A New Name And A New Menu Coming To Fairsted Kitchen
The new year is bringing a new name and a new menu to Fairsted Kitchen, but owner Steve Bowman and 
Steve Bowmanthe entire Fairsted team are not going anywhere.
In January the Washington Square restaurant will transform into Grassona’s Italian.
“It’s a big change for us but one that we’re really excited about,” Bowman said.
Grassona’s – an Italian pet name for “fat lady” – will offer classic Italian dishes like slow cooked meatballs and tender osso bucco, served with the same focus on hospitality and warmth that became Fairsted Kitchen’s signature.
Bowman and Chef Phil Dwyer, have always loved Italian food, so much in fact, it is what they usually cook for staff, Bowman said.
The decision to transform Fairsted Kitchen into Grassona’s came after about a year of deliberations, Bowman said, and the change will “stay true to the soul of who we are.”
After four years of Fairsted Kitchen, Bowman and team had been looking to try something new and create a neighborhood restaurant.
Where Fairsted Kitchen offered a more sophisticated style, Grassona’s will be more family-friendly with a casual, laid-back experience, according to Bowman.
“We were always great at cooking for mom and dad but not as great at cooking for the rest of the family,” Bowman said of Fairsted.
Those hoping to enjoy a last meal or two at Fairsted before it closes have until the end of December. On New Year’s Eve Fairsted Kitchen will host a Last Supper offering a spread of the restaurant’s greatest hits, Bowman said.
Fairsted’s Last Supper menu, served family style, will include such treats as cumin dusted lamb ribs, braised oxtail and herbed spatzle, according to the restaurants website.
Following the Last Supper, Fairsted will close for a few weeks at the beginning of January for some touch ups, and is expected to reopen as Grassona’s Italian by the end of January, according to Bowman.
Please Help Elisaveta Live
Dear Readers,
We are writing with a request for emergency help to Elisaveta, whom we at Brookline.com know personally, and who has been paralyzed from the waist down for 21 years now, since after an unfortunate fall from a tree on December 22, 1996 in her native Sofia, Bulgaria.
Elisaveta is in need of an emergency life-saving cervical vertebrae surgery under the initial trauma in her spine, because she has developed a hepatoma disorder in the spinal canal of her spinal cord.
Without this surgery, Elisaveta will die at the first voluntary or non-voluntary sudden movement of the neck, leading to paralysis of the airways and death from suffocation.
We ask you to please help raise the funds to cover the cost of the titanium plates and stabilizer lesions that are about $5,500. This amount is impossible to be covered by her elderly father (her mother recently passed) and by Elisaveta, who lives on the equivalency of a $120 per month state pension.
The operation will be held on December 20th at the University Hospital “N. I. Pirogov”, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, every help matters, no matter how small or big it is.
There are two ways to donate. The first one is a wire transfer to Elisaveta’s bank account below. and the second one, maybe the more convenient one is sending your donation to her PayPal e-mail address, also below.
Central Cooperative Bank
Sofia, Bulgaria, European Union
BIC/CWIFT CODE: CECBBESFXXX
Account: BG85CECB97901076946100
Account holder: Elisaveta Petrova Chipilova
Elisaveta’s telephone: +359-886-199-188
PayPal e-mail: echipilova@abv.bg
School Year 2017-2018 Diversity Hiring Report Shared With School Committee
At the November 30th School Committee Meeting, Director of Human Resources Lisa Richardson provided an update on the public school’s ongoing efforts on diversity hiring. Ms. Richardson shared the most recent information from hiring for the 2017-2018 school year including the overall demographics of all newly hired educators and administrators.
For 2018, the Brookline schools hired 219 teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators to replace outgoing staff or to fill new positions. 29%, or 64, of these new employees are people of color. 85% of the newly hired employees are women and 15% are men. Ms. Richardson showed the committee that Brookline ranks second among peer districts with 13.2% of its educators being people of color and that 9.5% of educators across all of Massachusetts people of color.
Ms. Richardson also shared hiring data from the previous five years showing that the two years with the highest rate of diversity hiring for Unit A (teacher) positions were for school years 2016-17 and 2017-18 with 24.4% and 21.3% of new hires being educators of color. The presentation included attrition data for educators of color going back to 2013 and showed that the attrition of all paraprofessionals was 14% from last school year to this school year.
Ms. Richardson closed the presentation by discussing what can be done differently to increase diversity hiring including moving the hiring timeline earlier in the year, making internal hiring process changes, and expanding advertising options.
- to view the video of the presentation and the School Committee discussion, please follow this link;
- to view the presentation slides, please click here.
Brookline Bank Names David N. Paikin To Build C&I Banking Team North Of Boston
David N. Paikin has joined Brookline Bank in the Commercial Banking Group as a Senior Vice President reporting to Division Executive William MacKenzie. Mr. Paikin will be responsible for management of a new lending office located north of Boston that will focus on commercial and industrial banking clients. The new office will be located in Wakefield, MA.
“We see great commercial banking opportunities for Brookline Bank in markets north of Boston and we are so pleased to have David take on the important role of expanding our presence there,” said Darryl Fess, President and CEO of Brookline Bank. “He is an established banker in the region and deeply connected in the community. David is a proven leader and relationship builder who will meet the needs of new and existing customers.”
The region north of Boston is home to a range of small and large businesses with diverse banking needs. Paikin believes that Brookline Bank’s exceptional service, personal attention and client flexibility will be appealing as these businesses continue to grow.
Paikin has over 35 years’ experience in Asset Based Lending. Prior to joining Brookline Bank, Paikin was senior team member and business development executive at leading Boston-area financial institutions. Paikin is a Director and serves on the Loan Review and Loan Committees of the New England Certified Development Company, an organization that provides SBA 504 loans to businesses throughout New England. Additionally, he has been active in his community serving for ten years on the board of directors of his synagogue as treasurer, fundraising chair and two terms as president of the congregation. Paikin serves a corporator at Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport, Mass. and is active with several other non-profits. Paikin holds a BA in Economics from Clark University.
Contact Information:
David Paikin
Senior Vice President
Commercial Banking
131 Clarendon Street
Boston, MA 02117
Tel.: +1-617-927-4809
E–mail: dpaikin@brkl.com
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.
Brookline Residents React To Boylston Street Building Plans
It was not a public hearing held by the Planning Board or even the Select Board that drew a crowd of concerned residents to a Town Hall meeting room on Nov. 28, but a small design team meeting on a new building intended for Boylston Street.
On Nov. 28 the Design Advisory Team reviewed the proposed design for a new building going to 20 Boylston Street, replacing the former Dunkin Donuts.
Located at the corner of Boylston Street and High Street, the proposed building is mixed-use with the first level for commercial space and three levels of residential. The three residential floors are proposed to hold 14 units with varying number of bedrooms.
The building will also include a parking lot for 14 cars as well as a garage, according to the designs.
Around 35 residents filled the meeting room, occupying nearly every chair in the room. What drew the crowd was the newly released designs for the building.
Upon seeing the designs for the building ahead of the meeting, Precinct 5 Town Meeting Member Faith Michaels shared the plans on Facebook, and neighbors flooded her inbox with comments and emails. Many felt the building was too big for the space and the designs did not compliment the neighborhood.
The building will have a prominent location marking the entry to the Boylston Street corridor as it stretches through Brookline. According to Michaels and other residents, this makes the design of the building critical.
At the start of the meeting Steven Heikin, chairman of the Design Advisory Team and the Planning Board explained that as is typical with “high impact projects” the advisory team’s purpose is to work with the architect to provide feedback and to make a recommendation to the Planning Board.
Open Meeting Law And Brookline’s Ninth School
As the town continues to search for a site for the ninth elementary school, the Attorney General’s office is reviewing a complaint that the Select Board, School Committee and the Ninth School Ad Hoc Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee violated the state’s Open Meeting Law.
In an appeal to the Attorney General’s Division of Open Government, Pine Manor College has requested an expedited review of complaints filed Oct. 4 that Brookline officials violated Open Meeting Law by holding joint meetings in executive session on Sept. 5, Sept. 12 and Sept. 15. Those meetings led to a vote to consider seven acres of Pine Manor’s land as an option for the new school. That consideration includes taking the land via eminent domain.
Pine Manor’s complaints have accused the town of failing to properly describe the purpose and justification of executive session, failing to properly enter executive session and failing to keep adequate records of the meetings and release them in a timely manner.
The town responded to the complaints on Oct. 25 and maintained it did not violate Open Meeting Law.
According to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law 2017 guide, Open Meeting Law requires that public body meetings be open to the public. However, under Open Meeting Law public bodies can meet in executive session, which is closed to the public, under certain circumstances.
