City Councilor Mike Ross is considering a run to replace retiring Congressman Barney Frank—a move that would require him to move out of Boston and into the 4th Congressional District. But, Ross told the Gazette, he is not yet packing his bags to move back to Newton—where he grew up and Frank lives. Ross’s...
Monthly Archives: November 2011
Occupy JP to hold ‘Hard Times’ march Dec. 4
Occupy JP will hold its first public event on Sunday: a Centre Street march called the “Economic Hard Times Tour of JP.” The march, which begins at 1 p.m. in Monument Square, will involve handing out informational leaflets about budget cuts to social services and how they impact Jamaica Plain, said Occupy JP spokesperson...
Church: Occupy JP is not occupying our lawn
The Unitarian Universalist church in Monument Square is shooting down Occupy JP’s report that it would set up camp in the church’s lawn as soon as this weekend. Andrea Clardy, chair of First Church in Jamaica Plain Unitarian Universalist’s standing committee, said that there appears to have been a misunderstanding within Occupy JP. The...
Woman with stroller assaulted
A man sexually assaulted a woman pushing a baby stroller in broad daylight in Franklin Park on Nov. 28 until golfers drove him away, according to the Boston Police Department (BPD) and park advocates. The man did not hurt the child, but attempted to strangle the woman, who was later treated for non-life-threatening injuries,...
Jackson Square rec center scores funding
A recreation center planned for Jackson Square has scored nearly $6 million in state funding, putting the community dream closer to reality. The state in 2008 approved the idea of issuing $5.69 million in bonds to help fund the Jackson Square Recreation Center. But just recently, it authorized actually issuing those bonds, according to...
Overpass replacement choice to be made
FOREST HILLS—The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will decide on which alternative—bridge or at-grade—will replace the current Casey Overpass by Dec. 12. Public comment will be accepted through Dec. 6. The decision will be announced to members of the Working Advisory Group (WAG) on Dec. 12 and to the community at large Dec. 14....
Margarita Muñiz dies; headed Hernandez School
Margarita Muñiz, the principal of Egleston Square’s Rafael Hernandez School, died today after a long battle with cancer, according to Boston Public Schools (BPS). Muñiz fought discrimination and opposition to keep alive the bilingual elementary school in the 1970s. She became a community icon in the process. Next year, BPS will open a new...
Cemetery loses arts funding
FOREST HILLS—Nearly a year since the Forest Hills Educational Trust (FHET) announced its suspension of arts programming at Forest Hills Cemetery, the organization is all but dead due to a loss of Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) funding, the Gazette has learned. The future of the Lantern Festival, the cemetery’s last surviving major event, is...
Legislature OK’s JP Congressional split
Despite last-minute efforts by Jamaica Plain’s entire state legislative delegation, the state Senate this week passed a new Congressional map that moves a huge part of JP into Congressman Steve Lynch’s district. The House also approved the plan and Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to sign it. The plan drew fire from JP Progressives...
Occupy JP movement begins
An “Occupy JP” movement is organizing as a local version of the Occupy Wall Street protest. Occupy JP began organizing at a Nov. 13 “general assembly” meeting and is still deciding its agenda—including whether it will be an actual occupation. “There was a lot of discussion about whether we would even want to quote-unquote...