South Boston Today January 12 2023

hildren are expensive. Any parent will tell you that. But when raising children interferes with the ability to also work, the result can be damaging not just to families, but the state’s economy as well. A new report out today from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundations estimates that inadequate access to affordable child care

Higher Property Tax Bills

Again? Are They Tone Deaf?

The ‘Bay State’, as Massachusetts is often called, has another nick name as well and it’s ‘Taxachusetts’. This name is obviously not meant as a compliment, but it’s a nick name well deserved. Many in the Mass state legislature are famous for never seeing a tax they don’t like and never missing an opportunity to raise existing taxes, as well as thinking up ways to create new ones. On the city/municipal level, Boston is just as bad, sometimes even worse than the state. The question being asked by so many is how much is enough and does enough even exist?

This newspaper has been receiving emails and calls from shocked and even frightened residents

who opened their new property tax bills, which arrived in mailboxes citywide on January 2nd for Fiscal Year 2023. And what a surprise, in most cases the cost went up –again, to own a home in Boston, which is sure to result in rising rents, as struggling landlords find it necessary to charge more to be able to pay those higher property tax bills. We can name many cities and towns, mostly in other states where property taxes fluctuate – they go up some years and sometimes they go down. Boston however seems to mostly have them go in one direction, which as most city residents will attest; and that would be up. Which brings us back to the

original question: Does ‘enough’ even exist?

The reason given for the tax increase this time is that “assessments continued to increase due to an active real estate market in most neighborhoods over the prior year”.

The way we see it, there are at least two ways to overcome that. It can be done by lowering the actual tax ‘rate’ and/or instead of gouging homeowners and renters who live, work and in many cases built this city, increase the cost to all these wealthy new companies and ‘labs’ that are popping up like weeds everywhere you turn. They have plenty of money and will still make much more by relocating here, while so many Boston families are drowning in debt just trying to keep their homes. But still another way for the city to raise more revenue (if it truly needs it) is to start taxing the colleges. Colleges in this city are

sitting on Massive amounts of money known as endowments. Working families need money far more than area colleges and universities need tax breaks.

Take a stroll through the aisles of any grocery store/supermarket and witness the staggering cost of food now. The soaring cost of utilities to power and heat homes is a nightmare to many. Buying clothes and school supplies for the kids and paying for medications and appliance repairs is becoming out of reach for many. Remember that Inflation Reduction Act the feds so proudly bragged about? Its not working. Few believed it would. Given the situation and costs mentioned above and so much more, Is this really the time to add a property tax increase?

Our elected officials on every level seem to have no problem voting themselves pay increases, but, by so often voting to allow tax hikes, they are causing working people to actually get pay CUTS because of the added tax burdens levied on them. But do they even care?

Postal employees will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day

National Holiday to Honor the Iconic Civil Rights Leader

Post Offices across the commonwealth will be closed on Monday, January 16, as our employees pause to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Street delivery on Monday will be limited to guaranteed overnight parcels and there will be no collection of mail. Full retail and delivery operations will resume on Tuesday, January 17.

“Wokeness” gives people a shield to be mean and cruel, armored in false virtue.” - Elon Musk

Information Center

A Major Con Job At The Southern Border

It’s a brand-new year, but if you saw Joe Biden’s trip to the southern border, you know that his administration is still up to its old tricks. It was a media event, a show, if it were a book, it would be in the fiction section of Amazon. The whole thing was staged.

After two long, devastating years, Biden’s handlers and puppet masters finally allowed him to visit the border that they have turned into a total mess. The destination was El Paso Texas. Everyone now knows what’s been happening at the border with Mexico –even Democrats who actually voted for Biden. It’s impossible to hide. Live news feed, lengthy videos and on-site reporting from those news outlets that actually can be trusted show the long lines of illegal’s coming in.

The tent cities, the homeless camps, the drugs being bought and sold in the open and the rising crime rate are happening in what was once a decent place to live. Now of course, the last thing the administration could allow is for the public to actually view the ghetto scene that the good folks of El Paso are having to deal with since the Democrats opened what was a secure border under Donald Trump; especially during Biden’s visit after the idiot press secretary has been insisting that the border is secure, and all is well. Nothing to see here folks, go back to sleep.

So, they sent in the clean up team days before Biden’s arrival. They cleared the streets of the tents, the drug dealers, and the throngs illegals wandering with no clue what was next for them – thousands of them gathered in El Paso - in short, they did not want the rest of the country to see the terrible conditions and all the criminal activity that has taken over El Paso because of Biden’s policies.

So, they sanitized it. Determined to hide the truth from Americans, they even refused to allow the area’s Republican congressman, Tony Gonzales to accompany the phony tour. They were

obviously afraid that Congressman Gonzales would not be silent and enable the farce that was taking place.

