Three cars crashed on Harvard Street between Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village, sending one person to the hospital with minor injuries, according to police.
Watch for traffic issues in the area as crews work to clean up. No word on other injuries or what caused the crash.
Brookline Eats! at Putterham
Until the end of March, the Putterham Library is host to “Food for Thought: the Origins of Massachusetts Food and Why it Matters”, a travelling exhibit on loan from the Commonwealth Museum. Stephen Kenney, Director of the Commonwealth Museum, will speak about this exhibit on Monday, March 26 at 2:00 p.m.
Bygone Badass Broads with Mackenzi Lee
On Monday, March 26, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., join adventurous Mackenzi Lee, author of the Stonewall Book Award Honor winner “The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue”, to discuss the too often overlooked ladies of history from her new nonfiction book, “Bygone Badass Broads: 52 Forgotten Women Who Changed the World”. We will debate who to pick for a fictional all-women pirate ship crew, if given the option of women from history and fiction. Who would be your captain, first mate, doctor, or cook? Who might mutiny? Bring your top picks.
The Children’s Book Shop will be selling books at the event, held in the Village Library’s Teen Room, and Mackenzi Lee will be signing after the discussion.
Supported by a grant from the Brookline Community Foundation and generously sponsored by the Friends and the Trustees of the Public Library of Brookline, there will be a series of free Brookline Eats! events at various locations in town through May 19. Please register for all events at brooklinelibrary.org. Upcoming library events are: Cookie Decorating, Thursday, March 29, 3:00 p.m., BV; Myers+Chang at Home, Saturday, March 31, 2:00 p.m., CC; “Food for Thought” exhibit (described above) on view at CC throughout April; Boston Homebrew Supply, Tuesday, April 4, 6:30 p.m., CC; and Snacks of the World Blind Taste Test, Wednesday, April 4, 3:00 p.m., BV.
Women’s Journeys in Writing
In honor of Women’s History Month, join us to hear the stories of four women writers on Thursday, March 22, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., Brookline Village Library. Fiction writer Grace Talusan, journalist Firuzeh Shokooh-Valle, and poets Yara Liceaga-Rojas and Sharon Amuguni will discuss their work – and the challenges and opportunities they have faced in their fields. The panelists will share selections of their writing in multiple languages. Please register for this event online.
Women’s History Month Film Series
In honor of Women’s History Month, we will screen one more women-centric movie at the Village Library on Tuesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. And we will provide the popcorn! For other films dedicated to Women’s History Month, check out Midday Movies at the Putterham Library and Movie Matinees at the Coolidge Corner Library.
Join us at Putterham Library’s Meeting Room, Wednesday, March 28, 6:30 p.m. for a fun adventure playing Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition. Dice and snacks will be provided. Use a library character or bring one from the Adventurer’s League. Registration is required.
Poets Jodie Hollander and Robert Mezey
You are invited to Jodie Hollander’s reading of her debut poetry collection, “My Dark Horses” (Liverpool University Press) at the Coolidge Corner Library, Thursday, March 29, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., alongside the acclaimed poet Robert Mezey, who will be reading new and selected poems.
Brookline Reads: “Our Mockingbird”
Join us at the Village Library, Wednesday, April 4, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., for a showing of the powerful and uplifting documentary “Our Mockingbird”. This ground-breaking film relates the experiences of students in two high schools in Birmingham, Alabama, one predominantly black and the other predominantly white, as they come together to put on a play based on the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird”. The filmmaker, Sandra Jaffe, will be on hand to introduce the film and lead a conversation afterward. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Please register online.
Brookline Reads, a month-long, town-wide celebration of books, reading, and community, is sponsored by the Trustees of the Brookline Library. All events are free and open to the public.
Suzette Abbott of Hidden Brookline will lead a walking tour of local Underground Railroad sites and other landmarks of African-American history in Brookline. The tour begins at Brookline Town Hall, 333 Washington Street, Saturday, April 7, 2:00 p.m. Rain date: Sunday, April 8, 2:00 p.m. Registration required.
Brookline Library Music Association
The Brookline Library Music Association concludes its 66th season Sunday, April 8, when the Videri String Quartet will perform works by these composers: Nakamura, Williams, Haab, Kondo, Borodin, Schyman, Santaolalla, Coker, and Wintory at the Village Library. This concert is free and everyone is welcome though seating is limited in our handicapped-accessible Hunneman Hall. Doors open at 2:00 p.m.; the concert begins at 2:30 p.m.
Brookline Reads: “The Economic Realities of Racism”
Team Brookline running marathon for Library
Five Team Brookline runners have been training all winter to be ready to run the Boston Marathon on April 16. They are raising money for the Library Foundation’s programs. Encourage their hard work by checking out their individual pages here, and make a donation to bring them closer to their fundraising goals! Cheer for them on April 16, Patriots’ Day and Marathon Day, as they make their way down Beacon Street.
Kentucky Derby Day at Coolidge Corner
March your calendar: On Saturday, May 5, the Library Foundation is hosting a fun party at the Coolidge Corner Library – just before closing for a brief renovation. We will sip mint juleps, listen to Bluegrass music and watch the 144th running of The Kentucky Derby – all while raising money to support the renovation, and also fund technology at each of our libraries. When we heard that the Coolidge Corner Library would temporarily close for repairs this summer, the Library Foundation offered to contribute additional capital to make significant upgrades for the future. So, get your Derby hats ready and join your friends and neighbors to watch the most exciting two minutes in sports! Help us set the pace early by taking two minutes now to pledge advance support by March 22 and be listed on the invitation. Click on DerbyDay@Coolidge for more information and watch for ticket sales to begin April 1.
Last week we highlighted several of the multi-volume book sets the Friends of the Brookline Public Library has for sale at the Brookline Village Book Sale. Most of those were of the literary genre but that is just a portion of our wares. We have sets regarding music, architecture, science, psychology, German, Judaica, and more. And for you historians, here’s a sampling of sets that are available: The American Nation: A History (20 volumes); and Commonwealth History of Massachusetts (six volumes), both edited by A. B. Hart; McMasters’ History of the People of the US (16 volumes); The Colonial Period of American History (CM Andrews, four volumes); and History of the United States (Channing, six volumes). Ready for a personal tour of these and more?! Send an e-mail to: friendsofbrooklinelibrary@gmail.com and we’ll make that happen!
Book discussion groups
BV: Monday, April 2, 7:00 p.m., “Swing Time” by Zadie Smith.
BV: Taste of Poetry, Thursday, April 5, noon, Common Threads will be discussed.
CC: (Mystery) Monday, April 9, 12:30 p.m., “Everything You Want Me to Be” by Mindy Mejia.
BV: Monday, April 9, 2:15 p.m., “Another Brooklyn” by Jacqueline Woodson.
BV: (Shelf Respect) Wednesday, April 11, 7:00 p.m., “The Hate U Give” by Leigh Angie Thomas.
CC: (New! Let Then Eat Baked Goods and baked goods will be shared!) Thursday, April 12, 6:30 p.m., “Dorie’s Cookies” by Dorie Greenspan.
BV: (Mystery) Tuesday, April 17, noon, “The Ice Princess” by Camilla Lackberg.
CC: (And the Award Goes to…) Wednesday, April 18, 2:00 p.m., “Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead.
CC: (Read and Meet), Thursday, April 19, 7:00 p.m., “Refrigerator Monologues” by Catherynne M. Valente.
PUTT: (Council on Aging), Monday, April 23, 2:00 p.m., “Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead.
Exhibits
In the Children’s Room at the Village Library, Izzy Park will display her Beanie Boos and Mei Davis will display her National Park Service patches until April 4.
