21 years. Davis was previously a member of the Minneapolis Police Department. Davis is a two-time graduate of Concordia University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in organizational
management. He was a member of the 2011–2014 Harvard Executive Session on Policing and Public Safety, and the recipient of the 2012 Gary P. Hayes Award from the Police Executive Research Forum, an internationally recognized research or-
ganization that promotes leadership and best practices in policing. Davis will join Northeastern on Nov. 1. He will succeed D. Joseph Griffin, who announced his retirement last year after more than 35 years of service at Northeastern.
6 • Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
Hotspots
by Tiffany Probasco
The GEM dining room features comfortable seating. (Tiffany Probasco photos)
Restaurant GEM glimmers in Downtown Crossing Big Night Entertainment Group has brought high-end venues like Shrine, Red Lantern and Empire to the city’s most high-traffic neighborhoods. One of the group’s latest projects is GEM Restaurant & Lounge, located just outside of Beacon Hill. The vamp-style supper club features a setting that brings in both midday diners and late-night revelers to dine in sumptuousness.
Décor The dining room opens up to dark wood tones, plush maroon furniture and modern drapery. Round tables encourage guests to congre-
gate in large groups while smaller tables line the walls promoting intimacy. During the day, sunlight floods through the windows that span the full length of the dining room. After dark, the lighting dims, and tassel shades cover rustic sconces and chandeliers. In the bar, the dark color scheme continues; a large plush scarlet red booth is separated by tables and a long marble bar top optimizes movement within the slender space.
Drinks & Bites Drinks like the “Tequila Tryst” (a combination of Don Julio Blanco, St. Germain, lime-agave and house strawberry) and the “Peach Bellini in St. Tropez” (Ciroc peach, passion fruit and bubbles) are for a sugary palate. The favorite of this visit was the “Cloud 9” (Hennessy VS, St. Germain and fresh citrus). The drink was well balanced, and the Hennessy blended expertly with the orange flavor. A drawback is that drink prices here are some of the highest, averaging $13-14. Executive chef Kevin Long de-
GEM’s shoestring fries are some of the best fries in the city.
GEM’s “Peach Bellini in San Tropez” is a vacation in a glass.
GEM’s roasted beet salad is a harmony of sweet and savory.
scribes the restaurants’ menu: “For GEM we wanted to do a twist on the American tapas. [Most of our menu] is served family style: easy to nibble on, easy to share.” One of the most popular items on the appetizer menu are the tater tots, which are potatoes blended with cheddar, green onion, fried and served with Russian dressing. These tots are crispy ovals rather than the traditional oblong shape. Though very crisp on the outside, they were a bit mushy on the inside and lacked the familiar robust potato and salty tastes. The server, Peter, also suggested the fried semolina gnocchi seasoned with nutmeg and pecorino and served with a warm tomato sauce. The presentation was impeccable and the dish was a perfect symmetry of temperature and flavor. The gnocchi were light, crisp and fluffy, and the pecorino cheese gave the dish something extra. The paired warm
tomato sauce could be a dish in itself — a must try. It’s hard to botch up French fries, but GEM’s shoestring fries served with spicy ketchup (preferred) and Russian dressing, should be ranked amongst some of the best. Any fan of beets would savor the beet salad roasted and served with summer peaches, local greens and goat cheese buttons in a Balsamic vinaigrette. Not only does the dish receive high scores for presentation, but more points are added for the freshness and the light crunch and harmony of the sweet and savory. Moving on to the next dish was a challenge. The San Marzano tomato, mozzarella and parmigiano pizza tasted fire-roasted and is served in a size optimal for sharing. The combination of flavors popped, and the mozzarella cheese didn’t overpower. For this review, the strawberry shortcake was served. GEM’s version of the popular summer treat was a crisp biscuit glazed in butter and honey before being topped with house-made whipped cream and market-fresh strawberries. It was simply delicious. The dessert menu changes daily, so it is worth asking the server for recommendations.
is open late with revolving DJs. The crowd is stylish, and the music is upbeat. A new addition to the entertainment roster is Brunch Club on Sunday afternoons, with a start time of 12 p.m. The kitchen stays open until 5 p.m., and the weekly DJ is a crowd pleaser.
Entertainment Saturdays and Sundays GEM
Why You Should Visit GEM is an ideal place to have a quiet meeting on a weekday afternoon or a pulsating fête of a late night on weekends. The atmosphere beckons with relaxation as you take in the decadent surroundings. Share a bite with the company of your choice, whether for business or pleasure.
GEM 42 Province St, Boston, MA 02108 Monday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 5:00 – 12:00 a.m. Thursday – Saturday: 5:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. Sunday: 12:00 – 10:00 p.m.
GEM’s San Marzano tomato, mozzarella and parmigiano pizza. Plenty to share!
thinking quality child care? think crispus attucks children’s center Green Playground with agility course and fitness track • Affordable • Convenient- Ten minutes from Downtown Boston, Roslindale, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain • Nurturing Environment • Emphasis on developing early literacy skills • Strong age- based academic curriculum • Nutritious breakfast, lunches & snacks • Computers in all Pre-School classrooms
Vouchers strongly encouraged
For more information please contact denise gaskins or shelene nesmith at 617-445-1420 www.crispus-attucks.org Licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care
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Fighting the ‘biggest wave of voter suppression’ since 1965 Khalil Abdullah The same morning Hillary Clinton was using her highly visible stature at the recent American Bar Association convention to call for increased protection for Americans’ right to vote, N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory signed HB 589, a law that strips all residents of same-day voter registration, shortens early voter registration and imposes onerous voter ID requirements. “We view the attacks on voting rights in North Carolina to be among
the most extreme and regressive we’ve seen in the country,” said Eddie Hailes, managing director and general counsel for Advancement Project, a civil rights organization that works on clearing barriers to the ballot box. In a statement announcing the organization’s lawsuit against North Carolina, Advancement Project co-director Penda Hair noted that voters of color and young people would be the hardest hit by the new restrictions. The law Gov. McCrory enacted
will end the pre-registration of 16and 17-year-old future voters and increases the likelihood of incidents of intimidation at the polls by allowing voters to be challenged by a registered voter from the same county. In the past, those challenges were limited to voters from the same precinct. “Right now in 2013, we’re having a repeat performance of 2012,” said Kathy Culliton-Gonzalez, director of voter protection for Advancement Project. Voter ID restrictions, proposed by 24 states in 2013, head the list as the most popular form of legislative fiat. Other initiatives run the gamut from reducing early voting days — like in North Carolina — to voter purges. “Even though this is not a presidential election year, this Supreme Court decision [“Shelby County v. Holder”] has opened the door to more and more restrictive voting changes,” Culliton-Gonzalez said. “Yes, it’s better than the ‘60s — there’s not as much violence involved in these battles of voting rights — but we’ve seen the biggest wave of voter suppression in the form of modern-day poll taxes and literacy tests since the Voting Rights Act was passed.”
