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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Fallen Service Members Honored on Boston Common

Dignitaries speak at Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund flag display.

With over 33,000 small American flags planted in the ground on Boston Common, dozens gathered nearby Thursday to pay tribute to the men and women who gave their lives in service to their country. Each flag represented a U.S. serviceman or woman from Massachusetts who has died in uniform since the American Civil War, and each flag was planted by volunteers with the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund. "This display stops people directly in their tracks," said Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund President Steve Kerrigan. "And that, of course, is exactly the point." "We shall never forget the sacrifices made by those who gave us our freedom today," said Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. The names of 187 military members who died in service were read …

17 Boston Mayoral Candidates Submit Signatures

Tuesday at 5 p.m. was the deadline for submitting nomination signatures to be a candidate on the ballot.

Seventeen possible Boston mayoral candidates submitted papers Tuesday before the 5 p.m. deadline at City Hall. That doesn't mean all 17 will be on the ballot in the Sept. 24 election, as 3,000 individual signatures must be certified by June 25. Twenty-four people signed out nomination papers by the May 13 deadline, which leaves seven potential candidates by the wayside following this week's cut-off. With 17 possible candidates vying for signatures across Boston, it is possible that some voters signed for multiple candidates, and signatures can only count once. First come, first served is the rule, so some signatures may be thrown out.  But for now there are some heavyweights in the biggest Boston election in decades. City Councilors John …

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Thousands of American Flags Planted on Common

Gov. Deval Patrick will honor those killed in action at a 10 a.m. ceremony Thursday.

You may have noticed a very patriotic sight in Boston Common starting Wednesday afternoon: thousands of small American flags planted not far from the intersection of Beacon and Charles Street. The flags were planted by volunteers with the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. According to their website, the volunteers planned to plant 33,000 flags this year for each military service member from the Bay State who has given their lives in service to America since the Civil War. On Thursday, Gov. Deval Patrick will honor those lost in a ceremony at the site at 10 a.m. The ceremony will include the reading of names of those who have died during Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle by …

Ken

9:49 pm on Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Just have the dirty dog walkers keep far away from this site. No need for them to bring their dog to this area and degrade it. Great job to all that made this beautiful site possible.   more ›

Murray to Resign June 2; Patrick Calls Him 'Outstanding Partner'

Outgoing lieutenant governor said recent controversies had nothing to do with decision to resign.

Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray said none of the controversies that have dogged him during his tenure on Beacon Hill contributed to his decision to announce his resignation. In a press conference at the State House Wednesday, Murray said his final day on the job will be June 2. The next day he will take over as president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce where his salary will reportedly be around $200,000. In January, Murray said he had no intention of running for governor when Gov. Deval Patrick's term expires in January 2015. "This has been a very difficult but empowering decision," Murray said. "It has been an honor to serve as lieutenant governor." Patrick called Murray an "outstanding partner" during his time in …

Donna Reed

3:08 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013

Upset...I think what Paul may have meant is that you are not adding the s's to the end of your word's...as in...What ( there should be an 's here) wroug..( eliminate the u, add the missing n )..after IT the word, should read It'S the word, and that another way SHOULD read...that'S another way to shortEN the word background. Other than those corrections, every thing is fine.   more ›

What Do You Want in a Park? Boston Wants to Know

The city has launched a new online questionnaire designed to preserve open space and develop parks.

What makes a park great? Is it the amount of open space, the prevalence of natural features, shade trees, trails, benches, gardens or playgrounds? Is it a playground, like Myrtle Street, or a well-known favorite, like Boston Common?  The city of Boston has begun its effort to plan for the preservation of open space and the development of parks through 2021, and wants input from residents through a new online questionnaire.  The planning process will consider all of Boston's public spaces including parks, playgrounds, squares, malls, community gardens, cemeteries, trails and harbor islands, and consider demographics and socio-economic trends and how they fit into park use, officials said.  Officials also plan to target natural areas for …

Lt. Gov. Tim Murray to Resign

CBS Boston reports Murray has a new job lined up already.

