South Boston Today December 16 2022

The Housing Challenge Is Real

High housing costs and income inequality are not unique to Greater Boston, but while the city of Boston itself had been aggressively creating new housing for all income levels and fighting displacement, Greater Boston as a whole is being outpaced by other metros. The Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) estimates Greater Boston is about 38,000 housing units short of what is needed — a gap that will grow to 90,000 in the next decade if they don’t step up production. MHP notes that Nashville, Austin, and Raleigh are producing over three times the housing per capita than Greater Boston is, with Dallas, Denver, and Atlanta not far behind. California’s Bay Area business leaders have been committed to raising $500 million to drive housing affordability. In Washington, D.C., a group has challenged the public and private sectors to each increase housing investment by $500 million. Minneapolis has eliminated all singlefamily zoning in an effort to increase density, and LA County’s Transit Oriented Communities program has

A Christmas Tree Made Them Uncomfortable? SERIOUSLY?

You may have seen the news last week about the controversy in the town of Dedham, MA. For those of you didn’t, here is a brief summary. Dedham’s two public libraries decorate their buildings and grounds for Christmas each year. And by all reports, they do a good job making the place look festive and yes, “Christmassy”. The decorations include beautifully trimmed Christmas trees that delight young and old alike and Christians and non-Christians as well. But not everyone approved. Of course, there always seems to be a few people who tend to make it their life’s work to get offended and demand the elimination of cherished traditions. It seems, there were a few – very few - complaints during last season that the sight of a Christmas tree in the public library made them feel ‘uncomfortable’. It was reported that one person even said she felt ‘threatened’ by it.

Now, we’re just guess -

ing here, but it’s probably a good bet there wasn’t a Nativity Scene on site because if a Christmas tree caused them to be uncomfortable and feel threatened, a Nativity could have caused them to have strokes and heart attacks. We have to ask, who ARE these people? What kind of a person is so fragile that the sight of a beautiful Christmas tree would cause such trauma? And who do they think they are to demand they be removed because THEY don’t approve? But the bigger question is why are they catered to, as if their views are more important than everyone else’s?

As the news report stated, one library staff member let the word go out on social media that this year, no Christmas trees were to be put up, presumably because of the complaint(s) the previous year. This caused an uproar by Dedham residents, some of whom forcefully made it quite clear that they were sick and tired of these attacks on Christmas each

year by a tiny minority of disgruntled grinches and weren’t going to stand for it any longer. Good for them. The final decision now is that yes, there will be Christmas trees in Dedham’s public libraries. This is how situations need to be handled in our opinion. Whether it’s a Christmas tree, or a street sign, a statue or the name on the James M. ‘Jim’ Kelly Bridge, the screamers need to be stood up to and told in no uncertain terms “NO”. There is no compromising with people, who think that what they want should and must be agreed to and damn everyone else. And as far as the Dedham Christmas tree controversy, and any other place the issue might arise, we’ll mention yet again what needs to be repeated for faint of heart officials everywhere? Christmas is a national holiday and was designated as such in the year 1870 by the Congress of the United States of America. There is absolutely nothing in the US

Constitution that prohibits Christmas decorations from being displayed on public property. Those who are intimidated by the

sight of them have at least two options: grow up and get used to them or stay in your house until the season is over.

“I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all year” - Charles Dickens

Information Center

Was It The Worse Trade Ever Or What?

The headlines in newspapers and on social media formats read: “The Merchant of Death is Back in Action”. And it’s true. Viktor Bout, in addition to being called the Merchant of Death, has also been referred to as Doctor Death and several other names that describe the business he’s in. Here is a man who finds a war and looks upon it as a good business venture. He moves right in and sells weapons to the side that will pay the most for his lethal and sophisticated weapons. He has even been known to sell to both sides in the same conflict. He doesn’t seem to care how many people die as long as he gets paid. This is the man that Biden has turned loose back into the world to once again cause mayhem, murder, brutality and massacre. As soon as he was freed, he boldly stated that he fully supports the Russian invasion of Ukraine and hopes that he can volunteer to take part in it himself. It is estimated that the weapons he has supplied to warring factions in Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and a number of other places caused the deaths of thousands of people, including women and children. In return for his release, America got a spoiled, ungrateful basketball player, who publicly disrespects our country at every opportunity. Was this a good trade? In my opinion, it was the worst. To put it bluntly, Viktor Bout is now once again free to assist in the massacre of thousands more people, so that Brittney Griner can play basketball. And this is something Biden is proud of and the liberals in the news media, in Hollywood and in the US Congress think is just wonderful.

When the Merchant of Death resumes his business as usual again, and the body count around the world once again starts to pile up, the blood of those killed will be on the hands of Joe Biden and those who pull the strings of the worse president in America’s history. And if Brittney Griner does go back to playing basketball and resumes her anti-American antics of storming off the court because the United States National Anthem is being played, there will be liberals who will once again be applauding her and calling her courageous. Let’s look at the record: Joe Biden left Billions of dollars worth of America’s most advanced weapons for the Taliban. Now he releases the world’s deadliest arms merchant, Dr. Death, to flood more war zones with his weapons. After what he’s done, law abiding Americans who own firearms to protect their families and homes, don’t want to hear another peep out of that guy about ‘Gun Control’.