The question to be asked is, “what did the tour of the border accomplish besides putting on a performance that no one was falling for?” Nothing! The Biden Administration won’t take any real steps to secure the border because they don’t want the border secured –it’s wide open and that’s exactly how they want to keep it. By this time, only the hopelessly naïve still believe otherwise. There are a few four-letter words that can be used to describe the show the Biden Regime put on during this epic hoax. The one that comes to mind is SHAM.

Now that there is a new Speaker of the House in the United States Congress, things could start changing for the better. One of the first signs of progress is that funding has been eliminated for those 87,000 new IRS agents the Democrats wanted to hire to chase down American taxpayers. If you remember, one of the requirements for applying for those jobs was that you learn how to operate and carry firearms and be willing to use them. So, as Kevin McCarthy takes the gavel away from Pelosi and Madam Dragon fades into obscurity, there are high hopes for working toward taking back the country for the American people.

Of course, the news media kept shrieking that the process of electing McCarthy was a disorganized disaster, since it took so many votes to finally give him the win among his own party members. But it turns out that it was just what the country needed. No more business as usual in the process. Instead of a corrupt system that often automatically picked the next person in line or someone who’s been in congress the longest, there was some raucous but healthy debate, real negotiations and positive concessions made by the Republicans. They did so among themselves with the

ultimate goal and result of making congress far more responsive to the American people and once again, opening up ‘The Peoples’ House’ to the public. That’s how Democracy is supposed to work. In other words, the new congress will do what the American people want, not what the members of congress want. Now, when a bill is proposed, enough time will be given to read the document in full BEFORE voting it into law. When billions of dollars of the taxpayers’ money is sent to Ukraine or anywhere else, there will be a full accounting of how and where the money is spent. There will be single issue voting, no more hiding special pet

projects inside bills designed for something completely different. These are all good goals that have been promised by the new Speaker. If those promises are actually kept, the country will be on its way to being on the RIGHT track.

I’ll close with one final comment this week. A friend of mine has a 7-year-old daughter who tends to notice everything and keeps up with current events pretty well. She went grocery shopping the other day with her dad and happened to notice that the price of eggs was still through the roof. So, she turned to her dad and said “Wow, the chickens must still be on strike”…from the mouths of babes!

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

SOUTH BOSTON TODAY

John Ciccone

--Gone

But Not Forgotten

What would you do with hundreds of thousands of dollars to burn and no more campaigns to run? Throw a party, of course. The latest campaign finance filings show that former Gov. Charlie Baker and former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito dropped $100,0000 (split evenly) in December on Coventures, Inc., the Bostonbased event planning agency run by Dusty Rhodes.

While it’s unclear what this money was used for, online photos suggest Baker and Co. threw a bash at Encore Boston Harbor over the weekend to celebrate their eight years in office with former staff and supporters. The drop-down screen behind the ballroom DJ read: People are policy - Celebrating our winning team.

Records also show that Baker put a $5,000 deposit on his campaign’s American Express for a post-Lone Walk reception at the historic Omni Parker House. In total, Baker spent $83,820 in December, leaving his campaign account with $123,540. Polito, who potentially has another state campaign in her future, spent $64,300

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.

and has $2.1 million. One other notable expense on Baker’s filing: $1,534 to Ellen Cooper Portraits, LLC.

Ellen Cooper is a Pennsylvaniabased portrait artist whose rates start at $5,000, according to her website. While the payment was made on Dec. 29, it’s unclear when Baker may have sat for his official portrait or when it might be ready for unveiling. Former Gov. Deval Patrick had a ceremony on Jan. 5 the year he left office to unveil his official portrait hanging in the lobby of the Executive Suite, while Mitt Romney waited years to hold a portrait celebration, returning to the State House for the official unveiling in 2009 after leaving the governor’s office in 2007 and running straight into a presidential campaign.

While gubernatorial portraits line the lobby of the governor’s third floor office suite, each governor and lieutenant governor typically pick a portrait to hang in their respective offices. Baker hung Gov. John Volpe’s portrait in his office, while Polito had Gov. Paul Cellucci looking down on her. Healey and Driscoll on Monday launched a

student essay contest to help them decide which portrait to select, though it’s probably safe to say Baker’s likeness will have to wait awhile before it sees the inside of the governor’s office.

-- Going deeper on free community college

MassLive’s Alison Kuznitz goes a little deeper on the idea of free community college and where the three top Democrats stand. Healey and Spilka both listed it as a top priority in speeches last week, though Healey appears to be eyeing a more narrow approach for students over 25 without a previous degree. While Spilka said it would cost $50 million to expand the program to all students and cover tuition and fees, it depends on how the program is structured. As this policy paper from MassBudget lays out, it could carry a much bigger price tag. I guess that’s why Mariano said, “The devil’s in the details.”