This year, Brookline Open Studios Weekend will be held Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29. Since 1986, Open Studios has been an annual springtime event, held in locations all over Brookline. The Brookline Artists Open Studios Preview Show is on view at the Village Library in the Foundation case and Hunneman Hall through April 22. It features the work of many Brookline artists participating in Brookline Open Studios Weekend.
In the two lobby cases, “Iran 2017” by staff member Sima Hajhariri, highlights her recent trip to Iran, including visits to the historic cities of Isfahan and Shiraz. “With March 20 (the vernal equinox), just celebrated as the New Year (“Nowruz”) in Persian culture, I decided to share my experience with you.”
And, for the month of March, Gracie Gamwell, will show her Legos in the display case at the Putterham Library.
Book displays
Look for these March displays at the Coolidge Corner Library: “Women’s History Month”; “March Madness” on basketball; “Pi or “ie Day”, and “Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday” as well as displays for recently deceased Sue Grafton and Stephen Hawking. Coolidge staff member Catherine Saines is currently reading “Sing, Unburied Sing” by Jesmyn Ward: “This book follows the travels of an African-American family across Mississippi to pick-up the father after his release from jail. Ward describes the journey with beautiful language and moving characters. It’s a good complement to our upcoming Brookline Reads selection: Colson Whitehead’s Underground Railroad.”
Children’s programs late winter 2018
All programs are drop-in unless noted. Please come early to ensure a space. Special events and foreign language story times are posted on our website and on individual flyers.
Brookline Village (BV): Mother Goose on the Loose, 13- to 23-month-olds, Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., through April 11.
BV: Terrific Twos (and Threes!), ages 2-3, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m., through April 10.
BV: Storytime (2- to 3-year-olds), Thursdays, 10:30 a.m., through April 12.
BV: Storytime (3- to 5-year-olds), Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m., through April 11.
BV: Saturday Six to Eights (6- to 8-year-olds), Saturdays, 2:30 p.m., through April 7.
BV: Friday Flicks, Fridays at 10:30 a.m., 2nd floor, ongoing, for all ages.
BV: Grab Bag Craft, ages 5 and up, Thursdays, 3:00 p.m., through April 12.
CC: Come play with us, infants to 12 months, Mondays, 10:15 a.m., through April 9.
CC: Lego Club, ages 5 and up, Mondays, 3:00 p.m., through April 9.
CC: Mother Goose on the Loose for Ones and Twos, Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m., through April 10.
CC: Singalong, Dance, and Play for infants to 5-year-olds, Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m., through April 11 and Saturday, April 7 at 10:30 a.m.
CC: Playspace for ages 2-5, Wednesdays, 11:15 a.m., through April 11; and Fridays, 10 a.m., through April 13.
PUTT: Toddler Storytime, 2- to 3-year-olds, Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m., through April 10.
PUTT: Preschool Storytime, 3- to 6-year-olds, Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m., through April 10.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, “the Day of the Festival of Patrick”)!
This cultural and religious celebration is held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.
Christians also attend church services and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday’s tradition of alcohol consumption.
Make this St. Patrick’s Day very special for your friends, family and loved ones!
Rabbi Emeritus Robert M. Miller, D.D., of Dedham, formerly of Newton, on Friday, March 16, 2018.
For 54 years, he was the loving husband of the late Margaret (Kober) Miller, Esq. He is survived by his cherished children: Rina Miller & her husband Joseph Hershon of Longmeadow, Yael Miller & her husband Stuart Cole of Newton, and Dr. Philip Miller & his wife Lisa of New York City, NY. He also leaves his adoring grandchildren who will forever remember him as Grandpa Robbie: David, Ariel, Alana, Benjamin, Geoffrey, Allison and Ethan. He was adored by his dear siblings, Bernice Lashem and the late Sylvia Baratz, Lester Miller and Elion Miller. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Services at Temple Beth Avodah, 45 Puddingstone Lane, Newton, MA on Sunday, March 18th at 11:00 a.m. Interment at Sharon Memorial Park, Sharon.
Memorial observance beginning Sunday from 4pm-7pm at NewBridge on the Charles Community Center, 5000 Great Meadow Road, Dedham, MA. Observances continue Monday evening from 5-7:30pm at Temple Beth Avodah, 45 Puddingstone Lane, Newton, MA, then on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the home of Yael Miller, Thursday from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the home of Philip Miller in New York City, and Saturday night from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the home of Rina Miller in Longmeadow, MA.
Rabbi Miller was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the Chaim Berlin Day School and graduated with degree in History and Philosophy from Brooklyn College in 1953. He was then ordained at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion which later awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Divinity after 25 years of service. As a young chaplain, he served in the Armed Forces for several years before becoming the spiritual leader of congregations in Cincinnati, OH, West Nyack, NY, Hazleton, PA, and Brooklyn, NY. He found his home at Temple Beth Avodah in Newton, MA where he was the Rabbi for over 25 years. Among his many accomplishments, he prided himself on founding yearly congregational trips to Israel, leading Confirmation Class trips to historic Jewish New York City sites, and organizing the first HIV/AIDS seder. Along with his devotion to his congregants and Temple, he served as President of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis and the Chaplain to the Massachusetts Correctional Facility. Tzedakah (charitable giving and work) was a guiding principle in his life, a lesson he instilled in his children and grandchildren. He was a consistent and proud supporter of Israel, CJP and countless other Jewish organizations. He was instrumental in the founding of the JCC of Greater Boston and the Rashi School, two pillars of the Greater Boston Jewish community to this day. Over the course of his tenure as Rabbi, he received numerous awards and commendations from local and national Jewish organizations for service to their communities.
Even in retirement, he continued to bring joy, peace and healing to his NewBridge on the Charles community by regularly visiting the ill and organizing dinner tables for engaging conversation on the latest political, social, spiritual and religious issues.
He taught all who knew him the principles of persistence, patience, perseverance, adaptation and adjustment. He will be remembered for his passion for knowledge, debate, arts, family and life, lived with love.
Remembrances may be made to the Rabbi & Margaret Miller Scholarship Fund, c/o Temple Beth Avodah or CJP, 126 High Street, Boston, MA 02110.
Levine Chapels
Brookline, MA 02446
Tel.: 617-277-8300
On the eve of Tuesday’s blizzard, Tracey Rannals Bryan and her 11-year-old son Jack got stranded at Trader Joe’s in Brookline.
They had taken an Uber to the store Monday night and bought some refreshments (a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for her; animal crackers for Jack) but when Rannals Bryan tried to request a ride home, her Uber app was not working.
Rannals Bryan, an attorney from New Orleans, asked a police officer who was directing traffic where they could hail a taxi. The officer asked where they were headed. Bryan told him they were staying at the Yawkey Family Inn, which houses patients at Boston Children’s Hospital. Jack was scheduled to have heart surgery the next day.
“I expected him to tell me to go over there to get a cab,” she said.
But what happened next surprised her, and made Jack’s day.
Instead of sending them to a cab stand, Rannals Bryan said the officer radioed for a police cruiser to pick them up.
“While we were waiting,” she said, “I started to tear up because it was so nice of him to do this for us.”
Minutes later, the police car arrived and whisked mother and son back to the inn, with the siren on and blue lights flashing.
Jack was all smiles.
“The next day we went off to surgery,” she said.
When they got out of the hospital, Rannals Bryan was surprised to find a care package waiting for her son at the inn. It was full of police swag: a Brookline Police Department shirt, hat, patch, water bottle, toys. An officer had also called and left a message to see how Jack was doing.
They also received an invitation: would Jack like to have a tour of the police station?
She said Jack was not able to walk yet, and was using a wheelchair to get around.
