Bay State Chapter of Freedoms Foundation to present G. Washington Honor Medals on Nov. 9

Friends of the Belle Isle Marsh, Hospitality Homes of Boston, the Ipswich River Watershed Association, and Thomas Materazzo of Boston to be Honored at Ceremonies in East Boston

The Bay State Chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge will present prestigious George Washington Honor Medals to two community environmental preservation groups and an organization that provides temporary housing to families visiting the City of Boston during a loved one’s medical procedure. The Chapter will also present a “Spirit of '76” Award for meritorious service and patriotism to a long-time veteran’s affairs official in the City of Boston.

The awards will be presented at the Bay State Chapter’s 33st Annual Awards Luncheon on Saturday, November 9, 2013, at 12:30 p.m., in Spinelli’s Banquet Facility, Day Square, East Boston. Tickets are $40.

The Honor Medal will be presented to: The Friends of the Belle Isle Marsh; Hospitality Homes of Boston; and the Ipswich River Watershed Association.

“The Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, Hospitality Homes, and the Ipswich River Watershed Association all represent the best ideals of America – selfless service to community, helping those in need and preserving and protecting our natural resources,” said Joseph V. Ferrino, Sr., Founder and Executive Director of Bay State Chapter, Freedoms Foundation. “We honor these organizations with the George Washington Honor Medal because they have made a difference in the lives of countless citizens around our state and across this country.”

Thomas Matarazzo of Boston will be honored with the Bay State Chapter “Spirit of '76” Award for his dedication to the good works of Freedoms Foundation, and his many years of serving and supporting military veterans in the City of Boston.

The Friends of the Belle Isle Marsh is a grassroots environmental organization, formed in the early 1980s to help preserve the marsh and publicize its importance as an urban natural resource. Belle Isle Marsh is a 350-acre reservation administered by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. Among the largest surviving salt marches in Boston Harbor, Belle Isle features plants and wildlife now rare to the Boston metropolitan area. The Friends of Belle Isle Marsh is a group of community-based volunteers who seek to protect the marsh from development and promote its environmental significance through educational and recreational activities available to the public.
 
Hospitality Homes of Boston provides free short-term housing in volunteer host homes and donated apartments for families and friends of patients seeking care at Boston-area hospitals. Since 1983, this unique home-away-from-home experience has brought a compassionate response, as well as emotional and financial relief to guests in need. These services are made possible by the generosity of volunteer hosts and supporters. Thirty years ago, Hospitality Homes was the first program of its kind in the nation, and since then, the organization has served more than 14,000 families.

The Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) serves as a “Voice of the River” that was once one of the most stressed waterways in the country and is now being brought back to health and vitality thanks to the hard work and caring of its volunteers and professional staff. Through advocacy, education and conservation, the IRWA has improved stream flow in the Ipswich and saved the river. The organization has reached thousands of people through educational programs, inspiring people to enjoy the scenic beauty of the river and use its resources wisely. IRWA offers use of its canoe dock, sponsors fireside chats, develops school curricula and educational materials, offers programs on how to save water, supports low-impact development and water resource protection and trains citizen-scientists who help monitor the health of the Ipswich River.

Thomas Materazzo of Boston – the Spirit of ’76 Award winner – was the Commissioner of Veterans Services for the City of Boston for more than 27 years. He is a U.S. Army veteran who served in combat during World War II. As Veterans Services commissioner, he was instrumental in erecting memorials to those killed in action in the Korean and Vietnam wars, along with refurbishing the World War II Monument. He also initiated a program to award more than 200 high school diplomas to WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans who left school before graduation to join the service. He is a long-time member of the Bay State Chapter of Freedoms Foundation and is a Past President of the organization.

Tickets to the Bay State Chapter awards luncheon are $40 and are available from Chapter Founder and Executive Director Joseph V. Ferrino by calling 617-846-2122.

