CONTINUED ON page 12 Will Boston’s Public Schools Find Stability August 11, 2022: Vol.10 Issue 30 SERVING SOUTH BOSTONIANS AROUND THE GLOBE B oston Public Schools’ enrollment has declined 14% over the last five years, a trend that experts vari ously attribute to students opting out, moving out or dropping out. The number has steadily declined, ads@southbostontoday.com www.southbostontoday.com @SBostonToday S outhBos tonTod a y @SBostonToday TODAYSouthBoston Online • On Your Mobile • At Your Door Put Your Money To Work! 1.50%APY* Certificate6-Month *APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Minimum balance to open and earn APY is $500. Maximum deposit $250,000. The APY for all Certificates assumes the dividends will remain in the account until maturity. Withdrawal of dividends prior to maturity will reduce earnings. Certificates are subject to penalty for early withdrawal. Fees may reduce earnings. Rate is effective August 3, 2022. This is a limited time offer and is subject to change without notice. Other rates and terms available. Subject to membership eligibility, see our website for details. massbaycu.org Earn More at Mass Bay! Only $500 Minimum IRA Certificates, Too! Visit us in So. Boston at 147 West 4th Street or 409 D Street in the Seaport.
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Heat advisories, a three weeklong heat wave with temperatures, a few times, touching the 100-degree mark and with it, the usual power outages. No, we’re not going to go into hysterical meltdowns and scream ‘Climate Change!!’. Its summertime and summers are hot, especially in August. The historical records for high summer temperatures hap pened many years ago; long before the Global Warming crowd started blaming every temperature fluctuation on fossilThefuels.point of this week’s editorial is not to referee the dispute of whether Climate Change exists or not. Instead, we’d like to make a sugges tion: We really shouldn’t take out our frustrations when the power goes out on the rank-and-file utility workers who are rushed to the scene and do their best to get us all up and running. Reports of ‘Eversource’ workers be ing screamed at, berated and harassed have come in over the last few weeks. These are hard working men and women just trying their best to get the power back on for all of us. We may think it’s hot when our A/C and fans aren’t operating, but just think how hot those utility work ers in the manholes are, often below street level for hours and sweating bullets in brutal humidity. They have a difficult job and really don’t deserve to take the brunt of abuse. Were the incidents of harass ment towards the workers numerous? No. Most people in our neighborhood have far too much class to act like that. But the fact that it was happening at all is not something to be proud of. And Yes! The skyrocket ing and out of control rates being charged for electricity and fuel should be investigated and are most definitely reason to be angry. But it’s important to remember that it’s not the workers in the field and in the trenches who set those rates. It’s not their fault. And yet, it’s important also to mention not only the relatively few incidents of harassment but in addition, the many acts of kindness and support offered to these workers. Numerous locals have brought them cold bottles of water, iced coffee and lemonade and other drinks to help them cool off. Sand wiches and snacks have also been supplied to them by ap preciative neighbors who are well aware that those utility workers are doing their best to get the power back on. South Bostonians have always been supportive of those who labor for the ben efit of others. It happened quite a bit during the long heat wave and that’s some thing we CAN be proud of.
The Utility Workers Are Not To Blame For Power Outages
August 11, 20222 SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com
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South Boston Today is not liable for errors appearing in advertisements beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. All South Boston Today produced artwork, design, and layout remain the sole property of South Boston Today. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly forbidden. South Boston Today reserves the right to cut, edit or reject any copy without notice. South Boston Today is a Series of the Today Publications Series LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company Press Copy - Monday at 6:00pm • Advertisements Space Reservations - Friday at 6:00pm • Ad Material - Monday at 4:00pm • Camera Ready Ads - Tuesday at 6:00pm “It takes a special kind of stupid to raise taxes during both a recession AND inflation” - Sen. John Kennedy (R. Louisiana) Publisher John Ciccone info@southbostontoday.com PO Box 491 South Boston, MA 02127 Mobile 617.840.1355 email ads@southbostontoday.com
SOUTH
By now, everyone in the country and beyond has heard about the feds raiding President Trump’s Florida home. How nervous are the Democrats about the possibility of Trump running for president again? The unprecedented raid on his home couldn’t have made it any clearer. As Trump travels around the country holding rallies, his crowds keep getting bigger. And the number of Democrats in attendance gets bigger as well. Even in the blazing heat, the people are turn ing out by the tens of thousands each time. Nearly every candidate he has endorsed in primaries around the coun try has won and they often are winning by landslides. His campaign fundrais ing is breaking records as the money pours in. Yes, the opposition is beyond worried. They are terrified. Though Donald Trump hasn’t an nounced whether he will run or not as of yet, the feds, under orders from Biden Administration hacks, are doing all they can to discourage another run. They’re trying in vain to find something – any thing that would legally prevent another run. Now they have apparently ratch eted up the harassment tactics hoping to make him and his growing number of supporters back off. It’s not work ing. In fact, it is just making supporters more adamant and has caused a huge backlash and has made the man himself more determined to not allow them to intimidate him. The raid on Trump’s Mar a Lago home crossed a line that cannot be uncrossed. And while dyed in the wool Trump haters were celebrating the raid; including the media cheerleaders who have been out to get him since 2016, it has outraged millions of Americans; yes, including many Democrats and Independents who always thought such tactics of political persecution were lim ited to Third World Socialist and Com munist countries and Banana Republics. Things like this just don’t happen in America, or at least never before. It has made people ,who were up until now sitting on the political fence, wake up to what the current Administration/Regime will do to take out its political enemies and