-- Student borrowers report continued problems with lenders Lawmakers have tried to pass laws to protect student loan borrow-

ers and as attorney general Maura Healey went after some lenders for predatory debt collection practices. But the Eagle-Tribune’s Christian Wade reports that a student loan assistance program run through the Attorney General’s office received an “unprecedented” number of complaints last year, with 1,207 complaints and requests for assistance filed by borrowers between July 2021 and June 30, 2022.

-- State’s plan to recover lost learning under fire

The state’s plan to give every school an individualized improvement plan to help students catch up on learning lost during the COVID-19 pandemic is coming under fire from some Board of Elementary and Secondary Education board members and advocates. The Globe’s Adria Watson reports that critics, including board members tied into the business community, worry that giving schools different timetables to bring students up to speed could put them behind the curve when it comes to meeting achievement goals set by the state in the Student Opportunity Act.

2023 ST. PATRICK’S/ EVACUATION DAY PARADE

The Executive Board of the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council (SBAWVC) is excited to announce that they have requested and received the support of Mayor Wu and the City of Boston for the historical parade route, continuing a 122-year-old tradition. The goal of this year’s parade is to provide a community driven, safe, and family friendly event. The Mission of this Council is

to inform the residents and attendees we intend to emphasize the importance of safety, respect, and honor to the South Boston residents. This community has stepped up for generations in support of the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, and as Veterans, of the community we want to support this effort.

The parade will commence from Andrew Square at 1:00 pm on Sunday, March 19th, 2023,

continue past two of our treasured monuments, the Dorchester Heights, and the Vietnam Memorial at Medal of Honor Park. At the park there will be a tribute to our hometown heroes and will provide one of the family friendly zones with kid friendly activities. Also being recognized are two Veteran organizations along the route, the Michael J Perkins, American Legion and the Martin F. McDonough, American Legion. Ending the parade at Broadway Station.

The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council will be launching a new campaign this year. Supporting the community of South Boston. Again, returning to our mission of supporting the community of South Boston. We plan to include an ample number of sanitation zones, food trucks and family friendly zones. These vital areas will not only support the neighborhood and provide attendees and out of town guest with an improved parade experi -

ence for the day.

“We are extremely happy to welcome the Parade back to South Boston again this year,” said Senator Nick Collins, Representative David Biele, City Council President Ed Flynn, and the South Boston Elected Officials, “The return of the Parade last year was a major success and served as an important reminder of how important St. Patrick’s Day is to the neighborhood, and the city as a whole. We are furthermore very excited to see the Parade return to its traditional route as we also remember to honor the significant history of Evacuation Day.”

Commander Susan McDonough

Chief of Operations Brian Yanovitch

Senior Vice Commander Randy Greeley

Director Parade Operations Jim Tooley

Junior Vice Commander Brian Ahern

Adjutant Ellen Fritch

Trustee Sean Connolly Trustee Bob Lewis Trustee Michael McDonough

The 247th Evacuation Day Essay and Poster Competition Topics Announcement

the poster contest for grades 3,4 and 5.These grades will compete against students in their own grades.

Once again, after last year’s outstanding effort put forth by past President Bernie O’Donnell, Mary McCarthy Collins and their committee, they have expressed an interest of taking on the challenge of co-chairing The Essay and Poster Contests.

ing the Evacuation Day Poster and Essay Competitions is a most fitting way to improve on that mission.”, O’Donnell said.

to complete the task and make it possible for the entire community to safely enjoy this year’s commemorative events.

South Boston Citizens’ Association President Tom McGrath has announced that because of the tremendous success of the poster and essay contest, the Association along with City of Boston Credit Union ,Comcast and Mass Bay Credit Union a will once again sponsor the 2023 Annual Contests and. all other events associated with the Month-long celebration. And, because of the amount of poster entries and interest, we will be expanding the winners categories for

“Bernie always believed me that these contests are a great way to educate and strengthen the interest of the children of the community and I was more than pleased when Bernie offered to once again head up this Event for the children of South Boston”, remarked McGrath. This year the High School competition will be open to all students residing in Suffolk County or attending a school in Suffolk County.

“One of the missions of the SBCA is to reach out to the young children of this historically rich community, and joining with the SBCA in promoting, organizing, and judg-

The current plan with respect to the annual Evacuation Day activities is to continue to host all the events as in years past. SBCA will continue to work with Governor Healey, Elected Officials from the City of Boston, the City of Boston Health Commission, and the National Park Service for the planning of the activities and will follow any requirements and guidance on all aspects of the hosted events.

