VOL. 116 - NO. 9 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, MARCH 2, 2012 $.30 A COPY Romney Cruises in Arizona, City of Boston Santorum Surge Falls Short in Michigan STREET SWEEPING SCHEDULE by Sal Giarratani Mayor Thomas M. Menino this collection in a more However, Santorum’s strong reminds residents that timely and effective manner. second place finisher could Boston’s Daytime Neighbor- Residents are reminded to be called a virtual tie and he hood Street Cleaning Pro- double check their sweeping does pick up a good number gram has updated street schedule. The Boston Trans- of convention delegates with sweeping days in many portation Department has his 38 percent share of the neighborhoods as the pro- changed more than 4,000 vote. gram kicks off this spring. street signs across the city Super Tuesday comes up The changes are designed to to reflect the changes, as next week and Massachu- better align the sweeping well as distributing more setts is part of this upcom- schedule with trash and re- than 11,000 fliers to cars ing story. How big will cycling days in an effort to parked in the affected areas. Romney’s margin be in his boost the impact of the City’s Residents and other drivers “home state” and what about cleanup services and re- are encouraged to register the Ohio primary where duce neighborhood trash for “No-Tow” email remind- Santorum seems to be doing and litter. The new sweep- ers and visit www.cityof quite well? ing schedule and enforce- boston.gov/publicworks/ Mitt Romney barely won This bruising battle for the ment will began in the South End on sweeping for comprehensive street sweep- the Michigan Primary on GOP nomination seems to be March 1 and citywide on April 1. Extended ing schedule information. Residents can Tuesday, starving off a headed to the floor of the con- street sweeping will also begin March 1 for also call the Mayor’s Hotline at 617-635- strong challenge from vention who will eventually the North End, continuing the extension 4500 for sweeping information. former US Senator Rick face President Obama is still implemented in 2010. The Daytime Neighborhood Street Clean- Santorum and averted an not clear yet. Many Republi- “Keeping Boston’s neighborhoods clean is ing Program is a cooperative effort of the embarrassing loss in the cans seem to be looking for a top priority of mine, as well as the resi- Mayor’s Office, the Public Works Depart- state he was born and raised a brokered convention and dents of Boston, and these schedule changes ment, the Transportation Department, and in and a state in which his door number three. will allow the city to clean streets in a way the Department of Innovation and Technol- father was elected governor Romney’s narrow Michi- that maximizes the benefits of sweeping,” ogy. Neighborhood streets throughout the three times back in the gan victory is not good news Mayor Menino said. “This is just one ex- city will be swept clean on a rotating sched- 1960s, Romney won Arizona for Republicans. If the guy ample of how we continue to evaluate and ule each week through November 30th. in double digits and had the who’s been running for five make changes to basic city services that Vehicles are required to be moved in accor- support of both US Senator years and who has the most benefit everyone. I look forward to seeing dance with the posted Street Cleaning regu- John McCain and Arizona’s money to spend can only gar- our neighborhoods shine once again this lations. Since parked vehicles prohibit the Governor Jan Brewer. nish 41 percent against a spring.” equipment from getting to the curb, the Santorum was never a fac- social conservative like The expanded program in the South End street cleaning parking regulations are tor in this winner take all Santorum, this state could includes an expansion of the program into strictly enforced. Vehicles parked in viola- primary state. likely go Democrat in No- March and December and onto the 5th week tion of the posted regulations are subject to However, in Michigan, it vember if it is a Romney- of each month, at the request of the neigh- a $40 ticket as well as towing. All towing for was down to the wire and Obama fight. borhood. By moving the sweeping day to fol- street cleaning violations is conducted by Romney received 41 percent By now many Republicans low trash collection more closely, the new private tow operators at the sole expense of of the vote to Santorum’s 38 had thought the primary schedule will alleviate litter generated from the vehicle owner. percent. At his