Citizen complaint of the day: Cone complaint complaint

Cone again

UPDATE: Citizens Connect for the win - The DPW now reports National Grid has removed the upended cone and put a proper cover on the hole.

Yesterday, we introduced you to the Jammed-In Cone of Atlantic Avenue Complaint. Somebody at City Hall promptly marked the complaint "closed" and noted "Taken care of."

Only as you can see from the above photo, taken this morning, City Hall has a different definition of "taken care of" than your average concerned citizen does, since the cone is still there, uglifying the up-and-coming Wharf District neighborhood. City Hall promptly marked this complaint "closed" as well, but this time explained that "taken care of" actually means reporting the problem to National Grid, since it's a gas-company hole and so something the city of Boston is powerless to do anything about.

Another Green Line groper pursued

WantedMBTA say this guy is wanted for indecent assault and battery for an incident that happened last Tuesday at Park Street.

According to police, "a female victim was inappropriately assaulted" by him while they were getting on a C trolley.

He's described as 25-30. In addition to his red T-shirt, he wore a gray hoodie with black horizontal stripes, blue jeans and sneakers.

If you know him and are disgusted, contact Transit Police at 617-222-1050 or send an anonymous text tip to 873873.

Tavern in the Square gets another one-day suspension for not calling police after an argument that may have turned into a fight

The Boston Licensing Board last week ordered Tavern in the Square on Brighton Avenue to shut for a day for not calling police after a March 16 incident in which a man may or may not have had a beer bottle thrown at his face, along with anti-gay slurs.

One of the victim's companions and a bar manager differed as to whether physical violence accompanied a loud argument at the bar that night, of the sort that sent the victim to get nine stitches in his face. Board Chairwoman Nicole Murati Ferrer expressed her puzzlement over the fact that something had happened and yet nobody at the bar thought to call police.

Last month, the board ordered a similar penalty after bar workers failed to call police after a brawl in January that involved both punching and a chair being thrown.

The bar can appeal the punishment to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.

The Express Office

Express Office

Where was it, and when was this taken? Photo from the folks at the Boston City Archives. For extra hints, see it larger.

Excavator hits gas main in Kendall Square, buildings evacuated, roads shut, Red Line halted

Everybody off the street!Move it!

Happened around 11:10 a.m. at 5 Cambridge Center, AlertNewEngland reports.

Robert Love, who took the photo, reports:

Leak so big, it sounded like a fire hose.

UPDATES: NStar got the gas turned off around 11:40 a.m. Robert Love reported at 12:40 that the streets were re-opened and that people were being let back into their offices - except 3-5 Cambridge Center.

The excavator that caused the commotion. Photo by Robert Love.The excavator that caused the commotion. Photo by Robert Love.

Further proof Roslindale is Boston's forgotten neighborhood

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.

Moving umbrella art

Colorful umbrellas

Greg Hum reports that last night, he took part in the Umbrella Project, a collaboration between MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab and the Pilobolus dance troupe, in which participants were given umbrellas outfitted with LEDs and then directed by Pilobolus members in a large outdoor "display of live art."

Amtrak: No clue when you'll be able to take a train to New York again

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.

Bearable news out of Lincoln

Bear in the woods. Photo by Lincoln PD.Bear in the woods. Photo by Lincoln PD.

Earlier this afternoon, Lincoln Police warned residents:

Black bear is in the area of Rte117 & Rte126. Remove bird feeders & food sources from your yard & call LPD if you see it.

Last year:
Brookline Bear, which turned out to be Cape Bear.

H/t Leslie Turek.

MIT scientist on bicycle struck, killed by truck at Beacon and Charlesgate; driver drove away

The scene. Photograph by Cory Gardner.The scene. Photograph by Cory Gardner.

Updated with MIT info.

MiuraKanako 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.

A weekend of celebrations

At the Japan festival

Kristie Helms took in the Japan Festival at City Hall Plaza today.

Patrick Rosso photographed the Haitian American Unity parade on Blue Hill Avenue.

Thomas Linger enjoyed Porchfest in Somerville yesterday.

Joe Maxwell went to the Assembled Market in Somerville yesterday:

Darth Lobster

Sith Lobster landed in Gloucester.

Citizen complaint of the day: There's a right way and a wrong way to fill a hole and this is the wrong way

Upended cone

Would somebody at the DPW really have responded to a report of a hole on Atlantic Avenue by planting a traffic cone pointy side down in it - and then just leaving it there? An irate citizen who also happens to be president of the Wharf District Council complains:

It has been like this all winter. Please fix it soon. It is embarrassing for those of us working for the neighborhood.

The first mayoral race this year

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.

Mother, baby in stroller hit by car turning onto Jamaicaway at Perkins Street

Around 5 p.m. yesterday. Driver was headed outbound on the Jamaicaway, mother and baby were in the crosswalk. Mother and baby taken to local hospital for observation.

The lost lion of the Back Bay

Lost lion

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.

Guantanamo protest at Park Street

Guantanamo protest

Photographynatalia watched protesters demand the shutdown of the Guantanamo prison at Park Street.

Copyright Photographynatalia. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

Historic light

Boston Light

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

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

Lottery fever grips Dorchester

At 10:18 a.m., Dan Ryan reported:

The Dorchester Casino, Tedeschi's (Lil Peach) on Neponset Ave, already has a line of cars out the parking lot.

Sports-car company sues Waltham dealership for right to open new dealership two towns over

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.