Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood”
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Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 30 Issue 13 Thursday, March 28, 2013 50¢ THERE SHE IS… Quincy Street corridor revamp now on track for public review BY GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS Jeremy Rosenberger, a nino has allocated about registered complaints NEWS EDITOR senior planner with the $3 million for the effort, with the city, calling the City officials are ask- Boston Redevelopment but it could cost more, current setup of streets ing residents to weigh Authority whose agency particularly if the 11 unsafe for pedestrians. in on a multi-agency hopes to “soften the im- intersections that run “The concepts will effort to improve the age of the corridor,” said through the corridor see address ways to slow Quincy Street corridor. the layout is a “bit hostile changes. down traffic on Quincy Potential improvements for pedestrians. “There’s The BRA hosted a pub- Street, try and see if we include crosswalks at a lot of congestion, a lot lic meeting last Wednes- can eliminate any cut- intersections, better of dangerous pedestrian day at the Haynes Early through traffic, making street lighting, highly connections out there,” Education Center on it safer for pedestrians visible signs, and bike he said. Blue Hill Avenue in and making the street lanes. Mayor Thomas Me- Roxbury. Residents have (Continued on page 24) Dot Day season kicks off With chili cook-off, and meatloaf dinner BY ED FORRY found the modern era ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER of the Dorchester Day The year’s celebration celebrations, and served of Dorchester Days got as parade chief marshal underway in the past a half century ago. The week, with two festive evening was hosted by events to mark the oc- Dot Day parade presi- casion. dent Marty Hogan, vice Last Thursday night, president Joe Zinck and March 21 organizers parade adjutant Ed gathered at First Parish Geary, Jr. Dorchester’s Janelle Woods-McNish, right, was Church on Meetinghouse On Sunday afternoon, crowned Mrs. Massachusetts during a pageant on Hill for a traditional March 24 several hun- March 19 at the Boston Marriott-Newton. meatloaf dinner, pre- dred came together at Photo courtesy Mrs. Massachusetts pared by the chefs at IBEW Hall in Clam Gerard’s Adams Corner Point for the seventh Mrs. Massachusetts: restaurant. The catered annual Dorchester “Kick-Off’ meal has Chili Cook-off, an event been served by Gerard organized by members Dot’s Janelle Adomunes and his staff of the Ashmont Adams in the early spring every civic association and its Woods-McNish year for more than two president, Pat O’Neill. decades. Featured were a variety BY TAYLA HOLMAN great vehicle for me to The event finds roots of chili, deserts and REPORTER CORRESPONDENT meet people and explore other treats prepared The Ashmont Grill booth at Sunday’s Dot Day Chili in the gastronomical Cook-off was built and painted in cooperation with The mother of 4-year- different cultures. I’ve choice of the late John by local restaurants and old twins girls, Janelle also grown as a public DotArt. Pictured from left: Millie Rooney, Chris Harold, who helped (Continued on page 21) Woods-McNish, 31, was speaker and I have more Douglass and Nuno Alves. Photo by Ed Geary crowned Mrs. Massachu- confidence.” setts on March 19. The Woods-McNish, who Neponset area resident is the community in- Marshall conversion proving a lure said that, even though volvement manager for BY GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS Unlocking Potential proponents say. applications, according she has previous pageant Harvard Pilgrim Health NEWS EDITOR (UP), a nonprofit school The enrollment lottery to UP. experience, it was a Care, is also the execu- Ninety-one percent of management group that for the new UP Academy Tamekia Groce, “complete surprise” to tive director of the Miss students at the Marshall already operates the in Dorchester was held 33-year-old single hear her name called. Ethnic New England Elementary School plan former Gavin Middle earlier this month and mother, is one of the “The first thing I can Pageant, a program to stick around for the School in South Bos- the school received 1,314 (Continued on page 24) remember seeing is my that helps women of coming school year as it ton, plans to re-launch entire family stood up, all ethnicities discover edges closer to its conver- the Marshall as “UP and they were clapping their inner beauty and sion into an in-district Academy Dorchester” in INSIDE and cheering me on,” she celebrate their cul- charter school, school the 2013-2014 academic said. “It was a priceless tural backgrounds. The officials said this week. year. About 85 percent Two inside moment.” pageant also provides The 600-student school of Gavin students re- views on the Woods-McNish said opportunities for the con- has had among the “high- mained at the school that her pageant experi- testants to give back to est mobility rates of any during the conversion, Boston Public