There are 10 purposes that a public body can enter into executive session. Included in those 10 is the purpose to discuss strategy related to litigation, which if discussed in open meeting, would harm the litigating position of the public body, according to the guide.
The town has argued that executive session was permitted as the three meetings were held to discuss strategies related to threatened litigation about the Baldwin School site as well as the possible acquisition of an alternative site that could be used for a new school. Several neighbors opposed to the Baldwin site have threatened litigation against the town if it pursued a ninth school at Baldwin, adding to the list of challenges facing the Baldwin site.
“I believe that executive session was held for valid purposes,” said Town Counsel Joslin Murphy.
Why this matters:
As Brookline has expanded its search for a ninth school site, Pine Manor College continues to fight to be removed from consideration. In September, the Select Board announced a decision to consider taking seven acres of Pine Manor land for the ninth school. The announcement has fueled an already heated debate over the years-long process to identify a home for a ninth elementary school in Brookline.
What is a public body:
According to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law 2017 guide, a public body is “any multi-member board, commission, committee, or subcommittee within the executive or legislative branches of state government, or within any county, district, city, region or town, if established to serve a public purpose.”
At the forefront of the complaints is the possible use of eminent domain.
″…public policy (and common sense) dictate that if a public body is even casually entertaining the taking of private property by eminent domain, all such discussions should not only be public, but advertised to the greatest extent possible and subject to ample public input and debate,” counsel for Pine Manor argued in an appeal filed on Nov. 14 to the Attorney General’s Division of Open Government.
According to the guide, “generally, a public body must identify the specific piece of property it plans to discuss before entering into executive session under Purpose 6.” However, the guide also says that a public body can “withhold the identity of the property if publicly disclosing that information compromise the purpose for which the executive session was called.”
According to counsel for Pine Manor College, Susan Murphy, the meetings in question have to be considered in the context of the entire timeline of what led the committees from selecting Baldwin as the preferred site, to the Sept. 26 announcement that Pine Manor land was on the table.
The town first approached Pine Manor College in spring 2017 to discuss the possible use the land for a school. The college was not interested. Pine Manor College President Tom O’Reilly did not hear from the town again until just after Labor Day, when town officials asked for an emergency meeting with Pine Manor to discuss taking the land by eminent domain.
O’Reilly said he would strongly oppose such an effort and the subject did not come up again until Sept. 26 when, after holding meetings in executive session, town officials notified O’Reilly that l the Select Board would announce the decision to consider using Pine Manor land later that day.
“President O’Reilly didn’t know this was going on,” said Susan Murphy. “As far as he knew there was no real estate transaction, there was no negotiation.”
According to Susan Murphy the quick turnaround of architect designs for a school at the Pine Manor site, shared during a public meeting a week later, also raised questions as to what the committee and board members discussed during executive session.
“The only decision that was made was that Pine Manor would be considered,” Joslin Murphy said in response.
She emphasized what Select Board Chair Neil Wishinksy stressed the Sept. 26 announcement – that the announcement did not mean that the town would automatically seize the Pine Minor land and that a public process would ensue.
On Nov. 14, Pine Manor filed an appeal of the town’s response to the Attorney General’s Division of Open Government, stating the town’s response to the initial complaints was not satisfactory.
The Open Meeting Law includes a provision for 90 days to review complaints though it does not limit the review process to 90 days, according to Susan Murphy.
While the complaints are under review, the town can still move forward with studies of possible locations, including the Pine Manor site, according to Joslin.
This has added a sense of urgency for Pine Manor.
“This needs to be dealt with swiftly because decisions have been flowing from that,” said Susan Murphy.
In the next week or two, Pine Manor also plans to file a public records request with the Secretary of State for the minutes from the meetings held in executive session. According to Susan Murphy, because the ad hoc committee voted on the meeting minutes during a public meeting on Oct. 24, the minutes should be made public.
Minutes recorded during executive session do not have to be disclosed so “long as publication may defeat the lawful purposes of the executive session, but no longer,” according to the AG’s website. A public body can enter into executive session to review and approve minutes, as doing so in open meeting could risk disclosing confidential information.
Brookline Resident Making A Difference: Diaper Circle Hero
About six months into the creation of a nonprofit that distributes diapers to those in need, Brookline resident Michelle Visser knocked on the door of a woman whom she had recently met and handed her a couple packages of diapers and some baby wipes. The woman’s face showed shock, then she burst into tears and exclaimed “This is better than Christmas.”
And that is a problem, says Visser, who is a therapist and the founder of Diaper Circle. The nonprofit has gone on to help thousands of families in the greater Boston area since 2014. Some, like the woman she handed the diapers to, resorted to using dishtowels as diapers or had no choice but to let their child sit in a diaper for much longer than is recommended.
It is a labor of love. And Monday night the Boston Celtics honored Visser as a “Hero Among Us,” for her work.
As a therapist serving at-risk families, Visser would regularly ask the people she worked with in the Boston area what their greatest challenges were.
“My naive assumption was that it would be the problem I was called in for in the first place, but very often it was lack of food, affordable housing or diapers,” she says.
According to the National Women’s Law Center 32.7 percent of single mothers in Massachusetts live in poverty. A 2013 Yale study noted that some 30 percent of women reported they could not afford diapers. Babies can go through around 10 diapers a day and upwards of 350 a month. For single women living on minimum wage and working to get rent paid, that ads up.
A natural problem solver, Visser started thinking, “OK, we can find resources for food, there’s housing resources, so there must be something for diapers.”
But when she went looking for resources for those who needed diapers (which families cannot purchase on food stamp programs) she came up short around Boston.
“It didn’t seem to exist,” she says.
Her mind kept going back to work out how something could fill that void. Sure, folks could go out and buy new diapers and donate directly to families in need, but what about all the perfectly good diapers sitting in closets or gathering dust because they were opened already or their child grew out of them?
“That seemed like a really good untapped resource,” she says and she decided to see if she could be the person to collect them.
A friend posted a little blurb on a local mom’s list service, andnd it just took off. Moms and families were calling and emailing her with donations.
Within the first week, Little Lovage Club, a South End business reached out and said they had a huge population of moms and suggested putting a drop off box at their shop.
That is the primary way the Diaper Circle gets the donated diapers. Some people ship new diaper donations directly via Amazon, but between the 12 drop off bins around Greater Boston, diaper drives from schools, or religious groups it’s the bins that seem to work the best and most consistently.
A vertical bin is set up in a shop and when it gets full the manager or owner sends the organization an email and one of a handful of volunteers comes over and picks up the donations. They are trained by Visser herself on how to sort donations, which vary from brand new unopened packs of diapers to unopened packs of diaper wipes to opened but not used diapers to single diapers just unused and in great condition.
The Diaper Circle, which started formally in 2014, has now distributed more than 143,000 diapers throughout Greater Boston.
Although none of the drop off sites are actually in Brookline, beginning early next month Barre 3 in Washington Square will become the first establishment in Brookline to host a diaper drive for Diaper Circle, she says.
Visser, who has lived in town for nearly a dozen years, said she has had her eye on Magic Bean and Tiny Hanger as potential drop off sites, but it has not quite worked out just yet.
“I’m dying for more Brookline sites,” she says. “It’s just a perfect place with so many families.”
Once they sort the diapers the organization gives to local nonprofits who are working with families in need of this. Recently she’s expanded to make an exception for hospitals.
“It’s heartbreaking to me that these families are going home with their new babies and we get a call from the hospital essentially saying we’re not convinced they have what they need,” she says.
Visser says she sees the need getting bigger by the day.
“We would certainly like to expand and have more sites the more sites the more diapers we can give out. My hope is just to keep growing and see what happens,” she said.
She has worked with someone in Washington State whom she met at a Diaper Bank conference who was interested in using her techniques in her own community, and she is hoping more people will reach out so she can share the Diaper Circle model.
“It’s just been amazing to see people’s response. It’s most often: ‘Oh I didn’t even know this was a problem.’ People tend to assume that there’s some sort of government benefit or subsidy,” she says. “When they find out there’s not, then it’s ‘of course I would give five extra or put a case into the box.”
For more information, please visit Diaper Circle’s website and Facebook page.
Winter Preparedness Tips
As we approach winter, please take time to learn how you can be better prepared here in Brookline. Snow, ice, and freezing temps can come our way at any time. Being prepared can make a big difference in how we all manage to get thru a New England Winter together.
* AlertBrookline: Being informed is extremely important! Anyone who lives, works, studies, plays, has relatives, owns property, etc can sign up to receive emergency notifications from the Town of Brookline. You choose how we contact you: phone, text, email (or any combination). Everyone in your home, office and dorm should sign up for AlertBrookline. Sign up for AlertBrookline.