The SBCA looks forward to working with the community again this year, which commemorates the 247th anniversary of Evacuation Day in Boston. Celebrating Evacuation Day events in the community is a huge undertaking, but thanks to Volunteers and Community Business partners in past years, such as Comcast, Mass Bay Credit Union and City of Boston Credit Union, the SBCA is confident it will be able

All entries should include, in an attached envelope, the contestant’s name, school and a means of contacting the entrant, and should be submitted no later than Friday, March 10th, 2023 At 5 PM. All entries may be mailed to South Boston Citizens’ Association, P.O. Box 74, South Boston, MA 02127, or can be picked up at schools by a representative of the Citizens’ Association.

Entries can also be dropped off at 170 M Street South Boston.

The poster competition is open to all students in grades 3, 4, and 5 who are either South Boston student residents or any student that attends a school in South Boston.

The poster may be submitted in any Medium at least 8 1/2 “x11”, but preferably larger. The Essay competition is open to all students in grades 6-8, who are either South

I Was Just Thinking…

It is because the House Republicans will soon take him to task and make him and his administration respond to their questions about our porous Southern border. Or because he’s running for President in 2024. More than likely both.

Just days before his visit to El Paso and the nearby area, migrants were sleeping on the sidewalks and in the El Paso airport corridors. They were everywhere. Yet during this staged photo-op visit Biden neither saw nor spoke to a single migrant.

How did that happen?

Where did they all go?

media and the President’s entourage because Biden is concerned about optics not reality. It’s like summoning a detective to a homicide after the crime scene has been scrubbed and the victim removed from the premises.

Does Biden and the mainstream media think the American people are that stupid? That we should believe what they want us to believe even though it’s obviously not the truth, purely propaganda promulgated by our deceitful leader at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Biden’s such a phony.

tion, Biden just pretends he doesn’t hear the question or simply ignores it. That’s because he can’t defend himself or his policies in a coherent manner. And we all know, it’s tough to defend yourself when you know you’re concealing the truth, that it’s a lie. It’s obvious that Biden is losing it upstairs, but he still has a vicious streak which motivates and controls him during moments of clarity.

Bottom line.

by Kevin Devlin

President Joe Biden finally visited the southern border. After millions of unvetted, illegal immigrants crossed this border, and unknown quantities of the deadly drug Fentanyl (which is killing hundreds of Americans daily) was smuggled across by the Mexican Cartels, he visited El Paso. It only took him two years. He is, after all, a busy man. What took him so long?

As you may conclude, those were rhetorical questions because we know they were rounded up and shipped off to an undisclosed location by the government.

And what about the migrants who have been committing crimes in this city. Serious and violent crimes including gun threats, drug trafficking and car thefts have rocked the community’s sense of safety and security. Nothing said about that.

El Paso was clearly sanitized for the

Boston student residents or any student that attends a school in South Boston. The high School Essay competition is open to all students in grades 9-12 who are either City of Boston student residents attending any High School.

2023 Essay Contest

Topic for grades 9-12- Describe the events of the Boston Tea party and Boston Massacre and their importance to the American Revolution?

Essays should be at least 750 words; prizes are as follows: first prize $200, second prize $100, third prize $50.

Topic for Grades 6 to 8 - What the role of Abigail Adams in the American Revolution?

Essays should be at least 500 words, prizes are as follows: first prize $150, second prize $100, third prize $50.

Poster Topics

Grade 3 Dorchester Heights and General George Washington

Grade 4 Statue of Admiral David Farragut

Grade 5 Colonel Henry Knox and the Noble Train of Artillery Prizes are as follows: first prize $100, second prize $75, third prize $50.

Children/Economy continued from front page in Massachusetts costs workers in Massachusetts $2.7 billion in earnings a year. Employers lose another $812 million.

Child care is one of the issues that will be debated this year on Beacon Hill with new Gov. Maura Healey prioritizing the area as one where the state can help lower the cost of living in Massachusetts. It’s also seen as a space where some of the billions of dollars in remaining federal stimulus and tax surplus could be put to use. Healey has proposed a $400 million plan to expand child care tax credits for families, making an estimated 700,000 families eligible for up to $600 per child. Lawmakers have also taken steps to put more money into wages for child care providers. But the MTF report suggests it’s going to take more than just money to stabilize what researchers described as a “complicated and inefficient” child care subsidy system.

“While further investment in child care is likely to be a part of those discussions, so should

Then Biden went to Mexico and met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. He managed to mess that up by understating the number of overdose deaths caused by fentanyl, stating “100,000” Americans had died from this deadly drug, yet realistic estimates are close to 300,000 potential fatalities over the past five years. I guess he doesn’t think it important enough to have the facts straight when he’s talking about this deadly epidemic killing thousands and thousands of Americans.

Whenever he’s asked a ques-

identifying and prioritizing the subsidy system’s current gaps and deficiencies. The future success of the child care system depends on making the most efficient use of the resources available,” the authors wrote. The federal government recommends that reimbursement rates be set at a level to give income-eligible families access to at least 75 percent of seats in the private market in their region, but MTF reports that current rates in Massachusetts generally give parents affordable access to only 50 percent of available seats.

