VOL. 124 - NO. 24 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JUNE 12, 2020 $.35 A COPY Christopher Columbus Statue Beheaded in Boston’s North End by Matt Conti, NorthEndWaterfront.com The head of Christopher Columbus was torn off over- night Tuesday from the statue in the namesake park on the waterfront in Boston’s North End. Offi cials are investigating but do not have any suspects at this time. The statue has been repeat- edly vandalized and defaced over the years. Most recently, it was doused with red paint and the text “Black Lives Matter” in 2015. The head was last cut off in 2006. Protests at the statue have been staged relating to estab- lishing Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day in October. The statue was placed when (Photo by Matt Conti, NorthEndWaterfront.com) the park was established in 1979 by the Friends of Christopher The large foundation block mostly Italian American families Columbus Park Committee. commemorates donors and the in the North End at the time. Letter to the Editor OPEN THE RESTAURANTS I ask myself why are parks, children can’t play, Governor Baker and Mayor nor see their friends, no Walsh deciding what is best for graduations, no gatherings, RESTAURANTS OWNERS — we have done it ALL. We News Briefs OPEN THE RESTAURANTS! have done OUR BEST and we It should be up to the public are proud that we have stayed by Sal Giarratani at their personal discretion if together to do what is best they want to sit in a restaurant for each and every one of and dine. us. Not seeing our families Crime is Up in Boston and We Know Why I truly understand the con- has been traumatic. What When you get politicians out there pushing to get cerns of the virus, I really are you afraid of truly prisoners out of jail due to the coronavirus outbreak do, my question is why did fi retrucks, and police cars, etc. happening? and watch liberal judges joining these social justice Governor Baker and Mayor Is the City going to stop valet I think back as a board mem- warriors, freeing hardened criminals back into society Walsh allowed Protesters into parking? ber of the North End Waterfront to prey on innocent people and turning our neighbor- Boston, peaceful or not? A large Are the restaurants going to Council I was elected to do what hoods back into shooting galleries, you get the begin- number of protesters had NO be pressure washing their side- is best for the North End resi- ning of a long hot summer in Boston. MASK and DID NOT SOCIAL walks when they close, or are dents, for the elderly, and for What are they thinking? These bad actors need to DISTANCE, but yet allowed to we going to have more rodents the children. stay behind bars where they belong! Putting them walk all around Boston and because of food all over the I fought long and hard to save back on the streets won’t protect them from COVID-19 other areas! streets and under the tables? the North End Nursing Home any more than keeping them locked up. The upside, They destroyed windows and Is the City going to close off and the Nazzaro Center, to and there is an upside, folks in the communities now business owner’s properties. certain streets? keep it open for the elderly and seeing an upsurge in violence will be far less safe WHY? So again, I ask why not The decision should children. without them causing mayhem. OPEN ALL RESTAURANTS! not be difficult OPEN THE I am on the Friends of Cutillo As Police Commissioner William Gross said, “There’s Every restaurant owner is suf- RESTAURANTS, give the people Park to make the parks better a lot of trauma in the neighborhood. We need to stop fering financially, they have the right to choose whether they for residents to enjoy. these acts of violence ... Violent offenders should not mortgages and insurance to want to dine in a restaurant in I am not writing any of this be released to the neighborhoods without a re-entry pay. They need to put food on the North End. All we can do on behalf of the NEWNC, I am program.” the table for their family. is the best we can to protect writing because I am a longtime It would be nice if Suffolk County District Attorney The Governor and the Mayor ourselves from the virus, and resident and I speak freely and Rachael Rollins and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley decided to put outside seat- we cannot continue to isolate openly to what I think is best start seeing what their policies are doing to the ing on the streets. How many ourselves any longer. for the North End community. folks just trying to survive in their neighborhoods parking spaces are going to be North End residents have Leave it u up to the public during these trying times with the COVID-19 threat taken away? gone above and beyond follow- whether or not they want to dine without worrying about being caught in a crossfi re, How will these tables be set ing the mandatory guidelines: in a restaurant. It’s freedom of too. up so residents can still go wearing masks, and social choice. (Continued on Page 10) about their daily lives, walks, distancing. shopping, use of their cars? And Mayor Walsh and Governor Marie C. Simboli what about buses, ambulance, Baker we have given up are North End resident THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE, 343 CHELSEA STREET, DAY SQUARE, EAST BOSTON This offi ce is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information PAGE 2 POST-GAZETTE, JUNE 12, 2020 Mayor Walsh Dedicates An Additional $5 Million to Boston’s Rental Relief Fund Announces Second Round of Applications Total of $8 Million Will Help Prevent ARTEMIS AND DIANA Displacement of Residents Who Have Lost The union of Zeus with the virgin goddess as the guard- Income Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic goddess Leto produced the ian of their maiden years and twins Apollo and Artemis. prior to their marriage, they Building on his commitment and the Boston Planning & Both twins were worshiped offered up a lock of their hair, to keeping the residents of Development Agency (BPDA) in many areas of the ancient their girdle, and their maiden Boston stably housed during to support callbacks to appli- world, but their principal garments. the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor cants through the application places of worship were in Another interesting aspect Martin J. Walsh announced the process. Assistance has been Greece and Rome. Apollo, of the Artemis-Diana wor- re-opening of the application provided in multiple languages became identifi ed as the god ship, was the construction process for the Rental Relief with the help of multilingual of light, health, prophesy, of several temples, one after Fund with an infusion of $5 City staff as well as telephonic music, poetry, and protector the other, on the same site million in new funding, in addi- interpreters. of the fl ocks, while Artemis in Ephesus, Syria, and dedi- tion to the $3 million dedicated “NOAH is proud to be able (Diana in Rome) became the cated alternately to Diana towards the Fund in April. to participate in the Mayor’s virgin goddess of the hunt Artemis. The latest structure The Rental Relief Fund was much-needed emergency rent and wild life. During ancient was built about 350 B.C., established by Mayor Walsh relief program,” said Philip times, this goddess was usu- so large, that it became one as a means to provide income- Giffee, Executive Director of ally depicted wearing a knee- of the seven wonders of the eligible tenants in the City of NOAH. “The City is to be con- length tunic, braided hair, ancient world. It was the Boston with direct financial gratulated for stepping up to leather sandals, and armed center of the Pan-Ionic fes- relief to assist with rental pay- provide millions of dollars to with bow and arrows. While tival of the Asiatic colonies, ments. The deadline to complete help these vulnerable individu- the initial pre-screening appli- als and families remain housed Apollo became known as the and assumed to itself almost th luminous god of day, Diana in every public function. It was cation is Friday, June 19 , and for the long term. The Mayor turn, with her torch, became serviced by special priests, applications will be available in and the City staff are attuned to the goddess of light by night, priestesses, image-makers, seven languages on boston.gov/ meeting the needs of distressed and in time, she also became poets, and soothsayers, while rentalrelief. households and by creating identified with other god- at the same time offering “During this challenging time, another round of rent relief desses of the moon and of asylum to fugitives, acquired it is important that we lever- funding, they are looking to the night. vast wealth, became a trea- age all resources available to help both Boston residents as The natural environment of sury, and later even a bank. ensure the health and safety well as the economy as whole. Diana was the hills, valleys, The roof of the temple was of our residents, and to keep It is a wonderful effort among woods, meadows, and rivers.