Political Agenda News Magazine MA

South Boston pedestrian killed is Lynch's friend and attorney

South Boston pedestrian killed is Lynch's friend and attorney

Read more: http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/21419637/2013/02/27/pedestrian-hit-by-taxi-in-boston#ixzz2MG6TaC60

 

Posted: Feb 27, 2013 9:17 PM ESTUpdated: Feb 28, 2013 12:05 PM EST

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) — Massachusetts State Police are investigating an  accident in which a 66-year-old pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and  killed.

Police say the accident happened at around 7:55 p.m. Wednesday on  William Day Boulevard near L Street in the city's South Boston  neighborhood.

The victim has been identified as Rep. Stephen Lynch's  personal friend and longtime attorney, Bill McDermott. Lynch's office confirmed  the news with FOX 25 Thursday morning.

"Last night we lost our dear friend Bill McDermott," Lynch said in a  statement. "For more than 30 years, Billy was a rock for me, Margaret, and  countless other friends in South Boston and Dorchester and across  Massachusetts.  I don't know where we'd be without the love and guidance he  gave us.  We are heartbroken. Our prayers are with Billy's family  today."

State police said the driver is a 33-year-old South Boston man.  No one has been charged.

Police are still investigating.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/21419637/2013/02/27/pedestrian-hit-by-taxi-in-boston#ixzz2MG6Oq9Eo

Mayor Menino Announces $169.2 Million of General Obligation Bonds Sold

 

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced the City
has sold $169.2 million of general obligation bonds via competitive sale. Nine
different firms bid on the series.

The new money
bonds were purchased by Bank of America at a true interest cost (TIC) of 2.3% to
fund $145 million of capital needs. Projects being funded include the Dudley
Municipal Center, major HVAC and fire safety improvement at Charlestown High
School and other school projects, pool improvements, fire apparatus, and roadway
reconstruction.

“Boston remains one of the strongest
municipalities in the country thanks to our proven fiscal management,” Mayor
Menino said. “This latest investment in our public assets takes advantage of
extremely low interest rates and makes it more affordable to support the
projects that improve our neighborhoods.”

The City also
refunded more than $24 million in outstanding debt, saving close to $2 million
on a net present value basis. The bonds were purchased by Bank of America at a
true interest cost (TIC) of 2.1%.

 

Boston’s strong
bond rating was affirmed by both Moody’s (Aaa) and Standard & Poor’s (AA+),
reflecting the City’s strong financial position and its substantial and
economically diverse tax base.

 

Moody’s has
rated the City of Boston triple A since 2010.

 

Statement of Mayor Thomas M. Menino on the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act

 

I commend the members of Congress for crossing party lines to support the reauthorization of
the Violence Against Women Act that will protect all victims of domestic
and sexual violence. Since 1994, these programs and services have provided
assistance to hundreds of thousands of victims and held violent individuals
accountable for their actions; I’ve seen firsthand their tremendous impact in
the City of Boston. The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
ensures these programs have the resources to continue this lifesaving work, and
the means to develop prevention strategies that will bring an end to domestic
violence and sexual assault in our communities.

 

Malden Fire Chief Michael Murphy Retires

 

Retiring Fire Chief Michael Murphy spent a few minutes of his last day on the job with Mayor Christenson who thanked him for his 35 years of service to Malden. Chief Murphy, who grew up in
Malden joined the Fire Department in 1978, and moved up the ranks becoming Fire Chief in 2006. Following his retirement, Chief Murphy will spend some time skiing and relaxing with his family.

 

“Mike has done an excellent job and I want to thank him for his dedicated service to our City, not only as Chief of the Department but throughout his entire career,” said Mayor Christenson.

 “It’s been my pleasure serving the residents of Malden for the last 35 years,” said the retiring Chief.

 

Jack Colangeli has been named the new Chief of the Malden Fire Department.