* Public Works Winter Guide: The Department of Public Works Winter Guidehas useful information for property owners, businesses and residents regarding Snow Emergencies/Parking Bans, snow removal, trash and recycling pickup, and other winter-related topics.
* Sidewalk Snow & Ice Removal By-Law: Safe passage of pedestrians within the Town is especially important during the winter months. Please become familiar with the Removal of Snow and Ice From Sidewalks By-law which includes information for residents and business owners.
* Hydrant Safety: Clear fire hydrants are a must when the snow comes! Use our online hydrant list and map to located hydrants near your home or office. Learn the proper way to clear your hydrant of snow and ice – every second counts in an emergency! (The Hydrant Map also includes catch basins – those should be clear, too!) Hydrant information can be found on the Brookline Fire Department FAQ webpage. To keep hydrants clear, please do the following:
- Remove any snow and ice
- Clear a wide enough perimeter around the hydrant for firefighters to work (about 3 ft)
- Clear a path from the hydrant to the street
* Power Outages: Inclement weather often results in power outages. Please add Eversource as a contact in your mobile phone or address book. Their number is 800-592-2000. Never report outages via social media. Always call your utility provider to report outages. For downed power lines, always call 911.
Thank you for taking the time to be prepared! We will continue to post information about snow and emergency preparedness throughout the remainder of this year and thru the winter season. In the event of an emergency, please call 911! Non-emergencies can be reported by calling the Brookline Police Department at 617-730-2222. Never use social media to report emergencies! Thank you for your cooperation!
Boston Lesbian Aging Event
Boston OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing For Change) presents “What It’s Like to Grow Old: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly” a discussion with Sarah Pearlman, Kalyani Devajyoti, Kathy Holmes & Sue Reamer on Sunday December 3, 2017 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Brookline Senior Center at 93 Winchester Street in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The speakers will provide an occasionally irreverent, often touching & honest look at the challenges, losses & rewards of aging by panelists who describe the complex experience of growing old. Sarah Pearlman Founding Member of OLOC-Boston stated, “This is your chance to hear four lesbian elders talk about what it’s really like to grow old.” Sue Reamer concluded, “What it’s like growing old is to be shared! Hearing other’s unique journeys, memories, experiences, feelings adds benefits to four own laughter, insights besides bonding us together even more! We’ll laugh, sigh & talk & talk some more maybe even shed a tear too. A lively discussion for us all!”
OLOC Boston programs & events are open to lesbians of all ages, including transgender lesbians. OLOC’s mission includes their commitment to creating communities of older lesbians & solidarity with allies for racial, economic & social justice. Following the event there will be an early dinner at Sichuan Garden, 295 Washington Street in Brookline, MA.
For more information, please e-mail spearlman@hartford.edu.
Dynamic Duos
December 2017 – March 2018
Recitals: Sunday, March 25, 1:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m.
Brookline Music School’s annual Dynamic Duos program encourages students to work and perform with a partner, developing ensemble-playing skills and musicianship in a fun, social setting. Currently enrolled BMS students with at least two years of private study are welcome to participate at no extra charge.
Form a duo with a friend, sibling, or parent… or just sign up and meet someone new! Duos are assigned according to age and level, or by partner request.
Important Dates
- Sign up with private teacher permission by December 15, 2017.
- Partners and pieces assigned by January 16, 2018.
- Students begin learning pieces and visit each other’s lessons – January 16 through March 24, 2018.
- Concert times will be assigned and confirmed by March 16, 2018.
- Duos Recitals Sunday, March 25: 1:00 p.m.; 2:30 p.m.; 4:00 p.m.
Sign Up Forms
Police Blotter
Wednesday, Nov. 22
Extortion on Fisher Avenue: At 10:38 a.m. a caller on Fisher Avenue reported her husband received a letter attempting to extort money from him.
Turkeys on Sumner Road: At 2:14 p.m. a caller reported turkeys crossing one by one near Boylston Street and Sumner Road.
Ding dong ditch on Independence Drive: At 9:39 p.m. a caller on Independence Drive reported three or four men rang her bell several times. The caller said that all she heard in the background was laughter.
Friday, Nov. 24
Metal detecting on Brookline Avenue: At 12:25 p.m. a caller reported a man was on the Brookline Avenue field with a metal detector and a shovel. The caller was worried he would leave holes in the turf that could cause injury to those using the field.
Loud music on Washburn Place: At 2:43 p.m. a caller reported loud music, possibly from a band, coming from somewhere on Washburn Place.
Suspicious visitor on Franklin Street: At 8:51 p.m. a caller reported that at 4 p.m. a doorbell rang and a man entered a unit on Franklin Street and then left when he saw the family living there was home.
Youths on Beaconsfield Road: At 11:56 p.m. police received a report of a group of teenagers playing ball in the street on Beaconsfield Road.
Saturday, Nov. 25
Fireworks at Larz Anderson Park: At 9:39 p.m. a caller reported hearing screams and fireworks by the Larz Anderson Park skating rink.
People lost on Goddard Avenue: At 11:41 p.m. a caller reported that a group of three to four people appeared to be lost on Goddard Avenue just past Newton Street. The caller was concerned since the group was in the street and it was dark.
Monday, Nov. 27
Blasting music on Thatcher Street: At 1:23 a.m. a caller reported a car parked at the corner of Pleasant Street and Thatcher Street, that was blasting music.
“Winter Blooms” Art Installation Brings Brightness To Brookline
Winter can be cold, dark and desolate, with bare trees and flower gardens stamped out by the weather, but local artist Hilary Zelson is bringing life and light to Brookline this holiday season with her installation “Winter Blooms.”
Between now and the end of January, those who walk through Coolidge Corner will notice flowers and foliage hanging on light posts and in shop windows. The flowers, crafted by Zelson out of silicone, appear white during the day, and glow with colored LEDs at night, switched on at the same time the streetlights illuminate.
Zelson, 28, was inspired by Brookline’s own agricultural history and specifically witch hazel, a flower found in Massachusetts that blooms during the winter.
“I was spending a lot of time doing research, looking at parks, floral gardens, arboretums, and somehow came across this witch hazel flower,” Zelson said. “With snowmageddon, or ‘snowpocalypse,’ pretty close in our past, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to take this idea of a flower that blooms in the winter and bring that into the display, and use that flower to give life to this neighborhood.’”
Zelson had to submit a proposal for the project, which is supported by the town of Brookline, the Brookline Arts Center and the Brookline Commission for the Arts, and won out amongst other local artists.
She knew that the commission wanted a piece that would also show up at night, since it gets dark so early in the winter. The LEDs that show through the flowers bring that brightness, turning the white flowers into purple, red and yellow blooms.
“It brings really a vibrant color palette, and is something that gets people excited when they are walking through the area,” Zelson said. “Everybody loves holiday decorations, and this has a lot of similar characteristics of traditional holiday decorations — light, color, wrapping greenery — but with a little bit of a twist.”
Zelson has created public art pieces around Boston and across the country before, like the floating styrofoam sheep that appeared in Fort Point Channel.
It is important to her, she said, to make pieces that really integrate into their environment, matching the spirit of the community — another aspect of the Coolidge Corner installation is the wondrous “storybook” look this adds that is associated with New England towns.
It is also important, she said, to have public art, in general.
“We are all living such busy and active lives, and public art brings art out into [people’s] daily interactions,” she said. “Someone might not have time during the month to go visit an art gallery or go a museum. This way they’re able to experience something creative and exciting just when they’re out going to CVS to pick up whatever they need.”
Zelson will be at a public reception for the piece, held in conjunction with First Light Brookline, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. on November 30, 2017, at Brookline Bank.
Four Decades Of Rosie’s Baking Tradition Continues Under New Ownership
After 42 years, the owners of iconic Rosie’s Bakery, Judy Rosenberg and Eliot Winograd, were looking for the right person to entrust with their legacy of top notch baked goods that evoke the pleasure of home made. Both now grandparents, they wanted to spend more time with their families, and Rosenberg was eager to return to her art which had been a springboard to Rosie’s creations.
The original Rosie’s opened in Cambridge in 1974, when there was a paucity of bakery/cafes. The store arose from Rosenberg’s passion for baking using fine ingredients, and tweaking the balance of flavor and texture so that each cookie, each pie or cake was the best it could be. After so many years of love and dedication, Rosenberg and Winograd would not pass Rosie’s to just anyone.
Enter Galina Laffer.
At the age of 19, Laffer emigrated from Ukraine, leaving her family and toting only a bag of clothing and the spoon and cup that corresponded to her grandmother’s recipes. She had no inkling of owning a bakery, but graduated Summa cum laude from UMass Boston without even realizing the extent of her achievement.
