THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 FREE charlestown PATRIOT-BRIDGE Wu takes FINAL SUMMER CONCERT Mitigation Time citywide vote, City receives first mitigation payment from Encore with Flaherty By Seth Daniel funds were wired to the City for use within the community. The scoring win in The City confirmed this week mitigation payment is an annual that the first $2 million mitiga- payment that Mayor Martin Walsh Charlestown tion payment from Encore Boston negotiated in the Surrounding Harbor has been received at City Community Agreement (SCA) two Hall. years ago. By Seth Daniel Upon opening on June 23, Mayor Walsh has routinely Councilor Michelle Wu scored Encore was to pay the $2 million an impressive victory citywide within 90 days, and this week the (ENCORE Pg. 9) in the Preliminary Election on Tuesday, Sept. 25, over her oppo- nents, but Councilor Michael Where’s the Traffic? Flaherty prevailed over her in Charlestown – capturing 768 Astoundingly, casino has not created gridlock votes to win the neighborhood. The Preliminary Election fea- By Seth Daniel ity, or really at all. tured 15 candidates from the Few could have predicted that Council At-Large race squaring Most everyone believed that Encore would open and there off to claim the top eight spots. the latter half of 2019 would be would barely be a blip on the The top eight now move on to marred with gridlock 24 hours a screen of the traffic situation in fight for five seats in the Nov. 5 day from City Square to The Neck Charlestown, but it has been the City Election. following the opening of Encore case. There was no district seat race Boston Harbor resort casino. The Boston Transportation this time around, as Councilor For years, meeting after meet- Department (BTD) said this week Lydia Edwards has no opponent ing addressed the inevitable tie-ups that they have monitored the open- in this year’s election cycle. that already exist and would be ing carefully and serious traffic Citywide, the vote totals made impossible by the addition of issues associated with the casino were as follows, with Councilor the casino. have been limited. BTD said that Annissa Essaibi George having a But, astoundingly, 90 days after was mainly because of the extraor- good showing in coming in second the casino opened its doors – and dinary planning that was done citywide. The citywide vote is as Photo by Katy Rogers with some pretty impressive finan- beforehand with so many stake- follows for the top eight. ROCK N’ ROLL: Sean and Marlowe Sullivan enjoyed a night out at cial numbers generated – the traffic (TRAFFIC Pg. 9) •Michelle Wu – 26,622 the Training Field for a concert with the Boston Pub Rockers on a per- has yet to appear with any regular- •Annissa Essaibi George –18,993 fect Saturday evening, Sept. 21. It was the final summer concert of the •Michael Flaherty – 18,776 season, but the Friends of the Training Field are planning a fall flea mar- ket on Oct. 5. See Page 8 for more photos. (ELECTION Pg. 4) CANDLELIGHT VIGIL Urban Renewal looks to be heading for extension in Charlestown By Seth Daniel (URAs), and last month filed a summer, but said last week that comprehensive preliminary report the Charlestown meeting would A new report and Council with the state. be scheduled for some time in update from the Boston Planning In that report, while some of the November. and Development Area (BPDA) URAs in the Back Bay and down- At that meeting, based on the suggests that the Urban Renewal town are recommended to be sun- report, it looks as if the BPDA Area in Charlestown – and several set, larger areas like Charlestown will propose and extension of the other areas of Boston – will con- and the South End are looking Charlestown URA beyond 2022, tinue beyond the 2022 expiration like there will be a request to if maybe in a smaller form. imposed by the Council in 2016. extend renewal – something that “While the formal community Charlestown’s Chris Breen, of may expected, but is controversial engagement on the status and pro- the BPDA, has been in charge given the 2016 limited approval by posed future of the Charlestown of updating the communities the Council. Urban Renewal Plan has not start- throughout Boston about the sta- Breen has held several meet- tus of the Urban Renewal areas ings throughout the city this (RENEWAL Pg. 9) (FRIEND Pg. 15) Photo by Katy Rogers CNC COMMUNITY CORNER Shawn Girouard reflected on lost lives as he held a candle during The monthly meeting of the Charlestown Neighborhood Council will be held on Tuesday October 1 in the Saturday evening’s 11th annual candlelight vigil to remember those who Knights of Columbus Hall, 545 Medford Street at 7 pm. Jason Ruggiero, Community Engagement Manager lost their lives to addiction and to support those who are struggling from the Boston Planning and Development Authority, will be reporting. The public is encouraged to attend. currently with it. The vigil is the cornerstone event of Recovery Month activities in the Town. See Page 5 for more photos. 