Boston University

BU freshman from Kansas learns about the harsh realities of life in Allston after his iPod, GPS and radio are stolen from his car parked on Comm. Ave.

... He ran back to the apartment and told his roomies what happened. They were all very upset on his behalf. Then one of them asked him how the thief got in. As it turns out, the kid from Kansas left his doors unlocked and everything in plain sight because that is the way he "does things at home."

Jennifer Douglas, who told workers at Boston University's Mugar Library she had a bomb on May 4, yesterday admitted to sufficient facts in the case and was sentenced to two years' probation and mental-health treatment - and was ordered to stay the hell away from BU - the Suffolk County District Attorney's office announced.

She was also ordered to stay away from the Bethel AME Church in Boston.

By forcibly removing any bicycles not attached to a rack on Comm. Ave.

Jennifer Douglas, 28, is charged with making a false bomb threat by walking into BU's Mugar Library with two boxes and telling an employee she had a bomb yesterday evening.

The library was evacuated as the Boston Fire Department and the police bomb squad investigated. They eventually concluded the library was safe to re-open. The Daily Free Press reports the boxes contained a cuckoo clock, a framed picture and newspapers (it also published a picture of the boxes).

The Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports Douglas was arraigned this morning in Brighton District Court and was sent to the Eric Lindemann Center in Boston for 20 days to determine her competence.

Douglas could get between 2 1/2 and 20 years in jail, depending on the nature of the charges brought against her.

Read for yourself the National Research Council report on why it thinks more study is needed before BU should be allowed to study deadly pathogens in the South End.

Biolab follies - Phoenix report.

Silber Knocks New Architecture in Book, Built Junk at Boston U.

One guess what the author of that review of John Silber's harangue about new buildings at MIT and Harvard thinks about former BU strongman Silber's own fleet of new buildings across the river.

... Is he angry that his 13 million square feet have risked nothing, aspired to nothing and achieved no glory for the institution he led for so long?

He ought to be.

Via Geoff Edgers.

Gribley reports:

BU Medical Campus wisely decided to spray the lawn with pesticides the day before the first sunny, warm spring day. Did the nasty smell and the little yellow signs stop people from playing, picnicing, and lying out on the grass? Of course not.

Why are we spraying the lawn with these things, exactly? Isn't there a School of Public Health and a School of Medicine on this campus? You'd think we'd know better than this.

The Tab reports police filed a license violation against the Common Ground on Harvard Avenue after a woman allegedly committed "assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (pint glass)" on April 5 by throwing her stein at another patron, getting him in the face and sending him to the hospital (report does not state if the pint glass still had beer in it).

The police blotter also contains some useful advice for BU students: Roommates might not appreciate having their shampoo bottles filled with what appears to be semen or having male genitalia drawn on their dry-erase boards and so might call the police (who will then advise the lot of you to go seek some counseling at BU).

Go figure: The old Charlesgate Hotel is haunted, and Eugene O'Neil's ghost makes occasional appearances at BU's Shelton Hall. Sam Baltrusis, writing a book on the paranormal at New England campuses, discusses.

The Allston-Brighton Tab reports a national fraternity conclave - headed up by some BU students - got a bit out of hand at the Soldiers Field Road Days Inn this past Sunday. Well, you know how boys are.

... The hotel manager told police Sunday, March 23, that dozens of people from the Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity were allegedly going from room to room and destroying items. While officers were trying to clear the hallways, the various groups continued to run from floor to floor to avoid the police. ...

Via Bostonist.

Fenway? Colin the Bold reports parking meters all around the neighborhood are already plastered with "No Parking Sun - Mon" signs. Huh? Oh, right, Boylston Street, the preferred rioting grounds of students everywhere.

But lest one think the BPD is discriminating against Northeastern and BU students, Police Commissioner Ed Davis warns he will brook no nonsense from anybody Sunday night:

Davis said come Sunday night, police will be on every corner near college areas.

That's a lot of corners, from Brighton to downtown.

Jason Schwartz reports on an intensive, 18-month rebranding effort in which Boston University, um, er, removed a thin white line between "Boston" and "University" in its official logo. Also: The letters are a bit thinner now. And so, progress marches on.

Lowney.

A guy who shows up at Darfur rallies to protest "the Zionist war" against Sudan was convicted of violating the state wiretapping law this week for recording a BU police officer outside a Darfur talk at BU, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Meanwhile, a possible accomplice of the guy now faces charges of his own for allegedly leaving threatening messages on the officer's home phone number and for allegedly calling up BU President Robert Brown to express the wish that somebody slit his "fascist" throat. He is, not, however, charged with being a dumbass for leaving his phone number in one of his messages.

Keep Allston Decent is a BU student group whose members go out on Sunday mornings cleaning the streets up of the detritus of Saturday-night parties (hmm, like this one, perhaps?).

The Daily Free Press profiles the group:

... The neighborhood was just filthy," said KAD co-chairman and College of Arts and Sciences senior Charlie Geyer. "There was a leaking fire hydrant filling my corner with dirty water because the drainpipe was filled with garbage, and I realized that nobody else was going to take care of this." ...

Although David at Blue Mass. Group writes this one's not over yet, folks. Something about federal backers of the plan ignoring pesky scenarios like incredibly painful, mosquito-borned viruses escaping.