Working in High Tech right from graduation, she worked steadily for 10 years, putting bonuses toward real estate and shifting her focus from IT to matching buyers with buildings.
Laffer was ready to combine her business acumen with her devotion for recreating the unconditional love she experienced while baking with her grandmothers Rosa and Rita when everything was made from scratch and shortcuts did not exist. She remembers those simple times and pure ingredients, and was convinced that if everyone could experience the purity of this kind of love, the world would be a better place.
Laffer’s appreciation of delicious, high quality baked goods was evident to Rosenberg and Winograd and a sale was welcomed by all.
“I treasure Rosie’s brand and Rosie’s love; I see it as precious wine that needs to be stored, served and handled with care and affection, so I was looking for the perfect ‘vessel.’” said Laffer.
Laffer took over Rosie’s in June of 2016, and has catapulted Rosie’s into the world of distribution, wholesale, and multiple retail presences while maintaining exceptional quality.
Being a single mom of two young children, it was an enormous undertaking. It took over a year of dedication with consultation and guidance from Rosenberg.
The entire cake line, including Snow Queen and Velvet Underground, as well as Rosie’s five star Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Orgasm and Boom Booms are as mouth watering as ever. Rosie’s has now moved to Brighton where all the baking magic continues, although there is not a walk in Rosie’s bakery/store.
Starting December 2017 Rosie’s Chestnut Hill location will be home to The Bagel Table, which is a New York style deli selling OMG! bagels, locally smoked fish, pastrami, turkey and other deli sandwiches.
Rosie’s loyal customers will be able to purchase Rosie’s handmade goodness at Athan’s Bakeries in Brookline and Brighton. Customers can also now enjoy a warm Rosie’s chocolate chip cookie with milk while relaxing at the SuperLuxe cinema.
Laffer also plans to distribute Rosie’s award winning cookie dough in area stores and cookies will be baked at both Kosher (yes the batter is made in a Kosher kitchen) and traditional supermarkets.
Pairing her passion for preserving the essence of Rosie’s delectable goodness with her determination to reach people in new and broader ways, Laffer will be introducing online ordering with direct to consumer shipping.
The integrity of the product matches the enthusiasm of her intent. Although the transition has not been without sentiment, Laffer greets the future with open arms.
Starting November 12th, phone and online orders, including those for the beloved Winter holiday desserts can be picked up at Athan’s Bakery in Boston, 407 Washington Street and in Brookline, 1622 Beacon Street, and at Brookline Liquor Mart, located immediately next door to Rosie’s former Chestnut Hill store.
Shuttle Buses Replace D Line Trolleys This Weekend
Tree pruning and removal will disrupt the Green D Line trolleys in Brookline and Newton during the next three weekends.
MBTA crews will be working on trees and rotting limbs that may come down in inclement weather and cause damage and service interruptions, according to a press release from the MBTA. The work will take place during daylight hours.
The work will start the weekend of Nov. 25 to 26 from the Reservoir to Fenway stops, in both directions. During the following weekends of Dec. 2 to 3 and Dec. 9 to 10, work will take place from Brookline Village to Newton Highlands, also in both directions.
Shuttle buses will replace the trolleys while the work is completed, press release said.
JFK Birth Centennial Ends On Assassination Anniversary
A year of events marking the 100th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s birth came to close Wednesday, exactly 54 years after his assassination.
National park rangers laid a wreath outside Kennedy’s childhood home in Brookline, Massachusetts, and there were speeches from officials, such as former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. The event also included a 21-gun salute by an honor guard.
The solemn commemorations fell on the anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
The observances were held at what is now known as the John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site administered by the National Park Service.
Jason Atsales, a lead park ranger at the site, told the Boston Globe that 2017 has been one of the “busiest years at the site” since it opened in 1969.
“With JFK’s centennial celebration, and the release of the JFK files just a few weeks ago, it may have sparked some new interest,” he said.
The nation’s 35th president was born in the leafy Boston suburb on May 29, 1917. Over the past year, numerous conferences and other events have been held worldwide to examine JFK’s legacy and imagine his impact had he survived.
The ceremony Wednesday drew around 60 visitors, Atsales said.
Power Outage In Brookline: More Than 200 Without Power
If you have called Eversource to let them know your power is out, you are not alone.
Some 220 people in Brookline are without power. The company said it was aware of the outage and estimates power will be back on by 12:45 p.m.
Here’s the Eversource link to report an outage:
If you prefer a phone call: Power Out or Smell Gas? 800-592-2000.
JFK Birth Centennial Ending Today On 54th Assassination Anniversary
A year of events marking the 100th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s birth is drawing to a close exactly 54 years after his assassination.
National park rangers will lay a wreath outside Kennedy’s childhood home in Brookline, Massachusetts, and a 21-gun salute by an honor guard will follow.
Wednesday’s solemn commemorations fall on the anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
The observances are being held at what is now known as the John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site administered by the National Park Service.
The nation’s 35th president was born in the leafy Boston suburb on May 29, 1917. Over the past year, numerous conferences and other events have been held worldwide to examine JFK’s legacy and imagine his impact had he survived.
Massachusetts Firefighters Honored For Bravery
Gov. Charlie Baker and Public Safety Secretary Daniel Bennett today joined State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey to honor Firefighters from 22 Massachusetts fire departments for heroic acts of bravery at the 28th annual “Firefighter of the Year” Awards ceremony, held at Worcester’s Mechanics Hall. The event was emceed by WCVB’s Maria Stephanos.
“The Commonwealth’s firefighters make tremendous sacrifices and risk their lives on a regular basis to protect the members of their communities,” said Governor Baker. “We are proud to salute this year’s award recipients, who drew upon their training and experience to perform remarkable acts that saved lives.”
“Our firefighters deserve our thanks and praise every day of the year, and it is important to recognize the incredible acts of bravery performed by these public servants in cities and towns across Massachusetts,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Whether battling house fires or educating children and seniors on fire prevention and safety, we are grateful for their selfless acts.”
“Each of the 42 people who lost their lives to fires so far this year is a vivid reminder of the need to remain ever vigilant in our fire prevention efforts,” said Secretary Bennett. “Firefighters will always face danger in the work they do but through better technology and training we are working to mitigate those risks while supporting the courageous men and women of the firefighting community.”
Earlier this year, Governor Baker signed H. 3448, which doubled the line of duty death benefit for the families of first responders from $150,000 to $300,000. This benefit is afforded by statute to any firefighter or police officer, whether their status is full-time or reserve, as well as public prosecutors, municipal or public emergency medical technicians and correction officers who are killed in the line of duty or who sustain injuries that were the direct cause of his or her death.
“The members of the Western Massachusetts Safety and Fire Education Association work tirelessly to improve the safety of residents in our four westernmost counties,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “Their use of the mutual aid model for public education allows them to accomplish more together.”
The Governor and Secretary presented 33 awards in total:
- Three Norman Knight Awards for Excellence in Community Service to a dedicated Wellesley fire and life safety educator, a Lowell firefighter going above and beyond to prevent deaths in the Community Opioid Outreach Program, and an Uxbridge Deputy Chief whose work led to a recall of a faulty combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarm.
- Five Individual Awards for Meritorious Conduct to firefighters from Douglas, Lawrence, Middleborough, and Pittsfield. One event occurred in a school trip in Switzerland.
- Eight Group Awards for Meritorious Conduct to teams of firefighters from Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Hyannis, Holyoke, Lowell, Turners Falls and Gill, Westwood with Canton, Dedham, Norwood and Walpole.
- 15 Medals of Valor to individual firefighters from Boston, Braintree, Brockton, Brookline, Holyoke, Mansfield, and Norwood.
- The Medal of Honor award was presented posthumously to Watertown Firefighter Joseph A. Toscano.
