311 to the rescue

311 to the rescue - The Boston Globe
An Allston mention in this story about the "311" systems that other cities have for citizens to report any variety of problems or issues.

"Allston resident Kim Malo says that she was pleased City Hall finally fixed a hinky pedestrian signal in her neighborhood, but was chagrined to find out officials said they had no documentation of her regular complaints.
''No record of the call means there's no record this has been an ongoing problem,' says Malo, 48."

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Summers Doubles Green Campus Funds

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Summers Doubles Green Campus Funds:
Harvard's first ever conference on campus sustainability kicked off yesterday with a pledge from University President Lawrence H. Summers to double the Green Campus Iniatiative's loan fund for campus conservation projects to $12 million.
“If I had to plan expansion to Allston four years ago, environmental sustainability would not have been one of my top priorities,” Summers said.

Planned Monday walkout stirs immigrant debate

Planned walkout stirs immigrant debate - The Boston Globe: "Across the country, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their supporters are planning to stay away from work and school, avoid spending money, wear white, and join rallies and prayer vigils. The event is being planned as Congress grapples with the divisive question of illegal immigration.

The Allston-based Brazilian Immigrant Center is taking out advertisements in Brazilian publications and on radio this weekend urging business owners who rely on immigrants to give them permission to take the day off.
''If a business has a lot of immigrants and keeps it open, he doesn't care about us,' said Fausto da Rocha, the center's executive director. ''He just cares about cheap labor.'"

Drivers help steer road work

Drivers help steer road work - The Boston Globe: "Options include eliminating the decaying 55-year-old tunnel and converting the Back Bay portion of Storrow Drive into a surface road, or rebuilding the old tunnel and adding a second one.
One option also includes the temporary rerouting of traffic onto the Esplanade during the duration of the construction, which a DCR spokeswoman said was still on the table despite public opposition. No matter the option chosen, it's another traffic hassle headed Boston's way. And the surveys are a paper reminder of what's to come.
''I'm in complete panic that, after surviving the Big Dig and all its headaches for my north-of-the-city commute, this will be the next traffic nightmare,' Stacey Symes Tardif, who commutes from Methuen to Allston via Storrow Drive, said in an e-mail. ''In all honesty, this may be the final push for me to find a job that is either T accessible or closer to home.'"

Three to receive Harvard Alumni Association medal

Harvard Gazette: Three to receive HAA medal for extraordinary service: "Chet Stone III ran the equipment room in Dillon Field House for more than 30 years in a manner that was outgoing, helpful, and vital to the athletic experience at Harvard. He is working with the Athletic Department to supply tickets to area youth groups for Harvard sporting events, as well as arranging the use of University athletic facilities for the city of Boston and Allston-Brighton communities.

Harvard Ceramics - Spring 2006 Show & Sale

Ceramics - Spring 2006 Show & Sale
This great show has a variety of beautiful ceramics on sale at very reasonable prices.
May 18-21

Harvard's Allston Plans Break Tradition

The Harvard Crimson :: Allston Plans Break Tradition: "Architectural traditionalists will be relieved to know that the new campus in Allston will not resemble "a wild spaceship.

But advocates of the red brick and white moldings traditionally associated with the Harvard seal may still be disappointed.

"What does the new Harvard look like? It can't be a wild spaceship, and it can't be a replica of a four hundred-year-old building," Christopher M. Gordon, the chief operating officer of Harvard's Allston Development Group, told members of the Harvard-Allston Task Force last night. "

School chief will retire to Harvard

School chief will retire to Harvard - The Boston Globe
Boston School Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant, who will retire in June after nearly 11 years of leading the system, has accepted a post-retirement job as a part-time senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education...Payzant said he won't be judging the city school system from across the river.
That's a funny way to phrase it, because when the Graduate School of Education moves to Allston, Payzant and his collegues won't be "across the river."

