Luxury Travel to BC Football Away Games

Boston College announced that it will be offering chartered travel to BC football away games, according to the Boston Globe's boston.com:

Fenway Sports... will charter a 200-seat Boeing 757 jet to fly Eagles fans from Hanscom Field to games versus Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, and Clemson this season. Along the way, they'll be given Boston College jerseys and other team paraphernalia, be treated to private tailgating, and sit in premium seats at opponents' stadiums.

The cost? Packages running at $1700 for two games or $1100 for one. Ouch.

The easiest way to get Red Sox tickets is to follow the team onto the road to an opponent's stadium; they are very difficult to come by (legally) unless you have an entire Saturday to waste online.

BC football seats at $27-45 a piece, however, were still available the night before for the September 1st home game against Wake Forest, so the fan travel model isn't exactly the same as it is for the Red Sox. I think BC is instead catering to hard-core sports fans who can't get enough in the seven home games -- and who want to see some of the top teams playing in their own, storied stadia (Notre Dame, Clemson, and Virginia Tech).

The Campaigner and Her Shoes

Rosie Hanlon notes that she is on her fourth pair of shoes.  Sensible shoes, I hope, not Manolo Blahniks, otherwise she might be on her fourth pair of legs, too.

Cardinal and Abe

Reading Sean Cardinal O'Malley's blog is often difficult, because virtually everything makes him incredibly happy and pleased -- except, of course, human tragedy caused by natural disasters. You know, lines like, "The director there, Father Thomas Hoar, SSE, is doing a wonderful job." (But don't miss the beautiful, seaside pictures in that link!)

But this recent blog entry from 8/31/07 had a little zinger buried in it:

I also want to acknowledge the great work of both Abe Foxman, the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, and Sister Celia Deutsch, a Sister of Sion, who has been very active in ADL as well.

For those people with short memories -- a list that usually wouldn't include Cardinal O'Malley -- Abe Foxman is the national head of the ADL that stuck by his story that the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey in 1915-9 was not genocide. Watertown pulled out of the ADL's No Place for Hate program, and Foxman also fired Andrew Tarsy, New England regional ADL's director for speaking out against ADL's national policy of genocide denial.

Under pressure, Foxman later acknowledged on 8/21/07 that Turkey's mass killings were "tantamount to genocide", which was not a 100% admission (but close enough for most people). I could imagine a lot of positive comments I might make if I were the Cardinal -- like "Abe Foxman has a long history of doing good and has survived recent events well" -- but I wouldn't characterize him, a couple of days after relenting on the Armenian genocide denial as doing "great work." He screwed up big time by playing politics (trying not to offend Turkey, thereby keeping it as a pro-Israel Muslim country) rather than calling a genocide what it really was.

Cardinal O'Malley's blog also contains a photo of Foxman appearing quite weary. It's hard to cover up anything there.

BPD Ticketing Illegal Left Turns on Cambridge Street

Lincoln Street drivers in Allston avoiding construction work: watch for hidden cop citing illegal left-turn on Cambridge Street. From b0st0n, complete with diagram, via UniversalHub.

Allston-Brighton District City Council Candidates Forum: Monday 9/17 at 6:30 pm

Allston-Brighton City Council Candidates Forum

Cosponsored by the Brighton Allston Improvement Association
and the Allston Civic Association

Monday, September 17th
6:30 pm -- Informal Meet-and-Greet with the Candidates
7:00 - 8:30 pm -- Candidates Forum
Moderated by: Michael Pahre

Brighton Elks Lodge
326 Washington Street, Brighton, MA 02135
Limited parking available at rear of the building

Light refreshments will be served for a meet-and-greet with the candidates beginning at 6:30 pm. Attendees may submit questions for the candidates prior to the 7:00 pm start. Due to time constraints not all questions submitted will be selected. No campaign signs inside the venue, please.

For more information contact: Abigail Furey, 617-782-1382, abbycfurey@aol.com

The preliminary election to narrow the field from six to two candidates will take place on Tuesday, September 25th. This election will shape the future of our neighborhood and this is your opportunity to meet the candidates running for Allston-Brighton's open City Council seat. Please come and hear where the candidates stand on current neighborhood issues as well as their vision for our community.

Loud Party on Strathmere Road Results in Two Arrests

From the BPDNews.com via UniversalHub:

Loud Party Ends in Arrest

Last night at approximately 10:13pm, officers from District D-14 responded to a radio call for loud party at 110 Strathmore Road. On arrival, officers could hear loud music from the street. Officers arrived at the front door and could hear loud music emanating from the apartment. Officers knocked on the door and received no response. Officers were able to gain entry and locate the lessee of the apartment. The suspect was advised that he would have to turn down the music and keep the tone of conversation down in order not to disturb the neighbors. The suspect was advised that the party would be dispersed if another 911 call were received.