Fighting back against voter suppression
Voting rights advocates are responding in four main ways. First, litigation continues to be the critical bulwark against the implementation of unfair voting practices, but,
as Culliton-Gonzalez notes, litigation is expensive and is sure to test the resources for organizations like hers, the ACLU, Brennan Center for Justice, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Leadership Conference, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and others that champion voting rights. Second, public demonstrations and civil disobedience could raise public awareness about the unjust or disparate impact of newly proposed or enacted laws. Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president of the North Carolina chapter of NAACP, had some success in rallying protesters against HB 589 and other legislative actions at Moral Monday demonstrations each Monday in Raleigh. His organization is continuing to hold Moral Monday forums outside
Leadership Conference, recently used the bully pulpit at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta to promote the Voting Rights Project, a new 50state initiative. “There have been deliberate and systematic attempts at the state level to make it harder for voters to participate,” he said in a statement reported by The Atlanta World. “We must put an immediate stop to this or lose any gains we have made since the Civil Rights Movement and passage of the Voting Rights Act.” A third front of organizational activity focuses on pressuring Congress to take up the issue of devising a new Section 4 formula so that Section 5 can be fully restored. Section 5, the strongest oversight measure of the Voting Rights Act, allows the Department of Justice to challenge proposed changes in elec-
“We must put an immediate stop to this or lose any gains we have made since the Civil Rights Movement and passage of the Voting Rights Act.” — Rev. Joseph Lowery of the state capitol and is planning demonstrations in 13 of the state’s congressional districts on Aug. 28 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Whether the intensity and discipline of the North Carolina protests can be replicated in other states remains to be seen. Yet other veterans of the Civil Rights era are encouraging a national movement for the restoration and protection of voting rights. Rev. Joseph Lowery, 91, a former president of the Southern Christian
tion laws before those changes could be implemented if they could be shown to have discriminatory impact on minority voters. But it was the findings under Section 4’s formula that triggered the DOJ action. Myrna Perez, deputy director of the Democracy Program at Brennan Center for Justice, concurs with turning the focus to Capitol Hill. “We want Congress to have conversations; we want them to hold hearings,” Perez said. “We want them to study the issue, talk to experts, review options and come up with something that is bipartisan and constitutional. Section 5 is still constitutional. Section 4 requires revisiting and we need Congress to do that.” But a congressional revival of Section 4 — so that Section 5 can once again be employed by DOJ — could prove to be a distant possibility. “By invalidating Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, the court has effectively eliminated Section 5 federal oversight,” wrote David Bositis of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. “The current U.S. House of Representatives will almost certainly not provide a new definition for Section 4 coverage, and so Section 5 is out for the foreseeable future.” Others add that partisan politics could lead to congressional inaction. Both houses of the North Carolina legislature are controlled by Republicans, as is the governor’s office. Congress may speak of reinstating Section 4 and 5, but for some Republican members, it could be seen as political suicide for their party. Republicans have better odds of holding North Carolina in 2016 with HB 589 enacted and Section 5 sidelined. While all three prongs of a voting rights offensive may be in play, ultimately, the endgame in voters’ rights may be the passage of a constitutional amendment explicitly guaranteeing the right to vote. Currently, that right is only implicit under federal law. Resources, again, may be the determinant of whether such a movement can be sustained. At a time when African American and Latino voters are often marginalized by successful gerrymandering, the amount of energy required to move a coalition forward will be formidable. Still, said Culliton-Gonzalez, “We’re not going away.” New America Media
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CommunityVoices
Civil rights groups demand lower home down payments Charlene Crowell In the midst of varying proposals for housing reform, civil rights leaders are publicly calling for lawmakers to keep mortgage lending affordable and accessible. A recent letter jointly signed by the NAACP, the National Urban League, the National
Council of LaRaza, the National Fair Housing Alliance, the Haas Institute’s John Powell and the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) reminded Capitol Hill lawmakers how low-down-payment mortgages enabled many low-wealth borrowers to become successful homeowners. “For decades, low-down-pay-
Vine Street Community Center Council awarded their first scholarship on Aug. 24. The Pizzi Family Foundation was a donor. (L-R) Awardee Asad Hardwick, Andrea Pizzi, awardee Jamal Ellison and David Hinton, coordinator of Vine Street Community Center. Not present were awardees Marysabel Mejia and Nair Andrade. (Keitha L. Hassell photo)
ment loans have been used with great success to promote sustainable home ownership, particularly for low-to-moderate income families and people of color,” wrote the signers. “Furthermore, low-down-payment loans did not cause the current foreclosure crisis — irresponsible underwriting and toxic loan terms did.” Nikitra Bailey, CRL executive vice-president, added, “While families and communities struggle to recover from their tremendous lost wealth, no community should be left behind. All Americans deserve to be part of the nation’s financial recovery. ... Without that access, the nation’s wealth gap will only grow wider.” Government-mandated down payments of 10 percent or 5 percent are currently under consideration in Washington. CRL’s research shows that for the average family, it would take 22 years to amass a 10 percent down payment. But for African American families, 34 years of saving would be needed — 21 years for the typical Latino family. Even if the government were to mandate a 5 percent down payment, the typical African American family would wait 28 years to become homeowners,
and the average Latino family would wait 17. Overall, America’s average family would need to save 14 years for a home. These savings fail to take into account the closing costs, which typically are an added 3 percent of the cost of the mortgage. Further, there seems to be no wisdom in requiring home-ownership delays when so many families have sustained their lowdown-payment mortgages. For example, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages typically require a mini-
percent of successful black mortgage borrowers would have been excluded if a 10 percent down payment had been required. A 5 percent down payment would have excluded 33 percent of successful black borrowers. These data points become even more disturbing when the nation’s growing diversity is considered. By 2010, an estimated 70 percent of new households are expected to be comprised of people of color. The irony of these proposals is that the government broad-
“Low-down-payment loans did not cause the current foreclosure crisis — irresponsible underwriting and toxic loan terms did.” — Joint letter to Capitol Hill mum of 3.5 percent of the purchase price and can include most of the closing costs and fees in the mortgage payment. According to FHA, 78 percent of 784,000 mortgages made in 2012 were to first-time home buyers. Similarly, in 2012, 86 percent of 88,000 Veterans Administration (VA) mortgage loans went to firsttime home buyers and were acquired with no down payment costs. A recent joint study by CRL and the Center for Community Capital at the University of North Carolina found that among borrowers who took out a mortgage from 2004 to 2008 and were current through February of 2011, 60
ened access to home ownership through its post-World War II policies. As home ownership grew, so did family wealth. “What began as a mortgage became the bedrock for family wealth,” observed Bailey. “That is the American Dream we must fight to preserve in 2013. ... We must wage strategic and focused efforts to force policymakers to enact reforms that benefit low-wealth families, not just the wealthy.” Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.
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This Forest is on Fire! Kam Williams Forest Whitaker is a distinguished artist and humanist. He is the founder of PeaceEarth Foundation, co-founder and chair of the International Institute for Peace, and the UNESCO Goodwill ambassador for peace and reconciliation. A versatile talent, Whitaker is one of Hollywood’s most accomplished performers, receiving such prestigious honors as an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Last King of Scotland, as well as a Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival for Bird. Over the past decade, he has dedicated most of his time to extensive humanitarian work, feeling compelled by his social awareness to seek ways of using
the film medium as a means of raising peoples’ consciousness. To that end, he produced the award-winning documentary Kassim the Dream, which tells the touching story of a Ugandan child soldier turned world-champion boxer; Rising from Ashes, which profiles Rwandan genocide survivors’ attempt to qualify for the Olympics riding wooden bicycles; Serving Life, which focuses on hospice care for prisoners at Louisiana’s Angola Prison; and the Peabody Award-winning Brick City, which offers an unvarnished peek at inner-city life in Newark, N.J. Whitaker was the 2007 recipient of the Cinema for Peace Award, and he currently sits on the board of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. In ad-
dition, he serves as a senior research scholar at Rutgers University and as a visiting professor at Ringling College of Art and Design. Besides the aforementioned films, Whitaker’s impressive résumé includes The Great Debaters, The Crying Game, Panic Room, Platoon and Good Morning Vietnam. Here, he talks about his latest outing as the title character in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, a decades-spanning saga chronicling the life and career of an African American who served eight presidents in the White House.
What interested you in The Butler?
It’s an amazing story. And the script was beautiful in the way it followed this man who served eight
presidents and portrayed his love for his family, as well as the love between him and his son. So I saw it as offering a great challenge and opportunity. And I thought that Lee [director Lee Daniels] would do a wonderful job with the script as a filmmaker, so that was an attraction as well. And I had wanted to work with Oprah, so all of that came together to afford me this tremendous opportunity.
Did the film’s father-son relationship resonate with you when you reflected upon your relationship with your own dad?