they don’t like it. Has this now become the government our country’s Founding Fathers warned us about? In addition to the raid on a former president’s private home, the recent package just passed by Democrats, deceptively labeled the ‘Inflation Reduction Act’, contains billions of dollars for the hiring of 87,000 new IRS agents. The IRS is also said to be purchasing hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition and new firearms. Why? These are questions Americans are asking as well. The Inflation Reduction Act, accord ing to many of the nation’s top econo mists who are speaking out against it, is anything but. These economists say it will make inflation worse and cause even more damage to our nation’s al ready hurting economy. Taxes are going to be raised, prices will climb even more than they have already. Working-class families, already struggling with soaring costs of so many necessities, will be hurt more than they are now. The weekly quote in this week’s edition of South Boston Today by Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy reads as follows: “It takes a special kind of stupid to raise taxes during a recession and inflation”. Economists agree but Biden and his party plan to do it anyway. Are Americans starting to ‘get it’ finally? The raid on Trump’s home by armed agents last week, what will most likely be an economy crippling Inflation Reduction Act, the wide open southern border where anyone, no matter how dangerous and violent, can just walk into the country adding to the soaring crime rates in Democrat run cities - Ac cording to polls and surveys, it seems that yes, the public now understands the reality of the calculated effort to trans Note: talk back to John Ciccone by email at jciccone@southbostontoday.com BOSTON John Ciccone MA the United States into something totally different. The people are worried and do not like what they see happen ing. But will they do something about it? All indications point to there being a massive response come the November election. Will the public take other ac tion? Could be. It all bears watching. I mentioned the rising crime rate in many Democrat-run big cities. Much of it is blamed on George Soros supported radical left wing District Attorneys, who are refusing to enforce laws they don’t like and are turning violent criminals loose as fast as police can arrest them. Here in Massachusetts Suffolk County, we had such a DA in the form of Ra chael Rollins. She announced a list of all the crimes she would not prosecute because well, she just didn’t want to. She got away with it, because no state officials had the courage to do anything about it. Fortunately for the people in the State of Florida, they have a governor with the courage to step in and remove a DA/State Attorney that decided he would not prosecute many crimes because he didn’t feel like it either. He was another George Soros pick. Gover nor DeSantis stepped right in, suspended the DA for not doing his job, for derelic tion of duty and violating his oath of office. Wouldn’t it be nice if Massachu setts had a governor like DeSantis?
TODAY
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SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.comAugust 11, 2022 3
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The Thomas J. Butler Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a student who resides in South Bos ton, is graduating from high school and has been accepted to an accred ited college or university. Butler was the former mayor of the South Bos ton Boys Club, Youth Counselor and then Director of Little City Hall in Charlestown, former president of the South Boston Citizens Association and member of the South Boston Irish American Society. When he arrived at Massport in 1987 as a manager of in tergovernmental relations, he was a li censed social worker who had worked in the Boston Juvenile Court, and for the City of ApplicationsBoston.are judged by a com mittee made up of Massport employ ees and a representative of the Butler family. Students interested in applying for the 2023 scholarship should visit www.massport.com/scholarships for eligibility requirements.
Pictured L-R: Alaina Coppola, Massport’s Director of Community Relations & Government Affairs; Lisa Wieland, Massport CEO; Jane Matthews, 2022 Thomas J. Butler Memorial Scholarship recipient; Amy Matthews; Tommy Butler, son of Thomas J. Butler
August 11, 20224 SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com
the possibility of sports books ac cepting bets by October members of the commission have suggested it could take longer. Baker also signed bills intended to improve access to mental health and update the state’s gun licensing laws in the wake of Supreme Court’s decision expanding Second Amend ment rights and issued some vetoes.
T he Massachusetts Port Au thority (Massport) yesterday announced the recipient of the annual scholarship honoring the memory of Tommy Butler, the longtime Massport Director of Govern ment and Community Affairs and son of South Boston. The 2022 Thomas J. Butler Memo rial Scholarship was awarded to South Boston resident Jane Matthews. “Jane has made a tremendous im pact in her community through her service,” said Massport CEO Lisa Wieland. “She has maintained a high GPA and excelled in her extracurricu lar activities, and I know she will go on to achieve great things at Fairfield University.”Matthews is a graduate of Newton Country Day School and will soon attend Fairfield University. She has volunteered her time at Julie’s Fam ily Learning Program, Boston Youth Lacrosse, Casserly House and So phie’s Place. To be considered for the Thomas J. on page The State House
Butler Scholarship, students are re quired to have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and submit an essay of 1,000 words describing their career interests or how their community ser vice has affected their outlook on life. In her essay, Jane wrote, “I aspire to one day live a life where the things I do and the lives I touch will have an effect close to how Tommy Butler made people feel.”
5 Window Into
Window Into The State House provides our readers a synopsis of important issues of interest, past and current, that are being proposed, debated or acted upon by the Massachusetts Legislature. Many issues that are not related to local city government services are acted upon and have a direct impact on daily life. They are tax policy, transportation infrastructure, judicial appointments, social services and health, as well as higher education. We will excerpt reports from the gavel-to-gavel coverage of House and Senate sessions by news sources focused on this important aspect of our lives. These sources include a look ahead at the coming week in state government and summaries and analyses of the past week, re-caps of a range of state government activity, as well as links to other news.