ence in general has been their communities. The elementary school” in and the school has seen School’s new “amazing.” program also provides the system, according to gains in math scores in “I know it’s a cliché, scholarships to each Boston Public Schools, the last year. home-based stu- but I’ve met some of my queen. and in a normal year, 17 The conversion will al- dent assignment best friends through Woods-McNish ac- percent of the students low for greater flexibility plan. All contents copyright pageants,” she said. knowledged the work of © 2013 Boston often leave the school in setting the curriculum Neighborhood News, Inc. “Pageants have been a (Continued on page 6) and head to another. and a longer school day, Page 11. SAINT JOSEPH’S REHABILITATION AND NURSING CENTER 321 Centre Street, Dorchester MA 02122. Tel 617-825-6320 Wishes you a HVi appy Easter!!!! 123 bed sub-acute rehabilitation center. Catholic services 6 days/ Week Program.2012 DEFICIENCY FREE Page 2 THE REPORTER March 28, 2013 March 28, 2013 THE REPORTER Page 3 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record Collins and Dorcena Forry hail their endorsements BY GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS provide the help needed the Department of Public cratic Committee and als for Linda Dorcena for the Hart seat. Given Lynch gets a shout-out NEWS EDITOR to come out on top in the Health. NARAL-Massachusetts, Forry” was scheduled the deep blue make- Pouring over With less than five April 30 primary. An advisory promoting a pro-choice group. And for yesterday in Bos- up of the district, the weeks left before the pri- Collins, who once the press conference in a replay from her ton’s Financial District, Democratic primary is from Sheriff Tompkins mary, the two frontrun- worked as an aide to included the name of first bid for public office with state Sen. Sonia expected to determine city’s pothole problem ners in the First Suffolk Hart, held a late Tuesday Kathy Gabriel, a former in 2005, her campaign Chang-Diaz, state Rep. the person who will be BY GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS families can find affordable housing District race to replace press conference at the candidate for state rep- put up with a billboard Carlos Henriquez and sworn in at the State NEWS EDITOR options,” Lee said in a statement. former state Sen. Jack corner of Bowdoin Street resentative. Gabriel said in Mattapan Square. City Councillors Ayanna House after the May 28 It looks like Suffolk County Sheriff “As city councilor, I will build on my Hart accepted additional and Geneva Avenue in yesterday that she hasn’t Dorcena Forry, who has Pressley, Felix Arroyo, special election. Steven Tompkins is backing years of service to our communities endorsements this week Dorchester to announce endorsed anybody in the been a Dorchester state and Tito Jackson on the *** Congressman Stephen Lynch in his and work hard to deliver the results while ramping up their the backing of several First Suffolk District representative for eight guest list. As part of its cover- bid for the US Senate seat vacated by that our families deserve.” retail politicking to point community activists, and that she did not years and the wife of Pressley introduced age of the First Suffolk US Secretary of State John Kerry. Linehan is expected to run for re- out their supporters and including William Ce- attend the press confer- Reporter publisher and Dorcena Forry at a District race, the Re- Last Saturday, Tompkins appeared election. He held a fundraiser earlier win over voters. lester, a former Boston ence. The campaign said editor Bill Forry, previ- “Women for Ayanna” porter will highlight the at the opening of Lynch’s regional this month at J.J. Foley’s, ahead of Democratic State Police superintendent, they received the list of ously worked in City fundraiser last week at candidates’ responses campaign office for the Dorchester, the St. Patrick’s Day breakfast that Reps. Nick Collins Larry Ellison, the head of names from Celester’s Hall’s Department of the Omni Parker House to a Reporter question- Mattapan and Roxbury neighbor- he hosted for the first time. of South Boston and the Massachusetts Asso- group, the “Communities Neighborhood Develop- Hotel. naire in next week’s hoods on Blue Hill Avenue across “In the past two years I’ve worked Linda Dorcena Forry of ciation of Minority Law United Committee.” ment. Maureen Dahill, a edition. The full text from the Franklin Park Zoo where, very hard,” Linehan said. “I’m not Dorchester crisscrossed Enforcement Officers, For its part, Rep. According to a cam- South Boston Democrat, of the questionnaires according to a post on the Lynch sure what Suzanne Lee has done for the First Suffolk Senate Minister Don Muham- Forry’s camp touted paign update sent to and Joseph Ureneck, a will be available on campaign’s Facebook profile, he said, the past two years.” He added: “We’re District touting advan- mad, and Leonard Lee, an endorsement from supporters, a reception Dorchester Republican, the Reporter’s website: “The base is not just South Boston.