VOL. 112 - NO. 46 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 21, 2008 $.30 A COPY THE TOLL TOLLS FOR ALL OF US, Especially Chelsea and Everett by Sal Giarratani Recently, Governor Deval representative in East Bos- Patrick proposed merging ton, who recently showed up parts of the Massachusetts on the Michele McPhee Turnpike Authority into show on 96.9 FM and in either the Mass Highway Michael Graham’s Boston Department or the Massport Herald column, it’s time for Authority. ordinary folk to rise up to Even more recently Mass this injustice. He’s started Pike voted to double tolls at (StopThePikehike.org) to the Callahan, Sumner and organize an effort against Ted Williams Tunnel. In- the tollbooth shafting. stead of $3.50, you’ll soon be Says Kelleher, “I won’t be paying $7.00 just to get from able to sleep at night if I don’t Eastie to either the North He’s right. Folks will do do everything I can to try. I just Pamela End or Southie. A small price anything to escape these can’t take any more.” to pay for a short ride under intolerable tolls. They’ll keep Sounds like that old 80’s Donnaruma, the inner harbor, eh? sliding south. First, to the movie, “Network”. Remem- Publisher/ Right now, the Mystic Tobin Bridge and eventually ber that line? “I’m mad as hell Tobin Bridge will remain a all the way over to Route 99. and I’m not going to take it Editor, mere bargain, but you know The Sullivan Square rotary anymore.” and the staff that after Massport starts op- will become a nightmare. Finally, Boston’s Mayor erating the tunnels from the Charlestown will be right Thomas M. Menino has told of the Mass Pike, the bridge will in the middle of the mess the State that those dis- also go up at the toll booths, too. counts for Eastie folks bet- Post-Gazette too. Good news is that some ter stay in place. One state rep from the people are starting to fight For whom the toll tolls, it North Shore told me last back. One frustrated driver tolls for all of us and there week when the tunnel tolls from Everett told me, “This seems little light at the end go up, both “Everett and is what we got for voting NO of the tunnel. Chelsea will become parking on Question 1 and cheaper Good luck to Michael lots. Route 99 and the Revere gas pump prices.” Kelleher’s efforts! News Briefs Beach Parkway won’t be mov- According to Michael The Commonwealth ing at rush hour.” Kelleher, a wine company should keep on fighting! by Sal Giarratani Early Christmas Music Mayor’s Column Should be Hate Crime by Thomas M. Menino, Mayor, City of Boston Some guy in Southie last week got quite annoying. He showed up outside his ex- I recently joined officials from the but we must acknowledge the problem girlfriend’s place blasting Christmas music at Boston Public Schools, area colleges and so that we can work to find a collabora- 4 AM. I think that constitutes a real “Hate universities, businesses, college access tive solution. We will not be satisfied Crime”. The neighborhood must have hated him non-profits, and the funding community just by graduating high school students. for Christmas music not only too early in the at Northeastern University to unveil an We are committed to making sure our morning but too early in the season. ambitious commitment to double the students receive a quality post second- I may never go back to what had been one of college graduation rate among BPS ary education. Using this baseline re- my favorite oldies type FM station. How dare they graduates for the BPS class of 2011, and port, we will focus on three key areas run Christmas music 24/7 for almost two immediately seek a 50% increase in related to college success: “Getting months. the college graduation rate for the BPS Ready, Getting In, and Getting Through.” How funny? The liberals don’t want the word class of 2009. While I am proud that Since the class of 2000 (the class “Christmas” mentioned because it is politically Boston sends more graduates to col- studied in the report) graduated from too incorrect for our diverse nation but they’re lege than just about any city or suburb BPS, we have already implemented a silent on radio stations doing it endlessly. What in the country, we must do more to number of key measures to improve gives? ensure success once students are in our students’ likelihood for success in Speaking of the Christmas Season. I once lived college. college. For example, we recognized that next door to a family that turned the Christmas A new, first-in-the-nation report pre- students perform better in smaller lights on the day after Halloween and the lights pared by the Center for Labor Market schools that provide more personalized stayed on until Ground Hog Day in February. Studies at Northeastern University and attention. Today, nearly half of our high When Christmas comes and goes, it’s time to funded by the Boston Foundation, in school students are enrolled in small take out the tree and box up the lights and cooperation with the Boston Public schools, up from just 6% in 1995. ornaments, isn’t it? Schools and the Private Industry Coun- Furthermore, the City of Boston has I’m not a Scrooge but Christmas is becom- cil, highlights the current challenges. invested more than $218 million to ing meaningless when drugstores have both The report indicates that 35.5% of ensure that all high schools maintain full Halloween and Christmas candies side by side. graduates from the Boston Public accreditation, a mark of rigorous Christmas shouldn’t start before either the Schools Class of 2000 who enrolled in academic programming. Finally, MCAS Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade or the Quincy college earned a two-year or four-year is now a graduation requirement, and Christmas Parade a few days later. post secondary degree or certificate by since 2000, passing rates for both English June of 2007. Many people in my busi- (Continued on Page 14) ness would shy away from this data, (Continued on Page 14) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office will be open on Mondays and Tuesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 21, 2008 Festival Thanksgiving Service On Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 11:15 am (prelude music begins at 10:45 am) with musical offerings for choir, brass ensemble, tim- pani, harp and handbells. Join Old South Church in THE VESTALS Boston for this Annual Fes- tival Thanksgiving Worship Nothing in Rome is said to kindle their own. Nothing It is here that the resem- Service in their ancestral be more ancient that the could be more natural than blance ended for instead of home, the Old South Meet- institution of a maiden for the chief’s unmarried poverty and obedience, the ing House. Governor Patrick priesthood. As was men- daughters to be placed in Vestals enjoyed great inde- will read his Thanksgiving tioned in a previous issue, charge of this precious pendence and luxury. They Proclamation and Rev. Prof. Peter Gomes of Harvard the worship of Vesta goes hearth, under the protection were exempt from the com- University’s Memorial Church will preach. back to the time when it was of Vesta, the goddess of fire. mon law, and not even sub- Free and open to the public. The Old South Church is difficult, but necessary to ob- The number of Vestals cor- ject to the censor’s author- located at 310 Washington Street, Boston, (corner of tain fire. The sacred fire, responds to the idea that they ity. They enjoyed a most con- Washington and Milk Streets). For more information, please the source of all Roman life were originally the daughters spicuous freedom, having visit www.oldsouth.org or contact Amy Perry at and power, was kept alive in of one family, and that they the right to hold property and [email protected] or 617-425-5152. an edifice known as the were the king’s daughters is make a will. These rights Temple of Vesta, and it was traceable to their position of alone exceeded those of the constantly tended by a group honor in the Roman State. average female of the times. Quincy Honors Those Who Served of virgin priestesses that They have been compared The Vestals also enjoyed by Sal Giarratani were known as the Vestals. with the nuns of the Roman great political importance, When I was a kid growing in that war was large as At Rome their number Catholic Church, and the often interposing to save a up in Boston, my parents usual. started at four, but was in- Atrium Vestae has been life, to restore harmony at always took the family into This Quincy tradition hon- creased to six about the time called their convent. There critical moments, or even to Tremont Street to watch the oring all who served in de- of the early Republic. During was a close resemblance in carry out the provisions of annual Veteran’s Day Pa- fense of our country has primitive times the posses- their vow of chastity and the important wills. Death was rade. Sadly, that large pa- grown in size over the years.