About Jeanne Rooney

Jeanne Rooney is the Editor in Chief for South Boston Online.
5 01, 2024

Senator Collins Announces Appointments to the SBCDF

2024-01-05T09:40:03-05:00January 5th, 2024|Categories: News|Comments Off on Senator Collins Announces Appointments to the SBCDF

Senator Nick Collins recently selected LTC Tim Murphy, MANG and Mrs. Haley (Dillon) Walsh to his appointed seats on the South Boston Community Development Foundation (SBCDF). “Tim and Haley know the community well having participated in many of the types of programs SBCDF seeks to support whether in their youth or now as coaches and supporters. I have faith that they know where the needs are and can help guide SBCDF with their fellow membership and execute its special mission.” LTC Tim Murphy was born and raised in South Boston, MA and currently resides there with his wife, Leah and 3 kids, Thomas (9), Molly (7) and Maddie (5). Tim is a 2002 graduate of the United States Military Academy where he played hockey and [...]

15 12, 2023

Mary Ellen McCormack $2 Billion Redevelopment Project

2023-12-15T07:13:47-05:00December 15th, 2023|Categories: Featured, News|Comments Off on Mary Ellen McCormack $2 Billion Redevelopment Project

WinnCompanies and the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) announced that work will begin in 2024 on the $2 billion redevelopment of the Mary Ellen McCormack public housing complex under a two-phase master plan to build 3,300 mixed-income apartments on the 30-acre site, including the replacement of all 1,016 public housing units with a guaranteed right to return for current residents. The announcement follows Thursday night’s approval by the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) of the Phase One Development Plan for the South Boston property, which was the first public housing community in New England. The BPDA vote capped two-and-a-half years of design review by the City of Boston and clears the way for final permitting of the massive, historically significant project. It will be the [...]

13 12, 2023

    Naa-Jauh Benton: Emerging Leader

2023-12-13T09:10:37-05:00December 13th, 2023|Categories: Featured, Lifestyle|Comments Off on     Naa-Jauh Benton: Emerging Leader

At twenty-three, Naa-Jauh Benton, a graduate student at Tufts University, is determined to combat inequities. She had a strong start working in her teen years at the SB Action Center, and the Condon Community School and an internship with the Boston Police. Other than her time as a student, graduating with honors from Bridgewater State University, she has only lived in South Boston. “I feel like the main thing I received here was an education” she said, and it began at the Condon School, “I still remember the core values of looking within yourself, knowing your strengths, and getting better and helping others. They contribute to who I am today, and I am thankful for Barbara Kelly and Deborah Flaherty who helped me develop my [...]

10 12, 2023

SB Sports Hall of Fame Awards Scholarships

2023-12-10T11:07:07-05:00December 10th, 2023|Categories: Education, Featured, Happenings, Lifestyle|Comments Off on SB Sports Hall of Fame Awards Scholarships

The South Boston Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship Trust Fund awarded a record-breaking 16 $2,500 scholarships as well as the inaugural Ed Buccigross $5,000 Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Grant recently at the Curley Community Center. The Board applauds these youth for all that they do in their schools and in the community. Since its founding in 1995, the Fund has awarded scholarships to 249 deserving South Boston scholars for a grand total of $411,000. The Fund was established as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to provide scholarship grants to South Boston students who are academically excellent, have a reasonable family need, and demonstrate good citizenship and community involvement. Participation in athletics is not required in order to apply for the scholarship. The grant program is educational in nature [...]

4 12, 2023

Boys & Girls Club Explores Japanese Cuisine in Unique Collaboration

2023-12-04T19:29:29-05:00December 4th, 2023|Categories: Education, Featured, Happenings, Lifestyle|Comments Off on Boys & Girls Club Explores Japanese Cuisine in Unique Collaboration

Most of the preteens in the after-school program at the Edgerley Family South Boston Boys & Girls Club had never tried Japanese food … much less cooked it. But through a collaboration of Table for Two, SHOWA Boston Institute, and the Boys & Girls Club, the youngsters are getting a taste of international cuisine.  Table for Two has been providing Japanese cooking classes for the Club’s preteens through its Wa-Shokuiku program, a unique food education program in which American students learn about Japanese food and culture through hands-on activities. The SHOWA students, who are full-time Japanese college students attending school in Boston to learn about American culture, volunteer at the Club and are helping with the cooking classes. “It’s fun,” the Club kids agreed. “It’s [...]

