MAXFIELD & COMPANY (617) 293-8003 REALEXPERIENCE ESTATE • EXCELLENCE Vol. 29 No. 3 24 Pages • Free Delivery 25 Cents at Stores BOOK YOUR Jamaica Plain POST IT Call Your Advertising Rep Printed on (617)524-7662 Recycled Paper AZETTE 617-524-2626 • WWWG.JAMAICAPLAINGAZETTE.COM FEBRUARY 7, 2020 CIRCULATION 16,000 COMMUNITY CELEBRATION New bus lanes scheduled for Columbus Ave. BY LAUREN BENNETT ing complaints from riders that tions were identified as needing congestion has caused buses to improvements that were “high The Boston Transportation travel more slowly. priorities for residents,” accord- Department (BTD) announced This project is part of the Ja- ing to the city’s website. that bus lanes and pedestrian maica Plain and Roxbury Trans- BTD held two open houses improvements are coming to portation Action Plan, in which Columbus Avenue after hear- several communities and loca- Continued on page 3 Local students get first-hand learning at the State House BY SETH DANIEL Plain this semester, those lessons strike. have been intertwined with a Earlier this year, in 5th/6th Math problems, reading as- cause – and their work took 15 Grade Teacher Lisa Nam’s En- signments, persuasive writing students to the State House on glish and Social Studies classes, reports and civics lessons happen Tuesday, Feb. 4, to deliver letters the cracked open the novel ‘The in classrooms all over the city to state legislators and encour- Only Road’ by Alexandra Diaz, a for young students, but at The age a group of undocumented Neighborhood School in Jamaica immigrants staging a hunger Continued on page 6 PHOTO BY KEIKO HIROMI WHO? WHO? Why it’s Norah Panzer – that’s who - holding a homemade owl mask over her face at community celebration for Mary E Curley School in Spontaneous Celebrations last Friday, Jan. 31. It was the first time the school came together for a community celebration – which was meant to mark the 100th day of the school year. See more photos on Pages 12 and 13. APAC Program is in full swing BY JOHN LYNds Action for Boston Community Development’s (ABCD) Jamaica Most people don’t want to Plain APAC site, in partnership think about it but it’s the time with the City of Boston, kicked off of year to begin thinking about its annual Volunteer Income Tax filing 2019 tax returns. For many Assistance (VITA) and Earned working people in Jamaica Plain Income Tax Credit (EITC) pro- there’s some relief from the con- gram at its office at 30 Bickford fusing process of figuring out taxes. Continued on page 2 BTD: construcción de carriles bus en Columbus comenzará en primavera BY LAUREN BENNETT gestión ha causado que los auto- PHOTOS BY MIKE MEJIA buses viajen más lentamente. A group of students from The Neighborhood School visited the State House on Tuesday, Feb. El Departamento de Trans- Este proyecto es parte del 4, as part of a long-term project they were doing on immigration and the Movimiento Cosecha porte de Boston (BTD) anunció Plan de Acción de Transporte advocacy group, which was staging a hunger strike at the State House to call for driver’s licenses que los carriles bus y llegarán de Jamaica Plain y Roxbury, en to be granted to those without legal status. The Movimiento Cosecha supporters joined the a Columbus Avenue después de Neighborhood School student’s in a circle, where both sides shared messages of gratitude escuchar quejas de que la con- Continued on page 3 and appreciation. 2 • JAMAICA PLAIN GAZETTE • FEBRUARY 7, 2020 JPNC denies 10 Stonley Rd. project; discusses Soofa signs BY LAUREN BENNETT interior and exterior renovations opment. AS previously reported ing, so it was unable to be heard of an attic with installation of in the Gazette, this project has a at the last meeting. It is on for Housing & Development The Jamaica Plain Neighbor- formers and new exterior win- lot of community pushback and the February agenda. He added Committee hood Council met for its monthly dows. many oppose it, especially the that the applicants did have an Carolyn Royce, Chair of the meeting on January 28, where At 3305 Washington St., a Stonybrook Neighborhood Asso- abutters meeting. Housing & Development Com- there were no special presen- proposal to combine existing lots ciation. The Council ultimately As previously reported in the mittee, asked for a vote from the tations, but council committees into one 9,378 square foot lot and voted to deny this project. Gazette, Soofa signs are being Council on a letter to the Bos- presented updates. construct a four-story, mixed use proposed for the business district ton Planning and Development building with commercial space, on Centre