South Boston Today January 26 2023

Safety of BPS Children

Must Be A Top Priority

Clergy, some elected officials and consultants are proponents of safety officers in schools, so what gives?

Nearly a year ago, incensed by the eight guns that have been found in Boston Public Schools since September, a group of parents, clergy and community leaders demanded that Mayor Michelle Wu and other city officials take action before the next one results in a tragedy. Boston

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S.O.S. (Safety of Our Schools) said Boston faces a “school-safety crisis,” noting that at least one of those guns was loaded and found in an elementary school, which means children as young as five years old were “put at risk of the gravest kind.”

“As students prepare to return to school next week, we are calling on Mayor Wu, (then) Boston School Superintendent (Brenda) Cassellius, and City Councilor-at-Large Julia Mejia, chairperson of the city council committee on education, to enact a school safety plan that will keep our schools, gun-free.” the group said in a statement. “We face a school safety crisis in Boston! There have been more than eight incidents of guns in Boston schools including a loaded gun that was discovered at a Boston K-8 school. We challenge our leaders to not simply say that they are for safe schools but tell us their specific strategy to keep guns out of schools. We need results not just rhetoric.”

The Rev. David Searles, the pastor of Central Assembly of God Church in East Boston, said, “I’m talking with parents and grandparents across the city of Boston about school safety, and they consistently tell me that they want gun-free schools. They are terrified that there have been incidents of guns in schools.”

That was then, this is now.

Boston Public Schools district leaders were presented with a number of school safety recommendations during a recent committee meeting, including a proposal to consider forming an internal district police department. The findings were part of a report done by an outside group called the Council of Great City Schools, something required as part of the district’s Systemic Improvement Plan.

A number of recommendations came from the report, including the recommendation that the school district consider whether BPS should form an internal, sworn police department. Other recommendations included acquiring an anonymous reporting system hotline or software, hasten the hiring process within the Security Services

department, address low morale issues with security staff, among several others.

Boston Public Schools removed police before the 2021-2022 school year and replaced them with safety staff who don’t wear uniforms and don’t have the ability to place anyone under arrest, according to The Boston Globe. The Globe reported that the idea of bringing back police officers has already gotten push back.

“Police officers are not teachers and I think they are sidestepping the obligatory responsibilities to provide safe academic learning environments,” Edith Bazile , who is a former administrator and is the executive director of Black Advocates for Educational Excellence, told the Globe. “That really makes me sad to hear that, that that is the innovative thinking they have, on the heels of students returning from a traumatic event — and they don’t have a plan of [violence] prevention.”

Others say that ‘innovative thinking’, usually undefined, has not and will not curb school violence. The push to put police back into schools is something that Boston City Councilors weighed in on earlier this month. “You see time and time again we have young kids coming to school with loaded guns, we have stabbings, we have fights in bathrooms and the violence is escalating and we need to address it,” Boston City Councilor-atLarge Erin Murphy said.

The Boston Teachers Union and several other organizations put out a statement this week strongly opposed to putting police back in schools – arguing it will only criminalize and traumatize black and brown students. The response to that narrative is, ‘what about the traumatizing of the actual victims?’ Those victims include students, teachers and staff. Observers say that priorities are “backwards”. City councilors continuing to push for more police and metal detectors in schools are now leaning on the new school superintendent to take more action.

“Although BPS has promised to communicate more openly when incidents happen and make bold changes to ensure that our students and staff are safe at school, this school year has not been much different,” City Councilors Erin Murphy, Michael

Flaherty and Frank Baker and City Councilor Ed Flynn wrote. “There should be no question among City and State officials about returning non-invasive technology such as metal detectors and having police officers present in our schools.”

This comes on the heels of a letter at the start of the month from the same group of councilors — the more centrist cohort of the 13-member, otherwise politically left-skewing body — calling on the city administration to make similar changes following a video of students jumping a teacher.

This one, addressed to new Superintendent Mary Skipper, invokes a couple of new high-profile incidents including a bullet found in a school parking lot on Friday and then a widely circulated video of a brawl in the corridors of the Boston Latin Academy on Monday, after which one teen was reported slashed in the hand.

The consultant’s report, mentioned above, that was required under an agreement Mayor Michelle Wu signed last summer to avoid a state takeover of schools called on the district to reinstitute its own police department or having a contract with Boston Police.

Other city councilors and advocates have spoken out against metal detectors and cops in schools, saying these steps make schools feel more like prisons and aren’t effective. A day before a bullet was found in the parking lot of a Dorchester school, the leader of the Boston Police Department hinted that metal detectors in schools might not be such a bad idea and said the department “would welcome being a part of the schools.”

“I would speak on behalf of my department to say we would welcome being a part of the schools,” said police Commissioner Michael Cox in an interview on “NightSide with Dan Rea” on WBZ News Radio1030. “We’re willing to have any role possible to keep these kids safe and to help mentor kids and help build relationships, strong relationships, well into the future,” he added.

So, What Gives?

“In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”

Lots Of People Talking About The New Book By Brian Wallace

South Boston over the years has had many great authors who have written hundreds of excellent books. I want to start this week’s column with a mention of one of those authors well known to most of our readers and for good reason. He has written many interesting and often spell binding books. His most recent one has become one of the most popular of all of his works. It’s winning high acclaim from quite a few people; including current and former South Boston Residents and nonresidents alike, who have taken the time to comment on it. His name of course is Brian Wallace and his latest book that has so many people talking is titled ‘A Remarkable Life’. Following are just a small number of comments that have come in about this entertaining and well written work.

