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Ex-state rep. busted on drug charges at JP school

May 22, 2013
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Stephen Doran, a former state representative, was arrested May 21 by State Police outside the Match Charter Public Middle School at 215 Forest Hills St. in Jamaica Plain after allegedly receiving a package containing 480 grams of methamphetamine there, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. A search of Dolan’s home allegedly found...

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Politics as Unusual: Barros serves up lunch—and a strong candidacy

May 21, 2013
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Even if you don’t vote for John Barros to be your next mayor, you should make it a priority to grub the grilled octopus at Restaurante Cesaria, the lovely Cape Verdean joint on Bowdoin Street that he founded with three family members. The dish...

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Big cultural fests won’t be in Franklin Park this year

May 17, 2013
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The annual Puerto Rican and Dominican cultural festivals will relocate from Franklin Park to City Hall Plaza downtown this year because re-sodding of part of the park is taking longer than expected, according to City and park advocacy officials. The large summer festivals and...

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Politics as Unusual: Menino’s tech legacy is no joke

May 14, 2013
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City Councilor-at-Large John Connolly said something interesting at a mayoral forum in Jamaica Plain last week. He hyperbolized that under his leadership, City Hall would look something like the...

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Church owners set deadline in negotiations

May 10, 2013
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The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) and the New Atlantic Development have said that a decision will need to be made within 60 days in the negotiations with...

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Big crowd, officials back Task Force church bid

May 10, 2013
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The Hyde Square Task Force rally crowd gathers in front of the former Blessed Sacrament Church at 365 Centre St. on the evening of May 3. (Gazette Photo by John Ruch)

By John Ruch and Peter Shanley, Gazette Staff A crowd of about 150 people and three of Boston’s mayoral candidates were among those backing the Hyde Square Task Force’s...

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Wake Up Walk

May 10, 2013
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(Photo by Daniella Rascón) Roxanna Bentes of Mexico walks on stilts through the Wake Up the Earth festival audience in the Southwest Corridor Park May 4. Bentes visits JP every year for the popular event.

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Mayor candidate Connolly tours Hyde/Jackson

May 10, 2013
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Connolly

At-Large City Councilor John Connolly, who is running for mayor, came to Jamaica Plain on April 29 for a walking tour from Canary Square to Jackson Square, where he...

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City Life marks 40 years of helping residents

May 10, 2013
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(Gazette File Photo) Members of City Life/Vida Urbana, the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation and the Egleston Square Neighborhood Association march to promote the “Campaign of Conscience” against high rents on Centre Street in central JP in 1999.

City Life/Vida Urbana (CLVU), a JP-based nonprofit, is celebrating 40 years of empowering struggling tenants and homeowners with a May 18 dinner fundraiser in Dorchester. Founded in 1973 as...

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Task Force quiere la iglesia, recibe mucho apoyo

May 10, 2013
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De John Ruch and Peter Shanley, Gazette Staff El 3 de mayo, en un mitin en frente de la iglesia en 365 Centre St., unas 150 personas y tres...

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Mayor promised better trash cans 3 years ago

May 10, 2013
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Three years after Mayor Thomas Menino promised 25 “BigBelly” trash cans for the Centre/South streets corridor, Jamaica Plain is still waiting for the upgrades. Menino promised the 25 solar-powered...

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Jackson Shines

May 10, 2013
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(Courtesy Photo) Employees of The Community Builders and Mitchell Properties, the developers of the new building going up at 225 Centre St., and family members join in the Boston Shines cleanup April 27 in Jackson Square. Pictured are (from left) Marta Bonilla, Alyson Walsh, Jeannie Crane, Noah Sawyer, John Frazier, Pam Frazier and Jack Frazier.

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State puts 4 small parcels up for bids

May 10, 2013
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The state put four small, vacant parcels along the Southwest Corridor in Jamaica Plain up for bid on April 26. The pieces of land—in Central JP, JP South and...

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Jackson Sq. residents surveyed about quality of life

May 10, 2013
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JACKSON SQ.—Urban Edge, a nonprofit community development corporation, is undertaking a detailed survey of Jackson Square’s property and residents. Required by NeighborWorks America, an affordable housing coalition that is...

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JP hosts first mayoral forum

May 10, 2013
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(Gazette Photo by Rebeca Oliveira) (from left) Mayoral candidates Marty Walsh, Charlotte Golar Richie, Charles Clemons, John Laing, Rob Consalvo, John Barros, Felix Arroyo, John Connolly and Daniel Conley at the May 6 candidate forum.

FOREST HILLS—Nine mayoral candidates attended a forum organized by the West Roxbury Courthouse Neighborhood Association this week. It was the first open candidate forum held for mayoral candidates in...

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Politics as Unusual: At mayoral keg party, who would you drink with?

May 10, 2013
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During the 2000 presidential race, one prevalent and aggravating accolade bestowed upon George W. Bush was that of Candidate Who Voters Would Most Like To Drink Beer With. Whether...

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ABCD might go to ‘The Cave’

May 10, 2013
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JACKSON SQ.—Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), an antipoverty nonprofit, might soon be providing services at the youth center “The Cave” at the Bromley-Heath housing development, according to Boston...

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JPNDC lowers asking price for church

May 10, 2013
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HYDE SQ.—The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) is continuing negotiations over the Blessed Sacrament Church with a potential buyer, the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF), and has lowered...

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Peace symbol of flowers blooms at pond

May 10, 2013
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The peace symbol composed of daffodils at Jamaica Pond Park on April 26. (Gazette Photo by John Ruch)

PONDSIDE—Call it peace on Earth. Daffodil flowers planted in the shape of a peace symbol are blooming bright yellow on an embankment at Jamaica Pond Park in an unofficial,...

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Opening Day

May 10, 2013
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(Photo by Daniella Rascón) City Councilor Ayanna Pressley throws out the first pitch during the Opening Day ceremony for the JP Regan Youth League April 27 at Daisy Field in Olmsted Park on the Jamaicaway.

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Gazette writer pens marathon bombing ebook

May 10, 2013
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The cover of Chris Faraone's "Heartbreak Hell." (Courtesy Image)

Chris Faraone, a Jamaica Plain journalist who writes the Gazette’s “Politics as Unusual” column, has published an ebook of essays and photos about the week of the Boston Marathon...

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JP artist creates poster to aid bombing victims

May 10, 2013
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(Image Courtesy Nancy Marks) The marathon poster “The Extra Mile” by Nancy Marks.

Jamaica Plain artist Nancy Marks has created a poster honoring the Boston Marathon bombing victims and raise money for them via The One Fund. Each victim will be offered...

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Bombing memorial comes down

May 10, 2013
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(Gazette Photo by John Ruch) A sign bearing a star-and-crescent Islamic symbol that was part of the marathon bombing victims memorial.

The makeshift memorial to Boston Marathon bombing victims in Monument Square, partly by bombing rescue hero Carlos Arredondo, was removed on May 6, apparently by its creators. The memorial...

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The Connolly-Arroyo election myth

May 10, 2013
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With City Councilors John Connolly and Felix G. Arroyo both in the mayoral race, voters likely will once again hear a minor but enduring political myth: that Connolly ousted...

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