Fallon Ambulance Equips Brookline First Responders

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August 18, 2017

The rising opioid crisis and violence against first responders are demonstrating a need for first responders to have access to safety and medical equipment.

“You start to see new things that could hurt first responders,” said Kevin Mont, director of emergency preparedness and EMS operations for Fallon Ambulance Service.

On August 17 Fallon Ambulance Service distributed 10 Self Aid Buddy kits to Brookline police fire and plans to distribute more to Brookline first responders in the coming days.

The kits, consisting of items like Narcan, tourniquets, face shields, respirator masks, gloves and shoe booties, are intended to be used by first responders should they or a colleague need medical attention or protection while responding to an emergency.

“It’s for the active first responders,” said Brookline Lieutenant Philip Harrington. “It’s for them to treat themselves.”

Whether it is being exposed to an unknown or dangerous substances or being injured on the job, first responders can find themselves in need of equipment like Narcan and tourniquets. That equipment is stored in the ambulance, but is intended for use on patients. The kits are for the crews to use on themselves.

“Who rescues the rescuers?” said Mont.

Fallon – contracted to work with Brookline, Milton, Dedham and Weymouth – already provides equipment like Narcan and tourniquets, but until now that equipment has not been kept in one easily accessible location. The kits are intended to change that.

“The key element is we wanted to centralize the equipment,” said Mont. “Now they have it in one central location.”

“We really look at it as a team approach,” said Mont.

In light of the ever-changing nature of the situations that first responders can find themselves in, Fallon designed the bags to be flexible to accommodate new or changing needs.

Brookline was the first community to receive the kits but Fallon plans to distribute more kits to Milton Dedham and hopefully Weymouth in the coming weeks.

“It’s a community that’s been great to us and vice versa,” Mont said of Brookline.

With 10 bags distributed and more on the way, Brookline police and fire are grateful for the centralized kits.

“We’re just fortunate that Fallon has taken the lead on this,” said Harrington.

Red Cross Seeking Local Blood Donors

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Brookline.com

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August 17, 2017

The American Red Cross is asking blood donors to give in the final weeks of summer to help overcome a chronic summer blood shortage.

In August, regular donors may delay giving as final summer vacations are planned and back-to-school activities ramp up. To fully meet the needs of hospital patients in the coming days and weeks, donations are needed from new and current donors. Those who donated blood earlier this summer might be eligible to donate again. Blood can be safely donated every 56 days, and power red cells can be donated every 112 days.

As a special thank you, those who come out to give blood or platelets with the Red Cross now through August 31, 2017 will be emailed a $5 Target e-gift card.

Appointments can be scheduled by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting here or calling 1–800–RED CROSS (1–800–733–2767). To help reduce wait times, donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire here.

Acton

Aug. 24: 2 – 7 p.m., St. Elizabeth’s Church, 89 Arlington Street

Arlington

Aug. 22: 2 – 7 p.m., Arlington Knights of Columbus, 15 Winslow Street

Belmont

Aug. 28: 1 – 6 p.m., Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Avenue

Burlington

Aug. 18: 12 – 6 p.m., Lahey Clinic, 41 Mall Road
Aug. 22: 1 – 7 p.m., American Legion Burlington, 162 Winn Street
Aug. 29: 1 – 7 p.m., American Legion Burlington, 162 Winn Street

Cambridge

Aug. 17: 1 – 7 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 65 Binney Street
Aug. 25: 1 – 6 p.m., Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street
Aug. 31: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Building 200, 200 Technology Square

Lexington

Aug. 18: 2 – 7 p.m., Avalon at Lexington Hills, 1000 Main Campus Drive
Aug. 23: 2 – 7 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 177 Bedford Street
Aug. 23: 2 – 7 p.m., Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Road

Medford

Aug. 20: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 170 Governors Avenue

Brookline Arts Center Faculty Exhibition Reception

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August 17, 2017

The Brookline Arts Center is pleased to host its annual Faculty Exhibition. Our faculty members are professional teaching artists with a wide range of experience and expertise. The art displayed is a sampling of work by faculty members specializing in jewelry and metals, ceramics, painting, drawing and more.

The reception is one night only. However, the exhibition will run from September 8th to October 6th.

When:
Friday, Sep 15, 2017 6:00p –
8:00p

Where:
Brookline Arts Center
86 Monmouth Street
Brookline, MA 02446

Admission:
Free

Categories:
Art

Event website: here

Fairs & Festivals In Eastern Massachusetts

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August 17, 2017

GODDESSES IN THE GARDENS — The Gardens at Elm Bank/Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 900 Washington Street (Route 16), Wellesley, on Aug. 17, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. Free. Join for an evening of music, harvest tastings, kid’s activities and garden tours. Bring a picnic and friends. Kids can discover the newly renovated Weezie’s Garden for Children, and everyone can try something fresh from the Seed to Table vegetable garden. Wine, beer and other beverages will be sold. Live music by What’s Goin’ On, featuring vocalist Nicole Webster. The U.S. Postal Service will pay tribute to pollinators with the dedication of its new stamps, The Protect Pollinators Forever stamps, at a special dedication ceremony at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please e-mail, visit or call: amyrodrigues2@aol.com, here, 781-408-9174.

FISHERMAN’S FEAST OF THE MADONNA SOCCORSO DI SCIACCA — Aug. 17, 18, 19 and 20, Lewis and North streets, Boston. Thursday at 6:00 p.m., Blessing of the Fishing Waters at Christopher Columbus Park; Feast opens at 6:00 p.m. on Friday; noon – 11:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (grand procession Sunday at 1:00 p.m., Flight of the Angel at 8:00 p.m.) For more information, please visit here.

HARDWICK FAIR — The 255th Hardwick Fair will take place Aug. 18 (5:30 – 10:00 p.m.) and Aug. 19 (7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) Exhibits, hay rides, chicken barbecue, demonstrations and much more. For more information, please visit here.

MARSHFIELD FAIR — Aug. 18-27, noon – 10:00 p.m. every day, 140 Main St., Marshfield. Come have fun at the 150th fair. Admission: $10, free for children under 6 years. Music, crafts, demonstrations, exhibits and more. For more information, please visit here.

SALEM SOUL & JAZZ FESTIVAL — Aug. 19, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., and Aug. 20, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., various locations in Salem. The festival recreates and renews the vibrant jazz scene that began at the Salem Willows in the 1920s, when Duke Ellington and other musicians from the Big Band era played at the seaside park in Massachusetts. The festival builds on this rich jazz history — adding soul, blues and funk to the mix – and shining the spotlight on talented musicians from Boston’s North Shore and beyond. For more information, please visit here.

BLUES N’ BREWS FESTIVAL — Nashoba Valley Ski Resort, 79 Powers Road, Westford, on Aug. 19, 10:30 a.m. – 7:15 p.m., and Aug. 20, 11:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. The 16th annual Blues N’ Brews Festival offers two days of blues from all over the country and 40-50 micro-breweries with more than 100 beers to sample on site. Advance ticket purchase includes 10 beer tasting tickets, tickets purchased at the gate include 5 beer tasting tickets. Ticket purchases and details available here.

GLOUCESTER WATERFRONT FESTIVAL— Stage Fort Park, Hough Avenue, Gloucester, on Aug. 19 from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and Aug. 20, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Free. More than 200 booths featuring juried artists and craftsmen from throughout the U.S. will display their unique creations. Live music and delicious food including a lobster bake. Family-style entertainment free through the day. Friendly pets on leashes are welcome. Free admission; there is a free to park. For more information, please e-mail, visit or call: info@capeannchamber.com, here, 978-283-1607.

MILL FEST 2017 VINTAGE FESTIVAL — Mill 77 Trading Company, 49 Macy Street, Amesbury, on Aug. 19 and 20, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Our indoor and outdoor event will feature purveyors of vintage and vintage-inspired goods, creators of incredible food and players of awesome music. Free admission. This is a rain or shine event. For more information, please visit here.

CORN & TOMATO FESTIVAL — Verrill Farm, 11 Wheeler Road, Concord, Aug. 19, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The farm’s signature summer event features samples of its farm-grown tomatoes and corn. Tastings and samples: $9 for adults. $5 for kids under 10. Taste 30-plus varieties of tomatoes and six-plus varieties of corn. Sample dishes made in the farm stand kitchen using these two popular crops. Additional food and beverages served a la carte. Music by the Sky Blue Boys; there will also be hayrides and pony rides. For more information, please call 978-369-4494 or visit here.

