THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021 PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY SERVING BACK BAY - SOUTH END - FENWAY - KENMORE BABY’S FIRST JAZZ AT WSANA CONCERT South End neighbors call out the cavalry to stop Roundhouse shelter lease leave a lot of open units in the Janey holds private meeting of Roundhouse, and some worry the City’s health officials want to elected officials to introduce idea use the rest of the building as a By Seth Daniel neighborhood believe is the first third full-on shelter (in addition volley in transforming the former to Woods-Mullen and South- Several members of the South Best Western Hotel into another ampton, but not counting nearby End are calling on neighbors full-time homeless shelter in the Pine Street Inn and Rosie’s Place). to pick up their pens – or their troubled area. The matter has been the sub- computer keyboards – and flood The details of the plan, which ject of several inside discussions City Hall and elected officials the City won’t yet fully disclose, throughout the community, and with opposition to a plan being include the non-profit Victo- even “stakeholder” meetings PHOTO BY SETH DANIEL pushed that would partially lease ry Programs leasing 15 to 30 amongst those in leadership posi- Baby’s First Jazz Concert…There’s a lot of firsts in a baby’s life, but out the Roundhouse at Mass/ units in the former hotel for tions within the neighborhood, for those little ones reared in the South End, there’s always a first jazz Cass for low-threshold shelter low-threshold housing space concert. That was the case for little Miles here at the July 22 Worcester space – a plan that some in the under a state grant. That would (ROUNDHOUSE Pg. 7) Square Area Neighborhood Association (WSANA) Concert in the Park – the first concert of the season and only the second over the last two years. Miles and his parents, Biyi Animashaun and Sarah Catano, enjoyed the sounds of Penni Layne and the Wonder Boys from their Worcester Square stoop. See more photos on Pages 4 and 5. City names Molly Griffin new neighborhood liaison for Back Bay, Fenway-Kenmore By Dan Murphy many people as she can in the to learn about these neighbor- Exchange South End IAG meets neighborhoods she covers on hoods…and to be able to meet A lifelong Bostonian, Molly behalf of the city. By Seth Daniel week when members of the IAG – which is tasked with mitigating Griffin has come on board as the “I think it’s really exciting (MOLLY GRIFFIN Pg. 3) It’s been so long since the a two-phase project looking to city’s neighborhood liaison for Impact Advisory Group (IAG) build 1.5 million square feet of Back Bay and Fenway-Kenmore, for the massive Exchange South lab and office space on the for- as well as for Beacon Hill and SMOKE FROM FARAWAY FIRES End project has met, that many mer Flower Exchange – received Mission Hill. members haven’t lived in the area a long-anticipated Cooperation Griffin, who was born, CAST HAZE OVER CITY for some time and others didn’t Agreement. The Agreement is grew up, and currently lives in remember they were members. the last step in the community Dorchester, earned an under- So it is, though, the process graduate degree in communica- jump-started out of the blue this (EXCHANGE SOUTH END, Pg. 10) tions from Boston University in May and began working for the city on July 12. “I was really only really famil- iar with Fenway and Back Bay ZBA approves recreational from going to Boston University and during high school [while cannabis dispensary attending Boston Latin],” she said, “but not Beacon Hill or mile buffer zone, as this proposal By Lauren Bennett Mission Hill, so I’m trying to get is located within a half mile of out into those neighborhoods The Zoning Board of Appeal another establishment. to meet people and understand (ZBA) approved a recreational He said that the dispensa- more about them.” cannabis establishment at 331- ry will feature 1500 square feet Griffin, who previously spent 335A Newbury St. at its July 27 of retail space, and will oper- her summers working at the hearing. PHOTO BY SETH DANIEL ate from 10am-10pm Monday Leahy Holloran Community The view was tremendous, the air not so much. On Monday and into Attorney Kevin Joyce said through Saturday, and on Sun- Center in Dorchester and also Tuesday, smokey conditions from wildfires in the western United States that the proponents of Rooted in days from 11am-8pm. interned at the Massachusetts settled upon Boston, causing the state to issue an air quality alert for Roxbury are seeking a condition- ZBA Chair Christine Aruajo State House as a Ward Fellow, groups with