 

 

Kathleen
Manning Hall, Chief Administrative Officer

Office of
Mayor Gary Christenson

City of
Malden

Government
Center

200 Pleasant
Street

Malden, MA
02148

(781)
397-7000

kmanninghall@cityofmalden.org

facebook.com/cityofmalden

twitter.com/thecityofmalden

 

SULLIVAN SUBMITS SIGNATURES FOR SENATE EFFORT

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...BOSTON GLOBE:

Former
US attorney Michael Sullivan drops off signatures, seeking GOP Senate primary
ballot spot

E-mail | Print | Comments (10)02/27/2013
12:50 PM

George
Rizer for The Boston Globe

Former
US attorney Michael Sullivan dropped off the signatures in his hometown
today.

• 1
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• E-mail

 

By
Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

 

Former US attorney Michael Sullivan, who is seeking the Republican nomination
in the special election for US Senate, personally dropped off petition
signatures today at the clerk’s office in Abington.

Democratic and Republican candidates seeking to run in their respective
primaries must collect 10,000 voter signatures. Those signatures must be turned
into election officials in the state’s cities and towns by 5 p.m. today.

The election officials have until Monday to certify the signatures. The
campaigns must then pick up the signatures and bring them to the secretary of
state’s office by 5 p.m. next Wednesday, where they will be counted, said Brian
McNiff, a spokesman for Secretary of State William F. Galvin.

Sullivan has collected more than 20,000 signatures and believes that he has
more than the 10,000 certified signatures required, the Globe reports today. A
three-way Republican primary race is emerging between Sullivan of Abington, who
also served as a state representative and as Plymouth district attorney; state
Representative Daniel Winslow of Norfolk; and Cohasset businessman Gabriel
Gomez.

Gomez is expected to kick off his campaign Thursday with events in Quincy,
Shrewsbury, and West Springfield.

Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, US Representatives Edward J. Markey and
Stephen F. Lynch are facing off.

 

 

(Not
paid for or authorized by any candidate)

ARTISTS FOR HUMANITY names Boston MAYOR THOMAS MENINO and Barr Foundation Executive Director PAT BRANDES recipients of The EpiCenter Award for Climate Action

 

 

Since constructing Boston’s first LEED Platinum building in 2004, Artists For Humanity (AFH) has been a leader in empowering young leaders to take action on environmental issues through art and ideas. At AFH’s annual Earth Day celebration – The Greatest Party on Earth – teen artists have tackled diverse issues such as the North Pacific plastic gyre and honeybee colony collapse.

The Annual Greatest Party on Earth, Artists For Humanity will focus on climate change. To celebrate leaders among us who are making a real difference through climate action, Artists For Humanity will present The EpiCenter Award  to Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Pat Brandes, Executive Director of the Barr Foundation.

The EpiCenter Award

 

 

honoring these leaders will be presented on Saturday April 27, 2013 at Artists For Humanity’s Greatest Party on Earth, a fundraising event to support paid, after-school jobs in art and design that empower Boston’s teens.

Artists For Humanity’s mission is to bridge economic, racial and social divisions by providing Boston’s young people with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.

 

City of Revere Receives Grant to Develop Open Checkbook System

 

In November of 2012, Mayor Daniel Rizzo joined the Cities of Woburn,
Chelsea, Chicopee, and the Town of Brookline to apply for a Community Innovation
Challenge Grant (CIC) which would develop a Municipal Open Checkbook System. 
Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray and Secretary of
Administration and Finance Glen Shor
announced 27 recipients of CIC
grants that totaled $1.875 million.  The Open Checkbook System was one of the
grants that was approved and is being funded in the amount of $120,000. The
purpose of the CIC program is to incentivize and support innovative
regionalization and other cost saving initiatives.

 

The
27 recipients of the FY 2013 CIC grant program cover 162 cities and towns. The
project recipients reflect geographic and income diversity across the
Commonwealth, including several Gateway Cities. The Department of Administration
and Finance received 119 applications for the FY 2013 CIC program, which
involved 287 communities across Massachusetts. Projects
included almost all municipal service delivery areas, including public works,
public safety, transportation, veterans services, elder affairs, environmental
protection, information technology, and education.