Weekend of Aug. 24-27

ST. LUCY’S FEAST — Aug. 24, Thatcher and Endicott streets, Boston. Feast and procession at 5:00 p.m. For more information, please visit here.

MIDDLESEX 4H FAIR — Aug. 25, 26, 27, 4H Fairgrounds, 55 South Chelmsford Road, Westford. All exhibitors are members of 4H clubs in Middlesex County. For more information, please visit here.

ST. ANTHONY’S FEAST — Aug. 25, 26 and 27, Endicott, Thatcher and North Margin Streets, Boston. Feast opens at 7 p.m. on Friday; noon – 11:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (grand procession on Sunday starts at noon). For more information, please visit here.

MULTICULTURAL DAY — Aug. 26, noon – 3:00 p.m., Natick Common. This event will celebrate the various food, music and cultures found within the different ethnicities in our community. For more information, please visit here.

CHALK-FULL-O-FUN ONSET STREET PAINTING FESTIVAL — Lillian Gregerman Bandshell, 188 Onset Avenue, Wareham, on Aug. 27, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Express yourself with chalk art at this hugely popular annual family event. $5 registration fee includes supplies. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. Come early for the best spots. Live music from noon-4 p.m. Juried craft fair. For more information, please visit here.

TOMATO FESTIVAL — Ashland Farmers’ Market, 125 Front Street, Ashland, on Aug. 26, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Let’s celebrate the delicious tomato today. They are fully in season and ready to be sampled. Sample some special tomatoes at the heirloom tasting, also learn about creative tomato pairings. Do not miss the food demo from Chef Christopher Ryan of Residence at Valley Farm as he makes gazpacho. The Cardinal, Joe Stillitano, Len Rabinowitz will be on the Ashland Arts Alliance Music Stage from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The Ashland Garden Club will be hosting a garden activity at the Kid’s Corner from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. For more information, please visit here.

SOUTHBOROUGH SUMMER NIGHTS — Margaret a Neary School, 53 Parkerville Road, Southborough, on Aug. 26, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. Join in an evening of fun, food, music and fireworks. Kids of all ages will enjoy our rock-climbing wall, 65-foot inflatable obstacle course, inflatable moon bounces and slide, rolling video cart, pony rides, face-painting, hands-on robotics activity, games galore, food vendors and live music provided by The Boston Naturals all topped off with a fireworks display.

Weekend of Sept. 1-4

THREE COUNTY FAIR — Sept. 1-4, 54 Fair Street, Northampton. The fair celebrates its 200th anniversary with special events, including Veterans Night on Sept. 1 and the Kent Family Magic Circus on Sept. 4. There will also be a tractor parade on Sept. 2, along with a midway, classic car show, much and much more. For more information, please visit here.

KING RICHARD’S FAIRE — Weekends, Sept. 2-Oct. 22, including Labor Day and Columbus Day. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. New England’s greatest Renaissance fair returns to the grounds at 235 Main Street, Carver. For more information, please visit here.

GREEK FESTIVAL — at St. Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church, 9 Central St., Marlborough, on Sept. 2, noon – 11:00 p.m.; Sept. 3, noon – 11:00 p.m.; Sept. 4, noon – 5:00 p.m. Greek food, beer and wine, pastries, dance groups and more. Free admission; rain or shine. For more information, please e-mail, visit or call: webmaster@stsanargyroi.org, here, 508-485-2575.

LABOR DAY PARADE — Sept. 4, noon, Marlborough. Parade begins at Pleasant and Lincoln Streets and proceeds west onto Lincoln Street, south onto Broad Street, east onto West main Street and continues onto Main Street, turns south on Maple Street and ends at the intersection of Route 85 – Bolton Street. For more information, please visit here.

Weekend of Sept. 8-10

AUTUMN ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL— Wayside Inn, 72 Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury, Sept. 9 and 10, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Come enjoy this wonderful opportunity to support, and admire, local artists and the amazing dedication their skillset entails. This creativity packed event is the perfect outing for the family, with food and music on site. Some of the arts and crafts that will showcased are alpaca clothing items, crystalline pottery solar lights, books personalized by author, unique recycled milk carton lights, handpainted neckties and scarves, fine jewelry, folk art and other paintings and caligraphy, embroidery, stained glass, handpoured soy candles, quilts, kettle corn, ornaments, seasonal decor, ceramic tiles and more. Rain or shine; admission — $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, free for children under 14. Free parking; friendly, leashed pets welcome. For more information, please visit here.

CAMBRIDGE CARNIVAL INTERNATIONAL — Sept. 10, Kendall Square and Central Square. The festival, including a grand costume parade and festivities, will begin at noon. The Cambridge Carnival is one of the largest outdoor multicultural festivals in New England. For more information, please visit here.

Weekend of Sept. 15-17

APPLEFEST — Sept. 14-17, Algonquin Regional High School athletic fields. Fireworks on Sept. 16 from 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. For more information, please visit here.

THE BIG E — Sept. 15-Oct. 1, 1305 Memorial Avenue, Springfield. The best from the six New England states and New York will be on display. Music, demonstrations, car shows, midway and much more. For more information, please visit here.

Brookline Resident To Bike From Canada To South America

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August 17, 2017

Hudson Doyle is about to embark on an eight-month trip from Canada to South America, but not by plane, nor by bus, but by bicycle.

The 35-year-old Brookline resident will cycle his way from Vancouver, along the coast and end his trip in Colombia. Though well seasoned in travel by bike, this will be Doyle’s longest solo bike tour, and he cannot wait.

“Traveling by bike in my experience is the best experience,” said Doyle. “It’s so real, you can’t skip anything, it’s a great adventure.”

Doyle got his introduction to touring by biking 2002 when he spent three weeks cycling around New Zealand with two people he met while abroad. After completing the memorable adventure, Doyle was hooked.

Since then he has toured nine times, of which five were solo trips. He has completed two round- world trips, cycled through the Pacific Northwest and climbed his way through Glacier National Park in Montana to Jasper National Park in Canada.

For Doyle, touring by bike has allowed him to take in the world’s natural beauty and get to know its people. On his bike trips, Doyle has found that people can be more hospitable, often inviting him to their homes for food and conversation.

“When you show up to a town by bike people notice you, they talk to you,” he said.

The satisfaction of putting in the work to reach a destination and conquering those tough climbs also makes biking a standout way to travel.

“It’s so empowering, it’s so confidence building,” Doyle said.

He recalled one tough climb in the Pacific Northwest, which he compared to five miles up an incline akin to Summit Avenue. Upon reaching the summit an hour and a half later, utterly spent but exhilarated, Doyle stopped, and roared.

“There’s nothing more important in my opinion than the environment,” said Doyle.

Touring, he said, allows you take it all in, in a way that travel by bus, train or car would not.

Having traveled throughout the world, Doyle said he has seen many places where poverty and environmental degradation are prevalent. It is a trend that Doyle expects will spread farther west, and he wants to take in the world as it exists today before it disappears.

Doyle’s trip will take him from Vancouver, along the West Coast to Yosemite National Park, through Death Valley and the Mojave Desert to La Paz. Once in Mexico he’ll travel through every country in Central America except for Belize and take a five-day boat trip from Panama to Colombia where he will tour around the county and end in Cali, Colombia.

It is a daunting trip, and the towering Tioga Pass in Yosemite will prove a particular challenge.

“I get nervous just thinking about it, it’s double the height,” said Doyle.

Motivated by a determination to live a life driven by passion, Doyle aims to break out of the work to live cycle. He has spent the past eight to 10 years working and saving to financially position himself to make the trip.

“You have to have vision about what kind of life you want to live,” Doyle said.

While traveling solo can be lonely at times, it is also liberating, he said.

Though crime in Central and South America is a bit of a concern, Doyle said, people abroad are far more hospitable and friendly than is often depicted

“The world is a more friendly place than it’s given credit for,” he said.

When he returns, Doyle is unsure if he will return to work practicing Chinese medicine, or if he will pursue other interests. He may even head to Lisbon and bike through Europe to Greece.

For those interested in going on a bike tour, Doyle advised starting small with a weekend trip somewhere beautiful.