Massport Awards Annual Butler Memorial Scholarship
As the governor wrestles with his decision and another summer heat wave breaks, the Barr Foundation today is releasing the results of a poll taken in May that found 62 percent of registered voters believe climate change is a crisis or very serious problem, and 68 percent see a transition to renewable energy as Baker signs sports betting, mental health and other actions Vegas odds-makers have in stalled the Celtics as pre-season favorites to win the NBA title. The Patriots open their season in Miami on Sept. 11. And the Red Sox, well... maybe you should save your money. But a lot must happen before betting on sports in Massachusetts becomes a reality after Gov. Charlie Baker took the next step on Wednesday by mak ing it legal. Baker singed a sports wagering bill that now throws the ball into the Massachusetts Gam ing Commission’s court. The com mission meets today as it contem plates process for licensing sports wagering under the new law, and while some legislators have floated realistic, up more than 10 points from September 2020. Voters have mixed views of natu ral gas, with 63 percent saying they believe it is a safe form of energy for heating and cooking and 31 per cent saying they consider it to be a form of clean energy, compared to 35 percent who said it is not. Fifty-three percent said they believe wind, solar and hydropower are at least as reliable as traditional fossil fuels, with reliability, safety and affordability ranked as the top three priorities for electricity. While 92 percent said they sup port using more solar power for electricity and 86 percent said more wind resources should be tapped, voters were more closely divided over the use of natural gas with 54 percent saying use less gas to 46 percent who said use more. State investments to help create clean energy jobs or provide direct in centives to make homes and business es more energy efficient were the most popular uses of federal stimulus dol lars, while funding support for clean energy startups and tech companies and direct assistance to pay energy bills were the least popular uses.
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Planning for commutes with out the Orange Line a work in progress Ten days out from the MBTA’s month-long shutdown of the Or ange Line the plan for commuters to find alternative public transit options is still taking shape. The Globe’s Taylor Dolven reports that mayors in communities served by the T, such as Medford, are grow ing increasingly frustrated by the lack of detailed information on shuttle bus stops and other plans to move people while the subway line is out of service.
POLL Taken on Climate Change
SEN. COLLINS, REP. BIELE SECURE PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTMENTS IN STATE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS
Window continued from page 4
SJC backs Bourne’s right to ban pot shops
SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.comAugust 11, 2022 5
SHNS’s Colin A. Young has more from the two leaders on where they go from here. Use of force to restrain inmates questioned by new report More than half of the patients housed at the Department of Cor rection’s Bridgewater State Hos pital were forcibly restrain or involuntarily sedated in the past six months, reports GBH News’s Sarah Betancourt. The data taken from a new report compiled by the Dis ability Law Center questioned the necessity of the tactics to deal with those suffering from mental health issues and other conditions. “It’s really disturbing to read the report,” said Representative Mary O’ Keefe.
Appeals court rules Neal’s committee can see Trump’s taxes A federal appeals court says the U.S. House of Representa tives has the right to access six years of former President Don ald Trump’s tax returns, setting aside arguments that it violates Constitutional separation of pow ers provisions. The Washington Post’s Paul Duggan reports U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who chairs the Ways and Means Committee, first sought the records in 2019 and that further appeals are likely before the records actually land on the committee’s desk.
The Supreme Judicial Court has backed Bourne in its efforts to ban recreational cannabis dispen saries, supporting a 2018 bylaw passed by Town Meeting and like ly ending the multi-year effort of a local dispensary to overturn the ordinance, the Cape Cod Times’ Sarah Carlon reports.
L ast week, State Senator Nick Collins and State Representa tive David Biele joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts State Legislature to pass the Fiscal Year 2023 budget (FY23 budget), which included crucial investments in pub lic safety throughout the Common wealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston as well as funding for local public safety efforts in South Boston. Statewide, the FY23 budget allo cates $415 million for the Department of the State Police, with a portion of the funds to be spent on academy classes for 275 State Police Cadets. In order to reduce gun violence, the FY23 budget also provides $13 mil lion for the Commonwealth’s Shan non Grant violence prevention and intervention program, and more than $10 million to create a neighborhood gun violence prevention program. Locally, Sen. Collins and Rep. Biele secured funding for the Mas sachusetts State Police to conduct directed patrols on state properties throughout South Boston, includ ing Day Boulevard, Carson Beach, M Street beach, Marine Park, and Castle Island. Regarding fire safety services, the FY23 budget invests $46 million in the Department of the Fire Ser vices to support operations for the Massachusetts Fire Fighting Acad emy and local fire departments for upgrades to facilities and to emergen cy response apparatus. Additionally, funds will be used in furtherance of the On-Site Academy’s work in pro viding stress management services to those in the fire service. For the City of Boston and South Boston, the FY23 budget adopted language filed by Sen. Collins and Rep. Biele to provide funding for the City of Boston’s Boston Fire Depart ment Training Academy and the BFD Hazardous Material Response Teams. Separately, in late July, the Legisla ture also passed a $5.2 billion Gen eral Government Bond Bill which also addressed public safety needs, authorizing $60 million directed towards equipment upgrades within
the Executive Office of Public Safety and $100 million for State Police cruisers and other safety equipment. The bond authorization was signed into law by Governor Baker. “The budgeting process is a time to listen to the needs of our commu nities and ensure that those needs are reflected by intelligent, responsible investment,” said Senator Collins. “I would like to thank my colleagues, especially Representative Biele, for their work to ensure that the residents of South Boston may continue to lead safe and productive lives.” “Nothing is ever guaranteed in any budget,” said Rep. Biele. “I was proud to partner with Senator Collins in advocating for resources to meet the needs of our community, and I’m thankful for the support of my col leagues in the Legislature in making thoseHavinginvestments.”beenenacted by the Mas sachusetts Senate and the Massachu setts House of Representatives, the budget has been signed into law by Governor Baker. Truck driver at center of 2019 motorcycle crash found not guilty The driver of the truck in volved in a 2019 New Hampshire crash that killed seven motorcy clists was acquitted on Tuesday after a jury sided with his de fense team who argued that the bike rider at the head of the pack had been drinking and caused the crash. The Globe’s Laura Crimaldi reports more on the verdict from a case that exposed severe shortcoming at the Regis try of Motor Vehicles, which had been failing to track the out-ofstate driving records of people licensed in Massachusetts.