Freedoms Foundation honors Americans who go above and beyond in their efforts to educate their communities about the values of good citizenship, either through teaching or by example. The foundation has recognized several thousand dedicated individuals and organizations in its 63-year existence.

Freedoms Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching all citizens the principles upon which our nation was founded. The organization seeks to convey the close link between the rights and the responsibilities of citizens in a free society.

Ernani Jose DeAraujo: In Support of Dan Conley

The following letter was submitted by Ernani Jose DeAraujo on September 19, 2013
 
[Editor's note: All East Boston residents are invited to submit letters of support for their mayoral candidates. Contact editor@eastboston.com.]


Dear friends and neighbors:

I ask that you please consider voting next Tuesday for our District Attorney, Dan Conley for mayor of Boston.

Dan and I share a mutual legal mentor, an esteemed jurist who speaks highly of Dan’s integrity as a lawyer and thoughtfulness as a prosecutor. As DA, Dan brings justice to victims of crime and works with other law enforcement to keep us safe. Dan has directly managed one of the most successful District Attorney’s Offices in the United States. This experience—of being a good manager, trusted voice to the public, and thoughtful prosecutor dealing with the most significant matters of life and death—gives me confidence that Dan will have the ability and motivation to successfully manage our city government as mayor.

Since Dan announced his candidacy for mayor, I have personally observed his engagement with residents to hear their concerns and provide workable solutions to their problems. When East Boston residents expressed to Dan their concern over taxis and tolls, Dan promised that he would work with residents to put forward a solution that he could champion as mayor. From those discussions was born Dan’s 5-point action plan for East Boston that called for taxi fairness for our neighborhood and a moving of the tolls onto Massport property. Dan’s creation of the 5-point plan showed me how he will deal with residents’ concerns as mayor: Dan will listen first and then listen again for a solution from residents who many times know best on how to improve their neighborhoods. Dan will take what he’s learned from residents and use his experience and guidance from experts to fashion a solution. I want Dan’s approach to problem solving in our next mayor.

Dan has impressed me with his commitment to political independence. No one has been more of leader on the casino issue than Dan Conley. Back in April, Dan took issue with the movement for a casino in Boston and called for more transparency and public engagement in the process. He was the first to propose a citywide vote to engage all residents of Boston on the casino issue and to permit a casino in East Boston only if both the city and East Boston residents said yes. He was also the first to decry the call for a low turnout special election for the casino and championed having the vote on the general election day of November 5th. While Dan respects the right of voters to decide the existing Boston casino application, if that application were to fail Dan would oppose any new casino or slots application for Boston while he is mayor. If you believe in transparency and a fair development process as I do, Dan has been on our side from the beginning and paid the political price for standing by the people. We need Dan’s political courage in our next mayor.

There are many other great candidates on the ballot for Tuesday’s election. A younger generation of leaders—Rob Consalvo, Felix Arroyo, and John Barros—have contributed so much to this race and will doubtless influence our city for decades to come. Dan asked me to entrust him with my vote so he can lead our city government for the next 4 years from good to great. I hope you do the same and vote Dan Conley on Tuesday. Thank you.

NOAH is seeking a Youth Organizer for Chelsea Creek Action Group

This just in from NOAH:  Deadline is Monday, so act now!  

Youth Organizer: Chelsea Creek Action Group

Overview: The Chelsea Creek Action Group (CCAG) is seeking dedicated, positive and committed youth who are interested in community organizing. We’re a group of youth and adults that fight for Environmental Justice and Social Justice here in East Boston through community organizing. The youth conduct education and outreach and perform direct actions to address local issues including public health, access to green space, and youth involvement in the community. Some of the projects that this group have worked on include, but are not limited to, growing vegetables and fruits in Our Garden, organizing a biking campaign in East Boston, hosting Know What’s Up concerts, and putting together an annual Chelsea River Revel event with our fellow Chelsea community organizers.

