[ IN THIS ISSUE .PZAC Fair a great success_- Page 6 Published Weekly In Allst.on-Brighton Since 1884 Friday, May 6, 1988 Vol. 103, No. 19 35 Cents Hate that dirty water By Jane Braverman Citizen Item Starr The water coming from the Laps of En tern Mll5· sachusett.s homes moy smell fishy. but it's usually clear -unless you live on Niles Stn.>et. For the past two years. residC?nts of the dend end street in Brighton hnve had to contend with dis­ colored water which varie in color from yellow to dark brown. "At first it's black in the morning, then whim you run the water for a whilt? it gets rusty," comment· ed Eileen Geaney, who has been living at 5 Niles St. fort.he past 28 year:;. "You can't drink the water. It. tastes like dead fish," she said, referring to the unpleasant odor that was detected Inst August in the water of the 46 Massachusetts communities us· ing the Quabbin and ·wachusett Reservoirs in ccn· trnl Massachusett.s. According to a report issued by the MWHA and the MDC this February, the algae developed ns a result of runoff from plants growing near a build· -- ing development adjacent to the Wachusett Rc$er· voir. Attempts hnvc been made to eliminate the odor from t.he water sy<:tern b} adding copJ>l?r !:Ul·~,, fate to the reservoir. "The problem has been troublesomP. It hns not respondt'<i t.o treatment as well a<; we might hnve hoped," commented Paul DiNatale, spokesperson for the Massachu~etl!> Water Resource Authority. which has formed a task force with the Metropoli· tan District Commission to studv and find solutions Many l'etlidents believe billboards in Alleton and B righton are blighting the neighborhood. to the algae problem. • STAFF PHOTO 8Y JUUA 8HAPlBO ''If the treatment works. the best measurement we have is through the number of complaints we Signs of the times continued on page 20 City, neighbors Inonitor billboards By Kevin Devine chester and Roslindale, where a number of Citizen Item Staff residents have been active over the past year in monitoring local billboards. Last week, city offi. The Commonwealth's revived Outdoor Adver­ cials and several residents presented the results tising Board is treading the tightrope between of further investigations into non-conforming hill· protecting business interests on t.he one side and boards in other parts of the city. The OAB plans community interests on the other. to issue rulings on the signs at its May meeting. By subjecting outdoor advertisers to annual permit reviews with appeal opportunities and by Residents monitor billboards tightening existing billboard regulations, the state hopes to balance the interests of billboard Brian Gibbons, president of the Allston· companies with those of communities intent on Brighton Community Beautification Council and enhancing open space and maintaining the a member oft.he A·B P lanning and Zoning Advi· character of their neighborhoods. sory Committee, identified 66 non-conforming While existing billboards may be grandfathered billboards among the 128 in the neighborhood. under the new regulations, Boston and commu­ Gibbons commented that be hopes the new regu­ nity groups from Brighton to Beacon Hill to lations "will be watering down some of the op­ Charlestown have identified over 100 billboards tions that Ackerley and some of the other outdoor which do not conform to the existing code. Out· advertisers have," such as the lengthy appeal door Advertising Board critics question the process. board's ability to remove or relocate non· He added that this year. the city and the com· conforming ~igns due to the extensive review and munity are working to identify and hopefully appeal process, yet they are hopeful that through move the flagrant non-conforming billboards. Chris Clamp. left . and her daughter CaiWn and the yearly review process, non-conforming signs Next year and in subsequent years, they plan husband Don Gia.nniny are j ust one N iles Street can be controlled. to identify ones that are out of character with the . family beset with dirty water. They are reluc­ At an OAB hearing in March, the city present· neighborhood. The PZAC, which is a citizens' ad· tant to even take ehowera; they never drink the ed a list of 40 non-conforming billboards in Dor· continued on page J:J tap water. PHat'O BY MICHAEL KATZ I SMABT SAVEB8 GET CLASSIFIED WITH THE GROUP! ONE CALL 232-7000-224,000 READERS I Page 2 CITIZEN ITEM May 6, 1988 J & M AUTO CLINIC 254-7413 NO LEAD 88¢ • PREMIUM 98¢ Getting their day in court PREMIUM DIESEL 92¢ Certified Mechanics Foreign & Domestic Repairs By Jane Braverman Free Towing Citizen Item Staff FREE Tank of gas with For many of the seventh and Insurance replacement Windshield eighth grade students, it was their 2022 Comm. Ave. Jon the Green Lin~ first time in court. They sat quiet· ly on the dark wooden benches in the courthouse while Judge Albert EARLYBIRD SPECIAL! Burns heard cases. But these stu· 9 AM - 11 AM dents were not awaiting trial or even charged with any offenses. MASSAGE BY WOMEN They were the essay and poster con· test winners of Law Day held at the SAVE $5. oo WITH THIS AD Brighton District. Courthouse last - Tel. : ~6': Friday. 