Support "snow fines" bill

Passing this notice on. This is our change to put some teeth into snow-removal tickets!! The phone call takes 15 seconds...

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Southenders should be aware that the legislation noted below is currently on the Governor's desk. No decision has yet been made on whether or not he will sign it, but as a common-sense measure, it would seem to address two winter hazards.

Message To Supporters of Better Sidewalk Snow Clearance

Neighbors should call the Governor's office TODAY (617-725-4005) to ask Governor Deval Patrick to sign House Bill #4883-08.

This bill would allow municipalities to increase fines for people who do not clear their sidewalks and also establishes that an owner's good faith effort to remove snow or ice will not make that person liable for injuries due to a fall (full text is shown below).

Your friendly reminder phone call need take no more than 30 seconds.


Section 5. A municipality may by ordinances and by-laws provide for the removal of snow and ice from sidewalks within such portions of the municipality as they consider expedient by the owner of land abutting upon such sidewalks. Such ordinances and by-laws shall determine the time and manner of removal and shall affix penalties, not exceeding $200 for each violation thereof. Such ordinances and by-laws shall be specific as to the width of the area to be cleared and the standards for clearance. An owner, lessor, occupant or other person in charge of real property or an agent thereof who, in good faith, removes or attempts to remove snow or ice from a sidewalk abutting his property shall not be liable for personal injuries allegedly caused by the snowy or icy condition of the sidewalk resulting from his act or omission unless the alleged act or omission constitutes gross negligence.

No January meeting

Due to no pressing business items, we will not behaving a January meeting. We'll schedule another social 'get together' for later in the month. Let me know if you want to try trivia night again, or just do light drinks at someplace like the Fez.


Two items to start thinking about

- It would be nice to have a neighborhood-wide event come Spring/Summer. Is there anyone who'd like to help working on putting something together? Maybe something in the park? Something in conjunction with Ringgold? There's also Spring cleanup day in April - maybe an event around that time?

Speaking of spring cleanup - I've gotten some emails concerning trash in the area. A clean neighborhood starts at home, and seeing the trash on trash day, a LOT of people aren't putting their trash out properly to begin with. I'm working on some information for the web pages - but is there anyone who wants to start working on a 'neighborhood education' program? Maybe fliers to hand out, or working with neighboring NAs to start a larger campaign?

Stay warm, and hope to see folks later this month!

Snow Emergency

No surprise, but Boston has declared a snow emergency for today. The announcement is below. A reminder that snow regulations can be found on the City's Snow Pages. This lists parking regulations as well as other city/snow information. On the lef menu is also a "notifications" menu item, where you can get city snow emergency alerts emailed to you as they happen.

So batten down those hatches, and remember to shovel your sidewalk, including crosswalks, all sidewalks of your corner lot properties, and don't forget those catch basins and fire hydrants!!

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December 18, 2008

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today declared that a snow emergency and parking ban will go into effect at 9:00 a.m. Friday, December 19, 2008. Mayor Menino would like to remind residents of the following:
• The City of Boston encourages businesses to ask employees to work from home when possible, take public transportation, and be prepared for a potentially dangerous evening commute. Everyone is encouraged to use public transportation.
• City of Boston afternoon and evening activities are subject to cancellation.
• Move cars from main arterials during snow emergencies. A listing of main arterials can be found at www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking.asp
• Do not park cars within 20 feet of an intersection. Parking too close to an intersection can restrict emergency vehicle access.
• Do not throw snow back into the street. "Throwbacks" force the city to remove snow from the same street twice.
• Shovel out fire hydrants and storm drains close to your home.
• Property owners are reminded to shovel snow from sidewalks that abut homes and businesses.
• Do not double park.
• Keep wheelchair ramps clear.
• Lend an extra hand to elderly and neighbors and others in need.
During declared snow emergencies, discounted parking is available at several parking lots and garages to cars that display Boston resident parking stickers. A list of locations is available at www.cityofboston.gov/snow. The city's Know Snow program will be in effect this afternoon to alert residents of the snow emergency.

