West Roxbury
Temple Street in West Roxbury was closed off today for the block's annual St. Patrick's Day street-hockey festival. Kids of all ages competed in the ten mini-rinks set up along the street, under the watchful eyes of parents and refs:
Boston Police report the Walgreens at 1991 Centre St. was held up Sunday by a man who handed a note to the pharmacist:
The note read that this was a robbery and that he had a gun and that he wanted the narcotics listed on the note. The subject was handed over Clonazepam, Alprazolam, and Fentanyl patches. The subject left on foot. He may have fled the scene in an older model red Honda CRV.
Police say the man "had deformities on his face, including his chin" and also appeared nervous with a slight shudder. Know him? Contact E-5 detectives at 617-343-4595.
Needham Line train: Passing between the Charles (foreground) and Cutler Park this afternoon.
In the 1970s, the Corps abandoned plans for a massive series of levees and flood-control dams along the Charles River and instead bought up or acquired easements to 8,100 acres of land along the river from Millis to Boston. The land acts like a sponge - absorbing large amounts of water during heavy rains and the releasing it slowly afterward, reducing the amount of flooding in built up areas - such as Cambridge and the Back Bay. Not only does it work (in conjuction with giant pumps installed at the New Charles River Dam at the river's mouth), it cost 10% of the levee/dam plan.
You can get a good view of the plan in action from the top of Millennium Park in West Roxbury (Ed. note: Only an idiot, or a Universal Hub editor, will go to the top in the middle of a nor'easter), built into a curve on the Charles. There's flood-control land on either side, including Cutler Park, which, while marshy, does not usually look like a lake.
The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports that Phil Dunkelbarger of Westwood, who ran as an anti-war candidate against Stephen Lynch in the 2006 Democratic primary, is running against Lynch again this year.
Keith Lepor of Roslindale and Vernon Harrison of Braintree are running on the Republican side.
Wayne Wilson announces campaign on Blue Mass. Group. For gay marriage, against death penalty, wants to peg minimum wage to inflation and would reform CORI.
Ed Coppinger, co-publisher of ParkwayBoston.com, will run for the state representative's seat being vacated by Mike Rush, who is running for Marian Walsh's state senate seat.
Campaign Web site.
Auntie Bee's becomes the Rox Diner next week, ParkwayBoston.com reports.
Boston Ladder 25 had to be pulled out of service last night when a car ran into it as it was racing to a minor accident at 1212 VFW Parkway around 11:40 p.m., Wednesday.
Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said the driver of the car was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. No firefighters were hurt, but the collision damaged one of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the ladder, so it had to be replaced with a spare truck until repairs can be completed. He said the truck's emergency lights and sirens were on as it rushed to the first accident.
State Police are now investigating the accident - the parkway is a state road - MacDonald said.
District E-5 reports somebody's going around the city's two quietest neighborhoods stealing wheels off cars again.
On Feb. 4, the owner of an Accord on LaGrange Street came out to find his car up on concrete block and missing one tire. On Feb. 11, the owner of a Chevy Colorado parked on the VFW Parkway came out to find their SUV on crates and all four wheels gone. On Feb. 15, a Toyota Venza became wheel-less on Belgrade Avenue in Roslindale.
Earlier:
Accord goes rimless on Dwinell Street.
Tire thieves do a lot of damage in West Roxbury.
A group of Democrats say long-time Governor's Councilor Kelly Timilty forfeited the right to represent her district when she circulated a bogus, forged endorsement from Deval Patrick two years ago.
Mary-Ann Greanier said she decided to organize a letter and e-mail campaign to urge Timility to step aside after fellow Democrats expressed concern and outrage that Timilty might run again this fall. Greanier is chairwoman of the Democratic Town Committee, although she says her campaign to get Timilty to step down is not a town-committee effort. Read more
Millennium Park wasn't exactly packed this morning as the snow started, but I was far from the only person there - dog walkers, strollers and joggers weren't going to let a little snow and brisk winds keep them from their appointed rounds.
Picking up a load of salt this morning at the Boston DPW sand/salt shed by Millennium Park in West Roxbury. And remember: Beware the turning spinner!
Boston Police report a woman who forgot to get her ATM card back after a visit to a Citizens Bank bank machine in West Roxbury found extra money removed from her account - allegedly by a guy whose surveillance photos look like something out of the Addams Family.
