Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 30 Issue 29 Thursday, July 18, 2013 50¢ Toppled utility pole nearly crushed family Hits car with five aboard; neighbors on Erie St. had asked utilities to make repairs By Bill Forry eDitor At first, it seemed like Who’s another case of a Boston driver run amok: a dark stretch of in charge roadway, a crumpled-up se- dan, a toppled utility pole, a flash of flames, and the wail of poles? of sirens. The two utilities that Car hits pole on a Saturday jointly own the wooden night in Dorchester. street poles from which But the June 22 incident aerial wire systems loop on Erie Street near the Four through just about every Corners neighborhood actu- street in Boston are Ve- ally turned out to be a case rizon and NStar— the of pole hits car – a pole that telephone and electric neighbors, business owners, company, respectively. and at least one city official had NStar spokesman Mike flagged as a pressing danger Durand told the Reporter to the public weeks before the that the two companies incident. split up maintenance calls “People were very fortunate across the city for logisti- not to have been killed in this The remains of a 2013 Hyundai Sonata that was struck by a street pole that collapsed on it cal reasons. Dorchester accident,” said Darryl Smith, last month on Erie Street. Five people in the car— including two small children— narrowly and Mattapan poles, for an assistant commissioner avoided serious injury. The pole had been flagged as a danger weeks before by local residents, instance, are supposed to for the city’s Inspectional business owners, and at least one city official. Photo courtesy Boston Police be serviced by Verizon. Services Department (ISD), So, when complaints came who responded to the chaotic into NStar about a teeter- scene that night. Smith leads ing pole on Erie Street Mayoral poll: Likely voters are a multi-agency Neighborhood earlier this year, NStar Response Team deployed by officials passed the news Mayor Menino to fix quality- along to their counterparts seen unsure; hopefuls press on of-life problems in sections at Verizon. of Dorchester and Mattapan. By gintautaS DuMciuS Herald survey of 600 likely percent margin of error. Of Those complaints either “These five people walked newS eDitor voters showed City Councillor the respondents, 64 percent fell on deaf ears or were not away with their lives. It was As a poll out this week At-Large John Connolly and identified themselves as white handled in quick-enough a matter of inches.” showed 40 percent of likely Dorchester state Rep. Martin or Caucasian. fashion, for on the night of Those five people included voters undecided in a fluid Walsh receiving 12 percent The other candidates, who June 22, the pole toppled race for mayor, two of the and 11 percent, respectively, all received less than 6 percent, four members of the same (Continued on page 5) contenders hoping to succeed with Suffolk District Attorney are City Councillor Michael (Continued on page 5) Mayor Thomas Menino sought Dan Conley picking up 9 Ross, former Dorchester state to differentiate themselves percent and City Councillor Rep. Charlotte Golar Richie, with new television ads while Rob Consalvo nabbing 8 City Councillor At-Large others touted their priorities percent. The poll, which Felix Arroyo, City Councillor and their neighborhood can- included all 12 candidates Charles Yancey, Codman vassing efforts. and pegged Menino’s approval Square Health Center co- A Suffolk University/Boston rating at 82 percent, had a 4 (Continued on page 17) ‘Sisters of Color’ rally around Mery left leg and sustained serious Lost leg in damage to her right leg when Marathon attack one of the bombs detonated, has seen the staggering medi- By Brianna Macgregor cal bills pile up over the last Special to the reporter few months. Separated for months The April 15 terror attack A grassroots organization late in their lives, Frank on the Boston Marathon left based in Dorchester, United a scar on neighborhoods well Sisters of Color, is collaborat- and Marianna Hannigan, beyond the Boylston Street ing with three Boston event above, whose kind sense bomb sites. planning and promotions com- of good works was legend- While much of the media panies to host a “Mixer4Mery” ary among their friends focus is now on the upcoming benefit this Thursday night, and acquaintances in St. trial, victims are still dealing Mery Daniel July 18, from 6 - 10p.m. The Mark’s Parish and beyond, with the long-term repercus- All contents copyright event will be held at The Ledge are together now in death. sions of that day. Mery Daniel, a former Mat- © 2013 Boston tapan resident who lost her (Continued on page 20) Editorial, Page 8. Neighborhood News, Inc. 19th Annual Tee Off