Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 32 Issue 1 Thursday, January 1, 2015 50¢ Legends of the Lens Walsh, BtU agree to extend school day by 40 minutes 60 schools over next 3 years By Bill FoRRy The expanded instruction EDitoR will eventually impact about Schoolchildren in 20 select 23,000 students and is equiva- Boston Public Schools will lent to adding one month of get an additional 40 minutes instruction for elementary of instructional time starting students. Teachers will get next fall if a deal hammered out between the Walsh admin- Registration for BPS istration and union leaders is ratified by teachers and the begins this week Boston School Committee Page 5 later this month. The extended school day will eventually an annual stipend of $4,464 impact 60 elementary and for the extra classroom time, middle schools across the BPS which according to BPS is system over the next three about 20 percent lower than years. It’s an advance that the typical hourly rate. It Bill Brett photographed the inauguration of Mayor Martin Walsh on January 6, 2014 at Boston Mayor Martin Walsh hailed will cost the city an estimated College’s Conte Forum. Bill Forry photo as “landmark movement” and $12.5 million per year once “a true turning point in our fully rolled out to all 60 mission to provide world-class, schools. 21st century education to every Walsh said that in addition Portraits of Boston’s Irish young person.” to extending the school day, The proposal was announced the plan “nearly doubles the in a press conference held last amount of time allotted to as seen through Bill Brett’s lens Friday afternoon (Dec. 26) at teachers for planning and the BCYF Roslindale Commu- professional development.” By pEtER F. StEvEnS photojournalist at the Boston whose devotion to her family nity Center. The mayor was “I’ve always said that posi- REpoRtER StaFF Globe (his 50th anniversary and her faith were the bedrock joined at the event by Richard tive change can happen in our Bill Brett’s latest book, “Bos- with the newspaper was in of the Brett family’s success. Stutman, the president of schools when we work closely ton, Irish,” is literally a labor June 2014). With Carol Beggy’s Her family’s saga both on the Boston Teachers Union, with our teachers and em- of love, a work that offers an incisive, keenly hewn prose the “old sod” and in Boston BPS Interim Superintendent power them to lead the change. evocative and deeply layered accompanying the book’s 262 (Dorchester, in the Bretts’ case) John McDonough and Michael Teachers are the ones who examination of the city’s unique photographs, “Boston, Irish” is will ring familiar for countless O’Neill, the president of the make the progress possible,” a work that belongs not only in readers of Boston Irish. Irish history and heritage, from Boston School Committee. (Continued on page 5) the high and mighty to those the hands of anyone with even Recently, Bill Brett talked whose impact upon the commu- a passing interest in the city’s with the Reporter about the nity has been quieter but no less rich Irish tapestry, but also in book. important. The cornerstone, of those of anyone with an interest Q. Do you consider “Boston, City warns of spike course, is Brett’s photographic in the history of Irish America Irish” your most personal book treasure trove of the Irish and and Ireland itself. to date? Irish Americans his camera Brett has dedicated the book A. No question about it. I’d in heroin overdoses to his late mother, Mary Ann been thinking about doing this lens has captured over his five By Bill FoRRy has been an acute problem. Brett, an Irish immigrant (Continued on page 16) decades as an award-winning EDitoR The unidentified men ap- Mayor Martin Walsh says parently died of overdoses, that a spike in suspected according to preliminary documenting agents of ‘change’ overdoses from heroin and reports from Boston Police. other opioids is cause for Last Friday, Walsh told By Eliza DEwEy alarm in hard-hit neighbor- the Reporter that the spike SpEcial to thE REpoRtER hoods, especially Dorchester, has brought new urgency to Boston-based photojournal- where a pre-Christmas rash a longtime problem. ist Don West and longtime of incidents prompted health “I think in some cases we journalist Kenneth J. Cooper, officials to issue a public have heroin that’s being laced a Dorchester resident, have warning. with some type of other drug, co-authored a new book, The Boston Public Health so a lot of people are overdos- “Portraits of Purpose: A Commission announced on ing because of that,” said Tribute to Leadership, “ Dec. 23 that there had been the mayor. “It was reported that is a collection of pho- 32 suspected overdoses in in one paper that we have tographs and profiles on 127 Boston over a two-day period (Continued on page 4) African-American leaders Don West has photographed the previous