Despite a record $1.3 billion investment in fiscal year 2023, MTF says only 49,000 children a month in the subsidy system were served in 2022 and 16,000 children are on waiting lists for subsidies. Furthermore, the money that is available is not being maximized, with millions going unspent annually over the last decade and the money that is reimbursed to providers falling short of what is needed to truly cover the cost of care. “We acknowledge the subsidy system is just one piece

It’s tough for me to even listen to Biden speak anymore. Why? Because I know he’s not a good guy. He’s not honest. That when he opens his mouth most of the time it’s a lie. He thinks he’s fooling us but is only fooling himself. He doesn’t really care about the American people. Only power.

He’s only pretending to be that guy we can depend on through thick and thin.

I guess I have the BSD-the Biden Syndrome Disorder-that is keeping me from trusting him, respecting him, because I think he’s bad for this country.

That’s my honest opinion, and all that I have.

of the puzzle,” said Ashley White, senior policy researcher at MTF. “But reforming financial assistance programs to make affordable child care more accessible is a critical step.”

MTF said it anticipates that any effort to expand access to affordable child care at the State House will start with the subsidy system. The report includes a number of policy recommendations, including changes to the way reimbursement rates are calculated and how subsidized child care seats are allocated by region, as well as streamlining the process for parents to access support and ensuring that budget decisions are made in a way to utilize all available resources.

The Boston Foundation is hosting an online forum on Jan. 18 to discuss the research and its recommendations. Supported by the Boston Foundation and Eastern Bank Foundation, the report documents a variety of systemic challenges that delay and disrupt access to care for families while generat-

Essay & Poster continued from page 5

Chris Byner Appointed Community Vice-Chair of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission

Chris Byner, Program Director for the Boston Police Activities League, has been appointed Community Vice-Chair of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission (MBC). The Commission is co-chaired by Senator Brendan Crighton of Lynn and Representative Adrian Madaro of East Boston.

The MBC was created in 2006 by the Massachusetts Legislature and is managed by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay to take an in-depth look at the Boston metropolitan re -

gion’s public beaches. It is composed of elected officials and community leaders from Boston and the metropolitan region’s waterfront neighborhoods and beachfront communities.

The MBC appointed a Senate Vice-Chair, House Vice-Chair, and Community Vice-Chair in an effort to expand and diversify the collective leadership of the MBC. The team will lead the Commission’s ambitious policy agenda in the upcoming legislative session to improve equitable access for communities to our public beaches, regardless of race, ability, gender, sexual orientation or language spoken.

“The incoming Vice-Chairs bring unique skill sets and perspectives that will certainly strengthen our leadership team,” said Senator Brendan Crighton. “We are thrilled to have them on board and I look forward to working with them to make our beaches cleaner, safer, and more accessible.”

Chris Byner’s outstanding public service and deep ties to communities within Boston make him a valuable asset to the Commission. The MBC is eager to have his extensive knowledge, experience and expertise within the leadership.

“Boston’s metropolitan beaches should be great destinations for all families to spend quality time by the sea regardless of their race, gender, income, language spoken or

physical ability,” Byner said. “I am looking forward to amplifying the voice of the community in my role with the Metropolitan Beaches Commission.”

Senator Lydia Edwards, State Senator for the 1st Suffolk and Middlesex, was appointed as Senate Vice-Chair and Rep. Joan Meschino, Massachusetts State Representative for 3rd Plymouth, was appointed as House Vice-Chair of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission.

Ten Things You May Not Know About Martin Luther King Jr.

Baptist minister and social activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) dedicated his life to the nonviolent struggle for justice in the United States. King’s leadership played a pivotal role in ending entrenched segregation for Black Americans and to the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1. King’s Birth Name Was Michael, Not Martin

King was born Michael King Jr. on January 15, 1929. In 1934, however, his father, a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, traveled to Germany and became inspired by the Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther. As a result, King Sr. changed his own name as well as that of his five-year-old son.

2. King Entered College At the Age of 15

King was such a gifted student that he skipped grades nine and 12 before enrolling in 1944 at Morehouse College, the alma mater of his father and maternal grandfather. King was ordained before graduating college with a

degree in sociology.

3. King Received His Doctorate in Systematic Theology

After earning a divinity degree from Pennsylvania’s Crozer Theological Seminary, King attended graduate school at Boston University, where he received his Ph.D. degree in 1955.

4. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech Was Not His First At the Lincoln Memorial

Six years before his iconic oration at the March on Washington, King was among the civil rights leaders who spoke in the shadow of the Great Emancipator during the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom on May 17, 1957. Before a crowd estimated at between 15,000 and 30,000, King delivered his first national address on the topic of voting rights.