Harvard's Summers - A Presidency's Early End

A Presidency's Early End: ...To cite one high-profile example, work on Allston proceeded on its former course, with the appointment in January of a chief operating officer and a separate organization reporting directly to Summers (see 'Brevia'). The announcement on February 17 of a site and architect for a first building complex, comprising some 500,000 square feet of laboratory space, made tangible Summers's vision of a third locus for scientific research.
Those decisions put Allston development on a fast track - but without any evident process for the academic and administrative management of the research to be done there, or for coordinating that work with the rest of the University. Meanwhile, FAS is building extremely expensive and as yet unfilled labs (see 'Fraught Finances,' March-April, page 61), and Harvard Medical School has unused space (now leased out) in its New Research Building. Will these facilities end up competing with the new Allston space? Although the central administration had conducted a planning process for interdisciplinary research that might locate in Allston (see 'Scientific Ambitions,' July-August 2005, page 58), a University-wide review of the future of science at Harvard - embracing FAS and the medical and public-health schools, and examining appointments, academic administration, and more - began only this year, and will not even report until this summer...

Harvard's Summers - A Presidency's Early End

A Presidency's Early End: ...To cite one high-profile example, work on Allston proceeded on its former course, with the appointment in January of a chief operating officer and a separate organization reporting directly to Summers (see 'Brevia'). The announcement on February 17 of a site and architect for a first building complex, comprising some 500,000 square feet of laboratory space, made tangible Summers's vision of a third locus for scientific research.
Those decisions put Allston development on a fast track - but without any evident process for the academic and administrative management of the research to be done there, or for coordinating that work with the rest of the University. Meanwhile, FAS is building extremely expensive and as yet unfilled labs (see 'Fraught Finances,' March-April, page 61), and Harvard Medical School has unused space (now leased out) in its New Research Building. Will these facilities end up competing with the new Allston space? Although the central administration had conducted a planning process for interdisciplinary research that might locate in Allston (see 'Scientific Ambitions,' July-August 2005, page 58), a University-wide review of the future of science at Harvard - embracing FAS and the medical and public-health schools, and examining appointments, academic administration, and more - began only this year, and will not even report until this summer...

Close to Home, Car Rentals for Many New Reasons

Close to Home, Car Rentals for Many New Reasons - New York Times

Here's another example of how neighborhood parking problems could be alleviated and some people could save money at the same time.

"The American Automobile Association estimates the average cost of owning a car at 52.2 cents a mile, or $7,834 a year, based on 15,000 miles of driving.
Roy Zinkil, a mortgage banker in San Diego, says that he doesn't own a car, but that he rents one every Thursday through Monday to 'run to the store and the cleaners and do all those errands you do on the weekends.' He rides a commuter train to work during the week and pays $128 a month, or $1,536 a year, in rental fees. "

Bicycling Magazine - Worst cities

Bicycling Magazine - Urban Treasures: "This is the third time Boston has made our 'worst' list since 1999, and it does so for the same reasons as before: lousy roads, scarce and unconnected bike lanes and bike-friendly gestures from City Hall that go nowhere-such as hiring a bike coordinator in 2001, only to cut the position two years later. We know Boston has the potential to be a two-wheeled haven (see neighboring Cambridge). And recent events give us hope: the newly formed Livable Streets Alliance, an advocacy group patterned after successful organizations in Chicago and New York; the under-construction $2-million South Bay Harbor trail that will connect several bike paths in the heart of downtown; and last fall's mayor-sponsored Hub on Wheels, a festival with 700 cyclists, including mayor Thomas Menino showing off his newfound velo dedication."

Bicycle safety bill just spinning its wheels

Bicycle safety bill just spinning its wheels - The Boston Globe
More bad news for bicyles in Boston...

Even in a region notoriously treacherous for bicyclists, the past month was particularly grim for the local biking community.

Boston was, for the third time, ranked one of the worst places in the country to ride a bike by Bicycling magazine. (Cambridge was an Honorable Mention for Best City) And, in a little-noticed death, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology research scientist was killed after being hit by a sport utility vehicle as he bicycled to work.

Despite widespread support by bicyclists, public safety advocates, and law enforcement officials, a sweeping, six-year-old proposal to improve bike safety statewide continues to languish on Beacon Hill.

