VOL. 113 - NO. 34 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AUGUST 21, 2009 $.30 A COPY Boston’s Oldest Traditions Carry On MADONNA DELLA CAVA FEAST 99TH ANNUAL SORRENTO CHEESE THE FISHERMAN’S FEAST The 99th Annual Fisherman’s Feast was held on the weekend of August 13th through the 16th in the North End. The feast kicked off with the statue of La Madonna Del Soccorso Di Sciacca carried in solemn procession to the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, accompanied by the Italian-American Band and the North End Italian Band for the annual blessing of the Boston fishing waters. The weekend included the Sorrento Cheese building contest, live entertainment and great food! The grand finale of the weekend was the statue of the Madonna returning to North Street after the day long procession. She was greeted by a crowd of enthusiastic spectators waiting for the Famous Flight of the Angel. This year’s flying angel was Vitianna Mary D’Amico (shown in photo) with side angels Diana Karamourtopoulos and Caira Rose D’Amico. (Photos by Ross Photography) (More photos on Page 7) The Madonna Della Cava Feast was celebrated on August 7th through the 9th in Boston’s North End. Shown Mayor’s Column in photo from left to right is: President, Matthew Matarazzo, Sal Longo, Jr., Anthony Longo, Anthony Longo, by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston Sr., and Sal Longo. (Photos by Ross Photography) With fall around the corner, flu sea- nesses, hospitals, schools, healthcare in- son isn’t far behind. The outbreak of stitutions, and religious and community (More photos on Page 14) swine flu in the spring taught us a lot organizations — to sit down with our pub- of valuable lessons about the level of co- lic health officials to discuss plans to con- ordination and preparation needed to tain and respond to flu this fall. From help protect our residents against ill- school dismissals, to time-off policies, News Briefs ness. To strengthen our collaborative and treatment strategies, this summit by Sal Giarratani efforts, I will convene the first-ever is a major opportunity for us to share and Boston Influenza Preparedness Summit learn what works and what doesn’t. Is the Oldest Profession, Shoplifting? this Friday, August 21, at the Harvard Vaccination will be critical to our Medical School. prevention efforts, and we will need to An 86 year old shoplifter was arrested after As we face an unprecedented flu sea- vaccinate thousands of people early this getting caught swiping stuff from a Chicago son this fall, prior planning and coordi- fall against seasonal flu. Once the H1N1 department store. She’s got a long record of shop- nation will be that much more impor- vaccine is ready for use in late fall, we’ll lifting. However, her latest caper involved steal- tant. This season brings multiple need to redouble our work by vaccinat- ing anti-wrinkle cream. I guess a shoplifter has strains of flu — including the seasonal ing thousands of more individuals that got to look her best. flu and H1N1, formerly known as swine are at higher risk. Bellhop Please! flu — which could result in more flu Many city employees, whether they are Seems a guy driving drunk down in Baton and flu-like illnesses than we’ve ever teachers in our classrooms or emergency Rouge, LA thought he made it to a hotel prema- seen before. Boston residents should first-responders, will be on the front lines turely. He parked his car in the lot of a state be confident that the city has an inte- this flu season. That’s why we’ll provide police barracks, staggered into the police sta- grated and effective prevention and our employees two hours of paid time tion and eventually got his own cell inside the response plan. Whether we’re called off in order to receive vaccinations, and place. Guess, he didn’t read the sign correctly. upon to respond to a small number of I’m urging our partners in the private You Should Never Get Too Hot flu cases or a larger, more wide-spread sector to give their employees the same A retired firefighter down in Miami was hav- number of serious illnesses, everyone opportunity. We’ve seen this type of pre- ing a good time with his wife in their bedroom. has a role to play. ventative health policy work in other To that end, our flu summit will allow (Continued on Page 14) everyone to come together — busi- (Continued on Page 14) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, AUGUST 21, 2009 Res Publica by David Trumbull In the Swim of Things Self-identified conserva- Massachusetts Congress- tives outnumber self-identi- man Barney Frank got on THE TEMPLE OF VESTA fied liberals in all 50 states earful at a recent town hall. (The Best Little Virgin House in Old Rome) of the union, according to the At least he was not as arro- Last week we discussed live in guarded seclusion in a domed roof that was sup- Gallup Poll. Even Massachu- gant as New York Congress- the origin of the sacrificial a structure that we now call ported on columns. This de- setts has more self-identi- man Eric Massa who stated fire, the candlelit vigil, and “The House of the Vestal Vir- sign was thought to typify the fied conservatives (30 per- that he would vote for gov- the eternal flame. This week gins” or “Atrium Vestae”. round earth and the vaulted cent) than liberals (29 per- ernment take-over of your we continue with a re- The temple was a round sky. The interior contained cent, with 38 percent iden- health care even if it meant minder that the sacred fire, structure, probably reminis- a low circular altar, upon tifying as “moderate”). that the voters of his district the source of all life and cent of the tribal chief’s hut. which burned the perpetual Yes, President Obama ap- would throw him out of of- power in ancient Rome, was This edifice was the most fire. The maintenance of pears more and more an- fice. Boston’s Congressman kept alive in a structure venerated of all temples in this fire was the chief duty other Bill Clinton whose ex- Stephen Lynch has an- known as the Temple of Rome. Tradition tells us that of six vestals. cesses helped fuel voter out- nounced a health care town Vesta. It was constantly the first temple to Vesta was Numa’s temple stood for rage that gave us the mag- hall for August 27th begin- tended by a group of virgin built by Numa Pompilius, the about three centuries until nificent Republican victories ning at six o’clock at Curry priestesses that were called successor to Romulus, and the Gauls burned Rome in in 1994. College in Milton. Vestals (Latin, Virgines the first of the Sabine kings 390 B.C. It was soon rebuilt The President said con- I say let’s keep on having Vestales). They resided near of Rome. He introduced the and the second edifice stood gress needed to pass the these town halls. The more the temple in the Forum worship of this goddess, and for about fifty years. The stimulus package quickly, voters learn about socialized Romanum. The whole con- devoted to her a space of third temple to Vesta stood before they had time to read medicine they less they like cept goes back into antiquity ground just in front of his until the great fire under it. The Democrats did, with it. The thought of a govern- when the Vestals repre- own house. It is also inter- Nero, and the fourth lasted no support from Republicans ment panel deciding who sented the daughters of the esting to note that at this for about one hundred years. in the House and merely gets what services and when primitive tribal chief, and time in history, about 700 The remains which now three Republican votes in horrifies me. And the notion they kept alive the State fire B.C., the king was the high mark the consecrated site the Senate. Now, months that the government can in their father’s hut. The priest, and in this office he belong to the last rebuilding later, economists report that run medical care more effi- public worship of this god- was known as “Pontifex by Septimius Severus (about the economy is already re- ciently than physicians and dess was maintained in the Maximus” or “Pontiff”. 200 A.D.) and this work is covering before the bulk of other medical professionals temple of Vesta during later There were at least five contemporary with the great the stimulus money has would be laughable if it were years, but her private wor- successive temples that arch of Septimius Severus been spent and it is mani- that Obama and his crew are ship was preserved in every were built in Rome to honor at the opposite end of the festly clear than any benefit deadly serious about it. domestic hearth. After she the goddess Vesta. They all Forum from Vesta’s temple. to the economy will be vastly Fortunately the Demo- was recognized as a personal adhered to the same style of NEXT WEEK: Virgines offset by the crippling future crats again prove to be their deity, it then became neces- architecture.