victory party battle would have already in suburban Detroit, Rom- ceased but it hasn’t. The ney stated “We didn’t win by longer it goes, the battle the a lot but we won by enough chances for Democrats and Mayor Menino Celebrates and that’s all that counts.” Obama. Boston Groundwater Conservation Efforts Mayor Thomas M. Menino issue, and also highlight the tential causes of low ground- News Briefs celebrated today the signifi- City’s ongoing efforts to ad- water levels. by Sal Giarratani cant progress the City of Bos- dress groundwater levels in “While we have made great ton has made in addressing Boston.” progress in restoring ground- That Was Then, This Is Now the issue of groundwater lev- The neighborhoods receiv- water levels in our neighbor- els in areas of the city where ing the brochure include hoods we must continue to More double talk from President Obama. Back wood piling building founda- “made land” areas of the engage public and private in 2008 when gas prices hit $4 per gallon, Candi- tions can be damaged by low Fenway, Back Bay, South property owners in joining us date Obama said it was due to the failed previous groundwater levels. Resi- End, Bay Village, flat of Bea- in this important effort,” energy policies of the Bush White House. Now with dents in several neighbor- con Hill, Chinatown, Leather said Jim Hunt, Mayor prices heading back up even higher, Obama is hoods will also receive a bro- District, Bulfinch Triangle, Menino’s Chief of Environ- calling it progress being made. Prices at the pump chure on the importance of North End/Downtown water- mental and Energy Services, are rising quickly suggesting the $4 mark will groundwater levels. fronts, and the Fort Point “Mayor Menino and I under- soon be here again and that pump prices could “The City of Boston contin- Channel area. stand that the maintenance even reach $5 per gallon by mid-July. Top Cam- ues to work with our commu- Starting with the estab- of groundwater levels is ben- paign Advisor Robert Gibbs is out there telling the nity, state, and federal part- lishment and support of the eficial not only for the envi- public not to worry. Said Gibbs, “Our domestic oil ners to build awareness Boston Groundwater Trust to ronment, but also for prop- production is at an 8-year high, and our foreign around the importance of monitor groundwater levels, erty owners and the historic oil is at a 16-year low. So we’re making progress.” groundwater levels, and the the Mayor led in the signing buildings that make Boston Back in 2008, it wasn’t “progress,” it was a clear effects lowered levels can of a groundbreaking Memo- unique.” sign of “Washington’s failure to lead on energy,” have on both our natural randum of Understanding Agencies including Boston which was “turning the middle-class squeeze into and manmade environ- that committed all of the pub- Water and Sewer (BWSC), a devastating vise-grip for millions of Americans.” ment,” Mayor Menino said. lic agencies with responsi- the Massachusetts Water (Continued on Page 10) “Our groundwater brochure bility for underground infra- Resources Authority (MWRA), provides another way to edu- structure to share informa- cate Boston residents on this tion and agree to repair po- (Continued on Page 14) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, MARCH 2, 2012 Res Publica by David Trumbull Very Interesting ... but Stupid “One must bear constantly in mind the fact that there are THE THREE R'S IN OLD ROME two separate and distinct parties, the Republicans and the Democrats. The trick comes in telling which is which. As a LUDUS in Latin means in games and contests. He Any subsidiaries which general rule, the Republicans are more blonde than Demo- play, game, sport, child’s was an expert at painting or might have been available crats.” play, diversion or school. some craft, and was knowl- seem to have been directed — Robert Benchley, from his March 1, 1928 essay Literarius means reading edgeable in the work of toward higher realms in “Political Parties and Their Growth.” and writing. Put them both architects, sculptors and learning and not elementary together and ludus literarius painters, and he could dis- education. Ready for a late winter comes out to be an elemen- cuss their work with intelli- The Roman school year break from the unremitting tary school for children in old gence and understanding. began on March 24. This was bad news coming out of Rome. Athenian schools were only the time when the new stu- Beacon Hill and Washington, Greek schooling and edu- for boys.