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• Wu Announces Expansion of Boston Family Days

  27-03-2025 04:06 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesAt the City Address, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the latest expansion of Boston Family Days. This spring, the City will expand Boston Family Days to include a new pilot program adding performing arts to the wide range of cultural institutions accessible to students and families for free. Families will be able to enjoy performances at seven of Boston’s leading performing arts organizations, including Arts Emerson, The Boston Ballet, The Boch Center, The Huntington Theatr
  
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• Boston Police on Hand for BHCA Board Meeting

  17-04-2025 10:46 via beaconhilltimes.com
  D. Murphy Photo
  Officer Jason Richardson, Captain Richard Driscoll, and Officer Frank Ciampa of Boston Police Area A-1 (seen left to right), along with representatives from Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office, were on hand for a public safety-focused portion of the Beacon Hill Civic Association’s monthly board meeting on Monday, April 14, at 74 Joy St.
  
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• A Water Wonderland

  17-04-2025 10:46 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Courtesy Photo
  The Weedy Sea Dragon is one of many exhibits at the New England Aquarium.
  
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• New England Aquarium Ready for School Vacation

  17-04-2025 10:44 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesThe New England Aquarium is looking forward to welcoming guests during the upcoming April school vacation week with extended hours, exciting animal encounters along the exhibit path, and special educational programming on Massachusetts Right Whale Day, plus the return of Boston Duck Tours to Central Wharf plaza.The Aquarium will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily the week of April 20 when public schools in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont are on spring break. Hours of opera
  
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• Mayor’s Neighborhood Coffee Hour Set to Return May 15 to Comm Ave Mall

  17-04-2025 10:44 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyMayor Michelle Wu will join the Office of Neighborhood Services and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department for the return of her annual Neighborhood Coffee Hours, including an event for the Beacon Hill and Back Bay communities on Thursday, May 15, from 10- 11 a.m. on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall (near the Arlington Street entrance).The Mayor Neighborhood Coffee Hours, presented in partnership with Dunkin’ and Star Market, offers Boston residents the opportunity to speak di
  
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• Looking at the FY26 Budget that Prioritizes Delivery of City Services and Fiscal Responsibility

  17-04-2025 10:44 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesLast week Mayor Michelle Wu filed the Fiscal Year 2026 annual operating budget and five-year 2026-2030 Capital Plan. The FY26 budget reflects stability and constraint as the country faces uncertain economic times, with the reduction of long-term vacancies and no new position investments in City departments, modest reductions in non-personnel items, and limited new investments constrained to necessary City services. The FY26 budget has an enhanced focus on enabling Boston to m
  
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• Whittier Street Health Center Expands Health on Wheels Program

  17-04-2025 10:43 via beaconhilltimes.com
   Special to the TimesAs part of its ongoing commitment to improving medical care accessibility, Whittier Street Health Center, a community health center with a mission to serve as a center of excellence that provides high quality and accessible health care and social services that achieve health equity, social justice, and the economic well-being of a diverse patient population, announces the launch of its new Mobile Dental and Vision Service.With the introduction of the new service, Whitti
  
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• Esplanade Association Provides Update on Charlesbank Landing Project

  17-04-2025 10:43 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyThe Esplanade Association’s annual meeting was held virtually on Tuesday, April 8, and included an update on the much-anticipated Charlesbank Landing, among other projects now in the works.Jen Mergel, the group’s executive director, she said the Charlesbank Landing project, which has been nearly a quarter of the century in the making, will reclaim a two-acre site in and around the former Lee Pool complex, which sits between the Longfellow Bridge and Museum of Science and
  
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• City to Sponsor April 23 Virtual Public Meeting on Alexandra Hotel Redevelopment Plans

  17-04-2025 10:43 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyThe city’s Planning Department will hold a virtual public meeting on the latest pans for the proposed redevelopment of the Alexandra Hotel building on Wednesday, April 23, from 6 to 8 p.m.Alexandra Partners, LLC intends to convert the long-neglected, late Gothic building at 1767-1796 Washington St.  into a 68-room hotel, with a ground-floor restaurant and café.The scope of restoration work would include the 100-percent cleaning and repointing of the stone; stone du
  
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• Mark the Occasion

  17-04-2025 10:42 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Paul Revere’s Ridekicks off Boston 250 this FridaySpecial to the TimesMayor Michelle Wu announced Boston 250, a yearlong commemoration of the city’s role in the American Revolution. The kickoff event, Paul Revere’s Ride, will take place this Friday, April 18, across the North End and Charlestown, marking 250 years since his historic ride.Mayor Wu emphasized that Boston 250 honors not only the city’s pivotal role in the Revolution but also the “everyday revolutionari
  
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• Firefighting Academy Earns International Reaccreditation

