Past Haunts Activist Crime Watch Leader Is a Convicted Sex Offender
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New loccLtion for Charlesview proposed ... 3 aCommunity Newspaper Company www.allstonbrightontab.corr FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2006 Vol. 10, No. 30 40 Pages 3 Sections 75¢ Past haunts activist Crime Watch leader is a convicted sex offender By Auditi Guha STAFF WAITER onathan Ralton has a past not everyone knows about. J The 26-year-old community activist has been a leader with the Ringer Park Crime Watch group - a volunteer organization rec ognized by Boston Police as one of the city's · best. Ralton has also been an advocate for building a public dog park at Ringer and is ac tive in the local Beagle Rescue. He's also a vol unteer at the Historic Wmslow House Associa tion in his hometown of Marshfield. Ralton is also a convicted child rapist. STAff PHOTOS BY KEITH E. JACOBSON As a teenage Scout leader in Marshfield, Ral City Council or at-large Felix Arroyo speaks to fired janitors outside the WBZ building on their last day during a protest mare", ton admitted to raping a 13-year-old Boy Scout Bottom: Anclre Mendes carries a sign outside WBZ to show his support for janitorial workers fired by the company. over a three-year period. He was convicted of stattitory rape and assault and battery of a child ' under 14 in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. He is currently serving a 10- year probation. Janitors fired Ralton admits he did a terrible thing. But he iosic:tc; e is not a danger to the. community. He points to his work as a parks advocate in Unit-Jn"' ·orkers replaced by non-union company Allston as a sign he is committed to public ser By Audltl Guha and plans to replace them with a Holding upa sign thatread "Justi vice. Ralton has many supporters, including STAFF WRITER non-union company. Tuesday was ceia Ahora" (Justice Now), the Ser fellow Crime Watch members who believe even longtime union janitors their last working day. vice Employees International their friend and neighbor is not a threat to any and other union representa Working in the WBZ and CBS Union Local 615 employee one and who say he has been a model citizen in Stives protested outside the building for about 10 years, Maria marcheu in a circle and chanted slo the area. WBZ building at 1170 Soldiers Cardoso said she has never received gans with her fellow workers who Others are not convinced. Field Road Tuesday evening, de any complaints about her work. would l\oon be collecting their last "It's not appropriate for him to be connected manding explanations from the sta Officials said the union was being payche •k for cleaning the building to a neighborhood park," said parent and long· tion. WBZ had just fired the janitors fired because of poor performance. PROTEST, page 5 time resident Helena Rocha. "It's like an alco holic getting a job tending a bar. Why tempt fate?" Some residents wonder why a convicted child rapist would volunteer to patrol the 12.5 acre Ringer Park, one of the only open green Senior day care closing delayed spaces in a dense neighborhood that houses a tot lot, a ball park and tennis courts, and is bor By Audlti Guha 'The neighborhood is not interested in dered by a elementary school and boys and SfAFFWRrER Elderly, advocates scramble for solutions a temporary solution. We want it to be girls club. Following community opposition, but it will still eventually close. 'That's an unsatisfactory solution," available to those who are using this "I don't understand why anyone would be the senior d2y-care center at St. That's not good enough, said upset said Theresa Hynes from the Brighton excellent center and we want other CRIME WATCH, page 7 Gabriel's may be open a little longer, residents. Allston improvement Association. CENTER, Rage 6 Planning for a Turning exercise on its head grfeener future By Audltl Guha Seventy percent of the property . •<Fv.