South Boston Today April 11 2024

SouthBoston

Mayor Wu Holds Firm On Her Budget But Needs Tax Adjustment

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu sought to reassure the public and city officials that Boston is not facing a dramatic drop in tax revenue that could impact the next year’s budget as she gave a broad overview of her $4.6 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year Wednesday.

While Wu expressed a positive outlook for the city’s economic position, she has also filed a measure with the City Council seeking approval to raise tax rates on commercial real estate for up to five years in case there is a drop in commercial property values, to prevent homeowners from experiencing a spike in residential property taxes. The measure requires approval from the state Legislature. About three-quarters of the city’s budget is funded by property taxes, around two-thirds of which comes from commercial properties.

If you read last week’s editorial in this newspaper, you know we were questioning what progress, if any, there was in the investigation the news media said a week prior was taking place in regard to the St. Patrick’s Day assault. It took place at Medal of Honor Park at M Street. The title of our editorial last week read

‘How Serious Is The Effort To Find The Assailants At The Park?’ We questioned if there was an actual major effort or if there was even an effort at all. We wondered bluntly if there could possibly be an effort, pushed by politics, to brush the whole incident under the proverbial carpet because there were possible racial considerations being played out behind any cover up since there seemed to be no more mention of what happened a few days after the assault. As most know, the assault was brutal with at least three attackers viciously beating a single victim as a crowd of bystanders stood by and did nothing but pull out their

“We

cell phones and videoed the beating. Those videos were posted all over social media sites and shocked a lot of people because of the ferocity of the attack. Well, we are happy to report that our suspicions were for nothing and there actually is an ongoing and major investigation. We were wrong and we’re happy that we were and that the effort to pursue this case is sincere.

What we’ve learned since we wrote that editorial is that the police; especially those assigned to our local Area C-6 have been working hard tracking down leads, speaking to witnesses and doing some great and truly professional detective work to find at least three; possibly more assailants and that as of this week’s writing, an arrest has been made of one suspect and police are leaving no stone unturned to find the others. There also appears to have been no evidence that the attack was racially motivated.

For our part, we will continue to inquire about the status of the investigation

and what progress is being made. Residents are waiting for answers; most have seen the videos of the attack and are concerned about this kind of violence happening in our community; what caused it and who was involved. The people have a right to know. The town was jammed packed on parade day with what some reports say were more than a million spectators; the overwhelming number of them outsiders and a good

sized percentage of them had been drinking – heavily. Circumstances like that present a tough job for law enforcement to keep under control. But police were ready and diligent and given the massive size of the crowd did an impressive job and that certainly included our local squad from Area C-6.

If you are a regular reader of South Boston Today, you know that this newspaper never hesitates to speak our

mind and tell it exactly how we see it. We are also proud of the fact that we openly and strongly support our local police and law enforcement in general. Our front page proudly displays the ‘Back the Blue’ logo. And if we get something wrong in our reporting or editorializing, as we did last week, we will correct it and apologize as soon as we are made aware of it as we are doing today. Our readers deserve no less.

TInformation Center

The City Councilor Mejia Says Boston Is The Most Racist City

he City of Boston, seems to be following in the footsteps of other major cities around the country that are being run by ‘progressive’ officials that push for policies that either lead to making things worse for their citizens all around, cause major division among different racial and ethnic groups and often times both.

Occupying a seat on the Boston City Council is Julia Mejia. She is one of 4 At- Large councilors and as most Bostonians know, to be an At- Large councilor means you represent all of Boston’s neighborhoods; not just one of 9 Boston’s nine districts. But if Councilor Mejia understands this concept, it often doesn’t show.

Her latest headline grabbing proclamation is that ‘Boston is the most racist city in the US’. Is she right? Well you know, she just might be. If pushing for policies that create division among the races and various ethnic groups leads to that conclusion, she might be a major part of the problem. By many of her actions and statements, she certainly isn’t known for her efforts to bring the people of Boston together. She is not the area’s biggest unifier. For example, when Mayor Wu threw her White people are excluded Christmas party last December; termed the ‘Electeds of Color Holiday Party’, Councilor Mejia had no problem attending; even though an entire racial group was excluded. She is in favor of and advocates for separate school

programs for Black students, special, outreach for Black men and has no problem with selected neighborhoods receiving free MBTA service while people in other communities have to pay.

