November 27, 2020 Vol. 124 No. 48
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VOL. 124 - NO. 48 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 $.35 A COPY Shine Once Again by Matt Conti, NorthEndWaterfront.com Happy Thanksgiving Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. — Melody Beattie A small group of Friends of Christopher Columbus Park (FOCCP) gather for the lighting under the trellis. (Photo by Matt Conti, NorthEndWaterfront.com) Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park (FOCCP) and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department continued the tradition of the annual lighting of the park’s signature trellis on Monday night November 23rd. Park Mayor’s Offi ce of Public Service and goers will also get to listen to a holiday soundtrack as they walk under the trellis. This year represents the 18th year the trellis will Community Outreach Giving Thanks Contest feature the iconic display. The ‘Giving Thanks’ contest is a fun, creative, and safe way to celebrate Thanksgiving. Show There was no party with local offi cials, just a few volunteers to OPS how you give thanks to your loved ones. Email your thank you notes, pictures, or videos to fl ip the switch. FOCCP President Joanne Hayes-Rines said, “We [email protected] to enter for a chance to win a prize. The deadline for submissions is thought this year during COVID-19 was especially important to Friday, December 4th. bring the winter lights to the park. With the new audio, it’s quite an experience!” In contrast, Faneuil Hall Marketplace has canceled its annual Blink show and holiday tree. The holiday display is located at 110 Atlantic Avenue on Boston’s historic waterfront. The trellis is 260 feet long and illuminated MBTA Transit Police with 50,000 blue lights along with 14 decorated trees. Enjoy the display throughout the winter season until Patriot’s Day in To Offer Face Masks to Riders April 2021. The MBTA announced that system by issuing a civil fi ne up Transit Police officers would to $300 per violation. begin offering face masks to Ride Safer consists of three transit riders in need of a face components: providing face covering. This effort is part of masks to riders in need at key News Briefs the T’s Ride Safer campaign to stations during peak travel by Sal Giarratani educate riders and shift behav- times; signage and messaging ior to the new way of riding on to promote the importance of the T during the pandemic. keeping a safe distance and Boston-based New Balance wearing face coverings while on What’s with the Fake News Media? recently provided the MBTA the T; and the Ride Safer web- Lately, instead of the media being the bulwark of our with 100,000 of the athletic their contribution and promot- page at mbta.com/RideSafer democracy, it has become a servant to those in power brand’s general-use face masks ing public health on transit. that provides travel tips and be they Democrat or Republican selling us whatever for riders. Ride Safer is a shared respon- a behind-the-scenes look at it is they agree to sell us. “Transit Police are happy to sibility between the MBTA and the MBTA’s expanded efforts Since the 2016 election when Donald Trump upset have the resources available our riding public, and we ask to clean and disinfect stations the elitist applecart, they have tried endlessly to to assist passengers in need that riders do their part by and vehicles. remove Trump from the Oval Offi ce to no avail, but it of a face covering,” said MBTA wearing face coverings while Joining Transit Police in looks like they may have fi nally succeeded. Transit Police Chief Kenneth within the MBTA system and offering face masks to riders Joe Biden now stands at the podium with a banner Green. “As our region enters a distancing while on public are Transit Ambassadors and behind him stating “The Offi ce of President-Elect” as second phase of the pandemic, transit.” MBTA Customer Service Agents. if such a government offi ce actually existed and tells it is more important now to be On November 2nd, the Baker- F ace masks are now available the American people that since Trump keeps fi ghting properly wearing a face cover- Polito Administration strength- from 6:30-9:00 a.m. and 4:00- the vote count and won’t transition with him that mil- ing when you are outside the ened its Executive Order requir- 6:00 p.m. Monday through lions will die from COVID-19. The mantra continues: confines of your home, and ing people to wear face cover- Friday at Charles/MGH, “Biden GOOD - Trump BAD.” especially while you are travel- ings in public places to require Downtown Crossing, Forest For the sake of the integrity of our elections, we need ing on public transit.” anyone older than 5 years of Hills, Hynes Convention Center, to know if the election was REALLY WON FAIR AND “Wearing a face covering is age to wear a face covering in Maverick, Orient