• Job Responsibilities may include but are not limited to the following:
• Being on time and present during all program hours. Every month we receive a copy of our work schedule for that month and it is important to keep track of that schedule. There may be times where we work some additional evenings and weekends, and there may be times where we have overnight trips for conferences, so it is important to be as flexible as possible.
• Working with and representing the community
• Attending monthly Chelsea creek action group meetings, other community meetings, and even meetings with city officials.
• Maintaining an organic garden and public open space during spring/summer seasons and planting seeds to grow food. Also, there may be times where we work with middle school and elementary school students in the garden.
• Attending and supporting recreational and educational programs at the Condor Street Urban Wild and “Our Garden.”
• Participating in the biking campaigns in East Boston and being comfortable with riding a bike as well as wearing biking gear.
• Designing and giving workshops to other youth and adults about Environmental/Social/Community issues.
• Learning about local community and planning new campaigns according to its needs.
• Developing Civic Organizing skills

Qualifications:

• Must be an East Boston resident ages 14-18 and/or attending high school
• Possess a real interest in making positive changes for the community.
• Able to work cooperatively as part of a team.
• Have a respectful, professional manner
• Shows motivation and able to help others be motivated
• Willingness and interest to learn about environmental/social justice issues and work outdoors
• Able to step up and show initiative to work independently when it’s needed
• Bilingual (English and Spanish, or Vietnamese, Khmer, Italian, Portuguese, Etc.) is a plus
• Ability to express self creatively (music, spoken word, dance, etc.) is a plus
• Skills (Computer Tech, Writing, Social Speaking, Political, Video Production, Etc.) is a plus

Pay: $8/hour, 6-10 hours a week during the school year, 
18-25 hours a week during the summer

Applications are due by Monday, Sept. 17th at 5:00 PM

To Apply Contact:              
Chris Marchi, Coordinator of Sustainability, Youth & Community
143 Border Street,
East Boston, MA 02128
617-418-8243 or 617-417-2093

Friends of Meridian Street support mayoral candidate Dan Conley's stance on Logan Airport taxis

Paul Howes sends this along: 

Friends of Meridian Street support Mr. Conley's stance on Logan Airport taxis, 

"Finally, I want to improve taxi service for East Boston.  Right now, there are a number of issues with cab service here: a minority of drivers take advantage of the confusion surrounding tolls to charge inflated fares; some other drivers are reluctant to serve East Boston for fear of not finding a fare back to the rest of the city; and still other drivers use residential streets as cut-throughs to avoid tolls.  Although these may sound like minor inconveniences, they actually make East Boston a harder place to visit, which harms residents and businesses.  As mayor, I will crack down on price fixing and these other practices."

As our elected East Boston officials, MassPort managers, Mass Department of Transportation and the Boston Police Department Hackney Division have stuck their heads in an "Ostrich Hole" refusing to take any action to stop the Logan Airport taxis from using Meridian Street and the public streets of East Boston, the residents of Eastie continue to suffer environment, health and safety problems on a daily basis. 

These cabs must be made to use the multi-million dollar bypass road from Logan Airport to Chelsea build just for this purpose. With taxpayers money may I add!

Eastboston.com News: Mayoral Forum set for EB High School on September 3

Details at Eastboston.com

EB Ecumenical Community Council to hold mayoral forum on August 30 (Friday)

This just in from EBECC:

For more information contact Rosa Pineda at 617-567-2750.

EBECC is sponsoring a mayoral candidate dialogue with constituencies supported by the organization and the community of East Boston.

The face-to-face dialogue is aimed at getting the leading candidates for mayor to explain how they would ensure that the city has a healthier, fairer, more affordable, and more sustainable and inclusive economy.

Since its founding in 1978, EBECC has served residents of different racial, ethnic and national backgrounds, reflecting demographic changes in East Boston.  Given the neighborhoods large and rapidly growing Latino immigrant population and the numerous challenges this population faces, EBECC, since 2005, has been focusing solely on Latino immigrants of all ages and transforming them into voters or potential voters.