Dem leaders still not on same page on tax relief Don’t expect a quick reso lution to the impasse in the Legislature over how to pro ceed with a bill that includes billions in economic develop ment investments and $1 bil lion in proposed tax relief. Despite Democrats having a clearer picture of the size of the state’s fiscal 2022 surplus (about $5 billion), Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka indicated Tuesday that the two branches remain a ways apart on deciding if and how to move forward with the package that collapse in the fi nal days of the formal legisla tive session at the end of July.
Bumpy start: Some municipal di versity officers struggle for traction Kana Ruhalter of GBH sur veys the current state of the batch of diversity and equity officers installed in many city and town governments in the wake of the 2020 George Floyd protests and finds success sto ries mixed in among some highprofile resignations blamed on political resistance.
Vote By Mail Applications for vote-by-mail ballots have been mailed out to every voter in Boston. To be eligible to vote by mail in the State Primary, applications must reach the Boston Election De partment by Monday, August 29, at 5:00 p.m. Vote-by-mail appli cations can be returned by U.S. mail using the prepaid postcard, in person at the Boston Election Department (located at Boston City Hall, Room 241), or by emailing absenteevoter@bos ton.gov<mailto:absenteevoter@ boston.gov>.Ifyou’reapplying for a primary ballot, and you are not registered in a party, you must indicate which party’s ballot you want to receive. If you do not provide a party on your application, you will not receive a primary ballot. If a voter did not receive a voteby-mail application or misplaced the application, vote-by-mail ap plication forms are available for download on the City’s vote-bymail website. If you’re emailing your application, you need to sign it in a way that can be compared to your hand-written signature. Electronic signatures, scanned applications, and photos of ap plications are acceptable. Typed signatures cannot be accepted. Once a voter receives their bal lot package, they should follow the enclosed instructions. It is important to sign the yellow bal lot affidavit envelope. Unsigned ballot affidavit envelopes will cause a ballot to be rejected.
August 11, 20226 SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com
The VOTES Act includes new policies aimed at increasing ac cess to voting opportunities and makes vote-by-mail and early voting options permanent. The City also previously announced the addition of 20 new voting precincts, following the Boston Election Precinct Adjustment Plan completed in October 2021, which aimed to increase voting acces sibility by distributing voters eq uitably across precincts. The num ber of voting precincts have now increased from 255 to 275. Due to these additions, the City of Bos ton is advising voters that they may experience a change in their precinct and polling location. The Elections Department will be conducting outreach in the coming months to ensure that residents are aware of any change to their polling location ahead of the primary and general elec tions. Voters can also check their registration status via the Sec retary of the Commonwealth’s website to find their election day polling location. On the Ballot The September 6, 2022 State Primary will include candidates for the following offices: Repre sentative in Congress, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Com monwealth, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Governor’s Council, State Senator, State Representative, Dis trict Attorney, and Sheriff.
CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES PREPARATIONS
AHEAD OF THE 2022 STATE PRIMARY Preparations include early voting, ballot drop box locations and 20 new voting precincts
Ballot Drop Boxes
The Boston Election Depart ment has placed 21 ballot drop boxes around the City, including at both the first and third floor entrances of Boston City Hall. All drop boxes are monitored under 24 hour video surveillance. Drop boxes will also be available at each early voting location during the scheduled voting hours. To find a ballot drop box location, visit here. Voters can track their ballot through the state’s website. To be counted, ballots must be received by the Boston Election Department or in a ballot drop box by the close of polls on Elec tion Day, Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 8 p.m. Ballots cannot be returned to a polling location. In-Person Early Voting Voters registered in Boston can vote during the early voting period from Saturday, August 27 through Friday, September 2, 2022, at any of the early vot ing sites. Hours and locations for early voting can be found here. All early voting sites are equipped with electronic poll books for vot er check in. Early voting locations are well-staffed with poll workers and interpreters, and fully acces sible to voters with disabilities. Voting on Election Day Polling locations for the State Primary will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6, 2022. As a reminder, voters should check their registra tion status via the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website. Ballots will be available in English, Span ish, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Lan guage assistance will be available on Election Day by interpreters at polling locations or by contacting the Election Department’s inter preters phone bank. Those inter ested in volunteering can apply to be a poll worker here.
T he City of Boston’s Elec tion Department today announced its preparations ahead of the State Primary, taking place on Tuesday, September 6, 2022. In addition to early voting and ballot drop box locations, these preparations include ex panded voter access created by the VOTES Act and the addition of new voting precincts from the Boston Election Department’s Precinct Adjustment Plan.
SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.comAugust 11, 2022 7
B oston City Council President Ed Flynn and City Councilor At-Large Michael Flaherty are partner ing with the Office of Com munity Preservation to host an information session for District 2 residents on the Community Preservation Act (CPA) on Tues day, August 23, 6pm via Zoom. This meeting aims to provide information and resources for residents, civic groups and orga nizations in District 2 who may want to apply for funding from the CPA. Topics will include the funding application process, the timeline, eligible projects, and other related information. The CPA provides funding for initiatives related to affordable housing, historic preservation, open space, and outdoor recre ation facilities.The application
Flynn and Flaherty to Host Community Preservation Act Info Session on August 23rd
T he power outages that we experienced during this heatwave have illustrated the need for all power companies to work with state and local of ficials on addressing the aging energy infrastructure that we have in our neighborhoods, as well as the need for long term planning as we experience more extreme weather, and more developments being added to the power grid.
