Seee Yoooooou in Seeeep-teeeem-ber

A reminder the Eight Streets Business Meetings have taken the summer off.  The next schedule business meeting will be Wednesday, September 3rd.

Have a great summer!!!

July USES Neighborhood Walk

USES is now hosting the old UPNA walks. The latest one is of the South End's Community Gardens. Full announcement below

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Whether you have a green thumb or plants wither at your presence, you will want to join United South End Settlements (USES) and Betsy Johnson on Monday July 7th at 6:30 for a guided tour of the South End's amazing collection of community gardens. The walk will start at the new Harrison Urban Garden (HUG garden) located behind 700 Harrison Avenue between East Brookline and East Canton Streets. The garden is built atop the underground parking garage. On the tour will be one of the city's largest community gardens and one of the few with a distinctly Chinese character.

Betsy Johnson is a co-founder and current president of the South End/Lower Roxbury Land Trust. She is also the former executive director of the American Community Gardening Association and will provide insights about community gardening from across the country.

USES walks are free, open to all, proceed at a leisurely pace that all may handle. Please contact Albert Whitaker at (617) 375-8137 or awhitaker@uses.org to reserve your place as participation is limited to 20 people. The walks are dog friendly but there is an optional dinner afterwards so leave the pooch at home if you plan on joining the group for dinner. Walks will be rescheduled in the event of rain.

Sincerely,

Kevin Hepner
United South End Settlements

June USES Neighborhood Walk

USES neighborhood walk for June looks interesting. Details and how to reserve your free spot is below.


United South End Settlements (USES) today announces the second walk in its monthly walk series. On Monday June 16th, Sylvalia "Val" Hyman, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of the United South End Lower Roxbury Development Corporation (UDC), will do a walking tour of Lower Roxbury. The walk will showcase UDC's business and real estate development activities in the area, highlighting key accomplishments such as Roxbury Corners Cooperative Housing Development. Expect to learn about the jazz scene as well because Val is a longtime resident of the community and a knowledgeable guide to its history. The walk starts at 6:30 pm and the meeting point is the USES Harriet Tubman House at the corner of Massachusetts and Columbus Avenues.

USES walks are free, open to all, proceed at a leisurely pace that all may handle. Please contact Albert Whitaker at (617) 375-8137 or awhitaker@uses.org to reserve your place as participation is limited to 20 people. The walks are dog friendly but there is an optional dinner afterwards so leave the pooch at home if you plan on eating with us. Walks will be rescheduled in the event of rain.

New tot-lot opens

On Monday, June 16th, the Union Park Street playground will officially open (95 Union Park Street, near Albany and the pumping station). Free t-shirts, face painting, music and food for the kids. From noon-1:30

South End Library Book Sale

The Friends of the South End Library are having a book sale on Saturday June 21 from 10-4 in conjunction with the South End Garden Tour. Books, volunteers, and especially plastic bags are needed. Bring them (and yourself) to the Library 685 Tremont St. Thanks!!

- Anne Smart

Scene 2, Take 1

Movie production on "Surrogates" has moved to the other side of Eight Streets, and will be filming at the Beehive on Tuesday night.   Beginning Monday night parking will be restricted on Tremont st.

Hazardous Waste Drop-off

The next hazardous waster drop-offs will be this coming June, from 9-2pm.

  

Saturday, June 14th at U Mass Campus in Dorchester.

Saturday, June 28 at the West Roxbury Public Words yard.

For more information see the City hazardous Waster Web site

EARLY START TIME for June meeting

Hi Everyone,

We're going to try something a little different for our June Eight Streets meeting. (Wednesday, June 4th)

We'll be starting the BUSINESS portion of the meeting AT 6:30 in the Boston Ballet. The one item on the agenda is 98 Waltham wanting to add rear decks.

After the business (should be done by 7) I'd like to do a neighborhood walk through.

Everyone there will break up into small teams and canvas Eight Streets doing a "Neighborhood Checklist". Take a walk through the neighborhood and see what might need a little TLC. Potholes, street lights out, trees need trimming. That sort of thing.

It's a chance for everyone to see parts of the neighborhood they may not usually walk down. And, of course, to meet some of your neighbors. Say hi while you're walking. Tell them about the NA. Get to know the area where you live.

At 8 we'll meet back in Ringgold park and collect forms and meet up to 'end' the meeting. Those who have some free times, we can grab a cocktail at a local establishment to finish off the night.

I think this could be a fun way to end the 'meeting season', and I hope you'll be able to join us for this special evening.

- John Mc

Candidate Forum

WARD 4 DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE

IS PROUD TO SPONSOR

A CANDIDATES FORUM
FEATURING

STATE SENATOR DIANNE WILKERSON
2ND SUFFOLK
AND
CANDIDATE SONIA CHANG-DIAZ

DATE: Tuesday, June 10, 2008
TIME: 6:30 P.M.
PLACE: United South End Settlements
Harriet Tubman House
566 Columbus Avenue
Boston, MA 02118


Come Hear the Candidates Discuss Their Visions for Your Neighborhood
and Why They Deserve Your Vote


THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ADMISSION IS FREE

Will I be towed?

Curious when your street gets street cleaning?   Forgot to read the signs when you parked?   The city now has a "No Tow" page, where you can input a street and look up the street sweeping (and towing) days.   You can also enter your email and add streets to your notification list.

Check out the city site at http://www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/sweeping/

Dwight st incident

For those that haven't heard, this was in the South End News. If we get any more information, we'll pass it on.

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16-year-old shot in stomach
by Linda Rodriguez
managing editor
Thursday May 8, 2008

A 16-year-old boy was shot in the abdomen last night at around 8:45 p.m. in front of 38 Dwight St. and transported to Boston Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries. According to the police report of the incident, a firearm was located in front of 9 Taylor St. and ballistics evidence was recovered from 35 and 37 Dwight St.

No further information is available at this time, although police media relations said the investigation is on-going.

Linda Rodriguez can be reached at lrodriguez@southendnews.com

May meeting

Evening everyone. Spring brings us to our May Eight Streets business meeting.

The meeting is This Wednesday, May 7th at our usual Boston ballet
5th floor boardroom location.

6:30 -7 - Neighborhood Networking. Meet your neighbors and catch up
on neighborhood goings on.
7-8:30 - Business meeting. Agenda includes:

- Presentation on the upcoming Youth Shines Art Auction (May 20)
- Presentation on upcoming work on the South End Library
- Local hot spot Pops would like to add seating to the rear of the
establishment. Presentation and ESNA Vote
- A business owner would like to open a restaurant at the current
Qing Ping location, at Dwight and Shawmut. They will do a
presentation only on their concept - there is no vote scheduled.

Hope to see everyone there!

- J

--
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John McLachlan
President, Webmaster
Eight Streets Neighborhood Association
South End (Boston) MA
http://eightstreets.tripod.com
http://eightstreets.blogspot.com
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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.