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By adamg - 3/9/15 - 12:36 pm
Boston City Hall Plaza had a fountain in 1973

How about a fountain, like in 1973? Photo from the US National Archives.

Mayor Walsh is soliciting ideas on how to convert City Hall Plaza from a barren brick wasteland into a place people would actually want to spend time on when it's not being used for concerts, festivals or circus performances.

This is the people's plaza, and we’ve seen how it can bring the City together for international events and community events alike. I’m looking to our experts in architecture and urban planning for design, curation, and partnership ideas, as well as residents of Boston and other interested parties.

By adamg - 3/7/15 - 4:11 pm
Firefighters outside South Station

Firefighters outside South Station. Photo by Manny Lim.

Firefighters shut South Station on the Red Line and ordered the power off in both directions on the line until they could find and then extinguish what turned out to be a small trash fire on the tracks about halfway between South Station and Downtown Crossing.

BFD gave the T permission to restore power around 4:15 p.m.

The fire sent smoke into both stations.

By adamg - 3/6/15 - 6:00 pm

The FBI is looking for a man they say robbed two downtown banks last month. Pictures released this week show the guy grinning as he held up the Citibank branch at 70 Summer St. around 10 a.m. on Feb. 18.

The FBI says he also robbed the Citizens Bank branch on Avenue de Lafayette the day before.

He's described as white, tan and about 5'10".

If you know any suspiciously tan guys, contact Special Agent Adam Howe at 617-721-4098.

By adamg - 3/4/15 - 3:59 pm
Beacon light

Beacon safely belted in for its ride back to the bridge. Photo by State Police

A homeless man who figured out how to enter one of the Zakim Bridge's towers climbed to the top and stole a 60-lb. airplane warning light last month - the second one he's stolen - State Police charge.

Clifford Beckford, 34, allegedly stashed his newest light at the historic Warren Tavern in Charlestown, after leaving the first light outside the Old State House in downtown Boston, State Police say.

By adamg - 3/3/15 - 5:21 pm

The Boston Licensing Board decides Thursday what action to take, if any, against the Grand Canal on Canal Street for a Jan. 14 incident that ended with a bouncer punching a patron.

By adamg - 2/25/15 - 8:21 am
Part of the Long Island bridge floats through Boston Harbor

Paul Nutting got to his office early this morning and got to see part of the Long Island bridge floating through Boston Harbor as crews work to take down the current span so it can be replaced one of these years.

Nick Cimetti got a closeup shot of the bridge segment under full steam:

By adamg - 2/23/15 - 9:37 pm

Firefighters responded to South Station shortly before 9:30 p.m. for a trash fire on the outbound side of the Red Line. The fire was not on the tracks, it was quickly blasted with some water and that was that, except for the smell of smoke and the delays on the Red Line.

By adamg - 2/23/15 - 9:48 am
Free ice hugs in the Leather District in downtown Boston

Molly Lanzarotta came across this hug-giving snowfreak in the Leather District today: Olaf meets the heart-three-sizes-too-small Grinch.

By adamg - 2/22/15 - 1:24 pm

Exploring surface of Fort Point Channel following Snowpocalypse 2015 (excerpt)

Steve Hollinger sent an RC car equipped with a GoPro camera out onto the ice of the frozen Fort Point Channel yesterday, with the idea of having it inspect the floating pyramid.

The Fort Pointer reports the set up was:

GoPro mounted on a cheap 2.4 gHz RC car, marked down to $18.50 at Radio Shack.

By adamg - 2/21/15 - 11:17 pm

Updated.

A woman was hit and killed by an outbound Orange Line train shortly after 11 p.m.

The T cut power so that firefighters and EMTs could try to remove the woman, who initially was still breathing when they got to her, but the medical examiner was requested around 11:40 p.m.

Transit Police report the victim was 29. Foul play is not suspected.

Other recent incidents:

By adamg - 2/21/15 - 10:23 am
British ship leaves Boston Harbor in canal dug through ice

This print, from the BPL archives, shows a British steamer leaving Boston Harbor through ice, thanks to local merchants:

By adamg - 2/21/15 - 10:04 am
Frozen Fort Point Channel

Kathleen O'Donnell looked across a solid surface on Fort Point Channel this morning.

By adamg - 2/20/15 - 3:05 pm
On the roof of Boston Garden

Alex Carlson spotted several people up on the roof of the Garden working on removing snow.

By adamg - 2/20/15 - 10:18 am
Alice Donovan handing out optimism tickets at Park Street

Roving UHub photographer Ted Dillon caught up with Alice Donovan handing out more of her Boston Transit Therapy Authority tickets at Park Street this morning.

By adamg - 2/20/15 - 9:27 am
Stuck truck on Summer Street in downtown Boston

Mario N. gives us the bird's eye view of an 18-wheeler that got stuck this morning at Summer and Lincoln streets - the same place where that yacht got stuck in a similar maneuver.

However, he reports that, unlike with the boat, the Boston Fire Department was able to help the driver do the sort of driving that got him out of there.

By adamg - 2/19/15 - 5:50 pm
Crowded North Station

We started seeing reports of pleasant rides on the T today. Except from commuter-rail riders, who continue to find themselves jammed into stations waiting for trains that never come, or leave, or, who knows, even exist at all. Claire Blechman was among those trying to get into North Station this evening.

By adamg - 2/18/15 - 10:39 pm

UPDATE :Firefighters extinguished the fire and left the tracks about 10:45 p.m

Around 10:35 p.m. Firefighters asked the T to cut power on the outbound side so they could douse a small trash fire about 100 feet past the platform; the T cut power in both directions.

By adamg - 2/18/15 - 5:39 pm
South Staton commuters waiting for trains

And the lucky ones get a ride home! Such as Molly Lanzarotta, who looked back through the station to see who was looking up at the departures board around 5:10 p.m.

By adamg - 2/18/15 - 2:30 pm
On top of the Government Center garage

Paul Nutting watched a large contingent of workers removing snow from the roof of the Government Center Garage today.

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