5. King Was Imprisoned Nearly 30 Times

According to the King Center, the civil rights leader went to jail 29 times. He was arrested for acts of civil disobedience and on trumpedup charges, such as when he was jailed in Montgomery, Alabama, in

1956 for driving 30 miles per hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone.

6. King Narrowly Escaped an Assassination Attempt a Decade

Before His Death

On September 20, 1958, King was in Harlem signing copies of his new book, Stride Toward Freedom, in Blumstein’s department store when he was approached by Izola Ware Curry. The woman asked if he was Martin Luther King Jr. After he said yes, Curry said, “I’ve been looking for you for five years,” and she plunged a seveninch letter opener into his chest. While convalescing, King issued a statement affirming his nonviolent principles and saying he felt no ill will toward his mentally ill attacker.

7. King’s Last Public Speech Foretold His Death

King had come to Memphis in April 1968 to support the strike of the city’s Black garbage workers, and in a speech on the night before his assassination, he told an audience at Mason Temple Church: “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place.

But I’m not concerned about that now … I’ve seen the Promised Land.

8. Members of King’s Family Did Not Believe James Earl Ray Acted Alone Ray, a career criminal, pled guilty to King’s assassination but later recanted. King’s son Dexter met publicly with Ray in 1997 and argued for the case to be reopened. King’s widow, Coretta, believed the Mafia and local, state and federal government agencies were deeply involved in the murder.

9. King’s Mother Was Also Slain by a Bullet

On June 30, 1974, as 69-year-old Alberta Williams King played the organ at a Sunday service inside Ebenezer Baptist Church, Marcus Wayne Chenault Jr. rose from the front pew, drew two pistols and began to fire shots. One of the bul-

continued on page 9

Guy The Wine Other Chardonnay Places

Every now and then, you might want to try something new from an area you wouldn’t think to look at ordinarily. One of the best places to start would be the Thracian Valley in the Eastern European country of Bulgaria. Wine has been made here for more than 4,000 years and the growers are so good at it that even the communist “collective” approach wasn’t able to diminish the quality of the wine produced here. During the Soviet era, wine production was state run, for domestic consumption only. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the industry collapsed. It’s only in the past 20 years or so that quality winemaking has resumed here, with a primary focus on utilizing native varieties. Chardonnay here is largely unoaked, with aromatic floral qualities and bright lemon notes. It offers an astounding

value, with bottles $20 and under often scoring 90 points. Some oaked versions are suitable for aging, still at a fantastic value.

Orelek, Orbelus, 2016,Chardonnay, Viognier, ($15.99). Orelek is Bulgaria’s only certified Organic winery, established in 2009. This blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Viognier has vivid notes of fresh oranges, and drying herbs. On the palate, the wine has a really great texture, good acidity and juicy citrus flavors. Really expressive, not expensive!

Merlot & Syrah, South Sakar Selection, Bratanov, 2015, ($18.99) is from a young winery whose first vintage was 2010, but the quality of which bodes very well for the future. This Merlot/ Syrah blend has concentrated black fruits, tempered by big acidity, leading to an overall fine balance in the wine. The nose is strong and pronounced – alluring smoky and peppery – and the finish is dry and lengthy.

Ogy’s Legacy, Borovitza, 2017 Cabernet Franc, ($17.99). This small winery in Northwest Bulgaria has an artisanal approach that clearly works with the many indigenous varieties it works with. Ogy’s Legacy is a multi-varietal blend that is made as a white and a red (with different grapes obviously). A lot of these indigenous varieties are a legacy of the Communist era where a good deal of crossbreeding went on; the Bouquet is a blend of Pinot Noir and Mavrud, Evmolpia is a cross between Merlot and Mavrud and

MLK continued from page 8

lets struck and killed King, who died steps from where her son had preached nonviolence.

10. George Washington, Abraham Lin -

Checklist continued from front page ing disincentives for providers to supply subsidized slots. Parallel to this research, the Boston Foundation interviewed families and early childhood educators to bring to life their experiences within the childcare subsidy system.

Following the research presentations, panelists representing differ -

Rubin a cross between Syrah and Nebiolo. As the grape combinations suggest, it’s a complex wine, full of fascinating twists and turns, terrific texture and nicely restrained alcohol.

Hrumki, Orbelus, 2017, ($18.99) is a multi-varietal blend that is totally unique, in fact so unique that the varietals and the blend are different from vintage to vintage. It comes across like a field blend made by Pieter Walser in that it mixes blend -

coln and Cesar Chavez are the Only Other Americans to Have Had Their Birthdays Observed as a National Holiday

In 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed a bill

ent segments of the early childhood ecosystem will discuss the implications of these findings and recommendations to strengthen the subsidy system in Massachusetts.