fromStatementCouncilPresidentFlynnandCouncilorFlahertyRe:PowerOutagesCouncilors
This week, South Boston resi dents experienced power outages during a heatwave, when they have already experienced over a day of power outages less than two weeks ago. These power outages occurred during record long heatwaves with some of the hottest temperatures that we have seen this season. Many residents have endured unbearable heat without air conditioning or fans, and there have been many se niors, persons with disabilities, and children also impacted. We represent many residents liv ing in public housing, and many of them do not have access to air conditioning. Our city and its neigh borhoods have seen unprecedented growth. With hotter summers and colder winters, there will be more demand on the electric grid. We therefore need to ensure that we are receiving critical upgrades to our electric grid and infrastructure. We also need long term planning, and resources for residents when they experience an outage in the summer or winter. We also need to work together on a consistent communication plan from our electric companies about the work they are doing and timeline for getting power back, as well as an out reach plan focusing on residents who speak a language other than English. We look forward to working with residents, power companies, local and state officials, and other stake holders on addressing upgrades for electrical infrastructure to prepare for record temperatures and longer durations for heatwaves. round for the fall will open in October 2022, close on November 9, 2022 at 5pm, and interested ap plicants must complete eligibility forms by August 31, 2022. Rec ognizing the opportunities that CPA presents for residents and or ganizations who want to preserve and improve our neighborhoods, Councilor Flynn is hosting this meeting to allow residents and organizations to learn more about how they can utilize CPA funding to enhance our community. “With the new round of appli cation for CPA funding available now, we want to make sure that our neighbors have the informa tion and resources to take full advantage of this opportunity to fund relevant projects,” said Councilor Flynn. “I’m delighted to partner with the city to host this meeting so that residents can learn more about what CPA can do for our community.”
“When I worked to get the CPA adopted in Boston, it was because I knew the transformative effects the funds from the program would have across the city,” said Council or Flaherty. “I want to make sure residents in our city have every opportunity to harness the impact of these funds, and I encourage folks to come and learn more about the CPA application process, and get their applications in.” To register for the information session, please https://us06web.zoom.us/meetvisit: FahBvOYCaEO8SUHuR45ing/register/tZEkfuyqqjgpHtCsbFormoreinformation,pleasecon tact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617635-3203 or ed.flynn@boston.gov.
According to the Centers for Dis ease Control, over 1,106,000 Ameri cans died from drug overdoses from 1968 to 2020. Over 932,000 over dosed and died from 1999 through 2020, while 100, 306 Americans overdosed and died in 2021. Make no mistake about it. This is an epidemic of the body and soul of America, and it is only getting worse. “The Southie Pact” (trilogy) is about a group of teenagers in Southie who swore to a Pact not to see anymore of their friends die from drugs. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. As the years pass by, some in the Pact get caught up in the deadly game of drugs. Although a work of fiction, this drug epidemic isn’t fiction and is being played out in communities from Boston to LA. The deaths of thousands and thousands of Americans, and those families and friends left behind with the pain, heartache, and sor row of memories shared by their loved ones, gone before their time, is tragic beyond words. (The Southie Pact books are available on Amazon.com)
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August 11, 20228 SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com
Kevin Devlin’s trilogy of the “Southie Pact” & “A Collection of Stories” now available on AMAZON. COM by Kevin Devlin simply morphed into a work of fiction, a book about the heartache, despair, and death, associated with drug addiction. Seeing, hearing, reading about what was occurring in America it was probably inevi table that this would happen. I remember back in the sixties. Some of the kids would go up Savin Hill woods and sniff glue. One teen ager took it a step further and he was found dead of a heroin overdose on a bench next to the basketball courts at the bottom of the woods. That was my tragic introduction to the horrors of drug addiction, and it was only the beginning. Throughout the years, more friends, more people I knew in Savin Hill growing up, wouldn’t make it to old age. Then, trag edy struck the Devlin Clan as my Godson, Patrick, died from an overdose in a motel room. It was devastating to the family and his friends because Patrick was a witty, friendly, and intelligent young man, beloved by many. From year to year, the deadly drugs used are different, including but not limited to crack cocaine, cocaine, oxycontin, heroin, fen tanyl, and methamphetamine. And the victims keep on mounting.
Why I wrote “The Southie Pact” A fter retiring from the City of Boston in 2012, I needed to occupy my time, and although I was still writing opinion pieces and sports’ stories (Kevin’s Korner) locally, I decided to write a book. At first my idea was to write about the great sports’ programs in Southie, those being the Pop War ner League, Little League, Babe Ruth, the girls’ softball league, the youth hockey league at Mur phy Rink, youth lacrosse, Gate of Heaven and Saint Vincent’s CYO hoop, men’s hoop, as well as the programs at the L Street Bathhouse, the community centers, Moakley Park, M Street Park, McDonough Sailing at Castle Island, and the Southie Boys and Girls Club. So many great programs for the youth to participate in and so many dedi cated adults overseeing them. But as the process unfolded it
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Bilo Idro Marina Cuvee, Croatia, ($14.99). This wine from the winery Zlatan Otok is a fresh, crisp and mineral driven white that is meant to capture the carefree Dalmatian drinking style of sitting dockside. This refreshing wine with a mineral finish is perfect for anyone looking for an everyday wine, great to just pop open and enjoy with your family and friends. This one, as you might guess, is best with any seafood, especial ly something on the grille. SoHu Grasevina (Welschriesling), NV, ($15.99) This dry white wine is cultivated from a vineyard located just south of the Hungarian border. The aro mas are clean but hold plenty of minerality as well as notes of apple and lemon. A balanced wine with a bright palate with delicious viscosity and acidity. Try it with any summer salad, grilled chicken or Mahi Mahithe floral notes and minerality will make them all even tastier. Skaramuca Posip, Dalmatian Coast, NV, ($15.99) This dry white wine from the Island of Korcula has a light-golden color and is loaded with bright aro mas of melon and dried herbs. Its salty freshness and miner ality makes this wine perfect for easy drinking. Locals on the island love this wine with grilled Prawns, dipped into a butter and lemon sauce, served on fresh-baked toasted bread and locally made pasta. Benvenuti, Malvazija Istar ska, 2021, ($10.99), is a vari etal wine made from Croatia’s indigenous wine grape, Mal vazija Istarska. From the coun try’s Istria region, this wine, with an ABV of 13%, is unusu ally strong, but delicious. Notes of mineral water, white peach, pear, honeydew melon, and yel low flowers fill the palate; one sip and you’ll know that this is definitely a summery white wine, with lime-accented acidi ty and slightly bitter finish. Try it with pasta in a creamy sauce, along with grilled squid. I think we should finish with a red wine suggestion which is great for any barbequed red meat, especially as we get those cooler evenings in Sep tember and October. Edivo, Dingač, 2019, ($25.99) is a true Dingač’s flavor profile—carob, raisin, plum, and savory herbs. The nuanced bouquet sets the impression, and the full body meets the expectation. Howev er, the grippy and hard tannins hit the mid-palate and dim the expression slightly. This is as big a red as you’ll find any where in the country and you’ll want to decant it for at least an hour before consumption; drink it within 24 hours as it oxi dizes relatively fast. It’s a great complement to beef stew, bar becued ribs, roasted pork belly and Schezuan beef.