It is a great book, truly remarkable”: Irene Lynch Trainor

“I read the opening chapter and couldn’t put it down”: Joe Delgardo, “I purchased ‘A Remarkable Life” last night and finished it today. Other than pausing to get something to eat, I read it right through. Brian, your stories, anecdotes and insights are legendary”: Rich Torsney

“Thanks a lot Brian, I was up until 2am reading your book: Steve Graham,

“I stayed up until 5am reading your book. I could not put it down until I finished it. You are an incredible story teller Brian: Larry Kelly.

“I read thirteen chapters as soon as it arrived. I just could not put it down”: Ed Hennigan

“Brian, this is the best book I have ever read. I’m buying a bunch today to give to friends: Billy Walsh

“I am reading Brian’s book. I have been under the weather and the book has kept me company on an interesting walk down memory lane. Thank You Brian”: Joyce Foley

“I got the book on Kindle and read

the first chapter. I was immediately hooked. I cannot wait to read the rest. Great job Brian”: Jay J. Toland

“Amazing! Brian, proud to be your friend”: Billy Boston

“Brian Wallace has lived a truly remarkable life. He has become a chronicler of many unseen and unknown interactions with many notable people. His book is very engrossing. Great read”: William Weeks.

As stated above, These quotes are just a small sample of the glowing comments that are coming in from people after reading ‘A Remarkable Life’ by Brian Wallace. Brian is a great writer, a good friend to so many and a proud son of South Boston. His latest book, to once again quote William Weeks, is truly “a great read”. ‘A Remarkable Life’ by Brian Wallace is available on Amazon.

I’ll finish this week’s column with a couple of comments about a current event in the news. For those who have been following the goings on at the WEF or the World Economic Forum, taking place in Davos Switzerland, many of you feel it’s a sham and an insult. It’s a gathering of people – billionaires and wannabe billionaires, politicians, news media types, business moguls and others who truly believe that they are so special and so important, that they have the right to decide how the rest of Earths 7 plus billion people must live their lives. They’ve often referred to what they’ll do for/to humanity is institute ‘The Great Reset’. They believe it should be they who ultimately decide what the Earth’s population will eat, where they’ll live, what fuel types everyone will be allowed to use and oh yes, of course – what method of transportation we will all be permitted to travel by in an effort to “save the planet from ‘Climate Change’.

Now as you’d expect chief among the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ types are the likes of Al Gore and John Kerry and, if we

actually believed what they lecture the rest of on, we should be shocked that all of our coastal cities are not under water, and there is still such a thing as a snow day. But what makes a growing number of people worldwide, but especially Americans, notice just how phony and hypocritical these self-proclaimed elites are is the difference between what they believe they have the right to do and what they demand the rest of the world do.

It did not go unnoticed that the gathering at Davos, arrived in 1500 private jets. They then took helicopters from the airfield to a smaller airfield, then huge limos and SUVs to the forum itself. And this, in addition to the mas-

sive yachts that they sail, is how they regularly get around. And yet, they demand that the people of the world (not them of course) ride bikes. To be clear, No one is trying to take THEIR private jets away. If they can afford them, good luck to them. But THEY want to take OUR vehicles away.

Those who gathered at the WEF, envision a world where they run everything, make all the rules and the general population lives as subjects to serve them. While most people, and again – especially freedom loving Americans, envision a world where the WEF participants have it made clear to them exactly where they can stick their delusions of grandeur.

Billion-dollar guessing game: hearing keys in on Millionaire’s Tax Uncertainty. Volatility. New and unfamiliar billion dollar wild cards. These were some of the watchwords yesterday as the state’s leading tax-revenue estimating experts appeared before the officials who will create the fiscal 2004 state budget for Massachusetts, and gave their best guesses as to what to expect for state revenue as the fiscal planning process begins in earnest.

Emphasis on “guesses:” With a new state surtax on millionaires generating new revenue, but inflation, interest rate hikes, declining consumer spending and other factors conspiring to suppress economic activity, this is a tough year to estimate how much wealth taxpayers will generate this next fiscal cycle.

But the governor’s budget office and the chairs of the Ways and Means committees have to do just that, and they took two hours of guidance in a State House hearing yesterday. With tax cuts in play and a huge new tax hike on millionaires raising the prospect of improve-

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.

ments in education but also the specter of successful people fleeing the Bay State the State House press corps was very very interested in yesterday’s ruminations.

As predicted in this space Monday, the overarching message was one of caution. Much attention was paid to the revenue from the new Millionaire’s Tax, so-called; state Revenue Commissioner Geoffery Snyder told the lawmakers his department expects $1.4 million in additional income from that new tax, which is statutorily set aside for education and transportation. As to revenues generally, there was little quarrel with Sanchez’s contention that the state’s take will rise modestly, about 1.5 percent, to around $40 billion, in the bookkeeping year ending June 30, 2024.

