South Boston Today November 3 2022 by SouthBostonTodayOnline

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The Boston Redistricting Mess

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n Wednesday, at the end of a long day of sometimes raucous debate, the Boston City Council passed a re-tinkered redistricting map that was very close to what had been labeled the socalled “unity” map, by a 9-4 vote, with Councilors Ed Flynn, Michael Flaherty, Erin Murphy and Frank Bake voting no. It’s now on its way to Mayor Michelle Wu’s desk, who said she’d review the final map in the coming days. The final map was produced by Redistricting Committee Chairperson Liz Breadon and embattled City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo. They claimed input from a coalition of advocacy groups that, according to emails read aloud during the debate, did not include organizations

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November, 2022: Vol.10 Issue 42

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November 3, 2022

EDITORIAL When Children Go Missing, Good People Rally To Find Them

he editorials we place in the pages of South Boston Today often deal with issues that aren’t pleasant or even positive because of so many subjects that, well, just are not positive in any way. Things like a pandemic, crime, the high price of just about everything and even taxes. Now, who likes to talk about taxes unless they are coming down? And let’s be honest, this is Massachusetts and taxes going down is something that comes around once or twice a century. But every once in a while, we do get to editorialize on some good news and praise some really great people and it’s a refreshing

pleasure to do it. Last week, as most of you know, there was a sweet 16-year-old girl named Colleen Weaver who went missing from her home; gone for a week. It understandably had her parents frantic. Colleen’s family loves her very much and while hopeful for her safe return, there was always the possibility that a safe return might not happen. The word went out and it immediately touched the hearts of South Bostonians. The Weaver family has South Boston roots, so it became personal to many. People would step forward to help find Colleen. This was a given.

The neighbors in the Weaver family’s current place of residence, the Town of Raynham, also came forward to help. Posters were put up, social media messages hit Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and many other platforms. These posts were shared by hundreds of people, most of whom didn’t even know the Weaver family but wanted to help just the same. Then Colleen’s picture and information was put up on roadside billboards with phone numbers and other methods of contacting authorities with any info that could help lead to Colleen’s location. News media outlets jumped in to help get the

word out as well. The fact that so many people offered their efforts and support speaks well for people in this community, for the people of Raynham and people in so many other towns who also stepped forward. Thank God this story had a happy ending. As we now know, Colleen Weaver was found a week later safe and sound. Later in the week, another child was reported missing. 14-year-old Joseph Ernstoff, who lives in South Boston, disappeared but luckily and happily, he was found safe the next day. And though Joseph was missing for less than a day, the same spirit and outpour-

ing of support was rising for him as well as neighbors all over South Boston and beyond were sharing the information and his photo everywhere on social media, to the news media and police, who by the way did a fantastic job as always. Had Joseph been missing any longer, there is no doubt the same massive effort to help by people who care so much for others would have been on the level that it was for Colleen Weaver. And THAT, folks, is what we call great news. The concern and compassion for others runs deep in South Boston and in other neighborhoods as well and that’s truly something we can all be proud of.

“When crazy comes knocking at the door, you gotta slam it shut” - New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu

Compass On The Bay: Hearts, Hugs & Hope A Virtual Alzheimer’s Support Group

Publisher

John Ciccone

ovember 17, 2022, 6:00 pm. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through.

You will also learn about proven strategies to help you better care for your family member. This group will be held in conjunction with our sister community, Standish Village. Call 617-268-5450 or email Program Director Dean Tricarico at dtricarico@com-

passonthebay.com for more information and to register for the virtual meeting. This is a virtual event sponsored by Compass on the Bay Assisted Living and Memory Support Community, 1380 Columbia Road, South Boston.

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November 3, 2022

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Information Center The

Tuesday’s Election Might Have A Cleansing Result Across America SOUTH BOSTON TODAY John Ciccone

he mid-term elections are next Tuesday, November 8th. It’s important to make your voice heard. If you haven’t already voted, please do it. To quote Senator John Kennedy (R, Louisiana) “VOTE: If dead people can do it, you can too.” The fact that what Senator Kennedy said is being repeated all across the country shows just how little confidence that the public has in the fairness of our elections now. Massachusetts is not even close to being representative of how the rest of America votes, so Democrats will probably do quite well here. It has been said that the Bay State seems to be about 4 years behind the rest of the country with how it votes. If national polling is right, and there is never any way to be sure until all the votes are counted, the Democrat party could be in real trouble in much of the rest of the country. Some of the biggest issues for Americans are the unsecured, wide open border and all the illegals and the deadly Fentanyl drug that’s killing so many American kids just flowing in, rising crime rates and violence in big cities, young children being indoctrinated and sexualized in schools, efforts to defund the police, skyrocketing gas prices, food prices and prices on everything else because of out of control inflation destroying America’s economy and so much more; none of which bodes well for the Democrats. When you take into consideration all the issues listed above and add in the so-called ‘woke’ and ‘Cancel Culture’ attacks on free speech, the constant effort to raise taxes on everyone, the possibility of war with Russia, the frantic nonstop campaign to force