This year’s awardees are:
Medal of Honor:
- Watertown – Firefighter Joseph A. Toscano, (posthumously)
Medals of Valor:
- Boston – Lt. Edward J. Glasheen
- Braintree – Lt. James Lochiatto, Firefighter Mark McCabe, Firefighter Keith Walsh
- Brockton – Lieutenant Christopher O’Reilly, Firefighter Zachary S. Davis
- Brookline – Captain Kevin Francis, Firefighter James Clinton
- Holyoke – Truck 1: Lieutenant Philip Kraus, Firefighter Anthony Deroy, Firefighter Daniel Spafford
- Mansfield – Captain John Terry, Firefighter/Paramedic Justin Sliney
- Norwood – Lieutenant Jeffrey Campilio and Firefighter George Burton
Norman Knight Award for Excellence in Community Service:
- Lowell – Firefighter Kevin Jones
- Uxbridge – Deputy Chief Steven R. Tancrell
- Wellesley – Lieutenant Paul Delaney
Individual Awards for Meritorious Conduct:
- Douglas – Lieutenant Gerard Connell
- Lawrence – Firefighter Peter Humphrey
- Middleborough – Chief Lance Benjamino
- Pittsfield – Lieutenant Michael D’Avella, Probationary Firefighter Jarrett Robitaille
Group Awards for Meritorious Conduct:
- Boston – Lieutenant Michael F. O’Connor, Acting Lieutenant Stephen V. Mark, Firefighter Robert E. Barrett, Firefighter William G. Carey, Firefighter Sean Connolly, Firefighter Gary R. Dardia, Firefighter Ronald J. Holmes, Firefighter Brian J. Kirk, Firefighter Nathaniel C. LeBlanc, Firefighter Michael J. McManus, Firefighter James T. Nee, Firefighter Sean D. Shea.
- Brockton – Firefighter Benjamin Denny, and Firefighter Victor A. Soto-Perez
- Cambridge – Deputy Chief Michael J. Morrissey, Act. Deputy Chief Raymond E. Vaillancourt, Captain Charles M. Anderson, Captain Philip G. Arsenault, Captain Charles F. Murphy, Lieutenant Brian D. Albert, Lieutenant Thomas G. Cauchon, Lieutenant Michael A. Donovan, Lieutenant James A. Drewicz, Lieutenant Robert J. Jutras, Lieutenant David B. McKinley, Lieutenant Christopher J. Melendy, Lieutenant Kyle M. Schweinshaut, Act. Lieutenant Hugh F. Devlin, Act. Lieutenant Shawn P. Flanagan, Act. Lieutenant Ameer A. Moustafa, Act. Lieutenant John T. Pasquarello, Firefighter Matthew E. Ansello, Firefighter Murphy Aquaro, Firefighter William Barry Jr., Firefighter Zachary J. Bennett, Firefighter Renrick R. Clarke, Firefighter Laura J. Coipel, Firefighter Stephanie Crayton, Firefighter James M. Encalada, Firefighter Tyler D. English, Firefighter Silvio Estrada, Firefighter Richard M. Feliciano, Firefighter Reed M. Frailey, Firefighter Patrick D. Headley, Firefighter Richard Rycroft Jr., Firefighter Jeffrey C. Keefe, Firefighter James B. Kennedy, Firefighter Stephon B. Kinn, Firefighter John L. Magee, Firefighter Shayne McDonald, Firefighter Kyle J. McLaughlin, Firefighter John J. McMahon, Firefighter R. Nicholas Menard, Firefighter Cameron R. Moyer, Firefighter Daniel A. Nugent, Firefighter Clemente J. Pinto, Firefighter Jon W. Powers, Firefighter Adam M. Shuman, Firefighter Charles M. Stewart, Firefighter Robert F. Sullivan, Firefighter Aaron Young, Firefighter/Aide Robert A. Bruno, Firefighter/Aide Henry A. Sisco Jr.
- Hyannis – Captain William Rex, Lieutenant Jeff Lamothe, Lieutenant David Webb, Firefighter Wendy Austin, Firefighter John Dailey, Firefighter Paul Medeiros, Firefighter Chris Murphy, Firefighter Pete Nagorka, Firefighter Kyle Wiley.
- Holyoke – Deputy Chief David O’Connor, Captain James Cadigan, Firefighter Lawrence Jackson Jr., and Firefighter James Tourigny.
- Lowell – Captain Robert Beane, Lieutenant Sean Quealy, Firefighter Michael Dexter, Firefighter Matthew Newell,
- Turners Falls, Gill – Turners Falls: Captain Michael Currie, Gill: Firefighter Eric Vassar
- Westwood, Canton, Dedham, & Walpole –
- Westwood Fire Department: Captain/Paramedic Richard Cerullo, Lieutenant/EMT Michael Ford , Firefighter/Paramedic Ian Brown Firefighter/Paramedic Michael Crawford, Firefighter/Paramedic Robert Kilroy, Firefighter/Paramedic Jordan Morgan, and Firefighter/Paramedic Craig Templeton.
- Canton Fire Department: Captain/EMT Wendel Robery, Firefighter/EMT John Buckley, Firefighter/Paramedic Keith Flavin, Firefighter/EMT Jeff O’Brien.
- Dedham Fire Department: Lieutenant/EMT Michael Huff, Firefighter Steven Burke, Firefighter/EMT Justin Callaghan, Firefighter Kevin O’Brien
- Norwood Fire Department: Lieutenant/EMT David Hayes, Firefighter/Paramedic George Burton, Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Donoghue, Firefighter/Paramedic Chris Fuller, Firefighter/EMT Nick Murphy, Firefighter/Paramedic Pat Moloney.
- Walpole Fire Department: Lieutenant/Paramedic David Emswiler, Firefighter/Paramedic Donavan Minutolo, Firefighter/EMT Thomas Morandi, Firefighter/Paramedic Christopher Shea.
Stephen D. Coan Fire Marshal Award:
- Western Massachusetts Safety and Fire Education Association
- Chicopee Lieutenant Katherine Collins-Kalbaugh;
- Palmer Firefighter Laurie Rocco;
- Holyoke Lieutenant Maria Pelchar;
- Hatfield Firefighter’s Greg Dibrindisi and Edwin McGlew;
- Agawam Firefighter Pam Murphy;
- Northampton Firefighter Natalie Stollmyer;
- Southwick Fire Chief Russell Anderson and Fire Educator Lisa Anderson; Springfield Retired Lieutenant Neil Hawley and Firefighters Warren Barnett, Willie Spears, and Pablo Flores;
- Belchertown Firefighter Craig Bodamer;
- Orange Firefighter Meaghan Ahearn
- South Hadley District #1 Chief William Judd, ret., Lieutenant Jason Houle, Firefighter Evan Briant;
- South Hadley District #2 Firefighter Donald May;
- Ware Deputy Chief Edward Wholch
- Angela Erti, Angela’s Imprints
- Kelly Kelly, BMC Healthnet
- Loren Davine, NoFIRES
Police Blotter
All of the following is from Brookline Police log or online blog. They are excerpts taken from the public police log and represent a portion of what kinds of calls the police respond to. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Thursday, November 16
Fight: At 4:39 p.m. an employee of a local business on Brookline Avenue came into the station to report an assault. The incident involved a fellow employee. As a result of the investigation it was determined to give both employees a chance to tell their stories to a clerk of the court. No arrest made.
Friday, November 17
Screams turn into arrest: At 9:53 a.m. a caller reported a man was walking on Willow Crescent and was screaming. When officers arrived, the person told the police his name, they ran it through the system and found he had an active arrest warrant out for him. While the subject was being placed into custody he struck one of the officers and tried to run away. He was successfully taken into custody. He now faces additional charges of assaulting the officer and resisting arrest.
Car break in and Arrest: At 9:30 p.m. a witness’s information helped police arrest of a man for breaking and entering into a car. Someone saw another person try to get into a car and smash the car’s window while it was parked on Freeman Street. The person who smashed the window then drove away in another car. The witness gave a partial license plate and description to Police. A car fitting the description was stopped in Brookline Village a short time later. The investigation lead to a passenger in the car being charged with Breaking and Entering a Motor Vehicle.
Saturday, November 18
Paper Plate Thief: at 10:35 a.m. officers responded to a store on Beacon Street for a report of a larceny. Officers were told a subject had been seen taking packages of paper plates and napkins and placing them into their bag. The subject then left the store without paying and was gone before police arrived.
Frozen shrimp is not cheap: An employee at a Harvard Street business called police at around 5:25 p.m. to report a person shoplifting. Among the items found on the subject was $183.00 worth of frozen shrimp. The subject had a total of property valued at $ 255.78. The subject was arrested and faces larceny charges.
Too loud: Boston University Police called Brookline Police around 10:30 p.m. to report someone was complaining about a party on Stedman Street. Officers were able to locate a party in the area and it was shut down.
Sunday, November 19
U-Turn and an argument oh and um, no license: At 1:05 a.m. an officer was conducting traffic enforcement at the intersection of Rt. 9 and Cypress Street when they saw a car make an illegal U-Turn. Police pulled the car over near 300 Boylston Street. The driver became uncooperative and argumentative and then eventually told police they did not actually have a license. As result of the stop the operator was placed under arrest and charged with Not Duly Licensed and Illegal U-Turn. The car was towed.
Crash: Around 2:29 a.m. a bus and a car collided at the intersection Carlton and Mountfort streets. The bus was carrying four passengers, but no one on the bus was hurt. The operator of the bus was cited for a traffic violation and taken to a hospital for minor injuries. Their car was towed.
