Post-Gazette 6-19-09.Pmd
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VOL. 113 - NO. 25 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JUNE 19, 2009 $.30 A COPY Another Great Bunker Hill Day Parade FOR CHARLESTOWN Happy by Sal Giarratani Since being pushed there Candidate Andrew Kenneally in a baby carriage by my from east Boston via West mother, no year is com- Roxbury. Andy passed out Father’s Day plete without going to the candy in this year’s parade Bunker Hill Day parade in and I became the “Candy Charlestown. Everyone has Man” handing out a kazillion their favorite spot to watch it. pieces of candy to the kiddies. My family always gathered I only got one “No thank you.” across from the old Station Probably, an out of towner. 15 while the cops passed out Most of the at large candi- free Hoodsies to the kiddies. dates were there. Kenneally Since 1981, I started march- is looking good. Gets a great ing in this parade. That first reception anywhere he goes. year, it was with the People’s Loves parades and moves Firehouse #2 contingent right into the crowds pumped shortly after our successful up. A few other political takeover of the Winthrop friends were there like Felix Street Firehouse which G. Arroyo and Alyanna saved the Engine 50 appara- Pressley. The City Council at from tus. Since then, every year I Large race promises to be march all over Charlestown quite exciting this year. with some pol running for Bumped into City Councilor Publisher, Pam Donnaruma office. Michael F. Flaherty running This year the skies looked for mayor this year. Last year and the pretty bad down at the I walked the parade with parade’s start under the him. Years back, I did the Staff of the Post-Gazette Tobin Bridge. Looked like parade with Diane Modica, rain but then slowly things Ray Flynn, Jimmy Brett and cleared up to a breezy and countless others. warm day. No heatstroke and delphia and the Boston Cru- I grew up in Roxbury where no sunburns. However, per- saders marched right behind I first learned my politics fect for a parade. The Mum- me. This year I marched with News Briefs mers were back from Phila- Boston City Council at Large (Continued on Page 14) by Sal Giarratani Mayor’s Column This Guy had the Kitchen Sink by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston I’ve been a DMH police officer since 1985 and In these difficult economic times, The statistics around accidental dis- over this period of time, I’ve known lots of government has an obligation to utilize ability retirement cases speak for them- homeless folks and thought I had seen every- resources as efficiently and effectively selves and show how urgently reform thing, but I was wrong. One homeless guy I as possible so that taxpayers don’t have was needed. In 2008, 76% of firefighters know roams the city daily looking to add to his to shoulder the burden of wasteful in the City of Boston that retired did so shopping cart full of his collectibles. One day spending. Last week, the state legisla- on accidental disability, and nearly half he actually walked by me with a kitchen sink. ture took a positive step toward making of those retirees claimed a career end- government work better for the people ing injury while acting at a higher pay Betty, Veronica and Archie? by passing a pension reform bill that grade. Over time, the estimated finan- Growing up I read all kinds of comic books, fixes a broken system. I’m pleased that cial cost of such retirements will be all kinds, including all the Archie comics. Life legislators adopted language that I have approximately $25 million. I know first with Betty and Veronica, Archie and Reggie long advocated for to close a loophole that hand that the majority of public employ- plus Jughead came in monthly installments. left the system open to abuse. I support ees work hard and play by the rules, but Ten cents apiece. For 65 years of sipping ice retirement benefits for individuals that when a few individuals exploit the sys- cream sodas together, it sounds like the end devote their careers to serving the pub- tem it undermines public confidence in is coming for Archie Andrews. Decision time lic, especially if they were disabled in government as a whole. could be here. Will Archie tie the knot? And to the line of duty, but the Commonwealth The reformed pension legislation whom? On September 1, Archie issue No. 600 deserves a pension system that protects helps to restore public trust in a system will hit the newsstands with “Archie Gets both retirees and taxpayers. that previously led to a disproportionate Married Part 1: The Proposal. Is Reggie going I applaud my partners on Beacon Hill number of disability retirement claims to be Best Man or could it be Moose? for eliminating the so-called “king for a by individuals temporarily acting at a day” loophole that allowed some individu- higher pay grade, even if they were in Eat, Drink and be Taxed als to game the pension system for that position for just one day. Still, the If you like to drink, the U.S. Congress is com- personal gain. This comes after my revised pension language leaves a ing after you to help expand health care to 50 administration submitted legislation in strong safety net in place for individu- million uninsured Americans. Recently, mem- January to do away with the provision. als injured on the job by calculating bers of the Senate Finance Committee met By removing the loophole, accidental benefits based on the average compen- behind closed doors to talk about health care. disability retirement benefits for civil sation for the 12 months prior to the date One measure discussed was a tax on alcohol. employees will now be tied to the of injury, rather than based on the pre- In addition to taxing beer, hard liquor and 12-month average of compensation vious 3 years of earnings as a typical received prior to the date of the injury, pension would. (Continued on Page 14) rather than the compensation received on the day of the injury. (Continued on Page 12) 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, JUNE 19, 2009 S imple TIMES . by Girard A. Plante Did you see the live cer- days of heavy bombard- emonies commemorating ment by the Germans. Once the 65th Anniversary of solidified only Berlin lay HERCULES AND THE HELLHOUND D-Day on Saturday, June 6? in wait for the final push Most readers recall that with ashpodel, a dreary plant lower world by taloned de- The CSPAN broadcast oc- of World War II. As is often- mythology identifies the of the lily family that was of- mons. Then there is Charon curred on Colleville-sur- times said, the rest is nether worlds or land of the ten planted on graves. The the boatman, forcing the re- Mer, the American cem- history. dead in three distinct cat- entrance to this place called luctant souls to disembark, etery where thousands of World War II was not my egories. “Elysium” or the Hades was guarded by a dog while other demons are pull- soldiers fell to their eternal only thought while watching “Elysian Fields” (our heaven) named “Cerberus”, a terrible ing them off the boat with rest during the invasion of the 65th D-Day Anniversary. was the place where chaste, monster with three heads, a grappling irons. Finally, Ha- Normandy, France, during Immediately, I thought about moral, righteous, or virtuous tail of three serpents and a des the ruler of this infernal World War II. the day we honor fathers. I people went after death, and body bristling with vipers. He region is standing in the Though he’s been dead for wondered who was respon- where there was complete was friendly to all who en- extreme lower right-hand 32 years, immediately I sible for Father’s Day. Where happiness, paradise, and tered, but if anyone tried to corner with a serpent coiled thought of my father as I lis- and when did this national ideal bliss. Vergil repre- escape, he would seize that around his waist. tened to President Barack observance begin? sented it as a region blessed person and hold him fast. The last task demanded of Obama praise American sol- Father’s Day originated in with perpetual spring, beau- As a person, Hades god of Hercules was to bring up diers whose courageous ac- a church in Spokane, Wash- tiful flowers, pleasantly this underworld ruled a ser- Cerberus from Hades; prob- tions saved the continent of ington, on Mother’s Day! shaded groves and never-fail- vant named Charon. He was ably the most difficult of all Europe, and the rest of the Sonora Louise Smart Dodd ing fountains. Today we think the mythological ferryman his labors. Guided by Mer- world, from the evil Nazis. sat listening to a sermon of it as Washington, DC. from antiquity who con- cury and possibly Minerva, My dad never fought on the about mothers and wondered Tartarus (our Hell) was a ducted the souls of the dead Hercules descended into the beaches at Normandy. He about honoring fathers, too, place beneath the earth, as in a boat across the river underworld.