And now, of course, she has jumped right on the Reparations band wagon as she demands that billions of dollars in benefits; including cash, be paid to people who were never slaves by people who never owned slaves. Along with American taxpayers, she also is in favor of having ‘White Churches’ shell out millions for her cause as well. Correct me if I’m wrong, but these demands don’t sound like the words of a unifier. In fact, they could be considered racist by definition. The term segregation also comes to mind. So Councilor Mejia just might have a point. Maybe Boston IS pretty racist. But if bringing people together and unifying the city aren’t priorities and is just giving lip service to solving the problem, a good place to start looking for the causes of that problem might be Boston City Hall.

Moving from Boston politics, to commenting on the lunacy displayed most days on the TV talk show called The View: Just when we thought the hosts of what Joe Rogan recently called a ‘Rabies infested hen house’, could not get anymore insane, co- Host Sunny Hostin seemed to take that as a challenge and announced that the recent Solar Eclipse was the result of Climate Change.

Ms. Hostin constantly implies that she is brilliant. She lets her audience know from time to time that she has a Law Degree and seems to believe she is much smarter than the average person. And yet, any fourth grader who pays attention in class knows what an eclipse is, what causes them and that they’ve been happening for millions of years. It’s been said that the hosts of The View are clearly insane and that by watching even a single broadcast of it

can lower a person’s IQ by 20 points or more. Now ordinarily criticism like that would be thought of as just a joking way to insult the hosts and the show itself and are in fact just an exaggeration. But, just by hearing the statements that come out of the mouths of those hosts on a regular basis kind of confirm what those critics have been saying. Personally, I’m surprised Ms. Hostin chose to blame the eclipse on Climate Change rather than on Donald Trump.

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

SOUTH BOSTON TODAY

John Ciccone

House Budget By The Numbers

House Speaker Ron Mariano quipped Wednesday that “good fiscal times don’t last forever” upon unveiling the House Ways and Means Committee’s fiscal year 2025 budget. He and Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz proceeded to lay bare a plan with a $57.9 billion price tag.

The budget out of House Ways and Means comes in a shade below Gov. Maura Healey’s spending plan released in January. Where Healey’s budget proposes a $2.07 billion or 3.7 percent spending increase over the version she signed last summer, the House’s represents a $1.9 billion or 3.3 percent increase.

The House throws $500 million in total at emergency family shelters — $325 million directly and an extra $175 million drawn from a state savings account. Based on estimates from the Healey administration, that combination is only a bit more than half as much as the state might spend on shelters in fiscal 2025, but Mariano and Michlewitz argued there’s no way to know what the total need will ac-

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.

tually be given the “ebb and flow” of the crisis. The House budget divides its surtax funds with $605 million for transportation and $695 million for education, a 47/53 percent split that’s a bit closer to even than the roughly 43/57 division Healey proposed.

Along with making permanent C3 child care grants funded at $475 million, the House bill would impose new guidelines on the program itself, including caps to the amount that larger, for-profit or franchised organizations can receive. $6.86 billion would flow to communities in Chapter 70 aid for schools, funding another year of the Student Opportunity Act, and the House budget would add to that another $37 million to increase the minimum aid to $104 per pupil.

Higher education investments include $298 million for scholarship funding, $14 million for the SUCCESS program at community colleges and another $14 million to extend it to state universities, and a combined $27.6 million for dual enrollment and early college. Amid some well-documented

(and seemingly increasing) fiscal concerns, the House’s budget proposes using $1.3 billion in new revenue sources to fund an increase in spending while avoiding a withdrawal from the “rainy day” stabilization fund.

Those maneuvers include drawing $300 million from a fund set up years ago to cover Student Opportunity Act costs, redirecting $79.5 million in gaming revenues, and allowing up to $375 million in capital gains tax revenues to be spent rather than stashed in savings. Mariano’s take on handling a difficult fiscal challenge? “Things can always be worse.”

Wu’s breakfast budget pitch

At a breakfast Wednesday, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu pitched a $4.6 billion FY25 operating budget for the city. Wu spoke out against the idea that Boston is in an “economic collapse,” saying that the city’s total property tax intake will stay stable because less revenues from commercial real estate properties only means residential property taxes would increase to bear the tax burden. Wu is also

proposing an FY25-FY29 capital plan at $4.7B.