Yes, it’s hard to always understand and appreciate your father when you’re coming up, especially
since my dad had three jobs when we moved to L.A., so he was always working. Plus, coming from the South, from Texas, he had a certain way of disciplining that made it hard for me to appreciate at the time. You don’t fully appreciate the reasons why or the sacrifices that were being made until a later age. In some ways it did parallel the journey of ultimate appreciation that we see in the movie of me toward my son and my son toward me.
How did you prepare for the role of Cecil Gaines?
I trained with a butler coach for quite some time. And I studied the history and, of course, tried to make that a part of my own emotional Whitaker, continued to page 14
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intheMix with Colette Greenstein
‘Legends of the Summer’ This concert was a couple of weeks ago, but Justin Timberlake and Jay Z together on the same stage lived up to the title “Legends of the Summer.” This show was definitely one of the highlights of the summer. Awesome, amazing, electric. What more can anyone say?
Cliff diving at the ICA, say what? The Innovation District was hopping with locals and tourists alike for the 2013 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. It was an absolutely gorgeous summer day, with folks from all walks of life hanging out on Fan Pier and in boats in the harbor to watch the annual competition, all to the beat of a live DJ spinning from the steps of the Institute of Contemporary Art. Young and old, people of all ethnicities were splayed out on the grass, eating and standing on the boardwalk, as the divers (including former Olympian Blake Aldridge) leapt the 90 feet from the roof of the ICA into the Boston Harbor. What a sight! The 10 male divers, decked out in Speedos (some plain navy blue and black and one covered in Red Bull logos), performed flying
with Colette
back-somersaults, back-armstand dives, handstand dives, twists and reverse somersaults, all for the title. With the sun beating down, it was time to look for a cool spot in the shade.
In search of bolognese If you’re looking for bolognese, then head straight over to Pomodoro on Harvard St. in Brookline Village. It’s a cozy and rustic restaurant that’s a great place to meet up with friends and share a meal — or if you’re looking to make a good impression on a first date. It’s a bit expensive but oh so worth it. The meals are hearty and flavorful, with a healthy portion size that’s good for two to split. As soon as you’re seated, you’re served with Italian bread freshly warmed out of the oven, a dish of olives and olive oil for dipping. The arugula salad is made with tender arugula leaves with shaved parmesan and prosciutto di Parma. The bolognese, made of ragu of veal, pork and beef cooked with sweet tomato and cream, is delizioso! You don’t have to shlep to the North End, and there’s plenty of street parking available. Make sure to bring cash with you, since credit credit cards aren’t accepted.
Coming up
The Regatta Bar presents the five Berklee graduates of the Mario Castro Quintet + Strings
The Red Bull Cliff Diving Competition returned for a fifth year to the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston (the only American city on the international tour) on Aug. 25. Divers leapt off of the ICA rooftop 90 feet into the Boston Harbor. Czech diver Michal Navratil pictured. (Dean Treml/Red Bull Cliff Diving photo) on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. To find out more, visit regattabar jazz.com. The American Repertory Theater presents its production All The Way starring Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) beginning Friday, Sept. 13, and running through Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge. For tickets and more information, visit www.americanrepertorytheatre.org.
The 13th Annual Beantown Jazz Festival takes place on Saturday, Sept. 28, from noon to 6 p.m. on Columbus Avenue in the South End. The free outdoor festival features three stages of live music, arts and crafts and a family park. This year’s special guest is 10-time Grammy-nominated neo-soul singer Meshell Ndgeocello. For full festival information, visit www.beantown jazz.org.
The Citi Performing Arts Center presents “The Made to Love Tour” starring John Legend on Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience World Tour,” which hits the TD Garden on Nov. 4. If you would like Colette Greenstein to cover or write about your event, email inthemixwithcolette@ gmail.com.
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Whitaker continued from page 12
understanding of the time period and the presidency. In terms of the aging process, I particularly had to work on movement and mannerisms. I also tried to understand the dialect and speech patterns. And I worked on how I could communicate my thoughts more clearly without words. I wanted to fill myself up enough so that you would be able to feel my thoughts, even in scenes where I would say nothing.
Whitaker (L) played jazz saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker in Clint Eastwood’s Bird. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
That hard work paid off. I cried about a half-dozen times during the film.
It’s very moving because it deals with so many primal issues: loss, degradation, even joy. Lee painted a picture that allows you to get in touch with many different emotions.
What was it like acting opposite Oprah?
Oprah just really committed completely to the movie. She was startling, at times, in how deeply she was into the authenticity of the scenes. For instance, there was a big emotional moment that wasn’t shown completely in the film where she screamed and fell to the ground, letting out a piercing wail that went through my bones. It had me trying to figure out how to comfort her, because it’s hard to find the proper emotion to respond to pain that overwhelms.
Is there a story about an icon that you would like to direct and star in?
Yes, there’s a film I’ve been developing about Louie Armstrong that I’d like to direct and star in. I wrote the script and really believe in it. I think it’s something I’ll probably do next year, although I haven’t made a final decision about whether I should direct it or not. It’s a really special story.
How did it feel when you were just breaking into the industry to receive such a glowing acknowledgment from a seasoned and respected actor like Sean Connery for your work in The Crying Game?
I didn’t even know until now that Sean Connery had commented about my work in The Crying Game. A lot of Brits believed that I was British for quite some time after that film. So, I can see how Sean Connery might have said something. That’s nice.
You produced the extraordinary Fruitvale Station. Is this a new role you see for yourself?
The truth is, I produce one or two movies every year, both independent and studio films. I’ll continue to produce. In fact, I have a documentary that just came out about the Rwandan National Cycling team called Rising from Ashes.
You are a true Renaissance man. Besides acting, you
write, direct, narrate and produce. You’re like a latterday Oscar Micheaux.
Oscar Micheaux reshaped the black film movement. Those are some great shoes to fill. I can only take that as a compliment. That gives me something to live toward, because it’s a lot.
What excites you?
Two things: the success of my children and the work for social justice that I do with my foundation.
When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
I see someone who is continuing to try to build his connection with the rest of the world.
If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
That everyone could recognize themselves in the face of the other people that they see.
Is there something that you promised to do if you became famous that you still haven’t done yet?
No, and my goals have expanded.
What’s the difference between who you are at home and the person we see on the red carpet?
I’m the same person, just with different clothes on. I’m the same.
If you had to choose another profession, what would that be?
I’d either be a natural healer or a teacher.
What was the last book you read? Solutions Focus.
What key quality do you believe all successful people share? Passion!
With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you’d like to star in?
The Audrey Hepburn-Albert Finney film, Two for the Road.
What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
Always tell yourself that you want to continue to grow, and you’ll be more connected to growth.
Whitaker as Idi Amin, former Ugandan dicatator and rumored cannibal, in The Last King of Scotland. (Photo courtesy of Film Four & DNA Films Ltd.)
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Community Calendar Thursday
Wednesday
Summer Scene at Roxbury’s Marcella Park Hawthorne Community Center invites 5-21 year olds and adults to Roxbury’s Marcella Park for free evening programs. At 5:306:30-Jazzy Dance for 6-18 year olds; 6:30-8:00-Soccer/Rox for 5-18 year olds. Roxbury’s Marcella Park (corner of Highland and Marcella Street in Roxbury). Contact: Samantha: hyccroxbury@ hotmail.com; 617-427-0613.
Paul Revere Memorial Association Lecture Series Paul Revere Memorial Association Lecture Series: A War of Divisions: The Impact and Aftermath of the American Civil War. September 4 from 6:307:30pm — Freedom Rising: The Emancipation Proclamation, the 54th Massachusetts Regiment & Boston’s Black Community. S e p t e m b e r 1 1 from 6:307:30pm — A Grand Tour During the Civil War: The Wheatons Go to Europe. September 18 from 6:30-7:30pm — The Caning: The Assault That Drove America to Civil War. September 25 from 6:30-7:30pm — Revolutionary Memory, Civil War Sacrifice: Pauline Revere Thayer and Preserving the Revere Legacy. Free and Open to the Public. Sign Language interpretation is available upon request (with advance notice). Wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices are available. All Lectures Take Place at Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street at the corner of Milk Street in downtown Boston. Accessible by MBTA. Use State or Downtown Crossing Stops. For directions to Old South Meeting House, please call 617-482-6439 or visit www. osmh.org. For more information about the Paul Revere Memorial Association Lecture Series please contact Patrick M. Leehey, Paul Revere House, at 617-523-2338. This series is made possible by a grant from the Lowell Institute.