sensitive breathing problems, an alert that was in effect al use permit for the dispensary, now hopes to connect with as until Wednesday morning. The conditions led to a dramatic sunset, as well as a variance for the half- (NEWBURY DISPENSARY Pg. 6) shown here, over the City on Monday night. PAGE 2 THE BOSTON SUN JULY 29, 2021 editorial YES, MISINFORMATION ON SOCIAL GUEST OP-ED MEDIA IS KILLING AMERICANS Let’s suppose that someone walked into our newspaper office and City employees deserve our gratitude and respect told us that he had a “big story,” the gist of which is that COVID-19 By John Barros thousands of jobs, and hundreds ing more money working fewer is a hoax. of small businesses. Employ- hours and with less stress. Many Or that vaccines for the coronavirus are part of a plan by Bill Gates Public service is a calling, a ees worked through emotional spoke of an environment inside to inject Americans with microchips. passion for serving your neigh- and mental stress while juggling City Hall where they felt they Or....insert any number of the other conspiracy theories about the bors, and a drive to create a childcare, at-home learning, and were not part of the team any- virus and vaccinations that have been floating on social media plat- better community now and for family responsibilities. These more. forms since the pandemic began. future generations. Almost all of same people worked around the So, I want to address City The first thing we would do, as would any other responsible media the 18,000 women and men who clock to permit outdoor dining, employees who are still there. I organization, is to ask the person, “Where’s your proof?” work for the City of Boston share distribute food and relief grants, see you. I know and appreciate And if -- and when -- the person invariably would be unable to these values. Teachers, public and help keep residents as safe you. I know how much you sac- produce the evidence for his claims, we would politely show him the works hokies, park designers, as possible. In those 15 months, rificed throughout the pandemic, door. public safety officials, planners, I saw the true character of our and I am proud of the work we That’s how journalism works. We try as best we can to provide tellers, parking enforcement city’s workforce. did together. I ask you to stay in facts and information to our readers, who then can make their own attendants, schedulers, building I had conversations with place if you can, for the good of judgment about the issue at hand. inspectors, and more -- they love many anxious employees before the city. If I am able to earn the We don’t always get it right, but we try our best. their city and take pride in their leaving. I told them to contin- honor of being your next Mayor, That is not the case however, with social media platforms. They work. While some distrust gov- ue working hard and delay any I pledge to listen and explore do not even attempt to determine whether the information that gets ernment and think the worst of decisions until the long-term options for increased flexibility distributed on their platforms is accurate. public employees, I know how trajectory of the City, under and childcare resources. I pledge The result is that the millions of Americans who have social media hard they work, what they are up the leadership of a duly elect- to invest in the technology and accounts are barraged daily with all kinds of misinformation on a against, and that many of them ed mayor, became clearer. Four tools you need to do your jobs host of subjects, of which the outright and preposterous lies about are underpaid, overworked, and months later, hundreds of peo- successfully. And I promise to COVID-19 vaccines are only the latest example. unappreciated. ple have left and are leaving invest in your well-being, pro- A private investigative group recently reported that 65% of the When I left City Hall in March, City Hall – a drain of talent and fessional development, and your misinformation about the vaccines is attributable to just 12 individu- I worried that I was leaving my institutional knowledge that will family’s future. Lastly, I pledge als. The reason for that is simple: Thanks to the algorithms of social colleagues just as they would have a grim impact on city ser- to work with you to unify the media platforms, the statements of these 12 persons literally can go be starting to struggle through vices. Some were nervous about workforce, the city, and move viral (no pun intended) along the misinformation electronic super- a transition with an interim what was coming, and sought us all forward to Boston’s full highway.