Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 30 Issue 25 Thursday, June 20, 2013 50¢ MOUNTAINTOP MOMENT FOR clAss OF ’13 Dems gearing up for Markey as he and GOP’s Gomez near finish line Us senate vote is Tuesday By Gintautas Dumcius news eDitor In the wake of primaries in US Senate and state Senate races, and a general election for a state Senate seat, Dorchester and Mattapan voters will go to the polls next week for the third time in three months. This time, on June 25, it’ll be to choose John Kerry’s successor. US Rep. Ed Markey, a Malden Democrat, and newcomer Gabriel Gomez, a Cohasset Republican, are the two candidates on the ballot, survivors of the April 30 primary that winnowed the fields on either side. The public’s interest in the special election – set in motion in December when Kerry was tapped as President Obama’s chief diplomat – has been sluggish by most accounts. Voter listlessness was on display on Sunday at Roxbury Community College where the candidates faced off in a forum put together by MassVOTE Elizabeth Seton Academy’s class of 2013 posed for a photo outside of the school on Thurs., May and other groups. About 70 people trickled into the 26. Hoang Ngan Hong Tran delivered the valedictory address during the graduation ceremony at college’s media arts auditorium to watch Markey and St. Gregory’s Church. A full list of graduates from Seton Academy and several other Boston high Gomez hammer away at each other. The candidates schools is published in this week’s Reporter on Pages 16-17. Photo by Patrick O’Connor took turns bristling as they exchanged well-honed talking points peppered with references to the “American Dream.” DTA chief Monahan tries her hand One of the issues they differed on is the federal Affordable Care Act, modeled on the Bay State’s health care law. “I would not repeal Obamacare,” at shopping on a food-stamp budget (Continued on page 3) By colleen Quinn experiment will provide them with state House some perspective. news service One in seven people in Massa- Arriving last Wednesday morn- chusetts receive welfare benefits, ing at Market Basket in Chelsea, with the majority of those receiv- Department of Transitional ing SNAP benefits. More than Assistance Commissioner Stacey 800,000 low-income people in Monahan grabbed a shopping the state receive federal SNAP cart, armed with a specials flyer, benefits, averaging $237 a month, a calculator, and $31.50 to spend according to DTA. The benefits on groceries for the week – the supplement whatever other in- same amount a person living on come recipients can devote to their food stamps receives. food budgets. She headed for the dairy aisle, Stacey Monahan checks the tab Nationwide, 47.8 million people first picking up a block of Monterey during her recent outing to the were receiving SNAP benefits Jack cheese priced at two for $5. Market Basket store in Chelsea. as of December 2012, with an She puts it in the shopping cart, SHNS photo average benefit of $133 per month. but takes it out a moment later Polanowicz are grocery shopping According to the Center on Budget Two candidates for mayor kicked off their when she finds cheese priced at this week with the same amount and Policy Priorities, the SNAP campaigns last week: Councillor Michael Ross, two for $4. She puts one cheese of money as a person living on the program cost $81 billion in fiscal left, launched his with a foray across the city in her cart. federal Supplemental Nutritional 2012, with caseloads increasing while Councillor Felix Arroyo, right, greeted Monahan and Secretary of Assistance Program (SNAP). Both “significantly” since late 2007 supporters outside his old apartment in Villa Health and Human Services John Polanowicz and Monahan hope the (Continued on page 9) Victoria. Stories, Pages 4 and 5. Merged stops, rehabs on tap for four bus routes in Dot, Mattapan By Gintautas Dumcius ments this summer, benches, trash barrels, in Roxbury; the No. through Grove Hall; and news eDitor transit officials said this and signage to others. 22, which runs from the No. 28, which runs Four bus routes that week. Aiming to reduce The Dorchester and Ashmont to Ruggles from Mattapan Station run through Dorchester trip times and improve Mattapan routes in- via Talbot Avenue and to Ruggles with stops in and Mattapan and are reliability and comfort clude the No. 15, which through Jackson Square; Dudley Square. among the 15 busiest for riders, officials plan runs from Fields Corner the No. 23, which runs Work dates for routes to consolidate some through Uphams Cor- from Ashmont to Ruggles are set for June 24 to All contents copyright routes in the MBTA sys- © 2013 Boston tem are set for improve- stops and add shelters, ner to Ruggles Station via Washington Streety (Continued on page 2) Neighborhood News, Inc. The joints are jumpin.’ Center for Orthopaedic Care 199 Reedsdale Road, Milton, MA 02186 | www.bidmilton.org | 617-313-1445 Page 2 THE REPoRTER June 20, 2013 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record Possible entry from Milton Murray revels in OFD status for 12th suffolk House seat By Gintautas Dumcius continue to fill up with forums and news eDitor meet-and-greets with neighborhood Edmond Romulus, a Milton associations. Some of the forums and resident, has pulled nomination papers get-togethers include: and is aiming to run in the special •Edvestors forum on education election for the vacant 12th Suffolk reform Thurs., June 20, 5 p.m., Boston District House seat. Romulus, who Public Library, Rabb Lecture Hall managed Jean-Claude Sanon’s • CommonWealth magazine, A Better campaign for City Council At-Large City and Municipal Research Bureau in 2009, says he plans to run as an Tues., June 25, 8 a.m., Palm Restau- independent. rant at One International Place “My approach is politics of common •Future Boston Alliance and Ter- sense,” he said. “Vote for what’s best for rible Labs Wed., June 26, 6:30 p.m., the people, not based on party affilia- at Terrible Labs at 129 Kingston St. tion or ideology.” Romulus, 33, lives in • Greater Boston Labor Council the Milton portion of the 12th Suffolk Thurs., June 27, 5 p.m., IBEW Local House district, which also includes 103, 256 Freeport St. Dorchester, Mattapan ,and a part of • Forum on Energy and Environment Hyde Park. Born in Haiti and now a Tues., July 9, 12 p.m., Suffolk Law fraud analyst for a telecommunications School, 120 Tremont St. company, he was brought to Boston by • RoxVote Coalition’s Cookout with his father when he was 12. He lived the Candidates Tues., July 16, 5:30 p.m., Courtyard at Madison Park in Dorchester for six years, and before Senate President Therese Murray was the guest of honor at a dinner that in Mattapan. Village at 122 Dewitt Drive reception last Wednesday to benefit the Dorchester YMCA at Venezia Like the other candidates running in • West Roxbury Candidates Night restaurant in Dorchester’s Port Norfolk village. Now a Plymouth resident, the special election, Romulus worked Mon., Aug. 12, 7 p.m., St. George Murray spent her formative years in the neighborhood’s St. Mark’s parish. on the state Senate campaign of Linda Church, 55 Emmonsdale Road, Above, Murray shows off an OFD bumper sticker, which was presented to Dorcena Forry, the 12th Suffolk state • Ward 10 Mayoral Candidates’ her by State Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, left, who introduced Murray representative for eight years who Night in Mission Hill Tues., Aug. 27, at the event. Forry was sworn into the State Senate the next day. At right was sworn in last week as the state 6 p.m., Parks Community Building, 2 are Murray’s friends Cheryl Bartlett and Cheryl McEvoy. senator for the First Suffolk District. New Whitney St. Ed Forry photo She replaced Jack Hart, who stepped down earlier this year to take a job on his way to rally for Markey, at a law firm. Dorcena Forry told the obama runs into Golar Richie couple shot in car; baby in car seat unharmed President Obama hit the campaign Reporter last week that she is staying The Boston Police Department is investigating a midday Monday shooting trail last Wednesday, attempting neutral in the race. at Devon Street and Vaughan Avenue that sent a man and a woman to the to boost awareness and whip up The other candidates include Dan hospital on Monday. Both adults, in their early 20s, are expected to survive support for US Rep. Ed Markey, a Cullinane, Stephanie Everett, getting shot around 2 p.m. An infant in a car seat in the back was not hit, but Malden Democrat running for the Mary Tuitt, and Carlotta Williams. was taken to a local hospital as a precaution. A minimum of 150 verified signatures US Senate. Before his speech at the is required to get on the ballot. The Reggie Lewis Track Center in Roxbury, primary is set for Aug. 13, and the Obama stopped at Charlie’s Sandwich Two men convicted in Fayston street murder Shoppe in the South End, where he general election for Sept. 10. Two Boston men were senteneced to life in prison this week after a Suffolk apparently ran into former state Rep. Everett, a former aide to state Sen. Superior Court jury found them guilty in the August 2011 murder of 25-year-old Charlotte Golar Richie, who is Sonia Chang-Diaz, has tapped Nils Derrick Barnes, who was shot to death on Fayston Street.