THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020 FREE charlestown PATRIOT-BRIDGE On Hold Mayor, BPS postpone hybrid in-person plan due to rising case numbers By Seth Daniel last week, the percent positive was 4.1 percent – after having Mayor Martin Walsh and Supt. been below 2 percent for most of Brenda Cassellius announced on the summer months, according Wednesday morning they would to Health Chief Marty Martinez. be putting on hold the phased-in Positive cases are increasing in approach to returning to school every neighborhood, but particu- – pushing back the return of kin- larly in Hyde Park, he said, and dergartners one week – due to most of those positive are under the increase in the percentage of 29 and disproportionately Latino. positive tests citywide that seem The pause in the school return to be coming mostly from those plan does not affect the high- under 29 attending parties and est-needs special education and large gatherings. homeless students that returned Walsh and Cassellius said they to school on Oct. 1 – though they had set a benchmark of 4 percent were not able to go to school positive tests to stop the phased- Wednesday. They will continue in plan to return to school and to re-evaluate it. By the end of (SCHOOL Pg. 4) Courageous Sailing has accepted a gift of $20,000 from Exelon this year. Mary Beth Kelly a 2020 Exelon sponsorship supports youth Shattuck Award winner sailing programs at Courageous By Seth Daniel Anyone who has attended an Age Strong event at the Knights Staff Report sonal growth, and leadership. for Courageous helps ensure Since 1987, Courageous has been that financial circumstances are of Columbus or the Golden Courageous Sailing, a commu- committed to ensuring equitable never a barrier to participation in Age Center – or anywhere else nity sailing center located on Pier access to high-quality summer Courageous Sailing’s youth pro- citywide – prior to COVID-19 4 in the Navy Yard, is grateful to learning opportunities, and bring- grams. Their donation contributed couldn’t miss the buzz and energy announce a 2020 gift of $20,000 ing people of all ages and walks to full scholarships for youth in of Mary Beth Kelly working the from Exelon. of life together to enjoy Boston need; 63% of students participat- room to welcome senior citizens, The Everett LNG Facility is a Harbor. Each year, Courageous ed in a tuition-free sailing pro- deliver plates of food or provide a long-time supporter of Courageous Sailing’s programs typically serve gram this year – a percentage that hug to a friend. Sailing, whose mission is to trans- approximately 1,000 youth in reflects the harsh economic reality To say she was committed form lives through sailing pro- Charlestown and beyond. to the City’s and Town’s senior Exelon’s continuing support citizen population would be an grams that inspire learning, per- (SAILING Pg. 3) understatement. That commitment over the past 23 years is probably plen- Charlestown’s Mary Beth Kelly Halloween Parade cancelled this year ty good reason for why Mary was announced as a 2020 Shattuck Award winner in the Plan B that looks to celebrate in prohibits us from a traditional Beth Kelly, outreach and engage- By Seth Daniel Public Service category. She some fashion, but also help those celebration however our team ment specialist for the Age Strong Commission, was chosen for a has worked at the Age Strong The 35th annual Halloween in need at Harvest on Vine. has been hard at work to devel- Public Service Award in the pres- Commission for the last 23 years Parade around the Monument Organizer Diane Valle and op a community-spirited, safe tigious 2020 Shattuck Awards – and coordinates more than 90 was by all accounts going to be Business Organizer Jane Gricci, Halloween to remember,” read which was held online this year events a year. quite a grand affair this year, but of Cambridge Savings Bank, both a statement from the organizers. rather than with the glitzy gala COVID-19 restrictions have made said this week they are trying to “Our top priority has always been usually reserved for the winners. it impossible to stage the event, keep the spirit of the season intact to host an inclusive, communi- been working there for 23 years “I was surprised because I got and organizers this week said they without the parade or the massive ty-based Halloween Parade and and I always thought there was picked out of all these really good will cancel Charlestown’s famous trick-or-treating fun. Trick or Treating that is safe, fun someone bigger and better than people this award,” said Kelly