NOVEMBER 20, 2018 TTHEHE BBEEACONACON HHILLILL TTIMESIMES THERE ARE NO TIMES LIKE THESE TIMES IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR BHAC denies application to equip Charles Street streetlights with cell nodes By Dan Murphy Technology to install the new streetlights, and, to date, has The Beacon Hill Architectural deployed 700 of them around Commission shot down a pro- Greater Boston, including 400 posal to replace three Charles citywide. Street streetlights with new ones Kenneth Taylor, committee equipped with cell-phone nodes chair pointed, to many prob- during its Nov. 15 hearing at lems he perceived with the pro- City Hall. posed design, including the new The commission denied three streetlights’ color, brightness and separate applications submitted height, which would hover over by Joseph Shannon of Crown Charles Street’s existing gas- Castle, a Hingham-based pro- lights. “They ought to work well vider of wireless infrastructure, within the context of the gas- to remove existing, single-aro- lights,” Taylor said. rn streetlights and replace them The commission denied with- Cyan with new, double-acorn street- out prejudice another appli- lights equipped with large, box- cation to install two antenna Magenta shaped antennas at their bases enclosures for Verizon on the at Charles and Revere streets; rooftop of 37-41 Bowdoin St., Charles and Pinckney streets; since the new structures as pro- Photos by Marianne Salza and Charles and Mt. Vernon posed would be visible from a Yellow Lisa Macalaster and Richard Pierce performing, streets, respectively. public way. “Blue Skies,’ in festive voice and attire. Meanwhile, Shannon said his company has an agreement with the city’s Black Liam Sherburne and Julia Burkhardt chatted in BHAC Pg. 4) front of the fireplace during the annual Garlands Department of Innovation and & Greens Fundraiser at the Hampshire House on Weds., Nov. 14. The annual gathering raises money to help fund the decorations on the neighborhood’s 1,100 gas lampposts. Think small on Small Beacon Hill Civic Association Business Saturday online retailers, respectively. Community Corner By Dan Murphy “Small businesses build BHCA Gives Testimony at the Boston My name is Patricia Tully, and I am the Small Business Saturday, com- community and give back to a Freedom Rally Hearing, Docket #1421 Executive Director of the BHCA. We are a ing Nov. 24, is the perfect oppor- neighborhood in a way that big- non-profit organization representing Beacon Hill tunity to get started on your hol- box retailers and online shops The Beacon Hill Civic Association attended with over 800 active members. Our mission is iday shopping while supporting cannot,” wrote Lana Barakat, the hearing sponsored by Councilors Josh Zakim to preserve the quality of life on Beacon Hill the neighborhood’s unique mix owner of December Thieves, and Ed Flynn held last Wednesday and presided through historical preservation, civic engage- of retailers. which sells home and lifestyle over by Committee Chair Matt O’Malley at the ment and community development. Our goal, as “As far as the Beacon Hill items at its 88 Charles St. store- City Council chambers at City Hall. Patricia Tully, neighbors helping neighbors, is to maintain this Business Association is con- front, as well as fashion at its Executive Director of the BHCA, joined Arturo historic neighborhood as a clean, safe and livable cerned, every day is ‘Small other location at 51 Charles St. Gossage of Chinatown Residents Association, place for families and residents of all ages. Business Day,’ and we feel “While shopping small is some- and Lauren Hoops-Schmieg, Executive Director Councilors Flynn and Zakim originally filed very fortunate to be part of a thing that should be done year- of Hill House, to support the opinion and find- a request for this hearing on the event, citing small-business dominated com- round, Small business Saturday ings of the Friends of the Public Garden and their complaints about “illegal activities and permit munity,” said Lucy Grogan, is an important reminder to cel- Executive Director, Liz Vizza. violations” at this who serves as co-president of ebrate and support your local year’s three-day event that took place during the organization alongside Ali businesses to keep them success- BHCA comments were as follows: the period Sept. 14 through 16, 2018. Among Ringenburg. “Beacon Hill is a ful, and to keep your community the ideas the City Council should consider, the destination for small businesses, thriving.” “Good afternoon. request stated, was having the event move off so this is just an opportunity to Jennifer Hill, the owner of On behalf of the Beacon Hill Civic Association the Boston Common to some other, more appro- emphasize that.” Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill at (“BHCA”), I’d like to thank City Councilors Josh priate venue. Launched in 2010 by 46 Charles St., whom Grogan Zakim and Ed Flynn for sponsoring this matter We share in the belief that the Boston Common American Express, the cam- describes as “the neighborhood’s and Council President Campbell, Councilors is not an appropriate venue for this event. We paign takes place nationally small business ambassador,” Edwards, Essaibi-George, Wu, Flaherty, Baker, have heard from our members about their con- each year on the Saturday after wrote, “Small Business Saturday and Committee Chair Matt O’Malley for offer- cerns that having the event at the park is not Thanksgiving and offers holiday is important to local shops ing this venue and opportunity to give public shoppers an alternative to Black testimony on the Boston Freedom Rally event. (BHCA Pg. 9) Friday and Cyber Monday, (SMALL BUSINESS Pg. 4) which highlight big-box and 2 PAGE 2 THE BEACON HILL TIMES NOVEMBER 20, 2018 editorial HAPPY THANKSGIVING Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, tracing its roots back almost 400 years to the Pilgrims, long before there was even a thought of a United States of America. Thanksgiving is the ultimate family-centered holiday. It has no national-celebration connotations, and no required gift-giving. It lacks the commercialism, solemnity, and political overtones of all of our other national observances. It’s a day for schoolboy football, family gatherings, and not much else to do other than enjoy a great dinner with those whom we love and care about. It is the only day on the calendar when we have no obligation other than to spend the day with those who mean the most to us. It asks nothing more from each of us (other than for the person who is doing all the cooking!) beyond just showing up and enjoying the company of our family and friends and then having a great meal. Even in this time of divisiveness in our country, we all can agree that Thanksgiving makes us aware of what we have to be thank- ful for. Despite our present trials and tribulations, Americans are remarkably fortunate to be where we are. Thanksgiving is a national celebration that serves to remind us how blessed we are at a time when circumstances are so cruel for so many others in the world. GUEST OP-ED Thanksgiving serves as a rare day for relaxation, reflection, and inevitably -- at least for some of us -- a post-dinner nap or early night Thanksgiving and very thankful of sleep. In a time when so many of us are connected 24/7 to some instrument of communication, it truly is a relief to have a day when ules. According to the extensive to have two surgeries? I did not. Black By Glenn Mollette we can just shut it all off. report I had three malignant The doctor I sought out could We wish all of our readers a happy -- and restful -- Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving I am ones on the right lobe of my thy- not prove I had malignancy on thankful to not have cancer. I roid and one malignant one on my left lobe but simply said, hope. the left side of my thyroid. The “I don’t like how it looks and Six months ago my family pathology report, surgeon and I think the whole thing needs Myles’ Musings doctor sent me for a CT scan supervising Endocrinologist all to come out.” I am grateful By Myles Striar because I went in to be checked have assured me that the malig- that I got to choose my doc- out for something that felt weird nancies were small and con- tor and my place of surgery. Lots to be thankful for which ended up being nothing. tained within the thyroid and no Every American should have the However the CT scan did reveal further treatments are necessary option of choosing their doctor Lots to be thankful for again this year. Though it really strikes as quite queer at this time. Of course for the What’s not to be thankful for we’ll forget That no impeachment’s in the works as yet. some nodules in my thyroid. and place of medical care. A local Endocrinologist did a rest of my life I will be visiting Some people are not as for- fine needle biopsy and said one my doc for surveillance to see tunate. I have several friends of the nodules was thirty per- if anything nasty pops back up. who could not beat cancer and cent suspicious of malignancy. This of course is the short passed on this year. Often times THE BEACON HILL TIMES I went to another doctor out version of the story. The main the symptoms was already an point is I’m better off with can- of town who did the same test indication that things were PResiDent/EDitoR: Stephen QUIGleY cer out of my body than in my that came back inconclusive already too late for them to treat MARKetinG DIRectoR: DebRA DIGREGORio body.