Agenda Welcome & Opening Remarks

M. Lee Pelton, President & CEO, The Boston Foundation

Amy Kershaw, Acting Commis -

ing innovation with a marketing savviness.”Hrumki” is the Bulgarian word for “whim” or “notion”, but this is a great example of thoughtful winemaking – it’s easy going, heavily textured but fresh as a daisy, that belies its 14.5% alcohol. Early Melnik does exactly what it says on the bottle and gets picked very early in the harvest – this particular one on August 10 in 2017.

“Radvai se i mnogo zdrave!”Enjoy and Good Health!

that created a federal holiday to honor King. The holiday, first commemorated in 1986, is celebrated on the third Monday in January, close to the civil rights leader’s January 15 birthday.

sioner, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Presentation of the Research

Ashley White, Senior Policy Researcher, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation

Danubia Camargos Silva, Early Childhood Program Officer, The Boston Foundation Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

Gina Adams, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute

Danubia Camargos Silva, (Moderator)

Yaoska Rayo, Mother and Early Childhood Educator

Tom Weber, Executive Director, MA Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education

Closing Remarks

Danubia Camargos Silva

South Boston Catholic Academy News

Celebrating Epiphany (Little Christmas)!

Epiphany is when the Three Kings/Magi came to see Baby Jesus and brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gifts they brought

symbolize Jesus’s identity and mission: Gold for a King, Frankincense – incense for God, and Myrrh used to anoint the dead. Epiphany commemorates the manifestation

of God to the world through Jesus Christ. The 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany are known as the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season.

On January 6th the 4th, 5th and 6th Graders celebrated Día de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany) during Ms. Avery’s Spanish Class with a Rosca de Reyes (King’s Cake)! Inside the cake are hidden little

baby Jesus dolls, symbolizing how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph had to hide from King Herod. In some Spanishspeaking countries, the tradition goes that whoever gets the slice of cake with the baby in it has to host the next party!

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

You know it’s a big story when ESPN has a WWErelated headline on its website. The latest this week reads, “Stephanie McMahon resigns as WWE’s co-CEO.”

Stephanie is the daughter of Vince McMahon. She returned to the WWE as co-CEO, just three weeks after taking a leave of absence back in May, in order to guide the company through a controversial moment, as her father, Vince, had to step away from the company amid sexual misconduct allegations.

But this week, Stephanie announced her resignation from WWE, leaving Nick Khan as the sole CEO of the company. Perhaps I’m burying the lead though. The real story here is that, last week, before Stephanie resigned, Vince announced his return. And he didn’t come alone.

As the controlling shareholder of the company, Vince also brought back former co-presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson to the Board of Directors, while removing three other members. Days later, the WWE released a statement, announcing that its Board of Directors had unanimously elected Vince “Executive Chairman of the Board.”

In the same statement it was

announced that Stephanie would be resigning from her roles as Chairwoman and co-CEO. Which forces everyone to ask the question, “Why did Vince return?” Those in the know have reported that since Vince’s return was made official last week, WWE’s stock has already increased by 25 percent, from $72 a share to $90. As of Tuesday, the total value of the company was at $6.7 billion.

It all happens ahead of mediarights negotiations, and amid rumors that Vince is looking to sell the company, to which he kind of implied in his press release this week. “First, I’d like to express my full support for Stephanie’s personal decision,” said Vince in a statement that can be read on WWE’s corporate website.

“I’ll forever be grateful that she offered to step in during my absence and I’m truly proud of the job she did co-leading WWE. Stephanie has always been the ultimate ambassador for our company, and her decades of contributions have left an immeasurable impact on our brand.

“I’m proud to announce that Nick Khan will serve as WWE CEO. Nick’s business acumen and mastery of the media industry have helped catapult our business to record revenue and

profitability. Together, we look forward to working with the Board at this critical moment in time to review our strategic alternatives and maximize value for all WWE shareholders.”

I think we all know what Vince’s “strategic alternatives” are. And in fact, there are rumors already swirling that Vince is planning to sell the WWE to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which has most recently been in headlines for funding the new LIV Golf league. One report said Vince’s sale to Saudi Arabia was already a done deal. Other reports have since denied that. Honestly, who knows. Given all the major shows the WWE has put on in Saudi Arabia in recent years, and given Stephanie’s almostimmediate resignation upon Vince’s return, would anyone really be surprised if Vince sold the WWE to the Saudis? I know I wouldn’t be.

A sale like that would certainly cause backlash because of Saudi Arabia’s history of human rights violations. Think about all the criticism LIV Golf gets. WWE would be no exception.

I would assume that sale is imminent. It’s something the company has been working towards for several years now, since bringing in Nick Khan — who has no relation to All Elite Wrestling

week,

WWE

Revenue Officer in 2020, reporting directly to Vince, who was also CEO at the time. The move to hire Khan was reportedly done to increase the WWE’s value, ahead of a projected sale. Now, Khan is the sole CEO.

