LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE. BLOCK8.LIVE BOOK YOUR POST IT Call Your Advertising Rep (781)485-0588 Wednesday, August 26, 2020 Edwards Walsh, Cassellius seeks bikes on Blue Line lay out phased By John Lynds reopening plan For the past few years East Boston has suffered By John Lynds and the youngest students. some of the worst grid- BPS will then introduce lock in decades. Since At his daily press briefing optional hybrid learning the reconfiguration of the last Thursday Mayor Mar- for additional grade levels, Sumner Tunnel toll plaza tin Walsh, along with Bos- starting with the youngest and a dramatic increase in ton Public School Superin- students, and moving up North Shore motorists using tendent Brenda Cassellius, into the higher grades. Eastie streets during their laid out BPS’s phased plan Each new phase will be morning commute, getting to reopen schools in the contingent upon the most around the neighborhood fall amid the continuing up-to-date public health has become a little less easy. COVID-19 pandemic. metrics. While the COVID-19 At the briefing, May- “This is the best approach pandemic has kept the traf- or Walsh called the plan to educate our children,” fic at bay with many still a “flexible model” and said Walsh. “It creates an working from home City schools across the district on-ramp for students to re- Councilor Lydia Edwards will have unique circum- turn to the classroom, in a is taking proactive steps to stances that require some- safe and careful way. This try and cut down on neigh- what different approaches is the best way to tackle op- borhood traffic once things to each phase. portunity and achievement start returning to normal According to the plan gaps in our city. We’re go- Tawakal Halal with a plan to promote more all BPS students will begin ing to make remote learning Cafe’s new with remote learning on as high quality as we possi- bike usage for commuters. outdoor din- Edwards and her col- September 21. Then, BPS bly can. I have a lot of faith ing area on will gradually introduce in our teachers to do that, league, At-Large City the Jeffries optional hybrid learning for and we’re going to support Councilor Michelle Wu, Street side of filed a hearing order last all students, starting with the restau- See SCHOOLS Page 2 week to explore increasing rant. the highest need students the transportation options for cyclists on the MBTA’s Blue Line. Edwards ex- plained riders are not cur- rently able to bring their bicycles on the Blue Line Tawakal Halal Cafe’s new outdoor during peak hours, which Tawakal Halal Cafe owner Yahya Noor dining area on the Jeffries Street prevents commuters from works on getting his outdoor dining section ready after receiving help from side of the restaurant. being able to ride the T into the city. the city and bike to their fi- nal destination. “This is going to be the Tawakal Halal Cafe gets help from start of a conversation,” said Edwards. “We need to have a conversation about access Boston’s Outdoor Dining pilot initiative Mayor Martin Walsh and BPS Superintendent Brenda and equity across trans- Cassellius brief the press last Thursday on BPS’s phased By John Lynds to help reopen safely and to the Mayor’s Office of portation modes for East serve food/drinks outside Economic Development reopening plan. Boston residents. We’re When the state and city while allowing their patrons (OED). separated from the rest of began lifting restrictions on to practice social distancing Through the Reopen the city by the harbor and restaurants dozens of East during the pandemic. Boston: Outdoor Dining pi- there’s no way for cyclists Boston eateries rushed to However, some smaller lot initiative, OED worked Early voting for Massachusetts to be able to safely ride into get a special ‘outdoor’ din- restaurants needed a little ing permit from City Hall extra help and got it thanks Primary kicks off in Eastie See BLUE LINE Page 2 See CAFE Page 2 By John Lynds 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and Veronica Robles and her all-female Mariachi band The City of Boston Elec- between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. tion Department kicked off on Thursday. ‘Early Voting’ in East Bos- In Eastie, voters will to perform at virtual Boston Harbor Now benefit ton for the Massachusetts make their choice for Primary over the weekend Massachusetts U.S. Sen- By John Lynds nity leader Veronica Robles an upcoming virtual benefit Our Harbor, Our Home and her all-female Mariachi for Boston Harbor Now’s will allow Boston Harbor at East Boston High School ate between incumbent Award winning perform- band recorded a perfor- Our Harbor, Our Home. Now to offer free and low In Eastie, voters will U.S. Senator Ed Markey er and East Boston commu- mance