3 LUXURY CONDOS FOR SALE AT 89 CENTRAL AVE. CHELSEA MA 2 BEDS, 2 BATH GARAGE PARKING. CLOSE TO SILVER LINE WOLLASTON $519,000-$550,000 REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS 188 Sumner Street East Boston JEFF BOWEN: 781-201-9488 SANDRA CASTILLO: 617-780-6988 CHELSEAREALESTATE.COM | [email protected] YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1890 VOLUME 120, No. 18 THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2020 35 CENTS Josh Kraft will step down from Boys and Girls Clubs By Cary Shuman along with others, paved the first club in the base- and Program Director John Program has been in opera- the way for the construc- ment of the Innes Housing Montes. He has been the tion for 24 years. Josh Kraft, who led the tion of the state-of-the-art Development on Central president and chief execu- Kraft talked about his immense effort to build Gerald and Darlene Jordan Avenue. The club also had tive officer of the BGCB for decision to leave the orga- an $11.2 million Boys and Girls and Boys Club that locations at the Mary C. the last 12 years, oversee- nization. Girls Club facility on Wil- has served thousands of Burke Complex and the old ing 11 clubs and the Youth “This decision comes af- low Street and served as its Chelsea youths in its ath- Chelsea High School build- Connect Program in a col- ter a year of careful consid- founding executive direc- letic, educational, and arts ing on Clark Avenue. laboration with the Boston eration about what the next tor, will be stepping down programs. Kraft has been lauded Police Department. The step in my career might be. as president and CEO of Kraft has been with the for putting together the cur- BGCB organization places After decades with BGCB, the Boys and Girls Clubs of BGCB organization for rent, great team at the club clinical social workers in I know that my work will Boston in October. close to 30 years, 15 in that includes Executive police stations throughout See KRAFT Page 4 Kraft’s generous family, Chelsea, where he started Director Gina Centrella the city. The Youth Connect Josh Kraft. Finding Inspiration CHELSEA COPSICLE TRUCK: TO PROTECT AND SERVE ICE CREAM Chelsea’s Melissa Gallego, Max Pro brighten up the downtown with chalk By Seth Daniel the community who has spent a great deal of time Most people think of helping with the City’s chalk as being a key in- downtown planning efforts. gredient of math problem While he’s a builder, his reviews or homework as- daughter Melissa is on the signments at school, but creative side. Chelsea’s Melissa Gallego Melissa attends Malden has seen chalk as a way Catholic School for Girls, this summer to beautify the and has lived her whole life downtown with colorful – in Chelsea. albeit temporary – art. “I have drawn and paint- Chelsea Prospers has un- ed my whole life with in- veiled Chalk Art Saturdays spiration from my father,” through the month of June she said. “I find painting and July, each with a unique relaxing, but drawing with PHOTOS BY DARLENE DEVITA theme and a local artist to pencil is my favorite way of One little girl waits her turn for the Copsicle Truck to get a frozen treat on a hot day last week. Here, Officer Rich Bellomo, Sgt. John Noftle, Officer Joanne do their handiwork in dec- making art.” O’Brien, Sharon Fosbury, Officer Sammy Mojica, Councilor Naomi Zabot, Offi- In late June, she created orating a secret location cer Ari Rodriguez and Officer Maria Barbosa hand out ice cream last week to that is unveiled later. Some a colorful chalk enhance- the neighborhood on a hot day. See more photos on Page 7. have been on the side of the ment near the clock in Bell- TD Bank, another was on ingham Square – the theme the stairs to City Hall, and being ‘Embracing New Rit- Gallego got to show her uals.’ handiwork in the center of Another Chelsea art- Welcome Back: Encore re-opens its Bellingham Square by the ist who has contributed is clock. Max Pro, who was born and Gallego is the 15-year- raised in Chelsea, but left to old daughter of Chelsea’s, doors with no issues, steady crowd Juan Gallego, a builder in See GALLEGO Page 4 By Seth Daniel brants. “It was very quiet not able to return to work didn’t have to stay around, and lifeless and it’s coming in that time, though the but they did. We have a re- The sounds of Frank back to life. There was no company did continue to ally tremendous staff. Very Sinatra music or sultry Peg- music here. We just put