No problem, police said: “We’ll bring two cars.”
The officer who met them in Coolidge Corner that Monday evening — Detective David Wagner — and the one who gave them the ride — Officer Kevin Fallon — showed up at the inn in their police cruisers.
Jack’s wheelchair would not fit into the cruiser, so Wagner took it apart and put it in the trunk. After they arrived at the police station, they put Jack’s wheelchair back together again and went inside, where Jack was treated to a VIP tour of the Brookline Police Department’s headquarters. He got to see the dispatch room, booking area, holding cells, and evidence room.
The ride back to the inn was even more special, because they were escorted by an additional police cruiser. They felt like they were in a parade.
And when police learned that Jack had been dying to play in the snow for days, but had not been able to — he was not well enough to get out of his wheelchair — the officers gave him a hand, and made him some snowballs to throw outside of the inn.
Lieutenant Philip Harrington, the spokesman for the Brookline Police Department, said Fallon and Wagner were pleased to have met Jack and happy that he was up for touring the station.
“As an organization we wish Jack and his family the best as he continues with his health battles,” Harrington said. “Officer Wagner was asked to comment, and modestly stated ‘it’s what police officers should be doing, and many are doing just that. People don’t normally get to see this side of police work.’ ”
Rannals Bryan said Jack’s surgery was a success and he is recovering well, and soon they will be back home in New Orleans. She still cannot get over how the Brookline police “went above and beyond” to make Jack smile during such a difficult time.
“They made my very sick kid really happy,” she said. “It made the whole trip for him.”
On St. Patrick’s Day everyone’s a little Irish. If your plans do not include hopping the T to Southie to watch the parade, here are some pubs that might fulfill your inner Irish near by and not just for the imbibing but there is some serious Irish food happening at these spots:
1. O’Leary’s at 1010 Beacon Street
Hours: Saturday: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Specials: Corn beef & cabbage
2. Grainne O’Malley’s Tavern at 201 Harvard Street
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Specials: Corn beef & cabbage and classics like that, according to the man with the Irish accent who picked up the phone. “And a high probability of a special menu.”
3. The Abbey at 1657 Beacon Street (Washington Square)
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m., the kitchen closes at 1:30 a.m.
They are currently working on a special menu;
4. Matt Murphy’s Pub at 14 Harvard Street (Brookline Village)
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Specials: Look for the Corn beef dinner for $20. Matt Murphy’s is also known to carry a selection of whiskeys including McCallan, Glennfiddich, Jameson and Glenmorangie.
And if you are headed to Southie for the parade, here is where to find all the info on the South Boston Parade.
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) Director Charles H. Peck sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.43, for a total value of $164,300.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (BRKL) traded up $0.10 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $16.90. The stock had a trading volume of 318,449 shares, compared to its average volume of 352,068. Brookline Bancorp, Inc. has a 52 week low of $13.60 and a 52 week high of $17.05. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. The company has a market capitalization of $1,298.38, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.71 and a beta of 0.91.
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The bank reported $0.21 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.20 by $0.01. Brookline Bancorp, Inc. had a return on equity of 7.58% and a net margin of 17.11%. The company had revenue of $63.47 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $61.22 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.19 earnings per share. research analysts expect that Brookline Bancorp, Inc. will post 1.05 EPS for the current year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th were issued a $0.09 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.13%. Brookline Bancorp, Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 52.94%.
BRKL has been the topic of several recent research reports. BidaskClub lowered Brookline Bancorp, Inc. from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 7th. Piper Jaffray Companies reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $16.50 price target on shares of Brookline Bancorp, Inc. in a report on Tuesday, January 9th.
Finally, ValuEngine upgraded Brookline Bancorp, Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 7th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $16.33.
Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Ellington Management Group, LLC bought a new stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. during the fourth quarter worth $185,000. Sei Investments Co. bought a new stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. during the third quarter worth $197,000. Xact Kapitalforvaltning AB bought a new stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. during the fourth quarter worth $232,000. New England Research & Management Inc. bought a new stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. during the fourth quarter worth $254,000. Finally, Crossmark Global Holdings, Inc. bought a new stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. during the third quarter worth $252,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.56% of the company’s stock.
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. Company Profile
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. operates as a multi-bank holding company for Brookline Bank and its subsidiaries; Bank Rhode Island (BankRI) and its subsidiaries; First Ipswich Bank (First Ipswich) and its subsidiaries, and Brookline Securities Corp. As a commercially focused financial institution with 50 full-service banking offices throughout greater Boston, the north shore of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the Company, through Brookline Bank, BankRI and First Ipswich (individually and collectively the Banks), offered a range of commercial, business and retail banking services, including cash management products, online banking services, consumer and residential loans and investment services throughout central New England, as of December 31, 2016.
News headlines about Brookline Bancorp (NASDAQ:BRKL) have been trending positive on Wednesday, Accern Sentiment reports. The research group rates the sentiment of press coverage by reviewing more than 20 million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Brookline Bancorp earned a daily sentiment score of 0.29 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave news coverage about the bank an impact score of 46.3985479397164 out of 100, meaning that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the stock’s share price in the next few days.
A number of research firms recently weighed in on BRKL. ValuEngine raised Brookline Bancorp from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 7th. Piper Jaffray Companies reissued a “hold” rating and set a $16.50 target price on shares of Brookline Bancorp in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, BidaskClub downgraded Brookline Bancorp from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $16.33.
Brookline Bancorp (NASDAQ BRKL) traded down $0.10 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $16.80. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 232,694 shares, compared to its average volume of 352,742. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $1,306.06, a P/E ratio of 25.00 and a beta of 0.91. Brookline Bancorp has a 12 month low of $13.60 and a 12 month high of $17.05.
Brookline Bancorp (NASDAQ:BRKL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The bank reported $0.21 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.20 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $63.47 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $61.22 million. Brookline Bancorp had a return on equity of 7.58% and a net margin of 17.11%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.19 earnings per share. equities analysts expect that Brookline Bancorp will post 1.05 EPS for the current year.
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 16th were issued a dividend of $0.09 per share. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.14%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 15th. Brookline Bancorp’s payout ratio is 52.94%.
In other news, Director John A. Hackett sold 5,000 shares of Brookline Bancorp stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.25, for a total value of $81,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 31,500 shares in the company, valued at $511,875. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Darryl J. Fess sold 20,000 shares of Brookline Bancorp stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.49, for a total transaction of $329,800.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 47,500 shares of company stock worth $784,850 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 2.85% of the company’s stock.
About Brookline Bank
Brookline Bank is a subsidiary of Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKL), and is headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts. A full-service financial institution, Brookline Bank provides individuals and businesses with deposit and lending services, residential mortgages and home equity lending, commercial and CRE banking, cash management, merchant services, and access to investment services. Brookline Bank operates 25 offices in Greater Boston. For more information go to brooklinebank.com. Brookline Bank is an Equal Opportunity and Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC / Member DIF.
Investment and insurance products and services are offered through INFINEX INVESTMENTS, INC. Member FINRA/SIPC. Brookline Investment Services is a trade name of the bank. Infinex and the bank are not affiliated. Products and services made available through Infinex are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency of the United States and are not deposits or obligations of nor guaranteed or insured by any bank or bank affiliate. These products are subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.
The planned early education building that will be built privately and used by the school department for the Brookline Early Education Program passed an important milestone by getting approval by the Zoning Board on March 12.
Developed by Early Education, LLC, the building will be located on Harvard Street and leased to the Public Schools of Brookline for 20 years.
Many thanks to BEEP Principal Vicki Milstein, all the BEEP staff who came out to support the project during numerous evening meetings, and Helen Charlupski for her leadership throughout the process.