Missing Cat In Brookline Found
Diva has been found and reunited (and it feels so good) with his owners, police said in a tweet on November 20, 2017.
PREVIOUSLY: A cat has gone missing from the Cypress Road area and the police are now asking for folks to keep a look out for him.
Diva, an adult male cat, has been missing since Sunday from the High Street, Cypress Street area. He is friendly and gentle, may still be wearing a cloth blue and white camo collar.
Please contact 617-730-2222 with any info.
State Swimming Results
Division 1
Team scores: 1. Andover 488.50, 2. Acton-Boxboro 267.50, 3. Newton North 263, 4. Chelmsford 210, 5. Brookline 176, 6. Haverhill 170, 7. Needham 165, 8. Boston Latin 148. 9. Framingham 109. 10. Lexington 86
200-yard medley relay: 1. Andover, 1:50.52; 2. Newton North, 1:51.22; 3. Boston Latin, 1:53.56; 4. Acton-Boxboro, 154.33; 5. Haverhill, 1:54.62; 6. Chelmsford, 1:55.42
50 free: 1. Sophia Ju, Andover, 24.28; 2. Laura Latham, Chelsmford, 24.65; 3. Sara Song, Brookline, 25.01; 4. Lillian Chi, Acton-Boxboro, 25.44; 5. Renee Sutherland, Chelmsford, 25.56; 6. Caroline Beecher, Newton North, 25.63
200 free: 1. Mia Galat, Andover, 1:53.18; 2. Kara Davidson, Methuen, 1:57.63; 3. Lily Barker, Arlington, 1:58.57; 4. Claire Tzouros, Brookline, 1:58.68; 5. Laura Cisneros, Brookline, 2:00.22; 6. Taylor Waligora, Haverhill, 2:01.2
200 free relay: 1. Andover, 1:40.15; 2. Newton North, 1:41.53; 3. Brookline, 1:43.13; 4. Boston Latin, 1:43.58; 5. Acton-Boxboro, 1:43.73; 6. Chelmsford, 1:44.31
100 free: Victoria Ambrose, Andover, 53.28; 2. Laura Latham, Chelmsford, 53.97; 3. Sophia Ju, Andover, 54.29; 4. Sara Song, Brookline, 54.55; 5. Jordan Clements, Andover, 54.96; 6. Isabella Saarinen, Acton-Boxboro, 55.71
500 free: 1. Emily Clements, Andover, 5:10.11; 2. Lily Barker, Arlington, 5:16.93; 3. Ashley Grover, Andover, 5:18.62; 4. Naomi Wright, Chelmsford, 5:19.37; 5. Eliza Williams, Andover, 5:19.43; 6. Laura Cisneros, Brookline, 5:20.77
1-meter diving: 1. Halia Bower, Framingham, 533.60; 2. Tina Coleman, Acton-Boxboro, 443.85; 3. Sydney Ho, Andover, 421.95; 4. Megan Carroll, Haverhill, 415.25; 5. Olivia Rieur, Brookline, 391.55; 6. Aditi Sirsikar, Acton-Boxboro, 378.20
100 backstroke: 1. Isabella Korby, Acton-Boxboro, 58.18; 2. Emily Ma, Andover, 59.54; 3. Casi Glejzer, Acton-Boxboro, 1:02.46; 4. Katie Krom, Boston Latin, 1:02.68; 5. Kate Vogelzang, Lexington, 1:02.69; 6. Andrea Pantazi, Andover, 1:03.19
100 breaststroke: 1. Jordan Clements, Andover, 1:06.66; 2. Serena Ly, Newton North, 1:07.04; 3. Meaghan Driscoll, Haverhill, 1:07.65; 4. Courtney Morgan, Chelmsford, 1:07.91; 5. Keira McGrath, Boston Latin, 1:08.34; 6. Polina Malinovskaya, Andover, 1:09.56
100 butterfly: 1. Mia Galat, Andover, 56.98; 2. Ashley Grover, Andover, 59.63; 3. Ciara McCormack, Newton North, 1:00.14; 4. Callie Coady, Haverhill, 1:00.40; 5. Lillian Chi, Acton-Boxboro, 1:00.56; 6. Kara Davidson, Methuen, 1:00.7
200 individual medley: 1. Emily Clements, Andover, 2:05.01; 2. Victoria Ambrose, Andover, 2:06.59; 3. Isabella Korby, Acton-Boxboro, 2:11.68; 4. Meaghan Driscoll, Haverhill, 2:12.83; 5. Emily Ma, Andover, 2:14.07; 6. Naomi Wright, Chelmsford, 2:15.75
400 free relay: 1. Andover, 3:37.12; 2. Newton North, 3:40.48; 3. Acton-Boxboro, 3:41.82; 4. Needham, 3:45.56; 5. Haverhill, 3:46.21; 6. Chelmsford, 3:46.96
Division 2
Team results: 1. Reading 388.5; 2. Wellesley 350; 3. Natick 211; 4. Central Catholic 176; 5. Belmont 172; 6. Ursuline 164; 7. Melrose 160; 8. Winchester 143; 9. Marshfield 127; 10. Notre Dame-Hingham 122
200-yard medley relay: 1. Reading, 1:49.90; 2. Wellesley, 1:51.74; 3. Natick, 1:52.85; 4. Belmont, 1:54.85; 5. Marshfield, 1:55.58; 6. Melrose, 1:55.68
50 freestyle: 1. Kerrigan Hemp, Central Catholic, 24:02; 2. Alyvia Petrozza, Central Catholic, 24.43; 3. Samantha D’Alessandro, Melrose, 24.59; 4. Alana Loughman, Reading, 24.62; 5. Sophie Butte, Belmont, 24.89; 6. Enya Gamble, Wellesley, 25.18
200 free: 1. Kate Fosburgh, Winchester, 1:54.08; 2. Hana Batt, Natick, 1:57.38; 3. Molly Jones, Reading, 1:57.43; 4. Molly Williams, Melrose, 1:58.98; 5. Gracie Meisner, Wellesley, 1:59.97; 6. Maura Letendre, Reading, 2:00.18
200 free relay: 1. Reading, 1:39.31; 2. Natick, 1:41.26; 3. Wellesley, 1:41.67; 4. Central Catholic 1:42.60; 5. Winchester, 1:44.53; 6. Melrose, 1:45.06
100 free: 1. Molly Hamlin, Reading, 52.70; 2. Samantha D’Alessandro, Melrose, 53.09; 3. Alana Loughman, Reading, 53.61; 4. Nellie Thompson, Wellesley, 54.44; 5. Sophia Butte, Belmont, 54.73; 6. Anna Glass, Ursuline, 54.81
500 free: 1. Kate Fosburgh, Winchester, 5:05.5; 2. Hana Batt, Natick, 5:16.63; 3. Molly Williams, Melrose, 5:18.32; 4. Marlena Reinhard, Notre Dame (H), 5:22.7; 5. Libby Gormley, Uruline, 5:25.38; 6. Emily Dobrindt, Milton, 5:25.42
1-meter diving: 1. Kate Mullin, Wellesley, 541; 2. Emma Trioano, Notre Dame (H), 461.55; 3. Maddie Doyle, Reading, 430.45; 4. Cecilia Burke, Central Catholic, 429.35; 5. Emma Petrovich, Wellesley, 407.85; 6. Gabrielle Hebert, Notre Dame (H), 391.4
100 backstroke: 1. Kerrigan Hemp, Central Catholic, 56.82; 2. Riley Moeykens, Marshfield, 58.55; 3. Mackenzie Day, Stoneham, 58.96; 4. Molly Jones, Reading, 1:00.27; 5. Taylor Eck, Ursuline, 1:00.27; 6. Jillian Rhodes, Reading, 1:01.29
100 breaststroke: 1. Anna Roberts, Reading, 1:05.68; 2. Olivia Mozoki, Marshfield, 1:07.84; 3. Kayla Loughman, 1:09.85; 4. Sophie Chen, Wellesley, 1:10.11; 5. Virginia Guanci, Melrose, 1:10.50; 6. Julia Zimmer, Wellesley, 1:10.98
100 butterfly: 1. Alyvia Petrozza, Central Catholic, 56.58; 2. Molly Hamlin, Reading, 58.00; 3. Gracie O’Connell, Stoneham, 59.21; 4. Riley Moeykens, Marshfield, 59.37; 5. Taylor Eck, Ursuline, 59.67; 6. Gracie Meisner, Wellesley, 59.79
200 individual medley: 1. Anna Roberts, Reading, 2:10.9; 2. Gracie O’Connell, Stoneham, 2:11.24; 3. Bridgette Grothman, Natick, 2:12.24; 4. Jillian Rhodes, Reading, 2:14.37; 5. Olivia Mozoki, Marshfield, 2:14.86; 6. Virginia Guanci, Melrose, 2:15.33
400 free relay: 1. Reading, 3:40.05; 2. Wellesley, 3:42.62; 3. Belmont, 3:45.01; 4. Central Catholic, 3:45.33; 5. Ursuline, 3:47.71; 6. Winchester, 3:49.03
Bessemer Group, Inc. Trims Holdings in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (BRKL)
Bessemer Group, Inc. lowered its stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) by 42.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,893 shares of the bank’s stock after selling 12,400 shares during the quarter. Bessemer Group, Inc.’s holdings in Brookline Bancorp were worth $261,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Amalgamated Bank acquired a new position in shares of Brookline Bancorp in the 2nd quarter valued at $150,000. Alpine Woods Capital Investors, LLC raised its stake in Brookline Bancorp by 20.0% during the 2nd quarter. Alpine Woods Capital Investors, LLC now owns 12,000 shares of the bank’s stock worth $175,000 after buying an additional 2,000 shares during the period. Virtu KCG Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in Brookline Bancorp during the 2nd quarter worth $176,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Brookline Bancorp by 17.6% during the 2nd quarter. Victory Capital Management, Inc. now owns 12,137 shares of the bank’s stock worth $177,000 after buying an additional 1,819 shares during the period. Finally, Eqis Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Brookline Bancorp by 5.4% during the 2nd quarter. Eqis Capital Management Inc. now owns 14,321 shares of the bank’s stock worth $209,000 after buying an additional 738 shares during the period. 76.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (BRKL) opened at $15.15 on Monday. Brookline Bancorp, Inc. has a 1-year low of $13.60 and a 1-year high of $17.45. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21. The company has a market capitalization of $1,161.28, a PE ratio of 19.42 and a beta of 0.96.