in East Boston for The virtual event will be cost access for underserved head to the polls on Sept. or Congressman Joseph held on Thursday, August communities like Eastie to 1 during the state primary Kennedy III. Republican 27 and streamed on You- enjoy the Islands and wa- and cast ballots for Senator Shiva Ayyadurai is running Tube. terfront, prepare for the in Congress, Representative against Kevin O’Connor on Our Harbor, Our Home impacts of climate change, in Congress, Governor’s the Repulican side and the is a celebration of Boston’s and support Boston’s work- Councillors, Senator in primary winner will face ei- waterfront and Harbor Is- ing port. General Court, Representa- ther Markey or Kennedy in lands and the unique virtual Robles, well known by tive in General Court, and the General Election. experience will treat view- her fans as La Mera, Mera Register of Probate. U.S. Congresswoman ers to an exciting program or ‘The Real One,’ has been However, voters were Ayanna Pressley is running highlighting the work of performing since she was able to cast early ballots at unopposed and there will be Boston Harbor Now. very young and is recog- East Boston High on Satur- no Republican challenger Sponsors will enjoy a nized as the most authentic day and Sunday and hun- for the General Election in gourmet meal delivered to representative of Mexican dreds of registered voters the Massachusetts 7th Dis- their home the day of the music and culture in the did so over the weekend. trict. event along with a curated New England region. Eastie voters can contin- Also running unopposed Veronica Robles and her all-female Mariachi band record- ue to vote early through Fri- is State Rep. Adrian Mada- ed a performance in East Boston for an upcoming virtual gift bag. Funds raised through day, Aug. 28 at Boston City benefit for Boston Harbor Now’s Our Harbor, Our Home. See MARIACHI Page 2 Hall between 9 a.m. and See VOTING Page 6 Ruggiero Family Memorial Home “Proud to welcome to our staff Mark Tauro, former owner and director of Rapino, Kirby-Rapino Funeral Homes” • Ample Off Street Parking • Complimentary Valet Parking • Nonsectarian Transportation To & From Visiting Hours For Family & Friends • Se Habla Espanol 971 Saratoga St., Orient Heights East Boston 617-569-0990 • Visit us at our website: www.RuggieroMH.com For the latest news in East Boston that you need to know, check eastietimes.com Page 2 THE EAST BOSTON TIMES-FREE PRESS Wednesday, August 26, 2020 Eastie remains a COVID-19 Schools // CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 them. But every day out- side the classroom is a lost Each student’s exact first day in school for BPS’s hotspot as cases continue to rise opportunity for many stu- hybrid learning will depend on which group they are dents. Schools mean more placed in, the A or the B group, for their 2 days per By John Lynds than learning. They mean week in school. essential services, care and Last week, the mentoring, and social devel- September 21: All students begin remote learning COVID-19 infection rate opment. The other benefit is Thursday, October 1: Students with the highest in East Boston increased by flexibility. We can adapt this needs start in hybrid over five and a half percent, plan to the health circum- Thursday, October 15 (B) & Monday, October 19 and residents testing posi- stances. We have more op- (A): Grades K0, K1, K2 return tive for the virus increased tions for moving forward.” Thursday, October 22 (B) & Monday, October 26 by nearly 45 percent. Walsh said this approach (A): Grades 1 - 3 return For a second week in a will give the city and BPS Thursday, November 5 (B) & Monday, November row the neighborhood has time to assess health data 9 (A): Grades 4 - 8 (secondary schools start grades been at the top of the city’s before each step with the 6 - 8) return list as a virus transmission Boston Public Health Com- Monday, November 16 (A) & Thursday, November ‘hotspots’. With COVID mission. It will allow the 19 (B): Grades 9 - 12 return spikes in neighboring Re- City of Boston and BPS to vere, Chelsea, Lynn and address learning needs and development on Tuesday, Group B will attend school Everett, Eastie’s rise in in- opportunity gaps in person September 8 for teaching on Thursdays and Fridays fections mimics those hap- and by providing extra help both the remote and hybrid (see sidebar). pening on the North Shore for students learning online. models. All will learn online on more so than Boston. In every step, families have “Equity remains at the Wednesdays to allow for The infection rate has the choice of whether to opt- center of Boston Public cleaning, disinfecting, and been steadily climbing in to hybrid learning or stay Schools’ planning for a safe sanitizing of buildings.