  17-04-2025 10:42 via beaconhilltimes.com
  State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine  announced that the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy has received reaccreditation by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications, better known as the Pro Board.“The Pro Board is the world’s leading fire service accreditation organization,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “The Academy’s reaccreditation reflects our commitment to the highest standards of firefighter training and development at every level of e
  
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• Council Passes Ordinance Requiring Insurance for Food Delivery Drivers

  10-04-2025 19:44 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyThe City Council voted 11-2 on Wednesday, April 2, to pass an ordinance that beginning next January, will require third-party food delivery drivers to obtain permits to work in Boston.Food delivery apps, including DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub, are now required to obtain a permit and renew that license annually, but they aren’t currently required to have insurance to cover any uninsured or underinsured drivers.Per the ordinance, companies will face a fine of up to $300 per d
  
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• Wu Officially Kicks off Reelection Campaign

  10-04-2025 19:43 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Adam SwiftMayor Michelle Wu officially kicked off her reelection campaign for a second term in office on Saturday.During a speech to supporters at the Boston Center for the Arts Cyclorama in the South End, Wu highlighted her administration’s accomplishments over the past four years and addressed the recent challenges the city has faced from the Trump administration.“Four years ago, we stood right here on election night, 2021,” said Wu. “I told you then that we would bu
  
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• Registration Opens for 26th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup

  10-04-2025 19:42 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to TimesRegistration is now open for the 26th  Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup which will take place on Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26.This much-loved event brings together over 3,500 volunteers each year to rejuvenate the parks, forests, playgrounds, and paths surrounding the Charles River and its tributaries, ensuring the areas remain clean, safe, and beautiful for everyone to enjoy.“The Charles River Earth Day Cleanup invites the community to help improve t
  
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• Rogerson Communities Mourns Passing of Board Member Philip Johnston

  10-04-2025 19:41 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesRogerson Communities last week announced the loss of longtime board member Philip Johnston.Phil served on the Rogerson Board of Directors since 2019 and was a cherished friend and mentor of President and CEO Walter Ramos for more than four decades.Phil served in the Massachusetts Legislature and as a member of Governor Michael Dukakis’s cabinet. He had a long history of service to the people of Massachusetts and will be missed by many, including his wife, children, and
  
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• Martin Luther King III, Embrace Boston to Commemorate Anniversary of the 1965 Freedom Rally

  10-04-2025 19:41 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to TimesOn April 23, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other prominent civil rights leaders led a defining moment in the civil rights movement, emphasizing the urgent need for systemic change, powered by a rally that drew over 20,000 people to Boston Common. They protested the deep-seated racial inequities in housing and education during a monumental march that illuminated the struggles faced by countless individuals and mobilized the community toward greater equality. Sixty year
  
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• Court Rules in City’s Favor on White Stadium Project

  10-04-2025 19:41 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Adam SwiftLast week, a Suffolk County Superior Judge ruled that the renovations at White Stadium at Franklin Park can continue and that the stadium is not protected as park or conservation land under Article 97 of state land.The $200 million public-private project between the city and the Boston Unity Soccer Partners group calls for a major renovation of the stadium, which would be the home of Boston’s new team in the National Women’s Soccer League, Boston Legacy FC, beginning in
  
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• Wu Calls for Residents to Come Together with Acts of Kindness on One Boston Day

  10-04-2025 19:40 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesMayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston released the annual call to action for community-based organizations, businesses, and city of Boston residents to come together for volunteer events and acts of kindness in recognition of our City’s spirit of care for one another in response to the tragic events of April 15, 2013. One Boston Day, observed on April 15, honors the victims, survivors, and first responders of the 2013 Boston Marathon. Mayor Wu is encouraging acts of
  
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• Logan Joins Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program

  10-04-2025 19:39 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Program discreetly identifies passengers who may need extra supportSpecial to the TimesThe Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) is partnering with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program; a worldwide program that helps create accessible and inclusive places for all those with disabilities. By wearing a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard, passengers can subtly indicate to airport staff that they may need additional assistance in the airport. Nearly 300 airports and dozens of airlines
  
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• Wu: “We will Defend the People We Love with All that We’ve Got”

  27-03-2025 04:09 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Staff ReportSpeaking before a standing-room-only crowd, Mayor Michelle Wu delivered a powerful State of the City address on March 19 at the MGM Music Hall on Lansdowne Street.Mayor’s Office Photo By Mike Mejia Mayor Michelle Wu delivering her State of the City address.
  “Boston is strong,” Wu declared unequivocally in a speech in which the mayor outlined some of her accomplishments and unveiled new programs that will positively impact thousands of residents of Boston.“Gun
  
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• Audit of Charles Street’s Sidewalk Conditions Completed

  27-03-2025 04:08 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyDistrict 8 City Councilor Sharon Durkan joined Patricia Tully of the Beacon Hill Civic Association and Maccon Bonner from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services on March 17 to conduct a comprehensive audit of sidewalk conditions on Charles Street.Together, they walked both sides of the street and identified 75 repair needs; three remaining make-safes; and a number of rat burrows. The repair needs and make-safes were subsequently reported to Boston Public Works while the r
  