Healey to press on with push for bridge money - and look hard at cost

A day after news broke that federal officials turned down the state’s bid for money to start on the Allston Multimodal Project, Gov. Healey was asked her view of another 9-figure project also hung up by Washington unwill -

ingness to provide startup funds. Healey said she’s strongly behind renewing the state’s efforts to lobby for money to design and construct replacements for the Bourne and Sagamore bridges. “I’ve talked to Congressman Lynch, I’ve talked to other members of the delegation, I’m very interested in looking at the numbers and looking at what’s possible and certainly want to put our best foot forward so that we’re doing everything we can to secure the federal funding and assistance that we need for an incredibly important infrastructure in this state,” the governor told reporters.

Leung calls South Station out for locking out the poor Globe columnist Shirley Leung traveled to South Station to factcheck MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo’s claim that the homeless are not being tossed out of the train station during cold winter nights. She watched security guards put up a sign saying the station was closed between 12 am and 5 am, and tie the doors shut. She gives the details, and

quotes Dr. Jim O’Connell, who makes it his business to look out for the interests of the homeless. “Places where people who are real street folks can go are getting fewer and fewer as time goes on,” O’Connell said. “The net result is it’s really hard, we think, for some of the very vulnerable street folks to find a safe place to be at night other than outside on the sidewalk.”

Battenfield wants Justice for Riley, as in punishment

It took the Herald about four and half minutes after the arraignment of Riley Dowell to question whether the daughter of a congresswoman, to wit the powerful Katherine Clark, can really be held to account. Joe Battenfield’s theory: Nope.

Alarming: Globe finds insufficient progress on Capitol panic buttons

Jess Bidgood and Lissandra Villa de Petrzelka of the Globe look into a lapse in response to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection: many congressional offices still do not have continued on page 5

Sen. Collins Bill Expands BCEC Prioritizing Diversity, Labor And Community Standards

Senator Nick Collins filed legislation, titled an Act Relative to Economic Development, to expand the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC). The legislation would give authorization to the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) to begin the expansion after a thorough community process. The legislation would adopt the diversity, equity and inclusion standards from the 2014 legislation authored by then-Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, passed unanimously by the Legislature, complete with a monitoring committee and the creation of a Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) position to develop and implement an internal and external DEI agenda, bringing the MCCA in line with other state and quasi- state agencies. The MCCA owns and operates assets in Boston and Springfield.

“This bill ensures that the expansion of the BCEC prioritizes equitable access to well-paying jobs, training, and a safe workplace for the residents we serve,” said Nicole Obi, President and CEO of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA). “We are pleased that this project places equity, transparency and accountability at the center of the expansion. As a member of the advisory committee, we are encouraged by the creation of a Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position to oversee the implementation of our DE&I goals for this project. We look forward to working with Senator Collins, the Massachusetts Leg -

Window continued from page 4 working panic buttons - the sort of device that probably will never be used and yet, sad to say, makes a lot of sense. There’s a prissy little “we won’t describe this in detail” line that would have been better off in parathensises, and

islature, and the Healey Administration to bring this to fruition.”

The bill would also take several steps to ensure that’s the convention center’s expansion project and operation is more labor friendly by adding language requiring a project labor agreement (PLA) between construction trades and the general contractor selected by the MCCA for the project.

“This is smart legislation. It provides certainty for taxpayers and opportunity for workers across our community. This will help us continue to create access to family-supporting careers while ensuring the highest labor standards in construction. This legislation by Senator Collins is another example of good government. We can’t afford to cut corners on job safety, apprenticeship training or responsible development.

The language in this bill creates a safe and productive work environment that will deliver a public construction project on time and on budget, while ensuring the benefit of shared economic prosperity reaches every corner of our community,” said Brian Doherty, General Agent for the Greater Boston Building Trade Unions.

Labor peace language included would ensure labor harmony for future food and beverage service contracts to ensure strong wages and benefits for hospitality workers at the agency. “On behalf of our 12,000 members in the hospitality industry, UNITE HERE

Local 26 fully supports SD.2375, An Act relative to economic development. This bill will cre -

if your sympahy for Congress is, shall we say, bounded, the story might not land right with with you, but nevertheless this is actually no laughing matter, a cool if scary topic, and we’ll look forward to the “progress has been made” followup.

ate hundreds of good union jobs through the expansion of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The bill also places diversity at the center of this expansion by following the Omni Seaport model and appointing a Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The State House saved thousands of jobs last year when they saved the Hynes Convention Center. We respectfully ask that the State House stand with hospitality workers again this year and pass SD.2375,” said Carlos Aramayo, President of UNITE HERE Local 26.

In addition, the legislation calls for establishing a Director of Labor Relations position, as is commonplace among state and quasi-state agencies. Further the legislation calls for treating commercial events on the Lawn on D outside the BCEC the same as inside as it relates to labor standards. Currently they are treated separately without labor standards for commercial events outside at the Lawn on D. “Every day, Teamsters fights for a livable wage and strong Union benefits in the workplace,” said Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas Mari. “Our 12,000 members, of which more than 1,000 are working in the convention and trade show industry, earn strong wages and benefits. We support the expansion of the BCEC 100%. It is imperative in order for Boston to remain a destination city for the trade show and convention industry from around the world.”

Finally, the legislation calls for a community process with stakeholder and community engagement prior to authorization as well as increased public access to the Lawn on D, as it was originally planned. “The MCCA property is not situated on an

But this could never be used to prepare a daily news roundup, right?