“You don’t have to be super fit, you don’t have to go fast, as long as you commit yourself to the experience of a bike trip,” said Doyle.

Though admittedly nervous, the trip, he is sure, will be well worth it.

“It’s not easy, but of course great things aren’t easy,” Doyle said with a grin.

Asian American Commission’s 6th Annual Young Leaders Symposium

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Brookline.com

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August 15, 2017

Date:
September 23, 2017

Location:
Vietnamese American Community Center (VietAID)
42 Charles Street
Dorchester, MA 02215

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Our 6th Annual Young Leaders Symposium is designed to engage young leaders and promote leadership. This year’s attendees will learn about all the aspects of a great leader through communication, public speaking, the importance of setting goals and planning, networking, conflict resolution, and decision making, etc…

Registration is open! Please click here to register.

This event is free and open to the public.

For planning purposes, we would appreciate those interested in attending to register by Friday, September 15, 2017.

Boston Holocaust Memorial Vandalized For A 2nd Time This Summer

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August 15, 2017

The New England Holocaust Memorial has been vandalized for the second time this Summer, according to the Boston Police.

Boston Police said a witness on Monday evening saw a 17-year-old Malden man throw what appeared to be a rock at one of the glass panels that memorializes Jews murdered by genocidal Nazi Germany more than seven decades ago.

In late June, a 21-year-old Roxbury man allegedly threw an object through one of the memorial’s panels. That incident was the first time that a monument panel has been destroyed since its 1995 dedication, although memorial supporters had planned for that possibility and have replacement panels in reserve.

Monday’s vandalism occurred amid racial tensions throughout the country that spilled into violence over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white supremacists clashed violently with counter-protestors.

“We are appalled and saddened that the New England Holocaust Memorial was vandalized Monday night for the second time in just 6 weeks,” Jewish Community Relations Council and Combined Jewish Philanthropies said. “The images of Nazis marching in the streets of America over the weekend in Charlottesville and now shattered glass once again at this sacred space in Boston are an affront to our Jewish community and to all those who stand-up against bigotry, hatred and anti-Semitism.”

The organizations, which manage the site and coordinate programming, said there will be a timeline for rebuilding the memorial once the damage is assessed.

According to local news reports, the suspect was tackled by two bystanders who held him until police arrived. A spokeswoman for Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley noted that juvenile court proceedings are not open to the public and the names of juvenile defendants are not released by authorities.

“I’m grateful for the quick response and the community help which led to the swift arrest of the suspect responsible for the damage done to the Holocaust Memorial,” Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said in a statement. “Clearly, this type of behavior will not be tolerated in our city. And, in light of the recent events and unrest in Charlottesville, it’s sad to see a young person choose to engage in such senseless and shameful behavior.”

The memorial located near Boston City Hall and Faneuil Hall features six glass towers.

Brookline Police Department Releases A Mid-Year Review

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August 15, 2017

The Brookline Police Department has released its mid-year review, and Patch is here to breakdown the 54-page document for readers. The review, which is officially submitted by Chief Daniel O’Leary to Melvin Kleckner, the Town Administrator, is available for the public to read.

In the opening memo, O’Leary noted the following:

The expansion of racial diversity on the force, particularly with graduation of ten new recruit officers, consisting of four women, two Asian officers, one Latino officer, and an African-American officer.
Lieutenant June Murphy was commemorated. Murphy died unexpectedly in May after having served Brookline since 1984, and passed many milestones, like becoming the first female sergeant to earn the rank of Lieutenant in 2003, and as the founder of Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement (MAWLE) in 2007.

Crime statistics have been compiled for the department for Jan. 1- June 30, 2017. The department claims that crime in Brookline is down more than 70% in the last 20 years.

Crime Statistics:

348 Part A crimes, defined as murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglery, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. This is a 4% decrease from the first half of 2016.
There were no murders in the first half of 2017. Brookline has had no murders since 2007.
For the first half of 2017, violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery and assault) are down 14% compared to the first half of 2016 (75 in 2017 compared to 87 in 2016).
In summary, assaults are down 15% burglaries are down 36%, larceny has increased by 3%, rapes and robberies remain the same as the first half of 2016.
The Domestic Violence Unit was involved in the investigation of 43 cases during the first
six months of 2017.

Traffic Enforcement Statistics

There were 8,435 moving violations issued to motorists on Brookline’s roads.
57,587 parking tickets were issued, totaling $1.8 million in fines and penalties.
Officers responded to nearly 35,000 calls.

How Are Police Dealing With Racial Controversy?

Police are holding ongoing trainings on justice and how to police during protests. In a trip coordinated by a training division and the Brookline Police Department Diversity Committee, Brookline Police department members took a tour of the Museum of African American History and the West End House Museum. The training also included “a discussion of forced busing in Boston in the 1970s and the abortion protests in Brookline of the 80s-90s and how police, despite their personal views on the subject, were on the front line of enforcement.”

Social Media Visibility

The Department tweets 40-50 times a month. An additional three hundred people have followed the Facebook page, and an additional 300 on Instagram and 400 on Twitter. The website had 36,000 visitors in the first six months of the year.

Special Response Team Training

The team was activated for the 121st Boston Marathon, and for a mutual aid operation to the Chelsea Police Department. The Department is also going through re-accreditation processes with the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission .

Department Update on Dealing with the Mentally Ill and Vulnerable Populations

The department is using a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) to assist people with mental illness, drug/alcohol dependency and/or other factors which require a social service response, in the hopes that they can reduce the re-occurrence of a law enforcement intervention. The national CIT Model’s goal is to have 25% of a police department CIT trained. At this time, approximately 52% of the Brookline Police Department’s Officers (64), from all 5 divisions and one civilian victims-witness advocate, are CIT trained.

Brookline Police Arrest Two in International ATM Scam

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August 15, 2017

Two men have been arrested in connection to international ATM theft. Brookline police were dispatched to a bank on Harvard Street on Tuesday night with a tip of fraudulent activity at the ATM machines. An employee told police that he had been tracking two males through multiple states who came in to use the ATMs.

Officers found the two men to be in possession of various credit cards which they had used to make fraudulent transactions at the ATMs. The men, who have been in the country for less than ten days, were placed under arrest for Uttering a Forged Instrument, Illegal Use of a Credit Card, Identity Fraud, Possessing 4 or More Falsely Embossed Credit Cards, and Larceny over $250. The burglars had been tracked committing ATM theft in NYC by bank fraud investigators since they arrived in the U.S. on August 7. Allegedly they had accumulated $11,000 in fraudulent monies before arriving in Brookline.

The bank is partnering with the New England Electronics Task Force for a follow up investigation. The men are awaiting a bail hearing at the Brookline Municipal Court.

Another Brookline School Principal Steps Down

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August 15, 2017

For the second time in two years, the Pierce School has a new interim principal, after Christine Kelley accepted a newly created assistant superintendent position in Pentucket.

Superintendent Andrew Bott named Lesley Ryan Miller as the interim principal for the this year just a month before school is slated to start on September 7, 2017.

“A school leadership transition at this late date in the Summer is always challenging, and can be anxiety provoking. The Public Schools of Brookline, however, is in the enviable position of having Ms. Ryan Miller – an outstanding internal candidate – ready to step into this critical leadership role,” said Bott in an email home to families recognizing that it was a bit of a late move.

Miller joined Brookline Public Schools just over a year ago as the senior director of teaching and learning where she focused on supporting the K-8 elementary schools.

A representative from the Superintendent’s office said they anticipate running a full search similar to the ones they ran this past year for the “permanent” principal. That search will be timed in a way that the principal would start July 1 of next year, according to the representative.

Kelley came on last year after Pipier Smith-Mumford retired at the end of the last school year after 17 years as principal of the Pierce school and 31 total in Brookline. School in Brookline begins on September 7, 2017.

Kelley was the interim principal of Winchester High School before taking this position, and before that she was a principal at Winchester elementary school from 2010 to 2015. She was also a principal in Woburn, MA. Kelly had experience as a teacher for 18 years teaching grades six, three, two and one. She lives north of Boston with her husband, Tim and their three children who range in age from 24 to 15.

Kelley was one of 35 applicants to the new position in Pentucket.