August 29
Harold Night: Fresh Blend Every Thursday night our resident ImprovBoston Harold teams perform Harold, THE classic long form improv format, with occasional special guests. From a single audience suggestion, each Harold team creates a 25-minute comedy show from scratch, an original improvised set exploring a world of characters we guarantee you won’t soon forget. Shows take place at ImprovBoston, 40 Prospect St., Cambridge. 9:30pm, tickets: $10. More information on ImprovBoston is available at http://improvboston.com.
Friday
August 30 Concerts in the Courtyard One of Boston’s most beautiful spaces will be filled with music in a free, lunchtime concert series. The courtyard at the Central Library in Copley Square will feature music that ranges from jazz to classical and from blues to Broadway. All concerts begin at 12:30pm. The complete schedule is available at www.bpl. org/concerts. Summer Scene at Roxbury’s Marcella Park Hawthorne Community Center invites 5-21 year olds and adults to Roxbury’s Marcella Park for free evening programs. At 5:30-6:30Double Dutch; 6:45-7:45 Teen Basketball for 13-16 year olds. Roxbury’s Marcella Park (corner of Highland and Marcella Street in Roxbury). Contact: Samantha: hyccroxbury@hotmail.com; 617427-0613.
Saturday August 31
So That Happened So That Happened is a talk show dedicated to taking on the taboo. Join host Sam Ike and a slew of hilarious comedians as they peel back America’s seedy couch cushions to discuss issues of race, class, sex, and more. There’ll be monologues, dialogues, diatribes, sketches, and interviews with real (non-comedian) humans. Do it. All shows take place at ImprovBoston, 40 Prospect St., Cambridge. More information on ImprovBoston is available at http://improv boston.com.
September 4
Upcoming SciNArt The Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s ParkSCIENCE Program invites city residents to exercise their minds and creativity with SciNArt in the Park on Saturday, September 7, at 10am at Gertrude Howes Playground, 68 Moreland St., Roxbury. This series is presented in partnership with Friends of Gertrude Howes, Historic Moreland Neighborhood Association, The Food Project, Gallery Basquiat, and other local partners in the Dudley Square neighborhood in Roxbury. This session will focus on trees. ParkSCIENCE, a series of free educational workshops presented in City of Boston parks, is designed to teach children that science is fun and can be experienced everywhere around them. Interactive experiments and demonstrations challenge children’s cognitive skills and invite them to ask questions, hypothesize, gather and weigh evidence, and then draw conclusions. Due to their convenience and proximity to Boston’s children and families, our neighborhood parks are the perfect setting for this outdoor discovery series. This program is made possible in part with funding from a Green Parks — Green Kids Grant resulting from a partnership between the National Recreation
and Park Association and the National Recreation Foundation. For more information, please call the Boston Parks and Recreation Department at 617-635-4505, visit www.facebook.com/boston parksdepartment or www.cityof boston.gov/parks.
Rachel Revere: A Revolutionary Woman September 7 at 1:00, 1:45, 2:30. Who held the Revere family together after Paul set off on his Midnight Ride? Professional storyteller Joan Gatturna takes on the role of Paul Revere’s second wife. Listen to her dramatic account of a woman’s struggle to hold home and family together in a time of war, blockades, and shortages. These Saturday afternoon events are free with admission to the museum: adults $3.50 seniors and college students $3.00, children ages 5-17 $1. Members and North End residents are admitted free at all times. Through October 31 the Revere House is open daily 9:30-5:15. Beginning on November 1, the museum is open daily 9:30-4:15. Watercolor Painting Workshops The Boston Parks and Recreation Department will be holding its popular fall series of ParkARTS Watercolor Painting Workshops during the month of September at four Boston locations. The series of workshops for budding artists ages nine and up is just one of the many offerings of the 17th annual ParkARTS program sponsored by Bank of America. Local art instructors welcome artists of all skill levels to join them and capture Boston’s historic parks in bloom. The free workshops include instruction and materials provided by Blick Art Materials. All classes are held weather permitting from 12-2pm. Dates and locations are as follows: Millennium Park, 300 Gardner St., West Roxbury —Saturdays, September 7 and 14; Victory Garden, 20 Park Dr., Back Bay Fens — Sundays, September 8 and 15; Blackstone Square, 1535 Washington St., South End — Saturdays, September 21 and 28; Nira Rock Urban Wild, 22 Nira Ave., Jamaica Plain — Sundays, September 22 and 29. For further information on the workshops and other ParkARTS programs, please call 617-961-3051 or visit the Parks Department
online at www.cityofboston/parks or www.facebook.com/boston parksdepartment.
9:30-5:15. Beginning on November 1, the museum is open daily 9:30-4:15.
Danforth Art Open House Brush off those early-fall blues at Danforth Art’s free Fall Open House! Danforth Art kicks off its fall 2013 season with day-long free admission to the Museum September 8. Be among the first to visit our fall exhibitions, including the New England Photography Biennial. Meet exhibiting artists and art school faculty, and enjoy hands-on activities and demonstrations in our School studios. Free admission 12-5 pm. 123 Union Ave., Framingham, danforthart.org, 508620-0050.
Sunday Parkland Games The Charles River Conservancy presents the 5th season of the Sunday Parkland Games, held in the Charles River Parklands close to the Weeks Footbridge every Sunday through September 29, 3:30-6pm. The Conservancy, with our partner Knucklebones, provides athletic equipment and instruction for people of ALL ages and abilities. Games include everything from badminton to hula-hoop, parachutes to Gaga Pit, (mini) basketball to bean-bag toss, and Maypoles to tetherball! In addition, Karma Yoga will offer weekly yoga sessions from 5-6pm. The event is FREE and open to the public — we hope to see you there! www. thecharles.org/projects-and-pro grams/parklandgames/.
Staged reading: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom S e p t e m b e r 9 , 7pm, The Strand Theater, 543 Columbia Rd., Dorchester. Ma Rainey, a blues singer, is recording an album in Chicago in 1927. The band hired for the occasion includes a trumpet player who is brimming with ambition and seething with repressed anger. Free. For more information, please visit our Facebook page: Emancipated Century: August Wilson Readings. Wildlife Exploration The ParkSCIENCE series continues with one-hour nature walks at 7:30am on September 10 at Millennium Park, West Roxbury, and at 10am on October 8 at Olmsted Park, 217 Jamaicaway, Jamaica Plain. This program is made possible in part with funding from a Green Parks – Green Kids Grant resulting from a partnership between the National Recreation and Park Association and the National Recreation Foundation. For more information please call 617-635-4505. Herbs in the Colonial Household September 28, 1:00-3:00. Joanne Brown will share some of the uses for herbs grown by families like the Reveres. Find out how Rachel Revere treated illness, seasoned food, and kept away bugs, all with plants from her garden! These Saturday afternoon events are free with admission to the museum: adults $3.50 seniors and college students $3.00, children ages 5-17 $1. Members and North End residents are admitted free at all times. Through October 31 the Revere House is open daily
Fifth annual Boston Book Festival Award-winning novelist and essayist Salman Rushdie will present the 2013 keynote address at a 7:30pm appearance at Old South Church (645 Boylston St., Boston) on Friday, October 18. Rushdie’s novels include The Satanic Verses and the Booker Prize-winning Midnight’s Children. Rushdie’s most recent work is Joseph Anton: A Memoir, which, according to the New York Times, “reminds us of his fecund gift for language and his talent for explicating the psychological complexities of family and identity.” Tickets for Rushdie’s October 18 presentation and conversation with Harvard’s Homi Bhabha are available on the Boston Book Festival website (www.boston bookfest.org) for $10.