PCA program protected by House budget

House Democrats confirmed in their FY25 budget that they will protect parts of the Personal Care Attendant program that supports services to the elderly and disabled — a contrast to Gov. Healey’s budget, which would cut money from the program’s services.

Mass. residents on potential audit-the-Legislature ballot question

A GBH/CommonWealth Beacon poll found that a “slight majority” of Bay Staters support a potential ballot question granting state Auditor Diana DiZoglio the power to audit the Legislature. In a survey of 1,002 Mass. residents, 53 percent of poll respondents were in favor of the question, 12 percent were opposed and 35 percent undecided — how that portion of undecided voters breaks down come election time could very well make or break the question’s future.

Councilor Flynn Declares Speeding

Cars and Reckless Driving as a Public Health Emergency Councilor Flynn and Murphy call for Hearing to Discuss Boston Public Schools Transportation for Student Athletes

At this week’s Council Meeting, Boston City Councilor Flynn declared speeding cars and reckless driving a Public Health emergency. Pedestrian fatalities and injuries have been a serious issue in the City of Boston, and in the last two years, there had been nineteen pedestrian fatalities. This resolution was co-sponsored by Councilor Pepen and Councilor Murphy and sent to the Committee on Public Health, Homelessness and Recovery.

In recent weeks, there were two pedestrian fatalities and one pedestrian who was critically injured by cars in Boston. Pedestrian and road safety is a critical component of not only public safety and overall quality of life for our residents, but it is also a public health issue as unsafe traffic conditions can be a leading cause for injuries and deaths. The number of

pedestrian deaths and serious injuries caused by car crashes have soared nationally, with pedestrian deaths being up 77% since 2010 in 2022, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the same report registered 7,508 people killed by vehicles in 2022, the highest number since 1981.

“These recent crashes remind us of the work that must be done to realize Vision Zero in terms of the infrastructure improvements to our built environment, slower speeds, and enforcement needed to address pedestrian and traffic safety, and the urgency that we need to act,” said Councilor Flynn. “Together with my hearing order last week to scale up the city’s Safety Surge program with speed humps and raised crosswalk on our main streets and commercial roads, high traffic corridors, and bus routes, we also need to declare speeding cars and reckless driving as a Public Health Emergency and ensure cars abide by the rules of the road.”

For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@ Boston.gov.

Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn, in partnership with Councilor Erin Murphy, have called for a hearing to discuss Boston Public Schools Transportation for Student Athletes. This comes as the Excel High School baseball team was left stranded without transportation from BPS last week for their first game of the season, which frustrated students and parents and forced them to make last minute transportation plans.

Last Monday, Excel High School baseball student athletes, after learning that there was no bus scheduled to transport them to a game at Healy Field in Jamaica Plain, had to make their own way by getting the MBTA. Unfortunately, this is not a new issue, as the Boston Globe reported in 2022

on how student athletes often had to scramble to find ways to get to games outside of the city because there were no buses available, and parents from Excel High School have also noted that the lack of transportation last week was not an isolated problem.

“It is simply unacceptable that no bus showed up to transport our student athletes to their game. Student athletes need to be supported and be able to attend their games in and out of the city, and our BPS leaders and coordinators have a responsibility to ensure that there are buses for our students ahead of time so that they can get to their games on time,” said Councilor Flynn.

For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@ Boston.gov.

SOUTH BOSTON LIAISON COFFEE HOURS

South Boston Coffee Hours are hosted by neighborhood liaison Lydia Polaski. Coffee Hours are held weekly unless otherwise noted.

April 12, 2024

10:30am – 11:30am

The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services liaisons hosts weekly Coffee Hours located conveniently in each neighborhood. This is an opportunity to connect with your neighborhood liaison to receive support connecting with City departments, addressing any concerns, or just to say hello to connect joyfully.

Neighborhood liaisons look forward to hearing how Boston can improve our neighborhoods.

