You'd think somebody like John Nucci would be familiar with Boston neighborhoods. After all, he spent several years on the School Committee and then got himself elected an at-large city councilor. He used to work for ABCD. Most recently, he served on the committee that came up with a new BPS school-assignment system. And yet, in a column today in the Herald on why suburbanites should care about the Boston mayoral election, he writes:

Boston is not just the commonwealth's capital city. It's the state's economic engine and the very heart of the region. So whether you live in Harvard Square, Quincy Center or Roslindale Square, this mayoral race is your race, too.

There is no estimate on service restoration:

Starting Monday, Metro-North Railroad will offer alternate transportation for passengers traveling between New Haven, Conn., and Grand Central Terminal via a train-bus-train connection. Amtrak passengers using this option will need to arrange for transportation between Grand Central and New York Penn Station.

The scene. Photograph by Cory Gardner.

Updated with MIT info.

Kanako Miura, 36, a visiting scientist at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, died this afternoon when she was struck by a dump truck, MIT and Stanley Staco report.

Boston Police report the victim was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the 3:30 p.m. incident.

A mangled silver and black bicycle, believed to be hers, was found several blocks away on Bay State Road at Silber Way, Brian D'Amico reports.

Sith Lobster landed in Gloucester.

Peter Gelzinis explains why first we'll see a race to sew up geographical areas (West Roxbury/Hyde Park/JP vs. Dorchester) and the "progressive minority vote," then, after the preliminary shrinks a field of 10 or 12 down to 2, we can get down to actual issues. Also, Gareth Saunders needs to consider whether he wants to join Althea Garrison and Roy Owens in the League of Perpetual Candidates.

On ArchBoston, Billski wonders what happened to the rooftop lion atop the Kensington Building on Boylston Street, which sat where the Darth Vader building now broods over the avenue. The lion's two street-level companions were relocated to the Copley Plaza, but does anybody know what happened to Lion 3? One presumes he is not prowling the rooftops of Boston, since a giant swan remains perched atop the Park Plaza.

More photos of the lion and his mates at street level.

Photo from the BPL Leslie Jones Collection. Used under this Creative Commons license.

Brian MacLean was out on the harbor yesterday and snapped Boston Light.

Copyright Brian MacLean. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

Aston Martin Lagonda and an Aston Martin dealership in Waltham are racing at each other full speed in a dispute over whether the car company - whose cheapest model goes for $122,400 - can open another dealership in Wayland.

Aston Martin of New England on Linden Street in Waltham, says the plan would cut its sales dramatically and wants $3 million in damages. The dealership is currently the only place in all of New England to buy a new Aston Martin.

Last month, the MBTA announced a contest in which anyone could design what could be the next MBTA map.

Transit Maps has not one, but two contest submissions posted for our viewing pleasure. While no submissions have been officially heralded by the MBTA at this time, it is clear that some very talented cartographers are partaking in the festivities.

The MBTA had previously announced a deadline of April 30, 2013, however no mention of the contest has been made since the original announcement of the contest.