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 35 Thursday, August 29, 2013 50¢ Q. Will next mayor make or break the Strand Theatre? By Bill Forry into an abyss of debt and decrepitness. Strand become Boston’s version of close-to-home audiences thirsty for Editor And, like the ‘Little Tramp’ himself, New York’s storied Apollo? Or choose pioneering hip-hop tours, urban-edged What will the next mayor of Boston the Strand has proven to be an endur- to cut and run? musicals, and summertime youth do with the Strand Theatre, the Up- ing and endearing figure – with the First, though, a bit more background: theater troupes. hams Corner landmark that debuted promise of new audiences and a heroic In the early 1970s – after going The Strand has struggled at times as a movie palace in the waning days revival that has been years in the dark for a few years – the Strand in the Menino era. The non-profit of World War I? Like a Charlie Chaplin making. was saved from the wrecking ball by board that saved the facility and character flickering across its earliest But whether or not the Strand gets a non-profit community board that guided it with firm leadership into screen, the Uphams Corner landmark its Hollywood ending will hinge on convinced Mayor Kevin White that the mid-1990s ultimately folded due stumbled and lurched across the the interest and guts of the city’s next the stage could enjoy an encore under to mismanagement, leaving City Hall 20th century and, on more than one CEO: Will he or she buy into Thomas city ownership, and indeed it did. officials with the unwelcome task of occasion, damn-near plunged hat-first Menino’s stubborn resolve that the In the ‘80s, the Strand tapped into (Continued on page 9) CARNIVAL TIME Suffolk Downs Thousands pact with city celebrate puts casino-vote Carribbean issue in spotlight culture By GintautaS duMciuS East Boston,’ ” he told a nEwS Editor small group of reporters Thousands turned On a humid Tuesday who had come down after out for Boston’s Ca- afternoon, Bill Walczak Mayor Menino’s press ribbean Carnival on was waiting outside conference. Saturday. This year’s City Hall. His mayoral The agreement, which could funnel at least $32 parade from Roxbury campaign, like the others struggling for attention million a year into city to Dorchester includ- in a 12-person field, had coffers, heads to the City ed a large Haitian- just been handed a small Council and eventually American presence gift from a few floors to voters. City officials organized by Grimas above: an agreement say there is little ap- Camp, a Boston-based between the city and petite on the 13-member cultural organization. Suffolk Downs to bring council for a city-wide The group organized money, jobs, and a $1 vote, so only East Boston a float featuring five billion casino to East is likely to be allowed to weigh in on whether top Haitian DJs, along Boston. In other words, something specific to run there should be a casino with a large number against. in the neighborhood. The of costumed parade- “My view of this is, vote will probably take goers. Above, some ‘Stop the casino and place before the mayoral of the participants let’s start planning an election. included, from left, innovation district for (Continued on page 4) Darleine Guerrier, Daelen Guerrier and Christina St. Fleur. City defends taking Photo courtesy Grimas Camp of Mattapan farm By Bill Forry Fowler-Clark Farm at Editor 487 Norfolk St. on August Lawyers representing 10 citing concerns about the owners of a dis- its ongoing deterioration. Probation beat: Making the rounds tressed Mattapan farm The city agency brought By MikE dEEhan 20 probationers to check up on. for drug or assault charges, and property are fighting in landscapers and heavy SpEcial to thE rEportEr McDonough is a 15-year probation officers enforce the court’s orders back against the city of equipment to clear the On two consecutive recent Tues- veteran and a Dorchester native; and restrictions. Boston after one of its property of debris and day nights, the Dorchester District Burrows, a member of the outfit “Each person has different agencies seized control brush— and to secure Court’s Probation Department popularly known as the Gang terms and conditions and we don’t of the Norfolk Street the buildings— racking allowed the Reporter to accompany Unit, has worked in the neighbor- want to just see them in the house; landmark earlier this (Continued on page 3) its officers while they met with pro- hood for years. we want to make it a meaningful month. City Hall law- bationers. The reporter rode first The state’s Probation Depart- discussion,” McDonough said. yers are defending the alongside two officers on daytime ment mission is the “delivery of “Seeing them out in the commu- move— saying that they rounds and later with the Boston justice through investigations, nity gives us a better opportunity has