At 11:07pm, officers were dispatched to 110 Strathmore Street for a loud party. When officers arrived they could clearly hear the loud music and conversation from the street. Officer arrived at the front door and determined that the noise level was the same as the previous call. Officers knocked on the door for several minutes and received no response. After several minutes and unknown female was heard yelling to guest to keep quiet and turn the music off. The unknown female began to unlock the door, however several male voices were heard yelling at her not to open the door.

Once inside the suspect approached officers in an aggressive manner and forcefully attempted to push the officer back into the hallway. The suspect was handcuffed after a brief struggle. Several guest remained out front talking loudly and ignoring orders to clear the area. Officers provided the group with several warnings that their behavior amounts to disturbance of the peace and they were subject to be arrested. At that point most of guest began to leave except for one suspect. The suspect continued to yell at police and protest the arrest of his friend and refusing to leave the area.

John Walsh, 27, of Brighton was arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct. Also arrested was Charles Kubik, 27, of Brighton and charged with Assault and Battery on a Police Officer and Keeper of a Disorderly House.

Bicycle Misinformation in Boston Globe

The Boston Globe's City Weekly section ran a story today about the bicycle pathway conditions along the Charles River (part of which is signed as the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bikepath).  The conditions are based on "a Globe staffer [who] recently cycled about 15 miles of it."  Nice story idea, mostly got the story right, but there are a number of mistakes -- and a truly dangerous suggestion that is just-plain wrong.

1.  The big mistake?  The accompanying graphic, based on the Globe staffer/cyclist's information, describes the location where the bikepath crosses the Eliot Bridge as:

Bad crossing, no matter what side you're coming from. You'll need to carry your bike over metal barrier that separates traffic lanes.

Ummm... NO.  There are tunnels underneath the Eliot Bridge on both sides of the river so that the bikepath continues, uninterrupted, past the bridge.  The text of the article (where it continues, six pages later) is accurate:

There are paths under the Eliot Bridge, but they're frequently muddy and wet from large puddles.

Yes, sort-of, but certainly not when the Globe staffer presumably took his/her ride -- because it has hardly rained in the last five weeks! Nonetheless, I can tell you as a commuter who has taken the path along there many times, these tunnels are mostly passable most of the year. You just need to have fenders over your bike wheels if you don't want to get mud splattered in the middle of the winter or the week after a significant rainfall.

The big problem is that the Globe's graphic suggested that cyclists should carry their bikes across the Fresh Pond Parkway / Soldiers Field Road at the location of the Eliot Bridge!  That is an extremely dangerous suggestion that the Globe should immediately retract.

2.  While the Globe's cyclist/graphic is correct to identify the Cambridge Street crossing at the River Street Bridge (Allston side) as in need of a pedestrian/cyclist crossing signal, he/she completely missed the similar lack of crossing signals at the Arsenal Street Bridge (both sides in Watertown and North Brighton) and North Beacon Street Bridge (both sides in Watertown and Brighton).  MassBike has identified all of them as top priorities for improvements to the bike path, since the latter two bridges connecting Watertown and Brighton are extremely dangerous intersections.

3.  The bikepath between the Eliot Bridge and the Larz Anderson Bridge, on the North Allston side, is misleadingly labelled as "Good" condition in the graphic.  There are actually two paths on the westernmost section:  a paved one next to Soldiers Field Road and a gravelly one along the riverside.  The graphic follows the path of the gravel path, which is not IMHO in "Good" condition.  (Note that the same kind of split path is not misleadingly labelled between Arsenal Street and North Beacon Street Bridges on the Watertown side.)

4.  The secluded section of the bikepath east of the Arsenal Street Bridge on the North Brighton side is not dangerous at night because it is secluded; it is dangerous at one section (immediately west of the Northeastern Boathouse) due to poor drainage, poor snow/ice removal, and uneven surfaces.

5.  There is an eastbound hazardous bump/step in the pavement on the Cambridge side east of the BU Bridge that is not identified in the Globe's graphic.  (I haven't ridden this little stretch in a while, so it might have been fixed...)

It is nice to see a story of its kind in the Globe, even though I think the Globe's reporter would've done better to have a MassBike expert ride along with them on the route.  Hopefully it will help MassBike expand their base to push for modest improvements in the bikepath.  


