Whole Foods Market, originally scheduled to open Nov. 2, opened its doors on Oct. 31. “Thanks to the hard work of our team members, we were able to open the doors this morning; two days ahead of schedule,” Whole Foods spokesperson Heather McCready said in an email. The new store at 413 Centre St....
Blog Archives
New schools could move into Agassiz
A proposal announced by Boston Public Schools (BPS) superintendent Carol Johnson this week would have a K-8 school and a new two-way bilingual high school moving into the former Agassiz School building at 20 Child St. next year. A community meeting to discuss some of the changes is scheduled for Oct. 26. Under the...
Few changes in state redistricting plan
State Rep. Liz Malia’s 11th Suffolk District stands to pick up a couple of Jamaica Plain precincts from state Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez’s 15th Suffolk District, according to a proposed state legislative redistricting plan released Oct. 18. Under the plan, Malia would pick up two of Sánchez’s precincts: Ward 11, Precinct 6, which covers the...
JP man killed in parking lot fight
HYDE SQ.—Kenneth “Black” Soto, a 19-year-old Jamaica Plain resident who had been involved with the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) since he was 6, was stabbed to death in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven at 451 Centre St. on Oct. 16. Soto “was in the Task Force office last week, celebrating finishing high...
Occupy Boston occupies JP
Activists, artists visit protest With Jamaica Plain’s just reputation for being a haven for progressives it’s no surprise that plenty of residents and local organizations have taken an interest in Occupy Boston. The local protest in Dewey Square in the city’s Financial District, which started Sept. 30, has seen participation from JP politicians, musicians...
Council districts must change, but how?
Jamaica Plain’s City Council District 6 must grow and District 7 must shrink in this year’s redistricting process. That could mean that Egleston Square shifts from City Councilor Tito Jackson to City Councilor Matt O’Malley. But while big changes are on the way, the local councilors involved with the process are not being specific...
City shoots for 2020 reprecincting
Long lines at local polls are not a fact of life and Boston City Council voted last month to do something about them, in 10 years. Thanks to population shifts in the 80 years since Boston last redrew its voting precincts, some precincts have a few hundred voters and some have thousands, but that...
Local foreclosure crisis victim arrested at protest
While the foreclosure crisis largely passed Jamaica Plain by, not everyone escaped unscathed, and one local resident and former business owner, Ken Tilton, has found some redemption in fighting back. Tilton—the former owner of landmark JP businesses Zon’s restaurant and the novelty store Pluto—has been working with the local anti-foreclosure group City Life/Vida Urbana...
JP’s favorite toys and games
Dinosaurs still rule Dinosaurs, friendship bracelets, X-Men and chemistry sets are favorites of local kids, according to local toy and game shop owners. Kim Mitchell, owner of Boing! JP’s Toy Shop at 667 Centre St. , and Paul Bryant, co-owner of JP Comics and Games at 603 Centre St. recently offered the Gazette their...
Hennigan school to get new library
The Hennigan Elementary School at 200 Heath St. is getting a new library this fall, and it is coming courtesy of the big-box chain Target. In partnership with the nonprofit Heart of America, Target has been renovating school urban school libraries since 2007, Heart of America spokesperson John Flynn told the Gazette. This year,...