“Kelley is cited for her success with parent engagement, high energy, relentless drive and attention to detail,” the Newburyport Daily News reported.

The salary for the assistant superintendent’s position is budgeted for up to $145,000.

Of the nine schools in Brookline, each has had seen some change in leadership over the past two years.

Teen Arrested In Connection With 2016 Stabbing

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August 14, 2017

A 19-year-old man walked into the Brookline Police Station August 11, 2017 at 4:00 a.m. and confessed to stabbing someone last year.

On June 15, 2016 a man was stabbed on Vernon Street when he fought off a man who stole and then later tossed away his cell phone. The incident was caught on surveillance video and circulated widely at the time. Such violence is rare for Brookline, though that stabbing was one of a handful in 2016.

Police arrested Terry Gray, 19, of Dorchester.

Between January 1 – June 30, this year, there were a total of 348 crimes that involved robbery, assault burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. That is down 4 percent from the same period last year.

In the first half of 2017, there were reductions in assaults (down 12), burglaries (down 14) compared to the same period last year. There were no murders in the first half of 2016 (or at all last year) and so far this year no murders. So far this year there have been two rapes and four robberies in the first half of 2017.

Brookline’s Casey McNamara Advocates For Diabetes Research In Dc

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August 11, 2017

Casey McNamara, a former Brookline high student and current rising junior at Ursuline Academy, excels as a three-sport varsity athlete.

By looking at her, you would never be able to tell she has Type 1 Diabetes, or T1D.

“On the outside, I look like a normal kid — I do cross country, lacrosse, ice hockey. I ran a half marathon. I’m able to do everything other kids can do, but every second of every day I still have diabetes on top of that. People don’t see what goes on behind the scenes,” she said.

McNamara represented Massachusetts at the 2017 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) children’s congress in Washington D.C. from July 24-27. Members of the children’s congress shared their stories with politicians from their state in order to stress the importance of securing money for diabetes research.

The JDRF children’s congress takes place every other year. In 2017, McNamara was selected to participate along with 160 other children with T1D aged 4 to 17 from across America. She had applied two other times at the ages of 12 and 14, but was not accepted until this year, which is the last year she would have been eligible. McNamara said she put an enormous amount of effort into her application this year; she wanted to attend now more than ever.

“I’m glad that this was the year she was chosen, because now she could understand all of it better,” said Karen McNamara, Casey’s mother, who accompanied her to DC.

McNamara and two other children from Massachusetts spoke with Congressman Joe Kennedy, as well as Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. She said that they had no trouble convincing these politicians of the need for research, and that they had supported the JDRF in the past.

Some senators and representatives are more difficult to persuade. According to McNamara, politicians from Southern states especially are more likely to think that children bring diabetes onto themselves.

But unlike Type 2 Diabetes, which can be induced by poor diet and lack of exercise, Type 1 is an autoimmune disease. Both types can cause serious complications, including heart disease, eye disease, kidney disease and nerve damage.

“The [Southern] congressperson might say, ‘you did this to yourself — why should we give money to you?’ Or they might listen to the kids’ stories sympathetically, but not end up doing anything,” she said. “It’s hard for those kids, especially the younger ones. But it was easy with Massachusetts.”

Before speaking with the politicians on July 27, McNamara and the other delegates of the children’s congress got the chance to meet each other as well as celebrities and successful adults with T1D. These included professional sports players and an FBI agent.

McNamara’s favorite part of the trip, however, was meeting other kids like her.

“It’s nice to be around people who know what you’re going through. I made instant friends with a girl named Danielle. We talked and laughed for hours and hours—I will never forget that,” she said.

There are some aspects of her life that her friends without T1D would never fully understand.

“I have awesome, supportive friends, but they don’t know the feelings,” she said. “They don’t really get why I have to sit down when I’m feeling ‘low’.”

Before, during and after every game McNamara must check her blood sugar and adjust accordingly. If it is too high, she cannot perform well and needs to take insulin; if it is too low, she cannot play at all, and needs to sit out the game and eat.

But even when she is not playing sports, she must constantly monitor what and when she eats. She must check her blood sugar 12 to 15 times a day, or up to 25 if she is sick.

“I never get a day off. I can’t just eat. I’m not able to,” she said. “If I did, there would be too many repercussions and complications.”

Before applying to be a part of the children’s congress this year, McNamara had attended the Clara Barton Camp for girls with T1D for 10 years, where she met some of her best friends. She and her family had also participated in JDRF fundraising walks because her 6-year-old cousin Cameron was also diagnosed with T1D.

“I have well-managed diabetes. Sometimes my friends don’t realize how serious it can be. If your blood sugar goes too low, you can die — I’ve never been anywhere close to that, luckily,” said McNamara.

Many children at the congress did have serious complications as a result of the disease, and their experiences stuck with both Casey and her mother.

“The children’s congress was so much more than I ever imagined. Learning from other people, getting to listen to their stories was so compelling and touching. It brought me back to when Casey was diagnosed,” said Karen.

McNamara was diagnosed at age 4 after her parents noticed that she was constantly urinating and drinking juice. Her body was attempting to flush out ketones, which are acids that can develop from untreated high blood pressure. She was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with T1D.

But she says she does not really remember that; what she remembers most is her fifth birthday party. She was forbidden from eating her own cake because she had already eaten all her carbs.

“I was distraught. It’s times like those that I wish I didn’t have diabetes for just one day,” said McNamara.

As a result of JDRF’s efforts in the past, there have been many advancements in technology to treat T1D that have made children’s lives easier. The ultimate goal, though, is to find a cure.

“I’m really happy I was chosen to do this. My cousin Cameron deserves a cure. I want a cure for myself so badly, but even more, I want a cure for the people I love and people who have it harder than I do,” said McNamara.

China Trip An Eye-Opening Experience For Brookline Residents

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August 11, 2017

Picture an average eight-hour day at the office. Now double that.

That 16-hour period is still shorter than the time it takes to fly from Boston to Beijing, excluding a likely layover. While China is thousands of miles away, across an ocean and half a day ahead of us, a handful of Brookline, Newton and Lexington residents are attempting to bridge the two nations like never before.

In 2005 Qiong Zhou, former principal of the Newton Chinese School, NCS, in Newtonville, started a program for 12 Chinese-American high-school students to help support poor Chinese high-school students living in rural areas. Called the Support Education Program, SEP, the mission involves NCS students fundraising year-round to collect money for these Chinese students living in dire economic conditions.

This year, Brookline residents Ginger Yao and her daughter Jocelyn were among the 14 people selected to travel on the annual spring-break trip to China.

Zhou started the program after learning of a trend where many parents in rural China would leave their kids behind to take jobs in bigger cities hoping to send money home. High school is not mandatory in China and parents were often unable to provide the necessary funds to continue their children’s education.

This is where SEP steps in.

The program provides money for the families so the students can graduate high school and go on to college. Revenue comes from various fundraising events such as bake-sales, talent shows, tennis tournaments, book fairs, concerts, dance festivals and donation boxes.

The recipients of the funds are selected by their high schools, based on their academic achievements, their level of poverty and their future ambitions, according to Ginger.

Each year, SEP brings between $12,000 to $17,000 to distribute among 20 to 30 students at schools in China chosen through a process drafted in the by-laws of the organization.

“To the students here, participating in this project is a meaningful and unforgettable experience,” Zhou said. “They realize how lucky and fortunate they are in America”

Zhou recalled how one student did the math and realized his smartphone was worth more than a Chinese student’s whole family budget for a year. Another student realized that some students in China were wearing the same clothes the entire week while they were there.

“One boy we met, his grades dropped because he stopped eating dinner to save his parents from having to pay for the food,” said Jocelyn. “While we were there we realized how privileged we were and how we can use that privilege to help others in life”.

Parents who head to China’s big cities to take jobs often end up as construction, maintenance or migrant workers. During the trip, Jocelyn met a boy whose parents made a living picking up trash. She described the family as “the kindest people I have ever met”.

“The trip was one of the highlights of my short life, because I’m an interactive learner,” Jocelyn said. “So interacting with these people was amazing because they’re all astounding in their academics and resilience given how poor some of them are.”

Ginger, who serves as the program director, accompanied Jocelyn as one of the two parent-chaperones. Currently serving a two-year term as director, Ginger had been to China multiple times before this trip, but had never experienced a trip like the one she took with SEP.