“I’m grateful to Vince McMahon and our Board of Directors for their ongoing support,” said Khan the press release that announced Vince’s return. “look forward to continuing to work closely with them and my WWE colleagues to ensure our company may thrive as the premiere powerhouse in sports entertainment for years to come.” If I had to make a bet, I’d put my money on Vince selling the WWE to NBC. There’s already a longstanding relationship with WWE. Heck, the WWE Network and all its “Pay Per View” events are now on the Peacock Network. In fact, there are already rumors out there that, if NBC were to buy WWE, one of the first things they would do is build a WWEtheme park inside Universal Studios, which would give the WWE Hall of Fame an actual physical location.

Sign me up for that.

Follow Danny on instagram @ DannyPicard.

This

Danny reacted to Vince McMahon returning to the WWE:

founder Tony Khan. Nick was named

President and Chief

SPORTS TODAY

PATRIOTS LOSE TO BILLS IN SEASON

FINALE, MISS OUT ON PLAYOFFS

For the second time in three years, the New England Patriots will not be advancing to the playoffs.

They had an opportunity to clinch the final Wild Card spot in the AFC with a win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 18, but lost, 35-23.

With New England’s loss, the 9-8 Miami Dolphins were able to clinch that Wild Card spot with an 11-6 win over the New York Jets in Week 18. The No. 7 seed Dolphins take on the No. 2 seed Bills in Buffalo in the Wild Card round this Sunday.

The Patriots finish the season in third place in the AFC East with an 8-9 record, losing three of their last four games, and five of their last seven.

Sunday’s game in Buffalo was competitive until Josh Allen connected with Stefon Diggs on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 8:51 left in the fourth quarter, which put the Bills up 35-23. Before that touchdown, the Patriots had cut the Bills’ lead to 28-23 after Mac Jones threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.

The game was tied 14-14 at halftime, and New England took its only lead of the game in the third quarter, as a Nick Folk 24-yard field goal put the Pats up

Tweet of the Week

17-14. But the Bills outscored them 21-6 from that point on, to end the Patriots’ season.

On Monday, a day after the loss, Bill Belichick confirmed in a press conference that he would be returning for his 24th season as Patriots head coach in 2023.

“Just a quick reflection of the season and honestly there’ll be a lot more time spent on all of this later, but our record is right around .500, which is what it’s been kind of all year,” said Belichick. “With that, some good things and some not so good things, so nobody’s satisfied with that. That’s not our goal. We need to try to improve on that. Need to improve on it. So, that’s all of us. Accountability everywhere, starting with me, coaching staff, players, each unit are all things that we will address.

“That process will start probably later today,” added Belichick on Monday. “So up until this point, certainly last week, everything was focused on Buffalo and our opportunity to play our best game against them and get into the postseason. We weren’t able to do that. So, we’ll begin to turn the page, and move on to do the things and start to do the things that we feel like we need to do to improve our team, be more competitive and have better results. So, that hasn’t started yet.

“We’re still in the wake of yesterday’s game. So, that’s kind of where we are for right now. However, that goes, I’m sure there’ll be a number of different aspects to that. But as we do every year, evaluate everything, and try to make the best decisions we can to move forward, to be more competitive, to have a stronger team in the future.”

Much of the Patriots’ offense will be in question this offseason. Certainly the play calling. But perhaps even the quarterback.

Belichick was asked if Jones would be the team’s starting quarterback next season, and Belichick responded by saying Jones “has the ability” to be an NFL quarterback, implying there is some room for improvement in his game.

WHAT TO WATCH

NFL SATURDAY, JAN. 14

WILD CARD PLAYOFFS

Seattle at San Francisco (-10) 4:30 P.M. FOX

LA Chargers (-1.5) at Jacksonville 8:15 P.M. NBC

SUNDAY, JAN. 15

Miami at Buffalo (-10.5) 1 P.M. CBS

NY Giants at Minnesota (-3) 4:30 P.M. FOX

Baltimore at Cincinnati (-6.5) 8:15 P.M. NBC

MONDAY, JAN. 16

Dallas (-2.5) at Tampa Bay 8:15 P.M. ABC/ESPN

NBA THURSDAY, JAN. 12 Boston at Brooklyn 7:30 P.M. TNT

NHL SATURDAY, JAN. 14 Toronto at Boston 7 P.M. NESN

“Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league,” said Belichick in Monday’s press conference. “We have to all work together to try to find the best way as a football team, which obviously the quarterback is an important position, to be more productive than we were this year. So that’s incumbent upon all of us. We’ll all work together on that. Again, look for better results.”

Jones finished his second NFL season in 2022 with 2,997 pass yards in 14 games. He had a 65.2 completion percentage, which ranked 18th in the league. Jones threw 14 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He was sacked 34 times and had a passer rating of 84.8, which ranked 26th in the league.

SBT Staff