UPDATE, 12:15 p.m.: The Massachusetts Republican Party was quick to jump on the reports about Murray's resignation, saying Murray is trying "to outrun the scandal that dogs him" in a statement on their website. MassGOP attempted to liken Murray's exit to that of former House Speaker Thomas Finneran, who was convicted of obstruction of justice in 2007. “History doesn’t always repeat itself, but in this case it looks like Tim Murray is following the same path as a previous, disgraced Democratic official,” said Nate Little MassGOP Executive Director in the scathing statement. “Only time will tell if Murray follows the Finneran playbook to the end, complete with indictment and guilty plea.” UPDATE, 10:45 a.m.: Boston.com has updated their …

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Tyler Jozefowicz

12:43 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013

Michael Fleming: first of all , dispense with the " crayon in big capital letters" ignorance . You're not talking to a kid here, and would not get away with it face to face. I vote ideology. That guides my voting patterns. You confuse that with lack of truth, automatic attacks, etc. Most of my comments here are in response to right wing ignorance . Open your eyes ; you'll see it , every other …   more ›

You Ask...Patch Answers

What Beacon Hill Streets Are Scheduled For Resurfacing?

Mayor Thomas Menino's office released the full list of proposed streets for repaving.

The office of Boston Mayor Thomas Menino released a list Monday of streets proposed for repaving during the 2013 road work season. The total plans involve resurfacing 45 miles of road as well as 1,400 pedestrian ramps. “Our residents deserve the best roads and sidewalks in their neighborhoods. Not only are clean and safe passages a matter of public safety, they also help support our small businesses,” Menino said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to our best year yet in getting our roadways and pedestrian ramps ready for another great summer in Boston.”  Proposed work for 2013 will exceed the amount of work conducted in 2012, which was the most "productive" construction season in the last decade according to Menino's office. The …

John D

12:31 am on Thursday, May 23, 2013

look at the whole list. once again Dorchester, Roxbury and murderpan get the most while contributing the least.   more ›

Monday, May 20, 2013

Envelope With White Powder Found at AG's Office

Boston Fire, State Police responded to Ashburton Place building.

UPDATE, 2:30 p.m.: On Twitter, Boston Fire said they responded at 1:05 p.m. Monday to the state office building for "an envelope on floor 20 with white powder in it." Boston Fire confirmed the location was the state Attorney General's office. They said the envelope was left in place "per protocol" and there were no evacuations. Hazmat techs from Boston Fire "used meters in area and all were negative," the department said on Twitter. The envelope was then "over-packaged" and taken to the state lab for further tests. Boston Fire said they "checked out" the person who opened the envelope but that person did not require treatment. They added that Massachusetts State Police will be investigating the matter further. ORIGINAL REPORT: …

Saturday, May 18, 2013

State House News Service Weekly Roundup: Three's Company

Recap and analysis of the week in state government.

Like pieces of a puzzle that don't quite fit together yet, the Big Three may have been separated at birth, but with each incremental step their destinies seem to grow more intertwined. No, we're not talking about those Big Three - Gov. Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker Robert DeLeo - though they play major character roles in this thickening plot.  Instead, three bills have come to define the early months of the 2013 legislative agenda and resolutions on tax hikes, local road funding and the annual state budget continue to be elusive and dependent on one another. Patrick spent the early part of his week welcoming British Prime Minister David Cameron to Boston for a few quick meetings and a visit to the Copley …

David H. Cheresh

4:53 pm on Monday, May 20, 2013

PODESTA reminds me of "THE SMOKER" on the "X-FILES."   more ›

Friday, May 17, 2013

Dawson, Livingstone Pick Up Key Endorsements

Livingstone touts support of Walz, Demakis; Dawson wins support of Cambridge City Councilor Leland Cheung.

  The campaigns for Democrats Joshua Dawson and Jay Livingstone have each been touting several endorsements as the May 28 primary for the open 8th Suffolk County House of Representatives seat draws near. Most recently, Livingstone, a lawyer who lives on Beacon Hill, picked up the endorsements for the two most immediate past 8th Suffolk representatives, Democrats Marty Walz and Paul Demakis. The seat is vacant because Walz resigned to become the new Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts president CEO. In a statement Thursday, the Livingstone campaign said Walz's endorsement is her own personal one and not on behalf of PPLM. “The job of State Representative requires both policy expertise and a deep understanding of neighborhood issues…

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