weekend (Fri., and their supporters who many of Boston’s most influ- Dec. 19-Sat., Dec. 20). The have worked toward racial ential leaders over the last biggest concentrations were and economic equality in the five decades. in downtown Boston, East Boston area in recent decades. Photo courtesy Don West Boston, and Dorchester. The book features local leg- Since that time, there have exhibit that West put together ends such as former state Obama and former South been additional incidents, for the Museum of African representative and mayoral African President Nelson including two people who American History on Beacon candidatere Mel King and Mandela, with an emphasis on were found dead on Saturday Hill in 1997, utilizing work busing-era education activist their visits or ties to Boston. evening in the hallway of a from his previous ten years All contents copyright Ruth Batson as well as global The concept for the book South End public housing © 2015 Boston (Continued on page 17) figures like President Barack originated from a photography building where drug activity Neighborhood News, Inc. Big bank services without big bank fees. Mobile Banking Remote Deposit Online Banking eStatements Bill Pay Full range of deposit and lending products 2250 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02124 · 617-298-2250 4238 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131 · 617-942-8500 Member FDIC Mortgage Line 617-322-3100 · meetinghousebank.com Member SIF MB Bank Services Ad 10x2 4c.indd 1 1/17/14 10:20 AM Page 2 THE REPoRTER January 1, 2015 dotnews.com dot BY the dAY Casey overpass update set Police, dec. 31 - Jan. 3, 2015 for Jan. 21 at english high Courts A snapshot look at key upcoming events in and around the neighborhood for your weekly planner. In what will kick off Boston English High All residents, abutters, & fire the construction phase School’s auditorium will local business owners, An armed career Wednesday (31st) – First Night Boston 2015’s of the Casey Overpass introduce the MassDOT and interested commut- criminal who served from 1 p.m. to midnight at The Hynes Convention near Forest Hills, state construction team, in- ers are strongly invited time for a 2011 shooting Center, Copley Square, Boston Common and other officials will provide its cluding employees of to attend, according to first construction update the project’s contractor MassDOT. To be added on Humboldt Avenue venues. First Night admission buttons cost only $10 shooting is being held in a public meeting in Barletta Heavy Division, to the project email and are available at participating CVS locations, on high bail after he late January, according to the community. In- list, contact Nathaniel participating Bank of America branches, online at was arrested last week to the Massachusetts formation will be avail- Curtis at 617-482-7080 ArtsBoston.org, at BosTix booths (Copley Square and for charges including Department of Transpor- able about the project’s or ncabral-curtis@ Faneiul Hall), and other locations. Admission to First illegally carrying a fire- tation. The 60-year-old first phase, temporary hshassoc.com. For more Night outdoor events is free, but admission buttons arm. Daquane Mitchell, overpass is slated to be roadway configurations, information or language allow entrance to First Night indoor performances 24, was arraigned in demolished in the new and traffic controls, and assistance, contact John and activities, on a first-come, first-served basis. For Roxbury District Court year. more information visit FirstNightBoston.org. officials will address Romano at 857-368-8905 on Monday with second • Jubilee Day Concert at 1 p.m., 46 Joy St., Beacon The public informa- long-term phasing, envi- or john.romano@state. offenses for illegally car- Hill, Boston. Join the Museum of African American tion meeting at 6 p.m. ronmental controls, and ma.us. rying a firearm and am- History and the Handel and Haydn Society at the on Jan. 21, 2015 at public outreach strategy. munition, and trespass- historic African Meeting House, the nexus of the ing, according to Suffolk abolitionist movement, to commemorate President County District Attorney Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Dan Conley’s office. The Proclamation 152 years ago on that day as well as the glad tidings at BMC Dorchester resident is forthcoming 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil A Dorchester tyke was currently on probation War in 1865. See maah.org The co-hosts collaborate the first baby born on for unlawful possession for their third First Night Jubilee Day Concert with Christmas morning at of a firearm and had music by H+H and stories by MAAH, while also Boston Medical Center, previously served a three- celebrating the bicentennial of H+H, America’s oldest the hospital announced year prison sentence continuously performing arts organization.