Note: talk back to John Ciccone by email at jciccone@southbostontoday.com

electric vehicles down everyone’s throat and let’s face it people – a president who no longer seems to know what he’s doing or sometimes even where he is, yes, the odds are Democrat politicians may be in shock when the votes are counted next week. The bottom line is, if America is to once again thrive or even survive, a big change needs to be made politically in our country. Leaving the same people in power who are the cause of most of our problems is not a smart thing to do. So please, make that effort to vote. You might consider Massachusetts a lost cause and a waste of time voting in one of America’s bluest states, but making your voice heard at the ballot box will at least let the rest of the country know that not everyone in this state is insane. I mentioned ‘freedom of speech’ earlier and who would have thought that it would ever be a controversial issue in the United States? But with the finalization of Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter, it certainly is. Musk’s promise to end censorship of views that the left wing in this country finds uncomfortable or displeasing or in the case of Conservative and patriotic thought – loathsome and ‘triggering’ - and give everyone a platform to express themselves has brought free speech to the forefront of debate. Liberals are absolutely in shock that Twitter, a social media platform that they have controlled and dominated since its beginning, would actually allow views and opinions that they dislike being expressed. They are melting down; heads are exploding everywhere and some of Twitter’s employees (or former employees) are said to be on sui-

cide watch. Allowing Americans to express different views and the First Amendment to our Constitution are as horrifying to them as holding up a crucifix to a vampire; even worse than waving an American Flag in their direction. And now, Hollywood’s leftist celebrities are chiming in saying they will cancel their Twitter accounts and leave the social media company for good. This I find hilarious, especially after checking the list and finding some of the same outraged celebs on this list also swore they would be leaving the country if Donald Trump ever became presi-

dent but didn’t. Elon Musk is also said to be finding the celebrity threats to leave Twitter amusing. He’s losing no sleep over it. And finally, a reminder about Ballot Question 4 in next week’s election. If you vote yes, it will give illegal immigrants driver’s licenses. If you vote NO, it will stop illegal immigrants from getting drivers licenses. It’s as cut and dry and as simple as that. Please don’t let the pro illegal immigration lobby confuse you with their double speak they are using in their multimillion-dollar advertising blitz.

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November 3, 2022

Window Into The State House

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.

-- The Latino vote and what’s driving it to the polls Polling in the state has shown Latino voters to be more deeply concerned about the economy and their own financial situations than the electorate at large, potentially driving turnout and support for candidates that can speak to their anxieties. Anna Guaracao writes for The Berkshire Eagle about the impact Latino voters could have on this year’s elections and why no one party can count on this demographic’s support. -- Transition work well under-

way to prepare for next governor From retaining records to handing over the password to the YouTube channel, there’s a lot more that goes into a gubernatorial transition than simply shutting out the lights on the way out the door. And it hasn’t always been smooth. With seven days left until Massachusetts elects a new governor and two months until that person takes office, State House News Service’s Sam Doran pulls back the curtain on the work that has been quietly underway to prepare for Gov.

EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS GM UPDATE | SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Charlie Baker to hand over the keys to the office and the state to his successor in January. -- Following up on Baker’s request for help with migrants Yesterday, I wrote about Gov. Charlie Baker writing to the feds seeking assistance with migrants arriving from countries like Haiti, who do not qualify for the same levels of support as those seeking asylum and refuge from places like Afghanistan and Ukraine. The Globe’s Mike Damiano has more on the letter sent to Biden administration officials, as well as reporting on what he suggests is an undercounting of arriving migrants by the Baker administration that didn’t paint the full picture of the problem.

Steve Poftak 102820

November 1, 2022 Dear Colleagues, It is with mixed emotions that I share with you the news that January Serving as MBTA General Manager has been the experience of a lifetime and it has been my honor PLEASE POST THIS DOCUMENT ON ALL and privilege to work with all of you. DEPARTMENT BULLETIN BOARDS TO ENSURE WhileEMPLOYEE we have faced and will HAVE continue to face challenges, I believe in COMMUNICATIONS EMPLOYEES WITHOUT EMAIL ACCESS the strength and resilience of the MBTA. As I look back on my four years | UPDATE COVID-19 - #8 SPECIAL COVID-19 as General Manager,EMPLOYEE I take great UPDATE pride in what we have accomplished together. March 16, 2020 3rd, 2023 will be my last day at the MBTA. SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS

Steve Poftak General Manager

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For R

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Steve Poftak 102820-9695.jpg

March 20, Weyou kept service going (and made it better) through a global pandemic. In a world where Thank for 2020 your continued dedication and service as we respond to the COVID-19 virus. Working together, to provide services, keep our people safe and well informed as a lotwe ofcontinue people stayedtransit home, the and MBTA was out as there serving our transit dependent possible in this fast-paced environment. Dear Colleagues: customers. On Today, Monday, T will operate regular weekday service. Tuesday, March 17, the MBTA will theMarch MBTA16, willthe announce additional service revisions in aOn continuing effort to Andservice while we know wein have more work to do on safety, we have made institute changes, based part onmaintaining ridership patterns and guidance provided by state publicgreat health strides as protect our frontline employees while regional mobility for essential trips officials. an organization, building staffing, expertise, and above all, commitment to making the taken by healthcare workers and emergency responders. as itterritory can be. We system recognize as the safe uncharted we find ourselves in today and are reminded that the MBTA remains Effective Saturday, 21, the will direct riders rear doors to enter and essential to the region, March connecting ourMBTA communities and riderstotouse essential services. With that said, the buses and trolleys at street-level stops on the ability Green Line andT” Mattapan Line topublic We have also taken the term “Building a to Better and put intotransit action – investing wellexit being of you, our employees, is paramount to our continue providing safeit maintain appropriate distances between customers and vehicle operators. services. billions of dollars into modernizing the system with real results – modernizing the bus

