By Mayor Martin Walsh On Thursday, Sept. 8, Boston Public Schools (BPS) began classes for their first day of school. I hope BPS teachers, parents, and students have had a restful summer, and are excited to start another great school year. I know I’m excited — I visited Boston schools throughout the city on...
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Opinion
Op-Ed: Preparing Boston children to take the exam school entrance test
By Superintendent Tommy Chang As we start the 2016-2017 school year, we are setting out to increase awareness of the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) for entrance to the city’s three examination schools, Boston Latin Academy, Boston Latin School, and John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics & Science, and highlight that these schools with...
Letter: Residents deserve long-awaited parkway improvements
It has been nearly a year since the DCR last updated our community regarding its effort towards “Improved Multi-modal Safety and Access to the Emerald Necklace Parkways in Jamaica Plain” and it is high time the department did so. After some two decades of studies and planning concerning the corridor, the tens of thousands...
Letter: Drought is bad for business
All of the patches of brown grass around Jamaica Plain have got me worried. Worried about our businesses. Yes, our businesses. This summer we have seen record rainfall lows and temperature highs. Thanks to climate change, our entire region is in a serious drought. As detrimental as that has been to our vibrant green...
Letter: Use Plan: JP/Rox to support local business
In 2014 Manuel Mejia, owner of Pin Bochinche Restaurant in Egleston Square, and six other business owners were facing eviction or a 65 percent increase in location costs. The situation was dire. “Our businesses will not be able to survive…our customers are primarily people in this neighborhood, people who have modest incomes. We can’t...
Letter: Jamaica Plain dog parks
If we are to have more dog parks in Jamaica Plain, the community needs to make it happen. The drive and impetus needs to come from the people, as the City and the State won’t make it happen without this effort, especially when budgets continue to be cut. The Southwest Corridor Park is a...
Op-Ed: How Boston Public Works helps you
By Mayor Martin Walsh While we may want to think that winter is a long way away, the reality is that the season is just around the corner. In order to keep our infrastructure winter-ready, our Department of Public Works has spent the summer preparing our City for snowier days. They have been repairing...
Op-Ed: Legislative wrap-up
By State Rep. Liz Malia This July 31 marked the end of a productive two-year (2015 to 2016) legislative session that included the passage of many major bills related to substance abuse and addiction treatment services, criminal justice reform, civil rights, service members and seniors, energy, economic development, and regulatory reform. My colleagues and...
JP Observer: Local woman at hub of green space communications
Everyone who knows her pretty much agrees: Sarah Freeman is a force of nature. The Jamaica Plain resident exhibits relentless energy to keep the community informed about and advocate for the outdoors. For years, Freeman, on behalf of the Arborway Coalition, has sent at least one email a week to what is now a...
Letter: Sidewalk trees are pleasant
As Jamaica Plain residents we are privileged to have some of the city’s best parks right in our neighborhood. And sidewalk trees go a long way toward making the city a more pleasant place to be. A tree that has pushed through the sidewalk has likely been there for a while, and let’s face...