Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 37 Issue 47 Thursday, November 19, 2020 50¢ Baker to nominate Dot judge Georges for open seat on state’s high court BY BILL FORRY EDITOR Serge Georges, Jr., who currently sits as an associ- ate justice at the Dorchester Division of Boston Municipal Court, was nominated by Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday to join the Supreme Judicial Court. The son of immigrants from Haiti who was raised on Serge Georges, Jr. Hancock Street near Kane BC High, BC, and Square, Georges would fill a Suffolk Law School vacancy on the seven-member body left when Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants died after a brief illness in September. A graduate of St. Kevin’s Grammar School, Boston College High School, Boston College, and Suffolk Uni- Boston City Councillor-at-Large Michelle Wu spoke about climate resiliency on Monday morning as she stood along Morrissey Boulevard, which was partially closed as a King Tide inundated the roadway. versity School of Law, Georges is a former president Katie Trojano photo of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and a professor at Suffolk University. He practiced law privately until 2013 when he was appointed to the Wu wades into Morrissey discussion, Boston Municipal Court by Gov. Deval Patrick. He and his wife Michelle live in Randolph with their daughters, Olivia and Samantha. calls for more urgency on climate woes “His unique voice and real-world experienc- BY KATIE TROJANO flooding threatening es will improve the quality of discussion and REPORTER STAFF Walsh to lead Climate Mayors our neighborhoods all debate on the Commonwealth’s highest court Activists joined at- in taking on change challenges the way into Dorches- and I am pleased to nominate him,” said Baker. large City Councillor ter and throughout the Georges cited his Jesuit education at Boston College Michelle Wu on Mon- state-owned roadway “I’m here with a group city.” day on the edge of a on an otherwise sunny of leaders and climate She referenced a pol- (Continued on page 13) flooded-out Morrissey day to argue that more activists to mark what icy paper that she re- Boulevard to press for urgency is needed for the will be an increasingly leased last August that, her version of a climate city to adjust to climate frequent sight in our she said, would accel- A TakeOut Holiday resiliency plan that she change. city,” said Wu, “the reg- erate Boston’s timeline has dubbed the Boston At one point, she waded ular flooding on a beau- for carbon neutrality Some Dot eateries Green New Deal. Wu, across a flooded section tiful sunny day from sea to 2040. It also sets who has announced that of the boulevard, which levels going up and up. up intermediate steps, craft T Day menus she is running for mayor was closed to southbound “Time it just a little bit including 100 percent BY DANIEL SHEEHAN in next year’s municipal traffic during a strong different, match it with renewable electricity REPORTER STAFF election, used the back- tidal surge, to address higher winds, rain, or a by 2030, and a net zero As temperatures continue to drop and the holiday drop of the inundated, reporters. storm, and we will see (Continued on page 14) season approaches, some local restaurateurs are offering to cook Thanksgiving dinner themselves as part of a takeout special catering to folks social distancing at home. Tracking the buildout of Bay City The Blarney Stone in Fields Corner is offering to Stakeholder waterfront site into a “set your dining room table” with “Thanksgiving new community with a to-go,” a four-person family dinner complete with buy-ins seen mix of housing, retail, herb roasted boneless turkey breast, gravy, mashed and public space. potatoes, cranberry sauce, homemade stuffing, car- as crucial Designers from several rots, green beans, maple sweet potatoes, and apple BY KATIE TROJANO architectural and engi- crumble, all for $125. To order call 617-436-8223 by REPORTER STAFF neering firms discussed 1 p.m. next Monday, Nov. 23 Some 100 people logged the project’s multi-modal ••• on to a virtual meeting on street design and resil- In Adams Corner, The Industry is taking Thanks- Monday as the principals iency measures while giving dinner reservations with limited availability. from Accordia Partners Accordia principals Dick (Continued on page 6) LLC delved into trans- A rendering shows a re-imagined Mt. Vernon Street Galvin and Kirk Sykes portation and infrastruc- underpass near JFK-UMass station. went over the on and All contents ture specifics for their Image courtesy Accordia Partners off-site infrastructure investments that will be © 2020 massive Dorchester Bay Hosted by the Boston in a public engagement needed to support a new City development along Planning & Develop- Boston