Cyclist peddles a dream: Boston-S.F. path

Cyclist peddles a dream: Boston-S.F. path - The Boston Globe: "But one thing that is bumming Martin out lately is Boston. The city -- again voted one of the three worst cities in the nation for biking by Bicycling Magazine this year "

Transportation report delayed till after Nov. election

Transportation report delayed till after Nov. election - The Boston Globe: "A boost in the gas tax, new tolls on state highways, rush-hour toll increases, or other politically unpopular proposals could all end up being recommendations of the commission, which is almost certain to conclude that Massachusetts cannot continue to adequately pay for its highways, mass transit systems, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure without a significant infusion of new money.
So far candidates for governor have been largely silent on these issues, which some observers argue deserve a frank discussion."

Charles River's water earns a B-plus

Charles River's water earns a B-plus in health - The Boston Globe: "Officials said the Charles River met boating standards 97 percent of the time and swimming standards 50 percent of the time in 2005."

The Art Newspaper -- Harvard to overhaul its art museums and build a new facility for modern and contemporary art

The Art Newspaper -- News
I don't think there is any new news in this, just a different perspective on the upcoming art activities by Harvard in Allston.

Harvard University Art Museums (HUAM) have announced an ambitious multi-phase plan to renovate and consolidate the Fogg, the Busch-Reisinger, and Arthur M. Sackler museums complex in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and to establish a second site across the Charles River in Allston.

Family fortunes - Boston Business Journal:

Family fortunes - Boston Business Journal:
A profile of Allston-based Houghton Chemical Corp.

Russian Jews spur new immigrant voter coalition

Russian Jews spur new immigrant voter coalition
The political clout of Boston’s Russian Jewish community is serving as an inspiration for a new group that aims to unite Boston’s many immigrant communities into a powerful voting block.
This past year's Boston City Council elections provided a glimpse into how responsive political leaders are to the Russian Jewish community, which is concentrated in the Allston-Brighton area of Boston. Every candidate, including Mayor Thomas Menino, held meetings with members of the community, and Allston councilor Jerry McDermott frequently liaises with Bologov and other community leaders.

AllstonRocks.com

Check out this new website to promote the local music and artist scene. Music video contest coming soon.
http://www.allstonrocks.com/

How many city councilors does it take to flout the law?

How many city councilors does it take to flout the law? - The Boston Globe: "Fed up with what they say was the repeated flouting by councilors of state law requiring them to conduct the public's business in public, three Boston residents filed suit last May against the council. In the end, with the nervy residents even acting as their own lawyers against the assembled might of the city law department, the case wasn't a fair fight: The citizen-litigators thrashed the council from top to bottomous."

Brighton library to get $2.6 million facelift

TownOnline.com - Local News: Library to get $2.6 million facelift: "The 37-year-old Brighton branch public library on Academy Hill Road is expected to receive a $2.5 million makeover this year, what many agree is a much-needed project.

The third highest in the city in materials circulation, the library will be closed for a year, and area residents are asked to use the Faneuil branch library on Oak Square or the Honan-Allston library on North Harvard Street.

The new building should be completed within one-and-a-half years and will boast new walls, windows, an elevator and ramps for full accessibility."

Two shot in Allston as gun violence rises

TownOnline.com - Local News: Two shot in Allston as gun violence rises: "Two Allston residents were shot April 7, one in the face and another in chest, according to a police report. Both are expected to survive their injuries.

District 14 officers responded to Lincoln and Antwerp streets for reports of a person shot Friday at 1:34 a.m. On arrival, officers found a 28-year-old man from Allston shot in the face.

Minutes later, officers found a second Allston victim at 16 Lawrence St. with a gunshot wound to the chest."

BIKINI-CLAD BEAUTY STICKS UP FOR CHICKENS IN ALLSTON

PETA Media Center > Recent News Releases : BIKINI-CLAD BEAUTY STICKS UP FOR CHICKENS IN ALLSTON
Allston, Mass. Wearing nothing but a yellow bikini and holding a sign that reads, 'KFC Tortures Chicks,' sultry PETA member Lindsay Rajt will lead a protest outside a local KFC restaurant over KFC suppliers' abusive treatment of chickens in factory farms and slaughterhouses while other PETA members hand out leaflets.

