Dorchester

A Dorchester man with a long record for breaking and entering was arraigned yesterday on charges related to the dozens of purloined items from suburban homes police say they found in his apartment during a search earlier this summer, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Craig Cromartie, 44, was formally charged with ten counts of receiving stolen property, the DA's office says. Dorchester District Court Judge Robert Tochka set bail at $5,000 and rejected a request from prosecutors to revoke his bail on outstanding stolen-property charges out of Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester counties. However, Tochka also ordered Cromartie to wear a GPS monitor should he make bail.

The Dorchester Reporter reports city officials shut a Chinese restaurant on Blue Hill Avenue yesterday after inspectors found its kitchen air vent clogged with grease - and its basement clogged with rats and cockroaches.

The Fire Department in particular has paid close attention to the condition of restaurant air vents since the 2007 Tai Ho fire in West Roxbury, which started in a grease-filled vent and which killed two firefighters.

The Dorchester Reporter interviews a woman who says she was walking her leashed dog at Victory Road Park near the gas tank when an unleashed pack of dogs attacked first her pet and then her:

At this point I realized that she was about to be disemboweled and I had to do something. I started kicking the dogs as hard as I could and the dog "Bailey" looked up and grabbed my right pant leg. He shook it momentarily and at that point it occurred to me that if I were to fall to the ground my dog, my unborn baby, and myself would be killed.

Michael Ahern, 46, was arrested yesterday on charges he ran down and killed a man riding his bicycle down Morrissey Boulevard early Friday, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Doan Bui, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene following the 12:30 a.m. crash near Malibu Beach between Ahearn's pickup and his bike.

A Dorchester man fresh out of prison for shooting at a Boston cop in 2006 faces arraignment this morning on charges he fought and injured a Boston Police sergeant during an overnight arrest off Talbot Avenue, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Calvin Horne, 26, was in the process of being arrested around 1:50 a.m. at Colonial Avenue and Millett Street when he turned violent and grabbed at one officer's gun, the DA's office reports - adding his own 9mm gun had a round in a chamber.

Stanley Stacos heard what happened next on the police scanner:

Angela Christoforos and Stanley Staco report a bicycle/car collision on Morrisey Boulevard southbound by Malibu Beach around 12:30 a.m. fatally injured the bicycle rider. The Herald reports the man, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Friends are identifying the teen shot to death on Wheatland Avenue as Jorge Fuentes, 19, who graduated Madison Park High School last year as the senior cadet in the school's JROTC.

Boston Police report a 19-year-old was found shot outside 57 Wheatland Ave. in Dorchester around 6:40 p.m. He was taken to Boston Medical Center, where he died. Police do not believe there is a connection with another teen's murder about two hours later in Mattapan.

The intersection of Morrissey Boulevard and Bianculli Boulevard - the main route into UMass Boston - is scary enough for pedestrians. But as you can see in Heidi Moesinger's video above, it gets even worse because when a pedestrian finally gets a walk signal - oncoming traffic gets a green light, too simply ignores the red light.

Via the Dorchester Reporter, which has been covering the perils of that intersection for awhile now. Hat tip to Wendy Schapiro for the headline.

The Globe reports he was shot around 2:30 p.m. on Friday outside 703 Washington St.

George Ortega, 28, is scheduled for arraignment in Roxbury District Court today on charges he gunned down Steven Fuentes on Leyland Street on May 24, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports. Ortega was arrested in Lynn by Boston and Lynn police last night.

Innocent, etc.

The Herald reports an explosion in the rat population on Savin Hill, possibly caused by construction along the Red Line.

A man was shot this afternoon on Josephine Street around 12:30 p.m. The Herald reports he is now expected to survive.

Shortly before 10 p.m. a group of about five used at least two guns to fire at a man in the area of Oakhurst Street. Police recovered several shell casings, but none hit their intended target - although one car got shot. Police brought in dogs to hunt for at least one of the suspects in backyards along the street.

UPDATE: Boston Police identified the victim as Deandre Townsend, 21.

Boston Police report a man shot around 1:06 a.m. on Southern Avenue was taken to Boston Medical Center, where he died.

Channel 7 reports the victim was seen running from the scene before collapsing on Ferndale Street.

In 1995, the House of Compassion opened its doors taking in people living with HIV and AIDS to live in a welcoming home environment. The House now faces closure, with a looming 30,000 in debt threatening the homes of their ten residents. Find out more about the House of Compassion!

Press Pass TV is a non-profit organization that focuses on telling the stories of the community. For years, Press Pass TV has been covering the ongoing fight for more youth jobs funding. Here, we take a look at how young people across Massachusetts are using their shared battle to unite around a larger youth movement for justice.Click this link to find out more about Jobs for Justice: Building a Youth Movement

Jose Baez, 40, pleaded guilty in US District Court yesterday to charges he set fire to three businesses and a residence, the US Attorney's office in Boston reports. In a statement, the office says:

Baez had connections to each of the buildings he set on fire. Baez previously had been employed at the Whole Foods Market in Cambridge and quit over a dispute with management. He had been a customer at Jamaica Plain Auto Body and at the dental practice located at 21 Bay State Road. The prosecutor noted that Baez had disagreements with both establishments. Finally, the prosecutor informed the Court that Baez knew three of the residents living at 11 Firth Road [in Roslindale].

Baez faces sentencing Nov. 29, where he will be told just how many years he will be spending as a guest of the federal government.

Press Pass Tv is a non profit organization that is dedicated to telling the stories of the community using film. Four young Black women were shot Sunday night August 12th while they sat in their car parked on Harlem Street in Boston. We went to Dorchester to talk to community members about how we can help stop the violence in our community. We hope that you will be able to share this story with other people who believe that it is time for a change, especially here in Boston. Click on the link Murders On Harlem Street to watch the video.

An entire living-room set.

Kids today! A citizen with a sense of respect for tradition filed a complaint this morning about this living-room set just sitting on the Riverway, demanding the city find and fine whoever is responsible for this impromptu Bob's Furniture ad.

Speaking of tradition, is Allston Christmas spreading to Codman Square?

Boston firefighters are at the Fairmount Line near where it crosses over Norfolk Avenue and where a pile of mattresses and other items used by the homeless have caught fire in a tunnel under the tracks. Firefighters report being able to battle the blaze without having to stop service on the train line.

Greg Cook took plenty of photos at the Caribbean Carnival parade today.

More photos:

The Dorchester Reporter interviews a couple of Dorchester restaurant owners who wouldn't mind if the state threw out the Dukakis-era prohibition on drink specials.

UPDATE: Police are investigating a possible shootout around 9 p.m. between a group of men on Dale Street and a group of men in Malcolm X Park - all participants ran away before police arrived.

Police are looking for a shooter and his victim for an incident this afternoon at Talbot and Southern avenues in Dorchester - and for a shooter and an older gray Lexus with a shot-out window for an incident at Rockland Street near Dale Street in Roxbury.

Remember when people only saved spaces in the winter? An aggrieved citizen reports from Samoset Street in Dorchester:

More parking cones. Doesn't seem to be getting the message.

"The Heat," that Sandra Bullock production that's already featured a bus crash in Roxbury, will be filming at the old Norfolk Tap in Uphams Corner, starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday. A note to nearby residents concludes:

They will blowing up a car sometime on Sunday afternoon on Norfolk Avenue, so you will probably hear a big boom. ALL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN AND COORDINATED WITH THE CITY.