Kitchen Kup Tourney Drops This Weekend
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1 THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2018 FREE c harlestown PATRIOT-BRIDGE FRESH FROM THE SEA Rep. Ryan: State did not retreat on opiate legislation, passes unanimously By Seth Daniel final bill only hours after the com- way in curbing this scourge that promise reached the floor. had affected so many communi- The long-discussed, wide-rang- He said that many hard issues ties… I have to thank Speaker ing opiate treatment bill passed were discussed - such as providing DeLeo for appointing me vice- the state legislature late Tuesday opiate treatment to inmates, cre- chair of the Substance Abuse and night just in the nick of time, ating Safe Injection Facilities, and Mental Health Committee. My after a conference committee on looking at involuntary commit- knowledge of so much of the good Tuesday agreed to a compromise ments for substance abuse treat- work being done by others in form of the bill that went through ment – but none of the sticking Charlestown and Chelsea really many twists and turns over the points caused the bill to derail in helped me to shape discussion. I past month. the last hours. thank everyone in our communi- State Rep. Dan Ryan, who is “A unanimous vote on such ties that are doing recovery work.” Cyan vice chair of the House’s Substance a major piece of legislation, Rep. Ryan said he thanked Abuse and Mental Health such as the opioid bill, shows Conference Committee Chair Rep. Committee and had a big hand in what we are able to do here in Denise Garlick and Sen. Cynthia Magenta the bill, said he was happy to see the Commonwealth,” he said. Friedman for their quick analysis THE FRUITS OF THE SEA: Alexa Schmitt and Eleanor Allen show off that the body came to agreement “Because we don’t retreat into our the beautiful red lobsters about to become someone’s dinner during the and voted unanimously on the partisan safe zones, we are able (RYAN Pg. 3)) annual Lobstah in the Garden party last Weds., July 18, at the Gardens for deliver a bill that will go a long Yellow Charlestown location on Main Street. The sold-out event drew more partici- pants than last year. See story and photographs on page 7. Councilors Edwards, Wu file chain store zoning legislation Black Chain stores would be defined dardized façade, a standardized Staff Report as retail or service establishments décor and color scheme, uniform Acting on the controversy that have 11 or more locations apparel, standardized signage, a regarding a second Starbucks loca- worldwide, and two or more of trademark or a servicemark. tion in the North End, and the the following features: a standard- (ZONING Pg. 8) ever-creeping chain store presence ized array of merchandise, a stan- on Main Street in Charlestown, Councilor Lydia Edwards said PLAYING WITH THE PROS she has aligned with Councilors Michelle Wu and Kim Janey to try to bring protections to local busi- ness districts. Recently, Edwards said she was alerted to the issue of chain stores locating in small business districts when Starbucks attempted to open a second location in the North Bev McHugh, Dan Kovacevic, Annette Tecce and Andy Caffrey. End. Similar issues have arisen in Charlestown as chains have locat- ed on Main Street in the last year as well. Kitchen Kup tourney “It’s going to give the neighbor- hoods protections that don’t exist right now,” she said. “A lot of drops this weekend times these companies can come in by right and they’ve located here before anyone knows about it.” By Seth Daniel ey tournament that spans over Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 4 and Wu and Edwards now have The vaunted Kitchen Kup is 5. filed legislation to remove as-of- back for another summer of fun At stake will be bringing the right designations for chain stores at Eden Street Park this week- Kup back to Charlestown this year. in Boston’s neighborhood business districts. The proposal, entered at end, and founder Joe Brennan Two years ago, the Charlestown Photo by Seth Daniel said there will be some great teams team prevailed and kept the Kup today’s Council meeting, would EVERY CHARLESTOWN KID’S DREAM…Quinn Rockhill goes on the competing in a relaxed atmo- at home, but last year the South amend the City of Boston’s Zoning attack against Boston Bruin and Charlestown resident Matt Grzelcyk during sphere only found in the Town. Boston team took the title and Code to regulate formula retail last Friday’s Pick Up with a Pro event at McGonagle Rink in Ryan Field. brought the Kup over the North uses, also known as chain stores, So far, Brennan said about 16 Kids from all over the neighborhood were able to play street hockey with and require a conditional use per- teams have formed squads and Washington Street Bridge into Grzelcyk, New York Ranger Jimmy Vesey and Edmonton Oiler Nolan Vesey mit for any such business to open will compete in the double-elimi- their neighborhood. – all with deep Charlestown roots - courtesy of Bar Down Strength and nation, high-intensity roller hock- and operate in a neighborhood Conditioning. The first-ever event drew hundreds to the McGonagle Rink. (KITCHEN KUP Pg. 3 business district. 