Stop & Shop Workers Rally at South Bay with Support from Former Vice President Joe Biden The work stoppage at Stop & Shop began just over a week ago. The stoppage is a strike that was called late last Wednesday (effective Thursday morning, the 11th) by the voting members and the officials of United Food & Commercial Workers Union (the UFCW). It is a large strike action, perhaps the largest such strike in this century, at least in New England. The number on strike is over 30,000; Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are affected. Today, Stop & Shop at South Bay held a rally and in attendance was Former Vice President Joe Biden and Mayor Marty Walsh.
The Eighth Sorrow
By Rick Winterson The Virgin Mary is often referred to as “Our Lady of Sorrows”. Beginning with the Prophecy of Simeon, and ending with the Burial of her Son Jesus Christ, Mary (or Miriam, if you prefer) suffered Seven Sorrows. Four of these intense Sorrows were directly connected with the First Easter weekend – Jesus carrying the burden of the Cross, His Crucifixion and Death, the removal of His body from the Cross, and His burial – all of which took place on the first Good Friday. And now there is an Eighth Sorrow for the Virgin Mary to bear at Eastertime. It’s the loss by fire of her Cathedral in France – the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. Notre Dame might be [...]
Colin’s Joy Shines Bright at Neighborhood Night
By: Tara Kerrigan Hayes (Photo by Julie Ryan Photography) A special fundraising event was held on Tuesday, April 2, at Capo Restaurant’s Supper Club on West Broadway. Fittingly called Neighborhood Night at Capo, neighbors and loved ones showed up by the hundreds in a remarkable turnout to support Colin’s Joy Project, and to pay tribute to an inspiring family aiming to transform their grief into a legacy of joy and giving. After the tragic death of their son, Colin, (just shy of his third birthday), parents Kerri and Brendan McGrath initiated Colin’s Joy Project, an organization dedicated to building and enhancing play spaces as well as sponsoring children and family programming in the community, particularly for families in need. Colin’s Joy Project has grown both rapidly [...]
Colin’s Joy Shines Bright at Neighborhood Night
By: Tara Kerrigan Hayes (Photo by Julie Ryan Photography) A special fundraising event was held on Tuesday, April 2, at Capo Restaurant’s Supper Club on West Broadway. Fittingly called Neighborhood Night at Capo, neighbors and loved ones showed up by the hundreds in a remarkable turnout to support Colin’s Joy Project, and to pay tribute to an inspiring family aiming to transform their grief into a legacy of joy and giving. After the tragic death of their son, Colin, (just shy of his third birthday), parents Kerri and Brendan McGrath initiated Colin’s Joy Project, an organization dedicated to building and enhancing play spaces as well as sponsoring children and family programming in the community, particularly for families in need. Colin’s Joy Project has grown both [...]
Youth Ambassadors “Anti-Vaping Initiative” Workshops
Earlier this year, the FDA launched “The Real Cost” Youth E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign in an attempt to educate kids and teens about the dangers associated with e-cigarettes and vaping. The main message: e-cigarettes like JUUL put young people at risk for addiction and other health consequences- just like traditional cigarettes. More than two million middle and high school students were current users of e-cigarettes in 2017 and additional research shows that the number nearly doubled in 2018. Based on those numbers, FDA now believes youth use of e-cigarettes, especially JUUL, is reaching epidemic proportions. In response to these alarming statistics, the South Boston Community Health Center’s Youth Ambassadors have created a “Youth Anti-Vaping” initiative to share facts about Juul with youth in the South Boston [...]
Boston Harbor Hero Kathy Lafferty Honored at Save the Harbor’s Gala
On Thursday, March 28, 500 corporate and civic leaders, elected officials, community partners, and Save the Harbor/Save the Bay supporters gathered at the Seaport Hotel for Destination Boston Harbor, Save the Harbor's annual fundraising gala. This event celebrated a year of on-the-water programming that connects millions of the region's residents and visitors to Boston Harbor, the Harbor Islands, the region's public beaches, and waterfront communities, and reflected on the investments and improvements in access to clean water for all. Each year, Save the Harbor recognizes men and women as Boston Harbor Heroes for their commitment to Save the Harbor's mission, the community, and the Harbor. Save the Harbor's Board Chair and National Grid’s Vice President of Government Affairs for Massachusetts, Joseph Newman, along with Save [...]
The Moakley Park “Vision”
A VISION FOR “Retaining and enhancing Moakley as a key, active, recreational amenity for South Boston and the entire City through elevated sports fields, and destination sports courts and play areas with improved stormwater management.” The words above represent no small goal. From April, 2018, until September, 2018, there were a multitude of media efforts, as well as seven community engagements concerning the (massive) project to upgrade Moakley Park. These “engagements” included open houses, a bike tour, and advisory group meetings. Not only is one major goal the upgrading of Moakley Park – the “Vision” – but also a second goal is protection for residential areas. South Boston Online will quote: “For protecting the residential communities inland of Moakley from future flood events and [...]
Giving Back to A Veteran in Need
By: Tara Kerrigan Hayes If there’s one thing to be said for Bostonians, it’s that they rise up to take care of their own, and who better to consider one of our “own” than a Dorchester native, Veteran Marine who served his country in in the Vietnam war, then dedicated his life to serving as a Boston Fire Fighter. Charles “Charlie” Santangelo was born and raised in Dorchester, where he married the love of his life, Betty Anne, in December of 1969. A year later he would find himself in the Vietnam war, fighting for his country because, as Charlie would later tell his children, simply, “it was the right thing to do”. He served a tour in 1970/1971 as a Lance Corporal in [...]
In Memoriam: John Mullen
Perhaps you noticed that a new American flag has been flying at half-mast in Andrew Square these past ten days. This is a flag brought home from Washington, D.C., by Congressman Stephen Lynch, after he first had it flown over the nation’s Capitol Building. The flag was raised in Andrew Square and then lowered slowly to half-mast in memory of John Mullen, a true son of South Boston if there ever was one. John died Monday, March 18. John was a loving South Boston family man. He was also a Marine Corps veteran. His devotion to our community and his efforts on behalf of South Boston and its many worthy causes were legendary. He was a co-Founder of the Andrew Square Civic Association (ASCA) and [...]
WWII Memorial Cleanup Proceeds
by Rick Winterson Earlier this week, concerned South Boston residents were joined at the World War II Memorial by news media crews, cleanup consultants, and Bob Shure, the sculptor who originally designed the Memorial. Bob expressed his own personal grief at the oil splattering, which left such huge stains. His regret was more for the heroes named on the Memorial than himself, because they all had paid the supreme price of their heroic military service. Some success with the cleaning operation has already been realized. A thick poultice, with the consistency of peanut butter, had been compounded with a powder and a solvent. This removed most of the oil staining from the Bob Moakley stone to one side of the main Memorial, although [...]