West Roxbury

It's a good thing Millennium Park has a bike rack

adamg — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:54:15 -0500

Because it's just such a pain to have to watch your bike when you're busy going down the slide at the playground.

Test Day in Boston

adamg — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:32:54 -0500

Today's the day when sixth graders across Boston take the ISEE, which will help determine whether they get an invitation to one of the city's three exam schools (it counts for 50% of the decision, with the rest based on their last fifth-grade marks and their first sixth-grade marks). Here, kids - and their parents - wait in line at the West Roxbury Education Complex for check in. They had to show both an acceptance letter for the test and a passport or birth certificate - nobody was going to pull a Curley today.

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UBurger wants to open downtown; West Roxbury could become more cordial

adamg — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:48:51 -0400

UBurger, which already sells fresh burgers and hand-cut fries to BU students from two location, plans to open a third outlet on Tremont Street at Temple Place.

The Boston Licensing Board decides tomorrow whether to grant UBurger a license to open between 11 a.m. and midnight seven days a week. At a brief hearing today, the board had no major questions; member Suzanne Ianella, who lives nearby, did ask how much a burger would cost (about $5, depending on toppings, a restaurant lawyer told her).

Meanwhile, out in West Roxbury, the Skara Grill on Centre Street wants to add cordials and liqueurs to its drink menu. The board will also vote on this request tomorrow. The West Roxbury Neighborhood Council and City Councilor John Tobin both say they're in favor.

Spate of residential break-ins in West Roxbury

adamg — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:48:37 -0400

Boston Police report three homes were broken into on Oct. 19 and a fourth on Oct. 14 - all during the day.

Homes on Woodley Avenue, DeSoto Road, Edgemere Road and Ridgecrest Terrace were all broken into, with jewelery and cash the targets. In one case, a witness reported seeing three suspects, roughly 17 to 20, black males, one wearing a back pack. In the Edgemere Road break-in, the thieves took a World War II Purple Heart medal.

Is Spring Street Dunkin' Donuts replacing Roche Bros. as Westie political hangout?

adamg — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:12:04 -0400

Ed Coppinger reports:

It seems 3 days a week for the last month or so there has been a candidate for Mayor or Boston City Council shaking hands at one of the Parkway’s hot-spots. Now I can add Candidate for U.S. Senate to that list.

Coppinger posts a photo of Steve Pagliuca looking admiringly at young ward Matt O'Malley, who used to be a regular at Roche Bros. during his runs for city council.

City looks to expand elementary schools in West Roxbury

adamg — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:17:41 -0400

Buried in a press release about "exciting new and expanded programs" for parents this fall in the Boston Public Schools is this nugget:

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Boston to build solar-powered evacuation route

adamg — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:05:14 -0400

Mass. High Tech reports the city's won a $1.3-million federal stimulus grant to build a solar-powered fuel station for emergency vehicles and "solar-powered street lights, traffic lights, video cameras and message boards" along Washington Street (apparently, the one through Roxbury, JP, Roslindale and West Roxbury), because, when the Big One hits, we might not be able to rely on normal power supplies for such things.

Squirrel goes nuts on transformer: Transformer explodes, squirrel dies, street goes dark

adamg — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:28:10 -0400

Boston Police tweet a squirrel chewed through the insulation of a wire on a transformer in West Roxbury this morning, causing a short that led to an explosion that ended with the Wren Street area losing power.

Shawarming West Roxbury

adamg — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:25:12 -0400

Good news for shawarma fans! The King on Centre Street now has it - In chicken, beef and lamb, all in rollups or a dinner (which comes with a salad, fries, pita and tahini).

Redbox, Netflix knock out Blockbuster in West Roxbury

adamg — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:47:48 -0400

The credits have rolled for the Centre Street Blockbuster - although there's now a cheery note on the front door advising former customers to put their old movies through the slot if they don't want to hear from a collection agency.

In other Centre Street news, it's a bit of a shame the West Roxbury BPL branch couldn't have opened before cool weather after some recent renovations - because the first thing that hits you now when you enter is the smell of paint, and not in a good way.