Heights, Park SQUARE, don’t we? one of the most effective ways public, including public transit, Street, and Quincy Center End Quote to combat the virus, and we regardless of their distance from Stations. “Could we all be living a more crazier life if we tried, appreciate the help of Transit others. For more information, please tried really hard?” Police in offering face masks to The revised Executive Order visit mbta.com/RideSafer or — Anon our riders,” said MBTA General authorizes Transit Police to connect with the T on Twitter Manager Steve Poftak. “I’d like enforce the order onboard @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, to again thank New Balance for MBTA vehicles and within the or Instagram @theMBTA. PAGE 2 POST-GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 27, 2020 ABCD Urges Struggling Elders, Families to Apply for Fuel Assistance As Pandemic Surges, Winter Cold Descends HHs Releases Federal LIHEAP Funds as COVID-19, Unemployment Expand Need in Low-Income Neighborhoods As the COVID-19 pandemic those slightly above poverty from surges and cold temperatures slipping through the cracks. THE GOLDEN GUERNSEYS descend on the region, ABCD For example, under the current encourages low-income indi- benefi t levels, a family of four Hercules continued his home- viduals and families who are earning 60 percent of the state’s ward journey by a route that struggling to get by to apply for median income or $75,200 can led down the peninsula of Italy. home heating fuel assistance. receive $430 in fuel assistance. He rested at spot we now call ABCD administers the fed- A single person earning $39,105 Rome. Unknown to Hercules, eral Low Income Home Energy also receives $430. this was the abode of Cacus, Assistance Program (LIHEAP) As noted earlier, those ben- a fi re-eating giant and son of for income-eligible residents efi t levels are expected to rise Vulcan, who stole some cattle in Boston, Brookline, Newton signifi cantly in the near future. while the strongman slept. The and seven communities north ABCD pays the household’s fuel cattle were dragged backwards of Boston: Malden, Medford, vendor directly. by their tails into the giant’s Everett, Melrose, Stoneham, For ABCD Fuel Assistance cave. Supposedly, this was done Winchester and Woburn. Last information, call 617-357- to confuse or foil any rescue year ABCD provided fuel assis- 6012, visit: bostonabcd.org/ effort. The entrance to the cave tance to more than 25,000 fuel-assistance, or contact an was then closed by using a rock households. ABCD neighborhood center. so huge that twenty oxen were This year the need for heat- Locations can be found on unable to move it. As Hercules ing assistance is greater than the ABCD website homepage: was passing the cave with the ever as COVID-19 continues to bostonabcd.org. balance of his mooing herd, take a huge toll on low-income If you live outside of the ABCD one of the stolen cows mooed in neighborhoods and communi- service areas in Boston and answer. He quickly removed the ties of color where long-stand- Mystic Valley, call the statewide stone from the cave entrance ing health disparities make number, 800-632-8175, to and, after a fierce struggle, residents highly vulnerable to be directed to the community slew Cacus with his club. The the virus and where escalat- action program providing fuel inhabitants of that area paid the ing unemployment has led to assistance in your area. Greek hero every honor for free- mounting distress. Fuel Assistance Boosts Health, ing them of this monster. The The federal Department of Safety, Energy Effi ciency homeward journey of Hercules Health & Human Services Home heating assistance is was completed without further released $3.36 billion to vital to keeping disadvantaged incident, the cattle were deliv- fund LIHEAP nationwide. individuals, elders, and families ered, and the tenth labor was Massachusetts received $123 healthy by preventing hypother- satisfactorily concluded. million — up about $9 million mia and subsequent hospital- Whenever you visit Florence, from last year. Federal CARES ization. And it keeps them safe; Italy, be sure to spend a few Act funding designated for too many would otherwise opt minutes at the entrance to fuel assistance increases the for dangerous alternatives such the Palazzo Vecchio. A copy of Massachusetts allocation to as space heaters or ovens. Michelangelo’s David stands $150 million. ABCD also offers qualifying Hercules and Cacus by Baccio Bandinelli, Piazza della on the left side (the original is Right now the maximum families a comprehensive range Signoria, Florence in the Accademia di Belle Arti) fuel assistance benefi t is $600, of energy services to keep fami- while the right side displays with benefi ts scheduled to be lies warm, safe, and healthy The next in our series on the Hercules was about to make a sculptured masterpiece by increased soon.