2 PAGE 2 THE CHARLESTOWN PATRIOT BRIDGE SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 editorial LET’S KEEP IN MIND THE FACTS GUEST OP-ED ABOUT HEALTH CARE COSTS IN THIS COUNTRY Saving for your child’s future can be overwhelming, but Boston is here to help The issue of national health care is now front and center in the debate among the presidential candidates of both parties, with each By Mayor Martin J. Walsh students from eleven BPS schools actions that plan for the future. offering their vision of what should be done about this important issue. for a total of $80,000. For example, if a family saves The start of kindergarten marks Beginning this fall, Boston $25 for their child in a three- Some favor a repeal of Obamacare, some wish to improve upon it, the beginning of a child’s educa- Saves will expand citywide, pro- month period, Boston Saves will and still others want to implement a “Medicare for all” system. tional future and here in Boston viding more families with the tools add another $5 to their child’s However, regardless of where one stands on the issue, it is important we believe nothing should hinder to invest in their children’s future. account. All told, families can earn to keep in mind some basic facts about the costs of the present health a child’s path to success. That’s The program provides each kin- up to $65 in incentives for their care system in this country. why, in 2016, and in collaboration dergartener enrolled in BPS with child’s Boston Saves account in the The United States presently spends far more on health care than any with Boston Public Schools, we a savings account, automatically program’s first year. Another way other nation in the world. Our health care costs amount to a whopping launched Boston Saves as a three- started with $50. This money can families can earn Boston Saves 17 percent of our gross national product, compared to 10 percent for year pilot program. Our goal was then be used to help pay for the Dollars is by reading with their costs of college or career train- child for 20 minutes a day for 20 countries in Europe and elsewhere that offer national health insurance. to build strong career pathways by helping families of BPS kindergar- ing once a student finishes high days per month in a three-month Ironically however, despite our huge expenditures, we rate near the teners save money for their chil- school. period. Once the reading is com- bottom among developed nations in every category of measures of dren’s college or career training. Families have the opportunity plete, families can fill out a read- national health. Throughout those three years, our to grow the money in their child’s ing self-reporting form and earn Moreover, gaps in our present health insurance system either leave efforts worked. We provided chil- Boston Saves account by earning many uncovered or underinsured. As a result, millions of Americans go dren’s savings accounts to 1,600 Boston Saves Dollars for specific (OP-ED Pg. 3) bankrupt or become impoverished every year when faced with a cata- strophic illness because they lack adequate health insurance. Job mobility, which is a significant factor in the ability of employees to improve their financial circumstances, is hindered because of the lack of a uniform national health insurance system. The fear of losing their CLERGY VIEWPOINT existing health insurance prevents millions of Americans from either F ROM THE C HARLESTOWN C LERGY A SSOCIATION taking a new job or starting their own business. Study after study has shown that our economy is being weighed down by the burden of a health insurance system that is inefficient and inflexible. TO WONDER By Very Reverend James Ronan, VF – Pastor, St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena Parish The costs of a Medicare-for-all system frequently are cited by those opposed to a national health insurance plan, but that is only one side We walked along the sidewalk the job done” attitude none of us it possible that our present time of of the equation. and there were flower gardens, seem to have much time for … efficiency, productivity, and aston- The profits of the health insurance industry, about $20 billion annu- lawn, shrubs and trees all along wondering. In fact wondering is ishing advances in so many levels ally, are cited by proponents of Medicare-for-all, but think about this the way.