Hey, there! Log in / Register

At-large

By adamg - 8/11/13 - 11:24 pm

The 27 gazillion people running for various offices in Boston this year have taken to Twitter like never before, keeping us up to the minute on what they're doing.

Well, more specifically, they're keeping us up to the minute on how great everything is. They're all having great conversations with great constituents who raise great points as they enjoy great food at great events in every great neighborhood of this great city, that is, when they're not having great rallies with their great volunteers, who then spread out to do some great door knocking - during which, of course, they get a great response.

Oh, great, you think, UHub is getting greatly carried away again. See for yourself, with this up-to-the-minute Twitter timeline of great Boston political tweets these days:

By adamg - 8/9/13 - 1:16 pm

Bill Walczak today called for the state to loosen civil-service rules to let BPD Commissioner Ed Davis elevate more minority and women officer to senior ranks (although the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, which wants Davis cashiered, says that's not good enough, because even with equal scores, Davis goes white).

Walczak says he wrote Gov. Deval Patrick seeking action, adds:

By adamg - 8/5/13 - 12:50 pm

The Herald reports on a debate this morning between Marty Walsh, who is all about the Suffolk Downs casino, and Dan Conley, who says the entire city should vote on it and, if it rejects the idea, he'd sue to block any casino in Everett. Walsh said the only way to protect Charlestown is to negotiate with the developer of the proposed Everett casino. Conley said the state casino law is fundamentally flawed.

By adamg - 8/2/13 - 12:37 pm

The Jamaica Plain Gazette takes a look at the race for city councilor in District 4 (Dorchester-to-Roslindale). Not surprisingly, the three challengers criticize incumbent Charles Yancey for running for both re-election and for mayor.

The Dorchester Reporter provides a list of upcoming mayoral forums. There are a lot of them, so you have no excuse not to miss one, other than perhaps terminal ennui.

By adamg - 7/30/13 - 7:56 pm

John Barros is calling for creation of neighborhood green task forces:

By adamg - 7/29/13 - 1:22 pm

Joe Nucci tries to will Charlotte Golar Richie into the final. Adrian Walker, though, says he would have trouble supporting somebody whose positions are all half baked on a waffle iron.

By adamg - 7/28/13 - 9:48 pm

Finally, the return of the campaign song.

In less melodic news, Rob Consalvo throws his support behind rubber baby buggy bumpers, um, rubber sidewalks.

By adamg - 7/19/13 - 10:57 am

And the gloves come off in what had been a fairly genteel campaign. Rob Consalvo wants Democrats for Education Reform to back away from Boston. In a letter to the head of the Washington-based group, which is now pouring money and volunteers into an effort to get John Connolly elected, Consalvo writes:

We don't know where that money comes from, but we know it comes with one purpose: to further your agenda. ...

By adamg - 7/18/13 - 3:30 pm

John Connolly today unveiled a plan under which every high school in the city would be paired with local busineses, colleges and trade unions or community organizations to better prepare students for the work world:

Each high school would work with its partners to develop a college pathway and a vocational pathway focused on a specific industry or academic field. The partners would help develop curriculum, provide internships to students, and offer resources and people to assist teachers in implementing the curriculum, and allow the use of their facilities for learning.

By adamg - 7/14/13 - 5:21 pm

Rob Consalvo says he just wants to "prevent shadowy groups funded by anonymous donors from dominating and meddling in the race" for mayor and today called on his opponents to either reject money from these wraith-like groups or donate half the amount to the One Fund.

"In principle, sounds like a good idea," the Conley campaign tweeted in reply.

Meanwhile, WBUR reports a group called Democrats for Education Reform (also see) is backing John Connolly, who, like them, wants more charter schools (Consalvo is against lifting the ban on charter schools). It's hired several field coordinators and round up 150 volunteers to promote Connolly.

At-large Councilor Ayanna Pressley went on Greater Boston recently to discuss her push for more liquor licenses for Boston:

By adamg - 7/12/13 - 10:53 am

City Councilor Matt O'Malley (West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain) tweeted last night:

Next week I'll be proposing a city council ordinance to prevent a SharkNado outbreak along the East Coast.

Our newest state rep, Jay Livingstone (D-Beacon Hill, Back Bay) has endorsed John Connolly for mayor rather than his own district councilor, Mike Ross.

By adamg - 7/11/13 - 7:55 pm

The Herald reports on Charlotte Golar Richie's efforts to round up black and women support as she tries to become Boston's first black and first female mayor (tsk, the Herald left out that she'd also be our first mayor from Brooklyn).

David Bernstein, though, analyzes past election numbers from black precincts and concludes simply being black won't be enough to get out the vote.

By adamg - 7/3/13 - 11:55 am

David Bernstein interviews the perpetual candidate, this year running for one of the four at-large seats on the City Council.

By adamg - 6/18/13 - 9:45 am

David Bernstein interviews the East Boston teacher and small businesswoman running for an at-large seat on the City Council this year.

By adamg - 5/23/13 - 8:00 am

Michelle Wu's campaign announced the endorsements this morning. She's running for one of the four at-large seats on the council in this fall's elections.

The roll call:

By adamg - 5/16/13 - 8:50 am

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.

By adamg - 5/1/13 - 10:52 am

Shaun Ivers of Jamaica Plain plans to formally launch his campaign today in Geneva/Bowdoin, but first he took a few potshots against rivals Michael Flaherty, Steve Murphy, Ayanna Pressley and Michelle Wu.

By adamg - 4/22/13 - 1:22 pm

At-large Councilor Ayanna Pressley made the announcement today:

I've never been more proud to represent and serve this City. The resiliency demonstrated by the people of Boston this past week has only strengthened my resolve in this work. And while it still doesn't feel like the right time for politics, we are approaching a time in the election cycle where my supporters and my good friends already in the race deserve to know my decision.”

By adamg - 4/15/13 - 1:18 pm

Ivers

Shaun Ivers, a Jamaica Plain real-estate agent and consultant, said today he's running for one of the four at-large city-council seats this fall, vowing not to become another mayoral kowtower engaging in "meaningless soapbox grandstanding:"

Subscribe to At-large