VOL. 114 - NO. 10 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, MARCH 5, 2010 $.30 A COPY Experts Warn of New BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY EXHIBITION CAPTURES Landslides in Italy Boston Neighborhoods of 1950s, 1960s Experts say Italy faces new ISPRA, a public research landslides in inhabited areas institute that monitors Man in the Street: Jules Aarons Photographs Boston, 1947-1976 after the forced evacuation areas at geological risk, of thousands from two classifies, about five percent southern towns earlier this of Italy’s territory at the month. highest risk for landslides. “Italy will always have land- It has recorded 470,000 slides,” geologist Leonello landslide events in Italy over Serva told AFP. “What is not the last 50 years. acceptable for a wealthy Serva, who heads ISPRA’s country is to have landslide land protection section, says blocking a highway, hitting that in Italy, landslides “can a bridge or a hospital.” be expected anywhere there The density of populations is a slope,” since the soil on in at-risk areas and a lack Italy’s innumerable hills of awareness about geologi- and mountains is “young in cal risks both contribute to geological terms.” the recurring catastrophes, But the southern regions of experts agree. Campania, Calabria and Sic- Torrential rains in south- ily are the most likely to ex- ern Italy caused landslides perience landslides, he said. that led thousands of people In October, dozens of people to flee the towns of Maierato died in a muslide near the in Calabria and San Fratello city of Messina in Sicily. in Sicily. A worse disaster occurred Sicily Governor Raffaele in 1998, when the town of Lombardo said that Sicily Sarno, outside Naples, was was especially at risk “be- engulfed by two million met- cause of the extraordinary ric cubes (70 million cubic rainfalls, the geological fra- feet) of mud, killing 160 gility of the land, and be- people and destroying nearly cause for 40, 50, 100 years 200 homes. people have built houses on Serva also noted that safe Do you recognize anyone? Gus P. Napoli Square, Sunday morning, North End. 1950s land that is subject to land- group of men at corner of Moon Street. (Jules Aarons photo) slides.” (Continued on Page 15) (Continued on Page 8) News Briefs Mayor’s Column by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston by Sal Giarratani As a community it is our responsibil- ers all over Boston. Officers and city hall ity to maximize all the resources we personnel have received specialized Keep Library Branches Open have available to increase public safety, training on commercial robbery preven- Wasn’t it just last year that the new and long- utilizing comprehensive support ser- tion methods and they began this week awaited Mattapan branch of the Boston Public vices along with new technology to fight walking through Roxbury and Dorches- Library opened to the neighborhood? There was crime. The tragic shooting last week of ter as part of a proactive outreach cam- a big tad over it. Politicians showed up with com- a convenience store clerk in Dorchester paign to provide security assessments munity activists and praised the grand open- was an unconscionable act of violence for convenience store owners. ing as a vital part of the community’s quality of and a reminder that we must not The outreach teams will help owners life. Now with deep cuts coming in state fund- allow this type of behavior to be accepted obtain what they need to make their ing for Boston’s library system there is talk of in our city. I commend the Boston Po- stores safer and provide training for possible closings of neighborhood branches. The lice Department (BPD) and community store owners, managers and employees city is facing a $3.6 million budget shortfall. I for working together to apprehend the on how to properly maintain cash regis- would rather the hours be cut first at all librar- individuals responsible, but more can ters and what to do when a robbery oc- ies and perhaps, the ending of weekend usage and will be done to prevent these sense- curs. After a thorough in-store assess- of the Boston Public Library’s main branch in less acts of violence from occurring. ment is completed, they will help store Copley Square. Boston was once held as the The BPD this week launched its Real owners achieve better security by offer- Athens of America. It once had one of the best Time Crime Center, a newly created ing critical improvements such as in- public schools in the country. We are working division within the Bureau of Intelli- creased visibility and installing alarm on improving our public schools and now is not gence and Analysis that can