Boston

UPDATE: Limited service to New Haven restored, but still no service past there.

Service is halted indefinitely, Amtrak reports.

The crash sent 60 people to the hospital.

Last month, the MBTA announced a contest in which anyone could design what could be the next MBTA map.

Transit Maps has not one, but two contest submissions posted for our viewing pleasure. While no submissions have been officially heralded by the MBTA at this time, it is clear that some very talented cartographers are partaking in the festivities.

The MBTA had previously announced a deadline of April 30, 2013, however no mention of the contest has been made since the original announcement of the contest.

The Globe reports on support for mayoral candidate Charlotte Golar Richie among people like state Reps. Michael Moran (Allston/Brighton) and Aaron Michlewitz (North End).

Mike Ball comes away impressed from Rob Consalvo's kickoff rally in JP, although he says he needs to flesh out his proposed agenda:

So far, no one in the race has advanced either a brilliant slogan or a revolutionary platform. Rob's catchphrase Making Boston Better is more than adequate. He simply has to convince enough voters that he can pull that off, that he can harden up his kind of spongy goals and achieve each one. Last evening was promising.

The Boston Herald reports that U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch and Boston Mayoral Candidate Robert Cappucci, a former Boston School Committee member and police officer, were involved in a car accident yesterday in South Boston.

“I felt the bang and thought, ‘What the heck is that?’ ” Cappucci said. “I looked in the rear-view mirror and I recognized Steve. I thought, ‘That’s unbelievable that he would hit me like that.’ But he probably knew more than I did because I couldn’t see the other cars behind him.”

To read click here.

Some people try to visit all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. Others vow to eat at every single burger place in Boston. Googiebaba has decided to try to meet all 24 people running for mayor of Boston. She starts with DA Dan Conley, whom she met one rainy Saturday while she and her two kids were on the side of the West Roxbury Parkway, victims of a flat tire:

A black SUV pulled up, and there was a gentleman talking to the police officer. I actually thought I might be in trouble when I saw him. He had that air of authority about him. For those not in Boston, Dan is our District Attorney. He introduced himself, and then asked me if I wanted him to take the kids home. This continues to amuse me. My children are gorgeous. They are bright, shiny stars. But they are also beastly. I keep imagining what would have happened if I had said yes, and put my two kids in the back of his beautiful SUV. ...

The BAA is inviting 5,633 runners who were unable to cross the finish line at this year's marathon back to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon next year.

In a press release today, they listed the eligibility as having at least crossed the half-marathon checkpoint when the race was stopped at 2:50 PM. They do not yet know what the total size of next year's field will be set at, but those invited back will be given the chance to be a part of that field automatically by using a non-transferable unique code that will be given out in August.

Those affected by this decision should already have received an e-mail letting them know that they were included.

A lot of people have speculated that Lt. Governor Tim Murray's gubernatorial ambitions crashed and burned. However, with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder embroiled with scandal, the rumor about Governor Patrick being tapped to replace Holder is heating up again. If this happens, Murray becomes Acting Governor. Today, President Obama's hometown paper, the Chicago Sun, focuses on this.

To read click here.

Reuben Kantor, who worked for Ross when Ross served as city council president, sent out e-mail today announcing he'll be working as Bill Walczak's campaign manager:

WBUR reports on progressives fretting about the City Council winding up next year just as white and XYish as "old Boston." Or as 'BUR calls these folks, "self-styled progressives," because God forbid people be allowed to identify their political leanings without a reporter casting some doubt on what they really are by adding some empty phrase like "self-styled." But I guess we could expect no less from self-professed reporter David Scharfenberg.

Dave Levy isn't buying some survey that claims 48 other states are more frickin' foul mouthed than we are.

The Ford Hall Forum hosts a discussion on Weds., May 22 on "how we can capitalize on social media's incredible benefits of crowd sourcing and speed while protecting against its inaccuracy and fear-mongering," with Globe blogger Garrett Quinn, who tweeted from Watertown, BPD PR person Cheryl Fiandaca and some guy who spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to retweet as the week's events unfolded.

Admission is free for the discussion, which starts at 6:30 p.m. at Suffolk University's C. Walsh Theatre, 55 Temple St. on Beacon Hill.