This column has been predicting the demise of CNN for a while now. That demise seems to be picking up steam at an everincreasing pace. The network is shedding viewers like a pit full of snakes shed their skin. Sponsors are leaving and, in a statement, made last week, CNN has announced that it will be moving from its long held 14 story building on Hollywood’s Sunset Blvd and going into a smaller – much smaller space in an effort to cut costs as it is also cutting staff – lots of staff. It seems you can slant news, make up stories and base your reporting on unnamed sources and try like hell to interfere in America’s elections

so long, before people lose confidence in pretty much everything you say and report. The term ‘Fake News’ was given to CNN by President Trump. Did he call that one right or what?

You may have noticed a slight decrease in the price of gas at the pumps. It seems that the oil from Venezuela that Biden was begging for may have started to arrive. The money spent on oil from that country, run by a brutal dictator helps prop up that anti-American regime. Yet Biden would rather use America’s money to purchase, by all accounts, inferior or dirtier

oil from a foreign dictator than allow American oil companies to pump much cleaner oil and at much lower cost to American consumers. He’d rather put American workers out of jobs in order to carry out his war on America’s Fossil Fuel Industry. As one pundit put it so perfectly “So we’re not drilling for oil here because of Global Warming, but you’re going to have somebody drill the same amount of oil - oil that is far more polluting - somewhere else and use more of it to get it here and then pay a higher price for it?” Brilliant.

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

SOUTH BOSTON TODAY

John Ciccone

-- East Coast states band together to try to help fishing industry

Nine North Atlantic states, including Massachusetts, are making a push to set up a central fund that would compensate the fishing industry for losses caused by the development of offshore wind farms up and down the coast. The New Bedford Light’s Anastasia E. Lennon reports that while individual wind developers have entered state-by-state agreements to pay fisherman for costs incurred due to the loss of fishing grounds or longer trips requiring more fuel, the patchwork system has led to “inconsistencies” in ho those

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.

costs are calculated, according to the state. The Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management has said it doesn’t have the authority to administer such a fund, money for which would come from developers, but the states have issued a request for information and are seeking public comments through the end of January.

-- Where did all the workers go?

The Herald’s Gayla Cawley reports on a new study done by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation that attributes the state’s labor shortages to an aging population and residents leaving for other

parts of the country.

-- Council support for Amirault pardons on shaky ground

As for the Amiraults, their hopes for pardons ran into some opposition on the Governor’s Council Tuesday with some councilors expressing sympathy for the victims in the case and others voicing frustration with Gov. Baker for not being more forthcoming with the evidence that persuaded him pardons were justified in this case. SHNS’s Chris Lisinski has more from the hearing, where neither Gerald nor Cheryl Amirault showed up on the advice of Councilor Terrence Kennedy, who said he wanted to manage the temperature in the room and focus on whether the two deserved a pardon, not whether they were guilty.

-- Bulletin: Gov. Baker withdraws Amirault’s Pardon Request Governor Charlie Baker withdrew pardon requests on Wednesday for Gerald Amirault and Cheryl Amirault LeFave, siblings convicted nearly 40 years ago of sexually abusing children at the familyowned Fells Acres Day School, in a sharp pivot that has deepened wounds on both sides of the contentious case. The Governor’s Council was set to vote on the pardon request Wednesday, after holding a six-hour hearing the day before, when Baker withdrew his recommendation, citing an apparent lack of support from the panel.

-- Pressley seeking to lead DWC in new Congress

Democrats may soon be out of power in the U.S. House, but that doesn’t have to mean the Massachusetts delegation loses its voice. U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark has already been elected minority whip, and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is running for chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus. Pressley talked

with Vanity Fair about why she’s running, and how she wants to use the post to assemble a powerful voting bloc in the House as relevant as the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus, writes Abigail Tracy. “It couldn’t be more clear. The Republican Party of [Kevin] McCarthy and Trump, they don’t have a policy vision—certainly not one that centers women’s families and the most marginalized,” Pressley told the magazine. “They don’t see us. They don’t see women.”

-- Sister of Paul Whelan reflects on Griner’s release from Russia American basketball player Brittney Griner is back on U.S. soil after a controversial prisoner exchange freed the WNBA star from a Russian prison where she was being held on marijuana charges. But American Paul Whelan remains in Russia, a former Marine convicted of espionage that has been denied by U.S. authorities. GBH and All Things Considered caught up with Whelan’s sister Elizabeth, who lives on Martha’s Vineyard, after Griner’s release to see how it impacted the Whelan family to see someone else come home without Whelan in tow. “We were very pleased to see Brittney released,” Elizabeth Whelan told the station. “It’s a horrible situation for anybody in their family to be in, but it’s pretty awful to have Paul still in Russia almost four years later.”

