The written opinion tossing out the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council’s (JPNC) lawsuit includes a point-by-point demolition of its claim to be a government body. The ruling appears to clarify the status of other neighborhood councils around the city as well.…
Author: John Ruch
Court: Open Meeting Law may apply to JPNC
A court recently shot down the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council’s (JPNC) controversial claim in a lawsuit that it is a “municipal board” of the City of Boston empowered to sue over a zoning decision. But in the same decision, the…
JPNC lawsuit is dismissed
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council’s (JPNC) controversial lawsuit against the 161 S. Huntington Ave. apartment project was dismissed last month. In dismissing the lawsuit, Superior Court Justice Linda Giles demolished the JPNC controversial claim to be a government body. The…
Arroyo: Mayor’s power should come from the people
City Councilor At-Large Felix G. Arroyo, a Jamaica Plain resident, is among many candidates fighting hard to win the Mayor’s Office this fall. But Arroyo is describing a different vision of the mayor’s role, one where residents would directly shape…
1 dead, 1 wounded in Egleston shooting
EGLESTON SQ.—A woman was killed and a man wounded in a double shooting on June 1 in the heart of Egleston Square at Columbus Avenue and Washington Street, according to the Boston Police Department (BPD). Brianna Bigby, 23, of Boston, was…
Spy center missed bomb suspect, watched JP peace activists
A controversial police spy agency overlooked the alleged Boston Marathon bombing mastermind, but kept secret files on local peace activists—possibly including marathon rescue hero Carlos Arredondo. A small group of civil liberties activists staged a protest June 1 at Boston…
New senior health center serves 125 Amory housing
EGLESTON SQ.—A new senior health care center opened last week in the 125 Amory St. public housing complex and will complement 12 new affordable apartments being added in the main building. The new PACE Adult Day Health Center at 125A…
JP First Responders: ‘Jamaica Plain’—the police thriller novel
“Jamaica Plain” is the title and setting for a new hard-boiled crime thriller from English novelist Colin Campbell. The novel, published in April, tells the story of a tough English police officer who travels to Boston to question a suspect.…
JP First Responders: Decoding the Boston Police badge
A galloping horse and a Bible quote are among the decorations on the Boston Police badge carried by every officer. While most people probably avoid situations where they would see a police badge up-close, there is a lot going on…
JP First Responders: JP police stations, past and present
Jamaica Plain has been patrolled by some form of police officer since it began emerging as a distinct neighborhood in the 1850s. The home base for those officers has varied widely, from a grand Victorian structure to a long period…