 

The
Municipal Open Checkbook System is being led by the Cites of Woburn, Chelsea,
Chicopee, Revere, and Town of Brookline. Up to 20 communities (including the 5
applicants) will have access for 3 years to a hosted Citizen Transparency
Module. It is estimated that all 20 communities will be live on the system
within 6 months. Each community will have a link on their website that will lead
them to a hosted website which will display information consistent with the
Massachusetts Open Checkbook System. The data for each community will be
securely transmitted weekly to a data center and be stored in data information
systems. Data will be processed into data modules and populate data views for
citizens to access. All data will be updated weekly. Initial participants will
need to be use the MUNIS financial system, which is utilized in over 160
communities in Massachusetts.

 

“The
CIC program has been, and will continue to be, a great program towards creating
cost savings for local cities and towns across Massachusetts. I look forward to
working with the other cities and towns on the Open Checkbook System, and in
developing all available avenues that create more transparency in city
government,” commented Mayor Rizzo.

 

Transparency
of financial data to citizens and taxpayers is an important part of
accountability for local government. This system will give citizens a detailed
view into the spending and requirements of government finance. Transparency
helps bring a level of knowledge and trust to constituents. Transparency in
government also helps engage citizens and create a collaborative atmosphere.

 

MMA helps defeat Sound Warrant in Yarmouth

27 February 2013

The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) is pleased to report that a town
bylaw proposal was successfully defeated last night in Yarmouth.  With short
notice, the MMA in concert with the Yarmouth Chief-of-Police and Deputy Chief
attended the Board-of-Selectmen meeting last night and were successful in
convincing the Board of Selectmen that such a Bylaw would be
unsuccessful.

Want to get
something essentially illegal passed in Massachusetts?  Do so in as covert a
manner as possible so that your opponents don't know about it.  Gone are the
days of open debate as the Town of Yarmouth once again proposed a bylaw which
would essentially require OEM exhaust on all motorcycles entering the town.
Alerted to this proposal being presented mere hours before the
meeting, the MMA sprang into response providing testimony and supporting
documentation as well as representation at the Selectmen
Meeting.

Armed with
prior testimony used successfully around the state, including used to overturn a
similar bylaw passed in Falmouth and subsequently struck down by the
Commonwealth Attorney General, MMA Legislative Director Rick Gleason joined the
Chief and Deputy Chief of the Yarmouth Police Department in their
argument that Town Bylaws cannot exceed State Law, and that such a
measure would essentially be meaningless.

The MMA has
long held strong opposition to the use of the OEM EPA Stamp as an enforcement
tool simply because it is a consumer protection mechanism, not meant to be used
against the consumer.  It is also hard to locate on many models  of motorcycle,
hidden under seats on sport bikes, under saddle bags of cruisers, or simply
facing the wrong way for aesthetic reasons.  Most critically, per the very
regulation that entitles it, it expires in one year or 3,729
miles, whichever comes first!!

Instead, the
MMA continues to hold a firm belief that the existing laws on the books are
sufficient if properly implemented and enforced, specifically that simple test
procedures do exist for muffled exhaust, whether replaced with after-market or
not, with a reasonable sound level.  Further, that Education, not Legislation,
is key to changing the behavior of a select few who either remove their mufflers
or rev throttles simply to "sound cool"…

The "Education,
not Legislation" sentiment was echoed by the Yarmouth Chief-of-Police during his
testimony last night.  Yarmouth PD has worked with the MMA in the past with
great success implementing the MMA's "When in Town, Throttle Down©" campaign
providing correct information on the Massachusetts General Laws and the impact
of excessive behaviors.  The MMA has also hosted numerous voluntary sound checks
around the state to help riders be more aware of the impact of their
exhaust.

The MMA
applauds the efforts of the Yarmouth PD which can be found on their website and
Facebook page, and thanks them for their support.