-- Sign them up for student debt relief

The Eagle-Tribune’s Christian Wade reports that the Baker’s administration’s student loan repayment program for mental health and substance use treatment professionals has had plenty of early takers. The $130 million program opened

MAYOR WU SIGNS ORDINANCE REQUIRING CAPTIONS ON PUBLIC-FACING TELEVISIONS

Mayor Michelle Wu last Friday signed an ordinance requiring that places of public accommodations in the City of Boston such as restaurants, bars, banks and gyms turn on the closed captioning function on any televisions in public areas. The ordinance, sponsored by Council President Ed Flynn, was unanimously approved by the Boston City Council this week with the goal of removing barriers in public spaces related to communications access for people with disabilities.

“Improving communications access in public spaces across Boston is critical to Boston truly being for everyone,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This ordinance removes barriers for people with disabilities, and I am grateful to the Disabilities Commission, Disability Advisory Board and the entire Boston City Council for their leadership and advocacy.”

“This ordinance ensures persons with disabilities have full access to information and resources shared to the public,” said Council President Flynn. “I want to thank my City Council colleagues, Mayor Wu, and Commissioner McCosh for their leadership, and to the advocates for their work on this issue. This is a step towards accessibility. We will continue to focus on equity for residents and visitors with disabilities. Disability rights are civil rights.”

When businesses enable the “captions” function on their TVs, a live transcript of the program’s audio content is shown scrolling across the bottom of the screen. Requiring visible captions to be turned on will remove a significant communication barrier for people with hearing loss and other disabilities. This will also be beneficial to the general public, as it increases access to information in crowded and noisy commercial spaces where it may be difficult to hear.

“Lack of communication access on TVs in public places existed before COVID-19, but it is now recognized as a critical issue of equity,” said Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh. “All televisions have the ability to enable closed captions for broadcasts, and cable and streaming services offer captions so this is something that is entirely free for businesses to do. This ordinance is a win-win that will ensure Boston’s businesses are more accessible and more welcoming to thousands of residents, workers and visitors.

I want to thank our dedicated Disability Advisory Board members, past and present, for their advocacy on this issue, especially our Chair Wesley Ireland.”

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, TV stations broadcasted daily or weekly municipal press conferences, important public health updates, breaking news reports, emergency alerts, and other crucial information and timely instructions related to the pandemic response. However, that audible content was not accessible to the Deaf community, people with hearing disabilities, seniors experiencing hearing loss, people with developmental or sensory disabilities, and people who speak a language other than English.

In 2020, then Board Member Wesley Ireland raised the issue of requiring captions at a monthly Advisory Board meeting. After discussion, the Board requested that the Disability Commission look into how other municipalities have handled it. The Commission researched more than half dozen cities and one state who have instituted a similar captions requirement and worked with other departments to develop a proposal. The proposal was further refined after a City Council hearing took place in November 2021.

“I am excited to see Boston

joining the ranks of other big cities like Seattle and San Francisco to require captioning on public facing televisions,” said Disability Advisory Board Chair Wesley Ireland. “It is an equity issue I have faced in the past and it is finally addressed.”

The Disabilities Commission will work with other City Departments including the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, Office of Neighborhood Services to conduct outreach to businesses across the City with information about the new ordinance. The Commission will assist businesses with coming into compliance by providing resources on enabling captions.

“This is an important moment in the ongoing push of our small businesses to ensure that all of our spaces are inclusive of every -

one,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “Our team is committed to working with our small businesses to help them become more accessible for all. I am grateful to Commissioner McCosh and the Disabilities Commission and Disability Advisory Board for pushing this forward.”

Keep fats oils and grease out of your pipes this holiday season!

Excess fats, oils, and grease (FOG) may result from preparing food and should never be poured down the sink, or flushed down the toilet. FOG that’s poured into the sink or toilet will harden in the pipes causing backups in your plumbing and Boston’s sewer system. Always dispose of FOG into the trash.

BWSC encourages you to Can The Grease! After cooking, let FOG cool in the pan. Once cooled, pour or scoop FOG into a can, cover the can with a BWSC Grease Lid and store it in the freezer until full and dispose of the can on your regular trash collection day.

Boston residents can request a FREE BWSC Grease Lid! Call BWSC at 617-989-7599, or request one online at www.bwsc.org.

Our Christmas Tree Ritual

and tissue, to safeguard them against being broken.

The lights were the first to be strung up on the tree. Six, eight and sometimes as many as ten sets of lights would be put on the tree. He would start from the bottom and go up and around the branches of the tree to the top. My father then checked each individual light to make sure every light was tightly secure in their sockets, and in good working order. Then he would replace whatever bulbs necessary. Blue, red, green, white, yellow, and orange lights were now in place, and would eventually light up the tree like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

by Kevin Devlin

Ialways knew when it was time to go out and buy our family Christmas tree, the one that would play a special part in our lives over the holiday season, when I saw the red and green tree holder lying on the parlor floor. My father, along with my brothers and I, would walk to Dorchester Avenue to purchase that perfect tree.

In the sixties and seventies, up and down the avenue, there were always empty lots that were seemingly transformed, in seconds, into temporary open-air Christmas tree outlets. My father would take his time and proudly choose what he considered, a flawless, symmetrically shaped, wholesome holiday tree.

My father would let my brothers and I help him decorate the tree, but he made sure we all clearly understood that this was his project, and we would follow his lead and instructions throughout the entire operation.