EBECC is a neighborhood-based organization whose mission today is to promote the advancement of Latino constituencies through education, immigration services, advocacy, community organizing and leadership development.  A group of parents, students and staff and board members would like to have a conversation with these candidates and this is an opportunity for you to do the same. 

Concretely, we are interested in hearing their vision about Boston's future and their position on key issues including:

• Education;
• Health & Nutrition for Children;
• Job Creation;
• Safety & Security and Police Diversity;
• Neighborhood Development.

Confirmed candidates:

• Felix Arroyo;
• John Barros;
• Daniel Conley;
• John Connolly.

When: Friday, August 30, 2013, 2 to 4 p.m.  (Doors open at 1:30 pm)

Where: 50 Meridian Street, East Boston (located in the basement of the East Boston Post Office and across from the Police Station).

Source: EBECC, 8/28

Kiwanis to honor Carol Simpson as 2013 Kiwanian of the Year

(EAST BOSTON August 7, 2013) – The Kiwanis Club of East Boston will honor long-time member Carol Simpson as the 2013 “Kiwanian of the Year” with a special celebration on Friday, Sept. 20 at Spinelli’s Function Facility in Day Square, East Boston. Read more at Eastboston.com.

Mayoral candidate Dan Conley offers 5-point East Boston Action Plan

From the Conley campaign prepared for August 15 press conference at LoPresti Park, East Boston:

East Boston is one of our city’s great neighborhoods.  It is also, for many Boston residents, one of the least visited and explored.  This is a shame because East Boston is a place unlike any other in our city.  It is rich in history and culture and physical beauty.

It also holds a special place in my heart because it was in East Boston, at Jeffries Point, that my grandfather, Severo DeNapoli, landed here from Italy.  Jeffries Point was Boston’s own Ellis Island and for years welcomed immigrants from around the globe to our city.  To this day, East Boston lives out its history and tradition as it remains home to new generations of new Bostonians.

Like every neighborhood, East Boston has its challenges.  I’m proud of my work and partnerships in this neighborhood that I’ve built over the years, and in the last few months I’ve undertaken a lot of new conversations with residents and business owners about what they love about this neighborhood and how they envision their future.

What we are announcing today is not a complete or comprehensive list of all that we would hope to accomplish here.  We are all concerned about issues ranging from public health to education to trash and other basic city services.  But a number of ideas emerged that made such good common sense for improving the quality of life in East Boston.  So today, we are announcing what we call a 5-point action plan to address quality-of-life issues in East Boston.

First, let’s move the toll plazas onto Logan Airport land.  The tolls were originally meant to capture airport traffic, but today, any one from anywhere leaving East Boston through the tunnels pays the toll.  Boston residents shouldn’t have to pay a toll to visit one of their own neighborhoods, and East Boston residents who don’t own an EZ Pass certainly shouldn’t have to pay a toll to leave their own neighborhood.  It’s also unfair to East Boston’s restaurant and business owners who have difficulty attracting visitors from the rest of the city because of the exit toll.  If I’m elected Mayor, I’m going to fight put the tolls back where they belong, on airport land, to capture revenue from airport users, as intended, and stop penalizing East Boston residents businesses and visitors this great neighborhood.

Second, the East Boston waterfront is an unrealized gem.  It holds what I think is the single best view of the Boston skyline and holds unlimited potential.  From this very spot you can see how amazing- and how underutilized - the waterfront is.  Too much of the East Boston waterfront is simply inaccessible to residents, large swaths of broken concrete, chain link fences complete with No Trespassing signs, and vacant, boarded up buildings.  It’s time to bring the East Boston community back to its own waterfront  create places for parents to take their kids fishing, put a canoe or a kayak in the water.  As Mayor, I’m going to use every tool in my chest to force landlords to make use of these properties in a manner that makes sense and benefits the neighborhood, or get out of the way for those who will.  We’re going to bring a mix of residential, commercial, retail and recreational uses to this waterfront - not to mention jobs and economic opportunity!  And we’re going to do it the right way, with the full participation of the East Boston community.

