Petruccelli and Basile to hold series of Community Forums in East Boston

SENATOR PETRUCCELLI & REPRESENTIVE BASILE ANNOUNCE SERIES OF COMMUNITY FORUMS BEFORE CIVIC GROUPS IN EAST BOSTON.
State Senator Anthony Petruccelli and State Representative Carlo Basile announced that they will attend a series of community forums and visit neighborhood groups in East Boston to discuss state issues, legislation and to listen to the concerns of residents.

“This is something I do throughout my entire district,” said Senator Petruccelli. “I want to keep my constituents apprised of what is going on in the state legislature and to hear their concerns. There are several big issues affecting East Boston and I think it is important to get out to the neighborhood meetings and have a frank discussion about them.”

Senator Petruccelli and Representative Basile will visit:

• The Eagle Hill Civic Association on Wednesday, March 31, at East Boston High School; 
• The Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association on Monday, April 12, at the Jeffries Point Yacht Club; 
• and the Orient Heights Neighborhood Association on Monday, April 26, at the Don Orione. 

All meetings will begin at 7:00 PM.

“Last year, Senator Petruccelli and I hosted a town hall forum at East Boston High School, and this year we thought it would be beneficial to visit each of the neighborhood groups individually. We hope to have a more intimate and open conversation about what is happening on Beacon Hill and what is on the minds of our friends and neighbors” said Representative Basile.

Source: Ed Deveau 617-722-1634

MS Support Group forming in East Boston

Additional information on MS-Support group enclosed from a press release to eastboston.com

NEW LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP FOR PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

EAST BOSTON- Individuals who have multiple sclerosis have a new local support group. The East Boston MS Self-Help Group meets the second Wednesday of every month, from 6:30 – 8:30 P.M. at the East Boston Social Center, located at 68 Central Square in East Boston. The group’s first meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 14th. Formally affiliated with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central New England Chapter, the group is free and welcomes individuals who have MS, and their family members and caregivers. Group Leader Annette Puccino is available by telephone, 617-561-5850, to talk with anyone who is interested in attending.

"It’s a great way for me to deal with the frustrations of having this disease. Everyone in the group understands what it’s like. We just talk and it’s okay," is a common sentiment by group members.

MS self-help group leaders are volunteers, who have MS and are trained by the National MS Society to provide opportunities for people living with multiple sclerosis, their family members, and their friends to meet with others who are affected by the disease. The group meeting is a safe setting to share common experiences and concerns, to give and receive emotional support, and to obtain MS-related information from peers and from guest professional speakers.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, sometimes disabling neurologic disease that affects the central nervous system, causing unpredictable and possibly severe symptoms, including fatigue, blurred vision, and loss of mobility. Commonly diagnosed between ages 20 and 50, about two-thirds of the 400,000 people in the US who have MS are women.

Studies show that early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many people with multiple sclerosis. The National MS Society’s medical advisors recommend that people with MS talk with their health care professionals about using these medications and about effective strategies and treatments to manage symptoms. If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the National MS Society at www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-FIGHT-MS (344-4867) to learn more.

The Central New England Chapter provides help for today, and hope for tomorrow to 17,000 individuals who have MS in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, using 85 percent of Chapter contributions to fund MS education, support, advocacy, and research. If you have questions about MS, please call 1 800 344-4867, or visit www.MSnewengland.org.

East Boston MS Self-Help Group Forming; First Meeting April 14

First Meeting
Wed. April 14
East Boston Social Center
6:30pm - 8:00pm

MS Self-Help Groups are for people with MS, run by people with MS. Group members share common experiences and concerns, provide and receive emotional support, and obtain information on living and coping with MS. If you are interested in meeting and talking with other people who are living with MS, this is the place for you.
For more information on this group, please contact Annette at 617-561-5850.

A Hub of Cyber-crime

Boston is ranked number 2 in the ability of black hats to commit cyber-crimes. Imagine that! Tech-savvy Boston is ranked second U.S. city for cyber crime according to a dispatch from Mass High Tech. Why?

According to Symantec’s report, Boston’s problems come from an especially high concentration of “spam zombies” — computers taken over by outside hackers to send out spam.

Another factor is the Hub’s many unsecured WiFi hotspots — 53.6 per 100,000 residents – where cyber criminals may lurk, trolling for unwitting users. While high-profile or widespread computer attacks are relatively rare, small-scale attacks like these threaten even savvy computer users, the report noted.

McKay School sets up Census Questionnaire Assistance Center in East Boston

The McKay School in East Boston is undertaking a community education and awareness project regarding the 2010 US Census.

In order to help the community fill out the Census form, The McKay School has partnered with the 2010 Census Staff of Boston to host a Questionnaire Assistance Center at the school, where families and residents can come with questions and receive help from trained census professionals or receive extra forms in other languages.

All information related to the Census will remain entirely confidential, regardless of citizenship, residency, or other documentation. The Questionnaire Assistance Center that the McKay is hosting is one piece of an education project directed at all students, K-8, about what the Census is and the benefits that increased representation has for their community.