series that has reviewed 18-block neighborhood. the Columbia Point wa- ment Agency (BPDA), elements of the plan to Neighborhood terfront. the session was the fifth transform the 34-acre (Continued on page 11) News, Inc. Who’s looking after your health? Choose Your Doctor Today. Call 617-696-8809 for help selecting a Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton primary care physician or specialist. Page 2 THE REPORTER November 19, 2020 dotnews.com Walsh: Covid cases at spring-like numbers Police, Courts & Fire Officials Mattapan pastor arraigned wary of on rape of a child charges The pastor of Mattapan church has been charged holiday with multiple counts of rape of a child. At his ar- raignment on Monday in Dorchester District Court, spread prosecutors alleged that Bishop George Swain sex- BY KATIE TROJANO ually assaulted three children between 1997 and REPORTER STAFF 2004. The rapes are alleged to have taken place Boston is experienc- at his home in Dorchester and at the Mattapan’s ing another spike in Greater Victory Temple on Blue Hill Avenue. Swain fresh Covid-19 cases, a entered a plea of not guilty via videoconference. He grim marker that May- was ordered to be held on $75,000 cash bail and is or Walsh warned on due back in court in December. Tuesday could get worse “The survivors who came forward to disclose abuse in the coming days and by Bishop Swain showed a tremendous amount of weeks. The city notched strength and bravery,” said Suffolk DA Rachael its single largest one-day Rollins. “The defendant used his position of trust total since June on Nov. and authority to ingratiate himself to his victims and 12 and Monday of this their families in order to gain access to vulnerable week brought 293 new targets for his sexual abuse. Even more horrific, he confirmed cases and 4 used religion as an entryway into these children’s new deaths over the lives, potentially forever altering their faith.” weekend. Anyone who may have information related to “The daily cases we’re Melissa Leason administered a COVID-19 test on Nov. 5 during a pop-up the case is asked to call BPD detectives directly at seeing are starting to look testing clinic held at the Jubilee Christian Church parking lot on Blue Hill 617-343-6183. Avenue in Mattapan. John Wilcox/Mayor’s Office photo like the numbers we saw ••• A 46-year-old Dorchester man considered a sus- near our peak in April will begin releasing six look at unique individual have a choice to make. in May in the common- pect in multiple armed robberies was arrested last new coronavirus met- testing positivity and I’m asking everyone who Wednesday after police say he stole an Amazon wealth and in the city,” rics twice a week, on the adjusted metric will can to commit to that Walsh said. “Hospital delivery van on Dorchester Avenue near Welles Monday and Saturdays, look at the total number to help get through the Avenue. Police tracked the van using the delivery admissions are not at and they will include of individuals that have winter safely. Please that level, but they have driver’s cell phone to Callender Street and Floyd the average number of been tested over the last continue to permit and Street, where the suspect, Edwin Powell, was found increased over time.” daily cases, community 7 days and those who promote working from Testing data for the in the vehicle, according to a BPD account. level positivity, average have tested positive. That home whenever possi- Powell was charged with larceny of a motor vehi- week ending Nov. 12 daily tests, and three percentage will allow us ble,” Walsh said. showed that an average cle and larceny over $1,200, police say, adding that hospital metrics: ICU to look at more recent He also urged Bosto- he was already wanted on nine counts of armed of 2,340 Boston residents beds, overall beds, and community-level positiv- nians to spend Thanks- are being tested daily. robbery while masked. the average number of ity and not cumulative— giving holiday “only with ••• The average daily posi- patients visiting emer- which is what we have those in your current tive result went up to 7.9 Boston Police arrested a man who allegedly went gency rooms with Covid- been looking at.” households.” And in- on a vandalism and assault rampage last Saturday percent, with seven Bos- like symptoms. The percentage of oc- door gatherings should ton neighborhood rates morning on Meetinghouse Hill, attempting to break “The hospital capacity cupied non-surgical ICU be limited to 10 people into homes and smashing car windows on several over 10 percent. East metrics are all about beds as of yesterday was and everyone should Boston led the pack at streets around Ronan Park before he was subdued making sure we can take 81 percent, according to be wearing masks and and taken into custody.