Dorchester Reporter “The News and Values Around the Neighborhood” Volume 29 Issue 13 Thursday, March 29, 2012 50¢ Parents get say on revamping of school assignment Sparse attendance at city-wide forums By Meena RaMakRishnan 20 more parents in Rox- and Gintautas duMcius bury gathered to speak special to the RepoRteR out about some of the Boston Public School challenges they face officials heard all manner when choosing schools of responses from par- for their children. Two ents in Dorchester and other forums were held Roxbury last Saturday at that same day in East administration-led com- Boston and Allston. munity meetings where Inside Dorchester’s the talking point was the Harbor Middle School, ongoing reassessment of the parents broke up into the assignment process. three groups of four to The comments ranged six people and discussed from the need to improve what they wanted to coordination between see change in the school school curriculums, the assignment system, a need to educate parents source of frustration for about the differences many and a process that of the various school Mayor Thomas Menino models, to the need for says is overdue for an better-quality schools. overhaul. Still, only 16 parents in The school district Dorchester and roughly (Continued on page 6) The sixth annual Chili Cookoff fundraiser for the Dorchester Day Parade, held on Sunday, included a special art section led by DotArt director Liz Carney. Above, Carney painted a portrait of Will Droser, who was dressed at the ‘Parade Guy’ for the event. The Ashmont-Adams Neighborhood Association took Three-deckers can get home the People’s Choice award at the contest. More, page 5. Photo by Judy Tuttle TLC with city help By Gintautas duMcius ship card that comes Florida shooting puts Bay State bill news editoR with the program. An The roof of Darling annual housing expo Washington’s three- at the Perkins Com- on ‘stand your ground’ in spotlight decker on Meetinghouse munity Center served as a launch pad for the $3 By Melissa taBeek of an unarmed 17-year- by state Sen. Stephen themselves “any place Hill has a leak. And million effort. special to the RepoRteR old, Trayvon Martin, in Brewer (D-Barre) “on be- that they have a right through a new Depart- Members of Dorches- Florida on Feb. 26. The half of the Gun Owner’s to be,” without any duty ment of Neighborhood Washington’s three- ter’s State House del- shooter, George Zimmer- Action League and with to retreat. The castle Development program decker is one of 9,000 egation are weighing in man, stated he acted in the support of many doctrine — originating focusing on that particu- across the city. against a “Stand Your self-defense and has not of my constituents,” in English common law lar kind of housing stock, “That housing stock Ground” bill that would been charged with any according to an e-mailed — states that individuals the single homeowner is so unique to Boston,” allow individuals to use offense. statement from Brewer. have the right to defend will receive the financing Menino said, adding deadly force if they felt Some fear that similar The bill would expand themselves against at- needed to patch it. that they were popular threatened in public. occurrences could play current “castle doctrine” tack and invasion within “I know I couldn’t do it with immigrants and “Stand your ground” out in Massachusetts if law to a “stand your their home without being myself and they’re going mill workers when they laws and legislation have a proposed bill (S-661) ground” one, where a prosecuted. to do more than just my started being built 125 gained national atten- passes. The legislation person has a right to use And that is as far as the roof,” she said, days after years ago. “No other city has tion after the shooting was filed in Jan. 2011 deadly force to defend (Continued on page 7) standing with Mayor Thomas Menino and three-deckers like we other city officials and do,” said Jim Hunt III, New bar experience from Van Shabu brandishing a member- (Continued on page 20) By Meena RaMakRishnan neighborhood to offer INSIDE THIS WEEK special to the RepoRteR sushi. Karen Diep and Looking to satisfy your her husband own the The Mighty Caseys Asian cuisine cravings, restaurant and sports family returns to the get your fruit cocktail fix bar, which opened in old neighborhood. and watch the game? As January to a very posi- Page 4. Left: Steve of January, there’s only tive response. ‘Crusher’ Casey. one place on Dorchester The newly remodeled Ave. to do all three. establishment has a Van Shabu and Bar on sleek and modern design, Dorchester Avenue near including granite table- Savin Hill has become tops