Third, I will prioritize the creation of a thoroughfare linking Maverick Square with Orient Heights.  Great communities tend to have main arteries joining their important commercial and social hubs.  East Boston has these locations, but they need a Main Street to link them all together and encourage growth in between them.  I will push for this Main Street as Mayor and will advocate at the state and federal levels for whatever additional resources we might need to get it done.

Fourth, I intend to bring back the "Little City Hall" to East Boston.  This idea is fondly remembered by a lot of longtime Boston residents, but few neighborhoods seem to love and miss this more than East Boston.  I think that partly because of East Boston’s geography, it is physically a virtual island, the Little City Hall allowed residents to resolve issues without having to go downtown.  But it’s also because of the unique pride that defines East Boston.  They felt that much more connected to their city government and exerted greater influence over the services and decisions that affected this neighborhood.  Finally, if elected, I'll fight to bring the Little City Hall back to East Boston.

Finally, I want to improve taxi service for East Boston.  Right now, there are a number of issues with cab service here: a minority of drivers take advantage of the confusion surrounding tolls to charge inflated fares; some other drivers are reluctant to serve East Boston for fear of not finding a fare back to the rest of the city; and still other drivers use residential streets as cut-throughs to avoid tolls.  Although these may sound like minor inconveniences, they actually make East Boston a harder place to visit, which harms residents and businesses.  As mayor, I will crack down on price fixing and these other practices.

Some of the agenda items we’ve laid out today are big, and some of these ideas are more particular to this neighborhood.  But the job of the Mayor is to make big decisions and to make fixing the smaller issues your purpose and priority because those are the things that often have the greatest impact on the quality of life in a neighborhood.  It's to have an ongoing conversation with residents, to understand the unique needs of a neighborhood, and find ways to fix them.
 
I am so proud and so appreciative of the way this package of ideas was created: through conversation and discussion with people all over East Boston.  Those are conversations I will continue with residents here and in every neighborhood each and every day as Mayor. Because when we make a great neighborhood like East Boston strong, we make our entire city even stronger.

At East Boston presser, mayoral candidate Dan Conley calls for the re-location of tunnel toll booths to airport property

At a press conference at LoPresti Park this morning, Conley pitched a his 5-point action plan for East Boston which included a bold idea to relocate tunnel toll booths onto airport property. According to prepared remarks, Conley told reporters about the plan.


"Right now, visitors to East Boston must pay a $3.50 toll to enter and leave the neighborhood, which makes it harder for restaurants and businesses to attract customers and share in the public life of our city.  Worse, East Boston residents who don't have an EZ-PASS system must pay the toll just to get to and from their homes.  These tolls were targeted at traffic to Logan Airport, not residents of and visitors to East Boston.  Let’s put the toll burden back where it belongs, on airport users, and return the plaza lands to East Boston for better use."

Eastboston.com asked Conley how the newly available land might be developed. 

City to plan Fitness Parks for East Boston; Meeting set for August 7

The Trust for Public Land, Boston Parks and Recreation Department, Boston Public Health Commission, and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services invites East Boston to learn about the opportunity and provide comment on a potential Fitness Zone® installation at East Boston Memorial Park. 

Fitness Zones are custom-designed, easy-to-use, outdoor gym equipment made specifically for community parks. 

The Meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 at 6:30pm at the East Boston Memorial Park. 

If the event of rain, the meeting will be held at the Paris Street Community Center located at 112 Paris Street.  Families welcome!

To learn more about Fitness Zones® go to www.tpl.org or Contact Darci Schofield, Darci.Schofield@tpl.org, 617-371-0514

Fitness Zone(R) sample.

Take part in "Thanks for the Memories Event" at the BPL

The Friends of the East Boston branches of the Boston Public Library invite you to participate in a "Thanks for the Memories Event."

Meridian Street Branch Library and Orient Heights Branch Library invite you to take pictures of yourself, family and friends in front of either the Meridan Street or Orient Heights branches.