Please note South Boston Liaison Coffee Hours change location every week. Check back mid-week each week for an updated location

Marty Walz, interim president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, said it is notable that Wu still proposed a spending increase for the next fiscal year while simultaneously seeking to boost commercial tax rates. “When there’s a request for people to pay more in taxes, it suggests that there needs to be sacrifices made and things to be changed to reduce the impact of those sacrifices,” Walz said. When then-Mayor Tom Menino

sought a similar change in 200304, the city cut more than 1,200 positions from the payroll, she noted. “There was an effort made by the city to reduce expenses and therefore reduce the impact of the classification proposal, and the mayor here is not taking that path,” said Walz.

Evan Horowitz, the executive director of the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University, worked on a report released earlier this year with the Boston Policy Institute that said Boston could lose between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion in tax revenue over five years should office values drop by 20 percent to 30 percent.

“The city has some options to deal with the fact that they face a real shortfall. ... But pretending that this isn’t a problem is not one of the options, at least it’s not one of the viable options,” Horowitz said. “There’s no formula that can fix the city budget without raising taxes in some way. So what we’re really talking about is how we’re going to raise taxes or cut spending, there’s

Public Meeting Postponement

The South Boston Transportation Action Plan Public Engagement Meeting scheduled for April 17 at 11:00 am has been postponed.

Please note: the upcoming public engagement for the South Boston Transportation Action Plan on April 17th at 118 Marotta Way has been postponed and will be rescheduled in the near future.

The BPDA and Boston Transportation Department (BTD) heard consistent feedback and concerns about the South Boston Transportation Action Plan's recommendations at the virtual public meeting on April 4, 2024. In response, the team is postponing the upcoming public meeting on April 17, 2024 (in-person at 118 Orton Marotta Way). This will offer the team time to provide a thoughtful response to the feedback that we have heard.

no way around that.” City officials looked into cutting expenses in order to prevent any tax increases but determined that cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from the city’s budget would have an outsize impact on city operations and services, compared to what property owners would save on their tax bills, according to a city spokesperson. Wu also said the economic outlook for downtown Boston is far from bleak.

As councilors and other Boston officials enjoyed coffee and pastries at the annual budget breakfast at City Hall Plaza Pavilion on Wednesday morning, Wu and her cabinet officials focused on key items in the budget, and the $4.7 billion capital plan for the next five years.

Wu described the budget as a “vehicle” to deliver on her vision to “make Boston a home for everyone,” and said it would expand on her administration’s efforts to address housing affordability, climate sustainability, public safety, resources and support for youth and families, quality schools, and delivering “excellent” city services.

About $42.4 million of the budget increase would pay for the employees and operations of the new city planning department, which starting July 1, will take over the role and responsibilities of the Boston Planning & Development Agency. However, that cost will be offset by $42.4 million in revenue the BPDA will collect from leases on city property, Groffenberger said. She also added the city is still working on a memorandum of understanding that would outline the logistics of how that revenue will flow over to the city from the BPDA.

Boston is legally required to have a balanced city budget, Wu said Wednesday, before Groffenberger broke down what revenue streams would fund the $344 million budget increase. About $158.7 million of that would come from property taxes, $70.1 million would flow from interest on city funds, and $71.9 million would be generated by departmental revenues that come from licenses and permits, in addition to the anticipated $42.4 million of BPDA revenue.

Virtual Public Meeting

Project Proponent: Oxford Pappas (OXP)

Project Description:

The BPDA is hosting a virtual Community Advisory Committee (“CAC”) meeting to discuss the recently filed Reserved Channel Development project in South Boston. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an overview of the project, and discuss potential impacts and mitigation with the CAC as well as give an overview of the role of the CAC. The meeting will include a presentation followed by questions and comments from the CAC. This meeting is one in a series of meetings to review the entirety of the proposed project.

Please note that the purpose of this meeting is different from that of a traditional community meeting, and will focus on the conversation between the CAC, the development team and members of review agencies present at the meeting. Reserved

Wu Budget continued from front page

MBTA Announces Improved Bus Stop Signage Pilot as Part of Phase 1 of Bus Network Redesign

Phase

1 of Bus Network Redesign anticipated to be implemented in December 2024

The MBTA announced a pilot that began, April 8, and will continue through May 3, 2024, to redesign bus stop signs in an effort to improve their accessibility and findability. The MBTA will also host eight pop-up events at pilot bus stops to gather rider feedback. This bus stop signage pilot comes in advance of anticipated bus service changes to come as part of the Bus Network Redesign (BNR) Program. More information is available at mbta.com/BusSigns.

