Esplanade
Mike Mennonno notes somebody was recently critically injured by a rotted-out tree limb that fell from a tree in Central Parks and that the DCR has been ignoring him for more than two years when he calls to complain about dead trees along the Charles River bike path. He posts photos from a copse of tree corpses:
... As I rode by this morning I realized there were actually three dead or mostly dead trees in the space of a few hundred yards along this well-traveled portion of the path near the new work-out station. I also noticed that each of the dead trees seemed strategically placed where a large overhanging dead limb could best fall on someone: over a park bench, above a water fountain on the main path, at the intersection of the main path and a pedestrian overpass. ...
Chris Devers was at the concert last night. Beth Peardon was there, too.
State and local police are looking for "a bald African-American male in his 30s with a muscular build" in the latest of a string of unsolved attacks on women, this one shortly after midnight near the Mass. Ave. footbridge.
Wanted for three rapes.
The woman called police on a Good Samaritan's phone, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office, which adds the woman was not sexually assaulted. Her attacker wore a black tank top and black sweatpants.
Since the summer of 2006, three women have reported being robbed and raped along the Esplanade or in Moakley Park by a bald black man, 5'8" to 5'10" with a medium to large build.
Officials say they are still investigating whether this morning's attack - details of which they are withholding to avoid jeopardizing the investigation - is by the same individual.
Yesterday my daughter and I decided to brave the crowds and head to the Esplanade from Newton. Before we left I checked the July 4th web site put up by the city, and specifically looked for information about handicapped parking and seating. On the site they indicated that there would be parking spaces for the handicapped with placards on Storrow Drive as well as a parking lot at Mass Eye and Ear with shuttle buses. Read more
Matthew I. watched the fireworks over the Esplanade.
Copyright Matthew I. Posted in the Universal Hub Flickr group.
Brian Fluharty posts some cool photos. Pamela Rosenthal did as well. Audubon asks: When do you get to lie on the Mass Ave bridge besides July 4? And BMWKenDoll zoomed right in:
Ross Levanto attends, runs into a Neil Diamond fan who's seen him seven times. In the past year.
Penny Cherubino reports the Boston Landmark Commission has voted to designate the stretch along the Charles as a landmark. It's now up to Mayor Menino and the city council as to whether the Esplanade becomes a landmark, which, among other things, could make it harder for the state to dig it up or pave it over as it rebuilds the Storrow Drive tunnel.
Matthew I. ponders the Giant Fiedler Head on the Esplanade. You think, late at night, when everybody's asleep, it gets together with the Giant Baby Heads at the MFA?
Copyright Matthew I.
Beth Peardon took in the Three Dog Night concert at the Hatch Shell yesterday.
Copyright Beth Peardon.
Joel Brown reports on who will be performing with the Pops at the Hatch Shell this July Fourth.
The Boston Landmarks Commission tonight considers officially designating the Esplanade a landmark, at a hearing that starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Sarah Kelly, executive director of the Boston Preservation Alliance, explains why it should.
State officials consider unleashing the hounds to scare geese away from the Esplanade. They'll love that across the river when all the geese resettle along Mem. Drive.
Saul Blumenthal shows it's all a matter of perspective along the Esplanade.
Copyright Saul Blumenthal. Posted in the Universal Hub Flickr group.
Joe Driscoll took photos (such as the above) of last night's Charles River fireworks from the Hancock.
Garreyf photographed the reflections of the fireworks on the Hancock and the river.
Ben Ostrander posts fireworks photos from the Mass. Ave. bridge.
More photos.
BostonZest discusses efforts by state and city arborists and local volunteers to protect elm trees on the Commonwealth Avenue mall and along the Esplanade and Charlesgate from the dreaded Dutch Elm Disease:
... When we have a few days of hot weather, the elm bark beetle will come out of hiding and begin spreading the disease. That's when volunteers look to the treetops for signs of distress. "We call it flagging, which is the yellowing of the leaves on a certain section," said Greg Mosman, Boston's city arborist. ...
Fenix shows the lengths to which some people will go to vandalize a lightbulb.
Alyssa photographs zombies enjoying Earthfest on the Esplanade today.
But then the zombies attacked. Rebecca Corliss somehow escaped with this video:
Man robbed around 11 p.m. yesterday by the Bay State Road footbridge. Assailants described as Hispanic teen-agers, between 5'5" and 5'8", about 150 pounds, both wearing dark jackets and dark skullcaps.
The Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports that five people working on a Charles River cleanup suffered burns when a "taffy-like substance," which they'd hauled aboard their boat, caught fire this afternoon near the Esplanade.
Officials are investigating exactly what the stuff is, but say they doubt it was part of an intentionally explosive device.
Aaron Read writes that Beacon Hill denizens threatening to chain themselves to trees to protect the Esplanade will be the same ones screaming if they win and traffic diverted from the closed Storrow tunnel winds up on their streets:
... The ultimate costs to business, the state and to ourselves could well run into the billions (if the Esplanade bypass isn't built). I don't know what the exact number is, but the Patrick administration bettter figure that out quick because I'm willing to bet it's a helluva lot more than the entire construction project will cost.
And someone ought to remind those selfish SOB "Beautiful People" on Beacon Hill to think of the entire state a little more, instead of only themselves.
Earlier:
Re-route Storrow Drive traffic onto the Esplanade?
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