Halloween celebration this year. “We are greatly disappoint- me to get this kind of award. this week. “No, I never thought Instead, they are pursuing a ed the Covid-19 virus pandemic (HALLOWEEN Pg. 7) I would win. Absolutely not. I’ve (KELLY Pg. 3) PAGE 2 THE CHARLESTOWN PATRIOT-BRIDGE OCTOBER 8, 2020 editorial MAKE THE MOST OF THE LONG WEEKEND The arrival of Columbus Day means that the fall season squarely is upon us, the time of year that has special meaning for all of us in New England, even amidst a pandemic. With the weatherman forecasting a beautiful weekend with warm temperatures and sunny skies, we hope that as many of our readers as possible will be able to partake of the simple pleasures of a hike in the woods or a long drive to enjoy the crisp, clean air and the autumn colors. We realize that for each and every one of our fellow Americans, this is a time of high anxiety on so many levels, and that we have been living this way for the past seven months -- with more to come. But each of us must find a way to deal with the stressful times in which we find ourselves. From our experience, enjoying the great outdoors with our friends and family is the best prescription for de-stressing in any sit- uation. We urge all of our readers to make the most of the long weekend while we have the chance to do so before the colder weather of winter sets in. Take a long walk, preferably a hike, whether along the shore, or in the mountains, or even as nearby as the Blue Hills. We promise that just being outside and taking in the natural world in the crisp air, away from the noise of our daily lives, will do wonders for our emotional and phys- ical well-being. TWTWTW X 100 In the 1960s there was a TV show, That Was The Week That Was (also known as TW3), that took a satirical look at that week’s news events. However, this past week’s events have moved from the realm of farce to dangerousness, both on an individual and collective level, for all Americans. We are speaking of two comments made by President Trump in the past seven days. The first occurred in the presidential debate when Trump squarely was asked if he would denounce white supremacist groups. Trump did not do so, and instead told these far-right, extremist, hate groups to “Stand back and stand by,” a virtual clarion call for them to GUEST OP-ED sow disruption before and after the election. The second took place a few days later when Trump was about to be released from the hospital after his treatment for the coronavirus and he A less politicized Supreme Court made this incredible statement via Twitter: “Don’t be afraid of covid. Don’t let it dominate your life” -- there- by completely ignoring the 210,000 Americans who already have lost By Michael Parker is to impose term limits, limit will be sufficient to conduct the their lives because of COVID-19 (with another 200,000 deaths predicted Presidential appointees to two Court’s business. Finally, seating by the end of this year), not to mention the large number of the White Our country is deeply divid- each four-year term, increase the fifteen justices presents the oppor- House staff who have contracted the disease. ed. The loud, acrimonious debate number of seats from nine to 15, tunity to introduce the element In light of Trump’s comments, we urge our readers to do two things: over filling the Supreme Court and randomize Court decision of randomness into the Court’s First and foremost, always wear a mask and stay at least six feet apart vacancy created by Justice Ruth making. Imposing term limits decision-making process to fur- from other people, even outdoors, to ensure the safety of yourself and Bader Ginsburg’s death is adding discourages the appointment of ther reduce the divisive political others from COVID-19. to our deep divisions. The rea- justices young enough to serve struggles surrounding the Court. Second, be sure to register to vote. The deadline in Massachusetts is son is that the Supreme Court, several decades and stops justices This can be done by randomly October 24 and is easily doable on-line (just type “Register to vote in which is supposed to be immune from hanging on to their seats assigning a panel of five justices Mass.” into Google). from politics, has been politi- when they are severely compro- to decide each case that comes Each of us has the power to change the trajectory of America’s future. cized to a point which would mised physically and mentally. before the Court, removing the be unrecognizable to the draft- Term limits staggered to allow predictable liberal-conservative ers of the Constitution.