Wicked Local West Roxbury reports "an ongoing investigation into escort services and prostitution operating in the West Roxbury and Roslindale areas" has snared its first suspect: A woman working as a caregiver for a bedridden 92-year-old woman on Baker Street whom police say was using the woman's house to turn tricks ($150 for 15 minutes).
Democrat Paul Sullivan of West Roxbury said today he is running for the 10th Suffolk seat being vacated by state-Senate hopeful Mike Rush:
As an ADA, I have fought day after day on behalf of victims of violent crime, parents seeking child support and those battling drug addictions. I have served the people of the Commonwealth with the utmost passion and tended to each individual with the proper focus and effort they deserved. I look forward to utilizing my work ethic and hard working attitude that was required of me at the DA's Office into advocating on behalf of the residents here in the Tenth Suffolk District.
Also declared: Kelly Tynan and Matt Benedetti.
The district includes West Roxbury, South Brookline and a small part of Roslindale.
In addition to West Roxbury state Rep. Mike Rush, state Reps. Paul McMurtry of Dedham and John Rogers of Norwood are looking at possible runs, the Herald reports. Wicked Local West Roxbury, though, says McMurtry has already scratched himself from the race.
Republican Brad Williams is also running.
The perpetual candidate writes he's decided against running, although he doesn't say why. Two other Republicans, Keith Lepor and Vernon Harrison, are looking at taking on the incumbent.
Robinson says he commissioned a poll that found Lynch only had a 42% approval rating in the 9th District.
The Boston Licensing Board yesterday voted to grant a beer-and-wine license to Wee Angel, a Scottish bistro proposed for the site of the old Zon's in Hyde Square. The pub is also seeking a license from a separate city board for acoustic music. More on Wee Angel.
Also yesterday, the board granted a beer and wine license to 660 Al-Wadi, a Lebanese restaurant under construction at the site of the old Spring Blossom on VFW Parkway in West Roxbury. The board set a closing time of midnight Sunday through Thursday and 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Owner Ghassan Samaha originally proposed a 2 a.m. closing time on weekends, but the three residents who live right next to the location objected at a hearing on Wednesday.
Won't take on Mike Rush for Marian Walsh's Suffolk and Norfolk state-senate seat, the Jamaica Plain Gazette reports.
Wicked Local Roslindale reports Kelly Tynan, formerly director of West Roxbury Main Streets and now a teacher at the Conley School, is running for the state representative's seat that Rush is vacating to run for Marian Walsh's state Senate seat. Walsh has yet to say if she's seeking re-election.
Also running, Wicked Local reports: Matt Benedetti. Benedetti tried to run in 2008 against Rush but the Secretary of State ruled too many of the signatures on his petitions were invalid.
The Globe interviews Kelly Young, whose Braving the BPS Lottery has been a great resource for parents in the West Zone (Roslindale, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain) dealing with the issue of school choice for their pre-schoolers and impending kindergarteners.
Bob LeLievre breaks down Coakley's large win in Boston by neighborhood, along with comparisons to 2006 numbers for Deval Patrick. Some interesting numbers: She lost South Boston, barely took West Roxbury, Charlestown and Tom Menino's redoubt of Readville, but got 96% of the vote in Mattapan and 92% in Roxbury.
Ed Coppinger reports; latest sign the West Roxbury state senator won't be seeking re-election this year?
Pizzeria Uno's Uno Chicago Bar and Grill that Used to Just Sell Pizza bankruptcy filing shows the West Roxbury-based chain of not-pizza places owes WFXT $64,000 and Katsiroubas Bros. $54,000. The filing, in New York bankruptcy court also shows the company owes NStar $112,000 and National Grid $95,000.
Although the Chapter 11 filing means the company remains open for business, it is closing outlets in some farflung locations such as Fairhaven and New Hampshire.
Uno's bankruptcy filing.
The Boston Licensing Board holds a hearing on Jan. 27 on a request for a beer and wine license for the Lebanese restaurant going in where Spring Blossom used to be - 1249 VFW Parkway. Owner Ghassan Samaha, who already operates Nicole's in the South End, wants to stay open until 2 a.m., according to his application.
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