Then bring the pictures to the library in an envelope marked "Thanks for the Memories" with a letter describing what your branch has meant to you. Do this by August 28, 2013!

The photographs and letters will be displayed at our branches until the closing of the building in October. They will be kept for patrons to see for years to come at the new Bremen Street Branch Library in the History Room.


This is an opportunity to share with your community what your library has meant for you for posterity.

The East Boston Branch Library was the first in the nation. This is a wonderful first-time opportunity again.

A spectacular new library to make new memories and share a few old ones.

Thank you friends of the East Boston Branch!

July 31: Meeting on Constitution Beach improvements. What would you like to see?

Save the Harbor is coordinating the Metropolitan Beaches Commission’s Community Meeting on Constitution Beach on July 31st at the Orient Heights Yacht Club at 6 PM. 

This meeting is an opportunity to say what you like about the improvements to the beach in the past few years, and if you have any suggestions for the future. 

All ideas are welcome – what’s working well now and what could be improved. Here are some ideas that could be raised:

• Should there be more recreational programs on the beach?  
• A farmer’s market?  
• A connection to the Greenway?  
• How can local businesses benefit more from beach-goers?  
• Should the bath house hours be extended?  
• Is trash pickup a problem?  
• Dogs on the beach?  
• Is water quality an issue?  

Save the Harbor will incorporate all your ideas into a final report. Come and let your voice be heard.  There will be a similar Winthrop Beach Community meeting in September.  The Meeting will take place at the Orient Heights Yacht Club, 61 Bayswater Street, East Boston.

View Larger Map

Eastie Pride Day Turns 25: Join in on the fun on August 17!

Yes! You read that right! Eastie Pride Day has finally reached the quarter century mark. And what better way to commemorate the occasion than in true East Boston fashion! So mark your calendars because on Saturday August 17, 2013 we ask you to please join us at beautiful Piers Park on Marginal St. for the party of the summer. 

Eastie Pride Day is the brainchild of District 1 Boston City Councilor Salvatore LaMattina, a lifelong East Boston resident who felt that East Boston should be celebrated and honored for its rich history, diverse cultural backgrounds and its significance to the city of Boston as a whole. 

In the past, this time honored tradition has allowed people to reunite with old friends, meet new friends and welcome newcomers to the neighborhood. We’ll have activities for the kids, delicious food from many of our eclectic and trendy restaurants and live music and dancing -including our headline main event, Tavares. 

Twenty five years is no small feat. This event has grown tremendously over the years and we’d love for you to be a part of this special landmark celebration. Whether you’re a newcomer to the neighborhood, a current resident or someone who moved away long ago there’s no denying that East Boston is a special place that has a positive impact on all who have spent time here. 

So please come and join us for some breathtaking views of Boston Harbor and the Downtown skyline and let’s all say thank you to East Boston and acknowledge how much the community means to us. We hope to see you there!

Source: Eastie Pride Day Committee

Candidates Ross, Conley, Barros and Consalvo discuss issues at 7/18 forum

East Boston Farmers Market opens 2013 season on Lewis Mall; Pix at Eastboston.com!

More pictures at Eastboston.com 

Photo credit: Frank Conte, July 11, 2013

Festival Celebrating Columbian Independence scheduled for Suffolk Downs on Sunday, July 21

Mayoral Forum at Suffolk Law School on Energy and the Environment, July 9, 2013

Nine candidates for mayor of Boston take the opportunity to answer the question: What is the number 1 thing you would do to improve air quality in Boston?

No Eastie Casino issues a "Declaration of Independence"

This in from No Eastie Casino!