Oh, and the Boston Globe correctly labelled the "Weeks Footbridge", unlike me (I mistakenly called it the Weekes Memorial Footbridge).  I can verify from its sign that Weeks is the correct name deriving from the former Senator and Secretary of War:

Allston-Brighton City Council Candidates as Simpsons Characters

Just what we all need for a Friday pick-me-up: a TAB reporter took the six candidates for the Allston-Brighton District 9 seat on the Boston City Council and made them to look like Simpsons characters using the "Simpsonize-Me" online tool.  Well, they're not all spitting images for the real people, but, hey, close enough.  Here's Alex Selvig, Simpson-ized:

Who to Call About BC Off-Campus Student Behavior?

Quoted from the Allston-Brighton TAB:

Who to notify if you have problems:

Boston Police are always the first call to make when it comes to late-night merrymaking in Allston and Brighton, but police are often inundated with parties on weekends. [Call Boston Police via 911 to make sure the call is fully logged. -Ed.]

“I can be the first to tell you, on a Friday or Saturday night, we won’t get to them all,” said Officer Steve Law.

If police aren’t showing up, call Boston College Police at 617-552-4440.

If there’s a problem during a weekday, call the BC Office of Community Affairs at 617-552-4787.

If you still feel like police haven’t adequately responded, called the District D-14 community service department the next day at 617-343-4376. Provide the police with an exact address, if possible; the community service officers keep a list of homes they’ve already visited and make them a priority for patrols, Law said.

Road Rage Incident in Brighton Center

From the Boston Police via UniversalHub:

Road Rage Incident Leads to Arrest

At approximately 10:30am today, September 6, 2007, the victim of a “road rage” incident walked into District D-14 to report that the driver of the other vehicle had flashed a gun at him during an exchange of words. The victim stated that he was cut off by the operator of another vehicle while driving and called the number listed on the side of the truck to complain. The victim reported that the operator of the other vehicle answered the complaint line number on the truck and they exchanged some harsh words before he hung up. The victim reported that both cars continued to travel next to each other and when they stopped at a light at Market St. and Washington St. continued to exchange words. It was during this exchange that the victim reported that the operator of the other vehicle showed the victim a handgun and “racked it.”

A description of the suspect ’s motor vehicle along with the suspect was broadcast by the officer at the front desk, and a short while later the vehicle was observed traveling on Beacon St. and stopped by other officers. The victim responded to the scene and positively identified the motor vehicle and its driver. Suspect, Freddy Gerard, 51, of Watertown was arrested and charged with Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon (Gun) and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Officers were unable to locate the described weapon when the suspect was stopped.

Not very smart to pull a gun a block from the D-14 police station...

BC Announces New "Zero-Tolerance" Policy on Student Behavior -- Then Denies It!

At the last Boston College Task Force meeting on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, BC officials apparently presented their new (or updated) student behavior policy. The A-B TAB came through with a report on that policy.

I hadn't blogged on it for a few reasons:

1. I didn't attend the meeting, being away on vacation;
2. BC provided an online copy of their presentation [PDF] made to the task force meeting, but that document nowhere states what their student behavior policy is, meaning that the policy was only presented verbally (if at all) at the meeting;
3. The TAB reporting seems confused about who has a "zero-tolerance" policy towards student behavior -- BC or the Boston Police Department [see below];
   
4. BC was planning on notifying the students of the behavior policy, so a written notification could provide clues and insight; and
5. I wanted to talk to some residents who attended the meeting to figure out what was actually said.
   

Thursday we find out that lots of people, including students at BC, are confused about the BC student behavior policy. I was not alone in my confusion.


Confusion Over BC's Student Behavior Policy

It is now abundantly clear that BC's student behavior policy is unclear.

BC's student newspaper, The Heights, reports today in an article titled, "Off-campus Policy Causes Confusion", that nearly every action spelled out in the BC Task Force meeting on August 21, 2007 is just a continuation of existing BC policy. I am not making this up! Nearly everything is unchanged from before, according to The Heights:

University officials purport that there has been no change to BC policies and that there were inaccuracies in an Aug. 22 Allston-Brighton Tab [sic] article.

That sounds to be in line with how BU's The Daily Free Press is reporting it:

"There was a misperception among students that somehow BC was encouraging Boston police to arrest students," said BC spokesman Jack Dunn. "Nothing could be further from the truth. . . . We are reminding our students that if they break the law in the neighborhoods, they will be held accountable."

Students say they do not understand the policy's logic, though, and are even calling the new initiative hypocritical.

"It's really absurd for a university to target its students," said sophomore Charlie Mangiardi, creator of a Facebook.com group opposing the policy. "BC prides itself on how well it takes care of its students, so to then go out and say that to please their neighbors they are going out to arrest us, that's just infuriating."

Here is a list of elements of the student behavior policy that are not new:

• Boston Police Arresting Students:

  "The manner of the conversation was my attempt to warn students about an ongoing yearly event. Boston Police comes in and makes sweeps of problem neighborhoods at the beginning of every year," [BC Police Chief police chief Robert] Morse said.