Currently the building is planned to be completed during the 2019-2020 school year.
Amount the investor has to invest for the EB-5 program.
The investor is required to invest a minimum of $1 million; however, if the investment is located in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) or qualified rural area, then the EB-5 applicant may invest a reduced amount of $500,000. Most CMB Regional Center investments are claimed to be located in TEA’s and qualifies for the lower threshold investment. However, some are not located in a TEA and require the full $1,000,000 investment. EB-5 defines a high unemployment area as 150% of the national average unemployment level. A simple state’s letter that the area is a qualified high unemployment area is not sufficient it must be backed by verifiable statistical data the area qualifies.
The job creation requirement for every investor is ten new American jobs.
Each foreign national EB-5 Investor must create at least ten new full-time American jobs. If the investment is not located in an approved Regional Center the jobs must be directly within the specific entity that receives the EB-5 investment. If the investor uses a Regional Center to make the investment, the job creation requirement of ten jobs still exists; however, the investor may utilize both direct and indirect job creation to fulfill the USCIS job creation requirement. Additionally, the Regional Center may use reasonable economic methodologies to prove the indirect job creation.
The investor’s funds for the investment must be from a lawful source.
The investor must demonstrate that the capital is in fact from a legal source. For example, the funds cannot be derived from a criminal enterprise. An investor may receive a gift of funds; however, the USCIS will require information and will track the source of the funds from the person who granted the gift. Loans are also credible source of funds, but the investment in the enterprise cannot be used as collateral or be pledged in any way, and the loan must be a “real” commercially viable loan.
The investment must be at risk.
The EB-5 applicant’s capital investment must be truly at risk. Guarantees of return of any capital to an investor are strictly prohibited. This would include buying interest in houses or condominiums as this constitutes a redemption agreement. Any guarantee of the return of EB-5 capital investment will negate the “at risk” requirement of the EB-5 law and the investor’s petition will be denied. Further, there can be no redemption agreements or reserve accounts. The enterprise must meet the requirements as a new commercial enterprise.
A new business is defined as one that was formed after November 29, 1990; and it must be a for-profit enterprise formed for the ongoing conduct of any lawful business. Under certain circumstances the law allows for expanding an existing business. As well as saving American jobs by investing in a narrowly defined “troubled” business.
The law states the foreign national investor must participate in management of the new commercial enterprise.
The applicant must have some involvement in the management of the new commercial enterprise. This is the reason most Regional Centers investments are formed through limited partnerships; the act of being a participant in a limited partnership (L.P.) satisfies the USCIS requirement of having a role in management of the partnership. Nearly all L.P.‘s require the limited partner to vote on certain key issues.
Must the investor qualify as an accredited investor?
To be compliant with certain government agencies investors should be sophisticated enough to understand the complex issues involved with this type of investment. Therefore a good test for an accredited investor is investors meet the requirements for defining an accredited investor. As an example “accredited” investor, as that term is defined by Regulation D of the Securities Act, which means any investor meeting at least one of the following conditions:
There are other requirements for the EB-5 investor program that deal with the filing and what must be presented to the USCIS. Every immigrant investor should hire an experienced EB-5 immigration attorney who will work with the Regional Center to insure EB-5 regulations and law are followed in the submission of the investor’s EB-5 applications:
A note of caution for investors: If the Regional Center provides the immigration attorney as part of their syndication fee be aware that a formidable conflict of interest exists between the Regional Center and you the investor/petitioner. CMB requires its EB-5 investor to have their own attorney which provides them with their own advocate.
When prompted, Ruthann Dodek can easily pivot the spotlight on why she has advocated and worked for seniors for the last 35 years.
It is all in thanks to her grandmother.
“She was a role model for positive aging,” she said in a recent interview with the media. “One of my first jobs in college was at a nursing home during the summer. I had never set foot in one before and because my grandmother was healthy and living independently, once I was there, I saw all kinds of things I didn’t like or felt shouldn’t happen.”
That following semester, Dobek enrolled in an undergraduate class at UMass Medical in gerontology. “From there, it was very inspiring.”
A wide array of roles
Dobek today is the executive director of the Brookline Senior Center, buttressed by the Brookline Council on Aging, and operating since 2001. Having held four jobs within the Council since 1983, when she was a Boston University postgrad with a master’s degree, she began as a clinical social worker. Years later, she was also the project liaison throughout development of the Senior Center, overseeing coordination and fundraising.
In 1987, Dobek completed writing her first grant for “H.E.L.P.”, the Home and Escort Linkage Program, with hopes of providing seniors with housekeeping assistance and transportation to appointments.
″[It’s] still running strong” she said.
It currently serves 400 residents and is upheld as a model across the commonwealth, she said.
She is tireless. Yet the end goal is unvarying.
“We always say, ‘What we do matters’,” said Dobek. “We see our impact every day.”
A vision of caring
Opened weekdays during the work hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Brookline Senior Center offers a plethora of activities that reinvigorate local seniors. Dobek proudly confirmed that one retired pediatrician, over 100 years old, faithfully attends the memoir writing course. Another centenarian never misses his personal trio of chorus, lunch, and poetry class, she said. Exercises classes are the most popular.
A feature of the Senior Center that is especially heart-rending for Dobek is that a meaningful number of its 365 volunteers are Brookline seniors themselves. As elders helping elders, their presence amplifies the space’s purpose, and Dobek’s vision–that the silver-haired and potentially less able-bodied are not neglected and, conversely, are very much cared about.
“To feel valued and a sense of belonging and community…that’s what we strive to give,” she said. “One of the biggest problems in our society today, like with public health, is loneliness. The seniors don’t want to be isolated or takers. They want to be contributors. Once they’re here, we cry together, we laugh together. It’s almost like a mini-school happening.”
To the editor:
I recently read a column (An open letter on “the two Brooklines”) submitted to the Brookline Tab regarding the renaming of the Edward Devotion School. Recognizing the author’s argument, I would like to provide a few critiques of their claim.
First, although I agree that it is strongly immoral to ”[hold] an avowed slaveholder up as a beacon of virtue to young people,” I also believe that there may be serious repercussions to renaming the Devotion school. As the writer pointed out, this is also part of a larger national debate about the backlash against institutions named after slave owners and confederate leaders. My argument is more about the national debate, but could also apply to Brookline.
An example I often use is that of George Washington, who, in addition to being the first president, was also a slaveholder. Not only does he have multiple educational institutions named after himself (George Washington University, George Washington High School, the list goes on), he is also perhaps one of the most acknowledged figures in U.S. history, ever. Following the writer’s logic, given that he owned slaves, we should have his name removed from every single school named in his honor. Please let it be noted that I am not arguing the morality of Washington’s slave ownership, merely how absurd it would be to systematically delete the names of slaveholders from institutions nationwide.
In conclusion, it would be impractical to remove all traces of Edward Devotion’s legacy on Brookline, or the legacy of all slaveholders on our nation’s institutions, and therefore it would be far more wise to keep the current name, and use it as a launching point for a discussion on our nation’s complex, and oftentimes shameful history.
Coby Mulliken, age 12
The Town of Brookline mourns the loss of its first Town Administrator, Richard Leary. Dick Leary passed away on March 11 after a life of public service and dedication to Brookline, the town he loved.
Richard T. “Dick” Leary died peacefully at home on March 11, 2018, at the age of 85, with his family at his side. Beloved husband of Loys “Lindy” Lindgren, who predeceased him. Lindy was the love of his life with whom he shared 61 loving years of marriage. Devoted father to Susan Leary of Chestnut Hill, Linda Leary of Chestnut Hill, and Elise and Alan Lapham of Reading. He was predeceased by his son, Richard T. Leary, Jr. Proud and loving grandfather to Ian and Amanda Lapham. Dick was predeceased by his brother John F. Leary, Jr. and sister Catherine I. Belair.
