Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 30 Issue 5 Thursday, January 31, 2013 50¢ Upbeat Opportunity Menino called, says Hart as he makes leaves seat his case Successor candidate By Gintautas Dumcius list in flux for now news eDitor Mayor Thomas Menino moved quickly across By Gintautas Dumcius the red carpet on Tuesday night, his cane barely news eDitor keeping up with his legs as he headed to the podium State Sen. Jack Hart (D-South Boston) is stepping just below Faneuil Hall’s main stage. “I have some down from his seat this week and joining a law firm. words of wisdom,” he said in a jovial tone, after the Hart, who submitted a letter of intent to resign on lengthy applause had died down. “You don’t want Tuesday, will leave the Senate tomorrow. to hear my words of wisdom, do you?” Hart, who has served as the Senate’s assistant There was some truth in that quip: The focal point majority leader, has held the First Suffolk District of the night – and the focus of the media coverage seat since 2002, representing South Boston, leading up to his State of the City address – was Dorchester, and Mattapan. how Menino would look after hospital stays, various “It has been an honor and illnesses, and physical therapy. Whether he could the thrill of a lifetime, truly, make his way down the carpet, whether he could to serve in the Senate over stand throughout the speech, whether it meant he’s the past 11 years,” Hart running for a sixth term. told the Reporter this week The answers were yes, yes, and probably. His departure sets (Continued on page 9) up a special election for later this year, and Hart speculated that Beacon School assign plans Hill lawmakers could seek to align its date with the special election to replace Sen. Jack Hart to be aired Monday US Sen. John Kerry, who By Gintautas Dumcius three-zone set-up, in- was confirmed as President Obama’s secretary of news eDitor clude a ten-zone model state on Tuesday. A primary for the federal special The public will get a and two “home-based” election will likely be held on April 30, with a general chance to weigh in on models. Under the ten- election to follow on June 25. three proposals to over- zone model, parents Hart, who was elected in a 2002 special election haul the city’s unpopular could see from three to after South Boston’s Stephen Lynch left the First student assignment sys- fourteen choices, along Suffolk Senate seat for Congress, said he “really had tem next week. School with citywide options; no intentions of going anywhere.” But the law firm department officials the first home-based Guess who’s Nelson Mullins, seeking to expand its government have scheduled a meet- model would offer at relations practice, approached him several weeks ing for Monday, Feb. 4 least six choices, while ago, he said. at 6 p.m. at the Orchard the second home-based Number 1? “As difficult as it is to leave the job that I love so Gardens K-8 School on model ups the number Billy Traft — the pride of Adams Corner— won his much, it is an opportunity and a new challenge and Albany Street. to nine. third professional fight on Saturday night before a a new chapter in my life,” Hart said. Hart’s chief of raucous crowd of more than 6,000 at the TD Garden. The proposals, an at- A 27-member advisory staff, Jennifer Jackson, will be joining the outgoing panel, tapped by Mayor Traft earned a unanimous, four-round victory over tempt to radically shift fellow middleweight Joe Powers of Connecticut. senator at Nelson Mullins, according to the firm. away from the current (Continued on page 11) Story. Page 17. Photo by Emily Harney Hart previously served in the state House of (Continued on page 4) Larry Marino— one of Dot’s INSIDE Introducing great boosters— dead at 56 US Sen. Cowan By Bill Forry dedicated himself to pro- Mr. Marino, who ran Gov. Deval Patrick manaGinG eDitor moting — often through his own small busi- Dorchester lost one of social media projects— ness— Lower Mills Web has tapped his ad- its most passionate and in recent years. Designs— had become ministration’s former energetic volunteers last Relatives and friends a fixture in that part of chief of staff, William Saturday night. Larry are invited to attend Dorchester since moving “Mo” Cowan, right, Marino, 56, died sud- Larry’s Funeral Mass, there several years ago. denly from an apparent which will be said a week The Lawrence native to fill, on an interim heart attack at his home from Saturday, Feb. and Navy veteran lived basis, the US Senate in Lower Mills. His death 9, at 10 a.m. at Saint most of his last 19 years seat being vacated sparked a wave of grief Gregory’s church. A in Dorchester, including by incoming US Sec- and disbelief