The trip allowed Ginger to see her daughter in a new light, not just as someone she is responsible for, but as an independent student and volunteer.

In this way, and many others, the trip benefits all involved. Beyond the financial donations, the students partake in swap of cultural practices. The Chinese students get a taste of life as an American teenager and the education process here, and the American students get a better understanding of Chinese culture.

“We help Chinese students financially and they help our students be inspired and motivated by them, living in different conditions,” Ginger said. “This trip is transformative and we see our students find more meaning in their lives going forward”.

Though far-reaching in the lives it impacts, SEP is a small program, which is exactly how the NCS intends to keep it, aimed to continue helping improve the lives of impoverished children across rural China.

The effects of SEP are clear long after participants have passed through it, and sometimes the Chinese students will reach out to NCS after graduating high school or in college, expressing their appreciation and gratitude.

“When you work that hard you see the kids doing well,” Ginger said. “Then there is a sense of accomplishment that is just overwhelming.”

Best Burger Open In Brookline Village

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Brookline.com

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August 10, 2017

Where one coffee shop closes, a burger joint opens. But not just any burger joint if the restaurant’s pointed name is to be believed, it is “Best Burger.”

Best Burger Bar opened Aug. 10 hours after it got its liquor licence. At around 5:30 p.m. they opened and by 6 p.m. folks were already eating on the patio in the setting sun and a line wrapped around the reclaimed wood bar.

Best Burger presumably competes with Magnolia Smokehouse and Matt Murphy for meat house on the block. But this is perhaps the only restaurant with a built out patio in the village.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm behind the concept. I do not anticipate anyone will have beef with them for bringing another innovative dining experience in Brookline,” said Andy Martineau of the town planning department.

The concept is a bit different from the rest of the meaty options around town say the guys over at Best Burger.

“All of our burgers are dry aged burger, just like you could order in a stake house. That gives it a much more meaty flavor. Our real home run burger is The Farm,” said Nick Mallia, long time catering at Paris Creperie who has helped John Mascia launch.

The Farm comes with a whiskey bacon jam, and a smear of foie gras black truffle.

“It just pops in your mouth,” said Mallia. Look for an in-house poutine when the move to a full menu, added.

“I just like the quality of the meat,” said Chef Nick Wilson. “No one is using this dry aged beef. You can smell it right when you get that burger. It just gives a whole totally feel that mouth feel. That’s what gives us the secret behind being the Best Burger bar.”

On the menu are not just meat items. Look for the Portabella Mushroom Burger ($7.79) and Manchego cheese fries ($5.99).

The portabella is marinated in a balsamic secret sauce, according to Wilson. That is accompanied by a slice of Havarti cheese, arugula, tomato and onion. The portabella is on a potato bun from Piantadosi Baking company, which keeps the bite fluffy and griddled, giving it a sweet carmelization.

Eventually the plan is to upgrade to Iggy’s as more of the menu rolls in, said Wilson.

“I know Brookline, we need veggie options,” said Mallia. And they’re coming. Chef Wilson makes a chick pea burger. There’s a BBQ pulled pork sandwich. (Think shredded pulled pork on a brisket hot dog).

Former Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar partner, John Mascia, is behind the burger restaurant, which seats around 40 inside and 20 on the patio. Brother Cleve designed the drinks to come later. The natal queen is served inside a hollowed pineapple. Jack and Marion’s Catskill Vacation is named after the deli owners of Coolidge Corner fame.

The plan is to start slow and then branch out. At this point there are only four local beers on the menu on opening night. Open for dinner Friday 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

They’ll stick with those hours for a few days as they get their feet under them, said Mallia. Wednesday the plan is to bring the full bar menu out.

The plan is to open at 11:00 a.m. every day and stay open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday. Thursday through Saturday they close at 11:00 p.m.

Oh and one more thing: Look for the Black Knight 2000 pinball machine to grace the dining room soon. Mallia got it for his 15th birthday and is bringing it in for folks. (Who gets a pinball machine for their 15th birthday!?)

Distraction Residential Burglaries Targeting Massachusetts Residents

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Brookline.com

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August 10, 2017

Since the beginning of August, East Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Braintree, and Medway have had reports of individuals approaching residences claiming to be water department employees to gain access to the homes. Once inside, they either ask the victims to stay in the basement while they go to their truck for a tool or go upstairs to check something. When the victims return, they find money and jewelry was stolen.

In one incident in East Boston, the victim did not go to the basement with the suspect but later saw the suspect flee from the home and found money missing from the home’s second story.

Most victims have been elderly and all incidents occurred during afternoon hours. Suspect descriptions have varied.

We are asking Brookline residents to be vigilant to these scams and contact us at 617–730–2222 should they observe any suspicious activity.

Thanks and stay safe!

“Hamilton” Actor And 2006 BHS Alumn In Brookline

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August 8, 2017

Remembering Brookline’s Sonia Paine: Survivor, Businesswoman, Fighter

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August 8, 2017

She fled from the Nazis with her parents in 1939, fended off career criminal “Little Nick” when he tried to rob her, and distinguished herself as a compassionate and adept business woman – throughout all of it, Sonia Paine was driven by passion and a deep love of family.

The Brookline resident and antique shop owner passed away at the end of July at the age of 95.

As the Nazis readied to invade Poland in 1939, Sonia and her parents secured passage to the United States on the last boat, according to her son, Mitch Paine. A well-to-do family in Poland, Sonia and her parents left most everything behind and arrived with only a handful of belongings. The hardship of being forced to leave their home with nothing did not stop the family from working hard. They moved to Dorchester, where Sonia’s father worked as a barber and Sonia took a job working for a furrier.

“They weren’t lazy people; her parents were very successful in Europe,” said Mitch.

It was from her parents and their life in Poland that Sonia learned to work hard and always put family first. Those values colored everything she did and distinguished her not only as a mother and a grandmother, but also as a successful businesswoman.

After moving to Brookline with her husband and starting a family, Sonia began selling antiques out of the family home’s basement. Having grown up in Poland surrounded by nice things, she had a good eye that lent itself to the antique business. Mostly, however, she was self-taught.

Mitch recalled Sonia taking night classes, reading books and attending antique shows, all to educate herself and earn a reputation as a gifted and respected antique dealer.

“Everybody knew Sonia Paine,” Mitch said.

Sonia single-handedly grew the business, while also raising a family. Sonia Paine Antiques occupied a store on Hammond Street off Route 9 for around 26 years before moving to a spot on Route 9 in Newton.

“She was a very tough lady,” Mitch said. “This was her breath, her business was her passion.”

“Nana”

Though dedicated to her business, family always came first for Sonia, who had three children and seven grandchildren.

“When she was home she wasn’t Sonia Paine the iconic business woman, she was ‘Ma’ or ‘Nana’,” said Mitch.

Though she would go the extra mile for her family in a heartbeat, even take the shirt off her back, Sonia was not afraid to speak her mind and share some tough motherly love.

“If you did something she didn’t like, she’d tell you, no filter,” said Mitch. “She did it gracefully, but in a way that made it clear what she meant.”

That compassion wound its way into Sonia’s business. As she often worked with clients who were liquidating estates after a loss, Sonia took time to sit with them and hear to their stories.

With a gift for listening, Sonia was known as a source not just for good antiques, but for comfort and advice. Clients would stop by the shop often just to talk and say hi, knowing that Sonia’s door was always open.

“That helped define her reputation not just as a business woman, but as a business woman with a heart and with compassion,” said Mitch.

For Sonia, it was more than just a business transaction. She was about the people and about helping others.

Though compassionate, Sonia was no pushover. When career criminal Nick George “Little Nick” Montos entered her shop one day, she showed nothing but toughness.

After sneaking into the shop, Montos approached Sonia where she stood alone in the store. He then placed a gun on the counter. After glancing at the gun, Sonia, who was 78 at the time, told Montos, who was 73, “I’m sorry, I don’t know the first thing about guns,” according to her sons Mitch and Stanely Paine.

A career criminal who had a history of escaping from prison and had spent time on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, Montos was there to rob the store. He cut the store’s phone lines, tied Sonia up and began smashing display cases looking for items to take.

When Montos became distracted after discovering a second phone line in the store, Sonia seized the moment to somehow break free of the plastic ties that bound her wrists, press a panic button, grab a bat and go after Montos.