Brookline Bancorp (NASDAQ:BRKL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 18th. The bank reported $0.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.20. Brookline Bancorp had a net margin of 19.82% and a return on equity of 7.52%. The firm had revenue of $62.82 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $60.37 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.19 earnings per share. analysts forecast that Brookline Bancorp, Inc. will post 0.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 3rd were given a $0.09 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 2nd. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.38%. Brookline Bancorp’s payout ratio is 46.15%.
In other news, Director David C. Chapin sold 5,000 shares of Brookline Bancorp stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.70, for a total value of $73,500.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Paul A. Perrault sold 103,255 shares of Brookline Bancorp stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.69, for a total transaction of $1,516,815.95. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 421,122 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,186,282.18. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 110,255 shares of company stock valued at $1,620,316. 2.85% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
A number of equities analysts have issued reports on BRKL shares. BidaskClub upgraded Brookline Bancorp from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 23rd. Sandler O’Neill cut Brookline Bancorp from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 19th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. Brookline Bancorp presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $15.83.
Brookline Bancorp 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.
Announcing New BMS Office Hours & Evening Receptionist
We are pleased to announce that Brookline Music School (BMS) has extended its office hours to better serve our community. The new office hours are as follows:
Monday – Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
We would also like to welcome our new evening and Sunday receptionist Casey Layne. Casey will be in the office Monday through Thursday 5:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. She is well equipped to assist with taking payments and registrations, and answering any questions you may have.
Friends Of The Brookline Library Annual Book Sale
It is that time of year for the Friends of the Brookline Library’s annual holiday used book sale. On Sunday, December 3, the Friends will kick off the sale on the first floor of the Brookline Village Library. They have been saving up special items all year just for this sale, and it only ends when everything is all gone. You never know exactly what you will find, but you are sure to find the perfect gift.
There will be children’s books and sets; games; a variety of unique and pristine coffee table books; beautiful Franklin Mint, Heritage Press, and other collectible books; and some fantastic, vintage, one-of-a-kind books. There are also some very special treats for film lovers: a fabulous array of brand new popular and art house films on DVD and Blu-ray, including titles from the Criterion Collection. The sale has something for everyone, including you!
So come early and often, and stock up on holiday gifts for as long as the supply lasts. You cannot beat the prices, and you will be supporting the Friends and the Library. Happy Holidays!
Thanksgiving 2017: Open / Closed In Brookline
You might be out of luck if you wake up Thursday and remember you forgot something you need to make Thanksgiving dinner. For those of you who’ve lived here all your life, you know the drill: Because of the state’s “Blue Laws” restaurants, pharmacies, gas stations, and small food stores can open for Thanksgiving but chains big box stores or liquor stores cannot. You can try a local convenience store in an emergency but call ahead as many of them have adjusted their hours, too.
Here is a list of day before Thanksgiving hours for grocery chains. Those outside of town may vary. We have also started a list of convenience stores open for the holiday.
CLOSED on Thanksgiving:
- Whole Foods: Open 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. CLOSED on Thanksgiving.
- Trader Joes: All stores closed on Thanksgiving. (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. other days)
- Target on Comm Ave: Regular hours Wednesday (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.). Then Closed on Thanksgiving. Stores re-open at 6:00 a.m. on Black Friday and are open til 11:00 p.m.
- Shaws/ Star: Closed on Thanksgiving
- Stop and Shop: Regular hours Wednesday and Friday. (Closed Thanksgiving).
- Kurkman’s Market on Cypress Street: Open Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Friday normal hours 8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving)
OPEN on Thanksgiving:
- Walgreens will be open
- CVS will be open
Brookline Resident Boosts Brain Power With The Power Of Nutrition
When Will Nitze felt himself getting fatigued and battling mental fog while at work, a complete change to his diet made all the difference. That change not only boosted his mental function, it set him on a new career path.
The Brookline resident is launching the IQ Bar, a nutrition bar intended to boost cognitive function and help working folks like Nitze, who need something healthy on the go.
A Harvard University graduate, Nitze went to work for a software company where he discovered that his energy would not last. Having studied psychology and neurology at Harvard, Nitze realized the answer was in his diet.
“I would snack thoughout every afternoon and pretty much all the food I was putting into my body made my cognitive function worse,” Nitze said.
On paper, Nitze said, his diet was not terrible but after cutting out high-carb, low-fat foods such as grains, and pasta, and opting for low-carb, high-fat foods like avocados, butter, spinach and broccoli, Nitze quickly started to see the benefits.
He found his energy lasted throughout the day and he even lost some weight.
Nitze got the idea for the IQ Bar following his healthy eating breakthrough. Though there was plenty of research on healthy eating, Nitze could not find any easy on-the-go food options that targeted cognitive function.
“Turns out there was nothing at all,” said Nitze.
He decided to fill the gap and create a brain-boosting nutrition bar.
“I don’t want someone to cook for 40 minutes to get that nutritional value,” said Nitze.
In creating the IQ Bar, Nitze first focused on the nutrition value.
The result is three bars, each different flavors – Almond Cacao, Blueberry Walnut and Matcha Hazelnut – but all offering the same nutritional value that helps boost brain power.
The IQ Bar is not intended for gyms, rather Nitze hopes to bring it to offices, libraries, schools and other “places where people do work.”
With samples in hand, Nitze is ready to start distributing. He hopes to develop his base in Boston before expanding. Recently Nitze launched a Kickstarter to help get the business in motion. The IQ Bar seems to resonate as in just 12 hours, Nitze surpassed his fundraising goal of $10,000.
What is more, Nitze said, several interested customers and companies have been contacting Nitze looking for partnerships.
“It’s been really great,” Nitze said. “A lot of folks have been reaching out.”
For more information visit the IQ Bar website here.
Brookline Attorney Files Complaint Urging Roy Moore’s Law License Be Revoked
As sexual assault allegations against Senate candidate Roy Moore continue to make national headlines, one Brookline attorney decided it was time to take things into his own hands.
For J. Whitfield Larrabee, the calls for Moore to simply drop out of the Alabama race aren’t enough. Larrabee argues that Moore needs to have his license to practice law in the state revoked.
Moore, a former chief justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court and a candidate for US Senate, has been accused of having had inappropriate relationships with teenage girls, including a 14-year-old, while in his 30s.
In a complaint filed to the Alabama State Bar’s disciplinary commission Thursday, Larrabee presented his argument, laying out three rules from the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct that he says Moore has broken.
Count 1: “Moore violated Rule 8.4(b) of the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct by engaging in criminal conduct that reflects ‘adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects.’ ”
Count 2: “Moore engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation in violation of Rule 8.4(c) of the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct.”