1 12, 2023

Victor Baldassari: A Community Champion and the Heart of Kickoff for Kids

2023-12-01T17:42:04-05:00December 1st, 2023|Categories: Featured, Happenings, Lifestyle|Comments Off on Victor Baldassari: A Community Champion and the Heart of Kickoff for Kids

By Ginger DeShaney When Victor Baldassari was told he was being considered for an ABCD Community Heroes Award for his work with Kickoff for Kids, he asked if it could be a group award. “There's a couple of us that make the magic happen down there,” Victor said. But ABCD doesn’t present group awards.  So he had to think about it. “It’s not just Victor Baldassari,” he said, crediting Kickoff for Kids founder Allison Baker and Al Mallon, as well as Jackie Beggan, Lily Joyce, Haley Dillon, Ashley Miller, Lisa Maki, and DCR’s Bobby Ferrara. But after some contemplation, and a push from his cohorts, he decided to accept the honor, which was handed out in November. “Victor is the heart and soul of Kickoff [...]

1 12, 2023

Over Thirty Years and Under Three: Jane Crump

2023-12-01T09:52:47-05:00December 1st, 2023|Categories: Featured, Happenings|Comments Off on Over Thirty Years and Under Three: Jane Crump

(A series of profiles of neighbors who have long lived or are recent to South Boston by alternating weeks) Jane Crump, born in Indiana and raised in Weymouth, moved for love to South Boston in 1979. It is here that she stayed, for a period of nearly ten years living on Thompson Island with her husband, artist Norman Crump and where their daughter, Amanda, grew up. But, in the beginning, South Boston was not where she imagined being. “I remember my mother telling me not to go certain places because there would be ‘Southie boys,’ and then I met Norman in church and that’s where he was from. I remember the day he walked in,” she said. Her early fear became a second love affair [...]

23 11, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving

2023-11-23T08:22:43-05:00November 23rd, 2023|Categories: Editorial, Featured|Comments Off on Happy Thanksgiving

You may not be aware of this, but our American Thanksgiving Day is unique in the world.  This is not to say that other countries are ungrateful for their blessings.  They certainly are grateful.  Instead, we claim that America was the very first nation to set aside an entire Holiday to say “Thanks”. It’s also worth pointing out that here in the U.S., Thanksgiving Day is usually spent with families and friends, no matter what’s going on in the rest of the world.  And Thanksgiving always begins an unusual, four-day, Holiday weekend as well.  In addition, many, many generous souls among us cheerfully make sure that delicious dinners are given to those who have no place to go on Thanksgiving Day – by the thousands [...]

17 11, 2023

Spotlight: Erin LaMonica

2023-11-17T10:16:59-05:00November 17th, 2023|Categories: Education|Comments Off on Spotlight: Erin LaMonica

Since May, Erin LaMonica has been employed as the Community Initiatives Coordinator by the South Boston Neighborhood House (the SBNH) on H Street.  Erin’s position is funded with a three-year grant to the SBANP (South Boston Association of Non-Profits) from a Tufts Medical program, which is specifically named “The Tufts Community Benefits and Health Equity Project”.  In her capacity as Coordinator, she reports directly to Kathy Lafferty, the SBNH’s Executive Director.  Erin has learned a lot in her six months here.  Nowadays, she frequently refers to the SBNH as the “Ollie”, an affectionate nickname derived from Olivia James, the SBNH’s Founder. As the Community Initiative Coordinator, Erin has responsibilities that involve many of the “Ollie’s” and SBANP’s community-driven initiatives.  In a neighborhood as active as [...]

11 11, 2023

American Veterans Day: November 11, 2023

2023-11-11T09:55:40-05:00November 11th, 2023|Categories: Editorial, Featured|Comments Off on American Veterans Day: November 11, 2023

Today, think of them as “Global Veterans”. Today November 11, all American veterans, living and dead, will be honored.  Thanks will be especially offered to all living veterans, who have served the United State honorably in war or in peace and who are still with us. There’ll be gatherings in veterans’ posts, governmental remembrances, and religious observances dedicated to living veterans and to those who have passed on since their time in America’s military services – in particular, to those who saw combat and lived to return to the United States. But here are two questions:  Did you ever think about how much our military veterans have done for so many other nations, for more than a hundred years?  Could they be called “Global Veterans”?  [...]

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