Bus Stop

Malden Center (busway)

Harvard (busway)

Nubian (busway)

Forest Hills (busway)

Brighton Ave opp Quint Ave

Talbot Ave @ Centre St

Dudley St @ Belden St

Centre St @ Seaverns Ave Bus Stop

Boylston St @ Dartmouth St

Hyde Park Ave @ Mt Hope St

Hancock St @ Bowdoin St

Blue Hill Ave @ Morton St

Surface Rd @Hanover St

Park St @ Hawthorne St

“As we begin this pilot of new sign designs for buses that are intended to improve our riders’ experience and provide clear information at bus stops, we are asking for public feedback to best ensure we are meeting your expectations,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “As we focus on delivering more reliable and frequent trips, information and communication is equally critical for both existing and future riders. Your input is invaluable

as we embark on the first phase of Bus Network Redesign in December 2024. We look forward to seeing and hearing from everyone at any of the upcoming bus stop pop-up events.”

To prepare for the upcoming anticipated bus service changes as part of BNR, the new bus stop sign design is being piloted at various locations between April 8 and May 3. The signs will include the following:

• Increased size: The sign’s width

will increase from 12 to 14 inches to improve visibility.

• Double-sided: The signs will be double-sided to make it easier to find bus information from both directions.

• Improved legibility: The signs will include larger two-inch text and numbers to make them easier to read.

• Frequent bus route symbol: The signs will include a clock symbol to indicate this bus stop serves one or more frequent bus routes.

The MBTA encourages riders and the public to send feedback to help the T finalize the design.

Neighborhood and Municipality

Malden

Cambridge

Roxbury, Boston

Jamaica Plain, Boston

Allston, Boston

Dorchester, Boston

Dorchester, Boston

Jamaica Plain, Boston

Routes Served

97,

37, 38, 39, 40, 50, 51, 192, 34E

51, 57, 66, 193

22, 23, 26, 45

15, 41, 191

21, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41, 192

Other bus stops where the new bus stop sign is being piloted are located at:

Neighborhood and Municipality

Back Bay, Boston

Roslindale, Boston

Dorchester, Boston

Mattapan, Boston

Downtown/North End Boston

Chelsea

BNR is a complete reimagining of Greater Boston’s bus network that will better reflect the travel needs of the area and create a better experience for current and future bus riders. A new core network of frequent bus routes—operating every 15 minutes or better throughout the day—is the center of this redesign. The MBTA is implementing the new bus network in phases over the next five years.

In December 2024, the MBTA anticipates that Phase 1 bus service changes will be implemented throughout the communities of Chelsea, Everett, Revere, Malden, Somerville, Cambridge, and East Boston for Routes 86, 104, 109, 110, 116, and 117, including:

• Changing six bus routes, increasing service by 60% on the north side;

• Increasing service frequency for four

Routes Served

9, 10,

routes (Routes 104, 109, 110, and 116) to 15 minutes or less, all day, every day; and

• New connections to the Red, Orange, Green, and Blue lines.

The MBTA will continue to communicate with riders about these upcoming anticipated changes in advance of December 2024 and encourages riders to share their questions and comments about BNR by emailing BetterBusPro-

Pop-up Events

16

Thursday, April 18

Tuesday, April 23

Thursday, April 25

Tuesday, April 30

Thursday, May 2

4 PM

7 AM

9 AM

5 PM

ject@mbta.com. Full details about these anticipated changes during Phase 1 and beyond are available at mbta.com/BNR.

For more information, visit mbta. com/BNR or connect with the T on X (the site formerly known as Twitter) @MBTA and @MBTA_CR, Facebook /TheMBTA, Instagram @ theMBTA, Threads @thembta, or TikTok @thembta.

Guy The Wine Warmer Weather

This just in…. it’s getting warmer out! And just as surely as the sun stays out longer and our clothing starts getting lighter, for those of us who enjoy wine, our taste also changes. I think the following suggestions will fit right in with the weather; they’re lighter, crisper and really refreshing. Also, remember my personal ruleno wine before breakfast…unless it’s a really good one, then…. Force and Grace Chardonnay, Caneros, Napa, California, ($27.99). Jeb Dunnock says,” Mostly barrel fermented, it offers a ripe, mediumbodied, layered, balanced style as well as aromatics of honeyed citrus, white flowers, crushed stone, & a hint of spice. It has outstanding balance and a pure, elegant profile that’s

a joy to drink.”. He rated this one a 93-pointer and I definitely feel the same; try it with some grilled shrimp or Chicken Marsala for an even better taste experience!