The Boston Business Journal reports the Department of Transportation's Finance Committee this week approved a plan under which New Balance will build a new Worcester Line station near its impending new Brighton complex. The stop will be called Boston Landing.

Based on their clothes, you can probably tell about when this photo was taken. But where? See it larger. From the Boston City Archives (only click that link if you want to see the answer).

Mayor Menino says he wants to reduce injury rates among bicyclists by 50% by 2020. This report examines current bicycling trends in Boston and offers some suggestions, including looking at mandatory helmet use for all bicyclists, greater enforcement of existing traffic laws among both motorists and bicyclists and continuing to expand bicycle-friendly facilities and lanes in the city.

The report identifies specific problem routes and neighborhoods; perhaps not surprisingly, these tend to be centered in densely packed areas of the city, in particular those heavily populated by students, such as Comm. Ave. and Allston/Brighton.

The Globe reports Boston Municipal Court Judge Raymond Dougan received $550,000 in free legal help in his successful battle to fend off a bias charge brought by Suffolk County DA Dan Conley.

Dan Kennedy explains why his reaction is more or less so?

When Conley filed his complaint, he was in a no-lose situation. Even if Dougan ultimately prevailed, Conley knew that the judge would be ruined financially, and be held up as an object lesson for other judges wary of incurring the wrath of prosecutors. That's outrageous, and tilts the balance in favor of the prosecution even more than it already is.

Dougan found a way around that. And keep in mind that Conley's complaint was ultimately found to be bogus.

The Herald reports all 13 deputy fire chiefs signed a letter declaring they have no confidence in Fire Chief Steve Abraira, the department's highest ranking uniformed officer, in part because he didn't want to assume command in the minutes after the Boston Marathon bombings.

Abraira reports to Fire Commissioner Rod Fraser, who hired him from Dallas - the first time the job has ever gone to somebody not from Boston. He explains to the Herald why he left Marathon response to commanders in the field.

WBUR interviews Wendy Landman, executive director of WalkBoston on the implications of people who just don't want to drive as much as their parents.

Big Papi is selling memorial bats with net proceeds going to the One Fund. The blue bats feature the phrase "This is our f-ing city" (yes, written just like that).

The Herald talks to Dan Conley and John Barros. Currently, only East Boston is slated to vote on the proposed Suffolk Downs casino.

Case in point:

Haverhill 213 10:30 AM OB experiencing 30-45 min delays due to residual delay 5/13/2013 11:46 AM

Are the people who write these things really that dumb? Oh wait, I guess that's a rhetorical question.

When and where was this waterfront photo taken? From the Boston City Archives, of course. See it larger.

It's Lilac Sunday over at the Arnold Arboretum.

Food trucks, Roxy's Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Batch Ice Cream, Clover Food Truck, Cupcakory and Slush King are also there.

Take mom over for a treat on her day!

Photo: Steve Garfield CC BY-NC-SA

Our newest candidate for mayor is John Laing of Hyde Park, who quickly found his newest supporter in Mister Malcolm the Dorchester Dancer.

Ed. note: If Laing wins, he will not only be Boston's first black mayor, he will be the first mayor to have graduated Brandeis.

The mayor's office announced today city government will be moving from its current legacy applications - such as Microsoft Exchange and Outlook - to Google Apps.

In addition to making legally required e-mail retention easier, the move will save money and free city MIS from the task of maintaining creaky legacy applications, by handing the thing over to Google:

"By bringing city government into the cloud, Boston continues to modernize our technology while saving taxpayer dollars and freeing up city workers to focus on the vital work of helping people. Our technology experts will now be able to focus on moving the city forward, rather than maintaining servers," Mayor Menino said. "I applaud the vision of our technology leadership and the efforts of all those involved in this process."

In addition to Gmail, the move, expected to happen this summer, will give city workers access to Google Hangout, Google Docs and Google Drive. The city has hired San Francisco-based Appirio to manage the transition and to oversee ongoing support and security for the new system.

The city claims 75,000 e-mail users, although roughly 57,000 of those are Boston public-school students who have addresses on city systems.