In the midst of their struggle Montos momentarily got a hold of the bat and hit Sonia in the head, opening a gash that would require stitches. Nonetheless Sonia kept fighting.

When police reached the store they found a dazed and injured Montos. As police began to escort Montos out Sonia stopped them, walked right up to Montos and took the checks from his pockets that he had stolen from her safe.

For Sonia it was simple; she was not going to let anyone take what she had worked so hard for. Her response was not exactly a surprise to her family.

“I was amazed to the point that I laughed because that is Sonia Paine, she takes no crap,” said Mitch.

When she was not running her business or looking after her family, Sonia made time to give back to her community by donating to various charities and serving as an active member of Temple Emeth in South Brookline.

At her core, that was what Sonia was all about – putting others first and giving back to her community.

Children’s Hospital Dives Into Design For Brookline Location

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Brookline.com

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August 8, 2017

Over recent years, Children’s Hospital has faced an acute problem: there simply is not enough space for patients.

In order to alleviate the issue of overcrowding and improve overall patient care, Children’s will be constructing an eight-story building at 2 Brookline Place for clinical space, as well as a six-story addition to the existing medical building at 1 Brookline Place for administrative purposes. Both construction projects are scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2020.

On August 3, Children’s hosted an open house for its employees to see cardboard mock-ups of medical offices, exam rooms, recovery rooms and reception desks in the Brookline 1 building. These rooms will eventually be located in 2 Brookline Place once built.

“Having the flexibility of the cardboard and being able to move things around is great,” said Lisa Hogarty, senior vice president of planning and development at Children’s.

As they walked through the rooms, doctors, nurses and assistants were able to give real-time feedback to the planners and architects behind the project. For example, one concern expressed by Taryn Sferrazza, the program coordinator at the neurodevelopment center, was that children might bump their heads beneath the sink.

Overall employees had a positive reaction to their new workplace.

“This looks beautiful. You guys have really crossed your T’s,” said Sferrazza.

The planners collected input on everything from the heights of the chairs to the location of the cabinets, all with the intention to enhance patient care and flow.

“We opened it up to the entire Children’s community for feedback and critique. The architects and design team will then synthesize the feedback and update the planning document,” said Hogarty. “The clinical space has to reflect hospital standards.”

They also invited patient families to the open house, as they make up a critical piece of the design process.

Children’s started making cardboard simulation spaces years ago for renovations at its Longwood Avenue location.

“We used to do it with 3D computer imaging, but the doctors and nurses wanted to know what it would feel like to actually be there,” said Hogarty.

Children’s had been planning to expand into Brookline Place for several years, but it was not until 2016 that the Massachusetts Public Health Council approved their Determination of Need proposal.

Children’s had owned the medical buildings at Brookline Place for the past decade. Located only half a mile from the Longwood Avenue location in Boston, it seemed like the perfect place to expand.

“There is tremendous pent-up need in the Longwood Avenue and Waltham locations, and only limited space,” said Hogarty. “Many of the buildings [in Boston] were built in the ’60s or ’70s and they really need to be modernized. Adding space in Brookline frees up the ambulatory space in the Boston location so it can be upgraded.”

In 2009, the hospital received a permit to tear down 2-4 Brookline Place, but the project was put on hold because of the cost of building a new parking lot and the economic crisis at the time. The planners at Children’s presented a revised proposal at a Town Meeting in spring 2014, and members voted for the project to advance.

At the moment, Children’s is building a new parking lot at Brookline Place, which will be completed in January 2018. Once the parking lot is finished, construction on the buildings will begin.

The clinical space at 2 Brookline Place will include a neurodevelopment center, a pain rehabilitation center, ophthalmology, psychiatry, recovery rooms and dental. The departments are laid out so that collaboration between doctors will be smooth and efficient.

Children’s has worked closely with the town of Brookline throughout the planning process, taking into account concerns brought up in town meetings.

Some points of collaboration include the planning of the retail and green space near the T stop, as well as a new traffic signal at the corner of Pearl Street and Washington Street.

“It was never easy access for existing patients,” said Hogarty. “We’re excited about our partnership with the town of Brookline. The overall infrastructure improvements in the area will be great.”

“The ground floor [of 2 Brookline Place] will have retail and places to eat — not just for the hospital, but also for the people coming off the T station and the rest of the Brookline community,” said Jane Venti, the executive director of satellite administrative operations.

The developments at Brookline Place also aim to improve the overall visual appeal of the area. The hospital plans to create a green space in the area across from the Brookline Village train stop and a rain garden between the buildings.

“Patient access and ambulatory spaces are our primary concern,” said Venti. “These developments will provide a better experience for the patient.”

Ball In The House A Capella Closes Brookline Summer Concert Series

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Brookline.com

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August 7, 2017

Performing and touring as a group for 17 years, a capella band Ball in the House is coming to Brookline. The group will close out the Brookline Summer Concert Series with a performance on August 9.

This year, the concerts will be held at Cypress Field instead of Emerson Garden, which will close for renovations. The series, organized by Brookline Recreation, will run the length of July through August 9, with a new concert each Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Ahead of the concert, band member and tenor Dave Guistitook some time to answer a few questions.

1. How did Ball in the House come into being?

Jon, our beat boxer, sang a cappella in college and after performing with some college friends during the summer months on the Vineyard, he wanted to try and do a cappella full time after college. After a few years of getting BinH started, they have been a full-time, touring group for 17 years averaging 230 shows a year.

2. How did you pick the name “Ball in the House”?

The name came from a “Brady Bunch” episode. While trying to come up with a name for the group, the guys took a break and un-muted the TV. There was an episode where Peter was playing ball in the house and broke a vase. “Ball in the house” was said about 25 times and one of the guys said, “How ’bout Ball in the House?”

3. What do you enjoy about a capella?

I think it’s just the blend of the voices and when a chord rings out and you get the “musical chills”, it’s magic. Plus to create harmony with four other guys that you see as brothers is such a great feeling.

4. Does anyone in the group play an instrument?

We all play keyboard and we were all in our school bands when growing up. Instruments are key to us when we are writing original music. We are for sure “pro-instruments”.

5. Do you have any signature songs or songs that you just love performing?

Our tag line is “Music that’ll MOVE Ya.” so we are all about moving the audience. I would say a few songs that we are known for are “Imagine,” “Falling Slowly,” “Sign, Sealed, Delivered” and a cool Bill Withers classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine.”

6. Do you have any memorable moments from any of your performances?

That’s　tough. To be honest, we get those moments at every show. It could be when someone is bopping their head to a fast song or an older couple holding hands during one of our slower songs. Talking to the audience members after the show is so fantastic. All these moments are special. They really are.　We really believe that it isn’t about us.　 It’s about moving the people who come out to see us. They could choose to be somewhere else, and they are wit us. There is magic in that. It might sound corny, but it’s the truth. We are just so humbled that we are still doing what we love and people want to see us. We will never take that for granted.

7. Any advice for aspiring a capalla singers?

Keep learning and take care of your instrument: Your voice. Remember to listen on and off stage. You don’t have to sing the lead to be important. When we work with singers and workshop with middle and high school choruses, we always tell them “Just be nice. People remember nice.”

8. What can the Brookline audience expect from your performance on August 9?

You will hear some oldies and some contemporary hits on the 9th. From disco and soulful classics of the ’70s to some doo-wop to some Bruno Mars and other contemporary artists of today. All performed 100 percent live and 100 percent vocal. We are super excited for the show.

9. Is there anything you would like to add?

Over the years, we have been performing at over 100 schools a year with our in-school educational outreach program called, Totally Vocally. We performed at many schools in Brookline over the years. During the assembly, we teach students of all ages about the History of A Cappella, how we do what we do and mostly we try to inspire student to stay involved in music and the Arts, “play sports AND play an instrument.” Music is something that you carry throughout your entire life. Jon and Dave grew up in Dorchester and met at the Boston Boys Choir School in Cambridge way back in the fifth grade. Along with the other guys, they share their experiences being a guy and being in chorus (both positive and negative) with students. We are five brothers who care for each other and just love creating harmony with each other. Hopefully it will show on the 9th.