fleet, building outboarding, commuter rail families infrastructure, completing theon GLX extension, and major Employees should planningthe forMBTA their well being, especially now with the closure of all To facilitate rearcontinue door will temporarily cease fare collection public school But it’s inthe the stops. spirit public service thatto I ask essential personnel, buses and districts. trolleys atacross street-level collection will continue ataallfew. other gatedthose of you improvements coreofFare system – just name Only thatstations operateatand keep our system running everyday, to continue doing the job you do best, for all of our eview Riverside, Science Park, and Lechmere stations, and elsewhere at gated For R riders. For personnel whose responsibilities include supporting our frontline employees, your supervisor While Ithroughout will be leaving January, please know that I will continue to support the MBTA stations the MBTAinsystem. will be discussing with you recent interim policy changes relative to maintaining continuity, remote service Steve Poftak 102820-9701.jpg andasits workforce. as well possible teleworking. These new measures align with Governor Baker’s State of Emergency declaration. They are addition to service revisions implemented this week that inemployees Thank allinfor your few dedication, teamwork andbe trust. Andearlier I askon you preparing to keep ourresulted frontline Foryou the next months, I will focused for the transition to a new broad in reductions in service protect the health and safety of the MBTA’s workforce foremost your thoughts. we are the T. administration andTogether toto new leadership here at the MBTA. For now, please accept my and customers.

gratitude for the essential work you do every day here at the MBTA.

With gratitude for your service, With gratitude for your service,

With thanks and appreciation,

Steve Poftak

General Steve Manager Poftak Steve Poftak

General Manager

-- Milestone: Worcester Regional Airport marks millionth passenger Worcester Regional Airport marked a milestone of 1 million passengers passing through the gates since the Massachusetts Port Authority-owned facility reopened in 2013 after undergoing renovations, MassLive’s Trea Lavery reports. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito was there to celebrate. -- Anonymous investors buying up New Bedford real estate Anonymous investors using a network of subsidiaries have bought up nearly $5 million worth of New Bedford rental properties in recent years. Those purchases that are often quickly followed by eviction notices to residents, Grace Ferguson of The New Bedford

Light reports. Experts say having unknown landlords can make it harder for tenants to fight evictions or advocate for better conditions. -- Baker riding high in new poll as second term nears end Gov. Charlie Baker seems destined to go out on top. While his popularity took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, the twoterm Republican is once again riding high in the polls with a new UMass/WCVB survey finding that 68 percent of voters approve of the job he’s doing for Massachusetts. Baker’s highest scores came for his handling of COVID-19, despite some frustrations in the moment, while his lowest grades were for his handling of transportation and the MBTA. Sixty-five percent said they thought Baker was doing at least “somewhat well” handling the current economy. Check out all the latest poll results. -- Exploring what it would take to lead on cannabis research Life sciences? Sure. Offshore wind technology? Bring it on. Cannabis research? Don’t rule it out. CommonWealth Magazine’s Shira Schoenberg talked with experts about what it would take to position Massachusetts to become a leader in cannabis research. They are not the green jobs Democrat Maura Healey has been talking about on the campaign trail, but with the Biden administration making moves to remove marijuana from the list of dangerous Schedule I drugs, the door could be opening to federal and state funding to support research in the field.

General Manager

MCM Properties mcmproperties.com

November 3, 2022

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

Letter to the Editor Boston’s 2022 Veterans To the editor: Massachusetts patients are not getting enough out of their dental insurance premiums. Studies show that 1 in 4 Massachusetts residents do not have dental insurance and 16.6% have avoided necessary dental work because they could not afford it. If you believe, as I do, that this is unacceptable: I urge you to join me in voting YES on Question 2. Question 2, the Dental Ballot Question, would require dental insurers to spend at least 83% of patient dental premiums on actual patient care, similar to laws that already exist for medical insurance. Why is this needed? Under the current law without this requirement, the biggest dental insurer in the state - a “not for profit” company- spends closer to 60% of patient premiums on dental care, and the rest goes to administrative costs like “gifts” to their parent company and robust executive compensation.

A YES vote on Question 2 would not only guarantee value for patients, but also protects against artificially high premium increases. This initiative prohibits punitive premium increases above the consumer index and enhances reporting requirements so the legislature and regulators have accurate information when considering future adjustments to the law. In the final analysis, Question 2 is about protecting Massachusetts patients by choosing patient health over corporate wealth. Based on the feedback I’ve heard in our community and my own analysis of the proposal; we can create fair dental insurance in Massachusetts by voting YES on Question 2. Senator Nick Collins Senator Collins represents the First Suffolk District in the Massachusetts Senate which includes the South Boston, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Hyde Park neighborhoods of Boston.