Additional Information:

What: Census Assistance Center

When: March 19 – April 19, 2010, 4:30pm - 7:30pm

Who: 2010 Census Staff of Boston, McKay School, Boston Teacher Residency

Where: Mc Kay K-8 School, Parking Lot/Cafeteria Entrance, 122 Cottage Street

East Boston, MA 02128

Contact: Veronique Lapaix 781-346-3487

Help the City Clean East Boston Streets This Spring

Help Make East Boston Shine - Saturday Clean Ups

In the lead up to our annual Boston Shines events the weekend of April 23 & 24, we will be doing clean ups in East Boston each Saturday.

We are committing one hour at each clean up. Just bring comfortable clothes and enthusiasm and we'll provide brooms, gloves, and bags. We are targeting the streets that need the most help, but we encourage everyone to participate wherever they choose--just let me know in advance and we'll provide the tools.

When possible, our efforts will be supplemented by the City's new Green Machine street sweeper that can get around cars.

March 20th at 10AM (Sumner St. - meet at the corner of Sumner and Maverick)

March 27th at 10AM (Cottage St. - meet at the corner of Cottage and Marginal)

April 3 at 10AM (Brooks St. - meet at the corner of Brooks and White)

April 10 at 10AM (Princeton St. - meet at the corner of Princeton and Shelby)

April 17 at 10AM (Saratoga St. - meet at the corner of Saratoga and Shelby)

Please contact Ernani DeAraujo at 617 635 3485 or ernani.dearaujo (at) cityofboston.gov

Hey East Boston! Make yourself count!

Join Mayor Thomas M. Menino at the "Now's the Time, Make Yourself Count!" Census 2010 press conference on Wed. March 17 at 10 a.m. at the East Boston Harborside Community Center auditorium.

Representatives from a variety of community, labor, and immigration organizations will be in attendance to promote the Census.

Please call 617-635-3485 for more information.

Behind enemy lines, a "traitor" tells the truth

Amazing story. Why Mosab Hassan Yousef turned against Hamas, founded by his father.

A real low-life maggot pleads not guilty

The face of evil. A maggot. A turd. Lock him up and throw away the key.

NH man pleads not guilty to Mount Vernon murder

NASHUA, N.H. — Eighteen-year-old William Marks of Amherst has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges in connection with the Mont Vernon home invasion that left a mother dead and her 11-year-old daughter severely wounded.

Marks was in the Nashua courthouse Wednesday, but he did not appear before a judge. His lawyer entered the not guilty pleas in documents filed with the court.

Marks was initially charged with burglary and robbery in the attack at the randomly-selected home.

Apparently a couple of worms are turning.

 

From Death of a Ferry by photographer Jules Aaron from an exhibit at the Boston Public Library, Copley Square. The exhibit, Man in the Street: Jules Aarons Photographs Boston, 1947-1976 is on display in the Wiggin Gallery at the Central Library in Copley Square through June 4.

Details are available at EastBoston.com.

 

East Boston Main Streets to Hold Elections

For Immediate Release:

Contact
Clark Moulaison
East Boston Main Streets
617.561.1044
ebmainstreets@verizon.net
www.ebmainstreets.com

East Boston Main Streets requests nominations to board of directors

On Tuesday March 30, 2010 East Boston Main Streets will hold its annual elections for board of directors.

East Boston, MA. 3-March-2010 East Boston Main Streets will hold annual elections for the Main Street board of directors on Tuesday March 30, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at 146 Maverick Street 2nd floor. All members are encouraged to vote which includes any East Boston resident, employee, business owner or property owner who has attended at least 3 Main Street meetings or events in the last year. East Boston Main Streets is accepting nominations to the board of directors. This position is a volunteer position which requires 2 to 4 hours per month of service to East Boston. Any East Boston resident, employee, business owner or property owner who has attended at least 3 Main Street meetings or events is eligible to serve on the East Boston Main Street board. For more information or to make a nomination please contact the Main Street office at 617.561.1044 or ebmainstreets@verizon.net. Also visit www.ebmainstreets.com for more information about our organization.


About East Boston Main Streets. EBMS is a non-profit corporation. Our mission is to create more vibrant business districts by initiating private and public improvements, promoting commerce, and supporting efforts that improve the quality of life for all who live, work and do business in East Boston.

Central Square Re-design Meeting set for March 9

The East Boston community will see $4 million spent on re-designing Central Square. The community input process begins March 9th at 6PM at the East Boston Social Center, 68 Central Square.

The Boston Transportation Department wants your input on creating a new design for the streets and sidewalks. The initial plan is to extend the sidewalks to increase pedestrian safety and allow for outdoor seating for restaurants; expand the park and green space in the square; and rationalize (the currently irrational) traffic patterns.

Please contact Charlotte Fleetwood, Transportation Planner at 617-635-2462 with any questions (or Ernani DeAraujo at 617-635-3485).