  See also the quote [above] from Jack Dunn: "There was a misperception among students that somehow BC was encouraging Boston police to arrest students."

• BC Hiring Boston Police Details:

  "BC has been hiring Boston Police to supplement the normal neighborhood patrols every year," [Morse] said.

• Deputy Sheriff Powers: BC Police appear to have had these powers within Suffolk and Middlesex Counties for several years.

What is the one thing that is new, according to Morse?

"The new thing about the supplemental patrols has been the addition of one BCPD officer to the patrol in problematic [areas]," Morse said.

There is actually one other new policy this fall: off-campus student liaison Steve Montgomery will be working Thursday nights (PDF, see page 8), in addition to Friday and Saturday nights.

Basically, the article in The Heights contradicts several of the points raised in the article in the Allston-Brighton TAB. My summary of their "new" policy on student behavior: staying the course, but having one BC Police officer join BPD officers in a joint patrol.

At the BC Task Force meeting, did BC really pitch the student behavior policy as something new? You would think that based on one official's comment:

“We are sending a message, setting the tone, and we want to see how this works,” said BC’s vice president of [government and] community affairs, Tom Keady.

Yet "BC officials" (presumably Dunn and/or Morse) convinced the student newspaper that nothing but the joint patrols is new. And they are trying to backtrack on BC police chief Morse's comments at the meeting:

“Zero tolerance means they’ll be arrested,” Morse said. “We’re hiring Boston Police to arrest students.”

What Was Actually Seen Over the Weekend

Morse's new claim -- that this policy is nearly unchanged -- doesn't exactly jive with what neighbors and students saw over the weekend:

• Several university officials were walking the neighborhood in the afternoons of Thursday-Saturday;
  
• BPD cruisers were parked in the area and often seen driving down nearby access streets (this is an historically uncommon occurrence, according to neighbors); and
  
• Groups of BPD officers -- as many as seven or eight at one point on Radnor Road! -- were seen on foot patrol in the areas of off-campus undergraduate housing.

There was one report of undergraduates who were worried by the visibly-increased police presence, while several neighbors report that they are waiting until after the next few weekends (now that the students' parents have left) to see if there is any change.

Several neighbors tell me that this police presence is an increase from the past, which appears to contradict Dunn and/or Morse's assertion that nothing is new except one extra BC police officer on the patrols.


Confusion Over the Meaning of "Zero-Tolerance"

While the A-B TAB reported BC's policy as "zero-tolerance" for poor student behavior, that doesn't sound like an accurate description of the actual policy:

Any student arrested is put on university probation, and another incident will result in a one-year suspension from the school, [interim Dean of Students Paul] Chebator said.

BC's new rules are that one arrest results in probation, two arrests in suspension, and three arrests in... unspecified, I think, but presumably expulsion. That sounds like a "three-strikes-and-you're-out" policy, not "zero-tolerance." "Zero-tolerance" would mean expulsion after only one arrest. A decade or so ago, "three-strikes-and-you're-out" was the phrase on everybody's lips (to deal with repeat offenders in California), while "zero-tolerance" is a term more popular in recent years.

BC Police Chief Robert Morse clarified: "zero-tolerance" is a reference to arresting off-campus students at disruptive parties, rather than just breaking up the parties and sending them home.

So this is what it means:

• BPD Captain Genevieve King is pushing a "zero-tolerance" policy towards student party houses in arresting students rather than simply breaking up parties.
• BC is pushing a "three-strikes-and-you're-out" policy towards student off-campus behavior, with an interim "two-strikes-and-you're-suspended" policy.
  

Student Concerns and Push-Back

It sounds to me like BC is sketching out to the neighbors a broad crackdown on off-campus student behavior, but is denying it when talking to the students. What a dance!

The truth will come in the next couple of weeks: if there are widespread arrests by BPD at a particular party house, then we'll know that BC is encouraging BPD's policy; if not, then it will all be smoke-and-mirrors with the neighbors.

I bet BC gets a lot of push-back from the students on a policy that could seem Orwellian to them. Expect to see letters, op-eds, and editorials in the student newspaper, The Heights; anger directed at neighbors perceived as the instigators; parents steaming mad when students call for bail money and explain their sudden return home following suspension; etc. In fact, we are already seeing some of it: 200 BC students have signed a petition and delivered it to BC President Leahy.

The larger situation of off-campus behavior -- a conflict between the neighbors and the students -- may get worse before it gets better.


What Is Going On At BC?

