It's Larry Doyle Time Fundraiser

Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 30 Issue 11 Thursday, March 14, 2013 50¢ Morrissey flooding fix awaits state’s solution Cost of upgrade put at $25m; Patrick tax plan could be key By Gintautas Dumcius boulevard, to delay open- news eDitor ing its Columbia Point Morrissey Boulevard, campus until 10 a.m. on a major south-north Friday, and then to call artery running along it a day at 2 p.m. Dorchester’s coast that “It’s a design that is not is frequently forced to boding well in the 21st close due to storm surges century and we need to accompanying high tides do something to address could be in line for a $25 it,” said Jack Murray, million overhaul under deputy commissioner Gov. Deval Patrick’s at DCR, an agency that tax hike proposal, a top oversees 450,000 acres official with the state’s of parks, beaches, bike Department of Conser- trails, and parkways. vation and Recreation Murray, who lives in said on Wednesday. Milton and often uses The latest closing of the boulevard, said that the parkway came last in the last 15 years Friday when winds and the roadway has seen snow from a stronger- an uptick in flooding than-expected two-day issues, which the agency storm rendered it un- attributes to “poor drain- passable both ways, age and climate change.” causing commuter- Incremental increases in Morrissey Boulevard, frequently closed, like last Friday, to traffic during high tides and storms could focused UMass Boston, the sea level will have be modernized with new revenues from a proposed tax hike now being pushed by Governor Patrick. which is located off the (Continued on page 19) Above, the roadway during last fall’s hurricane. See editorial, Page 10. Photo by Devin M. To ThE ACCorDIoN BorN Dot hall of Fame I’d be asked, ‘So, what Dot native are you going to do with your life?’ and I had the welcomes Senate Gannon reply all ready: ‘I’m just going to play music.’” President Murray lives dream Gannon’s youthful y intautas umcius By sean smith enthusiasm for his fam- B G D ews Ditor special to the Bir ily music tradition has n e There was never any proven to be long-lasting State Senate President doubt, really, that Colm and fully engaging, one Therese Murray, who Gannon would play mu- that led him to relocate to grew up in St. Mark’s sic – nor any doubt as his ancestral Connemara Parish, will be inducted to what kind of music, and to pursue a career into the Dorchester Hall nor which instrument that has included a stint of Fame this Saturday he would use to play it. in “Riverdance” and a as part of the annual Not with a father who series of recordings – the fundraising brunch for is an accomplished Irish most recent being “The the Mary Ann Brett accordion player, and an Rights of Man,” released Food Pantry of Blessed this past fall. Mother Teresa Parish. older brother following Sen. Therese Murray suit. Early last month, Murray, a Democrat St. Mark’s “girl” Gannon returned to who moved to Plymouth But then, Gannon Colm Gannon: “I’m going to play music.” hardly needed any nudg- the Boston area to visit over 30 years ago, be- that she often notes that ing to take up the box. cally chase him down young age, I just knew family and friends and came Senate president she is “OFD” – Origi- Quite the opposite. until he would,” recalls it was it was something play a few gigs, includ- in 2007, the first woman nally From Dorchester. “When I was 7, I’d be Gannon, who grew up I’d get into. There’d be ing a performance at to hold the post. “That’s where my roots begging Dad to play the in Boston’s Dorchester conversations around The Burren “Backroom” “I’m proud of the are,” she said. accordion – I’d practi- neighborhood. “From a the kitchen table where (Continued on page 6) fact that I grew up in Murray lived in Brigh- Dorchester,” Murray ton Hill and Mission told the Reporter in a Hill before her family Sparks uses Dot boxing club recent interview, adding (Continued on page 5) as setting for his latest video INSIDE By corey Burns back room inside the gym support his latest track Candidates for special to the reporter that caught the eye of that debuts online to- The Dorchester Boxing multi-platinum producer day. “Boston Bass” is a the First Suffolk Club has the typical look and songwriter, Clinton remix of The Dropkick District State Sen- of a boxing gym: There’s Sparks. The Dorchester- Murphy’s “Shipping Up ate seat gather at a ring, punching bags, bred Sparks used the To Boston.” forum in South and weights—the ideal club as part of the setting “This song is basically All contents copyright Boston. Story, Clinton Sparks setting for a