Ongoing Paul Revere House Fall brings an eclectic mix of presenters to the Revere House to share aspects of life in “Paul Revere’s Boston.” These Saturday afternoon events are free with admission to the museum: adults $3.50 seniors and college students $3.00, children ages 5-17 $1. Members and North End residents are admitted free at all times. Through October 31 the Revere House is open daily 9:30-5:15. Beginning on November 1, the museum is open daily 9:30-4:15.
BANNER BILLBOARD LISTINGS baystatebanner.com/billboard
The Community Calendar has been established to list community events at no cost. The admission cost of events must not exceed $10. Church services and recruitment requests will not be published. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF PUBLICATION. To guarantee publication with a paid advertisement please call advertising at The to list community at noARE cost.ACCEPTED The admission of events must not MAIL. exceedNO $10. ChurchCALLS services and recruit(617)Community 261-4600Calendar ext. 7797has or been emailestablished sandra@bannerpub.com. NOevents LISTINGS BY cost TELEPHONE, FAX OR PHONE PLEASE. ment requests willlistings not be published. THERE GUARANTEE PUBLICATION. To guarantee publication with a paid advertisement please call advertising To list your event Deadline for all is Friday at noonIS forNO publication the OF following week. E-MAIL your information to: calendar@bannerpub.com. at (617) 261-4600 ext. 111 or email sandra@bannerpub.com. LISTINGS ARE ACCEPTED FAXonline OR MAIL. CALLS online please go to www.baystatebanner.com/events and list yourNO event directly. Events listed in printBY areTELEPHONE, not added to the events NO pagePHONE by Banner staff PLEASE. members. To list your event Deadline for all listings is Friday at noon for publication the following week. E-MAIL your information to: calendar@bannerpub.com. There are no ticket cost restrictions for the online postings. online please go to www.baystatebanner.com/events and list your event directly. Events listed in print are not added to the online events page by Banner staff members. There are no ticket cost restrictions for the online postings.
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16 • Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
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Lab
continued from page 1
The Committee for Public Counsel Services, the state’s public defender agency, believes all 190,000 cases sent through the Department of Public Health lab dating back to the early 1990s are now suspect and should be dismissed. “The whole thing is disturbing,’’ Anthony Benedetti, chief counsel for the committee, said of published reports of Meier’s findings and the drug lab scandal. “I think every one of the 40,000 cases she touched should be thrown out. Whether it was possession or distribution [of illegal drugs], the
Franklin, has pleaded not guilty to her alleged wrongdoing. Police arrested Dookhan last September, and a grand jury issued an indictment in December. In addition to unraveling hundreds of drug convictions, the scandal has also cost the state millions of dollars used to pay individual prosecutors’ offices, multiple state agencies and judiciary searching for ways to ensure no one was wrongly convicted. For fiscal year 2013, lawmakers set aside $30 million for Dookhan-related costs, and the administration set up a procedure that required other government agencies to apply for funding to the state Administration
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conviction is tainted because of the conduct of Annie Dookhan.’’ Matthew Segal, legal director of the ACLU Massachusetts, said the state’s criminal justice system must do more to help those whose civil rights may have been violated by Dookhan’s alleged mishandling of evidence and the failure of her superiors to stop it. “David Meier’s announcement [last week] confirms that we are no closer to solving this problem,’’ said Segal. “There are 40,000 people whose convictions have been potentially tainted and the vast majority of them haven’t had a day in court. Merely identifying them isn’t justice.’’ Dookhan, who admitted to police she “messed up bad” when news of her alleged tampering broke, faces 27 counts across six counties, including perjury and obstruction of justice, and is slated for a Jan. 6 trial. Dookhan, 35, of
and Finance Agency. State officials said last week that they’ve approved $10.4 million in funds to handle the scandal’s fallout with prosecutors, defense attorneys, the courts and other agencies. Thus far, $7.6 million has been spent. Meier’s law firm of Todd & Weld was separately paid $12,500 per month during the review, the governor’s office said. Gov. Deval Patrick thanked Meier for his work to try to help resolve the legal morass. “Now, with this detailed information, the many participants in the criminal justice system can do the work of getting each individual case right,” Patrick said in a statement last week. Continue to meditate. Through meditation, keep climbing higher. O courageous soul, have no fear. O dear one, complete your sadhana with a brave heart. — Swami Muktananda
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Race
continued from page 1
The most striking aspect of the panel and Lewis’ keynote was the forward-looking discussion of how the lessons from 1963 could help contemporary struggles for racial justice. President Obama himself weighed in on the merits of such a discussion in the aftermath of the George Zimmerman verdict, expressing skepticism that politicians could lead such a conversation. Largely prodded by outrage from civil rights activists, Obama helped to start this latest public
examination of race in America in July with extemporaneous remarks about Trayvon Martin’s death and the African American community. The president’s admission that he could have been Trayvon 35 years ago offered the rare insight into him as a black man and
COMME NTARY father. Obama followed up these remarks a little over a week later in a discussion of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, during which he noted that the historic demonstration ex-
pressed nuanced support for racial equality and economic justice. Beyond Obama’s comments, the highlight of this emerging conversation has been Attorney General Eric Holder’s watershed speech at the American Bar Association (ABA) in San Francisco last week announcing a dramatic shift in the Justice Department’s philosophy and policy toward nonviolent drug offenders. Holder’s remarks, which candidly addressed racial and class bias ingrained in our judicial system, represent a game change for activists seeking to transform America’s flawed criminal-justice apparatus. Holder’s remarks
President Barack Obama meets with faith leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Aug. 26 to discuss the anniversary of the March on Washington. (Photo courtesy of the White House)
reflect the potential for a dramatically reshaped political and social landscape regarding the national approach not just to crime and punishment but also to civil rights, democracy and citizenship. Almost as if on cue, a federal judge struck down New York City’s stop-and-frisk program for being racially biased against minorities. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly immediately denounced the decision in
articulated 50 years ago in front of the Lincoln Memorial. In the intervening decades since that glorious Wednesday in August, the nation has lost its way. The fierce moral urgency and political organizing that defeated Jim Crow, secured voting rights and pursued democracy for sharecroppers in Mississippi, autoworkers in Detroit and welfare-rights activists in Baltimore has sagged in recent years. Civil Rights-era victories
Civil Rights-era victories thought to have been long won have come under assault by the nation’s highest court, and economic hardship has become endemic enough to be accepted as the harsh fate awaiting more than three-quarters of Americans. a press conference that touted the stop-and-frisk program as crime prevention and not racial profiling. Stop-and-frisk has not been declared illegal, however, just unfairly applied. Thousands of young black and brown men and women who have endured such intrusive searches over the past several years can breathe easier, but the judge’s decision stopped short of throwing out the program entirely. Hillary Clinton, in an address this past month to the ABA, forcefully criticized the Supreme Court’s recent weakening of the Voting Rights Act in the “Shelby v. Holder” decision. “Anyone that says that voting discrimination is no longer a problem in elections must not be paying attention,” Clinton remarked in her speech. Clinton’s defense of voting rights acknowledged the long road yet to be traveled to ensure racial justice in the nation’s political system. These public conversations about racial justice between government officials, civil rights activists and scholars are important steps in a much larger transformation that will be required to move toward the vision of racial equality and economic justice that King
thought to have been long won have come under assault by the nation’s highest court, and economic hardship has become endemic enough to be accepted as the harsh fate awaiting more than three-quarters of Americans. Perhaps the most important theme of all these very public conversations about race and democracy can be found in their public recognition of institutional racism. In the imagined “post-racial” world of America in the age of Obama, this is no small victory. Racial denial marked by colorblind racism’s condescending and tragic inability to acknowledge the roots of racial disparities in life chances for American citizens is at the heart of contemporary racism. A historically informed and research-based public conversation about race matters in American life serves as a powerful reminder of the way in which the struggle for social justice can fundamentally change society, bringing America closer to becoming a democracy that’s as good as its people deserve. Peniel E. Joseph is the founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy and a professor of history at Tufts University.
Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER • 19
Thousands gathered around the Reflection Pool to commemorate the March on Washington’s 50th anniversary. (Tayla Andre photo)
March
continued from page 1
today. So I’m here to march and basically protest that.” Marian Styles of Providence echoed those sentiments. “I came to march for the issues that are facing us, like jobs and especially voting rights, racial profiling, freedom, equality and education — some of the same things we were marching for 50 years ago,” said Styles. “There have been some changes, yes, but we have a long, long way to go. It’s surprising now that we have folks trying to take us back to where we were before, especially with voting rights.” Once in Washington, D.C., all eyes turned to the podium on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Noted speakers and dignitaries sat nearby as some awaited their turn to deliver remarks. Historical giants, both past and present, were applauded by very vocal attendees. Speakers included Gov. Deval Patrick, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev.
Jesse Jackson, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge, Mayor of Newark, N.J., Cory Booker, Medgar Evers’ widow Myrlie Evers-Williams, Martin Luther King III, journalist Roland Martin, political analyst Michael Eric Dyson and Trayvon Martin’s parents. The famed civil rights activists C.T. Vivian and Rep. John Lewis, the youngest speaker at the 1963 march, were among some of the most revered and received standing ovations. “The dream still has demands and hope still needs heroes,” said a passionate Booker. “He had a dream, we need a team,” Dyson chanted repeatedly throughout his speech. “This struggle must, and will, go on in the cause of our nation’s quest for justice — until every eligible American has the chance to exercise his or her right to vote unencumbered by discriminatory or unneeded procedures, rules or practices,” said Holder emphatically. “Everything has changed and nothing has changed,” Sharpton
exclaimed. Carrying signs that read “Inequality equals insecurity for all” and “50 years, but the dream still eludes us” husband and wife John and Marion Lathrop were joining the march for a second time. “There were a lot more white people in ’63. So many people are de-polarized instead of working to solve problems,” said Marion Lathrop, 77, of Worchester. “Things have only changed somewhat.” Many of the youths who traveled to the march with the Boston NAACP chapter expressed enjoyment and a heightened sense of awareness after attending the march. “I thought it was a great historic moment. I’m 21 and this happened 50 years ago so I wanted to relive what my ancestors did. I wanted to be a part of history and I’m glad I came,” said Azya High, 21, of Lynn. “I really wanted the chance to be a part of this new part of history. It was invigorating and inspiring,” said Kemper English, 21, of Cambridge.
Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree spoke during the celebrations in Washington and mentioned his grandchildren as heirs to Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs. legacy. (Angela J. Davis photo)
Groups such as the NAACP played a big part in the recent 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. (Tayla Andre photo)
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the
Caribbean Carnival
(Top Left): Five-year-old Kalaiya Marshall Akhia (front) dances with Boston Socaholics. The Socaholics’ 2013 theme was “Sweet Escape.” (Top Right): Stilt walkers with the New York-based group, Brooklyn Jumpers, march on the Caribbean Carnival parade route. (Bottom left): Siani Joseph dances with a heavy wire-framed costume with Soca Associates. The group’s theme was “Fantasies of Flight.” The costume, which rests on a wheeled steel frame, measured about 20 feet across and 15 feet high. (Bottom Middle): Boston Socaholics band leader Derric Sealy gets into the spirit of Carnival, leading his dancers in the parade to Franklin Park. (Bottom Right): Vanessa Mascall dances with the queen costume for Soca Associates. (Yawu Miller photos)
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WERS replaces hip hop, reggae shows with R&B G. Ball Valentino Boston-area listeners tuning into WERS, Emerson College’s radio station, looking for their nightly fix of hip hop have been greeted by a surprise lately — the smooth sounds of R&B. WERS’ long-running hip hop show, 88.9 at Night, and 35-yearold reggae show, Rockers, have been axed and replaced with The Secret Spot, an R&B program that was previously on during weekends. Long seen as a haven for independent artists, both shows held a special place in the hearts of those looking for urban music
Malcolm Gray, WERS’ assistant program director for urban programming, expressed his sadness at the format change. Gray said he spent two years “building something to shine a light on an underrepresented community.” “Just like that,” he said, “gone.” Many listeners started using the hashtags “#RIP889atNight,” “#RIPRockers,” “#Save889atNight” and “#SaveRockers.” Many former disc jockeys at the station spoke about the importance of the station to their careers. One former producer tweeted “A Boston radio legacy is dead.”
gramming change is motivated by a need for better ratings to increase revenue. “To keep WERS vibrant now and self-sustaining well into the future, the station needs to build its audience,” Emerson stated. “It has become increasingly challenging to achieve this goal with our
current format, which fragments our listening audience. To provide a more consistent format, our new weeknight programming, Secret Spot (R&B, soul), will broadcast from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., and remain part of the weekend evening lineup, where it originated and has done very well.” “WERS will continue to offer a wide selection of current and classic music (including reggae) within its overall programming,” the statement went on. “Additionally, the new evening format, Secret Spot, features many of the diverse artists formerly found on Rockers and 88.9 at Night.” The lasting impact on the
urban music scene remains to be seen. But with only pirate stations left in the wake of this change and stations like JAMN 94.5 and Hot 96.9 leaning more toward pop, the Boston radio stations playing rising hip hop artists are dwindling. The founder of Rockers, Doug Herzog, who went on to become President of MTV, spoke with the Boston Globe about the importance of the show and his love for reggae music in his life. “It basically changed my life,” Herzog said. “I became fascinated. It’s been a 40-year fascination for me. I’m still a reggae fan. Still have Jamaican 45s.”
“To keep WERS vibrant now and selfsustaining well into the future, the station needs to build its audience. It has become increasingly challenging to achieve this goal with our current format, which fragments our listening audience.” — Statement released by Emerson College that was different from the commercial options on the dial. The move by the communications-focused college had the Boston urban music scene’s social media buzzing as word spread late on the evening of Aug. 20.
Another former host, DJ Kerosene, chimed in with “Can’t speak for everyone, but I know @ WERS889FM played a pivotal role for myself and my start in the game.” According to a statement released by Emerson, the pro-
The Second Annual Franklin Park Invitational Basketball Tournament on Aug. 25th featured 12 teams from Mission Hill to Mattapan, including 14-and-under, 16-and-under and 21-and-under teams from the courts at Franklin Park. The Tournament was organized by local coaches Stan McLaren and Al “Ski” McLain. Photo shows members of the competing teams for the 16-and-under championship. (Photo courtesy of the Franklin Park Coalition)
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.
over the past year, to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and to the general public. The City of Peabody and the Consortium will make these documents available to the general public and will encourage comments from all interested parties.
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 member communities of the Consortium include: Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newburyport, North Andover, North Reading, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury and Wilmington. A copy of Consortium’s CAPER will be forwarded to each member community at their respective City or Town Hall, and will be forwarded to a number of nonprofit organizations. A copy of both CAPERS will also be available at the Community Development & Planning Department of the City of Peabody, City Hall, 24 Lowell Street, Peabody during normal business hours.
The Work to be performed under this Contract consists of girder support bracket repairs and other miscellaneous repair work at Central Parking Garage. Also, the work consists of selective demolition and repair of castin-place concrete post-tensioned bridge girders connecting the West and Central Parking Garages in East Boston, Massachusetts.
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 $1,000,000. 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.
The public comment period will begin on Wednesday, August 28th, 2013 and will end on Friday, September 27th, 2013. All interested parties, representatives from the Consortium’s member communities, and nonprofit providers whose clients are impacted by the need for affordable housing are urged to review these documents and to respond with comments.
