News

Pod Life— Could this be the future of transport on Columbia Point?

Could this be the future of public transit in parts of Boston— perhaps even Dorchester's own Columbia Point? How about Blue Hill Avenue?

Moving around town in a solar-powered “pod” that cuts down on congestion, helps the environment and gives you your own space to breathe? Sounds like a storyboard from The Jetsons, but the technology exists and is advancing in other parts of the globe, especially in airports like London’s Heathrow, shown in this YouTube video:  Read more

Couple shot in car, baby in car seat unharmed

The Boston Police Department is investigating a midday shooting at Devon Street and Vaughan Avenue that sent a man and a woman to the hospital on Monday.  Read more

Hancock Street fire goes to two alarms, causes extensive damage

Fire on Hancock Street

271 Hancock St. Photo by BFD.

The Boston Fire Department reports a two-alarm fire that broke out around 5 p.m. on Sunday at 271 Hancock St. did an estimated $350,000 in damage.

The cause of the fire, which broke through the roof, is under investigation.

'Another Dorchester girl,' Dorcena Forry joins state Senate

By 
Michael Norton, State House News Service
Jun. 13, 2013

Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, introduced by Senate President Therese Murray as "another Dorchester girl," joined the Upper Chamber just after 2 p.m. Thursday after being sworn in by Gov. Deval Patrick.

"There is work we are going to do together," a jubilant Dorcena Forry said in remarks from the Senate rostrum.  Read more

Forry leaves the House on way to the Senate

By 
Andy Metzger, State House News Service
Jun. 13, 2013

Linda Dorcena ForryLinda Dorcena ForryAt times pausing, as her voice quavered, Senator-elect Linda Dorcena Forry gave her farewell speech in the House Wednesday with a caveat.

“Today is not a farewell because I’m just moving down the hall, on the fifth floor. So I expect to see all of you there, and we’ll continue to work together,” the Dorchester Democrat said. “It is a great day, but it is also a sad day.”  Read more

Gov. Patrick brokers loan pool for first-time, low-income buyers

By 
Gintautas Dumcius, News Editor
Jun. 13, 2013

Governor Deval Patrick looks on at a Monday event on Glenway Street. Speaking is homeowner Rashida Constantine with her husband Sean, at left. Photo by Bill Forry

Gov. Deval Patrick this week used a two-family home on Glenway Street in Dorchester to highlight a push for 10,000 loans over a five-year period to first-time, lower-income homebuyers. He also pointed to $1.3 million that is being funneled into foreclosure prevention grants and other programs.  Read more

Reporter's Notebook: With primary on Aug. 13, 12th Suffolk hopefuls hard at work

By 
Gintautas Dumcius, News Editor
Jun. 13, 2013

Several of the candidates hoping to succeed state Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry in the State House hit the campaign trail this week, wasting little time in their bids for public office. That’s probably because the primary, which will likely be determinative in the heavily Democratic district, is looming: Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin, the state’s elections chief, announced last week that the primary will be on Aug. 13, with the general election on Sept. 10, two weeks before the Sept. 24 election that will winnow down the candidates for mayor and City Council.  Read more

New civic leaders in Columbia-Savin Hill

By 
Reporter Staff
Jun. 13, 2013

Members of the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association voted in a new slate of officers last month as part of its annual elections. The new president of the association, which meets monthly, is Eileen Boyle, who takes over for Anne Riley. Peter McNamara is the new vice president, replacing Maureen McQuillen.  Read more

Free reading of “A Soldier’s Play” at Strand on Monday

By 
Chris Harding, Special to the Reporter
Jun. 13, 2013

Next Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Strand, Dorchester theatre artists and their greater Boston colleagues will present a free staged reading of “A Soldier’s Play,” Charles Fuller’s 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about the murder of a black sergeant in segregated WWII barracks.  Read more

Man shot to death at Franklin Field

The Boston Police Department reports a man was shot around 9:45 p.m. at 70 Ames St. He was taken to Boston Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.  Read more

Warren wants ‘short-sales’ cleared by fed agency

By 
Gintautas Dumcius, News Editor
Jun. 12, 2013

Senator Elizabeth WarrenSenator Elizabeth WarrenSome struggling homeowners in Massachusetts are being forced out of their homes due to a federal agency’s obstinate policy on so-called “short sales,” activists and housing experts say. The agency in question, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-supported organizations that handle mortgages.