On today’s Congressional agenda: the first-ever artificial-intellengencederived floor speech. U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss used ChatGPT, the next-gen search

island, it is centered in a rapidly growing mixed-use neighborhood in South Boston. We remain committed to the continued growth in our community however, we do so with a continuous focus of ensuring there is appropriate balance between residents, visitors and businesses. Our experiences inform our opinion that this balance can only be created when everyone has a voice at the table. We appreciate the recognition by Senator Collins of the need for a robust community engagement process to inform the Authority on any capital facility projects it plans to undertake,” said Tom Ready, of the Fort Point Neighborhood Association.

“The expansion of the BCEC is an opportunity to make the Commonwealth more competitive in the convention and meetings industry while creating badly needed construction, hospitality and production jobs as we enter a period of economic uncertainty. But it is important that we do so in a fair and equitable way that prioritizes high diversity, labor and community standards for construction and in the agency’s ongoing operations as well,” said Senator Nick Collins, currently the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.

natural-language search bot, to deliver a speech touting a U.S.-Israel AI development center. Tal Kopan ... if that’s who really wrote the piece ... describes this watershed moment in the history of machine over human.

I Was Just Thinking…

by Kevin Devlin

Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. Which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.”

(Martin Luther King, Jr.)

It may have started out as a peaceful protest, but their “Night of Rage” which was aptly named for what eventually transpired told the real story, as

angry activists, dressed in all black (Antifa anyone) intent on causing havoc and destruction, rioted. They threw rocks, lit fireworks and shattered large glass windows in the building housing the Atlanta Police Foundation. Windows in two police cruisers were smashed and one was torched, more building windows were smashed, and walls vandalized with anti-police graffiti at several other nearby locations. This riot occurred last Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia in response to the death of Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, who after shooting at and wounding a Georgia State Policer, was shot dead himself. Teran along with others were protesting the construction of a new public service training center which they called “Cop City”.

Six of the violent protesters were arrested and I hope they throw the book at them. Only one of those arrested was from Georgia. The others were from Tennessee, Washington, Maine, Michigan, and Nevada. Pictured in police mugshots, three of them were smiling and the other three were stone-faced.

Sadly, a freelance writer appearing on CNN tried to sell the lame argument that burning police cruisers, along with vandalizing and destroying property is not violence. That it should be regarded as a peaceful protest.

Well, the American people are sick of this. We have already sat in our living rooms during the summer of love in 2020 and witnessed nearly 160 riots across the nation, the destruction of $2 billion in damages, at least 30 deaths related to riot violence, 14 being police officers. And thousands of injured police officers.

Most Americans are law-abiding citizens. We follow the rules. We adhere to laws. We pay our property, excise, sales, and you name it, taxes. We want law and order. We desire law and order. And we abhor disorder, chaos, and anarchy.

We don’t want to see any more courthouses under attack. Police Stations stormed and burned to the ground. Properties vandalized and destroyed. Lives wrecked and dreams shattered.

It would only be the beginning of the end if circumstances aren’t

rectified, and mindsets altered in a positive manner, so we call all thrive in a healthy fashion.

Because it’s not the way a vibrant Democracy can continue to exist. I believe in peaceful protest, but they must be peaceful in nature.

A riot is a riot and riots are unlawful and destructive, and don’t try to convince otherwise while buildings are burning to the ground in the background.

In our democracy the First Amendment allows “…the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

It gives us the right to protest to effectuate necessary change and by doing so we preserve the fundamentals of a viable democracy where law and order prevails over chaos and disorder.

But those who use violence to further their ends obviously embrace lawlessness.

They want to destroy and not create a better America because they don’t respect our democratic way of life.

They only want to destroy it.

LEGO

Company Relocating Its Headquarters To Boston. A Good Thing?

The news broke the other day, that the LEGO Group, the world’s largest toy company which was founded in Denmark, will be moving it’s American headquarters out of Connecticut and relocating to Boston. Is that a good thing?

Sure, why not? Who doesn’t like LEGO’s? Anyone with kids in the family, knows about LEGO’s. They are those colorful little plastic interlocking bricks that can be made into almost any type of structure. Children love them and so do adults; with the possible exception of adults who may have stepped on them while barefoot. When that happens and it happens often, colorful language might be heard coming from the mouths of those unlucky adults - language that for obvious reason, we’d never print in a family newspaper.

LEGO’s are fun to play with. In fact the

name comes from the Danish words ‘Leg Godt’ and means Play Well. So for all intents and purposes, everything about LEGO’s is pretty positive and it’s relocation to Boston will bring more jobs to the area which is always a good thing too.

Whenever a new business or company opens up and/or relocates to Boston, one of the positive results should be increasing the tax base to the area; bringing more capital to the area in the form of those taxes. And it’s pleasing to see a company like the LEGO Group coming in. It’s a nice change from all the Life Science Labs that our city is being inundated with. All of these ‘Labs’, conducting their experiments in their buildings we assume are paying taxes as well, At least we hope they are. And this brings us to ask a question that we’ve asked in this space so many times before: If this ever increasing tax base is bringing in so much

more tax revenue to the city as it should, why are the property taxes for Boston’s working families continuing to rise? And when, pray tell, can homeowners and renters expect to finally see their property tax bills finally start to go down – and by a significant amount?