2022 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand, ($19.99).#10 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2023 Aromas of cassis and passionfruit are first to emerge, with guava, crisp pear and white peach adding a delicious intricacy. On the palate, it is generous yet refreshing, with ripe pineapple and a lime sherbet zing, layered with elderflower and hints of citrus blossom. A classic example of Greywacke’s interpretation of the famous Marlborough style - ripe, textural and scrumptious, with the volume turned well down. Incidentally, this one is also#10 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2023.

Chenin Blanc is a wine that’s often overlooked; if you haven’t had it before, you should. The better ones are lighter than Chardonnay, but still very crisp and refreshing. One of my favorites is Beaumont Chenin Blanc, 2022, South Africa, ($21.99).The Chenin Blanc vines on this estate range in age from 3 to 43 years old. Cool climate Chenin Blanc from the windy Bot River is fermented and aged in both concrete tanks and stainless steel. Punchy and full of character you’ll taste citrus, pineapple and wet stone notes with a

surprisingly long finish. Great with seafood, especially shellfish and spicy Thai and Indian curries. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, Washington State, ($20.99). The 2022 is a sophisticated and refined dry style Riesling that perfectly balances the richness of fruit character with a crisp and refreshing finish. Every bottle of this exquisite

wine is carefully crafted by the winemaker who hand-selects only the finest lots of Riesling grapes to ensure exceptional quality and taste. With its dry and elegant taste profile, Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2022 is an ideal wine to complement a wide range of dishes, particularly mild cheese, fresh seafood, and seasonal salads.

Opening Day for the Famouse Boston Swan Boats – April 13, 2024

Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department are pleased to announce that the popular Boston Swan Boats will open for the 2024 season at the Boston Public Garden lagoon on Saturday, April 13, at 10 a.m.

Launched in 1877 by Irish immigrant and shipbuilder Robert Paget, the Swan Boats continue to be owned and operated by the Paget family. Mr. Paget designed the Swan Boats after attending the opera Lohengrin in New York City. At the end of the opera, the hero crosses a river in a boat drawn by a swan. 2024 marks the 147th season for the Swan Boats. The oldest and

smallest boat in the fleet just celebrated its 114th season, while the newest was launched in 1993. The swan on today’s boats is made from either copper or fiberglass, depending on the age of the boat, and encloses a paddle mechanism that is used to foot propel the boat through the water.

Fully loaded, each Swan Boat weighs three tons and is powered by the driver using a foot-propelled paddle wheel. The Swan Boats are built on oak framed pontoons sheathed in copper just as they were initially constructed in 1877. After being stored in a safe place for the winter, the boats are returned to the Public Garden Lagoon each spring.

Hearts, Hugs & Hope: A Virtual

Alzheimer’s Support Group

Offered by Compass on the Bay

April 25, 2024, 6:00 pm. Dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia isn’t easy, so it is helpful to share your concerns and personal experiences with others who completely understand what you’re going through. You will also learn about proven strategies to help you better care for your family member. Call 617-268-5450 or email Program Director Erin Bollinger at ebollinger@compassonthebay.com for more information and to register for the virtual meeting. This is a virtual event sponsored by Compass on the Bay Assisted Living and Memory Support Community, 1380 Columbia Road, South Boston.

Gate of Heaven Parish News

All are welcome to come to the monthly Coffee and Conversation Hour on Sunday, April 14, 2024 after the 9AM Mass

ATTENTION BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION CUSTOMERS

You may have noticed some changes in your most recent bill from Boston Water and Sewer Commission. As of April 1, 2024 BWSC customers will now see three separate line-item charges on their bill, for water, sewer, and stormwater. Now, paying for stormwater separately will lower the sewer rate while showing the charges attributed to stormwater activities for the property. This is a more equitable way to fund improvements for the stormwater system because everyone pays for the service they use. Here are key highlights of the bill:

• Stormwater charge will be $8.98 per month for each Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) attributed to the property.