David Brand, a BU student, recounts an incident early Saturday on Harvard Street that still has him upset - especially since it happened around the same time as Shawn Dow's death above a bloody brawl:

... On Friday night, a group of 3 guys yelled at my friends and I when we passed them on Harvard Street.

"Fags! Hippie fags!"

Big deal. Clearly (though apparently not so clear to me when I was drunk and eager to flex my beer muscles), these kids were looking for a fight. After something, probably a beer can, struck me in the head I turned around and confronted who I thought was the leader.

Bam. Blind-sided by his friend, who unleashed a flurry of punches on my face and skull. After the "fight," we were mercifully pulled away from each other. ...

The next night, a BU student walking in Kenmore Square was robbed at gunpoint by a hoodie-wearing thug on Beacon Street:

The victim said she passed the man as he was pretending to tie his shoelace. She said she then heard him running toward her and turned to face him as he ran up behind her with his gun drawn, demanding she give him her purse.

Via the Tab's Jessica Scarpati.

The BU Daily Free Press reports:

BUPD received a call at 3:23 a.m. Nov. 12 from a male party requesting an officer to check on his girlfriend living at 726 Commonwealth Ave. The two were arguing over the phone when her line went dead. BUPD arrived at her apartment and found her. She had fallen asleep during the argument.

The Daily Free Press reports today on a Student Union meeting at which student leaders reported dramatically improved relations between students and police.

Brookline Police, however, report not all the fires are out - early Sunday morning, they say they had to bust up a loud party at 76 Egmont St:

Police responded to a complaint of a loud party and upon arrival witnessed empty beer cans and red cups strewn throughout the apartment. Further investigation revealed several guests were still inside the party they were all identified and sent of their way. The hostess of the party, a Bu student will be summonsed to court for Disturbing the Peace and Furnishing Alcohol to Persons under 21.

Oh, yeah, they also report breaking up a loud soiree early Saturday morning at 66 Egmont St.:

Police responded to a call of a loud party and after meeting with the underage residents of the apartment observed a large number of empty beer cans and spilled beer. When police entered the apartment they discovered two cases of beer in the refrigerator as well as a funnel used to consume mass quantities of alcohol. The residents, both students at Boston University will be summonsed into court for Disturbing the Peace and Minor in Possession of Alcohol.

Earlier:
BU students, Brookline edge closer to confrontation.

The school is setting up several large-screen TV locations on campus to try to keep students away from Kenmore Square.

... "Things can get a little crazy down at Fenway during a big event like the World Series," says Jeff Murphy (GSM'06), assistant director of the Students Activities Office. "And it's the University's responsibility to provide alternatives to potentially dangerous situations. We're just glad we can harness student enthusiasm and have a great event on campus."

Just in case, however:

Officers from the Boston University Police Department will be dispatched to Kenmore Square and to various residence halls during all home games, according to Captain Robert Molloy of the BUPD. On the night of the deciding game, the entire department will be deployed, and a tactical response team will work with Boston Police to help control crowds in Kenmore Square.

The Daily Free Press reports on a meeting between BU students and Brookline selectmen last night on the whole noise situation.

Selectman Gil Hoy told students he's gotten more than 100 complaints from residents. But:

Bring BU Back founder Katie Geiss said permanent residents made no attempt to meet students during the student move-in period in September when they could have brought noise issues to the students' attentions. The College of Arts and Sciences senior said she is aiming to find a way to resolve tension between students and permanent residents as quickly as possible.

Because, apparently, BU students need to be educated on how to live in a densely populated area. However, the group's Web site no longer makes cracks about old people's hearing and now speaks of compromise, while adding:

We merely want the ability to police ourselves as a community. And when this is not possible due to the handful of spoilers, the police are welcome to come solve the problem when called upon. All we ask is that they do not idle on doorsteps waiting for someone to flinch.

The Daily Free Press reports:

A Boston University police car struck a student while possibly making an illegal turn in front of Marsh Chapel last night, according to a witness.

The BU Daily Free Press reports on an Oct. 20 incident on Ashford Street in Allston involving, surprise, a loud party:

Once inside, officers discovered a severely intoxicated 19-year-old Boston University student crying on the floor, lying in her own vomit.

Host and DJ arrested on party-related charges.

Brookline Police report busting up two parties early Saturday, at 54 Egmont St. and 241 Freeman St. Both allegedly involved BU students and large quantities of liquor present. In addition, a BU lass allegedly walking down Freeman with a "party cup" was charged with being a minor in possession of alcohol.

Earlier:
Those mean Brookline cops at it again.
BU students, Brookline edge closer to war.

Brookline Police continue to patrol opposition strongholds near Boston University, and managed to file this report from Thatcher Street, shortly after midnight yesterday:

Police on patrol witnessed two young men carrying a 30 pack of beer while walking down the street, when police stopped the subjects to inquire about proof of age it was revealed neither was yet 21. Both subjects will be summonsed to court for Minor in Possession of Alcohol.

Earlier:
BU students, Brookline edge closer to war.

BU student government in desperate bid to stave off all-out war; convinces newly formed student militia to hold off any action for at least a week as it tries to meet with Brookline officials:

"If nothing is changed by next weekend, we're going to take a more aggressive approach," Geiss added.

The protests would involve students sitting on their stoops on weekends in Brookline who were not intoxicated to see if Brookline police would take action against any of them.

"If they're confronted by authorities and arrested, it's a clear notion of an abuse of power," she said. "They're trying to scare students to behave, and it's indicative of their police state as whole. To those in power - they are the law."