For more
information, please contact LegislativeDirector@MassMotorcycle.org or see http://www.MassMotorcycle.org

MIKE SULLIVAN TO TURN IN SIGNATURES

 

(Abington,
MA) -- Riding a groundswell of volunteer support, likely U.S. Senate candidate
Mike Sullivan will appear at the Abington Town Clerk's Office on Wednesday,
February 27, 2013, at 11:00 a.m.  Sullivan, an Abington native, will turn in
"signature sheets" to the Town Clerk.  Sullivan was previously elected state
representative and Plymouth County District Attorney before serving as
Massachusetts' United States Attorney and Acting Chief of the Bureau of the
"ATF."  Sullivan will be available to answer press questions after submitting
the signature sheets.

WHEN:  
  Wednesday, February 27, 2013

 
                11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

WHERE:   Abington Town Clerk's Office

                 
Abington Town Hall

                 
50 Gliniewicz Way

                 
Abington, MA 02351

               

                 
For Directions click here

Mayor Menino Is Calling All Boston Greenovators!

 

Nominations Open
for Mayor’s 2013 Greenovate Boston Awards

Mayor
Thomas M. Menino today announced that nominations are now open for the 2013
Mayor’s Greenovate Boston Awards, which recognize local sustainability leaders
in three different categories: Business, Residential, and Sustainable Food
Leadership.  Nominations are due March 22.

“Through
Greenovate Boston, the City of Boston continues to work closely with our
residents, business and institutions to make Boston the greenest city in the
country,” Mayor Menino said. “I look forward every year to celebrating the
impressive work of our local environmental leaders and telling their story.”

Previously
called the Mayor’s Green Awards, this year’s awards will reflect the adoption of
Greenovate Boston, a collective movement and innovative approach to connect and
motivate residents and businesses to help reach Mayor Menino’s goal of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020. The awards are in their seventh
year, and the Mayor will present them this spring at the Greenovate Boston
Forum, bringing together residents and stakeholders to establish a shared vision
for the future of the Greenovate Boston movement. 

“The
Mayor’s Greenovate Boston Awards are just one way of recognizing and supporting
our sustainability leaders,” said Brian Swett, Chief of Environment and Energy.
“Greenovate Boston will further connect and engage the Boston community by
creating a one-stop-shop for sustainability resources as well as a platform for
empowering individuals, businesses and organizations to Greenovate throughout
the community.”

The
Greenovate Boston Awards recognize leaders in Boston’s Business, Residential,
and Sustainable Food categories. The Business awards recognize leaders from the
commercial and non-profit sectors, as well as academic, cultural and healthcare
institutions. Awards will be given to entities that demonstrate extraordinary
performance regarding sustainability such as employee engagement, operations,
renewable energy, stormwater management and innovation.

The
Mayor’s Greenovate Residential Awards honor residents that are committed to
Greenovating in their home and throughout their community. This year, awards
will be given in the categories of Leadership, Energy, Alternative
Transportation, Green Gardens and Trailblazer. Nominees may be an individual, a
condominium association, a residential building owner or property manager, or
other organization that is responsible for residential buildings or
spaces.

The
Mayor’s Sustainable Food Awards will celebrate two leaders in the field of
sustainable and healthy foods: those who provide our community with good food
and those who provide a service in the sustainable and healthy food industry.

Mayor
Menino's annual Bike Friendly Business Awards are also now open for nominations.
These awards recognize companies that incorporate bike-friendly practices that
encourage their employees or customers to ride their bikes. Gold, Silver and
Bronze awards will be distributed at a special ceremony with Mayor Menino where
the winner will receive a certificate and a “Bike Friendly Business” sticker to
proudly display in their business.

To
submit your Greenovate Boston Awards nominations and see winners from previous
years, please visit the Mayor’s Greenovate Boston Award’s website at www.cityofboston.gov/environmentalandenergy/greenovateawards.
For the Bike Friendly Business Awards, please visit http://www.cityofboston.gov/bikes/bikebusiness/.

 

Award
winners from last year were a diverse group, representing all parts of Boston.
Highlights include The Boston Cab Association’s all hybrid fleet, 81 Brent
Street in Dorchester for constructing a LEED Platinum home, Boston University’s
focus on locally sourced food, and a Jamaica Plain business called Fresh Hair
for its eco-friendly services and energy reduction steps.