THE WORK INVOLVES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
No filed sub-bids will be required for this contract.
MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed General Bids for MPA Project No.L1207-C1, CENTRAL AND WEST GARAGE AND CROSSOVER BRIDGE REPAIRS, 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 02116, until 11:00 A.M. local time on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2013, 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, SUITE 209, LOGAN OFFICE CENTER, ONE HARBORSIDE DRIVE, EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02128-2909 AT 11:00 AM LOCAL TIME ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013.
CENTRAL PARKING GARAGE - THE WORK CONSISTS OF REPAIRS, REINFORCEMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS TO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT ELEMENTS. THE WORK INCLUDES: TRAFFIC AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT, SITE PREPARATION, SHORING AND JACKING, SELECTIVE DEMOLITION, STEEL SUPPORT BRACKET REPAIR, AND CONCRETE COLUMN AND GIRDER SURFACE REPAIRS. CENTRAL AND WEST GARAGE CROSSOVER BRIDGES - THE WORK INCLUDES SELECTIVE DEMOLITION AND REPAIR OF CAST-IN-PLACE CONCRETE POSTTENSIONED BRIDGE GIRDERS CONNECTING THE WEST AND CENTRAL PARKING GARAGES. SELECTIVE DEMOLITION WORK WILL INCLUDE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF CONCRETE. REPAIR WORK WILL INCLUDE INSTALLATION OF SUPPLEMENTAL REINFORCEMENT AFTER DEMOLITION AND PLACEMENT OF NEW CONCRETE PATCHES. Bid Documents will be made available beginning THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2013. 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 Asset Management and Maintenance and an Update Statement. The General Bidder must be certified in the category of GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. The estimated contract cost is $450,000.00.
This Contract is subject to a Minority/Women Owned Business Enterprise participation provision requiring that not less than five percent (5%) of the Contract be performed by minority and women owned business enterprise contractors. With respect to this provision, bidders are urged to familiarize themselves thoroughly with the Bidding Documents. Strict compliance with the pertinent procedures will be required for a bidder to be deemed responsive and eligible. This Contract is also subject to Affirmative Action requirements of the Massachusetts Port Authority contained in Article 84 of the 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.
A Public Meeting will also be held on Thursday, September 12th, 2013 in the Community Development Conference Room, Peabody City Hall, 24 Lowell Street, Peabody at 5:00 p.m. to provide the public with an opportunity to offer comment. Written comments are also encouraged, and may be addressed, on or before September 30th, to: The Department of Community Development City Hall, 24 Lowell Street Peabody, Massachusetts 01960 FAX (978) 538-5987 e-mail addresses: lisa.greene@peabody-ma.gov or stacey.bernson@peabody-ma.gov Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU13C0315CA
In the matter of Kaiden Alonzo Washington of Roxbury, MA NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all persons interested in a petition described:
MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY THOMAS P. GLYNN CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A petition has been presented by Mileyka M Cooper-Quiroz requesting that Kaiden Alonzo Washington be allowed to change his name as follows:
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.
Notice of Public Comment Period and Public Meeting
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
The City of Peabody and the North Shore HOME Consortium, an organization comprised of thirty cities and towns in the Merrimack Valley and the North Shore, are seeking public comment on their respective Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports (CAPERs) for the 2012 Program Year. These written documents are intended to 1.) Report on the use of HOME funds for the development of affordable housing in this region over the past year, and 2.) Report on the use of CDBG funds in the City of Peabody
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 09/19/2013.
Kaiden Alonzo Washington-Cooper
WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: August 15, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate
22 • Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER
Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU13D1713DR
Divorce Summons by Publication and Mailing Sabrina Lawrence
vs.
Rudolph Lawrence
To the Defendant: The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for irretrievable breakdown of the marriage under G.L. c. 208, Section 1 B. 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: Sabrina Lawrence, 28 Nottingham St, Dorchester, MA 02122-1233 your answer, if any, on or before 10/24/2013. 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: August 13, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department Docket No. SU13D1521DR
SUFFOLK Division
Divorce Summons by Publication and Mailing Jose A Ramos
vs.
Maria Ramos
To the Defendant: The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for irretrievable breakdown of the marriage pursuant to G.L. c. 208, Section 1 B. 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: Jose A Ramos, 53 Adams St, Apt 2, Roxbury, MA 02119-1176 your answer, if any, on or before 10/17/2013. 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: AUGUST 9, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU11P1064EA
Citation on Petition for Order of Complete Settlement of Estate Estate of Johnnie L Kirksey Date of Death: 04/22/2011
OFFICE
SPACE
Parker Hill Apartments The Style, Comfort and Convenience you Deserve!
1st Class Office Space ample parking.
Heat and Hot Water Always Included Modern Laundry Facilities Private Balconies / Some with City Views Plush wall to wall carpet Adjacent to New England Baptist Hospital Secured Entry, Elevator Convenience Private Parking Near Public Transportation and much more ...
heated
2 bed - $1264-$1900; 1 bed $1058-$1500
DORCHESTER/ MILTON $375/mo. $695/mo. $1250/mo. OWNER
617-835-6373 Brokers Welcome
Call Today for more details and to schedule a visit...
888-842-7945
ELDERLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AVAILABLE We are currently accepting applications at: Prence Grant ❖ Marshfield, MA ❖ 1&2 bedrooms Meadowbrook ❖ Carver, MA ❖ 1 bedrooms The Woodlands ❖ Plympton, MA ❖1 bedrooms Applications will be accepted upon a continuing basis for all apartments.
APPLY TODAY: 781-936-8733 x304 for The Woodlands x305 for Meadowbrook & Prence Grant
South Shore Housing Development Corp. / HallKeen Management
To all interested persons: A petition has been filed by Johnnett West-Netter of Randolph, MA requesting that an Order of Complete Settlement of the estate issue including to approve an accounting and other such relief as may be requested in the Petition. For the First and Final Account. 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 09/26/2013. 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 date, action may be taken without further notice to you. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: August 21, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
10:00 a.m. on 09/05/2013. 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 date, action may be taken without further notice to you. The estate is being administered under formal 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 recipients 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. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: August 05, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division
Docket No. SU13-P-1895 Estate of Alex Sierra Date of Death September 03, 2011
INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Dyani Sierra of Boston, MA, Petitioner Federico Sierra of Boston, MA. Dyani Sierra of Boston, MA, Federico Sierra 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 Docket No. SU13P1822EA
SUFFOLK Division
Citation on Petition for Formal Adjudication Estate of Vera Celeste Johns Also known as: Vera C. Johns Date of Death: 02/21/2013
Docket No. SU13P1919EA Estate of Avie Perkins Date of Death June 26, 2013
INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Shirley Barnes of Dorchester, MA. Shirley Barnes 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. Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department Docket No. SU13C0327CA
SUFFOLK Division
In the matter of Mohamed Ali Farah of Roxbury, MA NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all persons interested in a petition described: A petition has been presented by Mohamed Ali Farah requesting that Mohamed Ali Farah be allowed to change his name as follows:
To all interested persons:
Saciid-Erkole Cabdulqaadir
A petition has been filed by Clifford C. Johns of Lexington, MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order of testacy and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. And also requesting that Patricia Bellinger of Lexington, MA be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond.
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 09/19/2013.
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
Wollaston Manor 91 Clay Street Quincy, MA 02170
Senior Living At It’s Best
A senior/disabled/ handicapped community 0 BR units = $1,027/mo 1 BR units = $1,101/mo All utilities included.
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BAY STATE BANNER FANPAGE
Call Sandy Miller, Property Manager
#888-691-4301
Program Restrictions Apply.
