North End

The Irish tourist who allegedly stole a North End cannoli at knifepoint will not have to face trial if he stays out of trouble for nine months - and performs 50 hours of community service - the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports, adding he can fulfill that requirement back in Ireland.

That should help Robert McTernan, 25, of Newbridge, County Kildare, comply with another part of the agreement - to stay away from Bova's, where he decided he urgently needed a cannoli at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 13.

The DA's office reports McTernan's father flew over from Ireland to bring his alleged fool behind back to Ireland. A spokesman adds that prosecutors agreed to resolving the case without jail time because the Irish Garda told authorities here that McTernan had a clean record, no one was injured in the incident, the monetary value of the stolen cannoli was not great and Bova's agreed to the proposed resolution.

NorthEndWaterfront.com reports on a letter the Rose Kennedy Greenway has sent to neighborhood groups that were expected to name representatives to a new Greenway board of directors - which calls on those reps to pledge at least $5,000 each in fundraising. Although fundraising expectations for non-profit directors is common, the site notes that the legislators who helped write the law expanding board membership intended for it to increase neighborhood participation, not raise funds.

Donut & Donuts, Sullivan Square T stop. Photo by Truck Stop Tea Party.

A man just arrived from Ireland is charged with stealing a cannoli at knifepoint from Bova's on Salem Street shortly after 3:30 a.m., the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

The DA's office says Robert McTernan, 25, of Newbridge, Ireland, was only a few hours off a plane from the auld sod on the start of a two-week vacation when he walked into the bakery and then into its kitchen, where he grabbed a knife.

He then demanded a cannoli, which an employee handed to him before backing behind a counter. McTernan allegedly told the victim to "shush" and placed his finger to his lips.

The DA's office adds that while McTernan took the cannoli, he may have also tried to leave with the knife - police were unable to find it.

Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Hart Summerville set bail at $2,000 for a single charge of armed robbery and ordered McTernan to surrender his passport and stay away from Bova's. He is due back in court Sept. 17.

Innocent, etc.

Boston Restaurant Talk reports the demise of the North End branch of El Triunfo, about a year and a half after it opened in what was formerly a raw-food restaurant, which also didn't last.

Wonder no more.

Truck Stop Tea Party stuck it out through the rain for the concert at Christopher Columbus Park Friday night.

Copyright Truck Stop Tea Party. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

Cooper Street fire. Photo by BFD.

A fire reported shortly after 11 p.m. on the top floor of 26 Cooper St. quickly went to four alarms. The Boston Fire Department reports one resident was taken to Mass. General with burns.

At one point, firefighters were ordered out of the building. Heavy fire was knocked down a few minutes before midnight.

The department estimates damage at $1 million to 26 and 28 Cooper and to 29 North Margin, says 13 people were displaced. The Red Cross provided emergency aid to seven of the displaced people and adds:

After asking for a place to interview those affected by fire. Frank (son) and Lucia (mom) Zano opened their restaurant Cafe Pompeii. After telling Red Cross volunteers that their money would not be accepted and that the North End is known for its hospitality, the Zano family served meals in the middle of the night to 20 people.

More photos:

NorthEndWaterfront.com reports city officials say the North End's rat population seems to be down, thanks to a variety of efforts to keep the vermin out.

NorthEndWaterfront.com reports Old North Church is opening two restrooms to the public on a trial basis - with a suggested donation of $1 per visit. Finding a place to go in the tourist-dependent North End has long been a challenge.

Scott Stossel tweets:

Gives new meaning to '1 if by land, 2 if by sea.'

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!

WBZ reports the MSPCA is beginning to see cases of dogs falling ill after ingesting rat poison while out and about - two in the North End over the past week. The city says that while it does put out rat poison, it doesn't leave the stuff out in the open where dogs might get at it.

Charlie Rosenberg took in the Fisherman's Feast in the North End today and found one happy guy.

Copyright Charlie Rosenberg. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

She dials 911 to break up the crowd of drinking, pissing, sexed-up teens from God knows where at the very heart of the North End.

Fliers taped to poles by the Sail Loft on Atlantic Avenue are offering $5,000 for the return of a blue and black backpack left near the benches by the restaurant between 6:30 and 7 p.m. on Friday.

It contains important personal files which cannot be replaced.

I'll give a $5,000 reward, no questions asked. That's a lot more than the stuff is worth to anyone else.

Call or text 617-942-1454.

Go, go, go, Johnny go.

Jeff Tamagini took lots of photos at the St. Agrippina di Mineo feast in the North End this weekend, including one of this boy and his guitar.

Copyright Jeff Tamagini. Tagged as universalhub on Flickr.

NorthEndWaterfront.com reports:

It was a surreal scene at the Nazzaro Center on Thursday night when a drugged out young man, accompanied by his somewhat less impaired girlfriend, was shooting up in Polcari Playground before passing out inside the youth center. A large group of residents showed up at 6:30 pm for the monthly North End Public Safety meeting to see the Oakdale resident literally bouncing off the walls and having trouble walking before passing out in front of the entrance desk.

Residents said they'd called 911, but nobody came. A sergeant who'd arrived for the monthly meeting called for an ambulance.

City Councilor Sal LaMattina, who represents the increasingly student heavy North End, is proposing a new city ordinance that could lead to penalties against landlords whose tenants hold parties that bring a police response - and against repeat party givers.

From a flier advertising a community meeting with police Aug. 2 at the Nazzaro Center.

The Boston Fire Department reports a one-alarm fire that broke out around 3 a.m., Sunday did an estimated $350,000 in damage to the building that houses Prezza, 24 Fleet St.

The fire, which started in some restaurant ducts, spread to the second-floor ceiling of the three-story building in which the restaurant sits. Seven residents were displaced, four firefighters required medical attention for minor injuries.

NorthEndWaterfront.com has some photos.

No more Lewis Wharf for him, NorthEndWaterfront.com reports. Rapprochement with the Yankees?

Romney has serious street shred.

A roving UHub photographer annoyedly snapped this photo of a shredder truck illegally parked in a no-parking zone outside Mitt Romney's national headquarters (again), which is still inexplicably located on Commercial Street in the heart of one of the cities least likely to vote for him:

It parks there all the time despite constant media stories wondering what he's hiding & the fact that it's a TOW ZONE. Illegally parked despite half-empty parking lot which they assiduously guard.

Oh, yeah, gotta keep that parking lot free of little kids.

NorthEndWaterfront.com chronicles some of them.

State Police and Boston Fire marine units fished four people out of Boston Harbor by Christopher Columbus Park around 4 p.m. They handed the guy who fell in to EMTs, who took him to a local hospital for treatment.

The Tea Party so wanted five conservative judges to find the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional but as you know, that was not the decision.
Boston Tea Party rally in Columbus Park.
Photo by Chris Faraone.
So today, the Boston Tea Party rallied in opposition of the national health care law in Chris Columbus Park near the waterfront and the North End.

Still, taxes in any form are a source of resentment for the Tea Party. Even when it comes to the "job-killing" deficit, they refuse to address it in part by raising taxes. Not for nothing, but what isn't job-killing these days, clean air and clean water notwithstanding?

On one hand, Tea Party people feel the decision has given them ammo -- "It is a Tax." -- to use against their enemy, also known as a political opponent, in the upcoming election. But this tax penalty will affect about 1% of Americans only, and the Federal penalty is substantially lower than what we pay in Massachusetts; $700 versus $1200.