He is survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Dick was born in Medford, Massachusetts.
He attended Malden Catholic High School and played on the 1948 Malden Catholic State Championship hockey team. He attended Vermont Academy where he continued his hockey career. Dick also played hockey under the legendary Dartmouth College coach Edward “Jerry” Jeremiah and graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in Government. He then received a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Boston University.
Dick served as Medford Assistant City Manager under City Manager James Shurtleff and then moved to Brookline in 1960 as Executive Secretary working with Arthur O’Shea. In 1985, Dick was appointed as Brookline’s first ever Town Administrator, a position he held until 1994, culminating a 40 year career in public service. He also help found the Town Administrator form of government in Swampscott after his Brookline years of service. Dick was a Master Lecturer at Boston University’s Metropolitan College for 20 years, mentoring new generations of public servants.
Dick was past President of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, past Director and Board Member of the Brookline Chamber of Commerce, past President of the Brookline Rotary Club, and served on many town boards and committees. He completed his career as General Manager of the Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline.
First and foremost, Dick was devoted to his Family. He was the family patriarch, hosting extended family yearly reunions for 40 years and teaching all of us the true meaning of Family Spirit. Whether as family leader or public servant, Dick’s was a life of service. His love for Lindy was deep and true – they were soulmates and partners in every sense of the word. They taught us all what Love and Marriage are all about.
Dick will be remembered by family, friends, and colleagues as a gentleman, a family man, a courageous man – who never gave up and who always did the right thing. There will never be another like him.
Visiting hours will be held in the Bell-O’Dea Funeral Home, 376 Washington Street, Brookline on Friday March 16, 2018 from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 17, 2018 in St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Brookline at 10:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Interment Holyhood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donation in memory of Dick made to the Richard T. Leary Scholarship Fund at Brookline High School, 115 Greenough Street, Brookline, MA. 02445.
The snow day did not stop dozens of students across the town from walking out in an effort to show where they stood on gun violence, and to stand in solidarity with the students and families at the Parkland Florida school where 17 people were shot dead one month ago.
More than 100 Pierce School students were joined by adult allies for the National School Walkout this morning, according to the parent of a student organizer.
Students showed up holding signs, some with their parents others with friends outside the Pierce School near the corner of Harvard and Cypress. Students also marched at the Runkle School.
High school students planned their walkout for today, but because of the snow day will hold it Thursday, organizers told Patch.
Still, some were planning to head to the State House for a March For Our Lives rally this afternoon.
1. Celebrate International Women’s Day at the Brookline Village library branch on March. 15. Participants are invited to bring their daughters and sons to the event which will be complete with activities, snacks and conversation. The event will run from 5 to 6:00 p.m.
2. Enjoy a night of fiction, nonfiction and poetry at the Brookline Booksmith on March 16. The latest event in the Breakwater Reading Series, the evening will feature MFA candidates from Boston University, Emerson College and UMass Boston. The event is free and open for all. It will start at 7:00 p.m.
3. Learn all about design and paper cutting at The Makery on March 18. Paper cutting master Rebecca Loechler will lead the workshop on cutting techniques. The workshop will run from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Those interested can sign up on The Makery’s website.
4. Challenge Brookline librarians to a game of trivia at Best Burger Bar on March 20. Participants can enjoy a fun-filled night of food, drinks and trivia at the Brookline Village restaurant. The event will start at 6:30 p.m.
5. Watch 1957 film “Desk Set” at the Brookline Village library on March 20. The screening will be the first in the library’s month-long film series honoring Women’s History Month. The screening will start at 6:30 p.m.
Notice of a Brookline Preservation Commission Sub-Committee Meeting to discuss the proposed exterior work at 100 Walnut Place on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 8:15 a.m. in Room 310, 3rd Floor, Town Hall, 333 Washington Street, Brookline, MA 02445.
This is a public meeting and the public is invited to attend.
Tel.: +1-617-730-2089
E–mail: tloveday@brooklinema.gov
As the newly renovated Edward Devotion School nears its reopening, one element of the school is prompting a second look – the name of the school itself.
The school is named for Edward Devotion, a prominent Brookline figure who used to own the land where the school sits and who donated funds to Brookline to be used for educational purposes, according to School Committee member Helen Charlupski. He was also a slave owner.
“Once you learn something awful about the person, then you have to deal with it. There’s a reckoning that takes place,” said Brookline resident Deborah Brown.
Brown, along with Devotion parent Anne Greenwald, has filed a warrant article for May Town Meeting, seeking to change the name of Devotion School.
For Brown, the name is a contradiction of Brookline’s values of inclusivity and she questions the message to children that a school in Brookline could be named for a slaveholder.
In response to the move to rename Devotion School, some have argued in favor of keeping the name on the grounds that Devotion has always been the school’s name and that it has a legacy of proud alumni.
Pushing back, Brown pointed out that it is the school itself, not the name, that has made the school what it is.
“It’s the people, it’s the experience, it’s all those things that a name change cannot take away,” said Brown.
How renaming process works
Rather than leave the naming of schools to the School Committee – which, along with the Library Trustees is responsible for naming rooms and associated spaces – it is Town Meeting that is responsible for naming buildings.
In 2005, Town Meeting passed a by-law establishing the Naming Committee which would be responsible for reviewing and recommending names for public facilities like buildings and parks.
“Town Meeting is the body that names buildings but in order for them to name the building it has to come from the naming committee,” said School Committee Chair David Pollak.
Though Town Meeting makes the final decision, the School Committee does have input. When reviewing names for a school, the School Committee will advise the Naming Committee, according to Pollak.
Brown and Greenwald’s petition also includes a suggestion for alternate name – Roland B. Hayes. Hayes, a Brookline resident, had a tremendous impact on music.
He was among the first to bring spirituals to classical music and he kept company with the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Langston Hughes, Eleanor Roosevelt and Pearl Buck. In 1923, after performing for England’s King George V and Queen Mary, Hayes returned to the U.S. and became the first African-American to be featured with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as the media reported in 2016.
While Hayes stands out as an option, most important for Brown is for Town Meeting to decide to rename Devotion.
Though the article proposes a name, Charlupski who is also a member of the Naming Committee, hopes Town Meeting will vote to follow the by-law and send the article to the Naming Committee.
Criteria for renaming
The by-law includes four general criteria to be considered when looking at a name which includes a person or arganization who/which has set an example of outstanding citizenship and a significant donation or bequest, establishment of a trust, or other similar action according to the town website.
“Using the town’s standards I don’t think he would have made the cut,” she said.
According to Charlupski, the naming or renaming process is essential and it needs to be deliberate, though she understands Brown and Greenwald’s desire “to do something quickly”. As part of the process, the first question that needs to be asked is if the school should be renamed, and then determine which name to select, Charlupski said.
Should Town Meeting follow the by-law, the process to evaluate the name and identify a new one would take longer, than passing the petition to immediately change the name to Roland Hayes. However, Brown agreed that an inclusive and transparent process is important.
“As much as it adds time, yes,” Brown said. “That’s the only way people will have the opportunity to be heard.”
Other schools to be examined
In addition to looking at Devotion School, the School Committee is also planning to review all the other schools as well and determine if any of them should be renamed.
In looking to Town Meeting, Brown feels the petition will be a measure of how committed the town is to the resolution it passed last May to implement the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, GARE.
