Councilor Ayanna Pressley Defeats Congressman Capuano Capuano Took Charlestown with 60 Percent of the Vote
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1 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 FREE c harlestown PATRIOT-BRIDGE Councilor Ayanna Pressley defeats Congressman Capuano Capuano took Charlestown with 60 percent of the vote By Seth Daniel Capuano from the seat he has held with State Rep. Dan Ryan and for 20 years. State Sen. Sal DiDomenico late in The world was turned on its nose Capuano conceded the race the day. Tuesday night in the Congressional around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday Pressley didn’t appear in District 7 race when Boston City after a long day of campaigning Charlestown Tuesday, and had Councilor Ayanna Pressley sur- that included prominent stops in made only a few visits here during prised everyone with a solid victo- Charlestown with Mayor Martin the campaign, but Pressley did visit ry, ousting Congressman Michael Walsh at his side rallying voters Chelsea on Tuesday, where she enjoyed great support. Districtwide, Pressley took the race by 18 percent, winning 59 percent to 41 percent. Pressley enjoyed great support south of Cyan Boston and in Dorchester and Mattapan – where voter turnout Magenta was heavy. Citywide in Boston, Pressley beat Capuano 64 percent (40,452 votes) to 36 percent (22,831 votes). Yellow In places like Charlestown, Somerville and East Boston, vot- ing was light, and even though Black Capuano easily won the Town, it wasn’t enough votes to counter Photos by Katy Rogers and Seth Daniel the surge on the other side of Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley scored one of the most surprising downtown. While Charlestown victories in a long time on Tuesday night in beating Congressman Michael recorded almost 3,000 votes in Capuano. the contest, it didn’t even compare Congressman Michael Capuano at a campaign stop in Charlestown to the turnout for last fall’s heat- Charlestown’s Walker Griffith has led Tuesday afternoon with Mayor Martin Walsh and State Rep. Dan Ryan. (ELECTION Page 7) Eliot School to great achievements By Seth Daniel closed every gap, but we’ve made gains every day. We’re not there BHA announces Leggat McCall as As students head back to yet, but we’re continuing to think school today in Boston Public outside the box about how to new partner for Bunker Hill development Schools, Charlestown’s Traci do instruction. You think about Walker Griffith – the principal of where you were and there’s a nar- serves all deeply affordable units to transform the Bunker Hill site By Seth Daniel the Eliot School in the North End rative and story there.” currently available to low-income into a new, vibrant, mixed-income – reflected on how far the school The Eliot School is located in The Boston Housing Authority families while creating new mar- community while simultaneously has come in her tenure. the North End, but has huge ties (BHA) and Charlestown Resident ket-rate housing to help meet the preserving all affordable apart- “I’m a proud principal; I say to Charlestown. Not only does Alliance (CRA) announced this needs of the City of Boston’s con- ments for current and future gen- that all the time,” she said on Griffith hail from the Town, but week the addition of Leggat tinuing population growth. erations. Tuesday while preparing for the about 32 percent of the school McCall Properties to the redevel- “We are pleased to jointly This new and financially sus- return of students this week. population – some 219 students – opment team for its Bunker Hill announce this new partnership tainable redevelopment proposal “When I came in 10 years ago also come from Charlestown. public housing development. with Leggatt McCall,” said BHA will involve the phased demolition we were an underperforming and For Griffith, Charlestown liv- The unveiled development plan Director William McGonagle. of existing buildings, substantial underenrolled K-6 school with ing is part of why she loves her job with Leggat McCall and Corcoran “We are hopeful we can now move infrastructure improvements, and 150 students. We’ve expanded to in the North End. From attending now calls for new mid-rise build- forward with the long-awaited construction of new, mid-rise res- a K-8 and have more than 600 St. Francis de Sales to coaching ings with 2,700 mixed-income redevelopment of the Bunker Hill idential buildings containing iden- students now. Slowly but sure- apartments – which includes the community. We look forward to tical market-rate and affordable ly we’ve improved. We haven’t replacement of the 1,100 exist- a robust public review of the pro- units. (GRIFFITH. Pg. 4) ing public housing units already posal this coming fall.” There