across his celebration of his life will Fields Corner. Last year, adopted neighborhood, be held after the Mass at Mr. Marino co-founded retary of State John All contents copyright Larry Marino © 2013 Boston which Mr. Marino had Florian Hall. (Continued on page 11) F. Kerry. Page 5. Neighborhood News, Inc. SAINT JOSEPH REHABILITATION AND NURSING CENTER 321 Centre Street Dorchester Ave, Dorchester MA 02122. Tel 617-825-6320 Wishes you Happy ValeVni tines Day 123 bed sub-acute rehabilitation center. Catholic services 6 days/ Week Program.2012 DEFICIENCY FREE Page 2 THE REPoRTER January 31, 2013 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record For local pols, primary BC High tops off will be fish-or-cut bait time new building By Gintautas Dumcius leaning lawmakers like Jackson, City news eDitor Councillor At-Large Felix Arroyo, Congressmen Stephen Lynch and Sonia Chang-Diaz, a Jamaica Plain Ed Markey are officially launching Democrat who represents parts of their campaigns this week for US Sen. Dorchester and Mattapan, and state John Kerry’s seat, and Boston’s elected Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, a officials at City Hall and the State Dorchester Democrat, throwing their House will no doubt find themselves support behind Lynch over Markey, a caught in the crossfire. staunch liberal. The shortened timeline of the race Over the last month, Markey has – the primary likely will be set for the picked up the endorsements of state end of April and the general election is Treasurer Steve Grossman, Attorney expected to be in June – means Lynch General Martha Coakley, and House and Markey will be chasing not only Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop). consistent voters, but fellow elected State Rep. Marty Walsh, a progres- officials for their endorsements. sive Democrat from Savin Hill, will Lynch, a South Boston Democrat likely back Lynch. Unions figure and former ironworker, told supporters prominently in both their biographies in an e-mail Tuesday afternoon that and they have a long history together. he planned to announce his decision South Boston’s Jack Hart, who lives today at the Ironworkers Local 7 Hall across the street from Lynch and is on Old Colony Avenue. While he has leaving the state Senate for a law firm publicly said a “final decision” will tomorrow, will likely be in the Lynch be made then, his advisers and allies camp, as will state Rep. Nick Collins, have been telling reporters for over a a fellow South Boston Democrat. A large crowd of students and faculty watched Tuesday as steelworkers month that Lynch is in. State Rep. Russell Holmes, a carefully placed the last ceremonial beam on the top of Boston College High Both Lynch and Markey, a Malden Mattapan Democrat, said he is leaning School’s newest building on its Morrissey Blvd. campus. The 28,000 square Democrat, attended Mayor Thomas toward supporting Lynch, calling him foot Cadigan Hall will house athletic and fine arts space for the school. It is Menino’s State of the City address a “friend” who gave him advice when named for Patrick F. Cadigan, a BC High alumnus who pledged $12 million to the project last year. Photo by Bill Forry on Tuesday night in Faneuil Hall. Holmes first ran for office in 2010. “Stay They sat in the same row, separated true to your family and stay true to the by Congressman John Tierney (D- Lord,” Holmes recalled Lynch saying. Rev. Brown, head of the TenPoint Coalition, Salem), and stood steps away from For his part, Lynch remained cagey one another as they were mobbed by about whether he’s fully in, despite an anti-violence group, is stepping down reporters looking for the latest updates sources telling reporters last Friday Rev. Jeffrey Brown will be stepping down in the spring as executive director on their campaigns. that was exactly the case. of the TenPoint Coalition in order to pursue national work as the anti-violence Asked if he has requested an Even as he headed into the Dorches- group he co-founded and the Boston Ministerial Alliance move toward an endorsement from Menino, Lynch ter offices of SEIU 1199 that day, administrative “merger.” told reporters, “I’ve sat down with Lynch told the Reporter he hadn’t “It’s a strategic alliance of two faith groups to work more closely together,” him, yeah, towards that end. We’ve made a final decision. “One of the news Brown said. The two groups will have separate executive directors and their had a couple of meetings. I haven’t outlets said I had announced, and I own boards, but they will jointly seek fundraising possibilities and securing sat with him since [Congressman] had a date and I had an event planned federal and state contracts, he said.