Did anyone see this protest?

Harvard's Allston Chief Ready to Build

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Allston Chief Ready to Build
Profile of Christopher Gordon, Harvard’s top Allston official

After years of planning, the University took its first concrete steps into Allston this semester when it announced the location of the first structure to be built in the new campus�a massive 500,000 square-foot science complex that will house the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

University officials said on Monday they hope to ask Boston by the end of April for permission to build.

Extreme Makeover: Harvard Stadium

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Extreme Makeover: Harvard Stadium: "The planned developments include replacing the grass field with a synthetic surface, installing lights on the stadium's exterior, and providing for the implementation of a seasonal "bubble." "

Neighborhoods May Limit New Restaurants

Neighborhood Prohibitionists May Limit New Restaurants - New York Times:
Community boards in the East Village, the Lower East Side and elsewhere, fed up with noise and traffic, are so aggressively using their power to try to block or delay liquor licenses that some in the restaurant business say they are thinking much harder about opening new places in these parts of town. Profits from wine and liquor can be crucial to the success of a restaurant, especially a new one.
Last month, the Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver, who represents lower Manhattan, introduced a bill that would eliminate the exemptions from what is called the "500-foot rule." This rule, which became part of the State Liquor Authority regulations in 1993, prohibits the granting of a new full liquor license to an establishment that is within 500 feet of three other licensed bars or restaurants.
In Allston and Brighton the issue is not about new licenses but transfers of existing ones. Even still, a density limitation like this could be interesting to consider, especially near residential areas.

Tight Hub budget keeps cop ranks thin

Tight Hub budget keeps cop ranks thin
Mayor Thomas M. Menino blamed soaring health and utility costs for hemming in his proposed budget next year, which calls for modest increases in school and police spending.
Overall city spending would jump $87.9 million, or 4.3 percent more than this year’s budget. But increases in state aid and $10 million more in lottery money are largely gobbled up by a $23 million increase in health insurance, and rising utility and personnel costs.
Menino said there were no “fancy programs” in his spending plan, which heads to the City Council for approval. He promised to use new technologies like expanding GPS use in snowplows and street cleaners and install new accountability standards. New positions are being created for a citywide director of recreation, chief information officer and a chief of the soon-to-be-merged Transportation and Public Works departments.

Taste of Allston Village - May 2

Allston Village Main Streets, New Balance, and the Improper Bostonian present the 9th annual Taste of Allston Village.

Come sample flavors from around the world presented by over 20 local Allston eateries including Aneka Rasa Malaysian Cuisine, Bazaar on Cambridge, Big City, Burritos on Fire, Café Belo, Café Brazil, Carlo’s Cucina Italiana, Double Tree/Boathouse Grille, Grasshopper, Herrell’s Allston Café, Infusions Tea Spa, The Kells Asian Cuisine, Kouzina Express, Rangoli, Seoul Bakery, Shaw’s Supermarket, Sumi, Sunset Grill & Tap, V Majestic and Yi Soon Bakery.

Staples will also be giving away FREE large-format color prints to all attendees (bring a file or say “cheese!”).

Live music will be provided by jazz pianist Adam Pepper.

The Taste of Allston takes place Tuesday, May 2 from 6-8pm at the Double Tree Guest Suites, 400 Soldiers Field Road, Allston.

Tickets are $25 or $200 for 10 in advance, or $30 at the door.

For more information call 617-254-7564 or contact Erin at kozy2323@hotmail.com

Turnpike agrees good fence will make good neighbors - The Boston Globe

Turnpike agrees good fence will make good neighbors - The Boston Globe: "After a winter of frustration, a thorn in the side of many residents of north Allston and Brighton is on its way to being removed. Following a meeting at the Honan-Allston library last month, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority has agreed to scrap the damaged wooden snow fence between the westbound lanes of the highway and Lincoln Street and replace it with a permanent sound barrier fence."