Why is BC taking this giant leap into possible wide-spread arrests of their students? Most likely the combination of the past year being the worst in the past five for unruly student behavior off-campus (according to BC VP Thomas Keady, Jr., at the May 15 BC Task Force meeting) and BC's desire to get a new institutional master plan approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority -- an IMP that still would leave many undergraduate students living in off-campus houses. If BC officials think that cracking down on student behavior will lead to the neighbors acquiescing on the proposal for undergraduate dorms on the former seminary land, then I think they are quite wrong.

My prediction is that the community will welcome the BC administration taking a more active and aggressive role in dealing with off-campus student behavior, but will not back down on housing all the undergraduates on the Main Campus. I'm not sure that BC's new student behavior plan, however, is exactly what the neighborhood -- or the police -- would have preferred.

In July, new Captain Genevieve King of BPD D-14 told me she considered it to be stronger punishment to suspend students, rather than arrest them; apparently, students have been arrested many times in the past without their parents finding out, but once they were suspended the parents found out and all hell broke loose. I too have heard students complain vehemently about parental notification, so Captain King makes a convincing point. It is quite conceivable that BC could crack-down on the behavior without hiring any BPD police details, making student arrests, seeing the cases through the Boston Municipal Court system, etc., if BC's "zero-tolerance" policy instead consisted of immediate suspension for unruly behavior off-campus. Quite simply: BC could solve the problem if they had the resolve, but it is obvious they "don't want to go there." It is a university, after all.

The new plan may be a good move, nonetheless, and bodes well for improved town-gown relations in the future. We'll see how effectively this program -- whether or not it is new -- can be implemented.

Comments Due for Harvard's Science Complex and MEPA Waiver

There are two upcoming public comment periods ending for Harvard's proposed Allston science complex. Brighton residents are encouraged to send comments, since many, if not all, of these issues also impact us. We will be facing similar issues with Boston College's upcoming institutional master plan (IMP).


Harvard's MEPA Waiver

Public comments are due Friday, September 7, to MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act Office) for Harvard's proposed waiver of an environmental review of their proposed science complex. Harvard refused to grant an extension to the period of public comment.

Allston neighbors have made it clear that they do not want MEPA to grant a waiver to Harvard to avoid a full environmental of their science complex project. They want a full environmental review.

Some issues that they want addressed:

1. The Science Complex must be accompanied by significant public realm improvements to improve access for pedestrians and bicyclists.
2. Implement alternative means of access to the construction site to reduce the environmental impact on the North Allston community and reduce the neighborhood-wide transportation impact of the project.
3. A neighborhood-wide rodent control program is needed.
4. Independent, dedicated enforcement officers are needed to ensure that environmental damage is minimized.
5. Harvard should be required to approach “mitigation” with a broad and generous approach.
   

The Editorial Page of the Allston/Brighton TAB wrote about Harvard's waiver request:

"Currently, an uncomfortable level of distrust exists between the university and many Allston residents, and any attempt by the Harvard to bypass normal review processes is likely to exacerbate that distrust. Even if the net environmental impact of the science [complex] is ultimately not negative, this is a matter of relationships, perhaps above all else. The project should be as thoroughly reviewed as possible by the public and all relevant agencies."

Send comments to:

Secretary Ian A. Bowles
EOEA, Attn: MEPA Office
Briony Angus, EOEA No. 14069
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston MA 02114

briony.angus@state.ma.us


Harvard's Science Complex

Public comments are due Monday, September 10, to the BRA on the Draft Project Impact Report (DPIR) for Harvard's proposed science complex. Harvard refused to grant an extension to the period of public comment.

Our Allston neighbors insist that "the BRA should not waive further review of the Science Complex at the September BRA Board meeting. Harvard should be required to submit a Final Project Impact Report" so that various issues, like these, can be resolved:

1. A construction mitigation plan is needed to preserve our quality of life, and protect us from noise, dust, vibration, air pollution, and traffic congestion, and safeguard our investment in our homes.
2. A multi-million dollar community benefits agreement is appropriate for the massive scope of Harvard's plans. Harvard's desire to conduct a survey and propose specific benefits after the Science Complex is fully approved is unacceptable. Appropriate community benefits could be:
• Funds for a new community-based foundation that will distribute benefits to local programs and organizations
• Construction and funding of a university-assisted community school that would function a center for the entire community, providing a focal point for education, social services, recreation and activities for students, their parents and the community as a whole
3. A modified design of the Science Complex is needed consistent with the principles of the North Allston Strategic Framework
   
• Buildings along Western Ave should be no more than 5 stories tall
• This project must help revitalize our neighborhood and reverse the trend caused by Harvard's purchasing and mothballing of so many buildings in North Allston and North Brighton. Retail, restaurants, exhibition space, and other ground floor public uses must be emphasized.

Much more information is at http://www.HarvardInAllston.net.