A Declaration of Independence
WE THE PEOPLE of East Boston -- representing neighbors who have lived here their whole lives and those who have only been here a few years; "old-timers," newborn babies, and everything in between; bankers and builders; lawyers and full-time moms; every shade of skin color and country of origin; diverse religious beliefs and none at all; wealthy, middle-class and struggling to get by; drinkers of Dunkin', Honey Dew, and Market Café; gamblers and non-gamblers; married and single; from the Heights to the Flats to Jeffries Point; Eagle Hill to Maverick -- declare, with one voice:

• independence from financially compromised, predatory corporations who want to take what we have;
• independence from additional burdens to the ones against which we already fight -- an airport, two tunnels, gas tanks, a highway, pollution;
• independence from political structures that seek corporate profits above community engagement;
• independence from flashy bribes and promises of affluence that would have us give up a lot in exchange for a little;
• independence to make our own way and choose our own destiny as a neighborhood -- a destiny fueled by hard work, small businesses, our immigrant spirit, and our shared commitment to each other;
• independence to raise our children in a safe neighborhood free from unnecessary obstacles, temptations, and false hopes;
• independence to continue building an environmentally and economically sustainable future for our children and grandchildren;

WE THE PEOPLE of East Boston declare independence from a casino because it threatens that which our neighborhood's founders sought to build, what our neighborhood's servicemen and women sacrificed to preserve, what ordinary neighbors-turned-activists stood up to maintain, and what the present generation of East Bostonians both enjoys and seeks to build upon. We will not stand idly by as deals are made behind our backs that affect not only our lives but future residents' lives. It is in that spirit -- the same spirit in which a rag-tag group of dreamers envisioned and fought for their freedom 237 years ago just a stone's throw away -- that we declare today our independence from the false hope of a casino.

Coming to East Boston: ReadBoston’s Storymobile Program!!!

(BOSTON June 27, 2013) ReadBoston’s Storymobile Program will bring books and literacy activities to over 40,000 Boston children this summer.  Each week, the ReadBoston Storymobile will visit over 80 sites around the city with a professional storyteller.  The children who attend this exciting free program will witness storytelling at its best and will be able to choose a free book to take home with them.
WHAT: ReadBoston’s Storymobile Program
WHEN: July 8, 2013-August 16, 20013

WHERE: East Boston Stadium – Thursdays at 1:15 on 7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8, 8/15;

East Boston YMCA at Ashley Street – Mondays at 1:15 on 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12;
Jeffries Point Child Care Center – Thursdays at 10:00 on on 7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8, 8/15;
Little Folks Community Day Care- Thursdays at 11:15 on 7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8, 8/15

WHO: Free and Open to the Public

ReadBoston is the city of Boston’s nonprofit children’s literacy organization created by Mayor Menino in 1995. ReadBoston strives to have all children reading at grade level by the time they complete third grade.

Toward victory, budget amendment would stop ethanol transport

This just in from Roseann Bongiovanni by way of Anjie:

Good Morning and Happy July,

I am so pleased to share with you wonderful news:  The Senate Ethanol Amendment passed the Conference Committee and is on its way to the Governor’s Office for his ratification into law.  Congratulations and thank you to each of you who contacted members of the Conference Committee to register to your support for the senate amendment.

A big thank you goes out to our legislative champions Senator Sal DiDomenico and Senator Anthony Petrucelli!  Without their leadership and support, and that of their great staff (Ingrid and Anthony G.), this would not be possible.  Representatives Reinstein and O’Flaherty should also be recognized for their advocacy in favor of this amendment.  A special thank you also goes out to Attorney Rubin who drafted the amendment language.

Though we have won a huge battle, the war is not over.  The Governor could still choose to strike this amendment from the budget. 

As such, please contact the Governor and register your support IMMEDIATELY for this amendment -- ASK THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN THE ETHANOL AMENDMENT INTO LAW! (617) 725-4005.  Please call today!

H.3538
SECTION 81. Section 14 of chapter 91 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:

An ethanol storage or blending facility that stores or blends or is intended to store or blend more than an average of 5,000 gallons of ethanol per day and is located within 1 mile of a census block that has a population density of greater than 4,000 people per square mile shall not be granted a license under this chapter. For the purposes of this section, ethanol shall be defined as any mixture composed of not less than 30 per cent ethanol.

Roseann