“They made a real statement about who we want to be and I think the renaming of the Edward Devotion school is one of the first opportunities to see where their commitment lies, how strong and steady is that commitment,” said Brown.
School naming criteria
Tuesday, March 6
Graffiti on Marion Street: At 3:41 p.m. a caller reported graffiti on a Marion Street building.
Difficult customer at Dunkin Donuts: At 4:09 p.m. a Dunkin Donuts employee reported that a customer was refusing to leave the Commonwealth Avenue store. According to the police report, the customer was not being violent or aggressive.
Break and enter on Crafts Road: At 8:35 p.m. a caller reported hearing footsteps and banging noises in her Crafts Road house as if someone was walking.
Suspicious males on Warren Street: At 8:41 p.m. a caller reported two males parked in a sedan in a private driveway. According to the police report, the caller felt this was suspicious because people do not normally park there.
Loud teenagers on Kenwood Street: At 9:49 p.m. a caller reported multiple teenagers were being loud and had been in the middle of Kenwood Street for 15 to 20 minutes.
Bait and switch on Beacon Street: At 10:12 p.m. a caller reported that a man on Beacon Street had asked for a cigarette and then stole the caller’s phone out of his hand and ran away.
Wednesday, March 7
Suspicious package on Beacon Street: At 12:35 p.m. a caller reported an unattended red duffle bag at the Hawes Street T stop.
Solicitors on Summit Avenue: at 4:52 p.m. several residents reported several men with clipboards were roaming around a Summit Avenue building stating they were from the power company.
Thursday, March 8
Break and enter on Centre Street: At 9:49 p.m. a caller reported that he believed his Centre Street home was being broken into.
Friday, March 9
Suspicious vehicle: At 4:59 p.m. a caller reported that he believed he was being followed from Brighton Center by a red Toyota sedan.
Intoxicated teenagers at Anna’s Taqueria: At 9:08 p.m. a caller reported two intoxicated teenagers at the Anna’s Taqueria on Beacon Street.
Loud group on Monmouth Street: At 2:22 a.m. a caller reported a large group being loud in the St. Mary’s Street park.
Pants-less man on Prince Street: At 6:06 p.m. a caller reported a man who took off his pants and ran across the street into a house.
Sunday, March 11
Break and enter on Kent Street: At 12:06 a.m. a caller reported someone trying to break into a side door on Kent Street.
Uber dispute on Aspinwall Avenue: At 1:38 a.m. a caller reported that she left her cell phone in an Uber and the Uber driver wants $20 to $50 to bring it back.
Monday, March 12
Suspicious man on Devon Road: At 2:01 a.m. a caller reported that she saw a man, possibly wearing a firefighter-type helmet, open the rear yard gate.
Brookline High School students have organized a walkout scheduled for Wednesday in response to the Parkland school shooting and to the national cry for stricter firearm regulations.
At 10:00 a.m. Brookline students who want to participate will walk out of school, said organizer Lena Harris.
High school students throughout the Greater Boston area are planning walkouts and heading up letter-writing campaigns in the hopes that it will lead to policy changes that prevent future school shootings. As March 14 approaches some school administrations are prepping to supervise student-led walkouts outside the safety of the school building and some are setting up alternative school assemblies in an effort to keep students safe but let them excercize their right to protest. Across the country school districts are also working out whether they should punish students for leaving class.
Brookline organizers said that if there is no school Wednesday with the snow, they will hold the walkout Thursday, March 15 at 10:00 a.m.
The Brookline Superintendent and Educational office did not return Patch requests for comment about this.
The governor and state officials have been saying if you don’t have to, don’t drive today as the roads are slick. And that is true in Brookline this morning, too.
There is a blizzard warning. The National Weather Service issued one for Eastern Massachusetts today as more than 230 homes and businesses in Brookline are without power.
The snow is wet and starting to come down even more now. A driver on the road at 7:15 a.m. had to turn into a couple skids. Drive slowly. The T is running reduced schedules. Logan flights are cancelled. Most schools are cancelled, including Brookline.
It is a good day for a winter staycation.
Pine Manor College, a small liberal arts college in Brookline that serves a significant number of low-income students, was removed from academic probation last week by the regional accrediting agency, the college and agency said Monday.
The college, under new president Tom O’Reilly, worked over the past year to improve the school’s academic programs and finances to show accreditors that is on a path to stability.
“We are succeeding on all fronts,” O’Reilly said Monday.
Meanwhile, some officials in Brookline have proposed a plan to seize part of the school’s campus by eminent domain in order to build an elementary school. Town officials have cited the school’s probationary status as an argument for taking the land.
Town officials are in the midst of conducting a study of possible locations for a ninth elementary school. Pine Manor remains an option.
Accreditation is important for a college because without it a school becomes ineligible to receive federal financial aid, which means students who attend cannot access student loans or grants.
A college can be placed on probation for failing to meet any one of the accrediting agency’s 11 standards. Pine Manor was on probation for not meeting five benchmarks: mission and purposes, planning and evaluation, organization and governance, students, and financial resources, according to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
In a press release Monday, O’Reilly said the school has improved its graduation rate, boosted its enrollment, and generated operating surpluses. The sports teams won championships in basketball and soccer and alumni fund-raising has increased, he said.
The student body at Pine Manor is 85 percent students of color and also has high numbers of low-income and first-generation students, he said.
“We are serving an incredibly important group of young people and we are succeeding,’’ O’Reilly said.
Although its accreditation has been restored, the college will be monitored over the next year, according to Barbara Brittingham, the president of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education at NEASC, which accredits schools in this region.
Pine Manor had also been placed on probation in 2011 and came off probation two years later.
Relive the Exodus, discover the eternal meaning of the Haggadah, and enjoy a community seder complete with hand-baked shmurah matzah, wine, and a wonderful dinner spiced with unique traditional customs. Experience the liberation and freedom of Passover. Discover the seder’s relevance today.
When & Where:
First Seder Night: Friday, March 30, 2018, 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m at Young Israel of Brookline, 62 Green Street, Brookline, MA 02446.
Second Seder Night: Saturday, March 31, 2018, 8:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. at Chabad Center of Brookline, 496 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446.
Organized by:
Price:
$45.00 per adult
$25.00 per student/senior citizen
$20.00 per child
No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
To RSVP:
Please call 617-739-1999 or visit ChabadBrookline.com/Seder.
Locations’ street views:
and
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for eastern Massachusetts from 11:00 p.m. Monday until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday.
The third major northeaster in 12 days will bring 16 to 22 inches of snow to Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties, with near blizzard conditions. Snow is expected to fal at up to 3 inches an hour.
The morning and afternoon commutes on Tuesday are likely to be difficult. The snow is not expected to be as wet and heavy as it was in the last two storms this month, but the wind will be 40 mph, gusting to 65 Tuesday morning, strong enough to take down trees and power lines.
No significant coastal flooding is expected.
The 2017-2018 Faculty Artist Series concludes on Saturday, April 7, 2018, with Music of Latin America for Violin & Piano.
Duo Ibáñez, comprised of Luis A. Ibáñez, BMS violin faculty member, and pianist Jorge Ibáñez will present works by Latin American composers including Villa-Lobos, Cortinas, D’Rivera, Piazzola, and more.
The concert will begin at 3:00 p.m. and take place in the Bakalar Recital Hall at Brookline Music School (25 Kennard Road, Brookline, MA). The concert is free, with a suggested donation of $10. The performance will be followed by a Meet-the-Artists Reception.
Saturday, April 7, 2018
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Bakalar Recital Hall
Brookline Music School
25 Kennard Road, Brookline, MA 02445
Suggested donation: $10.