The lights and ornaments were stored away down in the cellar. With caution they would be brought up into the living room and placed carefully on the couch. The ornaments, previously maintained for years, were individually wrapped in old newspaper

The ornaments came next. Beautiful, bright and shiny ornaments depicting the glory, excitement, and enthusiasm of the Christmas celebration. Each ornament was carefully selected and hung in its designated area. Each ornament complemented the other, like the musical sounds of instruments in a symphony orchestra; and would magnify the tree light effect through their brilliant and distinct reflections.

The garland, along with the glittering, silver tinsel, would then be placed on the branches of the tree. This was my favorite part of the entire undertaking. Shining brightly, the stringy tinsel would hang down from the branches like chilling icicles, visibly and strikingly pointing downward from rooftops on a frigid, wintry day.

The final phase, the piece de resistance, was to place the beautiful, snow-white angel on top of the tree. An Angel of God overlooking the safety and security of the family during this season of peace, love and giving.

After spending the better part of the day slowly and painstakingly piecing together (with our limited assistance) his masterpiece, our Dad would sternly warn us not to touch or go too close to the tree, lest we cause a disturbance that would alter the delicate balance of the finished product.

So, with his tree complete and his message conveyed, we would have our own tree lighting ceremony.

And without failure, throughout those (now) cherished years, we would all simultaneously nod in silent, happy recognition, acknowledging Dad had indeed again captured the essence of the holiday and produced yet another glorious and stunning Christmas tree.

(This Christmas Tree Story first appeared in SouthBostonOnLine in December 1998. It’s my favorite short story I’ve ever written. I was

so proud of it I brought extra copies to my brothers on Christmas Eve. To my surprise, my late brother Jimmy -“Jumpin”-had procured Savin Hill artist James Hobin to create a drawing of dad decorating the tree. I can still remember that moment and shall never forget it. We were speechless. He didn’t know I was writing the story and I was unaware he had secured the drawing. Somehow, we didn’t think it was just a coincidence, sensing that dad was looking down from Heaven with a smile on his face.)

last week and has already had nearly 10,000 applicants seeking to have up to $300,000 in student loans paid off. The application window will be open through January.

-- Frustration builds for Baker on immigration front Gov. Charlie Baker said yesterday he’s “really disappointed” that he has not heard back from the Biden administration on his letter and request that the fed -

eral government lift some of the restrictions that make it difficult, if not impossible, for some newly-arrived migrants to work. The lack of action on the federal level is just one of several places where Baker’s late-term

immigration agenda has stalled out, with the Legislature on Beacon Hill so far doing nothing to advance a funding bill Baker filed to help address the shortage of shelter for migrants coming to Massachusetts.

Artist James Hobin of Dorchester

Guy The Wine

Bubbles

As well as being the holiday season, this is also the time of year when global consumption of Champagne and Sparkling wine hits its high point. The distinction between the two categories is that the term “Champagne” can only be used by sparkling wines from the region in France by the same name that follow a very specific production regimen, the “ Methode Champenoise”. Wines using the term, Sparkling Wine”, by contrast, can be made anywhere else on the planet. We’ll take a look at both categories for some festive holiday candidates….

The original champagne, Dom Perignon, was made by mistake. One of the winemaking staff, a religious Brother by the same name accidentally caused a double fermentation. Upon discovering his error, he’s reputed to have said to the other members of his abbey, “Look brothers, I’ve made stars!”.

Pommery Grand Cru Vintage Brut Champagne, 2008, ($84.99) is

one of the relatively few “Vintage Year” Champagnes. In the Champagne region, Vintage Years are declared by the maker, who can only do so after following and complying with a long list of requirements and government approval. This one has a distinctive nose of oranges, almonds and caramel. The body is rounded, the bubbles small and long lasting and the finish is satisfying. Have this one for a toast, with shellfish appetizers or dessert.

Champagne Comtesse Gerin Rose Selection, ($45.99) is a rose that shows pretty notes of blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry and a great fresh texture. This cuvee is 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir with a fantastic complex mouthfeel combined with the fruit characteristics.

Rea Luna Prosecco, Veneto, Italy, ($17.99) is characterized by Italy’s Beverage Dynamics, as “Round with peach and lychee notes covering all facets of this wine. The sweet fruit and smooth mouthfeel are complementary and stood up by the energetic bubbles that make it even more fun.” This wine is straightforward and refreshing; it could certainly be a great complement to the whole meal, whether it’s turkey or ham.

The elegance of sparkling wine suits Northern California’s wine region. While California isn’t exactly famous for its bubbles, there are some fabulous bottles on offer. These wines are known to be crisp, dry and extremely soft on the palette. With wonderful fizz, fantastic

citrus, orchard and brioche notes, Californian sparkling wine provides a great alternative to overpriced Champagne. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, California, ($44.99), is one of the most consistent and delicious, with low acidity and flavors of apples and pears, as well as notes of lemon and lime. This one is especially good for a toast at the beginning of the meal or dessert at the end-or both!

If you’d rather have a sparkling red than white wine, you might look,”down under”. That’s where Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz, Australia, ($16.99) comes from. Sweet red and dark berry flavors are braced by zesty minerality and flesh out with air. Juicy, nicely focused cassis and blueberry on the finish, which is unusually energetic for this genre. Especially good if your meat for the meal is Roast Beef.