Rash Of Car Break Ins In Brookline

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Brookline.com

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August 7, 2017

Brookline Police are warning residents and visitors to keep valuables out of sight and lock their cars when parking for any amount of time in town – even if you are parking in your own driveway – after nearly a dozen unlocked cars were broken into on Friday.

So far this year there have been some 56 reported car break in, compared with only 31 by this same time last year.

Police have made several arrests this year in connection with car and home break ins. On Friday, a Gardner Road resident caught footage from a camera he put in his window facing his driveway of two men walking down the street. One walked up his driveway and tried the doors of his locked doors of his car and then disappeared from the camera and then walked down the driveway. The resident said it looked like he went to try the doors on the other car parked in the driveway before heading off again on Gardner Road, according to a police report.

Take a look at this map of near where cars were reported broken into on Friday:

What you can do to prevent your car from being broken into:

Lock your car. Police say it over and over again. Most cars in Brookline that get broken into, are easy targets because they’re left unlocked.
Do not leave the little stuff: change, tape measures, toll readers, or random cool stuff visible. All of that is bait for a potential thief walking by.
Do not leave the big stuff either: Never leave a purse or a bag in your car for more than a minute. It doesn’t take long for someone to open your car door and snag a bag. If you must leave something, put it in the trunk. It takes longer to open and since it is not visible, it is not tempting to would-be thieves.
If you do not have a car alarm, get one, or get a blinking light and affix it to your dashboard. Often a little deterrent like this goes a long way.
Park in well light areas, or install a motion detector light near where you park. Thieves don’t like light.

Metro Realty Corp.

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Brookline.com

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August 7, 2017

Since 1984, Metro Realty Corp. has maintained its goal of being Greater Boston’s boutique realtor.

Whether you are in the market to rent the ideal apartment or buy and/or sell your home or condominium, you will find Metro’s friendly and accommodating staff to be the most knowledgeable and determined around.

Many of our relationships began more than 30 years ago and we always look forward to celebrating new customers joining our extended family.

Give us a try — we are confident that you too will welcome becoming one of our loyal customers.

Metro Realty Corp.
9 Babcock Street
Brookline, MA 02446

Tel.: 617-232-2255
Fax.: 617-731-4203
E–mail: info@metrorealtycorp.com

Monday – Saturday: 09:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 04:00 p.m.

Campus Safety Fair Invitation

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August 3, 2017

Free Summer Concert Series

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Brookline.com

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August 1, 2017

Brookline Man Faces Rape Charges In Barnstable Court

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July 28, 2017

A 31-year-old Brookline man pleaded not guilty Friday to rape charges in Barnstable District Court, according to court documents.

Anthony Collins, of Beacon Street, is charged with three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 and two counts of rape.

He was ordered held on $5,000 bail and scheduled to return to court on October 20, 2017.

The police report on the incident was sealed due to the sexual nature of the charges.

Robbers Hold Gun To Man’s Head In Brookline Home, Steal His Marijuana

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Brookline.com

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July 28, 2017

Police responded to a report of armed robbery from a Milton Road home around 2:11 a.m. on July 26, 2017. According to the police report, police received a call that two people entered a home on Milton Road, put a gun to the caller’s face and then left, taking the caller’s marijuana with them.

The victim told responding officers that he had been talking with a man about marijuana when suddenly a black automatic firearm was held against his head.

According to the report, officers quickly found the two suspects after canvassing the area. Police also found a firearm, which turned out to be a BB gun, as well as several paper bags containing marijuana.

Both suspects were arrested and charged with robbery.

Recycling Corner: Pink Bags

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Brookline.com

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July 28, 2017

No. Not those pink bags.
This week’s column is about pink bags. No. Not Victoria’s Secrets pink bags. No. Not Kate Spade Wellesley Durhams. Just Simple Recycling pink bags. Let’s focus.

First in the Bay State
Brookline was the first municipality in Massachusetts to enter into an agreement with Simple Recycling, a for profit company started in the Midwest. Since we began in May of 2017, several other Bay State cities and towns have joined the program.

Why Brookline?
We were looking for easy ways to get residents to keep from throwing away articles that could actually be given new lives. A trash audit conducted by the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) revealed lots of no longer need clothes, textiles, shoes and usable household goods were showing up in our municipal solid waste. Giving residents options was particularly compelling with the advent of pay-as- you-throw. Simple recycling seemed to have a solution.

The program works
Many households have been enthusiastic about the service. “It’s easy!” “It’s simple!” (Duh) “You get replacement bags tied to your blue cart!” “It’s an incentive to tackle those closets I’ve been talking about for the last ten years!” Fill a pink bag with no longer needed clothes, textiles, shoes and usable home goods. Leave the bag beside your blue recycling cart on your collection day. A driver in a Simple Recycling van will pick it up and leave a new bag on your recycling cart. As the man said, it is simple!

Nothing’s perfect.
There have been missed pickups – neighborhoods that new drivers were not aware of. The contents of forgotten pink bags moldering away over a rainy weekend at the curb. But the customer service agent, based in Michigan, has been unwaveringly polite, apologetic and
responsive.

Where’s it go?
Our pink bags are taken to Simple Recycling’s facility in Woburn. It is weighed and loaded onto a trailer and sent to a processor who picks out the articles that are good enough to be resold in secondhand thrift stores – about 10-15% of the load. The rest of the trailer load is divided into things slated for international export or the wiping rag industry, the flocking industrythen goes to an international exporter

What about donating clothing and home goods to charities instead?
Yes! Please continue to do that. Many charities depend on such donations. The pink bag program is an alternative. It is a service for those who do not have the time, the schedule, the transportation or some other reason to take that extra step.

The Recycling Corner is prepared and submitted by a member of the Brookline Solid Waste Advisory Committee, in partnership with the Department of Public Works Sanitation Division. The selection of material for publication in the Recycling Corner
does not necessarily imply endorsement by the Town, nor do the views expressed herein necessarily reflect official positions of the Town unless so stated.

For more information on Sanitation, Recycling and Hazardous Waste, please visit here.

Heroin Drug Trafficking Bust In Brookline

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Brookline.com

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July 28, 2017

Heroin Trafficking in Brookline? Police said two people were arrested yesterday on Boylston Street for possession of and intent to distribute heroin.

Just after 1:00 p.m. yesterday Brookline Police along with Boston Police officers served a court granted warrant allowing them to search an address on Boylston Street, according to police.

They found between 18 and 36 grams of Heroin and charged two individuals with possession of drugs in class A, B, and E. A conviction would mean serving between two and 15 years of jail.

These Five People Will Help Oversee MA Recreational Marijuana Industry

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Brookline.com

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July 28, 2017

Just an hour after Gov. Baker signed legislation solidifying the state’s new laws on recreational marijuana, State Treasurer Deb Goldberg already has appointments to one of the oversight boards.

Goldberg announced five appointments to the Cannabis Advisory Board on Friday afternoon. The board will eventually have 25 members, and has been tasked with studying and making recommendations on regulation marijuana within the state. Gov. Charlie Baker and Attorney General Maura Healey will also appoint five members a piece. The remaining members will be ex officio appointees with specific expertise and knowledge.

Appointments to the board have to be made by August 1, 2017.

Goldberg has been critical that the Legislature’s process to review state laws on recreational oversight has introduced delays, and has been eager to make appointments to move regulation along.

The advisory board will work in concert with a five-member Cannabis Control Commission, which will ultimately enact regulations and be responsible for overseeing the market.

Among the newly appointed board members:

Norton Arbeláez — Arbeláez founded RiverRock Medical Marijuana Center in Denver in 2009, after seeing the medical potential of the drug when a family member used it for palliative use. He currently serves as that company’s Chief Legal Officer. He has also served on the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Board, the City of Denver’s Medical Marijuana Workgroup, and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s Amendment 64 regulatory task force. In 2010, he founded the non-profit lobbying group Colorado’s Medical Marijuana Industry Group, and currently services on the group’s board of directors.

Dr. Alan Balsam — An adjunct associate professor at Tufts Medical School and Boston University (BU) School of Public Health, Balsam served as director of Public Health and Human Services in Brookline for 21 years. Balsam was also instrumental in overseeing the creation of a medical cannabis dispensary in Brookline, including regulatory oversight. Prior to that, he created and led the Division of Elder Health at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for seven years.

