Rick Winterson

By RICK WINTERSON The City Point Neighborhood Association held its regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening. Topics included neighborhood updates, a triathlon presentation, and a report from Boston Police Station C-6, including an introduction of newly appointed District Capt. Joe Boyle. One key topic at the CPNA meeting concerned the proposed Grand Prix Boston races over this coming Labor Day weekend. Objections to this event were presented to the CPNA by Larry Bishoff of the Coalition Against IndyCar Boston, a volunteer group with pro bono legal counsel, which was formed to oppose the event. Terms such as “IndyCar” and Grand Prix have been used frequently to describe this proposed event, but officially it’s entitled “Grand Prix Boston.” That should probably be changed to “Grand Prix South [...]

By RICK WINTERSON UMass Boston has held an annual community breakfast as part of its communications mission since 1987. This year was the 30th such community gathering. It was an upbeat, enjoyable event, which took place in the main dining room of the UMass Boston Campus Center. Several hundred attendees from all over Boston – especially Dorchester and South Boston – showed up. The UMass Boston campus, while in Dorchester, looks out onto South Boston from its vantage point on Columbia Point, next to the Kennedy Library and Kennedy Senate Building. First up in the program was the Paige Academy Drum Troupe, led by well-known local musician Joe Cook. They gave a stirring performance that elicited a standing ovation.  Introductory remarks were made by Philip Carver, [...]

By RICK WINTERSON At 6:34 on Easter morning, sunlight first peered through a low, gray layer of stratus clouds, although the solar orb could not be seen. The tide was high, and it was cold. Temperatures were in the 30s, and were made piercing by a light breeze. A crowd of perhaps as many as 2,000 had gathered for Easter worship on Castle Island, on the northeast rampart of Fort Independence facing the Donald McKay obelisk. At the moment of sunrise, Fr. Robert Casey, the pastor of South Boston’s St. Brigid Parish, began the 2016 Sunrise Easter Mass with an opening hymn, “Morning Has Broken.” Sunrise Mass on Castle Island has been a tradition here for many decades; it is always well attended by the faithful. [...]

As part of the South Boston Branch Library’s “Adult Writers’ Workshop,” a three-part comedy workshop is being offered. The first session took place on Saturday, March 5. The public is invited to the next two sessions on April 2 and May 7. These sessions are free and informal. The workshop facilitator is Brett Johnson, a professional comedian who has performed at many venues in Boston and across the Northeast. Brett can also advise you on assembling original humor and comic situations, which could lead you to creating better, more entertaining writing. To do this, he conducts an enjoyable, low-pressure workshop. The sessions are from 1 to 2:30 p.m., in the branch library’s Public Room. They are free and open to anyone interested in developing their [...]

This year’s Easter egg hunt, sponsored annually by State Rep. Nick Collins, drew a good crowd of both adults and children, despite cool, overcast weather (ahh, spring in New England). The young questers of eggs had to contend with a new wrinkle – they were asked questions or given puzzles, and then were shown the way to get their Easter eggs. It was all good fun, and those of all ages enjoyed taking part arabfinancials.org. - Rick Winterson Young Emily, in her Easter bonnet, is all ready for the Easter egg hunt. They’re off! The children at Dorchester Heights race to begin the Easter egg hunt. A JROTC Cadet from the high school passes out Easter egg hunt clues. [...]

By RICK WINTERSON Officials from the South Boston Citizens’ Association local elected officials, mayors from Ireland, parade officials from the Allied War Veterans Council, South Boston sponsors of the banquet, guests of honor and SBCA award recipients, officers and crew members from the visiting USS McFaul (DDG-74), and many tables of honored guests gathered at the Convention Center last Friday, March 18. The occasion was the SBCA’s 136th anniversary Evacuation Day Banquet, an annual event. SBCA President Tommy McGrath proudly stated that at 136 years of age, the SBCA is America’s oldest civic organization. And 2016 is the 240th anniversary year of the American nation, which was formally declared independent in 1776. The banquet was a gala event. At 7 p.m., the “Head Table to Infinity” [...]