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• Wu Releases Anti-Displacement Action Plan

  27-03-2025 04:07 via beaconhilltimes.com
  ‘A Place to Thrive’ provides two-year plan  to stabilize residents and small businessesSpecial to the TimesMayor Michelle Wu announced the release of A Place to Thrive, the City’s first ever Anti-Displacement Action Plan, during her State of the City address on Wednesday. A Place to Thrive lays out a two-year plan for City departments to help stabilize residents, small businesses, and cultural organizations that may face either direct or economic displacement, ensuring all
  
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• Wu Announces BCYF Creates, an Expansion of Free Art Classes in Community Centers

  27-03-2025 04:07 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesAt her State of the City Address, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the launch of BCYF Creates, an investment in free, high-quality arts programming offered at Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) community centers for youth ages 8-14. Mayor Wu made this announcement as part of her 2025 State of the City annual address, more than doubling the amount of free arts instruction available at BCYF, with classes offered in 14 different community centers. BCYF Creates is part of
  
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• BHAC Approves Signage for Incoming Beacon Street Coffee Shop

  27-03-2025 04:06 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyThe Beacon Hill Architectural Commission approved new signage and other exterior changes proposed for a coffee shop opening in the shadow of the State House at the commission’s monthly public hearing held virtually on Thursday, March 20.Bon! intends to open in a street-level retail space at 22 Beacon St., which was previously home to a Dunkin’ Donuts store, at the beginning of May, said business proprietor, Zeyad ElSherif.The proposed signage for the new business would c
  
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• StoryMap for Fenway Transportation Action Plan unveiled at public meeting

  27-03-2025 04:05 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyRepresentatives from the city  unveiled a web-based, interactive StoryMap for the Fenway Transportation Action Plan during a public meeting on Monday, March 24, at the Fenway Community Center.The Fenway TAP – a joint effort of the City of Boston’s Planning and Transportation departments – will help determine changes to three Design Areas, including Kenmore Square, Brookline Avenue, and Van Ness Street/Ipswich Street, as well as introduce a westward extension o
  
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• CSF to Honor Bain Capital at Annual Building Minds Scholarship Fund Gala

  27-03-2025 04:05 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesOn Thursday, April 3, the Catholic Schools Foundation (CSF) will host their 35th Annual Building Minds Scholarship Fund Gala at Boston Marriott Copley Place. This premier event will bring together nearly 1,000 members of the Greater Boston business community and beyond in support of providing low-income students with access to a life-changing Catholic education.This year, Bain Capital, a leading global private investment firm, will be honored with the Carolyn and Peter Lynch
  
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• Sail On: Charlie Zechel Prepares to Bid Farewell to Community Boating

  19-03-2025 19:44 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyWhen Charlie Zechel steps down from his role as executive director of Community Boating, Inc., in July, it will mark the end of an era for the nation’s oldest public sailing nonprofit, which he has served for more than a quarter of a century.Zechel, a New Hampshire native who calls Rhode Island home, had worked in several sailing programs, including some in Newport, R.I., before joining Community Boating, Inc. (CBI) as its adult program director in December of 1997. Less than
  
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• City to Hold March 26 Virtual Meeting on Proposed Hancock Street Project

  19-03-2025 19:44 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Times staffThe city’s Planning Department will hold a virtual community meeting to discuss the proposed redevelopment of 27-29 Hancock St. into 15 affordable homeownership condo units on Wednesday, March 26, from 6-7:30 p.m.Per its agreement with the developer, JDMD, the nonprofit Fenway CDC (Community Development Center) will redevelop the two adjacent properties into 15-17 affordable units  at 80-100 percent AMI  (Area Median Income) for new homeowners. None of the units wil
  
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• Behind the Counter

  19-03-2025 19:43 via beaconhilltimes.com
  With Susanne Beck“Letting them know you are here if you need me.”A visit with Mark Duffield at Upstairs DownstairsIntroducing a new column entitled “Behind the Counter,” featuring a salesperson, residents or visitors one would likely meet when shopping or just browsing around the Hill.Visitors to Upstairs Downstairs Home at 69 Charles Street are to be forgiven for doing a double take as they step into the store. The salesperson greets them, they swear they have seen him b
  
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• Wu Appoints Dr. Elsie Taveras to the Role of Chair of the Boston Board of Health

  19-03-2025 19:42 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesMayor Michelle Wu has appointed Dr. Elsie Taveras as the new chairperson of the Boston Board of Health and appointed Stan McLaren to fill the Board’s open seat. Dr. Taveras steps into her new role after serving on the Board of Health since April 2023. “I’m very excited to see Dr. Taveras take on the duties of chairperson of the Board of Health, and I’m confident she’ll continue her work to make Boston a safe and healthy home for everyone,&rd
  
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