Comments should be sent to:

Gerald Autler
Boston Redevelopment Authority
City Hall, 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02201-1007
Gerald.Autler.bra@cityofboston.gov

Please also send your comments to AllstonBrighton2006@googlegroups.com

Boston Breakers Women's Soccer Returns in 2008 at BU's Nickerson Field... or Harvard Stadium!

The women's professional soccer league, the WUSA, is looking to return to play in 2009 following the Women's World Cup later this month and the Olympics in Beijing in 2008. The league operated in 2001-4, but then folded, apparently due to inadequate interest and/or financial stresses. The Boston Breakers will be part of the 2009 WUSA season, but also plans to play a schedule in 2008 with the Women's Premier Soccer League, an amateur league. In the past, the Breakers played at BU's Nickerson Field. The Breakers are currently in negotiations to determine where they will play in 2008 and/or 2009, according to the Boston Globe:

The Breakers were among the teams that were close to being ready [for the 2008 season]. [Breakers general manager Joe] Cummings said they will name a coach this month and attempt to play a schedule in the Women's Premier Soccer League next year in preparation for the '09 kickoff of the WUSA.

...

Cummings is still negotiating a stadium deal. Boston University's Nickerson Field, which was the team's previous home, and Harvard Stadium are in contention.

This is the first I have heard that they want to play at Harvard Stadium -- and probably the first that the North Allston neighbors have heard it, too. I imagine that the Breakers will want many of the games to be played at night. Inadequate communication with the Allston neighbors caused anger over Harvard's first night football game; it sounds like Harvard is making the same stupid mistake all over again. Don't they know how to pick up a phone and call a couple of neighbors? Don't they ever learn over at Harvard?

Just In Case You Were Wondering: No Campaign Finance Filings By Brighton Centered

The AP/Boston Globe reports that the DailyKos website doesn't have to abide by federal campaign finance regulations because it qualifies under the media exemption:

The FEC said the website, operated by blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, cannot be regulated as a political committee and can freely post blog entries that support candidates.

"While the complaint asserts that DailyKos advocates for the election of Democrats for federal office, the commission has repeatedly stated that an entity that would otherwise qualify for the media exemption does not lose its eligibility because it features news or commentary lacking objectivity or expressly advocates in its editorial the election or defeat of a federal candidate," the FEC said.

While I only rarely stray into national political matters here, it's nice to know there would be a media exemption from those campaign finance laws awaiting me...

Campaign Finance Disclosures for the Race for Barrios's Senate Seat

The financial disclosures were due Tuesday for the race for the open seat being vacated by State Senator Jarrett Barrios. The primary election is next Tuesday, September 11th. Normally, the forms are due eight days before the election, but since Labor Day is a federal holiday, I think they got an extra day to file.

The Boston Phoenix has a summary of their bounty. You can look them up yourself at the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance's website, selection "Senate" and "Middlesex, Suffolk, and Essex" for the office sought. Looks like around $235,000 raised by four candidates for the primary, plus Jeff Ross threw in $51,000 of his own money.

The A-B City Council race had nearly $200,000 raised in 2002 when it was an open seat. Four of the six candidates currently running for the seat raised $163,000 between them when they last ran for political office. I wouldn't be surprised if our City Council race raised more money than the Middlesex/Suffolk/Essex Senate race.

Poll: Do Students Make Boston a Better Place to Live?

An online poll that is a bit reductionist asks: "[Does] the high student population in Boston make the city a better or worse place to live?" Click here to vote.

Mark Ciommo Answers Questions on Blue Mass Group

A while back, Tim Schofield put forward himself as a candidate for A-B District City Councilor on the liberal website, Blue Mass Group. The discussion degenerated into a clash among surrogates -- not the candidate himself -- about who is the most liberal candidate in the race. Unfortunately, in the silliness the BMGers missed the chance to pose real questions and issues directly to the candidate.

More recently, Mark Ciommo has ventured into the same waters. He was immediately presented with a series of questions on the issues, and gave answers which are worth excerpting here:

reforming the Boston Redevelopment Authority, specifically separating the permitting and planning sections

Yes, I support reforming the BRA.

Most major American cities have a separate planning department. I think Boston should as well. With so many institutions planning large expansions in Allston-Brighton, we would especially benefit from a separate planning department that could take into consideration the long term interests of our neighborhood.

affordable housing, rent control and tenant's rights

I want to promote affordable housing but I don?t support rent control or collective bargaining. Studies by progressive economists Paul Krugman, have shown that rent control is not an effective means of providing affordable housing.

Instead I will work to:

- Improve the ?Inclusionary Zoning? law.
- Adopt a housing voucher finance system.
- Increase ISD enforcement.
- Work to promote public and private partnerships to increase home ownership and affordable rental properties for working families.
- Press colleges and universities to house all of their students.