will also be retail and at Bunker Hill – and some Leggat McCall will join devel- community spaces at ground level. ground-level retail/community opment partner Corcoran Jennison The current plan proposes 2,700 CNC COMMUNITY CORNER space. The new plan with Leggat Associates to redevelop the Bunker mixed-income apartments. is a reduction of several hundred Hill Apartments, New England’s “The CRA welcomes Leggat PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE - The monthly meeting of units from the original propos- largest federal housing project. McCall to our partnership,” said the Charlestown Neighborhood Council will be held TODAY al nearly two years ago, which Since the start of the year, the Tiara Murphy, president of the Thursday Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. in the Knights of Columbus Hall, included a total of about 3,200 BHA and the CRA have worked CRA. “We look forward to work- 545 Medford St. The public is encouraged to attend. mixed-income units. with Leggat and Corcoran to cre- The redevelopment plan pre- ate a revised redevelopment plan (BUNKER HILL PROJECT Pg. 2) 2 PAGE 2 THE CHARLESTOWN PATRIOT-BRIDGE SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 editorial HOT, HOT, HOT News reports about the hot weather and all of the records for high and highest-low temperatures that have been set this month in our region have become so commonplace that it is all-too-easy to read the headlines and move on to other news. But the reality is this: Global warming and the attendant climate change are happening much faster than even the most dire of predic- tions of a few years ago, with significant implications for our planet and ourselves in the not-too-distant future. Not only is the air temperature setting records, but even more omi- nously, the water temperature has been as high as we ever have known it in this area. We were watching the weather last week and the weatherman’s chart showed a temperature of 72. We assumed that was the air temp -- but in fact, it was the water temperature for Boston Harbor. A quick Google revealed that the average water temperature in August in Boston Harbor is about 68 -- but we have been in the 70s all month. A swim we took last Saturday from Peddock’s Island confirmed that the water in this area is as warm as we ever have known it in our lifetime -- it is no wonder that whales are frolicking off Deer Island and great white sharks are everywhere around us, from the Cape to Manchester- by-the-Sea. That climate change is accelerating at a faster-and-faster rate than had been predicted is evident by the loss of sea-ice in the Arctic and the Black record-setting temperatures around the globe. GUEST OP-ED An article in Rolling Stone magazine this week put it this way: “The Arctic has been heating up faster than any other place on the planet. (Last winter, temperatures in the Arctic were 45 degrees Back to School Fahrenheit above normal). Last week, German climate scientist Stefan Rahmstorf wrote an excellent piece in Politico explaining why the By Mayor Martin J. Walsh as students, athletes, artists, and nity. I hope you know that our warming Arctic is not only causing ice to melt, but changing the weath- leaders. You’ll reconnect with city will always have your back, er dynamics for the entire planet. ‘That global warming leads to more September is one of my favor- old friends, and make new ones. too. If you’re ever going through heat extremes is not rocket science and has been confirmed by global ite months. The weather is getting It’s a fresh start--- a chance to a hard time, don’t hesitate to data analysis,’ Rahmstorf wrote. He pointed out that we are seeing five cooler, football is back in season, start things off on the right foot. ask a trusted adult, a teacher, times more monthly heat records — such as ‘hottest July on record in and students like yourselves are I hope that you will set new or your school community for goals, and work hard to make help. We’re all here to root one California’ — than we would in a stable climate. More heat means drier heading back to school. You might not know it, but it this your best school year yet. another on. soils, causing more drought and wildfires. It also means more extreme takes a village to prepare for the The new year will also bring Whatever this school year has rain, given that a warmer atmosphere can suck up and then release first day of school. Your teach- new challenges. But persevering in store, I wish you the best of more moisture (a global increase in rainfall records is well-documented ers, principals, and custodians is an important part of school luck. Challenge yourselves. Try in weather station data). have spent the summer getting and growing up. I can say that new things.