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Return Engagement: NU LIGHTS up the NIGHT at CONVOCATION CEREMONY Elliott Laffer Assumes Rein of NABB Again As Chair

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Return Engagement: NU LIGHTS up the NIGHT at CONVOCATION CEREMONY Elliott Laffer Assumes Rein of NABB Again As Chair PAGE 1 THE BOSTON SUN If you are looking to get in ScontactEPTEMB withER our 17, staff 2020 BOSTON LATIN STUDENTS LAUNCH FREE or any info related to the Boston Sun please call 781-485-0588 or contact us via email. TUTORING PROGRAM, PAGE 6 Email addresses are listed on the editorial page. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY SERVING BACK BAY - SOUTH END - FENWAY - KENMORE Return engagement: NU LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT AT CONVOCATION CEREMONY Elliott Laffer assumes rein of NABB again as chair By Dan Murphy to 1992, assumed the reins of the organization again during Elliot Laffer, who served its 65th annual meeting, which as chairman of the Neighbor- was held virtually last night, hood Association of the Back Wednesday, Sept. 16 - thus Bay for two terms from 1990 making him the only individu- al to date to return to the seat after previously vacating it. Laffer, who grew up in Bay- onne, N.J., and earned a bache- lor’s degree in mechanical engi- neering from Rensselaer Poly- technic Institute, in Troy, N.Y., had a 30-year career in sales and sales management of engi- neered equipment that brought him to Boston in 1971. He set- tled in Back Bay in December of 1974 and first joined NABB the following year. Early on, he Elliot Laffer, returning chair of the served on NABB’s Architectur- Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay. (LAFFER, Pg. 4) PHOTOS COURTESY OF NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY PROTECT THE PACK: Northeastern University lit up the night sky in the South End and Fenway late last Councilor Wu officially week during a special drone-powered light show as part of the University’s convocation ceremony this year. As part of that very unique show, the University promoted the ‘Protect the Pack’ initiative that is meant to promote mask wearing and other COVID-19 protocols to help protects students, staff and the community announces run for mayor around them. By Lauren Bennett es the scale and urgency of our challenges.” City Councilor Michelle Wu Wu announced her candida- Property owner seeks tax protest to force announced on Tuesday that she cy in a video that is available in plans to run for mayor in 2021, English, Spanish, and Manda- change for drug and homelessness on Mass/Cass after Mayor Martin Walsh rin, and outlines her vision as in withholding our property McAndrew said he doesn’t announced last week that she By Seth Daniel leader of Boston. tax dollars to the City until live in the building, but his would be in the race. “Business as usual has been Attorney Tom McAndrew they fulfill their duties as public daughter does and he is very Wu was elected City Coun- failing Bostonians since well said he has owned 9-17 Har- servants,” he said. “It’s millions worried for her safety for the cilor At-Large in 2013, and before the pandemic, and court St. in the St. Botolph area of dollars we’re talking about. first time ever. He indicated incumbent Mayor Walsh has COVID-19 has exposed and for more than 10 years, and It’s a very significant area and there have been minor prob- not announced his campaign exacerbated deep inequities with the homelessness and drug a lovely area for people and lems in the past, but now it is for re-election yet – though across our city,” Wu said. “In use issues leaking over in great- families over many, many years an everyday occurrence. There many have said he plans to do this moment of crisis, it’s not er numbers from Mass/Cass, until recently. I’d love to get are needles all over the prop- so after the first of the year. only possible but necessary to he’s suggesting resi-dents and 100 percent participation. I’m erty, and people sleep in front “We’re in an unprecedented reimagine community-based property owners join him in not talking about not paying of the doorway. Also, there are time as Boston faces a pandem- leadership with the vision and withholding payment of prop- taxes. I want to be responsible. frequent episodes of public def- ic, an economic crisis, and a conviction to act. We can build erty taxes. We would put it into escrow or ecation on the property, and national reckoning on system- wealth in all our communities, “I’d like to put a coalition of a bank fund until the mayor his tenants have often reported ic racism,” Wu said in a state- value public education, plan people together in and around and city councilors fulfill their men staying in the area and tak- ment. “To meet this moment, the community and cooperate duties.” we need