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A fter the fall of Com munism in 1991, one of the first “countries” to revert to its original borders and names was Yugoslavia. Today, there are several small states tucked away between northern Italy and Hungary and one of the most notable of them is Croatia. Beautiful sea side villages, incredible food Guy WineThe and some of the best wines in Central Europe. While the names may not be the easiest to pronounce, I can assure you that the wines are very, very easy to drink…
SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.comAugust 11, 2022 9
I Was Just Thinking… perpetrating crimes know they won’t have to suffer the conse quence of their actions. Someone robs a convenience store and assaults an employee. Another person viciously assaults an inno cent bystander. Someone gets caught in possession of an illegal handgun. Not to worry. Get arrested, then released on no bail. They laugh as they get another get out of jail free card to plan another crime.
When we are children, we are told by adults how to behave, what to do and what not to do based on what’s right and what’s wrong. We need these adults-role models in our lives-telling us that for the bet terment of society, for the benefit of ourselves, we must act in a civi lized, caring, and lawful manner. Then we would know the right thing to do and not to do, steeped in morality, realizing there are conse quences one must face if these rules aren’t followed. But if we are not taught these valuable life lessons, we would do as we pleased regardless of what laws were broken or the level of hurt undertaken. We would believe that illegal and immoral, yes, immoral behavior is okay since the adults in the room say it is fine to do whatev er and not suffer any repercussions.
Sadly, that’s exactly what is happening in America today and that’s why crime has skyrocketed acrossThoseAmerica.inourcriminal justice systems and those in the corridors of political power, think it’s prudent to let criminals continue to commit crimes without suffering the conse quences of their unlawful behavior. Criminals have been given a green light, free rein, to commit crimes again and again, while victims are merely thrown aside as collateral damage to a misguided sense of equity and social justice. Sanctioned criminal behavior by judges, district attorneys, and poli ticians, from small town mayors all the way up to the presidency, who are supposed to protect all lawabiding Americans against anarchy, disorder, and lawlessness, are not doing their job. I just don’t get it. And I hope Americans don’t forget it, when they vote, and kick out those who have betrayed them and defended those who only want to destroy and harm others as they hammer away at the fabric of so ciety which binds us together in a lawful, orderly, and safe way. by Kevin Devlin Schools continued from front page from 52,665 in 2018 to 46,169 this year, with dropout rates of 5.4% in 2018 to 2% in 2021, the most recent year for which the district and the state Department of Elementary and Sec ondary Education had a statistic. As public-school enrollment declines, the number of small schools is growing in many American cities. More than one in five New York City elementary schools had fewer than 300 students last school year. In Chicago, that figure has grown to nearly one in three. And in Boston, it’s approaching one in two, ac cording to a Chalkbeat/AP analysis. Those in the system point to funding and its allocation, the need to dramatically upgrade facilities, and staff and teacher hiring, espe cially in a climate where safety on the school campuses is a contentious issue, as the hard cold factors in the state of public schools. With just one month until the first day of school, it’s down to the wire to try to fill more than 1000 job openings at Boston Public Schools. “We are actively working with our recruitment team,” said Drew Echelson, acting superintendent for Boston Public Schools. He added that 260 of those vacancies are for teach ers. He says there’s an increase in job openings for the district this upcoming school year partly because they’ve added hundreds of new jobs. “We’ve made huge investments in Boston Public Schools – new librarians, new social workers, new school counselors, new op portunities for school nurses across all of our BPS schools, and so there’s a lot of hiring to do,” saidBostonEchelson.Teachers Union president Jessica Tang stated that hundreds of thousands of teachers have left the job since the pandemic nationwide after a couple challenging years in and out of the class room. “I think with even the disrespect towards the profession and disregard directed towards educators and what we do certainly is demoral izing,” said Tang. She says she’s glad Massachu setts isn’t lowering the standard just to hire more teachers like other states. “What we need to do is actually raise the teach ing and learning conditions, so that we can con tinue to attract highly qualified educators and retain them, which is another important piece of the shortage,” said Tang. When interviewed recently incoming Super intendent Mary Skipper said, “I think declining enrollment is something we’re seeing in many of the urban centers, where we’re seeing fewer school-aged children. And so, it’s twofold. One is dealing with what is a natural decline … and at the same time, making sure the quality of our education is superior.”
