Services and Resources for Seniors

We are passing on notice for this public discussion on Monday May 19th.

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Have you ever wondered what services and resources are available for seniors living in Boston? Do you know that senior citizens may purchase taxi vouchers at a 50% discount, and that the Boston Fire Department will provide and install free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for seniors (with modifications for the hard of hearing)?

For more information, please save the date, alert your neighbors, and join us for a presentation and discussion:

• When: Monday, May 19
  
• Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM
  
• Where: City Year Headquarters, 287 Columbus Ave. (near the northwest corner of Clarendon and Columbus Ave.)
  
• No charge
  

The panel will be moderated by Ron Geddes, and will include speakers from:

• Commission on Affairs of the Elderly, City of Boston. Speaker: Eliza Greenberg, Commissioner
  
• Beacon Hill Village – the national model organization for seniors who choose to remain in their own homes. Speaker: Judy Willett, Exec. Director
  
• Creative Alliances – a nonprofit organization specializing in geriatric care and management. Speaker: Jill Lebar, Director and Care Manager
  
• Mass. Assn. of Older Americans (MAOA) – an organization dedicated to the promotion of social and economic security of elders. Speaker: Ann Hartstein, Exec. Director
  

Please RSVP at seseniors@aol.com, or call 617-426-0989 (Betsy Boveroux) so we will have enough chairs for everyone!

Lights! Camera! Lights!!!

A film company will be shooting in a building on Washington street.   While the shooting will be inside, they have asked us to inform you that:

On Friday, May 9th the lights in Peters Park will be on all night long.

Boston Shines

The bi-annual city cleanup, Boston Shines, is taking place THIS Saturday, 4/26.    Although Eight Streets is not having a coordinated effort this year, you can do your part by cleaning in front of your home, or organizing a cleanup for your street.  The city will be on hand to loan tools for the morning at the BCA Plaza.   The city will be running street sweepers through the neighborhood, and they will do a special 'cleanup trash' collection around noon - make sure your cleanup trash bags are on a major corner, not just in front of your house.

City recycling information

With Spring comes thoughts of cleaning house - but recycling should always be on your mind.   Check out the City Recycling site for more information on:

• Curbside recycling (including our Single Stream program)
  
• Paint and Motor Oil drop-off days and locations
  
• Hazardous Waste dates and drop off locations
  
• Recycling of Electronics (drop-off date THIS weekend, 4/26)
  
• To subscribe to the city Recycling newsletter!!
  

To get rid of old TVs and computer monitors,  call 617-635-7574, or make your request by emailing trashtvcrt@cityofboston.gov.

Leaf and Yard Waste Collection

Spring 2008 Collection Dates: April 21st-May 23rd

• Put barrels and bags of yard waste, along with bundled branches, on the curb by 7:00 AM on your Recycling Day April 21st through May 23rd.  [[for Eight Streets this is Tuesday morning]]
  
• Place leaves and yard debris in large paper leaf bags or open barrels labeled "yard waste."
  
• Do not put yard waste in plastic bags.
  
• Yard Waste stickers for barrels (one sticker per barrel) are available by calling 635-4959.
  
• Tie branches with string, 3' maximum length. Do not put branches in barrels.
  

Recycling bags

An update for those looking for clear plastic bags to use for the new 'single stream' city recycling program.

Shaws has replaced their store brand bags with the Homelife brand.  They offer 30 gallon clear trash bags, with a box of 20 going for $3.      Foodies has a a smaller 13 gallon size clear plastic bag.

Remember, the blue Glad brand bags they say recycling on them should NOT be used.   The city is using only clear bags, and anything in a blue bag will probably be taken as trash.

Read more about Boston's single stream recycling program here.

City Roots grant program

Short notice form the city, but the City Roots grant application process is open, with applications due APRIL 18th. Application can be found here. They also have a seperate grant program for a Youth Crew. City description of the program:

City Roots is a small grant program for neighbors, community groups and youth groups who would like to work together to beautify a public park, vacant lot, street, apartment complex or private front yards in their community. There is one application specific for adult neighborhood groups and one application specific for youth crews. Those interested in applying should complete the relevant application and submit it by April 18, 2008 to Rachael Dobson, Urban Ecology Institute, 355 Higgins Hall, 140 Commonwealth Ave., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 Email:dobsonr@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-6792.

Coffee with the Mayor

The Mayor's "Neighborhood Coffee Hour" series comes to Peters Park on May 7th, from 9:30-10:30. Feel free to stop by for some free coffee and chat with the Mayor about issues on your mind.

Here is the complete Coffee Hour schedule.