354-1800 - Sponsored by the American Bar OPEN 7 DAYS Association, Law Day is part of a 9 AM to 10 PM national educational awareness pro­ Need a job? gTam designed to familiarize Be A Masseuse citizens with the principles and practices of the american legal sys· tem. This year's theme, "Legal @1\.QYAL Literacy: The ABC's of American Law and Justice," is intended to make citizens more aware of the .Sauna.. laws that affect them, and is espe­ Law Day es say and artwor k contest winners pose on the steps of the 199 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge cially resonant in an election year, Brighton Dietrict courthouae says Robert ~acCrate. president of PROTO BY C.W. the American Bar Association. "The purpose of Law Day is to show young people the positive side Day essay and artwork contest Robert La Page. Dorian Aradeda, CJhe QooJ Ohing 7lhout of the court and allow them to meet made him think about pursuing a Linda Soave, Miguile Thomas. people associated with the court," career in law? Audra Sullivan, Julie Nelson, Min· 'Dragon Chef said Judge Albert Burns, who host· "I have no idea," be replied, dy McSweeney. Veronica Ling, ed the program. He added that be somewhat abashed. Marcia Cicolini and Peter Mulkeen. was pleased with the students' sub­ By contrast, essay contest win· "I was surprised that I won," 1. The Best Chinese Food. missions. ner and seventh grade Presentation commented Audra Sullivan. whose 2. Open Kitchen (you can "The kids responded well with ex· student Beth Mullin, whose essay poster depicted the American flag focused on the history of voting, and the constitution. She and her watch our chef prepare ellent. posters and super essays," said Burns. said her participation in the contest friend Linda Soave agreed that the your favorite dish). Outside of the courtroom, top es· has reaffirmed her desire to become cases that they witnessed were 3. Cleanliness say winner Thomas Mulkeen, an a judge. different from the courtroom drama Regina Cacciola, a seventh grader they had seen on television. 4. Special Packing Keeps eighth grader at Our Lady of Lhe Presentation School in Brighton, at St.. Columbkille's School in Mary Battles. principal of St. Our Food Hotter. practiced reading his essay on the Brighton chose to examine the Collumbkille's School. was pleased 5. 10 Years Experience (at importance of voting. Mulkeen, the topic of legal literacy a litUe closer with her students' enthusiasm and to home, focusing on state laws per· performance on what she called "a five different locations). top essay and artwork cont.est. win· ner, who also placed first in last taining to driving regulations, fire hard topic." She added that all of year's Law Day essay cont.est. sum· laws. vandalism and voting. the students' work was done out· DRAGON "I wrote about Massachusetts side of regular school hours. laws because it"s where I live. I James Gulliver of the probation CHEF wanted to write what 1 knew department, and one of the main or· about," said Cacciola. ganizers of the event was pleased 411 Representatives William Galvin with the quality of students' sub· Washington St. and Kevin Honan were present at missions as well as lhe community Friday's program, and mentioned support he received from the police, Brighton the value of introducing students to local businesses and the Brighton the judcial process in a positive Congregational Church. 782-6500 Light. Sister Mary Duke, principal of "[Law Day] is an excellent and Our Lady of the Presentation valuable educational tool for School, spoke of the importance of citizens to see law in action and to Law Day, and added lhnt the event Phann.cy "- by know that the court is here to pro­ is more than j ust a way to com­ tect you," said Galvin. mend students for their writing and Footnot"' • .,.,Charles P. Kelly For Presentation student and es· their artwork. 7 .... B.S., R. PH. say contest winner James St. Croix, "It gives students a greater Law Day marked his first ex­ awareness of what the court syst.em A MA'ITER OF TASTE perience inside a courtroom does once they started to inves· " It.'s more serious. and more tigate and research the topic," The unpleasant tastes of bitter J udge Albert B urns.