One country you should also take a look at is Spain. Its Sparkling Wines run the gamut from Brut to sweet and are reasonably priced for their quality. Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad, Spain, ($26.99), was cre-

ated to offer an elegant and versatile premium sparkling wine. Only the very best wines are selected from each vintage, then aged in bottle, in contact with the lees, for more than 30 months. This aging ends with the winemaker giving every bottle the magic touch with the last poignettage or shake of the wrist, which intensifies the contact of the lees to create a more complex bouquet for an elegant Cava.

When all is said and done, there are a multitude of options in this category, so don’t be afraid to try something new!

The South Boston Foundation is a not-for-profit Trust formed in 2019 to administer a generous $1.5 million commitment from Massachusetts Port Authority, over 10 years, to the South Boston Community youth educational, fitness, wellness and athletic programs in South Boston.

Grants will be awarded to organizations that comply with all submission procedures and granted on the basis of available funds. To be eligible to apply, one must be an agency or organization located in South Boston with a focus on youth educational, fitness, wellness or athletic programs in South Boston.

Applications are available beginning January 1, 2023 on the website: SouthBostonFoundation.com

Applications must be complete and submitted on or before January 31, 2023 and decisions will be made February 28, 2023.

Stop Stirring A Cauldron Looking For Racism Where It Ain’t

Unless Your Goal Is To Keep Racism Alive

In today’s Boston, dealing with bad and criminal behavior, both on the streets and in the public schools, has become nearly every resident’s focus. Many dedicated black and minority leaders in the civic, faith and political communities as well as their fellow white leaders are seeking ways to address the dual challenges of improving law enforcement’s role in securing the public safety and improving race relations. They work citywide collectively, and within their own neighborhoods, and do so with a commonality of purpose.

Meanwhile, there are others, who see their roles as political activists, cloaked as self-righteous purveyors of revisionist history, regardless of the impact their behavior has on

the progress of real and meaningful initiatives to which many in Boston give valuable time and money to effectuate, in order to make change in a lasting way. These ‘activists’ unilaterally decide that sensationalizing the human frailties and political circumstances of the past is their license to promote demagoguery on the issue.

One such demagogue is a Jamarhl Crawford, who, according to Boston Globe and Boston Herald reports, is a sometimes City Hall and BPDA staffer, former news media columnist, unsuccessful candidate for Boston city council and, when credentials are called into question –self-described community activist.

People in South Boston, and those who came to know of his dedication to his constituents, do not, and never did, equate Jimmy Kelly’s political career with anyone else, let alone

Dapper O’Neil. The Boston press cleverly nuances and mocks the Dapper O’Neil ‘hearing’ room and Jimmy Kelly ‘bridge’. In facilitating disinformation, the journalistic press ignores the underlying motive of classic demagogues, like Mr. Crawford. In his case, his motive is to perpetuate the falsehood that defending one’s position on controversial issues, which residents, neighborhoods, politicians and experts on both sides genuinely disagree on, is inherently racist.

Paradoxically, the kind of activism Mr. Crawford promotes is a not-sosubtle form of racism that, given its prominent publication and exposure in print - including a Boston Globe editorial - is then actually promoted as ‘fundamental to change’, regardless of its truth in context.

To those legitimate and dedicated citizens, who seek improvement in

the quality of life for all Bostonians: Don’t be distracted by the selfish motives of a handful of selfpromoters, who dwell on the past. Focus on the task at hand, which is to make individuals, neighborhoods, communities and all citizens of Boston better citizens, better people and persistently forward-looking in their collective pursuit of harmony, liberty and prosperity. Sincerity of purpose and integrity of commitment should be the foundation of everyone’s efforts.

Housing Challenge continued from front page

altered zoning to allow dense housing construction near transit.

In essence, policymakers can address the rental crisis on the supply side in two ways. First, they can increase the total number of rental units, which can help slow rental inflation as more renters find the housing that they want. Second, they can focus on building housing units slated for renters of all strata, and especially lower-income renters.

Local solutions, many say, should be aligned with much-needed investment in transit and other systems. However, if Boston and Greater Boston fail to plan for housing, no amount of transit, education, or workforce investment will reposition the region. Lawmakers therefore need to focus on strategies to align housing and transit, bring down the cost of housing, expand housing subsidies, stem displacement, increase minority homeownership, and drive housing diversity in all communities.

Private-sector investment in housing solutions is also a key factor. If the private sector expects to retain the workforce that continued growth requires, it should step up with

creative solutions and provide grant funds and low-cost capital at scale. Anchor institutions like Harvard, Boston Medical Center, Mass. General Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital have been making investments and participating in solutions, but Boston needs to leverage its corporate resources, diverse expertise, and innovation capacity to do so.

With racial wealth and homeownership gaps being among the worst in the nation, exclusionary zoning policies, which for decades have not only limited regional housing growth, but also perpetuated the impacts of policies that segregated persons by class and by race, need to be addressed.

Civic action is a hallmark of Massachusetts citizens, as many get involved locally. Permitting multifamily housing, preserving or creating affordability, or adding to the diversity of housing stock, requires ‘advocacy’, in order to press for the development of more housing, more diverse housing, and more affordable housing.

