Unfortunately, John Cass has had to take his son to the MGH emergency room twice. But he reports the facility no longer feels like something out of Dickens:

... Instead of Victorian brick, we visited a newly designed 21st century facility, where triage happened within minutes at an individual nursing station, then registration with a clerk, before waiting in the children's waiting room for half an hour. The whole experience took 2-3 hours, and though could not be contrasted with our earlier visit which really was life threatening, was a whole lot better because of the new facilities and to me better organization. ...

According to a press release that I received from the DCR yesterday, the upstream (south) sidewalk of the Longfellow Bridge reopened yesterday.

Here's the full text of the press release:

Vacancy rates are soaring and that means landlords are starting to drop their prices to keep apartments occupied, John Ford reports.

Richard Beaubien reports the Frog Pond carousel was originally supposed to be up for a two-week test go-round. But it already seems like a Common tradition:

Right now it's only running until about 9pm. Still it's a really nice addition to summer evenings. Word is if all goes well, it may become a permanent fixture. How can you help? Well if you're down there spend a couple of bucks to put the lid on the ride. And call 617-635-2120 or email bcfpond@yahoo.com. Let them know that you like it.

Copyright Richard Beaubien.

More on Frog Pond and the carousel.

Reporters beware, don't plunk.

The State House News Service reports that Michael Travaglini, executive director of the Massachusetts pension fund, told a local reporter, "You have no right to record a meeting".

Travaglini later defended his stance by stating the reporter disrupted the public meeting of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board by arriving late and "plunking a recording device in the middle of the table".

Ross Levanto reports on meeting tonight between the Beacon Hill Civic Association, the police and City Councilor Mike Ross about crime in the neighborhood.

Among the issues: Police say the Most Violent Prophet gang of high-school toughs may be moving out of Downtown Crossing and onto Beacon Hill, which might explain a number of recent robberies. He adds that many of those robberies involve iPhone and Sidekick snatchings from people walking down the street talking on them.

Boston Police report officers heard gunshots around 2 a.m. on Sunday and found a man lying at Cambridge and Staniford streets with a gunshot wound, a gun and shell casings nearby and two men running away.

The victim was taken to Mass. General for treatment of a non-life-threatening leg wound, police say. Raymond Harris, 23, of Quincy and Jack Ford, 23, of Boston, were arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Innocent, etc.

Today's the special Democratic primary to see who runs in the special election to replace Sal DiMasi in the 3rd Suffolk district.

Susan Passoni, Aaron Michlewitz, Brian Ross and Lucy Rivera face off on the Democratic side. Whoever wins will face independent John Keith and Republican David Trumbull on June 16.

Free from any primary responsibilities, and noting the battle between the North End's Michlewitz and the South End's Passoni, Keith recounts another North End/South End battle, back in the 1700s, when Protestant groups in the two neighborhoods would hold annual Pope's Day riots to see who could most show their hatred for Catholics. Fortunately, the social climate in Boston seems to have improved a bit since then.

Beth Peardon took a close look at the carousel now by Frog Pond on Boston Common.

Copyright Beth Peardon. Posted in the Universal Hub group on Flickr.

Josh Dawson is a member of the Ward 5 Democratic Committee (Back Bay, Beacon Hill and Bay Village). And he's a bit perturbed over the way 3rd Suffolk state-rep hopeful Aaron Michlewitz may have gotten questions from a Ward 5/Ward 4 debate in advance:

... It's disappointing that our Committee's reputation could be tarnished for a short time because of this mess. As a member of the Executive Committee, I will push to have a meeting as soon as possible to discuss this situation and fix any problems with the forum/endorsement process, so we can get back to doing the things that make our Committee great ...

He also says that despite what ward Chairman Rob Whitney seemed to tell the Phoenix, neither he nor at least three other members got the questions in advance.