Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 29 Issue 2 Thursday, January 12, 2012 50¢ OLD FreePOrT FaCTOry meeTS iTS enD Foes rally against ‘three-strikes’ legislation By Pat tarantino tact state lawmakers in hopes rePorter staff of removing aspects of both More than 250 people crowd- bills they believe will extend ed into the Dudley Square prison time for non-violent Branch Library on Saturday offenders. to voice their concerns about a State Representative Rus- pair of bills that would imple- sell Holmes said those in ment a “three strikes” sentenc- opposition to the bill would ing policy in Massachusetts, need to move quickly and claiming the legislation will make “tactical decisions” disproportionately affect com- about which legislators the munities of color. late-arriving reform campaign Although the pair of ha- should target. bitual offender bills – Senate “These are bills that are very Bill 2504 and House Bill 3811 important to our community – are currently in conference and we want to identify people with state legislators, several with a majority of people of elected officials and criminal color in their district,” Holmes justice advocates took part in said, reminding those in at- a panel to urge those in atten- tendance that outside of the dance to educate themselves state’s 8-member Black and and their neighbors about the Latino Caucus, only four white proposed sentencing changes. lawmakers voted against the A two-story, brick building at 88 Freeport St. that was once home to a sheet metal plant and They urged opponents to con- bills in their current form. offices, is being demolished this week. Robert Susi, the owner of the property, told the Reporter (Continued on page 11) on Monday that the building had been deemed unsafe. Susi— who also owns an auto repair business across the street— said the Boston Fire Department noted that the sprinkler system was broken and the building needed to be brought up to code. After analyzing the cost of re- pairing the 30,000-square foot building, Susi decided to demolish it instead. The land, zoned Dot author Lehane as industrial, is currently on the market, but Susi hopes to rebuild on the property and bring in new business. Photo by Bill Forry tries on BPL trustee hat By Gintautas Dumcius Two years later, Codman Square news eDitor City officials, in an attempt continues to serve Haiti quake survivors to get celebrated author Den- nis Lehane onto the Boston By manolia charlotin “I’ve been here for a number survivors of the quake.” Public Library’s board of rePorter staff of years and it had been dif- At the numerous Haiti Relief trustees, did a simple thing: Victims of the 2010 earth- ficult to get Haitian patients to Clinics, staff provided physical They asked. quake in Haiti continue to utilize behavioral health ser- check-ups and preliminary “I got the feeling they find solace and medical help at vices,” Appolon said. “People mental evaluations, along were circling me for a little Dorchester’s Codman Square have been more receptive with information about post- bit, but I was mostly living Health Center, which has of these services since the traumatic stress disorder out of state the last couple created a special program to quake.” (PTSD) to help them manage of years,” Lehane told the focus on the specific needs of Many patients came in dur- the symptoms. Though most Reporter on Tuesday, after his the Haitian clients still coping ing the immediate aftermath of the patient base was in first meeting of the trustees, with the after-effects of the with symptoms and somatic Boston (mainly Mattapan and where he was introduced to Dennis Lehane disaster. complaints like headaches, Dorchester) people came from staffers and his fellow board tem, board chairman Jeffrey Olivia Appolon, a social upset stomach and feeling Randolph, Brockton, Cam- members by Boston Public Rudman reveled in Lehane’s worker at Codman who has fatigued described Appolon. bridge, Malden and Everett. Library chief Amy Ryan. “And celebrity, introducing him worked there since 2001, “They would say ‘Kò m pa These clinics lasted through I let it be known when I met to trustees and staff as the estimates that the behavioral bon’ I’m not feeling well and July 2010. Amy that should the question man behind “Shutter Is- care staff saw an increase of when testing didn’t prove any Now, the health center is ever be asked of me, I would land,” “Gone Baby Gone,” and 80 new Haitian patients in the organic causes, we realized launching a new series dubbed do anything for the library.” “Mystic River,” books Lehane first few months after the Jan. the only thing they