WoodLand Walk Apartments
241 Southbridge Road Suite 15, Charlton, MA 01507 Attn: Property Manager Located in Charlton, WoodLand Walk Apartments offers one & two bedroom apartments available to applicants. All units are assisted by Rural Development and are available on an open occupancy basis to low income applicants. To receive an application, write to the above address or call (508) 248-6639. We are accepting applications, currently there are no vacancies. This institution is an equal opportunity provider, and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20230-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: August 19, 2013 Patricia M. Campatelli Register of Probate
Thursday, August 29, 2013 • BAY STATE BANNER • 23
CHELSEA APARTMENT
4+ bdrms Newly renovated, 2000+ sq ft apt in 3 fam, no smkng/pets, hrdwd flrs, eat-in kit, pantry, lg master bedroom, din and lv rm, laundry rm, enclosed frnt/bck prchs, off street prkng, T access, min to Bost. Sec 8 OK
director of operations Boston-based environmental non-profit seeks strategic-minded, personable, and team-oriented F/T director of operations with 5-7 yrs. exp. w/MBA or equiv. Responsible for human resources, facilities, office management, information systems, and administrative support. Exp. leader, mentor, and ops professional w/strong desire to advance mission. Exp. in environmental non-profit strongly preferred. Resume and cover letter to
careers@clf.org.
617-283-2081
http://www.clf.org/about-clf/employment-opportunities/#directorofoperations
Unquity House 30 Curtis Rd., Milton
Unquity House is a 139 unit apartment complex offering activities and security for ages 62 and over. Studio and One bedroom apartments with utilities included, prices range from $695 to $872. Accepting applications, some income restrictions apply. Please call 617-898-2032 or visit our website at www.mreinc.org
Are you interested in a CAREER? Project Hope, in partnership with Partners HealthCare and Brigham & Women’s Hospital, is currently accepting applications for FREE entry level health care employment training programs.
Program eligibility includes:
Greater Media Boston currently has the following open positions:
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent • Have a verifiable reference of 1 year from a former employer • Pass assessments in reading, language, and computer skills • Attend an Open House to begin the eligibility & application process • Be legally authorized to work in the United States
For more information and to register for the next Open House held the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month please visit our website at www.prohope.org/openhouse.htm
Affordable Rental Opportunity For elders 62 years or older*
Quincy commons 278 Blue Hill Ave, Roxbury, MA 02119
Director of Behavioral Health (Full-time)
35 Units (ALL 1 BEDROOM)
Rent is based on 30% of adjusted gross income Maximum Income Per Household Size HH Size
30%
50%
1
$17,850
$29,750
2
$20,400
$34,000
Applications may be picked up and returned (weekdays only unless otherwise noted) at Winn Residential 233 Blue Hill Ave. Roxbury, MA 02119: Tuesday, September 3rd to Friday September 20th 9am to 5pm Saturday, September 14th 9am to 1pm Tuesday, September 10th 9am to 8pm Thursday, September 19th 9am to 8pm To request an application to be sent to you, please call 617-442-8472 during the application period September 3-20. Deadline for completed applications at the above address: In person by 5:00pm on or postmarked by Friday, September 27, 2013. Selection by lottery. Use and occupancy restrictions apply. *At least one member of the household must be 62 years or older at time of occupancy 5 units are restricted to CBH-Eligible households, of which 2 will have preference for wheelchair accessible units and 1 unit will have preference for families requiring sensory features 3 units have preference for homeless households referred by Homestart Inc., or other agencies serving the homeless. Preference for Boston Residents and households working in Boston for up to 70% of the units.
Oversee all behavioral health activities of growing, busy health and social services agency. This includes supervision of social work staff, program and policy development and compliance with licensing requirements. Collaborate on research projects sponsored by Hearth. Master’s degree in social work and LICSW required. Minimum of 3 years experience in clinical supervision. Extensive knowledge of Community Based Flexible Supports (CBFS) program. Minorities and bilingual Spanish speakers are strongly encouraged to apply. Salary commensurate with experience.
For more info or reasonable accommodations, call Winn Residential 617-442-8472 Equal Housing Opportunity
SENIOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) is a non profit community development organization committed to revitalizing the Jamaica Plain neighborhood. JPNDC seeks a Senior Community Organizer to provide organizing support, organize campaigns to win significant community improvements, and build power for JPNDC constituents, contributing to the revitalization of the neighborhood.
Send resume to JPNDC, 31 Germania Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 or email jgonzalez@jpndc.org.
Greater Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer WMJX106.7~WROR 105.7~WKLB 102.5~WBOS 92.9~WBQT 96.9
Outreach Program Director (Full-time)
Responsible for the oversight and management of the Outreach Department. Coordination of reporting requirements for private funding and public contracts. Direct hiring, training, management, and supervision of program staff including Senior Case Manager, Housing Advocates, Social Work Students, and Data Manager. Direct service and supervisory experience with the elder, homeless population is essential. Graduate degree in Social Work, Public Health, or behavioral health related field strongly preferred. Minimum of two years post graduate experience in elder services, mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Management experience preferred. Key Senior Management role that participates in agency leadership. Competitive salary and benefits. Respond: Hearth, Inc., 1640 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02118 Fax: 617/369-1566 or Email: pjones@hearth-home.org Hearth, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
An informational session will be held on September 9, 2013 at 4pm. This meeting will be held at the Community Room at Castle Square Apartments, located at: 484 Tremont St. South End, Boston, MA 02116. Community Room is located behind the management office adjacent to the parking lot. An informational session will also be held September 10, 2013 at 4pm. This meeting will be held at the Community Room at Atkins Apartments located at: 215 Blue Hill Ave Roxbury MA 02119.
• Production Director—Creative Services (all stations) • Local Sales Manager—Radio 92.9 WBOS-FM • General Sales Manager—Country 102.5 WKLB-FM • Sales Promotion Project Manager (all stations) • Junior Developer-Designer (all stations) • Account Executives (all stations) If you’re interested in working for one of the premiere broadcasting companies in the country, please check out the detailed job descriptions for each position by going to: www.greatermedia.com (Employment—Boston) – or – send an email to hr@greatermediaboston.com and request a full job description be sent to you.
Reward... We Help People Get and Succeed at Good Jobs Free job-search and career development help: • Most people who complete our 60hour job-search workshop qualify for free, individual job-search help. • We refer people to jobs that pay $20,000 — $30,000 and offer benefits. • We mentor people who accept jobs through our referrals for two years. If you are a low-income adult who is: • Looking for a full-time permanent job; • Willing to participate in our two-year mentoring program; • Age 22 to 55; • Legal to work in the U.S.; • Able to succeed in an English-speaking workplace, then… Orientation Every Thursday, 1:00 PM. Call us to see if you qualify at (617) 424-6616. • You will need to bring your résumé • If you do not have a résumé, bring a list of: 4 Jobs and military service since high school; 4 Education and training. 4 Be sure to include month and year; be sure that all dates are correct. We look forward to working with you!
YOURSELF WITH TWO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE AND BOOKKEEPING PROFESSIONAL
Do you need to upgrade your skills? Ready for a new career?
ADMINSTRATIVE AND BOOKKEEPING PROFESSIONALS PROGRAM ONE PROGRAM…TWO CAREER CHOICES… MORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES The Administrative and Bookkeeping Professionals Program uses a combination of hands on classroom instruction and online learning experiences designed to give you employer ready skills, and the self confidence from achieving new, professional level skills for today’s economy.
The Administrative and Bookkeeping Professionals Program offers: • Introductory and advance levels of computer skills training using Microsoft Office 2010 (MS Word, Excel, Outlook) • Bookkeeping essentials and procedures for office professionals • Opportunities to create professional business documents using digital, social media and internet technologies • Computerized bookkeeping using QuickBooks • Procedures for recording, managing and securing client/ customer financial and non-financial data
Training Grants available to qualifying applicants. Contact: Mr. Royal Bolling, Computer Learning Resources Phone: 617-506-1505 Email: clr2paths@gmail.com
Licensed by the Massachusetts Division Professional Licensure Office of Private Occupational School Education