and contemporary the local destination lighting. A full-service for Asian fusion fare bar is one side, and and will soon be one booth and tables face All contents copyright Asian fusion fare and hot pots are on the menu at of the few spots in the (Continued on page 6) © 2012 Boston Van Shabu and Bar on Dorchester Avenue. Neighborhood News, Inc. Give the Gift of Dorchester A 52-week subscription to the Dorchester Reporter will make a thoughtful gift! See Page 20. Page 2 THE REPoRTER March 29, 2012 Reporter’s Notebook On The Record Yancey speaks, DeLeo Old Neponset Circle erupts at Lee forum building torn down on sentencing reform By Gintautas duMcius minority communities. At a recent news editoR rally, state Rep. Carlos Henriquez City Councillor Charles Yancey (D-Dorchester) said that “[we] have rarely misses a chance to bring up, found out that most of our colleagues either directly or obliquely, his demand who voted for this bill originally did not that the city build a new high school in do so with the full knowledge of what Mattapan. this bill will do to our communities,” So nearly everyone who had gathered according to the State House News for a forum at the Joseph Lee School Service. in Dorchester last Wednesday night Asked about Henriquez’s remarks, knew where the longtime District 4 DeLeo said, “The only thing that I councillor was headed when he took the would say about the passage of that microphone at the tail end of the gather- legislation, which I have to consider, ing. The forum, put together by state is the fact that I think there’s less Rep. Russell Holmes (D-Mattapan), than 15 ‘no’ votes there. That was featured House Speaker Robert DeLeo one of the strongest votes that I had (D-Winthrop) and state Rep. Eugene seen – whether you agree with it, don’t o’Flaherty (D-Chelsea) and came as agree with it. or whatever – in my time House and Senate negotiators are at- in the Legislature. Having said that, I tempting to hammer out a compromise agree with Rep. Henriquez and Rep. version of sentencing reform bills. Holmes, who’ve been advocating for their districts in terms of some of the other changes we have to make, in terms of our sentencing laws, to try to bring balance.” A wood-frame building near Neponset Circle that was built in the early 19th Another challenger for Rep. Fox? century was demolished last week. The building on Holbrook Avenue, behind A second candidate could be taking the Neponset Health Center, has been a prominent eyesore in Neponset for on state Rep. Gloria Fox (D-Roxbury) decades. The long-vacant building was thought to have been part of the old this year. Rufus Faulk, a 30-year-old Holbrook Tavern, which also included one of Dorchester’s earliest carriage program director with the Boston houses. Developers had initially planned to redevelop the site for new hous- TenPoint Coalition, told the Reporter on ing, but the new owner of the land —Brian Rehrig— has also spoken to the Monday that he’s jumping into the race. nearby health center about possible leasing the property for parking. It’s Yancey v. DeLeo. Mike Deehan photo Born and raised in Roxbury, Faulk has worked for the coalition’s gang Cops nab scofflaw cyclist; find handgun mediation initiative for seven years and Yancey, who has sought to raise A bicyclist who was stopped by Boston Police for allegedly weaving between doubts about the bills and slow down has degrees from Temple University cars on Saturday evening is now facing illegal weapons and a high bail after their passage, said the legislation could and Boston University. He says he his arrest on Talbot Avenue Deandre Zollarcoffer, 23, is also being charged as lead to more prisons being built instead plans to focus on issues like crime, a Level I armed career criminal given earlier convictions for assault, larceny of schools. DeLeo responded by raising underemployment, unemployment and and robbery, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. his voice and telling the crowd no other health disparities. Zollarcoffer and a second man were spotted by patrolmen around 6:45 p.m. legislature has been as supportive of Faulk joins community activist Jed riding their bicycles against traffic. When police tried to stop them, the pair providing “billions and billions” in Hresko, who has also announced a allegedly took off. When police eventually caught Zollarcoffer, they found he education funding to communities as campaign for Seventh Suffolk state rep- his. resentative. The Democratic primary is was carrying a loaded .380 Taurus semiautomatic handgun in his jacket. “In terms of building additional pris- set for September. Judge Robert Baylor set bail at $75,000.