2 PAGE 2 THE CHARLESTOWN PATRIOT-BRIDGE AUGUST 2, 2018 editorial HANDS-FREE DRIVING Townie Tidbits LAW NEEDED ENGINE 50 CELEBRATES A CENTURY OF SERVICE Public safety advocates have been disappointed this week that the TO CHARLESTOWN legislature has failed to adopt a bill in this legislative session that BY SAL GIARRATANI would ban the use of mobile electronic devices while operating a On Thursday, July 26, it was motor vehicle unless the devices are used in hands-free mode. a red banner day for Engine Distracted driving is a huge and ever-growing problem, surpassing 50 in Charlestown as folks drunk driving as a source of carnage on our roadways. The National gathered up by the Monument Safety Council asserts that distracted driving accounted for 26 per- to honor Boston firefighters, Engine Co. 50 and to celebrate cent of the 30,000 lives lost in motor vehicle accidents in 2013. Teens a centennial celebration of the were the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of fatal history of Engine 50 and the crashes. Winthrop Street firehouse. Boston Fire Commissioner It is estimated that five seconds is the average time a driver’s eyes Joeseph Flynn delivered a are taken off the road while reading or sending a text message. At 55 speech across the street from mph, those five seconds are enough to cover the length of a football the Bunker Hill Museum where Engine 50 firefighters take time to band together for this Engine 50 there is now an exhibit on the Alumni Group Shot field. The result has been an estimated one million motor vehicle GUEST OP-ED Boston Fire Department and accidents caused by distracted driving. artifacts from Charlestown's Fourteen other states and the District of Columbia prohibit driv- role in Boston's firefighting his- ers from using handheld mobile devices, including New Hampshire, tory. Nearly 200 people attend- Curing Alzheimer's in America ed, including former firefight- Connecticut, and Vermont. ers, department supporters and With polls asserting that 80 percent of the public supports a community members. The Winthrop Street fire- Black hands-free driving law, we hope that the legislature will take steps house survived a proposed clo- to enact this needed legislation when the new legislature reconvenes sure back in 1981 and earned in January. the nickname "The People's Firehouse #2 after the com- munity fought the closure and A TRAGEDY THAT AFFECTED ALL deactivation of Engine 50. This helped save the house and OF US apparatus back from the brink following a one month occu- The Lynch Family from Liverpool, England took time out of their holi- pation of the firehouse between The news reports this weekend about the tragic motor vehicle day to watch the event. April and May 1981. accident that claimed the life of a 32-year-old Cape Cod man who I was privileged to have had just become a new father -- as he was returning home at night played a role at the event speak- 100th anniversary possible house most likely luxury condos. because without it today Engine Charlestown remains Engine from the hospital after visiting with his wife and child -- caused all ing of the successful community takeover of the firehouse and 50 would be history and the fire- 50 Proud! of us to pause for a moment to ponder how life can be so cruel and hostage-taking of the Engine 50 capricious. fire apparatus too. The victim, Kevin Quinn, 32, was a former Marine who had I believe the 30-day siege of served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Although Mr. Quinn had the firehouse made last week's survived military duty in one of the most dangerous places in the world, he could not make it home safely on what should have been an uneventful ride back from the hospital on Route 28 on the Cape. c harlesTown There has been much discussion about whether the operator of the PATRIOT-BRIDGE other vehicle, who also was killed in the crash and who had a lengthy criminal record, should have been released from jail and out on the THE CHARLESTOWN PATRIOT-BRIDGE, street, especially in view of a recent arrest for operating under the PHONE: 617.241.8500 © 2008 INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER GROUP. influence while being out on bail on another serious charge.