Elizabeth Warren, a consumer advocate before she was elected to the US Senate in 2012, last week wrote an opinion piece for the Reporter, laying out the problem: “In some of those short sales, friends, families, or nonprofit organizations are willing to buy the home at fair market value, then work out a rental or re-sale to the family living in it,” she wrote. “The mortgage company gets the same amount as in a sale to strangers, but the homeowner has a last-chance to save the family home… But the FHFA flatly refuses these deals. The agency’s so-called ‘arm’s-length’ policy means that it will instead demand that the family be moved out and the home be sold at a lower-priced foreclosure sale.”  Read more

DTA chief Monahan tries life on a Food Stamp budget

By 
Colleen Quinn, State House News Service
Jun. 12, 2013

DTA Commissioner Stacey Monahan: Shopping on Wednesday morning at Market Basket in Chelsea. Photo by State House News ServiceDTA Commissioner Stacey Monahan: Shopping on Wednesday morning at Market Basket in Chelsea. Photo by State House News ServiceArriving Wednesday morning at Market Basket, Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Stacey Monahan grabbed a shopping cart, armed with a specials flyer, a calculator, and $31.50 to spend on groceries for the week – the same amount a person living on food stamps receives.

She headed for the dairy aisle, first picking up a block of Monterey Jack cheese priced at two for $5. She puts it in the shopping cart, but takes it out a moment later when she finds cheese priced at two for $4. She puts one cheese in her cart.

Monahan and Secretary of Health and Human Services John Polanowicz are grocery shopping this week with the same amount of money as a person living on the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). Both Polanowicz and Monahan hope the experiment will provide them with some perspective.  Read more

Patrick administration commits to finishing Neponset Greenway, announces $1.9 million for design

By 
Staff
Jun. 11, 2013

An artist's rendering of a completed segment of the Neponset Greenway near Dorchester Bay. Image courtesy DCR

Gov. Deval Patrick said on Tuesday that his administration will provide $1.9 million in capital funds for designing the completion of the Neponset River Greenway Trail. Administration officials added that the state Department of Transportation is committed to funding the completion of the project, which is expected to cost between $11 million and $15 million and will take place over several phases before wrapping up in three years.

The project has been delayed in recent years by a lack of funding. The state agency responsible for planning the greenway’s missing links has sought federal grant money, but was turned down twice by the federal transportation department.  Read more

Capuano, Warren: Surveillance program info points to need for debate

By 
Andy Metzger, State House News Service
Jun. 10, 2013

With leaked revelations disclosing the scope of the federal government’s ability to peer into the public’s phone calls and email use, both U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Congressman John Tierney indicated the law that enabled the snooping will be up for scrutiny.  Read more

Early morning shooting in Ashmont sends teen to the hospital

The Boston Police Department reports a 16-year-old was shot around 1:40 a.m. on Sunday at Ashmont and Ocean streets.  Read more

Mass celebrates the life of Martin Richard in soaring words, song

Fr. Sean Connor is shown speaking to the children at the Mass during his homily. Sitting next to Fr. Sean is Jane Richard. Photo by Gregory L. Tracy/Pilot Media Group

An overflow crowd packed St. Ann Church in Neponset this morning for a celebration of the life of Martin Richard, a Dorchester boy who would have turned 9 this weekend if he had not been killed on April 15 by one of two bombs that exploded at the Boston Marathon.

Seated in the front pew were his family: Parents Bill and Denise Richard, their elder son Henry— who read the second reading at the Liturgy— and Martin's little sister, Jane, 7, who lost her left leg below the knee in the bomb attack. Jane wheeled herself around in a wheelchair — and won a standing ovation from the congregation as she pushed herself up St. Ann's center aisle alongside her friend, Fr. Sean Connor. The St. Ann's pastor con-celebrated the Mass with Bishop Robert Hennessey, Rev. John Connolly and Fr. Michael Banks, OFM Cap.

