Boston Marathon bombings

Intersection shut, college evacuated for what turned out to be an empty bucket

By adamg - 4/22/13 - 9:46 am

Huntington and Gainsborough during shutdown

Police shut down the intersection of Huntington Avenue and Gainsborough Street and evacuated the New England Conservatory after a suspicious package was reported around 9 a.m. The bomb squad determined the item in question was an empty bucket and police began packing up and leaving around 9:40 a.m.

Meanwhile, in Brighton, a resident reported a suspicious black backpack on Everett Street around the same time. Arriving officers, however, talked to other residents, who showed police it was, in fact, just part of a collection of black trash bags.

In Watertown, reminders remain

By adamg - 4/22/13 - 8:21 am

Jay Gates reports evidence of a fierce battle was easy to see yesterday on Laurel Street in Watertown, from the blood stains (mostly washed down) and tire marks showing where one brother ran over another to bomb damage to one home's front to a stop sign with a bullet hole in it.

They were going to pray for Boston anyway

By adamg - 4/22/13 - 7:53 am

But an annual "Pray for Boston" procession through the North End took on added meaning on Saturday.

Peace

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 11:42 pm

Liz Carney led a Dot Art Paint for Peace Day at Savin Hill Beach today that ended with the hanging of this banner across I-93. Photo by Peter McNamara.

Teamsters to help circle Medford church to let Krystle Campbell be remembered in peace

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 8:43 pm

This just in from Teamsters Local 25:

"Teamsters Local 25 will be out in full force tomorrow morning at St. Joseph's Church in Medford to form a human shield and block the Westboro Baptist Church from protesting the funeral of Krystle Campbell," said Sean M. O'Brien, president/principal officer of Teamsters Local 25, headquartered in Boston and representing 11,000 members from the area. "The Campbell family and friends have already endured immeasurable amounts of heartache and tragedy this week, and deserve a peaceful funeral with time to grieve privately."

Five-part plan for reopening Copley Square

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 8:14 pm

No specific time or date set; depends on the FBI releasing the area as a crime scene.

The items that are now part of a memorial to victims at the intersection of Boylston and Berkeley Streets will be temporarily relocated to Copley Square Park as will other items from other memorial sites around the area. As we respect the need for people to continue to express their support for the victims and our city we will place large message boards in the vicinity of the area to allow people to record their thoughts and reflections.

Some fresh paint on Tremont Street

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 7:41 pm

Alli Knothe photographed the side of an auto-parts store on Tremont Street near the Roxbury Crossing T stop this afternoon.

MBTA officer lost all his blood at gun battle, remains on ventilator, shows signs of recovery

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 3:11 pm

MBTA Police Chief Paul MacMillan said at a press conference this afternoon that Officer Richard Donohue this morning "opened his eyes and was able to move his hands and feet" - and squeeze his wife's hand.

MacMillan said he is hoping for a full recovery for his officer, who had three major blood vessels severed by a single bullet at the gun battle in Watertown with the two Marathon bombing suspects.

Packing up?

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 2:50 pm

Penny Cherubino, who took this photo, reports that just before 11 a.m.:

A caravan of Gentle Giant trucks with some Ryder and Penske rental trucks between them turned down Marlborough Street from Massachusetts Avenue.

By noon, she reports, they were in the area of the medical tent at Dartmouth.

The state has already announced the Copley ramp off the turnpike will reopen at 3 p.m.

Interfaith service near the finish line

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 2:35 pm

Brian D'Amico attended an interfaith service at Boylston and Berkeley this morning.

Copyright Brian D'Amico.

Governor, mayor call for a moment of silence at 2:50 p.m. tomorrow

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 1:46 pm

When it will have been exactly a week since the bombs went off.

Pro/con: Duck Boat parade for first responders

By adamg - 4/21/13 - 1:43 pm

At first, it sounds like the perfect Boston way to thank EMTs, firefighters and police for all their work over the past week: Hold a Duck Boat parade for them. More than 72,000 people have "liked" a Facebook page calling for just such a parade:

The Celtics celebrated their 2008 championship, the Patriots celebrated their championships and the Red Sox celebrated their 2004 and 2007 World Series victories with a parade of 17 Duck Boats... Its time that Boston's First Responders Get a Parade.

Shortly before 7 p.m., a hearse left the state medical examiner's office on Albany Street, headed toward a Wilmington funeral home with the body of Sean Collier, the MIT police officer ambushed Thursday night. Albany Street was lined with Boston police officers showing their last respects. As the hearse pulled out, a commander went on the radio: "Present! Arms!"

The work continues

By adamg - 4/20/13 - 4:58 pm

Fred Somers notes that while most of us were enjoying the Sox game or just the day, investigators were still combing Boylston Street for clues.

Citizen complaint of the day: Meter maid don't care, this time for real

By adamg - 4/20/13 - 4:29 pm

An outraged citizen posts a photo of a ticketed car on Comm. Ave. in the Back Bay this morning:

Really Boston? The morning after the lock down? So many cars this early morning w these on. As a resident of this city I'm appalled. (My car is parked in my own private spot but I'm still enraged to see these.) please forgive parking violations this week.