Fair is fair and Boston’s residents have every right to expect that they too are being treated fairly and finally given a break. The city needs more money in it’s coffers to operate? That’s understandable to a point. But with all the new businesses opening up; BIG businesses that make huge amounts of profits, Boston’s residents should also be in receipt of some of that new revenue.

People have gotten used to seeing the expense of living in this city only go in one direction – up. The cost of permits, fines, penalties, parking and nearly everything else is making it far too expensive for the average family to continue to live here. With the new and very large amounts of revenue pouring in, the people should now see the cost of living start taking a downward trend. Property Tax reduction should be a major part of the direction change with most everything else to follow. As we stated – fair is fair.

Upcoming Service Changes on Orange, Green, Red, Haverhill Commuter Rail Lines in February

The MBTA today announced upcoming service changes next month on the Orange, Green, and Red lines as well as the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line. Because of the continued demolition of the Government Center Garage by private developer HYM Construction, Orange and Green line service changes will take place in February in the downtown Boston area. Orange Line track and rail fastener replacement work will also take place. Red Line service changes will take place during the weekend of February 25-26 in order for the MBTA to perform power, lighting, and drainage work near Alewife as well as rail replacement work near Harvard. Haverhill Commuter Rail Line service changes will take place between Haverhill and Reading from Feb -

ruary 4-12 in order for the MBTA to perform Automated Train Control (ATC) work.

• The MBTA has been working closely with the City of Boston and the developer in order to accommodate the private Government Center Garage work affecting both the Orange and Green lines.

o Riders should note that Haymarket-area buses will not be diverted during these weekends and will continue to stop at the temporary Haymarket bus stops. A list of Haymarket bus routes and these temporary stops is available at mbta.com.

o Orange Line train service will be suspended between Ruggles and North Station during the weekends of February 4-5 and February 18-19. With Orange Line service already

suspended to accommodate the private Garage demolition work, the MBTA is leveraging this opportunity by extending the service change to Ruggles in order to perform additional track work, including the replacement of rail fasteners between Back Bay and Ruggles stations. Orange Line train service will also be suspended between Back Bay and North Station on Saturday, February 11, from start of service until 8 PM. Orange Line riders are asked to use Green Line service between Copley and Government Center stations during these weekend service changes. During the weekends of February 4-5 and February 18-19, free and accessible shuttle buses will also operate between Copley on the Green Line and Ruggles on the Orange Line,

making stops at Back Bay and Massachusetts Avenue stations.

o Green Line trolley service will be replaced with free, accessible shuttle bus service between North Station and Government Center Station during the weekends of February 4-5 and February 18-19 as well as on Saturday, February 11, from start of service until 8 PM.

o Orange and Green line trains will bypass Haymarket station during the weekend of February 25-26. Orange Line riders should exit at North Station or State and walk to the Haymarket area. Green Line riders should exit at North Station or Govcontinued on page 8

Guy The Wine Closer Than You Think

When images of beautiful vineyards, tasting rooms and quaint country settings come to mind, you’d probably think of Burgundy, Tuscany or Napa. Well, think again. Just to the south of us, Long Island’s North Fork area is fairly bursting with vineyards and wineries that produce a surprisingly broad array of wines. While there are plenty of stops along the way, the following are definitely worth your time...

Sparkling Point Brut

Sparkling wine is the hidden treasure of Long Island — it doesn’t always get a lot of attention, but at Sparkling Point it is the focus, and this vibrant blend of chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier always over-delivers for around $30.

including the Instagram-famous Summer in a Bottle. For me, the Estate Rosé is the real gem.

Macari Vineyards “Katherine’s Field” Sauvignon Blanc, ($22.99)

At its best, Long Island Sauvignon Blanc sort of straddles the riper West Coast examples and leaner, more mineral-driven Loire examples. This Macari is a benchmark for that style locally. Citrus with melon and sometimes even some

Passion fruit, it’s brisk and ready for local shellfish and other seafood.

Channing Daughters, Scuttlehole Chardonnay, ($19.99)

Winemaker Christopher Tracy makes several that I enjoy, including one of the best values on this list. You won’t find any oak flavors to get in the way of the fresh apple and pear flavors with just a little citrus zest and a hint of the creaminess you expect from the grape.

Paumanok Vineyards Chenin Blanc, ($26.99) One of the iconic white wines of the North Fork, this is a wine that varies greatly depending on the season but is always a winner. Some years, it’s more citrus and green apple driven. Others, it’s more tropical. One constant is its fresh, juicy acidity that pairs well with seafood, whether it’s in a salad, grilled or fried.

I’m picking the still version here, but the sparkling version deserves an honorable mention.

McCall Wines Pinot Noir, ($29.99) With thin skins and a very different ripening curve than most of the red wine grapes that are so successful here, Pinot Noir is rarely a standout on the North Fork. Yet, McCall consistently makes the exception to that rule. It’s impossible for me to make a list like this without this wine on it.

I get to put two on if I want to!), this one shows the wild, rustic nature that local Cabernet Franc can take on when it’s allowed to show off. Unoaked, this wine keeps the focus on bright fruit and herbal nuances.