The 10:30 a.m. family-oriented Mass at the Neponset Ave. church always draws a large crowd, but this morning there were nearly as many people standing as there were seated. Ushers counted more than 640 people in attendance, according to church officials. Outside, pipers from the Boston Police Gaelic column played a mixture of Irish dirges and more upbeat, patriotic anthems.  Read more

President Obama to campaign for Markey in Roxbury on Wednesday

By 
Staff
Jun. 9, 2013

President Obama will be in Roxbury on Wednesday to drum up support for Congressman Ed Markey, a Malden Democrat running in the U.S. Senate special election. Markey is facing off against Gabriel Gomez, a Cohasset Republican, on June 25.

The Markey camp on Sunday announced locations for supporters to pick up tickets for the Wednesday event, which will be held at the Reggie Lewis Track Center. Doors are scheduled to open at 11 a.m. Boston locations are located below.  Read more

Dorchester man charged with armed-robbery spree at McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts outlets

Charged with armed robbery

The Boston Police Department report arresting the man they say had robbed five McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts outlets in Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury over the past two weeks.  Read more

Three launch bids to succeed Forry in 12th Suffolk House district

By 
Mike Deehan, State House News Service
Jun. 7, 2013

Three Dorchester residents are mounting campaigns to fill the House seat vacated by Senator-elect Linda Dorcena Forry’s elevation to the Senate. Dan Cullinane, Marydith Tuitt and Stephanie Everett, who have all worked as aides to local elected officials, have announced their campaigns for the 12th Suffolk House district.  Read more

Man shot at Ashmont, store held up on Welles Avenue

A man's leg was grazed by a bullet around 10:20 p.m. on Thursday at the busway at Ashmont station.  Read more

Mayoral hopefuls talk education in Roslindale forum

By 
Gintautas Dumcius, News Editor
Jun. 6, 2013

Mayoral Candidates Address Education from Chris Lovett on Vimeo.

The candidates sat almost shoulder-to-shoulder on the stage inside Edward Brooke Charter School’s auditorium, five on either side of the moderator.

Even with no opening or closing statements allowed, candidates looked down at the table, out into the large crowd, or quietly joked with one another as they waited for their turn. One question took fifteen minutes to get through, as each candidate weighed in with their response to the various questions.

Welcome to the life of a mayoral contender for the foreseeable future.  Read more

Man shot to death in Cummins Highway house

The Boston Police Department reports officers responding to a call about gunfire late Wednesday night found a man with gunshot wounds at 633 Cummins Highway.

He was taken to Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain, where he was pronounced dead.

For candidates, a march up the avenue of possibilities

Rep. Marty Walsh: Walked/ran parade route with large contingent. Photo by Bill ForryRep. Marty Walsh: Walked/ran parade route with large contingent. Photo by Bill ForryThe parade of candidates for City Hall offices marched down sun-lit Dorchester Avenue on Sunday, with contenders and their supporters crisscrossing the neighborhood’s main thoroughfare in their bids for visibility and votes.

State Rep. Marty Walsh, who has represented Savin Hill for 16 years, boasted the largest contingent, with a few dozen supporters clad in deep blue shirts marching with him along the 3.2-mile route.

The annual parade celebration of the settlement of Dorchester 383 years ago featured the candidates mixed in with clowns, dancers, and drummers.  Read more

Reporter’s Notebook | Now on track: The run to succeed Dorcena Forry

State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry is expected to resign her House seat sometime in the next week and be sworn into the state Senate next Thursday, June 13. While the Dorchester Democrat will be preparing to join the 40-member upper chamber that afternoon, the race to succeed her in the House has already started.

The special election is set for Sept. 10, with a primary scheduled for Aug. 13. It will likely be, like the race to replace former state Sen. Jack Hart, another low-turnout affair in a heavily Democratic district.  Read more

Irish Fest set for this weekend in Canton

By 
Sean Smith, Special to the Reporter
Jun. 6, 2013

Performances by Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul, Black 47, and Atlantic Steps highlight this year’s Boston Irish Festival, which will take place June 7-9 at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England in Canton. The traditional fiddle-accordion duo of Oisin Mac Diarmada and Seamus Begley and Celtic-pop Canadian band Searson also are on the bill.  Read more