The most basic fact about the housing crisis is the supply shortage, yet many people deny this reality. Housing scarcity is real. The United

States. in general, needs more housing than almost anyone can imagine, according to many experts.

Once there is an acceptance of the existence of a housing shortage, the policy response naturally is to build more. Twelve metropolitan areas including San Francisco, New York, Boston, have found that new housing brings down prices. The research makes intuitive sense: If new housing is built, most of the people who move in first vacate other units. Those units then become available to newcomers, and so on. Solving a supply problem is of course harder than making the number of homes equal the number of people—different people want different sorts of homes—but the fundamental point is that more homes near good jobs and schools are needed, and that gives people access to the kinds of communities and associated amenities that make life more enjoyable.

In one study when asked the question - Why is housing different? The answer is because the supply argument seems to defy lived experience. People look around their community and sense that a lot has changed. They see new homes and

developments cropping up, even as prices keep rising. This eyewitness account results in people thinking that these new developments either do nothing to alleviate rising prices—or worse, actually cause prices to increase.

However, facts have a way of asserting themselves. When a crisis gets bad enough, motivated reasoning, denial of obvious truths, and contradictions in logic bend, and often break, under the pressure.

For a long time, experts have been warning of the housing-supply crisis. But only in the past few years, as the national median home price has topped $450,000, has the policy landscape shifted. Notably in California (where the median home price number is above $800,000), lawmakers have passed a flood of housing-production bills. Governors in Montana and Virginia, legislators in Maine and Utah, and policy makers at every level of the federal government are uniting around the need to build more homes.

Voters often give their elected officials conflicting mandates. More affordable housing! No construction on my commute! Magical thinking can

Who were the shepherds, that were present at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, has long been a story that has fascinated the masses over the centuries. Even today, in 2022, and with all the nonstop talk of viruses and politics, this ancient question remains a topic of discussion with theologians and historians, especially during this time of year.

Over 2000 years ago, some of the most notable people present after the Baby Jesus was born were the humble shepherds tending to their flocks. These shepherds of the time were considered to be of little importance,

almost lowly, as far as most people living then were concerned. The shepherds were wandering nomads thought to not even have dwellings to live in but rather actually lived out in the fields with their flocks. This was a lifestyle that existed long before the birth of Christ and still to this day, in parts of the Middle East, nomadic shepherds can be found living pretty much the way they did at the time of the birth of Jesus.

These shepherds have traditionally been without means or influence, yet God chose them over lawyers and scribes and wealthy landowners and

other people of great wealth to send a group of Angels to announce that the Son of God had been born in a manger in the town of David.

The Shepherds At That First Christmas Gate of Heaven & St. Brigid Parishes with St. Augustine Chapel

As the story of the first Christmas goes, an Angel appeared to the shepherds who were at first terrified at the sight of the Angel. The Angel then said to the shepherds “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger”. Then other Angels appeared and helped reassure the shepherds. When the Angels had left them, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem to see for themselves, this event that had happened. And they did and found it to be true. They then went in all directions; far and wide to spread the story of the birth of the Baby Jesus, the Son of God.

It has long been debated why it was shepherds that were chosen by God to be the first to receive the announcement of the birth by the Angels. But most believe that it is because God values all people, no matter what their status in life and chose the most humble and unassuming to be blessed with the good news first.

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flourish in a world where things aren’t that bad. People are able to pretend that cities can be preserved when most people are doing okay. But, in reality, when a growing number of high-in-

come renters find themselves shut out of homeownership and as the population of the ‘chronically unsheltered’ soars, reality then sets in.

The dynamic forces of the housing supply and demand market is

the powerful and consistent factor in effecting affordability, over time. The government’s attempt at tweaking, or attempting to override it by decree, is not only messy, but often ends up countervailing the best of intentions.

2022 Christmas Mass Schedule

Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24th

4:00PM Mass at St. Brigid Church, 4:00PM Mass at Gate of Heaven Church (Children’s Pageant)

4:30PM Mass at St. Augustine Chapel

9:00PM - Gate of Heaven Church

Christmas Day

Sunday, December 25th

8AM Mass – St. Brigid Church

9AM Mass – Gate of Heaven Church

10:30AM Mass – St. Brigid Church

NO 12 Noon or 6PM Mass on Christmas Day

Monday, December 26th

No Masses on December 26th. The Parish Office will be closed.

Kick Off 4 Kids Says Thank You To The South Boston Community!

Pizza, bowling, ice cream, goodie bags and the best part, Santa, Mrs. Claus and the Grinch (BPD C-6 CSO Ayesha Lawton) came to South Boston Candlepin

on Broadway, at the invitation of Kick Off 4 Kids (non-profit) founder Allison Baker and the team of Haley Dillon, Jackie Beggan, Ashley Coughlin, Victor Baldassari and Al Mallon, who

are all working Board Members in this sports driven, great organization.

Santa was very busy taking photos and requests from the boys and girls. Mrs. Claus told Santa all of the South Boston children were on the ‘nice list’ as always. Even the Grinch was on good behavior last Sunday with over 100 people attending the event.