Parade This Saturday

oston’s Office of Veterans Services, in partnership with American Legion District 7 Suffolk County, will host the 2022 Veterans Parade on Saturday, November 5. The ‘Celebration of Service’ themed-march will start at Noon in Copley Square. The West Point and Navy Band Northeast’s Marching Bands along with the Wentworth Institute of Technology’s Office of Military Connected Services are among the many units participating. This year’s theme showcases Veteran’s Day as a celebration, as well as a time to pause and reflect on the accomplishments of the armed forces. Says Commissioner of Veterans Services Robert Santiago, “I’m so excited about this parade. This parade is the kick-off to Veterans Month here in Boston and throughout Massachu-

setts, and we love being a part of it. We have a lot of amazing units signed up and look forward to seeing everyone lining the streets of Boston as we celebrate and honor our veterans and service members on November 5th!” Those who wish to view the parade should begin gathering on Boylston and Tremont streets around 11:30 AM. The parade is expected to last until roughly 2PM and will end at Boston Common where guests are encouraged to gather and continue the celebration.

A Message from the Thomas J. Fitzgerald Post, No. 561 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States 715 East Fourth Street, South Boston, MA 02127

n Friday, November 11, 2022, the Fitzgerald VFW Post #561 will hold its 71st annual Veterans’ Day Memorial Service. The order of events will be as follows: • 9:00 AM: Assembly at Post Quarters for refreshments • 9:40 AM: March to St. Brigid Church

• 10:00 AM: Memorial Mass – Upstairs Beginning Veterans’ Day, the Post will be accepting Christmas donations for the Chelsea Soldiers’ Home – gift cards, hats, socks, scarves, toiletries, etc… The residents will be forever grateful. Thank you, Thomas J. McCarthy Commander

It is an honor and privilege to serve as your State Senator. I humbly ask for your vote at the polls this

Tuesday, November 8th

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

I Was Just Thinking…

by Kevin Devlin

REMINDER - Next Tuesday, November 8 is election day. As citizens in a Democracy, we have a duty to vote to ensure the best leaders are elected to serve us. We face many problems in the country every day. Inflation is at an all-time high and many people cannot afford these hefty prices on a continu-

ous basis. For instance, a turkey which usually costs $26 is now $64. In a recent study, eggs were up 30.5%, coffee up 15.7%, milk up 15.2%, fruit and vegetables up 10.4%, fish up 8.0%, and meat up 4.7%. Everything you buy at the supermarket, and elsewhere such as gasoline, is more expensive and many think it is only going to get worse. Crime has exploded across the nation. In 2022, robberies have increased by 19%. Residential burglaries are up 6%, nonresidential burglaries are up 8%, larcenies are up 20%, while motor vehicle thefts have increased by 15%. The average citizen doesn’t feel safe walking the streets or watching TV in their homes. People are assaulted, knifed, pummeled, pushed in front of oncoming trains or thrown down flights of stairs. Pedestrians are run over while walking in crosswalks on the streets. People are robbed

and their car’s hijacked. People are shot and murdered. Gunfire erupts on our city streets in the daylight as if those involved are reenacting the famed shootout at the O.K. Corral. Soft on crime policies aren’t working. Repeat offenders laugh it off as they continue to walk the streets and subways, wreaking havoc on innocent people. They continue to commit crimes because there aren’t any consequences for their illegal and dastardly deeds. Those supporting the Defund the police movement don’t care about the ramifications of their folly. They don’t care about the impact felt by those people most in need of safety and security, those who are hurt by this narrow-minded rhetoric and policies. Consequently, due to the negligence by the government to protect its citizenry from hurt, heartache, and death, America has become like a third world country, and many feel darker days lay ahead. Our southern border is a misnomer. It is no longer a border in a pragmatic sense because it is porous. Thousands and thousands of immigrants have illegally crossed over into the country. It’s a joke and it’s not secure as some want us to believe. As noted by the Department of Homeland Security, in September, there was a record (historic high) 227, 547 migrant encounters at the border. Ending FY 2022, there were 2, 378, 944 migrant encounters (another historic record) and over 900,000 got aways. The Federation of American Immigration Reform’s (F.A.I.R.) analysis of this issue concluded that an estimated 5.5 million migrants crossed the border, the population of Ireland. And adding insult to injury, the Mexican cartels continue to smuggle deadly narcotics (especially fentanyl) across the border with increasing frequency, killing hundreds of Americans every day; and the deaths will continue to rise. Our schools are failing us. They are failing our children. Teachers need to get back to basics and teach the children math and English. A teacher’s job is to teach and not indoctrinate. It is

November 3, 2022

not their job to groom our children as they introduce woke and sexually explicit books and curricula into the classroom. Parents must have the final say in such matters, not administrators or teachers. But the problem grows more evident every day as test scores clearly illustrate. Tent cities filled with homeless people have mushroomed in every major city across the nation. Many homeless people have drug addiction problems. Many have psychological/psychiatric problems. The homeless sleep on the streets. They shoot up on the streets. They defecate on the streets. They jeopardize themselves, passersby, and local businesses. And the problem grows ever more startling every day as these homeless people, who need help, are enabled by those who should help them. Inflation, crime, drugs, immigration, homelessness, education, are a lot of problems that need to be resolved. But why have they grown to such epidemic proportions? Americans are resourceful and these issues could be addressed in a positive fashion if those roaming around in the Halls of Power really wanted to see them resolved. Remember, politicians work for us. We pay them. We don’t serve them contrary to what they think. It is their job to serve us, their constituents. If you feel that the current political leadership is doing a good job, that those in power are doing all they possibly could do to rectify these problems, then vote them back into office. If you think those in power have failed to act in a manner which could have alleviated and not exacerbated these problems, then it’s time to show them the door. It is incumbent upon you to vote for the person you think will make your life better, all our lives better. Let others who want to do the right thing fill the void to effectuate change in a positive manner so that everyone is better off than they are right now. And the way to do that IS TO VOTE.