all had in the Haitian Support Program, In the basement of the Hyde wrote that eventually became 12, 2010 earthquake. common were that they were (Continued on page 20) Park branch of the library sys- (Continued on page 9) Dublin tot, family find hope at Boston hospital INSIDE THIS WEEK Khamari Barnes will By Pat tarantino weighing less than four Esti and an outpouring be one of the featured rePorter staff pounds and suffering of support in Ireland, singers at Monday’s After nearly a year- from esophageal atresia Elie is now at Boston’s MLK tribute concert at and-a-half spent in hos- – a rare disorder in Children’s Hospital Jordan Hall. Page 6. pitals, operating rooms, which her esophagus is where she is currently and recovery units, a too short to reach her receiving treatment that Dublin family’s lengthy stomach - and has spent could give her a chance struggle to secure a much of her young life at a normal, healthy healthy future for their dependant on machinery childhood. ailing daughter may to keep her fed and Etsi, Elie, and her finally come to a happy breathing. twin sister Emie flew end here in Boston. But thanks to a tireless to Boston in November All contents copyright Fourteen-month-old fundraising campaign after learning that Chil- © 2012 Boston Elie Madden was born by parents Eddie and Elie Madden (Continued on page 4) Neighborhood News, Inc. Page 2 THE REPoRTER January 12, 2012 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record Council eyes new course Water main break at on eastie casino question By Gintautas Dumcius city and frankly it doesn’t deserve us neponset Circle news eDitor rushing to put more money in their City Council President Stephen coffers. It’s a delicate balance but I Murphy appears to be shifting course think you need to lay it out there.” on the 13-member body’s approach to the issue of siting a casino in Boston. Dorcena eyes mayoral run as In an appearance on Chris Lovett’s Sanon launches another bid for Neighborhood Network News (BNN- City Council TV) show on Tuesday, Murphy said he Two months after finishing in sixth would announce on Wednesday that place in a seven-way scrum for four he will refer the question of siting a City Council At-Large seats, Hyde casino to the Committee on Economic Park’s William Dorcena said he is Development, chaired by District campaigning for City Hall’s top job 2 Councillor Bill Linehan of South in 2013. Dorcena’s campaign launch Boston. Murphy acknowledged that is was first noted by a sympathetic blog, different from what he announced at “Marry in Massachusetts.” the first City Council meeting of the Dorcena grew up in Uphams Corner, year, when he said he would set up a like his sister, state Rep. Linda Dorcena special committee to study gambling, Forry, who has been estranged from with District Councillor Sal LaMattina him for a number of years. Rep. Forry of East Boston as its chair. is married to Reporter managing editor “The question is, where does the Bill Forry. council go with the question of a ca- Dorcena becomes the second can- sino,” Murphy told Lovett. “I originally didate to announce a mayoral bid. thought it would be better to set up a (Mayor Menino has not yet publicly special committee on the siting of a said whether he is running for a sixth casino in East Boston. The members term.) The first, Charles Clemons, Crews from Boston Water and Sewer Commission worked quickly on Wednesday since that time have been persuading co-founder of TOUCH 106.1 FM, made morning to control a water main break in Neponset Circle that nearly made me, one by one, that it is better left, the announcement at his 50th birthday a real mess of the a.m. commute in Dorchester and parts south. The rupture in their opinion, in the Committee on party in August. happened at about 4:30 a.m. in a 12 inch main under the sidewalk outside of Economic Development, which is a full He isn’t the only the Neponset Car Wash. Colin Donnelly, a spokesman for Boston Water and standing committee of the council.” one pairing his Sewer, said that the pipe was installed in the 1920s. The state law authorizing the set up birthday with poli- “There was a lot of water, but we’re fortunate that the sewer system there has of three casinos across Massachusetts tics. Jean-Claude been upgraded and is quite efficient,” Donnelly said, adding that no businesses S a n o n , w h o or residences lost water service. Thanks to the quick response, early-morning includes a provision allowing for a detours onto Neponset Ave. ended by about 6:30 a.m. Photo by Bill Forry city-wide referendum on a casino, by a unsuccessfully vote of the City Council.