August 11, 202210 SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com
C rime has risen in America for one main reason. It’s simply because those
Vernee Wilkinson, director of the family advi sory board of SchoolFacts Boston, a group work ing to improve education in the city cited the lack of stability in the district’s leadership as each new mayor in recent years has appointed a new superintendent. Over the last 10 years, BPS has had seven school chiefs, includ ing three interims. And since 2018 alone, Boston’s search for the right school boss has cost city taxpayers $1.4 million in salaries, buyouts and search firm fees, according to a Herald payroll analysis. Others blame not the change in mayors but BPS itself for the exodus. Wilkinson said, “Families in some cases lose patience or lose hope or lose faith and move Accordingout.”tothe Associated Press, else where in the country, school system leaders — buoyed by federal COVID-19 relief funds — have continued to invest in these schools. Chicago will use about $140 million of the $2.8 billion in COVID-19 relief it got to help prop up small schools this school year, offi cials said. In Los Angeles and New York City, officials say they’re focused on luring students back into the system, not school closures. But, as experts point out, federal relief money will run out soon and school districts must budget that money by September 2024. When it does, districts may be hard pressed to keep all of their small schools afloat. “It’s a huge problem,” said Bruce Fuller, an edu cation researcher at University of Califor nia, Berkeley. “It’s going to be increasingly difficult for superintendents to justify keep ing these places open as the number of these schools continues to rise.”
However, Gabrielle Farrell, a district spokes woman, said that over the past five years, there’s been no evidence that more people are leaving BPS. “We’ve seen a drop of students entering the system,” Farrell said, “but we haven’t seen growth in the number of students leaving the system.”
St. Peter Academy is now my for ever home and I am looking forward to the upcoming new school year! Please join Ms. Maggie McCarthy and myself at St. Peter Academy for an Open House for Kindergarten 1 & 2 on August 17th at 5:30. St. Peter Academy is now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. St. Peter Academy is an independent, community-based private school and serves students from ages 15 months through grade 6. SPA is currently accepting applications for the limited spaces available in the year-round tod dler program (beginning at age 15 months) and for students in Pre-K (School Year and Full Year Programs), Kindergarten and grades 1-6. Financial Aid Available. Two Scholarships will be offered this year for applicants for Grades 1 through 6. Appointments for individual virtual tours can be made by contacting Maria Blasi, at 617-268-0750 or by emailing spa@ StPeterAcademy.com.
SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.comAugust 11, 2022 11
I was born in Ohio but raised in Maine. I live now on Cape Cod and commute here to SPA-my most favorite of places. When I was young school was so different and often hard for me. I was a gifted reader, but math was my nemesis. I spent hours trying to figure out patterns and factsthere were no groovy songs back then to help us learn. I would spend time playing school-you could take your rotary phone and dial your own number so that it would ring like a class bell. My parents were teachers so of course this made them both happy and crazy listening to me. When I graduated college, I joined the Peace Corps. I was sent to West Africa where I taught English as a Second Language. I returned and worked for the City of Cambridge in their Extended Day program and continued to teach ESL to adult refu gees. When I moved to Cape Cod, I worked in the public schools before moving to the South Pacific. In The Marshall Islands I taught 2nd grade and P.E. for a small independent school much like SPA. I have worked in and out of the classroom as a lead teacher, inter ventionist, paraprofessional, and substitute for both regular and Special Education. My love for teaching has spanned decades and I have so much enjoyed watching the changes in education that have put the learning of children first. Each child is a whole unique individual and I strive to provide for them a wholesome, well-rounded education.
St. Peter Academy A Hesek,withConversationMrs.LauraK2Teacher
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He’ll join Bergeron, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, plus an additional $2.5 million in performancebased incentives. “I think the fire, the desire, and the passion was too strong for me to [retire] right now,” Bergeron told the media. “Obviously my family is always going to be my priority. But with that said, I’m not ready for that next step. I think I still have some in the tank and some to give. “It was more making sure that I wanted it, that I wanted to work out and felt like I missed the game again,” added Bergeron. “When I had those feelings, I felt like it was time, and I needed to play one more year and come back. That’s it really. It was more just letting my body and my brain just mentally know what I wanted, and really listening to that.
“Once I felt like the desire and the passion was there and coming back, and I was getting excited to work out again and to really want to skate, that to me is the indicator that you need to keep playing.”
Bergeron made his decision be fore free agency began on July 13. Safe to say he made his decision to return around the same time as Krejci. And it’s safe to say — in my opinion — that they both made that decision around the time that Cassidy was fired and a new coach was coming in. “I think my last game [in Czech Republic] was sometime in early June, the World Championship ended, and then I went to the U.S. and got away from hockey and just cleared my head,” said Kre jci. “After a few weeks of talking to my family about our future, we decided to go back to Boston, back to the “ObviouslyNHL.Boston was my No. 1 option, and pretty much my only option,” added Krejci. “I’m glad we got it done. But, the decision, also, I have to give credit to Bergy and Pasta. We had so many conversations in the last few months about coming back or not, and they’re the reason I want to come back and play with those guys again.” Sounds like the Bruins chose Bergeron and Krejci over Cassidy. And if that’s the case, they obvi ously made the right decision. Follow Danny on Instagram @ DannyPicard.