November 3, 2022

Visit City Hall on the Go Friday on West Broadway

s part of the City of Boston’s process to engage and outreach to neighborhoods, City Council President Ed Flynn is excited to partner with the Office of Civic Organizing to bring the City Hall on the Go Truck

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to South Boston on Friday, November 4th from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm at the Municipal Lot on 450 West Broadway. This will be the first of a series of City Hall on the Go Truck in District 2. “I am looking forward to working with the Office of Civic Organizing to bring City Hall to District 2. There will be various city services available on the truck and this will be a good way for us in the City to interact with our constituents with their day to day needs right on their doorstep. I encourage everyone to stop by.” The City Hall on the Go Truck offers a wide range of services upon request in advance from paying and appealing parking tickets, registering to vote, applying for youth pass, filing for a business certificate, paying for excise or real estate tax, etc. You can view the full list of services and request for them in advance here: bit.ly/CityHallOTG . Please note that the City Hall on the Go Truck does not take cash payments. For more information on the meeting on Wednesday, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@ Boston.gov mailto: Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.

Compass on the Bay Celebrates 2nd Annual Fall Fest

ompass on the Bay, a Memory Support Assisted Living Community located on Columbia Rd, took advantage of the vibrant foliage and crisp autumn air with their 2nd annual Fall Fest. There was fun for the whole family as residents and their loved ones got into the Halloween spirit with pumpkin decorating and face painting. Brave attendees took to the Dunk Tank for a refreshing splash amidst the bright sun. Guests also enjoyed the creativity on display at their Resident Art Show, tried their luck at the raffle table, and grooved to some live entertainment from Richie Berns. After working up an appetite, there was plenty of room

for baby back ribs, hot dogs, cornbread potato salad, and a dessert bar complete with Del’s Lemonade snow cones! The Fall Fest was a fantastic start to the upcoming cooler months, and the Compass on the Bay community cannot wait for the rest of the season. Compass on the Bay in South Boston is an assisted living community dedicated exclusively to those with memory loss featuring Compass Memory Support, a renowned, research-based treatment program for those with dementia, from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-causing diseases. Learn more at www.CompassontheBay.com.

Left to right: Programming Assistant Australia Baskin, Executive Director Jenna Petrenko, and Director of Compass Memory Support Programming Dean Tricarico

Resident Jocelyn Peccei (right) with her family

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

The

Wine Guy

Second Labels, continued

s I mentioned in last week’s column, the term, “second label”, as it relates to Bordeaux’s top or Premier Crus wines isn’t what most people think it is. On the contrary, because their standards are so high, the juice that remains and is bottled under a vineyard’s deuxieme marqueur is most often tremendous wine at 10-15% of the cost of the premier marquer or, first label. The following are worth looking for and definitely worth the price…

Re-Districting continued from front page

Le Petit Lion Du Marquis De Las Case, 2016, ($89.99), in the St. Julien appellation of Bordeau, is a great value, considering that the first label of the same vintage has an average cost of $375.00. I think the Wine Advocate described it best: “multiple layers of blackcurrants, black raspberries, warm redcurrants and wild blueberries, followed by touches of unsmoked cigars, tilled red soil, fallen leaves and lavender, plus fragrant wafts of lilacs and baking spices…”. Another great purchase that can be enjoyed now or laid down for 10-12 years, is Chateau Rauzan-Segla, 2010, Margaux, Bordeau, ($59.99). The 2010 Segla is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and a “seasoning” of 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, representing just over half the total crop, matured in 25% new wood. It has a fragrant, very precise bouquet with mineral-rich, very pure blackberry, blueberry and cold flint-like aromas. There is wonderful tension here for a deuxième vin. The palate is medium bodied with a juicy opening and just a tingle of spice on the tip of the tongue. There is very

representing diverse populations from the Cape Verdean, Vietnamese, Haitian, Chinese, and Hispanic communities. The map moves parts of South Boston out of City Council President Ed Flynn’s District 2 and puts it in City Councilor Frank Baker’s District 3 and moves a chunk of southern Dorchester from District 3 into City Councilor Brian Worrell’s District 4. Ironically and surprisingly, Councilor Worrell agreed to a map that added the Dorchester precincts but split up Mattapan in such a way that it diluted what would be considered his base. Speculation ensued that those Dorchester precincts could produce a challenger - seemingly, a self-inflicted error by Worrell. The apparent rationale was that District 2 is overpopulated and needs to shed voters and District 4, in the view of some advocates, should have more white voters to avoid a situation of “packing” Black voters. Huh? A strange rationale for advancing diversity. Flynn and Baker were both incensed by the attempts to change their districts substantially, arguing that this cuts up existing neighborhoods and cited the fact that a lawyer the council brought on said that there isn’t a federal voting rights issue in any district. At-Large City Councilors Michael Flaherty, who lives in District 2, and Erin Murphy

