USS Constitution Museum Launches
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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 FREE charlestown PATRIOT-BRIDGE Charlestown ‘average’ Charlestown Pride Week postponed in reported COVID-19 Bunker Hill Parade Committee looking at all options infections rate slightly By Seth Daniel as to whether or not to go forward below rest of Boston with the June 14 parade. It would The most fun month in be the first time in modern mem- By Seth Daniel Charlestown has been postponed, ory that it could perhaps be can- and the greatest holiday parade in celed – certainly the first time in a The Boston Public Health the Town is looking at all options century that it could be canceled Commission (BPHC) reported on whether to move ahead this due to a pandemic. last weekend a citywide review by coming June – both groups mak- He said there were a lot of things neighborhood and age range of ing those moves in response to the to consider, and too many things those infected by COVID-19, with ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. right now that are unknown. Charlestown registering 29 cases Arthur Hurley, chair of the “Right now we’re waiting until and a 14.9 rate per 10,000 people Battle of Bunker Hill Parade the end of the month to see how as of April 2. Committee, told the Patriot-Bridge things are, which is only three Since that time, data and rates on Wednesday that he is carefully might have changed, as numerous assessing the situation this month (PRIDE WEEK Pg. 2) new infections have been reported across the City since neighborhood data was released. As of April 7, Boston EMS seeing dip in calls, according to Boston Public Health Commission data, there are now but exposure risks very high 2,287 confirmed cases of COVID- so they can continue to address 19, with 258 people recovered and The delivery was able to provide groceries for 250 senior citizens who By Seth Daniel were not able to get out. the emergency and not fall to the 25 deaths. When Boston EMS crews sidelines with the sickness or for For the April 2 data release, the respond to the various neigh- quarantine. citywide average rate was 18.1 per borhoods for an emergency, the “There are definitely less calls 10,000 people. South Dorchester response is just as fast as normal, coming in,” he said on Tuesday. had the most cases with 175, but but the procedures are more delib- “However, we started seeing a (INFECTIONS Pg. 3) erate and more carefully conduct- steady increase in the numbers ed. of calls where we were treating Churches move to EMS Chief James Hooley told full isolation patients. There was the newspaper this week that while that change where total calls went online services for overall calls are down, the risks for down, but the degree of difficul- A volunteer at one of the senior Milk was one of the staple items EMTs to be exposed to COVID-19 ty and how we’re approaching Easter, Holy Week citizen buildings places bread in a many senior citizens said they during calls is increasingly high – every single call is challenging. You grocery package. needed from the store. and they’ve taken careful measures to protect those front-line workers (EMS Pg. 16) By Seth Daniel Associates deliver 250 grocery In the midst of Holy Week and approaching Easter services packages to the neediest senior citizens this coming Sunday, most of the Mary’s Co-op, Park Street, Mary faithful are turning exclusively to By Seth Daniel online formats or cable television Colbert Apartments, Ferrin Street to worship in one of the most The Bunker Hill Associates apartments, and the General revered seasons of the Christian mobilized and delivered on a Warren Apartments, among oth- calendar. major effort Tuesday that placed ers. Churches all over the grocery orders in 250 senior cit- “We got some really positive Archdiocese of Boston and other izen homes, hitting the neediest feedback right away,” said Lister. Christian denominations have seniors in several buildings around “My concern in going ahead with cancelled in-person services sev- the Town. the first delivery was whether eral weeks ago, and are now con- President Maureen Collier, Vice people would like it, whether we ducting Holy Week services or President Jimmy Lister and Past bought the right things and in the preparing for Easter Sunday. President Kim Mahoney reported right quantities. We are certainly “It’s unprecedented to be on Tuesday that the first delivery going to have to grow this in of groceries hit 250 homes and the coming weeks. It was wellre- Boston EMS workers are taking extra precautions when they respond to went very well. calls now. While calls are down, more calls involve people who have or (CHURCHES Pg. 3) They delivered primarily to St. (GROCERY Pg. 2) probably have COVID-19 infections. For the latest news in Charlestown that you need to know, check charlestownbridge.com 2 PAGE 2 THE CHARLESTOWN PATRIOT-BRIDGE APRIL 9, 2020 Meeting Online: Attendance is good, some quirks though GROCERY (from pg. 1) going online. We also have a fairly ings even if they don’t have any- By Seth Daniel ceived.” and other local groups got the lengthy agenda each meeting and thing on the agenda, and neigh- Mahoney said they understand food to the proper places. As public meetings in Boston if we waited until June or July bors are calling in to give a lot the need is great, but they wanted “The only way to continue on continue to move online more and to meet, we’d have a tremendous of input. Maybe it’s a feeling of to focus on the neediest senior is with more funding at the online more, one of the first boards to backlog. So, we decided to try a normalcy.” citizens first. raffle,” said Lister. “If we can be meet online in the City was the Zoom meeting.” Another major reason the Con “This is putting a small dent a generous with the raffle, it can Conservation Commission (Con So far, the public input aspect Com pushed on is to address the in the overall need, but it how we help so many seniors. We have a Com) under Chair Michael Parker, has gone well, as have the City’s recently-approved Wetlands can help,” she said. “We’re going system in place now that works of Charlestown. Commission members input – all Ordinance (Dec. 23, 2019), which to do our best and try. Our prior- and has been tested. We believe Last week, the Con Com held tuned in by video or phone. There is a major step to addressing cli- ity was to get this to people who we can do it again much easier its second public meeting online are some hiccups, such as the inev- mate resiliency and climate change really needed it. The coordinators and probably be able to get better using the Zoom meeting format itable Zoom-bomb at meetings. all over Boston. While the ordi- in each building determined who pricing too.” and call-in ability as well, and the “You’re dog’s barking in the nance has passed, nothing can was most in need, and they dis- Some of the things delivered two hour meeting went very well background, make it stop,” yelled be done with it until regulations tributed what we dropped off.” included break, milk, peanut all things considered. one anonymous person during are developed, vetted by the pub- Two weeks ago, the Associates butter, English muffins, crackers, It has been a learning process, the public portion of the April 1 lic and implemented by the Con bought $4,000 worth of gift cards pasta, string cheese and lots of Parker said, but one that they were Zoom meeting. Com. to local restaurants and initiated fruit. Most of those who received willing to embark upon in order to “I don’t know what that was,” Parker said the Commission their first online raffle at rallyup. the deliveries also get Meals on prevent a backlog of applications said Parker, “but let’s move on.” wanted to keep meeting online com. People have gone online in Wheels delivered daily, but Lister piling up during the COVID-19 Such things happen in a more so they could develop Phase 1 of droves to donate to the raffle, said these are senior citizens who shutdown. anonymous online world, but by those regulations and be ready which directly funds the senior cannot go out – and should not go “The importance of keeping far, Parkers said there has been to have real, in-person meetings citizen grocery effort. The raffle out – to grocery shop. it going and the real motivation greater input and attendance later in the year for Phase 2. That, will be drawn online April 24 at “All of the people in for going online with these meet- online so far. he said, could really help get the 1 p.m., but right now the need for Charlestown should have the abil- ings is the Con Com meets every “What I’m finding out by hav- ordinance into place. more donations is great so that a ity to have a full fridge while this two weeks and we have mandated ing virtual meetings, the public All of it has added up to keep- second round of groceries can be is going on, and the deliveries will deadlines,” he said. “If a pro- participation hasn’t really dropped ing productive and moving for- purchased. fill the gaps for them so they don’t ponent files, we have 21 days to at all by going online,” he said.