an obligation to save Police-affiliated NiteLite program community supervision of offend- to see what’s really happening in the historic farmhouse that watches over potentially more ers/litigants, diversion of appro- their lives, in their houses.” and an adjacent barn volatile offenders. priate offenders from institutional The first stop on the NiteLite from what one official Probation Officer Matthew Mc- sentences, reduction in crime, tour was to a halfway house for has termed “demolition Donough and Boston Police Youth mediations, service to victims, and probationers with substance by neglect.” Violence Strike Force officer John the performance of other appropri- abuse problems. The three-decker Officials from the Burrows left the BPD station on ate community service functions.” houses 18 women and is overseen Department of Neigh- All contents copyright Hancock Street one of the nights Probation covers offenders usually by 27-year-old “Joy” of Woburn, © 2013 Boston borhood Development Neighborhood News, Inc. night with a docket of more than not sentenced to jail time, often (Continued on page 5) (DND) took control of the Now open in Your bank is headed in a new direction. Roslindale Maybe it’s time you headed for the exits. If you’re looking to simplify part of your life, say goodbye to banks with complicated fee structures and impersonal service, and hello to Meetinghouse Bank. We’re the only community bank in the area, and we plan to keep banking simple and stress free. Call or stop by today. 2250 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02124 · 617-‐298-‐2250 4238 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131 · 617-‐942-‐8500 Member FDIC Mortgage Line 617-‐322-‐3100 · meetinghousebank.com Member SIF MB Exit Ad-Roslindale Address10x2 4c.indd 1 4/20/13 5:54 PM Page 2 THE REPoRTER August 29, 2013 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record ‘Unity’ isn’t unanimous Crews race to finish work at 12th Suffolk breakfast at Dot schools Construction crews from the BPS Facili- ties Department are working around-the- clock to finish work at several local sites in time for the first day of school next Wednes- day. BPS will spend $1 million this year re- painting schools across the city. In Dorchester, students at UP Acad- emy Charter School, above, will find a dra- matically different building than the one they left in the spring after a volunteer proj- ect to upgrade the Marshall building. The improvements include new decks, outside benches, plants to re- place asphalt, and new signage— the ing the roof and restoring exterior work of undergraduate students from masonry. In addition, BPS is invest- Massachusetts College of Art and De- ing $1.4 million this year in security sign. TechBoston Academy has a new upgrades at 26 schools – including key roof, which will lower energy costs by card access, video cameras, and public improving insulation. At the Trotter address systems. Dan Cullinane and his family gathered at the Unity Breakfast Elementary School, crews are replac- Photo courtesy BPS Ed Forry photo By GintautaS duMciuS the breakfast, along with state Sen. Saturday hours resume at BPL Branches nEwS Editor Brian A. Joyce (D-Milton), who Saturday hours at the neighborhood branches of the Boston Public Library Gov. Deval Patrick, along with backed Cullinane in the primary and return on Sept. 7. Saturday hours at branches vary per location, but are typically U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, Congressman Massachusetts Democratic Party chair 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. or 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Three Boston Public Library branches have 10 Michael Capuano, and Attorney John Walsh. a.m. - 3 p.m. hours on Saturday: Lower Mills, North End, and West End. The General Martha Coakley, appeared Uphams Corner Branch at 500 Columbia Road remains temporarily closed for at the Carter Post on Blue Hill Avenue Planned Parenthood holding off building improvements. Construction is expected to be completed in September in Mattapan yesterday for a Demo- on endorsement in mayoral race 2013. All BPL locations will be closed on Mon., Sept. 2, in observance of the cratic “unity” breakfast in the 12th Planned Parenthood’s Advocacy Labor Day holiday. Suffolk District. But the “unity” part Fund said this week the pro-choice of the get-together seemed somewhat group will not be endorsing a mayoral problematic in the days leading up to candidate in the Sept. 24 preliminary. Butterfly ‘Bon Voyage’ at Mattapan’s the event. One of the three Democrats The group released a voter guide on on the Aug. 13 primary ballot said she mayoral and City Council candidates Nature Center would not be there, and a second was that was based on questionnaires that Come to a fun and informative program, not planning to endorse the third, the most candidates answered.