Count 3: “Roy violated and continues to violate Rule 8.4(d) of the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct by engaging ‘in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.’ ”
Larrabee writes that Moore has allegedly engaged in several types of misconduct, including numerous instances of sexual assault, witness intimidation, threats to file baseless litigation, publicly lying to cover up sex crimes, disregarding a federal injunction, and interfering with the legal process.
“For an attorney to be out in public, publicly lying about a very significant offense, criminal activity, and then intimidating the media on that, it’s extremely unethical,” Larrabee said in a telephone interview. “So I think that’s something — the current activities — that the disciplinary authorities in Alabama can look into.”
It is not the first time Larrabee has filed complaints against high-profile politicians and organizations, even in Alabama. Earlier this year, he filed one against Alabama native US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He has also filed complaints about President Trump, the Trump Foundation, and Eric Trump.
Larrabee’s firm, which is located on Harvard Street in Brookline, handles a variety of litigation, including civil rights violations and sexual harassment cases.
When it comes to Moore, Larrabee said he is a “lawbreaker” who is not fit to serve in the US Senate.
“I think he’s part of the level of extremism that’s taken over the Republican Party,” Larrabee said. “He’s a hatemonger.”
Larrabee said the state will typically review his complaint and then give the subject of the complaint a chance to respond. From there, the disciplinary commission will review the case and determine whether there’s probable cause to have a hearing about the issue, he said.
Moore’s election has become a “matter of national concern,” Larrabee said, adding that everyone has a different way he or she can intervene and act.
Lawyers in Alabama, in particular, might be too intimidated to file a complaint against a powerful politician, Larrabee said, so he decided to step up.
“As an out-of-state lawyer, I’m willing to speak up,” he said. “It’s difficult for him to retaliate against me, so I have the opportunity to speak up.”
Help Find A Missing Cat
A cat has gone missing from the Cypress Road area and the police are now asking for folks to keep a look out for him.
Diva, an adult male cat, has been missing since Sunday from the High Street, Cypress Street area. He is friendly and gentle, may still be wearing a cloth blue and white camo collar.
Please contact 617-730-2222 with any info.
Who Dunnit? This Owl Was Mysteriously Left At A Brookline Library
On Monday morning Putterham Library had an unusual surprise near the book drop. Tucked to the side of it was a brown and black owl about the same size as the book drop.
“My supervisor found it, and I think she was surprised,” said Sebastian Sulser, who has been a librarian at the Putterham branch for the past three years.
And in the past three years this is a first, he said.
The librarians held on to the paper mache owl until someone, a local artist, mentioned he liked it.
They gave it to him.
“We still have no idea as to its origin,” said Sulser.
Now the town is tweeting out about the mystery asking for the mystery gifter to come forward. “HooWhoDunnit?” tweeted the town hall Friday morning.
“Hopefully someone will answer the hashtag call,” said Sulser.
Brookline Residents To Perform In Freelance Players’ Musical
Ten Brookline youths will perform in the Freelance Players’ upcoming original musical, “Come as you Are, ” at 7:30 p.m. on December 8 and 9 and 2:00 p.m. on December 10, 2017, Park School, 171 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA. The Brookline residents are: Nicky Glassman, Abby Jarvis, Danielle Kasif, Ezra Korn-Meyer, Kristen Liao, Melanie Pineda, Amita Polumbaum, Jack Riseman, Ryan Sanghavi and Maya Shavit.
The musical comedy is written by Cambridge novelist Stephen McCauley and playwright Sebastian Stuart, directed by Jamaica Plain’s Kippy Dewey, and includes a score by Brookline’s Narcissa Campion. Set in the Catskills in 1948, “Come As You Are” is about the perils of trying to be something you are not and the ultimate triumph of hard work and love. It features 24 actors, ages 12-16, from 11 Greater Boston communities. The young thespians attended 14 different schools throughout the area.
Cost: $10; $5 for students. For more information, please visit here or call 617-524-7045.
Brookline Arson: Former Owner Of Village Smokehouse On Trial
Did the former owner of the Village Smokehouse plot with a local handyman to burn down a failed construction project on Spooner Road in 2013 in an effort to get insurance money? That is what jurors are considering as the trial of Alan Kaplan kicked off Thursday.
Fifty-seven-year-old lifelong Brookline resident, owner of multiple businesses and developer Kaplan sat in the middle of the court room wearing a dark suit, orange tie and headphones over his ears to help him hear the proceedings as opening statements began. He was arrested in 2015 in connection to the multi-alarm fire at 81 Spooner Rd. – one of the biggest fires the town has dealt with in recent history, according to the now retired deputy chief who worked it. The fire destroyed a house under construction on July 26, 2013. A Jamaica Plain man, Steven McCann, who had ties to Kaplan, was later convicted of setting the fire.
Prosecutor Carolyn Hely and defense attorney Max Stern took turns in the Norfolk Superior Courthouse outlining what they said happened leading up to the fire. Jury selection finished Wednesday and the judge instructed jurors not to research the case, which has become well known in town.
Kaplan was among three men who had bought 81 Spooner Road under an LLC in 2004. The trio had the intention of fixing and selling the house, divvying up the parcels, building a second house and selling that one, too. After selling the first house and starting to build the second, the process ran into problems. Neighbors weren’t happy, the Town got involved, and there was litigation.
The central issue was that the house was too big for the Chestnut Hill lot. The construction stopped after the house was framed, while litigation went on until the end of 2012. After twice going to the highest court in Massachusetts, that court ordered the LLC to tear down the house.
“In Spring of 2013, the LLC is in a bind,” said Hely. “They have to take down the house, the lot is not buildable. There’s no way to extract any money from this land. There’s nothing they can do.”
Kaplan refinanced his property at the Smokehouse and used that to pay the bank where he borrowed $800,000 for the development efforts. But he still owed $800,000.
Enter McCann: A 29-year-old returned Marine suffering from PTSD and a drug problem, depression, separation from his wife, and living on a mattress on a friend’s place in JP.
“To put it mildly, he’s having a hard time,” said Hely.
“He was ‘spiraling out of control,’ according to his own lawyer in court,” said Stern.
McCann had worked with Kaplan in the past and Kaplan, according to both sides, had been generous to him.
In Spring of 2013, McCann met with Kaplan. McCann said he had gone in person to express condolences to Kaplan after his wife was diagnosed with cancer. It was then when the topic of money – and 81 Spooner Road – came up.
This is where the two sides’ agreement on the story comes to an end.
The attorney for the Commonwealth said Kaplan brought up setting fire to the project as an option and already planned it. McCann then offered to execute it. Kaplan’s motive? $1 million in insurance money covering the $800,000 loan debt.
Stern said there was no such motive because the insurance agreement would not dish out $1 million if there was no rebuilding. Kaplan also told the jurors to be wary of the testimony McCann because he had received a plea deal with the Commonwealth. In exchange for his testimony they would agree to drop the arson charges and recommend time served on setting fire to a building.
Commonwealth:
“After they met, Steven McCann set fire to Spooner Road. And he did that because of this meeting with Alan Kaplan,” Hely said. “Seems like a good plan: House burns down, if there’s any evidence it probably burns down with the house, and the odd chance that Steven McCann does something wrong he’s the only one that literally gets burned. On the off chance that Steven McCann starts talking, well, the defendant is a prominent local business owner in the town. He knows the police and fire-fighters… and [McCann] is suffering from mental problems, who’s going to believe him?” she said.
McCann set the fire. The question, asked the Commonwealth’s prosecutor is why? She told the jury.
“The only answer to that question is going to be Alan Kaplan, the defendant,” she said.
Kaplan’s defense:
Stern pulled over a podium and faced the jury to address them with his opening remarks, as Kaplan turned to face the jury.
“There’s another side to this story,” Stern said, painting a picture of Kaplan as a fourth-generation member of Kaplans, living with his daughter and son in Brookline, his wife having passed away from cancer in 2015.
Stern described Kaplan as an “extraordinarily generous man … a shirt-off-your-back man,” as friends and relatives sat in the court room behind him nodding.
He painted McCann as untrustworthy, someone who would do anything to get out of going back to jail. Stern said McCann’s story had changed.
He called the police investigation itself a “rush to judgement” and “incomplete and selective.” He held up a bright orange plastic bucket with a metal handle similar to the ones McCann said were filled with gasoline and were used to start the fire, and told them the metal handles were not recovered from the fire, throwing into question if the story about how the fire was started was true.
“There is no dispute that McCann was the arsonist. And there’s no dispute that they met the day before the fire. But Mr. Kaplan denies proposing this fire or even knowing about it. The fire was Mr. McCann’s idea in the expectation and false hope that he’d be rewarded,” he told jurors.
Following the conclusion of the first day of trial, friends and family gathered around Kaplan, hugging him and patting him on the back.