St. Soofa has presented Agency (BPDA) asking them to Zoning Committee fourteen residential units, and the proposal to several neighbor- meet with the community re- hood groups already, including The Zoning Committee, led a garage with 12 parking spaces garding PLAN: JP/Rox. The Jamaica Plain the Jamaica Pond Association. by David Baron, heard seven was approved by the Council. “It would be helpful to know The signs are about seven or eight proposals last month. Five were The two projects denied or Neighborhood how they BPDA sees the play; do feet tall, and feature e-ink simi- approved and two were denied deferred by the Council were Council election is lar to Amazon’s Kindle, and they they want to adjust anything, do by the full Council. at 387-399 Centre St., and 35 they see affordability working coming up in April. function as a community bulletin At 79 Moss Hill Road, the Brookley Road/10 Stonley Road. board. Residents can send in in- out, just an overall general dis- proposal was to add a second At the Centre St. propoerty, the Stay tuned for formation about upcoming events cussion,” Royce said. story to an existing single-family proposal was to change the ex- to be featured, and the boards Lindsey Santana, the Mayor’s residents on an existing foot- isting beauty salon into a body candidate bios and also display advertisements. They liaison for JP, said that this will print, which was approved. At piercing studio. The issue was not more information. are solar powered and bolted into be happening with the BPDA 7-9 Wenham St., the applicants with the change of use, but with the sidewalk. soon as several people have re- wanted to change the building a dispute between the beauty Reiskind said that most peo- quested this at the mayor’s office. from a two family to a three fam- salon owner and the landlord, as ple liked the proposal at the Pub- Michael Reiskind had some ily, which was also approved. the beauty salon owner said he is Public Service Committee lic Service Committee meeting, issues with the way the letter Approved at 35 McBride St. being displaced from the building Committee Chair Michael but many on the Jamaica Pond was written, and said that he was a change of occupancy from despite saying he was able to pay Reiskind reported that there is Association were not fond of the “sees it as mainly disagreeing a two family residence with a the new rent for the building. The a request from the Jamaica Mi idea, saying that there is already and trying to change PLAN: JP/ retail store to a three family Zoning Committee recommended Hungry restaurant for a new too much clutter on Centre St. Rox rather than asking for a dis- residence and no work to be done. that the dispute be worked out all-alcohol license at the existing These signs already exist else- cussion.” David Baron suggested At 46 Lochstead Ave., the ap- amongst those involved, and that location on Centre St. They are where in greater Boston. JPNC changing the wording of the let- plicants want to finish 2/3 of a the committee would become in- also considering a seasonal 15 member Peg Preble said she saw ter to make it ask for more of a existing basement and add a volved again should they change seat patio and want to extend one in Coolidge Corner in Brook- discussion about how the plan is bathroom, laundry room, home of use definitely be taking place. their closing time from 10:00pm line, “but most people ignored it.” working. The full Council agreed gym, and office space, which was At 35 Brookley Road/10 Ston- to 1:00am. Reiskind said that The Soofa sign presentation to send the letter to the BPDA approved by the Council. ley Road, the proposal is to de- the applicants did not leaflet was purely informational, and no with minor revisions to change At 11 Halifax St. #2, the ap- molish the existing building to the neighborhood in time for the vote was taken by the Council on the active verbs. proved proposal was to complete construct a new 46 unit devel- Public Service Committee meet- whether or not to approve them. taxes. Qualified hard working free tax preparation sites in the The EITC credit can be ac- nearly 13,000 taxpayers and en- APAC low-wage workers often receive city that made filing taxes trou- cessed retroactively for the past listed hundreds of IRS-certified significant EITC credits and see ble-free for hundreds of Jamaica three years, so qualifying low-in- volunteers to return Continued from page 1 a big increase in their tax re- Plain’s low-income residents and come workers may qualify for a In addition to tax prepa- St. The office will be opened Mon- turns through the free program.