~-a> will be used for conservation and With 40 percent less green "H's always nice to be recreation. The Cenacle owners space than any other neighbor surrounded by will also repair and maintain hood city\" ide, the All ton paths and fences in and around Brighton community is tak.mE a happy, green space the property. long, bard look at its options for a loving people" "What you see here today you greener future. With university will probably see a hundred years and park ma: .ter planning process Joan Pasquale, Allston from now," he said. es already under way, residents They are also planning to build are now con,emplating a commu an extension to the existing nity open space master plan. on their individual efforts. school. The proposed new build Organized by local green ·pcice "It's always nice to be sur ing would maintain the same advocates and the Allston rounded by happy, green space style and correspond with EF's IJl.SEEPAGElS Brighton Community Develop loving people," said Allston resi planned absorption of the Hult In ment Corporation, about 50 n· 1- dent Joan Pasquale while handing ternational Business School, a dents attended and shared ongo out fliers on her Community program that offers MBA courses ing projecb and ideas at a special Build Group for Ringer Park. to older foreign students that of meeting in an ornate hall at the fers MBA courses to older for EF Intemational Language Cenacle plans eign students. ComrnenWy 10 School on J· eb. 23. Carl King, attorney for the EF The owners are seeking city The Friends of Ringer Park, International Language School, approvals this year and construc Community Notes 8 City Minu., Traffic, Garden Soci gave an update of the Cenacle tion will not start until 2007. ety and rnends of Oak SqLare property, pointing out the urban Many efforts STAff PHOTO BY MARK THOMSON Crime 4 Rafael Rosa, of the Grupo de Copoelra Angola, does an Commons were some of the :iif wild they plan to protect which Community members highlight ferent groups that displayed tables will, hopefully, remain that way exercise demonstration at the Oak Square YMCA's annual Destinations 20 ed individual open space efforts health fair. with charts, maps and information due to a conservation restriction. OPEN SPACE, page 6 Library Notes 24 'I \EL The Finest Call For a Free Schools 26 . 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JACOBSON Above, ·Allston resident Kevin Zhu, 10, Allston, takes batting practice at Fenway Park In the visiting teams batting cages. Below left, Brighton resident Ariel Richman, 14, takes batting practice at Fenway Park In: the visiting teams batting cages. Right, Brighton resident Ray Martin, a coac11 fOf the AllstorH!rlghton Uttle League, feeds balls Into the pitching machines at Fenway Park In the visiting tealll's batting cages. .J Members of the Allston Brighton Little League were Invited to use the facility on Feb. 23. I • I Key contacts: Corrections • A Jan. 27 editorial in the Edttor . • . • .. ........... ... Valentina Zic (781) 433·8365 ~\!k."omc to the J\llston·Bnghton TAB! . • • • . • . • . • . • . • . ..... [email protected] TAB incorrectly described ~\! ::ire eager to ;..:.n·e ' a forum for the Reporter ....•..........•....... Audrtt Guha (781) 433-8333 the ~ponsorship behind an ammunity. Plca.c send us calendar Ii.~-.. • . • • • • • • • . • . .... [email protected] ongoing study of transporta sc ,._;;u 11C\\ s and all) och.T items of commu· Editor in chief . • Greg Reibman (781) 433·8345 nty irucrc<.t Plca-.c mail the infonnation to . • . .. greibma~c.com tion i11 Allston-Brighton. The I! ·ior, v.ilentina Zic. All..ion-Brighton Advertising Director ..•........•... Cris Warren (781) 433-831 3 study is funded by a grant Advertising sales .....•.• Harriet Steinberg (781l 433·7865 Box ~A WEEKLY SPECIALS Tl\B, P.O. 9112. :-:eedh:un.. Real Estate sales . • . • . Mark R. Macrelli (781 433-8204 from the Massachusetts OZ4'J:?. 'l ou may fa.~ 1natL'lial 10 (781 )433- Russian section advertising . ••••.•. Yun Tabansky (617) 965-1673 Turnpike Authority obtained.; FEB. 28TH TO MAR. STH 8202. Our <kadlinc for n.-cicving pro-~ Classiliedftlelp wanted . • . .. .. .... (800) 624-7355 extra fancy fresh sweet California nka..cs is :.Olonda) at noon. pri<.T to the calendar listings . • . • . .. .. (781) 433-8211 by the Brighton Allston Im- · n:xt Friday'' '''>UC. Newsroom fax number ...•.•....•...•.•. , . (781) 433-8202 prowment Association in NAVEL ORANGES .................... ..89e lb. Artsllistlngs farnumber , .. ........ .......... (781) 433-8203 Resident- arc invited to call us "'ith 2001 The fiscal agent for the premium quality fresh California Sl OI) ideas or reaction to our co.,,eroge. To subscribe, call ....•.••.•.•.....••. .. (888) 343·1960 Plea..<.c call All ton-Bnghton TAB F.ditor GeneralTAB number . • . • . • . .. (781) 433-8200 fund-. is the Allston Brighton.