Fittingly, the past is preserved as a secondhand store relocates - The Boston Globe

Fittingly, the past is preserved as a secondhand store relocates - The Boston Globe: "To fans of previously owned books, music, and movies in Allston Village, the sight of a van filling up with the contents of Disk'overy on Brighton Avenue recently was not a good sign. A closer look, though, revealed that the 25-year-old shop was not dying, just relocating: Handwritten notices said the business was moving to Oak Square, where it reopened April 1 at 569 Washington St."

Two shot in Hub within minutes as gun violence continues rise

BostonHerald.com - Local / Regional News: Two shot in Hub within minutes as gun violence continues rise: "An Allston man was shot in the face yesterday, and another man was shot in the chest minutes later, two shootings that added to the city's skyrocketing number of victims of gun violence. "

Grant opportunities

Grant opportunities: "The Allston/Brighton-Boston College Community Fund Committee has announced that applications for $2,500 grants for Spring 2006 will be available beginning April 7. "

New affordable housing project

AB launches new affordable housing project - News
Reacting to an influx of Boston University students renting off-campus apartments in areas surrounding BU, the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation commissioned a series of renovations on Glenville Avenue designed to provide additional housing for low-income residents forced to compete with college students.

The ABCDC is currently remodeling apartment buildings at 48-52 Glenville Ave. which will be rented out to families who make less than $23,832 -- sixty percent of the annual median income in the Boston area, according to John Woods, director of housing development for the ABCDC. Woods said the group will also be constructing units for families who make as little as $5,958, 15 percent of the annual median income.

BU administrators are aware of this increase and plan to construct a second Student Village dormitory, scheduled for completion by Fall 2008, to house an additional 900 undergraduate students, said Marc Robillard, director of housing at BU.

We have a Senate race!

After great soul-searching, I have decided to suspend my campaign for D.A. and to seek re-election to the state Senate. In the Senate, I have strived to provide leadership on public-safety issues and serve as a voice for people who need a strong advocate. Moving forward, my priorities are cracking down on domestic violence and identity theft, addressing bullying and violence in schools, and advancing progressive priorities on a variety of other issues.

Of course, I will have to run for re-election in a field with several challengers. I will be going door-to-door throughout my Senate district, asking my constituents for their vote so that I may continue working for them on Beacon Hill. I hope to count on your continued support.

Again, I want you to know how much I appreciate the commitment you have made to me and my career in public service. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Jarrett

Online Building Permit Applications

Sorry, this isn't available in Boston yet, but it is possible in New Orleans.

Barrios thinking of entering Senate race

Barrios thinking of dropping out of race for DA, Democrat says - The Boston Globe: "State Senator Jarrett T. Barrios is weighing whether to end his campaign to become Middlesex district attorney and instead seek reelection in his Cambridge-based district, a senior Democratic leader confirmed last night."
His "Cambridge based district" also includes 15,000 people in Allston and Brighton

"Slow Down Boston" signs

Who says driving here is crazy? Everyone - The Boston Globe
John Tobin, a district councilor from West Roxbury, is printing hundreds of red-and-white signs that say, "Slow Down Boston," and is mounting a campaign to reverse a half-century of bad habits. Paying for the printing of 500 signs with campaign funds, Tobin said he'll provide them free of charge to anyone willing to post them along problem streets.

City officials are also drafting a traffic-calming plan, he said, but are proceeding slowly to avoid mistakes. While speed bumps slow traffic, he said, they can also cause accidents. Drivers could lose control and veer into other cars or jump the curb and endanger pedestrians on the sidewalk. Devices that flash motorists' speed can actually tempt drivers to speed up, he said.

"We put a speed board on Commonwealth Avenue, and people were seeing how high they could get the numbers," Tinlin said.

I wonder what type of speed board the city was using. Many types of these have a "maximum display speed" like this one made by 3M. Hopefully next time the city tries this they will use a more full-featured model.

You can contact Councilor Tobin at John.Tobin@cityofboston.gov to request a sign.

Affordable housing coming soon

TownOnline.com - Local News: Affordable housing coming soon
The Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation has obtained $2 million in state grants to help families realize the dream of homeownership at the Long-Glen affordable homeownership project on Glenville Avenue.