Golf Tournament Monday · September 23, 2013 To sponsor, play, or donate: Wollaston Golf Club · Milton Call 617-313-1194 or visit www.bidmilton.org/golf Page 2 THE REPoRTER July 18 2013 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record Answers to labor council’s Bowdoin-Geneva ‘Hub’ queries of candidates for launched in classic style mayor are hard to come by By gintautaS DuMciuS mistreatment of cab drivers, many newS eDitor of them immigrants, the candidates Do you support Suffolk Downs’s were asked if there should be an application for a license to build a resort independent commission overseeing gaming facility on its property in East the taxi industry, instead of the Boston Boston? Would you contact the Greater Police Department. Boston Labor Council prior to Wal-Mart Walczak said he supported a com- seeking formal approval to locate in mission and also a change in the clas- Boston? Do you support or oppose the sification of drivers from independent creation of an independent commission contractors to employees, which would to oversee the taxi industry? allow them to be organized under the Those were some of the queries United Steelworkers/Boston Taxi put to mayoral hopefuls recently in Drivers banner. the Greater Boston Labor Council’s Conley, in his response, said he questionnaire. Their answers were supported Boston Police Commissioner used to create questions for a June 27 Ed Davis’s crackdown on abuse and forum, which featured 10 candidates on efforts to “ensure that workers who the stage at IBEW Local 103. After the may have been mistreated or denied forum, the council, through a voice vote, wages due to them are compensated.” threw its support behind state Rep. He said he supported Menino’s order of Marty Walsh, a longtime legislator an independent review of the industry Members of the Classical Youth Ensemble performed during last Saturday’s opening of the Bowdoin-Geneva Community Hub. The formerly vacant lot and labor leader. and awaits its findings. Consalvo holds a similar view, saying at the corner of Topliff and Bowdoin streets will be redeveloped by the But despite multiple requests for a Dorchester Community Food Co-op for a retail store and mixed-use building. copy of their answers, most campaigns, he wants to “see the outcomes before This summer the lot is being programmed with health, fitness and healthy including Walsh’s, declined to release any decisions are made.” eating events — including Fresh Fridays, a café-style eatery. For more on the their filled-out questionnaires. Just The other candidates running for project, visit dotcommcoop.wordpress.com Photo courtesy Joel Wool two candidates – Suffolk District mayor include City Councillor At-Large Attorney Daniel Conley and Codman Felix Arroyo; TOUCH 106.1 FM Square Health Center co-founder Bill co-founder Charles Clemons, who did Rite-AID may seek liquor license on River St. Walczak – furnished their completed not attend the labor council’s forum; A pharmacy chain store in Lower Mills may seek to add beer, wine and liquor questionnaires. District 5 Councillor City Councillor At-Large John Con- to its existing inventory of diapers, hair gel and band-aids— a proposition that Rob Consalvo, who did not make nolly; former state Rep. Charlotte is already getting some push-back from civic leaders. it to the forum due to a previously Golar Richie; District 8 Councillor Lawyers representing the Rite-AID at 90 River Street introduced the idea scheduled campaign event, released a Michael Ross; Roxbury resident to members of the Lower Mills Civic Association’s executive board at their letter his campaign sent to the labor David James Wyatt; and District 4 meeting in June. The proposal would require approvals from the city of Boston council outlining his views. Community Councillor Charles Yancey. and the city’s Licensing Board, levers that opponents could marshal if the plan organizer John Barros’s team didn’t moves forward. have an extra copy of their answers to Clemons gets first slot Michael Skillin, the president of the civic association, said that the group the survey. in ballot drawing would not hear any formal proposal on the subject until after the summer, The head of the council, which says Charles Clemons was the first if at all. The next opportunity for the full civic association to hear any plans it represents 161 local unions and candidate to declare for mayor. And last would come in September. includes 35,000 union families in the Thursday, a drawing put his name at Skillin said that e-board members are “willing to listen,” but asked the city, said that the council would not the top of the Sept. 24 mayoral prelim attorneys to convey the message that the corporation should consider other be releasing candidates’ answers.