Governor Patrick's proposal to build a commuter rail station on or near the lot currently owned by Harvard where the CSX rail yard is located

Again, additional transportation will make Allston-Brighton more appealing to young professionals and families.

I support proposals that would provide commuter rail access to Allston-Brighton.

restaurants and other businesses looking for licenses to be open 24 hours

I do not see any significant community benefit to allowing businesses to remain open 24 hours.

However, I would want to review these on a case by case basis.

rebuilding relations between the student and non-student elements of our community

I am not sure if I would use the word ?rebuild? but I do understand the sentiment that you are conveying. I think there is a disconnect between the students and the residents of our community. I have worked with young people for over two decades as a teacher, outreach worker, and coach. I have helped bring youth into the community before. Getting college students involved in the community will certainly help strengthen this relationship.

Also, I believe that if colleges and universities house all of their students, the relationship would be improved greatly.

I hope more of the candidates step forward onto this site... unless, of course, they are more comfortable talking at the Red Mass Group.

Bicyclists to Action: Enter Your Bike Routes Into MassBike Survey

For those whose idea of a hybrid vehicle has two wheels, not four, MassBike has rolled out a survey to find out your riding routes.

What you do is go to this website, and follow the instructions to enter your route into Google Maps. Note that you will have to log out of your own Google account in order to enter the route into massbike's survey account on Google. Here's MassBike's description of the survey:

We are looking at the array of programs and services available for cyclists in Boston and we want your input. We are hoping to gather information on cycling patterns to use as a guide when updating and evaluating cycling routes, lanes, rack disbursements, etc. We hope you will help us gather information on cycling behavior in Boston by tracking your rides through Boston.

We invite everyone who rides a bicycle within or to/from Boston to participate including commuters, racers, recreational riders, families, and even people who exercise once a year… All ages are welcome.

Participation takes just a few minutes. We will ask you to go on-line and track an actual day of riding for us using a website we have created. We want you to record exactly where you biked on this given ride.

Who do they want to do it? Anyone who rides once a year or more often. That list of people would appear to include Mayor Menino, too:

Menino purchased a silver Trek road bike three weeks ago and has been riding it regularly through his Hyde Park neighborhood. Each weekday at about 5 a.m., the 64-year-old mayor straps on a black cycling helmet and an arm band with red reflector lights and sets off alone on a leisurely, 45-minute pedal. He acknowledges that another public crusade is brewing.

"We're going to do more in our city with bikes," Menino decreed upon his return home from a ride yesterday.

Well, the first thing to do is to bring back the Boston bicycle coordinator position that he created and then promptly canned. Second thing: tell those guys in BTD to change their thinking to install bike lanes throughout the city.

Funny, I didn't see Menino's route entered in MassBike's survey. I don't think he does the internet... maybe one of his henchpeople can enter his photo-op morning route for him. Also, the pre-dawn, 5:00 am photo appears to be more than 30 minutes before sunrise. According to State Law [MGL Chapter 85, section 11B (8)], his bike should have a rear red light/reflector and a front white light; it is hard to tell from the picture, but it appears as though he has only a reflector on the front which, if true, qualifies him for a fine of $20. Safety begins at home, in Hyde Park, and in City Hall. Cute, retro choice in a bike:


(photo credit: GEORGE RIZER/GLOBE STAFF)

What will be the most immediate benefit to having a Mayor who rides a bike? Potholes and other road surface problems, at least in Hyde Park, will get fixed pronto. Nobody notices potholes as much as a cyclist.

A cyclist I know wrote a letter to Menino recently offering him a tandem ride into work. Imagine the look on the face of the City Hall parking garage attendant if the Mayor were to pull in on a tandem?

Post the "A, B, C's" for Boston Restaurant Inspections

A week ago, Northeastern student reporters published an investigative report in the Boston Globe which highlighted numerous health code violations in some of the "best" restaurants in Boston.

Wednesday night, a West Roxbury restaurant grease fire appears to have been burning for an hour in the false ceiling, leading to a kitchen fire and ceiling air conditioner collapse that killed two firefighters and injured twelve; the restaurant had a "history of code violations for greasy equipment" and was eight months overdue for an inspection.

In 1997-8, Los Angeles saw a series of scandals for restaurant health code violations that sounds eerily similar to what we have recently experienced here in Boston.

On the night before Thanksgiving in 1997, health inspectors closed the Original Pantry restaurant (fee required), an establishment majority-owned by then-Mayor Richard Riordan. The restaurant had been open and patron-occupied continuously for decades -- even when the Pope passed by in a parade -- so its overnight closing was a well-publicized streak-ender. The Mayor, to his credit, rolled up his sleeves and spent hours during the night helping to clean up the place so that it could re-open on Thanksgiving morning (fee required). You can just imagine the phone call on Thanksgiving morning to the ISD: "This is the Mayor. Could you please come inspect my restaurant so that it could re-open?" or something like that.

