“Explosions injure dozens at Boston Marathon; many JPers in race.” So read the headline that Gazette reporters, still in shock, wrote atop a breaking news story on the afternoon of April 15, 2013. For nearly four days, the news only got worse. JP’s Faulkner Hospital filled with victims of the maniacal bombings. Nearly everyone...
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Opinion
Editorial: Organizing Forest Hills
Rumblings about a special Forest Hills committee for the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council and a new neighborhood association forming around Wachusett Street are different expressions of a similar truth. The Forest Hills/Woodbourne area is JP’s hot new epicenter of development and gentrification. It is also by far JP’s least politically organized sub-neighborhood. That is...
JP Observer: Commissioner search launches new City focus on arts
When the mayoral candidates, including now-Mayor Marty Walsh, touted the importance of arts during the campaign last fall, the rhetoric was refreshing for people and organizations in Jamaica Plain. Many of our residents work in the arts. The neighborhood is home to myriad musical, literary, visual and other arts events, venues and educational programs....
Editorial: Another Arborway Yard surprise
Here we go again with another Arborway Yard surprise. The MBTA’s roundabout confession to the Gazette that it is about to start “site preparation,” including a major demolition, is the latest unnecessarily confusing and surprising step in 15 years of tinkering with this crucial public transit facility. The goals here should be simple. The...
Editorial: Farewell to a JP behind-the-scenes star
Commercial landlords are rarely lauded. When things go well, they tend to be invisible, and we may only hear their names when things go wrong. Yet they shape our neighborhoods behind the scenes. In JP, some particularly committed landlords are part of the reason off-beat, indie businesses continue to thrive. Stavros Frantzis, a JP...
Editorial: State Lab safety
The latest report about the State Lab’s drug testing scandal leaves us even less convinced that a facility handling diseases and possible bioterror sample in our backyard is safe and secure. The Inspector General’s report describes management failures everywhere from the lab to the Governor’s Office. It depicts serious problems with employee background checks...
Editorial: Congrats to business ESL program
Congratulations to the graduates of the new business-oriented ESL program created by Hyde/Jackson Square Main Street, Egleston Square Main Street and the YMCA. English is a challenging language to master, and learning the special jargon of business is a major accomplishment. It’s inspiring to see local business owners working even harder in their pursuit...
Letter: A farewell from Malia’s office
Since 2009, I have had the amazing opportunity of working for one of the most dynamic legislators in the State House, Rep. Liz Malia. Throughout my five years working for Rep. Malia, I have been astonished by her dedication to her district, and her commitment to advocate for those who have the greatest needs....
Letter: Mayor Walsh on his first 9 weeks
It’s hard to believe it’s been just nine weeks since I was sworn in as mayor of Boston. A lot has happened, and my administration has made great progress in key areas. We’re working hard to tackle the most urgent challenges directly and build a foundation for long-term success. In public safety, we’ve listened...
JP Observer: Major media’s bad election coverage habits
You can feel them warming up all over the state, as well as here in Jamaica Plain. The creaky gears begin to turn, fuel starts to flow… The political machines are getting ready for the election campaigns that will lead us to fall. If it’s 2014, it must be time for state elections in...