November 3, 2022

fine tension here, moderate weight but great persistence and sense of energy on the finish. Chateau Palmer, one of Bordeau’s best, not just for decades, but centuries, has another outstanding second label, Chateau Palmer, Alter Ego de Palmer, Margaux, 2012,($95.99). James Suckling says of this wine: “There are intense aromas of blackcurrants, cedar and ripe tobacco with hints of violets, following through to a full-bodied palate with extremely refined tannins that are well-integrated into the wine and are long and subtle at the finish. The precision and harmony are outstanding and tasted in every sip.” In the commune of Barzac, Chateau Clemens Cypres, de Clemens, Barzac, ($55.99) is a companion label and a Sauternes to the Primary label. Roger Voss of the Wine Enthusiast, gave it 93 points, saying: “This great Barsac estate has created this second wine that reflects both of the elegance of the top wine and the ethereal nature of Barsac. The wine balances dryness from the noble rot and honey and marmalade flavors

of District 3 joined as “no” votes. Breadon’s final amendments to the map moved one of the several precincts changed in both Southie and Dorchester back to their original district in exchange for another precinct elsewhere. The redistricting process has been deeply contentious, both for reasons specific to the actual new maps and also underlying tensions on the body. The council has been the site of various conflicts since the spring, through a combative budget cycle, arguments over federal relief funding and then Flynn’s move to temporarily strip Arroyo of his leadership positions, after sexual misconduct accusations arose during his recent run for District Attorney. Originally, Arroyo was the chair of the committee that up to that point hadn’t done very much publicly. When Breadon was appointed by Flynn to take over, the council was planning to meet a self-imposed, not binding, deadline to get the map done a year ahead of the 2023 municipal election, so prospective candidates know what district they’re in. Arroyo and his supporters went on to characterize this as an attempt to grab power away from councilors of color. Ahh! The race card tactic. Flynn and others argued that “getting it right” is more important than “getting it fast”. The redistricting process remained uncertain throughout, as councilors kept introducing

in abundance. Drink the wine now. Organic and biodynamic.” I hope that you make the effort to hunt these wines down; with any one of them, you’ll be glad you made the effort!

new maps and doing little in terms of specific horse-trading with each other. Consequently, the body ended the process with six maps in front of it, with only the final one having gone through multiple iterations. The sniping, insinuations and out-and-out insults flew in public view between the councilors in various public hearings making many Boston residents shake their collective heads over the embarrassing antics. Wednesday began with community groups from South Boston continuing, as some Dorchester groups also are, to put the brakes on the flawed process. Groups led by South Boston’s Ward 6 Democratic Committee filed suit to try to get a Suffolk Superior judge to try to stop the vote but did not prevail. A spokesperson for the coalition of the South Boston groups, citing alleged violations of open-records law, called the current process “unlawful” and said this could open up the process for more transparency. In an interim victory, the judge did set an expedited hearing for next Wednesday November 9th. Councilors in favor of the essentially misleading “unity” map dismissed the validity of the open-meeting complaints. The map ultimately passed after five hours that included several unsuccessful proposed amendments.

November 3, 2022

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

Virtual Public Meeting

330 C Street Public Meeting Wednesday, November 9

Zoom Link: bit.ly/3TpENzy

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864 Meeting ID: 161 292 9539

Project Description: The proposed project consists of a new six-story 74-room hotel, with a ground-floor restaurant, situated at 330 C Street in South Boston. The lot size is approximately 8,202 square feet and is currently occupied by a vacant single-story concrete block building which formerly housed a repair garage.

mail to: Stephen Harvey Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 phone: 617.918.4418 email: stephen.j.harvey@boston.gov

BostonPlans.org

Close of Comment Period: 11/18/2022

@BostonPlans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

Virtual Public Meeting

South Boston Transportation Action Plan Monday, November 14

Zoom Link: bit.ly/3sCXljJ

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864

22 Dry Dock Ave, South Boston Wednesday, November 16

Zoom Link: bit.ly/22Drydock

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Toll Free: (833) 568 - 8864 Meeting ID: 161 049 1228

Project Proponent: Related Beal Project Description: The information at this meeting is crucial to you as a City of Boston resident, and stakeholder. Interpreting services are available to communicate the content of these documents at no additional cost to you. If you require translation services, please contact the following: Tyler.C.Ross@boston.gov. The meeting is scheduled for 11/16/2022. Please request interpreting services no later than 5 days before the meeting date. Meeting of general public to review the proposed 22 Dry Dock Ave, South Boston project. This meeting will be focused on the proposed 22 Dry Dock Ave development. Please note that this is a Public Meeting. The meeting will begin with a 45-minute presentation of the project by the development team, followed by 45-minutes of public Q&A.

mail to: Tyler Ross Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 phone: 617.918.4214 email: Tyler.c.ross@boston.gov

Close of Comment Period: 11/23/2022

BostonPlans.org

@BostonPlans

Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

MCM Properties mcmproperties.com

Meeting ID: 161 775 6725 Project Description: Please join city transportation staff as we begin the community process of the South Boston Transportation Action Plan. At this introductory meeting we will be reviewing the existing conditions of the transportation network in South Boston. The existing conditions report includes travel patterns within the neighborhood, parking statistics, identified areas of pedestrian conflict, bike network gaps, as well as information on congestion & crash data for all modes. The information at this meeting is crucial to you as a Boston resident, and stakeholder. Language Access services are available at no cost to you. If you require these services, please contact (Mark.McGonagle@boston.gov) no later than 11/10/22. La información de esta reunión es fundamental para usted como residente de Boston y parte interesada. Dispone de servicios de idiomas de forma gratuita. Si los requiere, comuníquese con (Mark.McGonagle@boston.gov) antes de la siguiente fecha 11/10/22.