Call tracking a ways off

The city system to track complaint calls to the city 'hotline' seems to be further behind than we were lead toe believe.   There's a Boston Globe article that says it's about 2 years away...

April NA Meeting

No foolin - the next Eight Streets NA meeting is this Wednesday, April 2nd. We'll be meeting at our usual location, the 5th floor boardroom at Boston ballet (Warren & Clarendon). Regular meeting time of 6:30-8:30.

6:30-7 - Neighborhood networking
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

Agenda includes

* 10 Bond Street. The Szetos will be installing a groundwater recharge system that return "100% Capacity" into the ground. The community process required them to come to the NA to inform their neighbors about the system they will install. This will be an informational presentation only - there is no ESNA vote required for this issue.

* South End Buttery. Construction efforts going on with the lower level expansion of the location have shown they can add approximately 50 additional seats in the downstairs location. Buttery is asking for ESNA Support on the increased capacity (ESNA vote to take place)

Hope to see everyone there!!!

Do you like to walk?

MAPC, The Metropolitan Area Planning Council, is taking a survey on Pedestrian activities, to help with their regional pedestrian planning. Take their survey - What are the most important issues facing pedestrians in our Region?

Towing starts - no foolin!

A reminder that Tuesday, April 1st marks the return of regular street sweeping.   As you park in the South End (or any street space) make sure to read the Street Sweeping signs to note days and hours of street sweeping.  The city will Ticket and possibly TOW your car away if you are parked on the street when sweeping will occur!!!

  

Our web site has a list of some Street Cleaning Schedules for your reference.  (please let us know if you spot any errors)

Remember street sweeping goes a long way to keep our neighborhood looking great!!!

The new phoneboooks' here!

The Globe has picked up an issue we discussed at the last ESNA meeting - the deluge of phonebooks we seem to be getting. Basically, they're the same as a newspaper or Chinese menu - anyone can put anything on your doorstep. If you don't want a phonebook, the best solution is to keep it our of the rain until recycle day, then put it out with your recyclables.

You may be able to call to get them to stop delivering (both companies), but since most buildings are multiple units, something will show up at your door anyway. The only success I've heard of are large buildings that get pallets of books - Verizon will come take some of those back.

But the YP (and WP) are paid products, just like a newspaper, if someone makes money by printing it, chances are you'll get it. Just remember to recycle

Michael Flaherty comes to your house

City Councilor at Large Michael Flaherty has announced, well, he'll come to your house. It's best to read... See his notice below. If you have a group of neighbors you hang out regularly, this could be your chance for someone in City Hall to listen

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Last week, I [Councilor Flaherty] officially announced the launch of my Kitchen Table Conversation Tour. For the next year, I will be visiting with groups of residents at their kitchen tables and in their living rooms to field your suggestions and observations about how we can make sure our city is moving in the right direction.

What I am hearing loud and clear from many residents is that they are tuned out and turned off from local government. Many people have lost interest in what our local leaders are doing, and, even worse, they feel like city government is losing interest in them.

The goal of my kitchen table conversations is to get people tuned back in to what is going on in their neighborhood and across their city. Through your personal input, I also aim to end the disconnect between city policies and the needs of everyday residents, families and small businesses. I look forward to meeting with people in their homes and sharing their stories and ideas with you in the months ahead.

If you would like to host a gathering at your house, please contact me at Michael.F.Flaherty@cityofboston.gov or call my office at 617-635-4205. I hope you will save a seat for me at your kitchen table.

DCR Summer Jobs

Youths aged 16+ who are interested in summer jobs at the DCR can fill out this application and return it to Senator Wilkerson's office. More details on the program can be found on the application form. Sen. Wilkerson's Constituant Services contact is as follows:

Phillip K. Reason
Assistant Director of Constituent Service
Senator Dianne Wilkerson's Office
Room 312c, State House
Boston, Ma. 02133
Tel.(617) 722-1673
Fax (617) 722-1079

LandWave Fundraising Event (2)

Landwave, the public art to be installed at the Boston Neck location in Peters Park is having a fundraiser on April 8th. Their announcement is below

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Frank Campanale is one lucky guy! Not only does he own the very cool Harrison Avenue shop diseño boston and a fab apartment in the hippest neighborhood in Buenos Aires, but by fall his Washington Street loft will have the perfect view of LandWave. This public artwork, commissioned for the South End’s Peters Park, will soon be a strikingly beautiful presence on Washington Street, marking the narrowest part of the historic Neck to the Shawmut Peninsula. By day, its glass-embedded tiles will sparkle in the sun; at night, the soft blue glow of LEDs will outline the crest of its three waves. See www.LandWave.org for plans, pictures and information.

