Happenings

Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts, US Army ( center) 25 year US Navy veteran Ed Flynn and former Mayor Of Boston and U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Ray Flynn. by Rick Winterson OnSunday, September10, the 36th remembrance of the 25 South Boston veterans who gave their lives in Vietnam took place. A Memorial Mass was celebrated in St. Brigid Church at 10:30 that morning. The colors and the participants in the rededication of the Vietnam Memorial (the first in the nation) marched to the Memorial in MedalofHonorPark, arrivingatmid-day. Approximately200peoplehadgathered there to take part. It was fair and sunny. SpecialguestsincludedMedalofHonor recipientsRyanPittsandThomasKelley. John McDermott rendered the National Anthem. Fr. Robert Casey, Pastor of St. Brigid Church, spoke the Invocation, during which he also asked for prayers [...]

by Rick Winterson To say the least, it was a festive and crowded occasion. Called “Countdown to Kindergarten”, it was the 18th Annual celebration of Boston’s young children, who were about to embark on their school years by entering kindergarten. And it was held at South Boston’s Children’s Museum on Tuesday, August 29. Perhaps as many as 1,200 kindergarten kids showed up, along with their families. It was quite a crowd. The exhibits inside the Museum were mobbed. The shows and activities put on by the Staff at Children’s Museum were non-stop and excellent. Best of all, they were informative, so that the kids could get a feel for their upcoming kindergarten adventure in a low-key, fun-filled way. Mayor Walsh was the guest of honor. [...]

By Richard Campbell   This past July the Boston Public Schools signed a contract with nationally known Revolution Foods to provide school breakfast and lunches, in the hopes of significantly boosting nutrition and taste for meals consumed by Boston school students. Given the past reputation of the food at BPS that this writer saw in online forums, the move could not have come sooner. It was heralded in major media as a slam-dunk achievement for school superintendent Tommy Chang, who has faced other more intractable problems than finding better nutrition. In the official press release Mr. Chang said: “For many students, the meals they receive at school are their most nutritious of the day, Revolution Foods embraces our nationally-recognized efforts of making sure every student [...]

by Rick Winterson Last Sunday afternoon, August 26, was memorable, in part because of the 2017 Jazz Fest in South Boston’s Maritime Park, in part because of how varied the South Boston Seaport vista has become, and in part due to Mother Nature’s gift of incredible weather.  It was an afternoon to walk leisurely from east to west in the Seaport District. The most prominent happening was the 2017 Jazz Fest, which took place in the South Boston Maritime Park at the northern end of D Street.  After resolving a few moisture-related problems, six groups played for seven hours – noon till 7 p.m.  Each one performed a full set of original works.  South Boston Online has space to review only one of those groups [...]

  by Rick Winterson      To say that it was a “celebration” strikes the wrong note.  It was a “bittersweet” occasion.  But there was something “uplifting” or even “solemnly joyful” and “fitting” about breaking ground for the park at Children’s Museum dedicated to Martin Richard’s memory.  Martin Richard left us because of the Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013.  He won’t return, but Martin’s Park assures us that he’ll never be forgotten. Such it was by the Children’s Museum at 64 Sleeper Street early last Wednesday afternoon.  The sun shone brilliantly on an event formally called “Martin’s Park at Smith Family Waterfront, Groundbreaking Ceremony, 1:00 p.m., August 16, 2017”.  A crowd of perhaps as many as a thousand gathered across Fort Point Channel from [...]

The Conventures Crew posed during the Seafood Festival. by Richard Campbell Sunday August 13th proved to be perfect weather for the Boston Seafood Festival, a rustic promotional event of all things seafood that draws New Englanders from the industry to entertain visitors to the South Boston Seaport.  From the shucked shellfish, to witty chefs, campy music-crowds soon gravitated to standing room areas that supported plenty of beer.  Sponsored primarily by the Boston Fisheries Foundation to raise awareness of the state of the industry, as well as to promote products and services. The better part of the festival is locals offering their fresh seafood at cut rate prices. One of the most important items on the agenda is to get yourself some fresh oysters or cherry [...]