fight. for a new video — shot on just a bootleg record,” © 2013 Boston Corey Burns photo However, it was a little location last Friday—to (Continued on page 5) Page 3. Neighborhood News, Inc. Page 2 THE REPoRTER March 14, 2013 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record The gang’s all there Meeting targets demolition at the mayor’s event of Morton St. eyesore By Gintautas Dumcius were among the city councillors who news eDitor attended. Local lawmakers and members of Top Menino aides were also in the Mayor Thomas Menino’s cabinet room, including Michael Kineavy and flocked to the Cedars of Lebanon’s hall the mayor’s chief-of-staff, Mitchell in Jamaica Plain for a fundraiser last Weiss. Boston Police Commissioner Sunday morning. More than 400 people Ed Davis and School Committee mem- attended the small-dollar event, one ber Alfreda Harris also attended. of several neighborhood fundraisers Councillor Connolly has a campaign held every year by Menino’s campaign kickoff scheduled for next week, at committee. the Omni Parker House Hotel on The mayor didn’t say anything to Wednesday, (March 20) at 6:30 p.m. the crowd about whether or not he’ll A Charlestown attorney who has be running for a sixth term, although served as Councillor Connolly’s chief he and Suffolk County District strategist will be taking on the role Attorney Daniel Conley defended of campaign manager of Connolly’s the mayor’s education record. City mayoral bid, the campaign said Mon- Councillor At-Large John Connolly, day. Nathaniel Stinnett, 37, has a former teacher who announced last worked on a number of campaigns, month that he will wage a mayoral including as treasurer for Attorney campaign, is making his critique of General Martha Coakley’s run for the school system the central plank US Senate and as finance director of of his platform. Jamie Eldridge’s runs for Congress Conley, a former city councillor who and state Senate. is frequently mentioned as a potential Stinnett, a former Democratic State candidate for mayor if Menino chooses Committee member, has taught Adult not to run, emceed the fundraiser, Basic Education and English for referring to the longtime mayor as a Speakers of Other Languages at Pine “second father” and a mentor. Street Inn. He has served as Connolly’s With his wife Angela by his side, chief strategist since 2008. The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services will host a community meeting Menino received standing ovations on Tues., March 19 at 6 p.m. to discuss the planned demolition of the old B-3 Dahill hires Spencer Police station at 872 Morton St. The meeting will be held in the Mattapan BPL when he was introduced and after branch at 1350 Blue Hill Ave. The building will be demolished in advance of he finished his speech. He thanked as campaign consultant a state project slated for this summer that will replace the bridge adjacent the crowd, saying he was touched by Maureen Dahill, one of the two to the abandoned station, which has been a blight on the main thoroughfare the outpouring of support in the form South Boston-based candidates for years. For more information on the meeting, contact Walter Apperwhite, of prayers and cards while he was in running for state Senate, has hired Neighborhood Services Coordinator at 617-635-3485. Brigham and Women’s and Spaulding a longtime campaign strategist as Rehabilitation Hospital at the end of a consultant. Jim Spencer, who last year. worked as chief strategist on former “He certainly has the energy and City Councillor At-Large Sam Yoon’s Menino to speak at Board of Trade luncheon the ability to continue to run our city mayoral campaign in 2009, is the Mayor Tom Menino will give his annual talk before the Dorchester Board and run it well,” Conley said after the president of the Campaign Network, of Trade on Tues., April 2 at noon at Venezia’s restaurant on Ericsson Street. fundraiser. Asked whether the mayor a firm specializing in direct mail. Tickets are $75 for Board of Trade members and $125 for non-members. is running, Conley said, “Who knows?” Spencer, a Midwest native and for- Proceeds benefit the group’s scholarship fund. Contact Nancy Lafoe at nlafoe@ before adding, “It certainly appears mer political director for Congressman dorchesterboardoftrade.com with questions. that way. We’re all waiting as a city Joseph Kennedy II, was Mel King’s to know for sure.” field director in 1983 when King ran Supporters of the mayor packed the for mayor, a past consultant for Felix historical Society talk on BC high, BC roots wood-paneled community center, built D.

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