Frank is also a good guy. On Tuesday, April 8th from 6 to 8 PM, he will open his South End home for an exclusive reception for LandWave, complete with excellent food and wine inspired by Frank’s South American décor.

Space is limited. Please save your spot by sending your check to Bob Wells at the address below as soon as you can. Your contribution of $125 per person or $200 for couples in advance (or $150 or $250 for couples at the door, if tickets are available) will help make LandWave a reality for all South End residents and visitors. (Make your check out to UrbanArts Institute, a nonprofit, for a tax deduction. We can’t accept credit cards.)

We hope you can join us to hear artist Shauna Gillies-Smith describe the piece, see the future site of LandWave from the top, and enjoy excellent food and wine inspired by Argentina. You’ll enjoy Frank’s Boston apartment, a showcase for the best of Argentine design. You’ll love LandWave, a truly contemporary artwork marking the historic geology of our South End.

Ann McQueen and Bob Wells
Neck Art Project: LandWave Co-chairs

Send checks to Bob Wells at:
1154 Washington Street #9
Boston, MA 02118

Contact Bob at:
617-763-8983 (mobile)
BobW@Intersystems.com

Contact Ann at:
617-948-9302 (McQueenStudio)
McQueenStudio@rcn.com

Cleanup and Easter in Ringgold

Friends of Ringgold Park announce a Spring Cleanup and Easter Egg Hunt in Ringgold park

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Spring is just around the corner, and we have been busy getting ready to spend more time outdoors in the park! We have several important events coming up, so please mark your calendars with the following dates:

Spring Clean-up: Saturday, March 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Tools and refreshments will be provided. Come tidy the park with us to prepare for our busy season! Caroline Foscato will be overseeing this cleanup - please contact her at cfoscato@yahoo.com for more information.

Spring Egg Hunt: Join us on Sunday, March 23 at 10 a.m. for the annual Egg Hunt! Kids and egg hunters of all ages welcome; we will divide hunting in areas of the park by age group. Coffee and refreshments will be served. If you are interested in helping with this event, we need volunteers for the following:

Egg Hiding (9 a.m. on Sunday)
Refreshments (breakfast items)
Clean Up

If you can assist us with this fun event, please e-mail Heather Lionette at Hlionette@aol.com. We are also collecting money to cover the costs for family events such as this and Halloween. If you can help contribute to this very worthy cause, it would be very much appreciated; there will be a box at the clean-up and egg hunt for your tax-deductible donations. If you would prefer to write a check, it can made out to "The Friends of Ringgold Park, Inc."

Comunity Meeting with our Congressman

From Representative Mike Capuano's latest newsletter: (He's our representative on Congress)

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On Wednesday March 26th from 7:00 – 8:00 PM, I will host a telephone community meeting. Anyone interested in participating may dial 1-866-447-5149 and use pin 13034 at the scheduled time to listen in. Anyone who wishes to ask a question can press *3 after joining the meeting. I look forward to answering your questions and learning about the issues that matter to you.

More on Hanson parking issue

The issue of vandalized cars on the Shawmut end of hanson st that was covered in the South End news last week was also covered in the Globe today.   [Story] I talked with officials at D4 police district, who confirmed that they have not gotten calls about this issue.

 

A reminder to call 911 to report any issues of vandalism that you see in the neighborhood.  Too many times people just assume 'someone else' will call and make a report.  it's troubling to hear this particular vandalism has happened so many times, yet there are no police reports.  No wonder the police aren't doing anything about it.  They don't know there's a problem.  If you are uncomfortable calling the police, or are trying to make an appointment then make time to email our Community Liaison Carolyn MacNeil and let her know something has happened.  In our electronic age, photographs of vandalism help a lot.   Getting evidence such as written notes into police hands can also help them track down vandals.

 

Remember, if you don't say something, no one else will.

NIH Biolab webcast

For those interested in following the BU Biolab, the following meeting/webcast notice went out

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Dear Community Member:

The NIH Blue Ribbon Panel Meeting about the NEIDL will take place on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 8:30 AM EST. Notice of the webcast of the NIH Blue Ribbon Panel Meeting is posted in the upcoming events section at http://videocast.nih.gov. You will be able to view the event at http://videocast.nih.gov when the event is live.

To access the webcast, click the link to watch the live or archived video. Real Player is necessary to see the program and can be downloaded for free from the website. Technical login support is also available from the site at the top of the FAQ’s.

I hope the information is useful.

Carla

Carla J. Richards, MPP
Director of Community Relations
Department of Corporate Communications
Boston University Medical Center
715 Albany Street, M-421
Boston, MA 02118
Phone: 617-638-8491
Fax: 617-638-8044
E-Mail: carla.richards@bmc.org