Several months later in 1998, local TV station KCBS came out with an investigative report (fee required) exposing wide-spread health code violations in L.A., which led to a new law (summarized at the Food Safety Network):

A local TV station showed yuck-factor items such as cockroaches in restaurant kitchens and rodent infestations. The mayor told the county health department to fix the situation. The result, within a few months, was a more robust public health system: mandatory training for restaurant operators, an influx of inspectors and an influential (and replicated) restaurant-grading system that uses grades A, B and C posted at the door. Patrons loved it, and the county reported a drop in the incidence of foodborne illnesses.

In the years since Los Angeles introduced its system, more than 100 North American jurisdictions, including many in Ontario, have started proactively disclosing inspection results...

Some restaurant managers say that publicly available grades motivate them to avoid the stigma of a bad grade. Some managers even display the inspection information proactively...

Restaurant owners complained that the large, posted letters "A", "B", or "C" at their doors would drive customers away. In fact, the law did exactly what it was supposed to, according to Chris Daly of San Francisco in 2004:

A recent study [of LA's 1998 law] by Stanford economics professor Phillip Leslie found that after enactment of this law, Los Angeles hospital admissions for food poisoning declined by 13.3 percent [PDF] and restaurants were quicker to come up to code. Despite claims to the contrary, the study also found that the system increased business. The cleanest restaurants saw revenues increase by 5.7 percent.

The Original Pantry restaurant currently has a 91-rating, qualifying for an "A", according to an April 2007 inspection found at the L.A. County Department of Public Health's website. (Note: their website speed is awful!)

I propose that it is time that Boston enact an ordinance similar to Los Angeles, where the health code inspection status are displayed prominently at the entrance to all city restaurants. Owners will complain, saying that customers will be lost to neighboring cities, but L.A.'s example shows that won't happen:

Sales at restaurants receiving an A grade rose 5.7 percent, or about $15,000 a year. B-level restaurant sales increased 0.7 percent, and sales at C-level establishments decreased 1 percent.

As quoted above, patrons will love it. Good restaurants have nothing to fear, since the displayed record will show their superior cleanliness. Filthy restaurants, however, will be motivated to clean up their act.

Mayor Menino says that there won't be an increase in the number of restaurant inspections, but I suspect he will soon cave in to public outcry over the killed and injured firefighters; he's simply on the wrong side of this issue. How can he possibly support a "stay-the-course" policy which is unable to keep up with the required rate of restaurant inspections? Recall that the West Roxbury restaurant was eight months overdue for inspection, regardless of the conclusion of whether or not such an inspection could have prevented that fire and the subsequent deaths. Nonetheless, he could move forward with this "ABC" plan without contradicting his previous statement (although the number of inspectors still appears inadequate).

Crowdsourced Questionnaire for A-B District City Council Candidates

The poll results are in for the "crowdsourced" questionnaire for the A-B Districit City Council candidates.

Several dozen questions were submitted by residents of A-B. More than 100 members of the online community then "voted" on the best questions, resulting in the seven questions below.  Questions #4-7 received nearly the same number of votes; the eighth place question received significantly fewer votes, thereby defining the cutoff.  You can see the results by loading the full Brighton Centered Blog and looking at the upper right-hand-side.

All candidate responses received by me by COB on Monday, September 10th, will be posted in their entirety on the Brighton Centered Blog. All responses will be posted at once, so that nobody will see another's answers before submitting their own.  I suggested approximately a paragraph for a response for each question, although this will no doubt vary by question.


Questionnaire for Allston-Brighton District City Council Candidates

1. What could the city do about noisy parties, illegal parking (both on front lawns and streets), and tenant occupancy code issues, either by enforcing existing ordinances, increasing or changing penalties, or passing new ones?
2. What will be your first three steps as the new A-B City Councilorto improve the infrastructure of Allston/Brighton?
3. What are the specific steps you will take in order to implement the needs of the community related to institutional expansion (Harvard, BC)?
4. Do you support the goal that BC build dormitories for their juniors on the main campus and therefore eliminate undergraduate student rentals on neighborhood streets? If so, what steps would you take to accomplish this?
5. What measures do you propose for improving the appearance of Allston-Brighton, particularly related to trash, street-cleaning, and graffiti?
6. While City Councilor, do you intend to work a second job, run a business, stand for another office, or leave for another job before your term expires?
7. What are your plans to improve the Allston-Brighton school system without overhauling the whole Boston school system?