Michael Dundas — Dundas is president and CEO of Massachusetts marijuana dispensary Sage Naturals, Inc., which has licenses to operate in Cambridge, Somerville and Needham. Before being named CEO in 2014, Mr. Dundas worked as the dispensary’s chief compliance officer, where he drafted the organization’s application for state licensure and then shepherded the company through the regulatory process. Dundas also helped form the Commonwealth Dispensaey Association and serves on its board.

Jaime Lewis — Lewis currently works at Mayflower Medicinals, btu has over a decade of experience in medical marijuana dispensary operations. She has served as chief operation officer of a dispensary in Colorado, and is the founder of Mountain Medicine, an infused cannabis product manufacturer and distributor to Colorado dispensaries. Lewis also was a founding member of the Cannabis Business Alliance, an influential trade organization that functions as the Colorado industry’s chamber of commerce, and a current board member and chair of the National Cannabis Industry Association.

Shanel Lindsay — An attorney and cannabis advocate, Lindsay is currently founder and president of Ardent LLC, a biotech company and medical cannabis company. An active member of the National Bar Association, Lindsay has helped develop the Nova and Ardent suite of products for medicinal cannabis use, and is a founding member and co-chair of the Northeast Cannabis Coalition and board member of the Massachusetts Patients Advocacy Alliance. Previously, she worked as a judicial law clerk for the Massachusetts Superior Court. She then joined the Boston law firm of Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak and Cohen, serving as a civil litigator before becoming Employment Counsel and Director of Human Resources for the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission.

Babcock Street Gets Temporary Hubway Bike Station

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Brookline.com

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July 28, 2017

With the Commonwealth Avenue bridge construction now underway, many commuters will find themselves struggling to get to work.

Commonwealth Avenue will close to all traffic except for MBTA buses, emergency vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. Shuttle buses will replace the B branch of the Green Line for the duration of the project. Amtrak and commuter rail commuters will also be transferred to shuttle buses for two weekends.

In an effort to ease the disruption, Hubway, a major bike share company contracted by cities around the Boston area, has partnered with MassDOT to install two temporary bike stations, one at Babcock Street in Brookline and the other at Silber Way in Boston. These temporary stations will be available for the duration of construction, from July 26 to August 14, 2017.

Hubway finished installing the temporary bike dock at Babcock Street on July 25 and completed a successful test run.

“All the bikes were checked out,” said Benjy Kantor, the senior marketing manager at Hubway. “That doesn’t even always happen to the regular stations on Commonwealth Ave.”

These temporary stations will hopefully alleviate some of the transportation inconveniences. Though cars will not have access to Commonwealth Avenue, bikes and pedestrians will.

The three permanent bike stations along Commonwealth Avenue will continue to operate throughout construction.

“We need the extra stations because it will be difficult for people to get where they’re going. People can get Hubway bikes for the final stretch of their route once they get kicked off the Green Line,” said Kantor.

Additionally, during this limited timeframe, Hubway will be offering two significant discounts: $1 per 30-minute ride, as opposed to $8, and also $20 off an annual membership. These discounts can only be accessed through their app, as well as through Hubway ambassadors – people employed through Hubway – stationed at the temporary bike stations during weekdays. The ambassadors will be available to help in the mornings from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and in the evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Construction Is Underway

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Brookline.com

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July 28, 2017

Commonwealth Avenue bridge construction is underway.

We encourage motorists, bicyclist, and pedestrians to stay clear of the area and seek alternate routes during the re-build. For further information please visit here.

We thank you for your cooperation and patience during the period of construction.

Sarah C. Eastman Passes At 82

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Brookline.com

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July 28, 2017

Sarah Chapman Eastman, 82, of Fryeburg, passed away on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, in Brookline, MA.

She was a beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, and grandmother.

She was born in Philadelphia, PA, to Stuart H. and Lois A. O. Chapman. Sarah graduated from Windsor (VT) High School in 1953, and attended Principia College in Elsah, IL, for two years. After completing a one-year program at Katharine Gibbs School in Boston, she joined the U.S. Foreign Service and enjoyed 2½ years working at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, in the late 1950s. Her travels took her around the world, including stops in Iran, Egypt, Greece and France.

After returning to Boston, she worked at Harvard University and completed her AB degree in French literature at Radcliffe in 1964. She went on to employment in the translation department of The Christian Science Publishing Society, working on French, Japanese and Greek publications.

Sarah’s wish to become a wife and mother was fulfilled in 1966, when she married Conrad and embraced motherhood of his three children — Rae, Bill and Peter. In 1971, Sarah, Conrad, Peter, and infant daughter Sandra moved from Ohio to settle in Conrad’s hometown of Fryeburg. Sarah volunteered in the community through extensive involvement with her church, helping in schools, and leading a Girl Scout troop. Professionally, she was a Christian Science practitioner and she also worked in various capacities for The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston over four decades.

Sarah had a generous, inquisitive, adventurous spirit and she loved spending time with family, gardening, learning, traveling, cooking, and serving others through church work. She was widely-known in town for her friendly smile, delicious pies and bountiful garden. She enjoyed intellectual challenges and was tenacious in researching solutions, be they for a computer problem, an organic way to keep damaging pests away from her blueberries, or the most energy-efficient electrical and heating systems for her home. Sarah’s travels later included cross-country train and road trips, month-long language programs in Mexico, a family wedding in India, and journeys to Alaska, Canada and Hawaii. She dearly loved her family and community and will be remembered for her generosity, integrity, curiosity and thoughtfulness.

She was predeceased by her husband, Conrad K. Eastman; and a brother, James W. Chapman.

She is survived by brothers John D. Chapman of Woolwich, and Joel M. Chapman of Bangkok, Thailand; her daughter, Sandra Nager of Daphne, AL.; her stepdaughter, Cynthia Rae Eastman of Morro Bay, CA; her stepsons William Eastman of Winter Springs, FL, and Peter Eastman of Brunswick; six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Friends and neighbors are invited to join family for a celebration of Sarah’s life at her home on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 4:00 p.m.

Brookline Looking To Improve Pedestrian Rights Of Way Near Coolidge Corner

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Brookline.com

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July 27, 2017

A need to improve pedestrian right-of-ways along Beacon Street and Harvard Street, has prompted the town to survey its ramps and walkways and bring them to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

The Massachusetts Office on Disability approved Brookline for a Municipal ADA Improvement Grant to go towards surveying pedestrian right-of-ways, specifically curb cuts, or ramps, and walkways.

The grant, of up to $10,000, is to be spent on a survey of Beacon Street, from St. Mary’s to Washington Square, and Harvard Street, from Route 9 to Verndale Street by Commonwealth Avenue. In the event that there is money remaining, there will be a survey of other main roads; however, the money is only to be used for the survey, not reconstruction.

“I took [the application] back to the Brookline Commission on Disability and we thought of a few priority projects we wanted to get done, one of them being pedestrian right-of-ways, making sure that we had a complete survey to really know where our problem areas were so we could come back to the town and say these are the priorities that we need to take care of on our streets,” ADA Coordinator Caitlin Haynes said.

Complaints about pedestrian right-of-ways and audible pedestrian signals, mostly in Coolidge Corner, prompted the town to take a closer look at accessibility in that area. The first step in the project was to identify specific problems.　

“We realized before we went to DPW and said we wanted these things to be fixed we should really come up with a list of priorities that need to be fixed, that are not compliant,” Haynes said.

This is where the grant for the survey came into play.

The Institute for Human Centered Design will be completing the survey, estimated to be completed no later than December 2017, according to the grant application sent by Haynes. Once completed, the survey will be sent to the Department of Public Works to follow through with making the areas compliant with ADA requirements by February 2018.　

When Brookline established an ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan in the ’90s, the ADA Transition Team failed to set a clear plan for ensuring the town was kept to standards with curb cuts. The plan simply acknowledged the current curb cuts available and other requirements that were met. It also established that a Compliance Team was supposed to remain in place.

Although there is no specific Compliance Team now, the Brookline Commission on Disability addresses any ADA concerns.

According to the U.S. Census data from 2011-15, 4.1 percent of Brookline residents under the age of 65 have a disability.

“In the time since then, Brookline has relied solely on resident complaints and concerns to allocate updates to original curb cuts and pedestrian walkways,” Haynes wrote in the application. “Relying on residents to make complaints is not an efficient way to improve access within Brookline.”

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