Wölffer Estate Vineyard Estate

Rosé, ($18.99) Wölffer winemaker

Roman Roth has been making dry Rosé since before it was cool.,

MBTA continued from page 7

o Extra MBTA personnel and Transit Ambassadors will be on-hand to assist customers. Accessibility vans will also be available for on-demand transportation – riders should ask MBTA personnel for information and assistance. More information on alternate paths of travel will be available at mbta.com/alerts.

o Riders are also advised

Lieb Cellars Pinot Blanc, ($26.99) Pinot Blanc can be pretty bland, but this wine never is. Floral,with citrus notes, it slots right in next to all of the other food-friendly white wines that make Long Island so compelling.

that, due to the complexity of the continued demolition of the Government Center Garage by HYM Construction, additional weekend diversions will be necessary in the coming months to accommodate the ongoing work. The MBTA apologizes for this inconvenience and will announce additional service changes in advance as they are confirmed and scheduled. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts or to follow the MBTA on Twitter for up-to-date service information.

Anthony Nappa Wines “Bordo Antico” Cabernet Franc, ($25.99) One of two Cabernet Francs on this list (it’s my list, so

Bedell Cellars 2016 Cabernet Franc, ($22.99) Veteran winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich shares my love of Cabernet Franc on the North Fork and it shows in this wine every year. He uses old, neutral oak barrels in its making, resulting in a silky, high-toned wine with floral notes along with berries and notes of savory herbs. ernment Center Station. These stations are less than a half-mile from Haymarket, or a four- to eight-minute walk.

• Red Line trains will be replaced with free, accessible shuttle bus service between Alewife and Kendall/MIT stations during the weekend of February 25-26. This weekend service diversion will allow MBTA crews to perform critical power, lighting, and track drainage work within the tunnels near Alewife as well as rail replacement work that will remove a speed restriction near Harvard Station on the southbound side of the tracks.

• Haverhill Commuter Rail Line trains will be replaced

with free, accessible shuttle bus service between Haverhill and Reading Stations for nine days from Saturday, February 4, through Sunday, February 12, to perform ATC work. ATC is a federally mandated safety system that sends signals to trains about potentially unsafe conditions, automatically slowing and stopping a train if needed. Passengers should note that bicycles are not allowed on shuttle buses, and regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Reading and North Station.

How many sexual assaults are reported in BPS? The answer is murky. Here’s why.

by BPS Equity Watch email author January 25, 2023

Arecent Boston Globe article states the following: “City Councilor Erin Murphy recently has come under fire after repeatedly reporting that Boston Public Schools last year had 744 reported sexual assaults, a characterization disputed by the district.”. Now before one forms any opinion on Councilor Murphy’s assertions, one needs to ask themselves, “What personal, professional, or political gain would she have by trying to inflate these numbers?” The only remote possible answer one could come up with, and this is a stretch, is that as the article suggests it strengthens the argument that police need to be back in the schools. Even with that, she is not gaining anything, other than her desire to see BPS Students and staff living in a safer environment.

Before I even explore the safety issue, I think

it’s important to address the idea that the district is disputing these numbers. Well, of course the district is disputing these numbers. Have no doubt that the new Superintendent (who bears no responsibility for what happened during SY 21/22) is under pressure to minimize negative accusations regarding what goes on in BPS. As for the credibility of the BPS, many should already be aware of the coverups and lies that were told regarding the culture at The Mission Hill School. How about the BPS response when a student was having a stroke and a Nurse chose not to call 911? One could go on and on naming some extremely questionable behavior on the part of BPS officials.

My main point in this message is to state emphatically that it is just plain wrong for Councilor Murphy to have her name and reputation dragged through the mud for stating what appear to be facts. Those who are gifted at manipulating data and playing with semantics can say what they want, but she did not create

January 26, 2023

these numbers out of thin air. It is one thing if you disagree with her (and 3 other Councilors) positions on police in schools. Honestly, I see arguments for both sides, though given the recent spike in BPS violence, I lean towards police presence, (even just temporarily). Councilor Murphy was a BPS teacher, and while I do not know her personally, I do know that the vast majority of BPS teachers, with some exceptions of course, care for the success and safety of students. Many receiving this message are parents of BPS students. Ask yourself how you would feel if your child was the victim of some type of sexual misbehavior. Would you want that swept under the rug? Sadly, it seems that BPS and even other education institutions find it more advantageous to cover up these incidents (Google Owen Labrie and the St. Paul’s School). The damage to victims of these incidents is harrowing. I personally prefer people like Councilor Murphy, who are willing to speak facts regardless of what type of political backlash is the result. If people truly care about our students, they should applaud her stance on this issue as well.

A Message From City Councilor Erin Murphy:

“One point of clarity. The district isn’t disputing these numbers. The district provided these numbers to the Boston City Council after I requested them. The BTU, some in the BPS district, and others didn’t like that they were labeled all as sexual assaults. They would have preferred that the word “misconduct” was used. I talked to Supt. Skipper after this article came out and she called the Globe to ask them to edit it. They refused. I also called the Globe writer. She refused. Bottom line for me is that any acts of misconduct/violence that are sexual in nature are outrageous and need to be addressed appropriately. 744 in one year is alarming to me and our children deserve better! They deserve people in power, and local news outlets, to be responsible and hopefully outraged also. Not spending their efforts trying to slander me for bringing this to light. I have advocated for children my entire adult life and I will continue to do so on the Boston City Council. Getting bogged down in semantics over the words assault and misconduct for political reasons, and not focusing on the children, is why our system is in the state it is in. Please continue to follow along because the work has only begun!”