Allison and the Board wanted to say thank you to the community for

their support. It takes a village and a sense of pride and that’s what we have always had and will continue to have with our next generation stepping up and continuing to give South Boston children what they deserve, nothing but the best! So to Allison and the many volunteers and sponsors, we say Thank You for giving back and this community appreciates all you do. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! kickoff4kids.net

South Boston Catholic Academy News

Celebrating the Mass of the Immaculate Conception

Thursday, December 8, 2022 was the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception and the 5th & some of the 6th graders participated at this Mass as Greeters, Readers and Brought the Gifts up to the Altar. They all did a great

job! Our South Boston Catholic Academy Children’s Choir sounded wonderful especially as they sang “God is a Part of My Life, I rejoice, I rejoice, I rejoice! Father Christopher Boyle, our Parochial Vicar, was the celebrant at this Mass. All were

welcome to come to this Mass.

At this Mass, Father Chris, spoke about how this Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception is the day we honor the conception of Mary in her mother’s, St. Elizabeth’s, womb without original sin, in view of her future role as the Mother of Jesus.

Father Chris, also spoke about the meaning of the four candles on the Advent Wreath and how last Sunday was the Third Sunday of Advent and we lit the pink/rose candle for Joy as we are getting closer to Christmas.

As Catholics we are called in a special way to be JOYFUL anticipating the coming of Jesus at Christmas. This coming Sunday we will light the Fourth Advent candle and then the following Sunday we will light the Christmas Candle. “Jesus is the reason for the season”. Without Jesus, there would be no Christmas.

New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

St. Peter Academy

Extended Day Happenings

The school day ends at 3:00 pm at St. Peter Academy, but the learning, activities and health/fitness continues until 5:30. The popular extended day program is led by Miss Jackie (PE Teacher) and Miss Brittney (Teacher Assistant) who are also St. Peter Academy Alumni. They are both

super creative and enjoy coming up with educational and fun ideas for the students.

The program is held in our community room that is decorated festively for every holiday/occasion. The students love working on projects and crafts. In the good weather, fitness time is held in the spacious

playground with jump ropes, hula hoops and balls. When it is raining or too cold, gym mats are brought out and the GO NOODLE site and dance parties are in full effect! We even have a visitor from the North Pole this Holiday Season, Elfy the Elf is here watching over the program! St. Peter Academy is accepting applications for the 2023-2024 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 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.

week,

What’s done is done. Xander Bogaerts is a San Diego Padre. And now, Red Sox owner John Henry has two options. He can either sell the team, or he can offer Rafael Devers $400 million, today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not next winter. Today.

Bogaerts, 30, signed an 11-year, $280 million contract with the Padres on Wednesday night. The deal includes no opt-outs and has a full no-trade clause. It comes nearly three years after the Red Sox traded Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Everyone in Boston is looking for answers. Rightfully so. With multiple departures like this over a threeyear span, there needs to be a means to an end for an organization like the Red Sox. If there’s not, then it’s time for an ownership change.

Though, Bogaerts’ exit is a little more complicated than the public outrage might let on. For starters, as good a player and leader as Bogaerts was, the Red Sox absolutely could not pay him $280 million for the next 11 years. Under no circumstances should they have matched that offer. And they

didn’t. When shortstop Trea Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies earlier in the week, it became pretty much a lock that Bogaerts would not be returning to Boston. The market was set, and the Red Sox’ only hope to retain Bogaerts, at that point, would be if he had agreed to a hometown discount.

But that’s where this whole thing gets sticky. Any chance of Bogaerts taking a hometown discount went out the window the minute the Red Sox signed shortstop Trevor Story to a similar, yet larger contract than the contract Bogaerts was already playing — and thriving — under.

The Red Sox signed Story as a free agent last winter. They gave him a six-year, $140 million deal. That’s a little more than $23 million per season. Several years prior, the Red Sox signed a 26-year-old Bogaerts to a six-year, $120 million extension. That’s 20 million per season.

Bogaerts had the ability to opt out after the third year of that sixyear extension. And as we now know, he did just that, and signed a massive deal with the Padres. But did the opt-out need to even

happen? Red Sox ownership is getting crushed right now for not paying Bogaerts. But are they getting crushed for the wrong reason? Here’s where the Sox really messed this up: when they signed Story — an All-Star, Silver Slugger shortstop — to a larger deal than their own All-Star, Silver Slugger, and also, World Champion shortstop.

Imagine being Bogaerts when news of the Story signing broke back in March. You mean to tell me Bogaerts was happy with that move? If I’m Bogaerts, I’m thinking, “They’re going to bring someone in at my position, for more money than I’m making? What the hell did I do to deserve that?” Story ended up playing all 94 of his games in 2022 at second base. And his career-low .238 batting average didn’t necessarily prove that the signing was worth it, especially if that signing was the real reason Bogaerts became dead set on opting out and testing the free-agent market.