Beyond entertainment, movies are powerful – they can transport, unify and enlighten. It is this power that the Coolidge Corner Theatre’s new series “Wide Lens” will tap into.
Through the use of movie screenings and panel discussions, “Wide Lens” will dive into topics related to race, immigration and the women’s movement. Rather than give a recap of current events, the series aims to widen the field of vision and ask the question “what more can be learned?”
“This film series is made for Brookline, it’s made for Boston,” said Raul Fernandez, the spark behind the idea for “Wide Lens”. “This is for those of us who think we got it, but there’s so much for us to learn.”
Wide Lens will kick off on March 21 with a screening of “Get Out” followed by a panelist discussion on race and micro-aggressions, which Fernandez, a Brookline resident and Town Meeting member, will moderate.
What has become a robust series started out with a simple email that Fernandez sent to the theater’s Executive Director Katherine Tallman. A lecturer at Boston University’s School of Education, Fernandez was unsure what, if anything, would come of his idea.
“I think it means so much that the theater is willing to collaborate with a single human person,” said Fernandez.
Though the Coolidge has plenty on offer in the way of programs, Fernandez’s idea jumped off the screen. According to Tallman, it aligned with the theatre’s mission to educate, inform and engage, and it offered a much-needed opportunity to bring people together for conversation and growth – something the theatre constantly strives to do as a community center.
When Fernandez met with Tallman and the Coolidge team, the first thing they all agreed on was starting with “Get Out” according to Tallman. The rest just seemed to flow.
The group has planned out the first three events in the series. On April 25 the series will continue with “The Visitor” and a discussion on undocumented immigration. Following on May 23, will be a screening of “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” and a conversation about the impact of the women’s movement.
“We can learn from others, we can have our perspectives broadened from others,” said Tallman. “It just makes you look at yourself, how do I perceive the world?”
The act of watching a film and engaging with it alongside a group – those moments when audience members react to the film individually and collectively – is a great segue to the conversations that Wide Lens will cultivate, according to Tallman.
“This sharing that goes so far beyond what we are as individuals,” said Tallman. “I think it opens everyone’s mind.”
For Fernandez, who studies the impact of school segregation on the racial dialogue gap and teaches a course on diversity and justice in education, this shared space and shared experience is essential.
“If we do it right, which I know we will, this series is going to be about bringing people together,” said Fernandez.
Eager for the launch of “Wide Lens”, Fernandez and Tallman expect the series will grow and expand as participants share their ideas for where to take the program.
“There are so many stories that we just haven’t heard yet,” said Fernandez.
The Massachusetts Division of Banks released its decisions, applications and CRA grades for the month of February.
Decisions
Applications / Notices Pending
CRA Grades
This picturesque, meticulously maintained five bedroom Queen Ann Victorian-era residence was built around 1898 in Coolidge Corner has character and charm and is graced with grand-scale rooms, splendid architectural detail, and intimate as well as formal living areas. Check out what the realtor has to say about it:
This listing originally appeared click here.
Boston’s public bike-share service, Hubway, announced a new partnership Wednesday with Blue Cross Blue Shield, a health insurance company, that will expand and rebrand their bike-share service to a new name, Blue Bikes.
The Blue Bikes expansion plan is the result of a six-year partnership between Hubway and the Massachusetts branch of BCBS which aims to broaden public access to rental bikes in the city.
Amy McHugh, director of media relations for BCBS Massachusetts, said her organization will be contributing nearly $20 million to enhance Hubway’s bike-share service and promote exercise and healthy living in the Commonwealth.
“As a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit healthcare company headquartered in Boston, we’re committed to helping build healthy communities,” McHugh said in a phone interview. “Through this program, we hope to serve as a catalyst to empower our fellow citizens to live healthy, active lives.”
By the end of 2019, an estimated 3,000 “Blue Bikes” will be available in Boston. The existing Hubway infrastructure will gradually be rebranded under the Blue Bikes label over the coming year, according to a press release from the bike-share operator Motivate International Inc.
McHugh said BCBS will reveal more details regarding its Hubway expansion plans in the next few weeks.
“The transition to Blue Bikes will include new bikes, updates to the mobile app and valet services at the busiest transit locations,” McHugh said. “We’ll be adding an additional 1,200 bikes.”
McHugh said she hopes the Blue Bikes service will encourage Boston residents to choose biking over other methods of transportation that have a larger carbon footprint. By expanding bike-share services to different communities in Boston, she said Hubway and BCBS aim to make the city more accessible to its residents.
“Bike-share programs are an affordable, environmentally friendly transportation option that encourages people to incorporate exercise into their day-to-day lives,” McHugh said. “By adding over 100 new stations and supporting a robust discount fund, we hope to engage riders in communities that previously did not have the opportunity or access to participate in bike sharing.”
Dave Anderson, 51, of the South End, said he thinks the Blue Bikes expansion will allow for easier access to less-traveled areas of the city.
“I’m an active guy and use my own bike regularly, but I think all residents should be able to have access to bikes as a way to get around and stay fit,” Anderson said. “The T certainly doesn’t go everywhere you need to get in the city and more rental bikes and stations means more access to different parts of Boston.”
Blue Bikes, like Hubway, will serve as a public transportation service under the management of the local government in Boston and other participating cities, including Cambridge, Brookline and Somerville. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh announced his support for the Blue Bikes program and his enthusiasm regarding Hubway’s partnership with BCBS.
“The Hubway bike share program began in the city of Boston in 2011 and quickly became integral to our transportation system,” Walsh said in the release. “… I am delighted to welcome Blue Cross Blue Shield as a partner as we further develop our bike share program and I’d like to thank them for helping us to make this resource available to additional Boston residents in their own neighborhoods.”
Local trucker group, the Trucking Association of Massachusetts, spoke out against the expansion this week, noting safety concerns for bikers and liabilities for truckers who are unable to spot bikers in their blind spots.
Evan Daniels, 60, of Fenway, said as a former truck driver, he remembers feeling nervous when bikers were on the road. He said he anticipates that the increase of bikes in Boston will cause more collisions and serious injuries for riders.
“Trucks have huge blind spots — much bigger than cars,” Daniels said. “So, when you got bikers on the road coming up beside you and you don’t see them, that’s a dangerous situation for everyone involved. And these are busy streets in Boston — not friendly to bikers. Bikes are great, don’t get me wrong, but Boston just isn’t great for bikers.”
But not everyone agrees.
Denise West, 56, of Back Bay, took a break from biking along the Charles River Esplanade to explain to The Daily Free Press why she thinks the bike-share system is important to Boston’s transportation industry.
“Bikes are such a convenient and healthy way to get around the city,” West said. “Hubway already brings in great revenue to the city, decreases congestion on the roads by encouraging people to bike instead of drive and it should do even more of those things when the service expands to create more stations and add even more bikes for residents to use.”
Everyone knows that with fire comes flavor, and they are serving all that wood fired flavor and more at Prairie Fire in Brookline.
“When you walk through the door of the restaurant, there’s a beautiful, slightly smoky wood aroma that you know there’s a wood-fired oven,” said restauranteur Dan Kerrigan.
Located in Coolidge Corner, Prairie Fire is the latest spot from Kerrigan, who has created a sexy spot complete with dim lighting, big windows and a wood burning oven situated behind the bar. That is where you can find Executive Chef Brendan Joy and his team.
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“I’ve always had a passion for cooking with a natural heat source,” he said. “We use oak and maple kiln-dried wood in this oven. It definitely brings some smokiness to it, a little different layer of texture, different flavor profiles.”
“We have the ability to control temperature a little bit better and really keep that oven running at a very high temperature. I think that that is one of the reasons that the products that are coming out of there are truly special,” Dan added.