leadership that match- (WU FOR MAYOR, Pg. 5) (PROPERTY TAX PROTEST, Pg. 3) PAGE 2 THE BOSTON SUN SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 editorial APOCALYPSE -- NOW The photos of the wildfires in our western states that have incinerated entire communities and that have turned daytime skies to night by their heavy smoke have illustrated the dramatic effects of climate change upon the daily lives of millions of Americans. Record heat has accelerated the effects of dry conditions, leading to the record-setting wildfires out west. Yes, climate change undeniably is happening here and around the globe. Last January, it was the bushfires in Australia that similarly wrought havoc and destruction in that part of the world. An article in the New York Times on Monday began this way, “The effects of global warming in the Arctic are so severe that the region is shifting to a different climate, one characterized less by ice and snow and more by open water and rain, scientists said Monday.” More ominously, that same article discussed the perils of climate change facing the world from another source, the melting of the Antarc- tic glaciers at the bottom of the world. “Another study released Monday suggested that two Antarctic gla- ciers that have long been of concern to scientists over their potential to contribute to sea level rise may be in worse shape than previously thought.” From east to west and north to south, climate change is posing an existential threat to life as we know it. GUEST OP-ED There is still time for us to reverse, or at least halt, the impending doom that awaits us if we take immediate action to limit greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. How we’re recognizing Recovery Month in Boston But we need to act soon, because it will not be too long before it will By Mayor Martin J. Walsh the urgency of this work. The ton with professionalism and be too late. pandemic has been especially compassion, in the Mass Ave./ September is Recovery hard for people with substance Melnea Cass Boulevard area Month. It’s a time to raise use disorder. We know how in the South End where many DONALD TRUMP IS NO awareness about substance use many people throughout our of our programs are located, WINSTON CHURCHILL disorder and those who need region rely on our recovery pro- and throughout the city. They treatment and support, cele- grams on a daily basis. That’s deserve our deepest gratitude Rage, the new book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward about the brate Bostonians who are in why all of the City’s recovery and support. presidency of Donald Trump, has revealed unequivocally that Trump recovery, remember the people services have remained open Our commitment to building deliberately has downplayed the lethality of the Covid-19 pandemic we’ve lost to the disease, and from the very beginning of the virus’s detection in the United States. throughout the entire coro- a comprehensive recovery cam- Whether one wants to characterize Trump’s mendacity as outright show our gratitude to the treat- navirus emergency, including pus on Long Island in Boston lying for political purposes, or merely as a benevolent effort by Trump ment workers who do life-sav- our 24-hour Recovery Services Harbor has also not wavered. to prevent social chaos, the bottom line is the same: Trump has not been ing work. hotline, walk-in programs, The Long Island Recovery straight with the American people. In Boston, we’ve spent years drug user health programming, Campus will meet the most But even if one accepts Trump’s explanation for his deceit, the book building one of the strongest street outreach teams, and our pressing needs of our city and makes clear that Trump treated the American people with disdain, as if recovery systems in the country. Engagement Center. We quick- our region, including more we were children who needed to be shielded from the truth. Forming strong partnerships treatment beds, more employ- “I don’t want to jump up and down and start screaming, ‘Death! ly adapted all of our program- with the community and a net- ming to meet public health ment training and transitional Death!’ because that’s not what it’s about,” Trump said at a press confer- housing, and a more seam- ence last week, when asked about his months and months of deceptions. work of providers, we’ve made protocols, and moved several less continuum of care to help A few days later, at a campaign rally in Michigan, Trump asserted that it easier for people to access services outdoors to allow for his handling of the pandemic has been similar to how Winston Churchill quality, affordable treatment close the gaps between stages proper social distancing. of the recovery. Increasing our addressed the people of England during the height of the Nazi bombing and support.
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