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mail to: Mark McGonagle Boston Planning & Development Agency One City Hall Square, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02201 phone: 617.918.4283 email: mark.mcgonagle@boston.gov

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SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

Trick or Treat

November 3, 2022

on Broadway 2022

November 3, 2022

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

Southie Style!

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

St. Peter Academy October Happenings and Halloween Parade

t. Peter Academy had a wonderful October! Students and staff dressed in Pink/Red for Breast Cancer Awareness and made a donation to the organization Family Reach. Field trips included Grades Toddler through 2nd visiting the D Street Fire House for Fire Prevention Week and Grades 3 – 6

touring the Commonwealth Museum. We had an amazing Spooktacular at the Lithuanian Club and ended the month with the Annual Halloween Parade! The weather throughout the month has been spectacular and it continued for the parade. The students marched around the neighborhood showing

off their Halloween costumes. Our amazing parents lined the parade route cheering the students along. Classroom parties followed the parade. We are looking forward to the month of November and the Season of Giving! St. Peter Academy is continuing to accept 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

November 3, 2022

in the year-round toddler 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. You may request scholarship information from the Front Office (spa@stpeteracademy.com). Appointments for individual virtual tours can be made by contacting Maria Blasi, at 617-268-0750 or by emailing spa@ StPeterAcademy.com.

Another Halloween On Beckler Ave. – Success!

eckler Ave was alive with Halloween sounds, props and sweet treats for all. It was a beautiful display and a night of fun. To those Beckler Ave. residents who step up and make it all happen, Thank you for keeping the tradition alive. (more photos coming on our facebook page)

November 3, 2022

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

BCYF Condon Community Center Celebrates Outstanding Citizenship

ast Monday, the BCYF Condon Community Center held its annual fundraiser

and honored Jayden Bengoche as Condon Youth of the Year and Sgt. Gino Provenzano as Condon Man

of the Year. It was a fabulous turn out for these two South Boston residents. The BCYF staff and Council

did an incredible job in organizing the event. Attendees, friends and family all came together to support the Condon Community Center in the outstanding work they do with the youth. Congratulations to all of the raffle winners and thank you to the South Boston community.

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

South Boston Catholic Academy News

Happy Halloween Everyone!

The students, families, faculty, and staff at South Boston Catholic Academy and in the Early Childhood Pro-

gram had a fun time celebrating Halloween with Halloween Dances and Halloween parties in their classrooms

and everyone was especially excited to show off their marvelous costumes to their families and friends during the Annual Halloween Parade in front of the school. Thank you to all our wonderful parents, the members of the Home and School Association, teachers, and staff for helping to

November 3, 2022

make this year’s Halloween so much fun for all the children at SBCA. We hope that everyone had a Safe and Happy Halloween! New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

November 3, 2022

SOUTHBOSTONTODAY • www.southbostontoday.com

This week,

Danny shared his thoughts on the Boston Celtics letting Ime Udoka leave for the Brooklyn Nets:

he Ime Udoka situation is right up there as one of the more bizarre stories I’ve ever seen. Just over a month after the Boston Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire 2022-23 season, reports say that Udoka is set to become the new head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets are “finalizing a deal” to hire Udoka to replace Steve Nash, who was fired earlier in the week. Udoka was an assistant to Nash in Brooklyn in 2020-21 before being hired by the Celtics as their head coach. Udoka led the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first season in Boston. But right before the start of his second season, Udoka was given a seasonlong suspension for “violations of team policies.” Here’s the press release the Celtics sent out on Sept. 22: “The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has suspended Head Coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies. A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date. The suspension takes effect immediately.” Wyc Grousbeck and Brad Stevens then held a press conference, in which

they basically just re-worded their own press release in different ways, without getting into any detail as to what policy Udoka violated. But reports suggest that Udoka had, according to Wojnarowski, “an improper relationship with a subordinate before training camp.” Still, the severe punishment didn’t seem to add up. Even Udoka’s statement to ESPN’s Malika Andrews left us hanging for more information on his team violation. “I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down,” Udoka told Andrews. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.” In Wojnarowski’s latest ESPN report on Udoka and the Nets finalizing a deal, he reveals some of the findings from an independent investigation into Udoka’s Celtics violation. Here’s what Wojnarowski writes in his ESPN.com report: “The independent law firm probe into Udoka found that he used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate before the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman, an element

that significantly factored into the severity of his suspension, sources told ESPN in September. “Those investigative findings — which described verbiage on Udoka’s part that was deemed especially concerning coming from a workplace superior — contributed to what was an unlikely pathway to his reinstatement as Celtics coach in 2023, sources said. “The power dynamic associated with a superior’s improper relationship with a staff member was the primary finding and policy violation cited in the law firm’s report, which was commissioned by the Celtics and completed in September, sources said.” Also according to Wojnarowski’s report, the Celtics are not requiring draft compensation from the Nets to hire Udoka, which seems odd. If you’re Grousbeck and Stevens, why wouldn’t you want to demand something from Brooklyn in exchange for Udoka? I just always assumed that that reason for the lengthy suspension was so that Udoka wouldn’t be able to coach elsewhere this season. But now that the Nets have an opening, the C’s are just going to let Udoka leave for Brooklyn? None of this makes any sense.