So Phantom took a seat by the fire in search of the Perfect Meal.
Appetizers at Prairie Fire as both creative and comforting. There is Fluke Crudo topped with watermelon radish in a cherry agrodolce, and Oysters bathed in scampi butter with garlic bread crumbs that get additional flavor from that wood burning oven.
“It’s just a spectacular different take on an oyster,” Dan said. “Beautiful warmed oyster in the hot oven, bubbling scampi butter on top, with crispy bread crumbs. It’s an absolutely delicious dish.”
The best way to get your meal going is with an order of the Chicken and Pork Meatballs.
“They’re very soft, with a nice level of char on the outside in a beautiful, traditional sauce,” Dan described. “They’re medium sized meatballs in a piping hot cast-iron dish. It’s just one of many items on the menu that are perfect for passing around the table.”
Another option for sharing at Prairie Fire is the Neapolitan style pizzas. Each one of these pristine pies is made using sourdough, something Chef Brendan feels strongly about.
“Sourdough brings some nice acidity notes to the crust. It lightens the dough up a lot. We do like a little bit of char on the outside on the crust. That brings in some nice smoky notes, as well as some charred and grill notes that you would get in a wood-fired oven.”
“We puree great San Marzano tomatoes with basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The mozzarella is a fresh buffalo mozzarella, and it just gets finished with fresh grated Parmesan and basil leaves,” Chef described.
You could opt for a pizza with toppings, like their perfectly blistered specimen topped with a mushroom bechemel, kale, roasted leeks and fontina; or the Fennel Sausage, Dan’s personal favorite.
“The thing about that pizza that’s my favorite is the house-made fennel sausage itself. Beautiful chunks of fennel sausage that get roasted in the oven, so they’re just crackling and crispy as they come out. It’s beautiful.”
Just as outstanding are Prairie Fire’s pastas. There is Lemon Gemelli tossed in an arugula pesto with macadamia nuts, Squid Ink Campanelle in a fiery lobster arrabiata, and the top crowd favorite – the Cocoa Fusilli in Duck Ragu.
“It’s a very comforting dish,” Chef Brendan said. “When people sit down, they’re a little bit surprised that this is almost chocolate pasta. But after they eat it, they’re really happy about it.”
If the chocolate pasta is not sweet enough for you, you can opt for desserts like the Chocolate Pudding Oreo Cookie, or Apple Fritters served with a gingersnap ricotta.
“They’re very light. You could eat them all yourself and not know you just ate the entire dish,” Chef said. “Finished with a cider vinegar caramel and some gingersnap ricotta. It’s probably the best donut you’ve ever had.”
Chicken and Pork Meatballs, Fennel Sausage Pizza, Cocoa Fusilli, and Apple Fritters make for the Perfect Meal at Prairie Fire.
You can find Prairie Fire at 242 Harvard Street in Brookline, and online at prairiefirebrookline.com.
Friday night, Gen Sou En the new Japanese Tea House hosted a tea party complete with lion dancer, a traditional ceremony to open the sake barrels and a who’s who of Brookline’s foodie world.
The first Japanese Tea House in the Greater Boston area opened last month, offering a blend of traditional Japanese tea experience and and more modern food to go with it. On the menu, breakfast, lunch and a light dinner (and the best part? dessert by way of head baker Yozo Masuyama who has a way with chocolate crossiants and cookies).
Haruo Abe, president of Harada Tea & Foods, Inc one of the largest tea purveyors in Asia co-founded Gen Sou En Tea House and brought it to Brookline was on hand at the opening along with represenatives who worked on the February opening.
The 125-seat, 5,500 square-foot tea house that’s name translates loosely to “farm to cup” features Japanese green tea, black tea, matcha beverages and coffee brewed from beans roasted in Vermont.
Check out the photos up top from the shindig.
Charles M. Campion, a Brookline, MA resident addicted to politics from the start, knew he had hit the big time when he became the assistant campaign manager for a candidate for state representative who was running in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston.
Mr. Campion was 9 at the time.
But he had found his chosen career. By the time he died on Wednesday at 62 in Boston, he had become a stalwart of Democratic campaigns, a co-founder of the Dewey Square Group, a public affairs consultancy in Boston, and a key operative for presidential candidates, including Walter F. Mondale, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton.
His wife, Heather Campion, said the cause was complications of surgery. He had a history of kidney trouble, requiring three transplants.
In a career that witnessed enormous changes in political campaigns, with the rise of cable news and the transformative influence of the internet, Mr. Campion, who was universally known as Chuck, relied on political instinct, personal connections and the power of a knock on the door.
“I would say the political fundamentals which he learned on the streets of Boston, he was still applying in the streets of Michigan for Hillary Clinton in 2016,” said Senator Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, a close friend who was advised by Mr. Campion. “Chuck’s philosophy was that the message should be direct, simple and to the heart of the issue.”
Mr. Campion came up in Massachusetts politics as a member of Gov. Michael S. Dukakis’s administration from 1975 to 1978. He went on to work for President Jimmy Carter on advance planning.
It was in Washington that he got to know Mr. Mondale, the vice president under Mr. Carter. Mr. Mondale’s presidential campaign in 1984 would be Mr. Campion’s first.
“Politics is a fickle game,” he said in an interview with the media in 1983 as he was building a campaign operation for Mr. Mondale in New Hampshire in advance of the state’s primary. No matter how bright a candidate’s prospects seem, he said, “you’re always worried about winning.”
New Hampshire was a case in point. Though Mr. Mondale led in the polls, he lost the primary in a stunning upset by Gary Hart, then a little-known senator from Colorado. (Mr. Mondale nevertheless went on to win the Democratic nomination before losing to President Ronald Reagan in a landslide.)
Mr. Campion came to know more losses working for other presidential campaigns, including those of Mr. Dukakis in 1988 (Mr. Campion was its political director), Vice President Al Gore in 2000 and Senator Kerry in 2004.
The Dewey Square Group said that in 2008, as an adviser to Mrs. Clinton’s first presidential run, it was Mr. Campion who arranged coffee events with voters ahead of the New Hampshire primary, including one at a coffee shop where she cried in conversation with a voter, generating wide publicity.
“He was a magician in understanding a community he hadn’t been into,” Mr. Kerry said. “He ran Michigan for me, and we won Michigan.”
Mr. Campion’s friends and family said he had been undeterred by the losses. “He never got discouraged, he never quit,” Ms. Campion said. “You have your values, you just keep going.”
As a founder of the Dewey Square Group, in 1993, and its chairman, Mr. Campion was familiar to Boston’s political scene. Sometimes he wrote jokes for the annual St. Patrick’s Day breakfast, an all-but-mandatory event for the local political class. He wrote one in 2003 for Mr. Kerry, who had recently discovered that he had Jewish ancestors.
“So who said I don’t have the matzo balls to be here today?” Mr. Kerry said, to laughter.
Mr. Campion was born in Boston on Aug. 20, 1955, the middle child and only son in a family of five children. A product of Brookline High School, he was a political science major at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, graduating in 1977. He met his wife, the former Heather Pars, while he was working in the Carter administration. She was a speechwriter for the president.
In addition to his wife, with whom he lived in Brookline, Mass., Mr. Campion is survived by their son, Maxwell; their daughter, Courtney Campion; his sisters, Rosella, Suzanne, Tracy and Leigh, all with the surname Campion; a half brother, Christian Richard; and his mother, Mary Donlan Richard.
Mr. Campion’s family said he did not slow down in his later years, even as he endured the three kidney transplants. In one instance, five years ago, his wife said, 37 people stepped forward to be tested as possible donors.
“He had more best friends that anyone I know,” she said.