The City of Boston Storm Center will open at 9:00 a.m. Friday, when the snow emergency goes into effect. Residents with storm-related questions or concerns should call the center at 617-635-3050, starting at 9:00 a.m. Friday

Storm's a Comin'

Given our tendency to panic at the mention of snow and rush out to buy anything and everything on grocery shelves at the mere sight of the S word, the folks at Universal Hub blog have issued a High warning on the French Toast alert system. This is a riot and worth a read. :)

Additional thanks to all who showed up for Team Eight Streets at Trivia Night at Foleys. We had a great time, and came in 5th place! Look for us to have some of these again in '09

More holiday sale

Additional South End realtors will be having special sales this weekend. Click on the image below for more details.

SoWa Holiday Market

The 5th annual SoWa Holiday Market is happening this weekend, Dec 13/14 at the Cathedral Gym.  Various vendors will be there selling gifts and crafts for your holiday lists.  Complete details on the flier below.  (click on the poster for a larger image)

Trivia Night 12/16

Hi Everyone!!

Since we didn't have a meeting this month, let's have a little fun get together. Tuesdays are Stump trivia nights at JJ Foley's. Let's meet there informally for a nosh and some trivia fun. I've been before it it's a night of good fun.

Tuesday, 12/16. Meet starting at 8. Trivia starts promptly at 8:30. (buy your own food/bev) We'll meet in the dining room part of Foleys (117 E Berkeley).

Hope some of you can make it!

Potential traffic mess on Friday

We may have a bit of an 'event' Friday (12/12) evening on Tremont street.    

Mr. "God hates Fags" Fred Phelps and his cult of followers will be at the BCA plaza on the 12th from 7-8pm protesting a play at the BCA.   Countering them will be a local group to counter the protest and will rally to show Mr. Phelps that such intolerance is not acceptable.  Such events usually are accompanied by police for control and TV news networks.   

If you have someplace to be, you may want to re-route your travels and avoid Tremont st for those times.   If you want to go and show your support for tolerance, I'm sure we can show Mr. Phelps he's not welcome in Boston.

BCA Tree Lighting on Saturday

Mayor Thomas M. Menino

cordially invites you to the South End Holiday Trolley Tour and Tree Lighting

Saturday, December 6, 2008

4:00 PM

Boston Center for the Arts Plaza

539 Tremont Street

Please join us for refreshments, entertainment and holiday cheer! 

Festivities and performances begin at 3pm, with the tree lighting to follow at 4pm.

Sponsored by: Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events, Department of Public Works, Boston Police Department Area D-4, South End Business Alliance, and Boston Center for the Arts


For more information, please contact:
Tabitha Bennett, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, 617-635-4517

December meeting + notices

Happy post-thanksgiving everyone,

With no business agenda for December, we’ll be cancelling the December (3rd) meeting, and let you get to your shopping. :) The next scheduled meeting is Wednesday, January 7th.

I’m thinking we could have a light get-together at Foleys – get an ESNA team going for one of the Tuesday night trivia nights. If interested, let me know if the 9th or the 16th is better for you. I’ll pick the more popular night and send an email out to everyone…

And don’t forget most folks still need to renew they memberships!! Head to http://eightstreets.org/membership.html and renew online with paypal or print out a renewal form to US mail to us.

Hope everyone has a good holiday season!!

- J

Downtown Deals

Downtown crossing has a holiday web site in place that has some coupons and discounts available for your holiday shopping.   Check out their web site.

Another reason for clean Streets & Sidewalks

New Scientist reports that people are more likely to commit street crime if graffiti and litter are present. Another example of the Broken WIndow theory??? Read the complete article.

Franklin Cafe 3

The Restaurant Talk blog posts that the Franklin Cafe's new South Boston location is now open. Franklin-Southie is on Dot Ave between 4th and Broadway. With another location effectively 'down the street' and with more parking, I wonder if the car traffic for our Shawmut Franklin Cafe will reduce??

For the ESNA Foodies out there, aside from Restaurant Talk, there is also the Boston Globe Dishing blog, and of course the food and restaurant forum Chowhound.

Mayor's Holiday Specials

We may not like it, but the holidays are coming at us like a freight train.   They Mayor's Office has set up a special web site with show, dinner and shopping discounts.