monitor systems and security cameras. the time to close branches of our libraries in ongoing police incidents and provide The Initiative will be focused mainly the city’s neighborhoods. It should be the final “real time” data to officers in the field. on convenience stores, having the resort if all else fails. And we simply can’t let This innovative new technology allows greatest need and limited resources, but all else fail, can we? the BPD to monitor multiple events at we are committed to maintaining the Tea Party Teabags Brown Vote? the same time, combining resources and safety of all our city’s businesses and databases to assist field units in re- employees and encourage anyone who The Tea Party movement gave US Senator sponding immediately to incidents would like to take part in the Store Safety Scott Brown some blowback as he backed a across the city. Initiative to call the Mayor’s 24-hour $15 billion jobs bill down in Washington, DC. We have also created the Store Safety hotline at (617) 635-4500 for a security The internet was jumping alive as anger spilled Initiative, offering free in-store assess- assessment. Together we can all help (Continued on Page 14) ments and making resources immedi- to prevent such appalling acts of brutal- ately available to convenience store own- ity from occurring in our neighborhoods. THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, MARCH 5, 2010 Res Publica by David Trumbull 50 Years Ago This Month Fifty years ago this viduals consistent with month The Conscience the maintenance of the of a Conservative was social order.” THE MAN OF ROME published under the In a chapter on “The The history of ancient present a great mass of evi- tween Romulus and Tatius name of Arizona Sena- Perils of Power” he Rome is easily divided into dence and most details are was short-lived, and ended tor Barry Goldwater sets forth the con- three separate and distinct supported by monumental with the violent death of (1909-1998). The servative doc- periods. These were known remains. Tatius the Sabine, followed thin, 127-page, trine of con- as: The Wall of Romulus, small shortly thereafter by the volume was, stutionalism. 1. Regal Rome, the period parts of which are still vis- death of Romulus the Ro- in fact, ghost- First the of seven kings starting ible at different points man. As startling or as written by L. limitation of with Romulus in 750 B.C. around the Palatine Hill, strange as it may seem, Brent Bozell, Jr., (1927- the federal government’s and ending with Lucius enclosed a space which was Romulus was the first and 1997), Goldwater’s speech- authority to specific, del- Tarquinius Superbus in called “Roma Quadrata” by last Roman King of Rome. writer, and sets forth in ten egated powers. Second, the 510 B.C. the ancient historians, be- There were seven kings dur- chapters some of the most reservation to the States 2. The Republic, starting cause of its quadrangular ing this first historical period important themes in mod- and people of all other power. with the death of the above- shape. This enclosed space, called Regal Rome. Romulus ern (post World War II) Third, division of power mentioned Lucius and end- this Roma Quadrata, an was the first. The next three American conservatism. among three branches of ing in 27 B.C. shortly after area of about twenty-four were the Sabines, Numa The book was a best-seller government. Finally, the the death of Julius Caesar. acres, is said to be where Pompilius, Tullus Hostillus, and propelled Goldwater to wisdom of the founders in 3. The Empire, starting the Rome of history begins. and Ancus Marcius. The last the Republican Party nomi- making it difficult to amend with Augustus in 27 B.C. Contemporary with Romu- three were Etruscans named nation for the presidency in the Constitution. and ending with the piti- lus and his Palatine Hill was Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, 1964. The book helped to I’ve mentioned how the ful Romulus Augustulus in Tatius the Sabine, whose Servius Tullius, and Lucius popularize the conservative Ronald Reagan’s election 475 A.D. tribe occupied the Capital Taraquinius Superbus. movement and its publica- and two successful terms Romulus was the founder Hill. If you were introduced to tion was one of the key as President were the fruit of Rome and its first king. In In this location and to this the last six at a cocktail events preparing the way for of the sort of conservatism earlier years people scoffed period of time also belongs party, how many names Ronald Reagan to be nomi- articulated in Goldwater’s at the idea that a real the story of the carrying could you remember? As an nated and win the presi- book.