that pay them into June. Two few people have left…If gy Lee tunes in the Encore back on. It was definitely weeks ago, the company demand is high and we can Boston Harbor resort had quiet because there was no announced they would like- open additional areas, we been off since March un- music and no employees ly have to furlough 3,000 will. That will only be when til this past week – as em- and the most important employees, but that has al- it’s safe. I have to say the ployees began to return for thing – no people. It was ready been dialed back. week has been like a home- training in the run up to last just a few of us really. The By opening on Sunday, coming for us.” Sunday’s reopening. resort is being brought back 2,700 employees had been On Sunday, there were It was music to every- to life now. I feel the heart called back, and more could a steady flow of guests and one’s ears. and soul of our company be brought back if things everyone was ready to get There had been only a coming back to life.” continue to go well. out and enjoy the resort handful of people in the ca- Encore had been shut- “Our team members again – yet another home- sino for months, no restau- tered since late March when were elated and so happy to coming for guests who had rants, no vibe, and no fun, they voluntarily closed just be back,” Gullbrants said. not been able to visit the said President Eric Gull- ahead of the Massachu- “I would say we’re more resort. brants during a tour of the setts Gaming Commission appreciative of them than A spokesman confirmed resort last Thursday, prior (MGC) vote to close casi- they are of us. I know we they had a great opening to Sunday’s opening. nos, which was only lifted paid everyone in the inter- without any issues. “There were no flowers this month. Some 5,000 im, but I’m just grateful PHOTO BY KATY ROGERS See ENCORE Page 6 Chelsea’s Melissa Gallego lies next to her Chalk Art draw- in here at all,” said Gull- employees at Encore were they are coming back. They ing she did in late June for Chalk Art Saturdays. She is the daughter of Chelsea’s Juan Gallego, and said she enjoys drawing with pencil. Knights of Columbus live to fight another day Organization has in Chelsea Square, mem- bers this week said they not folded, as have not folded and contin- ue to actively meet and help many believed the church community in By Seth Daniel Chelsea. Member Frank Pegna- While the Knights of Co- to – a Chelsea native and lumbus in Chelsea might long-time Knight – said the have vacated their building organization is still active, despite much discussion lately about the Christopher INDEPENDENT Columbus Statue and the Chelsea Knights being de- Newspaper Group funct. It’s not so, said Pegnato. www.chelsearecord.com The Encore flower carousel was newly decorated with horses and Pegasus “The Knights of Colum- draped with sashes reading ‘Welcome Back’ and ‘We Missed You’ placed at the bus has not folded,” he said. only entrance to the resort casino. It was the first thing most visitors saw when “Unfortunately there was Encore re-opened on Sunday, July 12, after being closed since March. Here, an issue with taxes and we Encore President Brian Gullbrants stands behind one of the hundreds of new found out we owed a lot Plexiglas barriers that have been installed at the gaming stations on the casino floor. He said it wasn’t hard to equip the casino for COVID-19 regulations, but it See KNIGHTS Page 4 was expensive and time-consuming. Page 2 THE CHELSEA RECORD Thursday, July 16, 2020 ChelseaRecord PRESIDENT: Stephen Quigley EDITOR IN CHIEF: Cary Shuman WHEN DID THE U.S. GO Forum FROM FIRST TO WORST? For those of us of the Baby Boom generation, it was un- questionable that the United States was "the best" country in the world. Despite the war in Vietnam, Watergate, recessions, 9/11, and other setbacks, America continued to be a global lead- er in just about every aspect of world affairs. Basically, there was the U.S. -- and then there was ev- erybody else. American exceptionalism was taken for granted (even if in truth we often were not all that exceptional). However, the coronavirus has pulled back the curtain and exposed us for what we have become -- a nation that ranks among the worst by many metrics. Compared to our supposed peers in Western Europe and Asia, our response to the pandemic has been pathetic. COVID-19 death rates per capita in Western Europe are only a 10th of the death rate in the U.S.