This week, Danny shared his thoughts on Bergeron and Krejci returning to the Bruins: T hey’rePatriceback.Bergeron and David Krejci have both signed deals to return to the Boston Bruins for the 2022-23 season. But I only have one ques tion. What in the world did Bruce Cassidy do to them? Cassidy was fired by the Bruins this offseason. One could say he was actually a very successful head coach while he was here. But now that he’s gone, Bergeron and Krejci are coming back. I get it, Bergeron never actually left. But it is somewhat laughable that if you go to the Bruins’ web site, they’re talking up Bergeron’s return as if he wasn’t the team’s captain last season. So, it’s really not a “return” for Bergeron, as much as it is just him re-signing. I just find it interesting that it took this long to re-sign him. Again, he is the Bruins’ captain. Did anyone really think he was going to play somewhere else? Perhaps he didn’t re-sign until Cassidy was gone. I’m guessing. That’s not been reported any where. But when you then look into the timing of Krejci’s return, it certainly makes you think. Krejci has also announced his return to Boston. It’s almost as if him and Bergeron were in com munication and made the deci sion together. Krejci didn’t play for the Bruins last year. Instead, he returned home to play a sea son in the Czech Republic, where he had 20 goals and 20 assists in 51Now,games.after a year away from the B’s, he’s back, signing a one-year deal worth $1 million, plus an additional $2 million in perfor mance-based incentives. “When I decided to come back — I obviously had to talk to [Bruins general manager Don Sweeney] — he let me know he wants me on the team, and I told him that’s the team I want to play for, that’s the only team I want to play for. And that’s what I told my agent,” Krejci told the media. “I wasn’t ready to retire yet,” added Krejci. “I wanted to come back to the NHL, and I told my agent, just get a deal done. Do what you’ve got to do, let’s just get it done. I want to be a Boston Bruin next season. Obviously, there was a B plan, but I never wanted to go that way. I didn’t want to play any where else. I’m more than happy that I’m a Bruin again.”
August 11, 202212 SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com
TweetoftheWeek NFL THURSDAY, AUG. 11 Preseason Week 1 NY Giants at New England 7 P.M. NFLN MLB THURSDAY, AUG. 11 Baltimore at Boston 7:10 P.M. NESN FRIDAY, AUG. 12 NY Yankees at Boston 7:10 P.M. SATURDAY,NESNAUG. 13 NY Yankees at Boston 7:15 P.M. FOX SUNDAY, AUG. 14 NY Yankees at Boston 7 P.M. TUESDAY,ESPNAUG. 16 Boston at Pittsburgh 7:05 P.M. WEDNESDAY,NESNAUG. 17 Boston at Pittsburgh 7:05 P.M. NESN included Brown, Marcus Smart, multiple draft picks, and another rotational player. Reports suggest that the Celtics consider Jayson Tatum to be “off limits” in trade discussions. Needless to say, a trade between the Celtics and Nets was not agreed to. But this isn’t the first time the C’s have shown serious interest in bringing Durant to Boston. Before Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors in he summer of 2016, he met with the Celtics, who pursued him by bringing Tom Brady to their meeting in the RED SOX TRADE VAZQUEZ, ACQUIRE HOSMER AT TRADE DEADLINE
SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.comAugust 11, 2022 13 SPORTS TODAY
WHAT TO WATCH
but Hosmer refused to remove the Washington Nationals from his notrade list, a list that did not include the Red Sox. The Soto trade be tween the Padres and Nationals was still made, but Hosmer ended up not being part of it. Hosmer, 32, is a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, and was a important piece to the Kansas City Royals’ 2015 World Series cham pionship. Hosmer spent the first seven years of his MLB career with the Royals, before signing with the Padres. He’s hitting .272 this season with eight home runs and 40 RBI in 90 games with San Diego. In 24 career games at Fenway Park, Hosmer has hit .354 with three home runs, and has a higher batting average and OPS (.889) at Fenway than he has at any ballpark in which he has played at least 20 games.
The next day, on Tuesday, the Red Sox continued their attempt to put that puzzle together, acquiring vet eran first baseman Eric Hosmer in a trade with the San Diego Padres. The Red Sox also received minorleague infielder Max Ferguson and minor-league outfielder Corey Ros ier from the Padres, in exchange for minor-league pitcher Jay Groome. Also as part of he trade, San Diego will reportedly pick up a significant portion of Hosmer’s $44 million remaining on his eight-year, $144 million deal that he signed with the Padres before the 2018 season. After this season, Hosmer has three years remaining on that deal, but has a player opt-out available this winter. Hosmer was originally part of the trade that sent star slugger Juan Soto and Josh Bell to San Diego,
Sox acquired outfielder Tommy Pham from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. They also acquired catcher Reese McGuire from the Chicago White Sox, in exchange for lefty reliever Jake Diekman. After those deals were made, Bloom spoke to the media, and ex pressed his desire to still advance to the playoffs this October. “We’re trying to help the club,” said Bloom. “We still want to make the postseason, and we’re also trying to make the right moves for the organization. So the puzzle is incomplete right now. Obviously, I don’t have a crystal ball on every thing that will happen in the next 20 hours, because we are only one part of deciding to make a trade. We need other teams to also want to do that. Our intent is to put ourselves in a position to make the playoffs.”
Hamptons. But Durant ended up choosing the Warriors, and played three seasons in Golden State be fore signing with Brooklyn. Durant, 33, signed a four-year, $198 million extension with the Nets last summer, which begins next season.
K evin Durant has asked the Brooklyn Nets to trade him. And the Boston Celt ics wasted no time making an offer. According to multiple reports from The Athletic’s Shams Cha rania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojn arowski, the Celtics have offered the Nets a trade package that consists of Jaylen Brown, Der rick White, and a draft pick. The Nets reportedly rejected that offer and countered with a package that C haim Bloom was a busy man before last week’s MLB trade deadline. The Boston Red Sox’ general manager made several moves on Monday night and Tuesday afternoon. First, the Red Sox traded catcher Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros in exchange for two outfield prospects in Emmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu. The deal went down as the Red Sox were in Houston, just prior to their game on Monday night. Vazquez, 31, will be a free agent this winter. He’s been on the Red Sox’ Major League roster since 2014, and ranks fifth in franchise history with 651 games at catcher. Since the start of 2019, Vazquez leads the majors in games caught withAlso371.on Monday night, the Red SBT Staff SBT Staff
CELTICS MAKE TRADE OFFER FOR DURANT
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