Sincerely, Councilor Murphy

South Boston Catholic Academy News

Highlights from Grades 4A & 4B

Thank you to our Book Buddies in Ms. Guildford’s and Mrs. Coleman’s 4th Grade classes! The students in Ms. Brook’s K0B class and Ms. Sullivan’s K0D class in the SBCA Early Childhood Program were so happy to see their Book Buddies in grades 4A and 4B from South Boston Catholic Academy who came to visit them in their classroom. They sat down with their 4th Grade Book Buddies and had fun reading some of the great books from their classroom Library. They are hoping to spend more time reading with their book buddies throughout the rest of the school year.

Reading is essential and serves as a basic building block for learning. Reading with children is a powerful tool for early literacy. The first 5 years of reading to a child matters. It also creates an important bond and can play an essential role in brain development. By reading to children, you provide them with a deep understanding about their world and fill their brains with background knowledge. Background knowledge is essential for reading comprehension. “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book!” – Dr. Seuss. “There are many little ways to enlarge your

world. Love of books is the best of all.”– Jacqueline Kennedy.

The 4th Graders, as well as all the SBCA students, had a chance to buy some great new books at our Scholastic Book Fair. The students and teachers were excited to get new books to read at home, in the classroom and with their Book Buddies. Thank you to all the SBCA parents who helped to make this book fair a big success and encourage the joy of reading for all the children! Also, as you can see from the pictures, the 4th Grade students had a fun day assembling and decorating their Gingerbread Houses.

In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., famous “I Had a Dream” speech, the 4th Graders wrote about how they can make the world a better place. One of the 4th grader students

wrote… “My Dream for myself: To go to college and be a Vet.” “My Dream for the world: To find a cure for Cancer.” “My Dream for my community: I would like to work very hard to stop world hunger.”

Some of Dr. King, Jr’s famous quotes…“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” “Love is the most durable power in the world. This creative force, so beautifully exemplified in the life of our Christ, is the most potent instrument available in mankind’s quest for peace and security.” New families are welcome to email our admissions team at: admissions@sbcatholicacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.

St. Peter Academy News

Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 6 Winter Open House

St. Peter Academy is an independent community based private school and is South Boston’s only Full Year Toddler Program through Grade 6 School. It is privately funded, enriched with extended learning hours and summer programs, and

fosters a nurturing, safe and individualized environment.

We welcome the opportunity to have you visit St. Peter Academy to see for yourself that ours is a unique and wonderful learning community. It is truly a “GEM” in the heart of the South

Boston community.

Please join us for an In-Person Open House featuring Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 6 only. Tuesday, February 7th at 3:00 pm. RSVP to spa@stpeteracademy.com

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.

This week,

Danny reacted to the 2023 Baseball Hall of Fame voting and the future of Cooperstown:

The Baseball Hall of Fame is dead. And it’s the fault of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Every year, I give the same rant, about how the baseball writers who vote for the Hall of Fame are guilty of making it about themselves, rather than the sport or the players. And once again, in 2023, here we are, doing it again. This time, the example is Scott Rolen.

Rolen was the only player voted into the Hall of Fame this year. He received 76.3 percent of the vote. A player needs 75 percent of the vote in order to be elected to the Hall of Fame. It was Rolen’s sixth year on the ballot.

First thing’s first. In a vacuum, was Rolen truly a Hall-of-Fame player? Let’s take a look at the numbers.

In 17 MLB seasons, Rolen was a seven-time All Star and won eight Gold Gloves as a third baseman.

He was the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year with the Philadelphia Phillies, and won the NL Silver Slugger award in 2002.

Rolen won a World Series in 2006 with the St. Louis Cardinals. But, he never won an MVP, and he never even led the league in a single statistical category.

He was a career .281 hitter who had 2,077 hits, 316 home runs, 1,287 RBI, and an OPS of .855, playing for the Phillies, Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Statistics and awards aside, Rolen was definitely a threatening figure at the plate, standing in that righthander’s batter’s box at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds. I would say Rolen’s Hallof-Fame status is questionable. And for me, if I even have to think twice about it, then the answer has to be no, he’s not a Hall of Famer in my book.

You can be a great player and still not be a Hall of Famer. Rolen was a

great player. But was he ever the best of the best? Nope. And in my opinion, the Hall of Fame should include only the best of the best.

Some may disagree, and that’s fine. But it seems like most of the baseball writers agreed with my opinion of Rolen just five short years ago. And that’s where the problem of the Hall of Fame voting arises.

Back in 2018, in Rolen’s first year on the ballot, Rolen received only 10.2 percent of the vote. That’s right. Rolen, in 2018, received just 43 votes. This year, in his sixth year on the ballot, Rolen received 297 votes.

So let me ask you. What exactly did Rolen do to receive 254 more votes between the years of 2018 and 2023? It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I could see if the baseball writers only got to vote for one player each year, or even just three players each year. But that’s not the case. Every year, each baseball writer can vote for up to 10 players. And yet, somehow, Rolen’s voting percentage went from 10.2 percent to 76.3 percent from 2018 to 2023.

Rolen’s numbers didn’t change. The voters just changed their minds. Meanwhile, they refuse obvious Hallof-Fame caliber players like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Manny Ramirez, because they’ve all been linked to perfor-

mance enhancing drugs.

But by doing so, the baseball writers are also telling us that they know for sure Rolen didn’t dabble in the PEDs. And one thing I can assure you of, is that the baseball writers absolutely do not know that for sure.

That’s not an accusation. It’s just a fact of life. PEDs were prevalent in baseball during the time in which Rolen’s numbers were his best. Regardless of all that though, the idea that his voting could skyrocket the way it did is mind-blowing and is solely based on the fact that the baseball writers make it about themselves every year.

Rolen is seen as one of the “good guys” in the sport. And so, that gets him extra points with the media. And as they always do, the media loves to try and send a message to the players they portray as the “bad guys,” or, to be more specific, “the guys who don’t kiss their behinds.”

And by suddenly deciding to vote for Rolen, the baseball writers are secretly just taking shots at guys like Clemens, Bonds, Rodriguez, and Ramirez.

I mean, just take a look at this year’s ballot. Bronson Arroyo got one vote. Yes, somebody actually used a vote on Bronson Arroyo.

The Hall of Fame is dead.

Follow Danny on instagram @ DannyPicard.

SPORTS TODAY

PATRIOTS HIRE O’BRIEN AS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

The Matt Patricia experiment is over in New England, on the offensive side of the football, at least.

Bill O’Brien has been hired as the Patriots’ new offensive coordinator, after a tumultuous 2022 season that saw Patricia — a defensive-minded coach — running the offense.

O’Brien returns to New England after spending the last two seasons in college football, as Alabama’s offensive coordinator under Nick Saban. He did not coach Mac Jones at Alabama though, as Jones’ final collegiate season was in 2020.

Prior to joining Alabama, O’Brien spent seven seasons as head coach of the Houston Texans. With the Texans, O’Brien had a 52-48 record, making

Tweet of the Week

the playoffs four times, and advancing to the Divisional Round twice.

In 2012 and 2013, O’Brien was the head coach at Penn State.

Before that, O’Brien spent five seasons in the Patriots’ organization, where he started as an offensive assistant in 2007, became the wide receivers coach in 2008, was the quarterback coach in 2009 and 2010, and then eventually promoted as New England’s official offensive coordinator in 2011.

The Patriots never officially named Matt Patricia as their offensive coordinator last season, but it was well known that Patricia — who previously served

as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2017 before leaving to become the head coach of the Detroit Lions — was New England’s primary play-caller on offense in 2022.

Two weeks ago, the Patriots publicly announced that they’d begun their search for a new offensive coordinator. Since that announcement, the Pats reportedly interviewed several other candidates, including their own tight ends coach Nick Caley, Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Shawn Jefferson, and Oregon associate head coach Adrian Klemm.

PASTRNAK ADDED TO NHL ALL-STAR ROSTER

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak is headed back to the NHL All Star Game.

The National Hockey League announced late last week that Pastrnak was one of 12 players selected for the game through the All-Star Fan Vote online and via Twitter.

It’s the third All-Star selection for Pastrnak. His first was in 2019. His second was in 2020, where he was also named the All Star Game MVP.

Pastrnak, 26, now joins goaltender Linus Ullmark and head coach Jim Montgomery as the three representatives for Boston at the All Star Game, which takes place on Feb. 4 in Florida.

This season, Pastrnak is in the middle of his sixth career 30-goal season, tying him for fourth in Bruins history with Cam Neely, Peter McNab, and Patrice Bergeron.

Pastrnak ranks in the top-20 in Bruins franchise history in goals (10th), hat tricks (3rd), assists

(19th), and points (15th).

The Bruins drafted Pastrnak with the 25th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.

In now his ninth NHL season, Pastrnak has helped lead the Bruins to an NHL-best 37 wins through 46 games this season. Boston’s 78 points through those 46 games is 12 points better than the next-best teams in the league.

At +500, the Bruins are currently the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

RED SOX ACQUIRE MONDESI FROM ROYALS

As everyone in Boston knows, the Red Sox are in the market for a new shortstop, following Xander Bogaerts’ departure in free agency.

Consider 27-year-old Adalberto Mondesi an option.

The Red Sox traded for Mondesi this week, sending left-handed pitcher Josh Taylor to the Kansas City Royals.

Mondesi is a switch hitter, who’s played most of his MLB career at the shortstop position. In seven seasons with the Royals, Mondesi played 255 games at shortstop, 68 games at second base, and 20 games at third base

Injuries have plagued Mondesi throughout his career, since being signed by the Royals as an international free agent in 2011. Mondesi made his MLB debut in 2016, but has only played in more than 75 games in a season once, when he played in 102 games in 2019.

During that 2019 season, Mondesi led the Majors in triples with 10. In the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, Mondesi led the Majors in stolen bases with 24 in 59 games. His speed is now in question though, as he’s coming off knee surgery last May to repair a torn ACL.

Mondesi is under a one-year, $3.05 million contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent next winter.

Also as part of the trade with the Royals, the Red Sox will be receiving a player to be named later, or cash considerations.

SBT Staff

SBT Staff