Could it be that maybe Udoka’s “team violation” wasn’t as bad as the Celtics have made it sound? My feeling is that Udoka’s lawyers got involved, and perhaps they put some pressure on the Celtics organization to not put up a fight to keep Udoka from coaching somewhere else. That’s the only thing that would seem to make sense. But what a bizarre turn of events this has been. Especially when you consider just how well received Udoka was in his first season with the Celtics. To take this group all the way to the Finals, and then to see it all just fall apart because of an “improper relationship” is pretty wild. Will Udoka be able to work his magic with a Nets team that’s lost six of its first eight games to begin the 2022-23 season? He sure has the talent in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to do so. And that makes it all the more puzzling as to why the Celtics would just let Udoka walk. I could see if Udoka was going to the Western Conference. But Brooklyn? Very strange. Maybe one day we’ll get all the answers. But until then, consider the “Udoka Era” in Boston a bizarre one. Follow Danny on instagram @ DannyPicard.

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SPORTS TODAY

BELICHICK Tweet of PASSES the Week HALAS IN PATRIOTS’ WIN OVER JETS

SBT Staff

he New England Patriots left New Jersey with their fourth win of the season on Sunday, defeating the Jets, 2217, at MetLife. As a result, Bill Belichick passed George Halas for second place on the NFL’s alltime wins list, with win No. 325. Belichick now trails only Don Shula, who has 347 wins. New England entered the game as a two-and-a-half point favorite on the road, but trailed the Jets, 10-6, at the half. It could’ve been worse, had the officials not called New York for a “roughing the passer” penalty at the end of the second quarter, which erased a Mac Jones interception that was returned for a touchdown. With the Jets leading 10-3 in the final minute of the second quarter, Jones was under pressure inside New York territory, and threw a ball to the left side that was picked off by Jets cornerback Michael Carter, who ran it all the way down for an 84yard touchdown.

However, there was a flag thrown after the ball was thrown, and Jets defensive end John Franklin-Myers was penalized for hitting Jones in the back and sending the Patriots quarterback to the ground. The penalty nullified the pick-six, and instead, led to a New England field goal, making it 10-6 at halftime. It was a game-changing play, and a questionable call by the officials, who bailed out Jones and the Patriots in the process. Had the penalty not been called, the Jets would’ve went into halftime with a 17-3 lead. Even Jones admitted after the game that the penalty saved them. “I think that’s something I’ll have to see on film,” said Jones when asked about the play. “I knew what I was trying to do with it, and just a little miscommunication, but I can’t have those. “Penalties saved us, but definitely want to eliminate those plays and have to watch it and see what we can do better.” As expected, the Jets were not happy with the penalty after the game. “Ten-point swing,” said Jets coach Robert Saleh when asked about the penalty. “It ended up being 17 if you count what hap-

November 3, 2022

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pened in the second half. It was a costly penalty. “JFM has to be better,” Saleh later added. “It doesn’t matter. Do something. It’s 17-3 going into the locker room to 10-6 and they have the ball, lapped us, scored another touchdown. Just a critical exchange. We can say it’s JFM’s fault, we can blame the… it doesn’t matter. It happened. At the end of the day, we just have to be better.” Clearly though, Saleh didn’t believe it was a penalty. When he was asked if he received an explanation on the Franklin-Myers hit on Jones, the Jets coach said, “Yeah, he [Jones] was hit too hard.” Jets quarterback Zach Wilson also expressed his frustration with the penalty. “Terrible call, but that’s football,” said Wilson. “It happens all the time.” The Patriots came out in the second half and outscored the Jets 13-0 in the third quarter, thanks to a five-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Jakobi Meyers on 4th-and-1 to end the opening drive. Two Nick Folk field goals later, New England led 19-10 heading into the fourth quarter. Folk added his fifth field goal

of the game in the fourth quarter to give the Patriots a 22-10 lead. The Jets later responded with a touchdown with 1:51 left in the game to cut the lead to 22-17, but it was too little too late for New York, as New England held on for the win. Jones finished the game 24-of35 for 194 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, while being sacked six times. Rhamondre Stevenson had a game-high 16 carries for 71 yards. Stevenson also had seven receptions for 72 yards. Damien Harris finished with 11 carries for 37 yards. Meyers led the team in receptions with nine catches for 60 yards and the only touchdown of the game. The Patriots are now 4-4, and return home to play the 3-4-1 Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium in Week 9, this Sunday at 1 p.m. It’s New England’s final game before the Week 10 bye. Indianapolis has lost two straight and is coming off a 1716 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 8. New England opened as a 6.5-point favorite. That line went down to -5.5 on Monday.