Ultimately, whoever made the final decision to sign Story, is functioning with little-to-no common sense. If you want your captain to take a hometown discount

and not run off to the West Coast on an absurd 11-year deal worth close to $300 million, then put some respect on the guy’s f***ing name. Bringing in Story at all — never mind on a larger averageannual salary — was a slap in the face to Bogaerts. Bogaerts will never tell you that, because he’s an adult, and a true leader, and the type of person that would’ve probably treated the Red Sox with respect by signing their reportedly cheaper, six-year, $162 million offer, had the Red Sox simply treated him with respect by not signing his eventual replacement the winter before he was able to opt out.

So, while the Red Sox are getting killed for being cheap, the reality is, this was never really about money, until the Red Sox disrespected him into making it about money and entertaining the type of mouth-watering deal that was on the table in free agency. Now, they have no choice. The Red Sox need to offer 26-year-old Devers a $400 million contract. Either that or sell the team. There’s simply no other option. Follow Danny on instagram @ DannyPicard.

This

Danny shared his thoughts on the current state of the Boston Red Sox:

SPORTS TODAY

WHAT TO WATCH

NFL THURSDAY, DEC. 15

San Francisco (-3.5) at Seattle

8:15 P.M. PRIME

SATURDAY, DEC. 17

Miami at Buffalo (-7.5) 8:15 P.M. NFLN

SUNDAY, DEC. 18

PATRIOTS JUMP INTO PLAYOFF SPOT WITH WIN OVER CARDINALS BOGAERTS

The New England Patriots snapped a two-game losing skid on Monday night in Arizona, defeating the Cardinals, 27-13, and moving up into an AFC Wild Card spot in the process.

With the win, New England is now 7-6, sharing the same record with the New York Jets and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Patriots own the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Jets, and they have a better conference record than the Chargers, so they enter Week 15 as the final Wild Card team and No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff picture.

If the playoffs began today, the Pats would travel to Kansas City to take on the No. 2 seed Chiefs in the first round.

The Patriots have four games remaining on their regularseason schedule: at Las Vegas, at home against Cincinnati and Miami, and at Buffalo.

Monday night’s game was a must-win for the Patriots against

Tweet of the Week

a bad Cardinals team, especially after Arizona’s star quarterback Kyler Murray left the game with a serious leg injury after just the third play of the game. Colt McCoy took over for Murray, and the Patriots defense feasted, sacking McCoy six times, and picking him off once.

The interception came late in the third quarter, by Marcus Jones, which then led to a Patriots touchdown drive and a 27-13 Patriots lead.

Prior to the interception, Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins lost a fumble that was picked up by Raekwon McMillan, who ran it in for a 23-yard fumble-recovery touchdown, which gave New England a 2013 lead in the third quarter.

Arizona led 13-10 at the half, but the Patriots outscored the Cardinals 17-0 in the second half to pick up their seventh win of the season.

Mac Jones finished the game 24-of-35 for 235 pass yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Running backs Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris each rushed for a touchdown, while Nick Folk was 2-for-2 on field goals.

Detroit (-1) at NY Jets

1 P.M. CBS

New England (-1.5) at Las Vegas 4:05 P.M. FOX

NY Giants at Washington (-4.5) 8:20 P.M. NBC

MONDAY, DEC. 19

LA Rams at Green Bay (-7.5)

8:15 P.M. ESPN

NBA FRIDAY, DEC. 16

Orlando at Boston

7:30 P.M. NBCSB

NHL SATURDAY, DEC. 17 Columbus at Boston

1 P.M. NESN

SIGNS 11-YEAR DEAL WITH PADRES

pionship to San Diego.”

Another winter, another AllStar player leaving Boston.

Three years ago, it was Mookie Betts being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, it’s Xander Bogaerts, who opted out of his six-year deal with the Red Sox and has now signed with the San Diego Padres.

Bogaerts, 30, signed an 11-year, $280 million deal with the Padres late last week, which includes no opt-outs and a full no-trade clause. That’s a little more than $25 million per season. Bogaerts was previously playing under a six-year, $120 million deal with Boston, which was an average-annual salary of $20 million.

The now-former Red Sox shortstop had the ability to opt out after the first three years of that six-year deal. He did, and he signed with the Padres.

“We are very excited to add Xander to the San Diego Padres,” said Padres President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller. “His consistency and top-level production places him among the best players in our game. Xander’s makeup and championship pedigree are a strong fit for our team as we look to achieve our goal of bringing a World Series Cham-

Bogaerts was introduced wearing a No. 2 Padres jersey over the weekend. During the press conference, Bogaerts said, “I’m looking forward to playing here for the rest of my career.”

The new Padres shortstop also took a slight shot at his former organization, saying, “This team really wants to win, and you can see how close it is. Especially watching the games last year . . . seeing the fans and how electric it was.”

San Diego advanced to the NLCS this past season, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. As for the Red Sox, they failed to advance to the Postseason for the third time in four years. Though, it should be mentioned that, in 2021, Boston made it to the ALCS, where they lost to the Houston Astros.

Bogaerts made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2013, and was part of two World Championship teams in 2013 and 2018. During his 10 years with Boston, Bogaerts was a four-time All-Star and a five-time Silver Slugger. In 1,264 games with the Red Sox, Bogaerts hit .292 with a .356 on-base percentage and an OPS of .814. He had 156 home runs and 683 RBI during that span.

SBT Staff

SBT Staff