• All property owners with more than 400 square feet of impervious area will be billed.

• 60% of residential households will see a reduction in their overall bill.

• The 30% discount extended to seniors and disabled residents will automatically apply to the new stormwater fee.

• Credits and grants are available for customers who implement green infrastructure measures on their property.

For more information, contact us at: stormwaterinfo@bwsc.org; website: bwsc.org/stormwater; or 1-800-442-1519

In the Downstairs Hall at Gate of Heaven Church

With the Boston Marathon this Monday, I wanted to share a bit of news that you might’ve missed, when it comes to the 128th running of the prestigious event.

And that news is that Rob Gronkowski has been named the Patriots’ Award recipient and Grand Marshal.

I know you thought I was going to say I was running the marathon. But nope, that’s not it. It’s about Gronk, who I’m glad is still keeping his ties with Boston, even after finishing his Hall of Fame NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Here’s the official press release from the Boston Marathon’s website:

BOSTON—The B.A.A. is delighted to announce that 4X NFL Super Bowl Rob Gronkowski is the recipient of the 2024 Patriots’Award. This award is presented to a person or organization who is patriotic, philanthropic, and inspirational, and fosters goodwill and sportsmanship. The Patriots’ Award further unifies the Boston Marathon with Patriots’Day, the holiday on which the race has been held since 1897.

Known for his impressive athletic achievements, Gronk’s impact on New England extends far beyond the football field. Along with his family, he founded the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation which is dedicated to inspiring youth to reach their maximum potential through sports, education, community, and fitness.

The current project of the Foundation involves constructing Gronk Playground on the Charles River Esplanade.

Gronkowski said, “Giving back has always been a priority in my life. When I first got to New England, Mr. Kraft and the Patriots Foundation ingrained in the team the importance of giving back to the community that gives back to us. And this community has supported me throughout my entire career. Now it’s time for me to give back to help set others up for their own journey, especially the youth. This is why the Gronk Playground project is close to my heart. My family and I are honored to be able to give kids an awesome new space to play in the city.”

Nicole Juri, B.A.A. Director of Development said, “We are honored to have Rob Gronkowski as part of our Boston Athletic Association’s long-standing traditions and celebrations this year. The work that he has done and continues to do for the Boston Community exemplifies what we look to recognize with our Patriots’ Award.

“Having him also serve as Grand Marshal on race day will bring a lot of added joy and excitement for the thousands of spectators who will be lining the streets from Hopkinton to Boston.”

Gronkowski’s amazing work will be applauded at the B.A.A. Gives Back Celebration presented by Bank of

This week,

Danny shared his thoughts on Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady being honored over the next two months:

America on Saturday April 13, and in his role as Grand Marshal he will tour down the marathon course from Hopkinton to Boston in an All-Electric 2024 Honda Prologue delivering the trophy to the finish line ahead of the athletes on Monday April 15.

Past recipients of the Patriots’ Award:

• Robert and Myra Kraft and the New England Patriots (2002)

• Red Auerbach and the Red Auerbach Youth Foundation (2003)

• Ron Burton and the Ron Burton Training Village (2004)

• Boston Red Sox Foundation (2005)

• Rick and Dick Hoyt (2006)

• Joan Benoit Samuelson (2007)

• Mike Andrews and the Jimmy Fund (2008)

• Boston bartenders and philanthropists Eddie Doyle and Tommy Leonard (2009)

• New England Patriot and three-time Super Bowl champion Tedy Bruschi (2010)

• Carol Fulp, Senior Vice President of Brand Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility for John Hancock Financial Services (2011)

• Boston Red Sox pitcher and active community philanthropist Tim Wakefield (2012)

• Boston Marathon Shadow Run Founder, Lt. Colonel Rodney Freeman (2013)

• One Fund Boston, Inc. (2014)

• Thomas M. Menino Fund for Boston (2015)

• Adrianne Haslet (2016)

• Meb Keflezighi (2017)

• David Fortier (2018)

• Linda Driscoll, Dream Big! (2019)

• Marty Walsh (2022)

• David Ortiz (2023)

Gronk will one day get his official return to Foxboro, much like Tom Brady did last season.