For details, visit the Mayor's Holiday Specials web site.

Election results

A reminder the "live" election results can be found on the city election web site. 

November meeting

Welcome to Fall everyone. And only 2 days of election ads left.
Don't forget to head over to Cathedral Gym on Tuesday to cast your
votes!

Our next meeting will be this Wednesday, November 5th, 6:30-8:30 at
the Boston ballet school (Clarendon & Warren)
6:30-7 - Neighborhood networking
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

Agenda will include
- Voting on a request for deck approval on 24 Hanson
- Social events - we need some!!! What do members want to do, and
volunteers to get the ball rolling!
- ESNA re-org. We talked about moving to a board based
organization. I'd like to continue that discussion

See you all on Wednesday!

ESNA Web changes

Eight Streets is happy to announce we finally have our own home on the web.  The ESNA web pages are now on our own domain at eightstreets.org.   Now that the web pages are ad-free, they'll look a lot less cluttered.  So, for example, our web page and blog directly linked from the 'intro spash' page.   Some of the out-dated sections have been removed from the web page.   Well also be adding more information in the coming months, including more Eightstreets/Google maps like this.  

Also new is the ability to renew/pay your dues on line.   On our Membership page you can now renew your ESNA membership.   Just select your membership and use paypal to renew your membership with your credit card.   It's easy for you to renew, and it saves us time and postage US Mailing the neighborhood.   

So check out the new web location!  And let us know if there's a neighborhood resource you'd like to see on the web in the future.

Ringgold Halloween party

From the FoRP:

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BOO!

Come join the fun at the Halloween Celebration in Ringgold Park starting at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 31st. Sponsored by the Friends of Ringgold Park, the party will feature food, games, and Halloween favors for kids of all ages.
We are still looking for volunteers to help with the party preparations for this big event; please contact us at ringgoldpark@verizon.net for more information. In particular, we need people to help set up at 3:30 p.m. and/or bring food for the event. Savory rather than sweet snacks would be much appreciated for our small party-goers, including hummus, vegetable trays, cheese and crackers, sandwiches, appetizers, and other filling morsels.

It promises to be a spooky-tacular night. Enjoy!

Elections are here

In case you've been out of the country for the past many months, you know Election day is a week from now - Tuesday, November 4th. All of Eight Streets is in Boston's Ward 3, Precinct 7. We vote at Cathedral High School gym, at the corner of Union park and Washington street, a short walk away.

Aside from the much publicized presidential race, we do have a few other offices up for election. These other offices are just as, if not more important than the presidential races.

• Incumbent Senator Kerry is up for election, facing a Republican and Libertarian candidate.


• Incumbent Congressional Representative Michael Capuano is running unopposed.


• Our State Senator incumbent Dianne Wilkerson did not make the primary, and is not on the ballot, although she is staging a 'write in' campaign in some of her districts. For those supporting the nominated democratic candidate Sonya Chang-Diaz, this would be an important vote for you. On the ballot itself, Chang-Diaz is facing Socialist party candidate Leonard


• Incumbent State Legislative representative Sal DiMasi is running unopposed.


• And, of course, the three questions that have been making news will also be on the ballot. We suggest you read the questions beforehand so you know whether to vote Yes or No on each question before you enter your polling location.

The complete ballot that you will see on election day can be seen it here. If you are one of our avid readers outside of Eight Streets, you can find out where to vote and who your candidates are through the state's My Election Information pages.

Polls are open on election day 7am until 8pm, so we hope you can find time to vote!!! And bring a book (or PDA) with you, as Presidential elections tent to bring long lines.

We list these races for educational purposes. ESNA does not endorse any candidates. If you like an incumbent, then vote to re-elect them. If you do not like the incumbent, then cast your vote to a challenger. If an incumbent is running unopposed, and you suport the uincumbent, voting FOR them can show neighborhood suport for the candidate. Not voting for the only name for an office can be a method of demonstrating unhappiness with a candidates performance.

Super 88

For those who don't shop at local asian markets, you may not have noticed the local Super 88 market at Washington and Herald st.   The Globe has an article about that closing and several other 88 closings.