Speaking of Brady, the Patriots will be honoring him on June 12 at Gillette Stadium from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Here’s the latest announcement:

On June 12, 2024, Tom Brady will become the 35th person to be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame presented by RTX. For the first time, the Hall of Fame ceremony will be hosted inside Gillette Stadium to accommodate as many fans as possible. The ceremony will be held the evening of June 12, 2024, from 7:00 – 9:30 PM.

Patriots executives chose the 12th day of the sixth month as two of the numbers most often associated with Tom Brady’s Patriots career; his six Super Bowl championships and his iconic uniform number, 12. Season Ticket Members will be offered first priority to purchase tickets. If available, a general public onsale will be in late April.

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SPORTS TODAY

RED SOX’ STORY DONE FOR SEASON AFTER SHOULDER SURGERY

For the second straight season, Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story has suffered a season-ending injury. Last year, it was right elbow surgery. This year, it’s left shoulder surgery. Story, 31, injured his shoulder last week in LA while trying to make a diving play on a ball to his right. Story was fully extended, hit the ground hard, and rolled around in immediate pain.

“I knew it was bad at the moment, as soon as I heard it come out,” Story told reporters this week at Fenway. “Just the pain I felt, I had never felt anything like that. You always try to be optimistic and just hope that it went out and would come back in. Just try and make the best of the situ -

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ation. But obviously some other things happened and it was more serious than I hoped for. It’s hard to imagine.

“A lot of emotions,” added Story. “Frustrated, don’t really understand it. The moment is tough, and it’s hard to make sense of it.”

Story is set to have surgery late this week. In the last two seasons with the Red Sox, surgery will have played only a total of 51 games.

According to Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow, who spoke to the media at Fenway this week, Story’s recovery timetable for this type of shoulder surgery is “probably somewhere in the neighborhood of six months.”

That would mean that — best case scenario — Story wouldn’t

be close to returning until the World Series. And even that’s a stretch, for both Story’s chances of returning that soon, and the Red Sox’ chances of playing in the World Series.

“Kind of a recent development here,” Breslow told reporters this week. “[Story] is in fact scheduled to have surgery after speaking with our medical staff, and getting further confirmation on a second opinion, and Trevor’s decision to go forward after we had talked about some concern over the bone structure.

“It’s very significant,” added Breslow. “Not going to hide from what he’s meant to this team, defensively, and we had full confidence that offensively he was going to contribute as well. We saw what he could do in spring

PATRIOTS AGREE TO FOUR-YEAR DEAL WITH DUGGER

Just a month after placing the “transition tag” on safety Kyle Dugger, the New England Patriots and Dugger have agreed to a four-year deal that reportedly includes $32 million guaranteed and could be worth up to $66 million.

Though, the team has yet to announce the details of the new contract. Here’s the press release from the Patriots: FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots announced that they have re-signed S Kyle Dugger. Terms of the contract were not announced. Dugger, 28, is a veteran of four

NFL seasons with New England after joining the team as a second-round draft pick (37th overall) in the 2020

NFL Draft out of Lenoir-Rhyne. The 6-foot-1, 216-pounder has played in 61 regular season games with 52 starts and has accumulated 319 total tackles, 2½ sacks, 9 interceptions

NBA FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Charlotte at Boston

7:30 P.M. NBCSB

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

Washington at Boston

1 P.M.

MONDAY,

training. I think, fortunately, he’s emerged as a leader of this team, and there’s still going to be a way for him to positively impact it. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t seem like it’s going to be on the field right now.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s advice to whoever is going to try and fill that void at shortstop? Don’t try to be Trevor Story.

“Like I said the other day, we’ve got to move on,” Cora told the media. “I know it sounds hard, but this is the nature of the game. We’re going to miss him, yeah, as a leader, as a player, as a baserunner, as a defender, as a hitter. But we have to move on. Whoever is going to play short that day, just play up to who you are. Don’t try to be Trevor Story. There’s only one of those, and he’s probably not going to play this year.”

with two returned for touchdowns, 20 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. In 2022, Dugger had three defensive touchdowns with two interceptions returned for touchdowns and one fumble returned for a touchdown. Last season, Dugger started in all 17 games and finished with a career-high 107 total tackles, 1½ sacks, 2 interceptions, 7 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble.