If you have logged on to Twitter at all this morning you will see that #NationalDonughtDay is trending. But what does that mean? Brookline’s very own Union Square has an answer: For one day only, they are selling a chicken and donut doughnut.
You have heard of Chicken and Waffles? This is their answer to that.
Some call it glorious.
For $4 it’s a fancy doughnut topped with fried chicken.
When Beth Goodchild’s grandfather opened Kendall Shoe Repair at 242 Main Street in 1942 among the factories and buildings of MIT in Kendall Square, it is doubtful he ever imagined his granddaughter would still be running the business at the same address, 75 years later.
Offering shoe shines, hat repair and cleaning, as well as dry cleaning, the shop counted President John F. Kennedy as a regular customer in his youth, along with Edwin Land, inventor of the Polaroid Land Camera.
In 1972 Beth’s parents took over the business amid dramatic changes in the square. Her mother started offering fresh flowers in front of the shop and it just took off, eventually replacing the cobbler business and they changed the shop’s name to the Kendall Flower Shop.
“I was raised at the shop. I used to work there after school, sometimes missing full days to strip thorns from roses for Valentine’s Day,” Goodchild said.
The business successfully weathered the tough times of the 1970s and is now thriving, surrounded by the technology businesses that have flocked to Kendall Square in recent years.
Officially taking over from her parents in 1992, Goodchild put great effort into building the business. Flowers and plants from Kendall Flower Shop decorate the lobbies, conference rooms, and events of MIT, Microsoft, and many of the surrounding corporations.
While business is booming, Goodchild has faced her challenges. As the single mother of two children, one with a chronic illness, she’s often had to close the shop for hours or sometimes the entire day to pick up a sick child at school or stay with her daughter at Children’s Hospital. And the construction boom that brought many of the the new businesses to the area posed its own challenges, with street closures and loss of parking.
“I couldn’t do it without a great support system from my employees, boyfriend, ex-husband, and family who always help out during the holidays and busy times,” she said. “And my customers have been so loyal. It’s the personal relationships, like when a customer stops by to tell me how much someone liked our flowers or an arrangement we made for them, or sends a thank you email with photos. Many people remember my dad and ask how he’s doing, and they’ve seen my kids grow up at the shop. And even during the worst construction times, the workers have been supportive – they would see me pull up with a van full of product, and head over on their own to help me unload.” Customer service is key, she said.
“We take pride in how well we take care of our corporate accounts – and all of our customers. We never say ‘no’ to a customer – if we don’t have what they want, we’ll get it. And if a customer isn’t happy, we work with them until they are,” Goodchild said.
One of a handful of small, woman-owned business in Kendall Square, the next challenge looming on the horizon for Beth is navigating the Kendall Square Initiative, a massive redevelopment plan adding new office and research space, residential units, and retail options to the area. Working closely with MIT and with the support of the Cambridge Community Development Department, Kendall Flower Shop Goodchild has learned she will be relocated for a period of up to two years to another spot in Kendall Square with every effort made to return the shop to a space at 242 Main Street – its address for 75 years.
In thinking about the relocation, Goodchild is confident Kendall Flower Shop will maintain its high standards of customer service for their corporate clients. In addition, she plans to use social media and emails to stay in touch with current clients, and hope their temporary spot will have good visibility to maintain walk-in business.
“And we’ll just work really hard – that’s really the secret to everything,” she added.
When asked if she hopes to pass the business on to her children, after a pause, she shares, “Some days I think yes because of how much I love my shop and other times I think no because I know how hard this business can be and I want so much more for them. Either way, I hope the one thing I can pass on is the work ethic that comes from being a small business owner, always hustling and working hard.”
For information, please visit kendallflowers.com or facebook.com/kendallflowershop.
Members of Brookline’s Jewish community say they will call on US officials to continue welcoming refugees seeking safety in America — and not repeat a shameful chapter in the nation’s history.
More than 40 members of Temple Sinai, Brookline, and other faith communities will assemble in Coolidge Corner on Tuesday, June 6, to raise awareness of the plight of refugees seeking safety in the United States, organizers said in a statement.
The demonstration is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in front of the SS Pierce building at the corner of Harvard and Beacon streets.
The event is part of series of at least 18 protests across the country before World Refugee Day on June 20. The demonstrations are organized by HIAS, formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, a nonprofit group.
The calls to continue welcoming refugees follow President Trump’s efforts to cut back the nation’s refugee resettlement program.
Trump’s proposed federal budget would also eliminate money for a State Department fund for emergency refugee and migration assistance.
The refugees were fleeing Nazi Germany, but were turned away by the US government and forced to return to Europe, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
More than 200 of the St. Louis’s passengers would die during the Holocaust, the museum said.
“Speakers will bear witness as our country risks repeating this dark moment in history,” the demonstration’s organizers said in the statement.
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” the glam-rock musical about a drag queen of uncertain gender, blasted its way onto the Shubert Theatre stage this week as a spectacle-laden concert, joined to a stand-up monologue/ backstory crooned into a mike held by Euan Morton, the star, to the delight of the house filled with screaming fans.
The musical created by John Cameron Mitchell, with music and lyrics by Stephen Trask, has been a longtime coming to Boston. Starting out in the downtown grunge clubs of New York City in 1994 with Mitchell as Hedwig, the show moved into an off-Broadway theater in 1998 for two years and gathered a clutch of awards, then on to London. After the 2001 film, and countless productions everywhere, “Hedwig” opened on Broadway in 2014 where it ran for more than 800 performances, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a musical. Boston is the second-to-last stop on the national tour.
Unlike the musicals remembered by your parents, with singing nuns or dancing waiters led by a glossy super-star soprano, Hedwig – played by a man – is about an angry drag-queen, born and raised in East Berlin by a distant, single mother, as a “slip of a girly-boy.” She found her ticket out before The Wall came down by marrying an American soldier but he preferred that she become a woman. She endured a sex-change operation that failed, leaving her neither gender but with unhealable scars on her body and her psyche.
After Hedwig followed her soldier to Kansas, he left her. She took up with a young, confused boy, Tommy, taught him everything she knew about show-biz and writing songs, only to be abandoned by him as well after he became a big star. The premise of the musical is that she is following him around the country, playing in tawdry gigs while he packs the audiences into big auditoriums, cleverly suggested by director, Michael Mayer, when a door opens at the rear of the stage to bright lights and a roar of applause.
Hedwig is accompanied on-stage by the Jewish drag-queen, her husband, Yitzhak, who takes the thankless task of second banana to his/her queen. To further blur the issue of gender, Yitzhak is played by Hannah Corbeau, a woman with aspirations of her own.
The marvelous, five-piece rock band, The Angry Inch, seated up front on stage, interacts with Hedwig and Yitzhak throughout the 100-minute, intermission-less show.
To say that Hedwig is one of the great characters of contemporary theater and a star-maker that any actor would die to play, is to understate the oversized ambitions of the theme. The U.S. tour is led by Morton, who originated the role of Boy George in the musical, “Taboo.” As Hedwig, he does not disappoint.
Morton looms over the rest of the performers in gold lame, high-heeled platform boots, a mini-dress of denim and sequins, topped by a sky-high, platinum-blond wig with side curls the size of hot-dog rolls. She/He has a booming voice, except when he turns coy and feminine and reduces the sound to a high whisper. Morton dominates the stage, and the theater when he descends the stairs to confront one or another of the patrons. Muscular and athletic, he cavorts up and down the space, climbing – literally – the proscenium arch and mounting the rusty car that centers the set. In contrast, Corneau, as Yitzhak, is forced to emote through her eyes and her posture, never uttering a word in rebuke, except when she breaks out a stellar voice to accompany Hedwig, and in a surprise transformation at the end.
Trask’s score, with its acknowledgments to Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop, is simply wonderful, brightly performed by the musicians of the Angry Inch. Arianne Phillips’ costumes for Hedwig are as sardonic and funny as the dialogue; with wigs and make-up by Mike Potter. Julian Crouch designed the run-down, back-stage set, lighted by Kevin Adams; Benjamin Pearcy contributed the ever-evolving projections.
If this middle-class, suburban housewife could identify with “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” for its universal human theme of searching for love and recognition, and laugh at the irreverent humor, so can those who can recognize that times are a-changing – in society and in the theater, to be sure.
Theater review HEDWIG and the ANGRY INCH By by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask; directed by Michael Mayer. Through June 11 at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont Street, Boston. 866-348-9738; bochcenter.org.
Artist Ruby Pearl is glowing. She stands proudly beside one of her latest paintings being featured in Gateway Arts’ annual “Taste of Gateway” fundraising event in April. The canvas portrays a young woman caught in a distant gaze as if attempting to pick a face out of a crowd. Her facial features are striking; the fullness of her lips, the slight furrow in her brow, and Pearl’s signature component – dazzlingly haunting eyes.
“Once I put the paintbrush onto the canvas, it always begins with the eyes,” said Pearl. “That’s where I begin the connection, and when I begin to do the eyes I can speak to the image, speak to the woman on the painting and develop a whole relationship with that person.”
At the event, held April 22, gone is the loose-fitting cardigan she often sports in the artist studio at Gateway. Instead, Pearl is clad in a black evening gown and a feathered hairpiece that accentuates her iridescent purple hair, freshly colored for the event. Tonight she is not adorned in acrylic paint smudges. Tonight, she is dripping in pearls.
Pearl, 67, began painting at the age of four as both a pastime and a creative outlet. She arrived at Gateway 23 years ago, struggling with homelessness, depression, and PTSD, anxious at the prospect of continuing her art in an unfamiliar environment.
Since then, she has flourished.
Pearl helped start the DMH, or Department of Mental Health, studio during Gateway’s earliest years in Brookline. She has created countless pieces, been commissioned by the White House and organized a portrait project about the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.
It has been the combination of Pearl’s talent and empathy toward others that has allowed her to shine and fully support herself by selling her work.
During the “Taste of Gateway,” Pearl chats with colleagues, donors, and art-enthusiasts alike about her work, inspiration, and, of course, Gateway, a non-profit organization founded in 1973.
Gateway’s mission is to provide adults with disabilities the opportunity to create, explore, and prosper through an individualized artistic experience.
Gateway partners with Vinfen, a local organization for those with disabilities founded in 1977, to provide programs in different specializations, from mental health initiatives to brain injury services.
“I think this place is so unique because it takes people who have all sorts of challenges, but when they’re here they’re not people with challenges…they’re artists,” said Bruce Bird, Vinfen’s president and CEO. “I think Ruby’s works are phenomenal. They all have such a strong emotional impact on people.”
The event itself celebrated the accomplishments of both Gateway and its artists while raising $78,000 for the organization.
“The money we raise at Taste of Gateway helps us address a variety of needs, including providing specialized programs and staffing, supporting unfunded or underfunded artists, and helping us address an ongoing rent increase to stay in our current location in Brookline Village,” said Christine Nolan, Gateway’s development specialist.
Over 90 pieces of artwork were included in the Taste of Gateway exhibition. Throughout the evening spectators wove through the studio space, munched on Indian cuisine and bet on both silent and live auction items, many of which were provided by local vendors.
During the live auction, Pearl found a quiet spot alongside various tubs of art supplies, the perfect place to taste-test a selection of sugary desserts. “I feel so honored that people like my work,” she said, smiling. “I enjoy people that appreciate my work—if the art speaks to me, then it can have the same emotional effect on them.”
Wrought with emotion and heartache for the victims and their families, Pearl posted a “call to artists” advertisement on Craigslist, imploring artists to volunteer time and their talent to create portraits of the victims.
Over 100 different artists responded and she hand-selected 26 to be part of the project—one artist for each victim.
“They all wanted to do something, to obviously help the families and to also help the pain they were going through,” said Pearl. “It was one of the best things I ever did in my life. The most painful, but the most meaningful.”
One Brookline man and eight others from outside the Boston area were arraigned on charges they sought sex for a fee from Boston Police detectives in an online prostitution sting, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney.
Daniel F. Conley said the men were arrested during a Boston Police Human Trafficking Unit sting operation and Boston detectives last week.
Prosecutors said that the men, including Murat Inamli of Brookline, responded to an online ad detectives posted and negotiated sexual conduct in exchange for money. They agreed on a meeting location online, but instead of the sex worker they believed they were meeting, they found police ready to arrest them.
“Human trafficking exists because sex buyers make it profitable,” Conley said in a release. “Part of our strategy is making clear that there are personal, social, and legal consequences for that behavior. If you come into Suffolk County to buy sex, you aren’t just participating in an industry that thrives on exploitation – you’re risking arrest and prosecution.”
Offering to pay another person for sexual favors can land someone in jail for up to two and a half years and it comes with a fine of $1,000 to $5,000.
The names of those charged last week in Boston Municipal Court for sex for a fee:
Each defendant was released on his own recognizance, according to the DA.
Each of the arraigned defendants will return to court in July.
Anyone with information on or concerns about human trafficking can call the Polaris Project’s national human trafficking resource center hotline at 888-373-7888 or send a text to “BeFree” (233733).
Although he was coping with a cancer diagnosis in 2010, Needham resident Dan Schorr decided to push forward with his plan to create a sweet new ice cream business and bring joy to others.
The long-time food industry professional’s frozen dessert, called Vice Cream, will be featured at next week’s Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl from June 6-8 at City Hall Plaza.
While thousands flock to this annual fundraiser, Schorr has special reason to be involved, as he was a patient at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Having been cleared of cancer in 2016, he now does all he can to give back while helping everyone enjoy each day a little more with his sweet frozen treats.
Though Schorr did not grow up in the ice cream business, he remembered many late nights spent listening to his parents sneaking to the kitchen to enjoy a bowl.
“I would hear my mom’s feet pitter patter … down to the kitchen,” Schorr recalled. “It was ice cream time!”
With these fond childhood memories, when it came time for Schorr to get a job to pay for school, he returned to the sweet treat as an ice cream truck operator.
“We [got] to wake up [at] 11 a.m., … drive around to concerts, ball games, the beach … [and] birthday parties,” he recalled. “I [could] make people smile by selling ice cream!”
The one thing that Schorr eschewed was the cloying music that annoyed so many of his colleagues.
“We actually had a radio in the truck that blasted Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me,’” he recalls. “We [also] had a megaphone system to announce we were in the neighborhood, but we never had that ice cream music because I thought it would haunt me the rest of my life.”
After school, Schorr stayed in the food industry, helping to launch a number of popular food brands.
“I captained Pepsi’s Energy drink portfolio,” he recalls, “with Mountain Dew AMP, Starbucks Doubleshot, and SoBe Adrenaline Rush.”
Unfortunately, a great deal of Schorr’s own energy was sapped when he was diagnosed with cancer. However, Schorr persevered and used this setback as a reason to work even harder to help himself and others.
“When I was diagnosed, my first reaction was that I didn’t want to be the boy in the bubble,” he says. “I wanted to live life and not be told I couldn’t leave the house due to infection.”
As he had already begun working on a new ice cream brand of his own, the triathlete poured all of his energy into the project, both as a means of distracting and supporting himself.
“I was going to continue to build the brand,” he said, “but now with new meaning.”
As grateful as Schorr is to have had a project to keep him focused, he is more grateful to his family and friends for their love and support during his treatments. Now that he has been cancer-free for almost a year, he is even more dedicated to supporting others. That is why he will donate part of the proceeds from Vice Cream sales at the Scooper Bowl to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
While Schorr’s story is memorable enough, many fans of Vice Cream say they love his clever names almost as much as they love the flavors themselves.
“Most of their names were developed in the first few weeks of brainstorming,” Schorr recalls, noting that many names (such as Toffee Wife, Higher Grounds, and Afternoon Delight) came before the flavors.
“The recipes were another thing. We didn’t realize how hard it was to make our product at scale,” due to the amount of mix-ins included.
“We think that if our brand’s funny attitude and marketing … plus our great product can bring a smile to a patient or a caregiver for 5 minutes, then this journey I am on is worth it,” Schorr smiled.
“We have become a voice for the cancer community,” Schorr said, noting that he receives many letters each month from fellow patients and survivors. “They find my story inspirational, [but] the irony is I find theirs key to me keeping perspective. They inspire me!”
Vice Cream can be found at eatvicecream.com. Tickets for the Scooper Bowl can be found at scooperbowl.org.
It is happening. Major road closures related to the bridge update in Allston are happening. This weekend MassDOT will reduce I-90 (the Mass Pike) between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass in Boston to two lanes in each direction to conduct a “dry run” of the I-90 traffic logistics for the 2017 Construction Shutdown.
The I-90 Eastbound on-ramp from Cambridge Street and the I-90 Westbound Exit 20 off-ramp to Brighton/Cambridge will also be closed intermittently.
The test run will take place beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 2, and last until 5 a.m. on Monday, June 5, according to MassDOT.
This is for a project that will replace the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge carring the MBTA Green “B” Line over the Massachusetts Turnpike and the MBTA Commuter Rail line in Boston.
The 2017 construction window will take place from Wednesday, July 26, to Monday, August 14. The second shutdown will occur in summer 2018, according to MassDOT.
What about the bridge upgrade project?
Between Wednesday, July 26 and Monday, August 14, these modes of transportation will be impacted in the Boston University/Saint Paul Street neighborhood:
• MBTA Green B Line from Babcock Street to Blandford Street Stations: closed from 9:00 p.m. on July 26 to 5:00 a.m. on August 14 (shuttle buses will run between Babcock Street and Blandford Street Stations)
• Commonwealth Avenue eastbound and westbound between Brighton Avenue/Packard’s Corner and Kenmore Square: closed to private vehicular traffic from 7:00 PM on July 27 to 5:00 a.m. on August 14 (two-way access will be maintained for MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians, and bicyclists)
• Boston University (BU) Bridge: closed to private vehicular traffic from 7:00 p.m. on July 27 to 5:00 a.m. on August 14 (two-way access will be maintained for MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians, and bicyclists)
• MBTA Bus Routes CT2 and 47: detoured from normal routes from 7:00 p.m. on July 27 to 5:00 a.m. on August 14 (see project website for detour maps)
• I-90 (Mass Pike) between the Allston Interchange and Beacon Street Overpass: lane reductions from 9:00 p.m. on July 28 to 5:00 a.m. on August 7 and intermittent closures of Exit 20 on/off-ramps (2 lanes in each direction during peak period)
• MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line: service impacts for two weekends (July 29-30 and August 5-6) – service will be maintained during weekdays; shuttle bus service from Boston Landing to Reservoir Station (Yawkey Way during Red Sox games)
• Amtrak’s Lakeshore Limited Line: service impacts for two weekends (July 29-30 and August 5-6) – shuttle bus service between Albany, NY and Boston. MassDOT adds: A key to this success is minimizing traffic volume as much as possible in the area. With that in mind, we are asking abutters and customers to:
• Reduce – Try to schedule your vacation during this planned construction period. Avoid the construction area as much as possible.
• Reschedule – Alter work schedules, commuting times, or work from home, if possible.
• Re-mode – Shift to public transportation, walking, or biking. One side of the bridge will remain open to pedestrians and bicycles throughout the project.
A man of eloquent speeches, a drive for global unity, and a love for Boston creme pies, John Fitzgerald Kennedy has been nothing short of an inspiration to his hometown of Brookline.
Monday, May 29 marked the 100th anniversary of JFK’s birth in the Kennedy’s first home at 83 Beals Street In celebration of that centennial, 83 Beals Street was met with speeches from inspired citizens, as well as Kennedy’s own grandnephew, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III.
Although the speeches reflected the past, from JFK’s childhood spent roaming around Coolidge Corner and reading “Billy Whiskers,” to his time in the White House as the 35th president, they also recognized the contrast of the political climates from then to now.
“Today our country faces those that seem intent on dividing Americans up, rather than pulling us together,” Rep. Kennedy said. “One system for the powerful, the wealthy and the healthy; another for the sick, the struggling, the suffering. One country for those who pray to a certain God, love a certain person, or look a certain way, and another lesser, weaker nation for everyone else. It is hard for many of us to be proud of that vision, but it is in times of doubt and division that this centennial reminds us of our collective saving grace.”
In remembrance of the words that pushed forth social and political change, speakers read excerpts from a variety of JFK’s speeches, such as his famous “City Upon a Hill” and Inaugural Address.
“I’m old enough, just barely, to have some personal memories of JFK. I mean, they’re memories as a very little child, but I remember just being struck by his voice,” Park Ranger and volunteer coordinator Mark Swartz said. “I probably didn’t understand much of what he was saying, but his voice, his passion were understandable to a kid who was in kindergarten.”
Over 500 listened on outside of his childhood home, a home that was no stranger to daily visitors. The home, which Rose Kennedy dedicated as National Historic Site in 1969, opens every year to the public for tours.
“The sense of connection that the community has to this place and the specialness of this place and its place in this neighborhood and this community and all of that, contributed to the man that he became, so I think that’s what makes this extra special, say, versus the library or the Kennedy Center or the stadium or any of the other monumental buildings that are named after him; this is his birthplace,” Deputy Regional Director Rose Fennell said.
The sense of community was evident as those listening laughed together, and wept together.
“In the moments that matter most, we exceed our expectations, we expand and we extend, we rescue and we protect, we survive, we open, we give, we heal and we help,” Rep. Kennedy said.
Stretching over three nights from May 23 to May 25, Annual Town Meeting addressed topics ranging from lowering speed zones in town to implementing a moratorium on recreational marijuana establishments.
Over the course of those three nights, which included two Special Town Meetings, Town Meeting members listened, discussed and ultimately voted on 26 warrant articles.
Here are some of the key moments from this year’s Annual Town Meeting.
1. Several of the articles focused on environmental issues.
Of the 26 articles that Town Meeting addressed the week of May 22, four dove into the realm of environmentalism. The articles ranged in topic from supporting the Paris Climate Agreement to improving infrastructure for bikes and public transportation.
In addition to the Paris agreement and the resolution to support a local option gas tax to improve transportation infrastructure, Town Meeting also looked at an article to rent out the Runkle School roof for a solar panel installation for a lease of no more than 20 years.
Also relating to Brookline schools was a resolution to build the ninth school to be a LEED certified net-zero energy school.
According to the article explanation, a Net Zero Energy school is a school building that minimizes on-site energy use and generates renewable energy on site.
The resolution also called for the high school expansion to be designed to net zero energy standards to the extent possible.
All four articles passed during the second and third nights of Annual Town Meeting.
2. Many Brookline High School students participated in Annual Town Meeting.
Brookline High School was well represented during Annual Town Meeting. Four students took to the podium to speak in favor of articles ranging from supporting the Paris Climate Agreement to supporting a resolution to participate in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, GARE.
Brookline High School senior Lily Bermel stood in front of Town Meeting members May 24 as the sole proponent for a resolution to support a local option gas tax.
Created by Brookline high students in the Envrionmental Action Club, the article asked Town Meeting to support state bill S.1551, “An Act Relevant to Regional Transportation Ballot Initiatives”, which if passed by the state, would allow communities to raise taxes to fund transportation projects.
While business owners and Town Meeting members commented on the potential impact of a gas tax on local gas stations, Town Meeting voted to pass the resolution – but the vote did not automatically implement a gas tax.
3. Discussion on racism prompts saxophone performance of “Let There Be Peace on Earth”.
While it is not uncommon for Town Meeting members to use props – one Town Meeting member even brought a magnifying glass – new to Town Meeting this year was a saxophone performance of “Let There Be Peace on Earth” by Donnelle O’Neal.
O’Neal performed in support of Article 22, which was a resolution to implement the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, GARE.
“When students see that our town is using GARE’s model to end institutional racism and work towards racial equity, it sets a model and inspires the youth here in Brookline,” said one Brookline High School student who spoke in support of the resolution.
While many speakers delivered passionate speeches, it was O’Neal’s performance that earned the rapt attention of those present.
Choosing to let the song speak for itself, O’Neal inspired a standing ovation at the end of his performance.
On May 25, Town Meeting voted to pass the resolution.
4. Many speakers referenced the possibility for upcoming overrides.
With several projects, including the high school expansion and building the ninth school, on the books for Brookline, several town officials discussed the potential for future overrides.
During the first night of Town Meeting on May 23, Board of Selectman Chairman Neil Wishinksy announced that the town would form a committee to study future overrides.
“I will not sugarcoat the fact that we are looking at possible multiple Proposition 2 1/2 overrides,” Wishinksy said. “This committee will help with the analysis.”
Advisory Committee Chairman Sean Lynn-Jones said that Brookline voters would likely be faced with an override vote for Brookline schools in the near future. According to Lynn-Jones, the town would not likely see a special election for an override this year, but would likely see an override question on the 2019 general election ballot.
5. Town Meeting voted to support a resolution regarding the impeachment of Donald Trump.
At the conclusion of Annual Town Meeting on May 25, Town Meeting members immediately entered a Special Town Meeting to address a resolution to support an investigation by Congress into grounds for the impeachment of Trump.
Proponents of the resolution argued that Trump had violated the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.
In response to a request for an electronic vote, which lists how each Town Meeting member votes, Town Moderator Edward N. Gadsby, Jr,, reminded Town Meeting that the vote was not a vote for or against Trump, but rather a vote either for or against an investigation into his impeachment.
The resolution passed with 158 votes in favor, two against and 13 abstentions.
Memorial Day is the time set aside to honor those who lost their lives in service to their country.
The day is commemorated around the country with ceremonies at memorials and cemeteries to remember the sacrifices made by those who died while in the military.
Here are some of the best patriotic quotes, remembrances and inspiration in honor of Memorial Day:
“A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyal to that principle.” – George William Curtis
“The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s Tree.” – Thomas Campbell
“Memorial Day isn’t just about honoring veterans, its honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that’s a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve. It’s a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it.” – Pete Hegseth
“These fallen heroes represent the character of a nation who has a long history of patriotism and honor – and a nation who has fought many battles to keep our country free from threats of terror.” – Michael N. Castle
“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” – Jeff Miller
“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” – Nathan Hale
“There is nothing nobler than risking your life for your country.” – Nick Lampson
“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy
“It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.” – Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” – Joseph Campbell
“Memorial Day this year is especially important as we are reminded almost daily of the great sacrifices that the men and women of the Armed Services make to defend our way of life.” – Robin Hayes
“There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens can not cure.” – Dwight David Eisenhower
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” – Unknown
“The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we – in a less final, less heroic way – be willing to give of ourselves.” – Ronald Reagan
Not only does this mansion have an elevator, 5 car garage with a turntable, a pool house complete with pool house, a roof deck, a wine cellar and a fancy one-touch lighting system, it has got a heated driveway. And the price has dropped recently to a measly $10.5 Million, according to Realtor.com. Check out what the realtor says below:
The grand foyer with its high ceilings, sets the tone for this magnificent home & leads into a desirable open concept floor plan. The centerpiece of the home is the floating main staircase which is a piece of art itself. All the rooms in this estate are drenched in light, with views of the spectacular landscaped grounds thanks to the wall of windows that covers the rear of the home. The dining room seats over 20 guests & there is a 3rd floor entertainment room. The sprawling master showcases 20ft windows, a balcony, vast en-suite bath/dressing room & its own loft w/ private office. 7-bedrooms in total, with features that include personal staircases to private lofts, en-suite baths & direct-access balconies.
For more information and photos, click here.
Chestnut Hill residents Lauren Hawkins and Stephanie Scanlon both received Bachelor of Arts degrees from Curry College on May 21 at the commencement ceremony in Milton.
Saeed Alshahrani and Joseph Lee, both of Brookline, and Tyler Morris, of Chestnut Hill, were named to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Dean’s List for the Spring 2017 semester.
Charles C. Feinberg, son of David Feinberg, of Brookline, and Marsha Feinberg, of Chestnut Hill, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamilton College on May 21.
The following students have been named to Emerson College’s Dean’s List for the Spring 2017 semester. Ibrahim Khalil and Kassiani Mamalakis, both of Chestnut Hill; and Shaye Faherty, Belinda Huang, Maria James, Adrienne Poon and Sabrina Rosenfield, all of Brookline. The requirement to make the Dean’s List is a GPA of 3.7 or higher.
Evan Sarmanian and Jourdan Lee, both of Brookline, were named to the Champlain College Dean’s List for achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Lucy Florman, of Brookline, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Curry College on May 21.
The concept: A new approach to wastewater treatment would use small, local facilities to clean water, generate electricity and produce fertilizer. Next steps: The town of Littleton has appropriated $450,000 to design what is believed to be the first such facility in the country.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When it gives you wastewater, turn it into electricity and fertilizer.
That is part of the concept behind a new approach to wastewater treatment the Charles River Watershed Association is supporting. With every flush of the toilet, there could be an opportunity conserve water, generate electricity and make a profit, according to proponents of Community Water and Energy Resource Centers approach.
In a new 75-page report, the Charles River Watershed Association calls for a network of small, decentralized, local wastewater treatment facilities. In would go sewage and food waste; out would come clean water and fertilizer, which could then be sold. Along the way, the treatment process would give off methane, which could be used to generate electricity. Thermal energy given off during the process could also be captured and used locally to heat buildings.
The town of Littleton has already embraced the model, which is called CWERC, or Community Water and Energy Resource Centers. Town Meeting recently appropriated $450,000 for planning and design work on what is believed to be the first CWERC treatment plant in the United States.
Art will fill the streets as locals and visitors look around in search of a new, favorite piece of work.
The 39th annual Coolidge Corner Arts Festival will be held along Babcock Street in the heart of Brookline’s Coolidge Corner on Saturday, June 3, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
As one of the largest, longest-running free events in Brookline, the festival will feature work of 100 nationally recognized artists and local creators. A variety of art, such as jewelry, ceramics, glass blowing, woodwork and painting (made with modern as well as ancient methods) will be available for purchase.
“The goal is to create an event that serves both the artists and the public,” said Lea Cohen, a committee member of the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival. “It brings an incredible range of very talented craftspeople to Brookline and for many of our artists it’s their best one-day show of the year.”
This year, the festival’s Susan Lichter Jury Prize, which honors the highest level of art and craft, has been awarded to wood artist Douglas Morrison.
For the first time since the start of the festival, attendees can enjoy live music performances while dining from a selection of food trucks including Trolley Dogs, Bon Me, The Chubby Chickpea, The Dining Car, and Revelry. Wine and beer will be offered to the attendees by the Boston Hive.
Frank Wendell Farlow’s legacy will continue to support the Brookline community and encourage activism through a scholarship newly created in his name.
A Town Meeting member since 1986 and a co-chair of Brookline Pax, Farlow was a prominent member of the Brookline community. He passed away on December 30, 2016 at age 76, leaving behind a lasting legacy of social activism.
“His commitment to progressive values and efforts for peace and justice were legend for all of us, a model for all of us,” said Ed Loechler, a Town Meeting member and a member of Mass. Occupy Brookline (MOB).
MOB, a group that Farlow helped found, is a political social justice and anti-racism organization.
In honor of Farlow MOB took the lead and started a scholarship in Farlow’s name to be given to a graduating Brookline High School student.
That student must be involved in social justice activities at Brookline High School, in the Brookline community or in the greater Boston Community, and would preferably be a member of METCO, Steps to Success or the African-American and Latino Scholars Program. The student must also have financial need.
MOB established those requirements because African American and Latino students are the most disadvantaged, according to MOB member Arthur Conquest.
“They receive the least number of awards, this is chance to recognize some of their talents, their needs,” said Conquest. “It’s a way for them to see that people think about them and their future and their needs.”
This year’s recipient, the first student to ever receive the Frank Farlow Scholarship, is Brookline High School senior Jasmine Love.
An engaged learner with an impressive GPA, Love was selected for her calm presence in class and her determined work ethic according to Brookline Public Schools.
“If he were here he would be smiling, frequently he looked very serious, but he would be smiling,” Marty Farlow, Frank Farlow’s wife, said during a School Committee meeting on May 18.
This year the scholarship is worth $1,300, but Conquest hopes other Brookline organizations and community members will donate to the fund in the years to come.
“Frank’s loss will be felt by everybody in this town and I just hope that down the road, that more people will join us in recognizing his contributions to this community. He was truly loved,” Farlow added during the meeting.
For those who knew Farlow, the scholarship is a way not just to remember him but to ensure that the social action he was so dedicated to, will continue.
“All of us in like look back and look forward, we look back for models and inspiration to help us look forward for clarity on what needs to be done,” said Loechler. “I hope that’s what happens here.”
How fast should you be driving around Brookline? Not fast, say many residents and the transportation division often gets an ear full about it. But since state law makes a reduction in the speed limit pretty difficult lowering the speed limit around town has been tricky – until now.
Brookline’s Transportation Board joined with advocacy groups throughout the state to lobby in favor of proposals to amend that law and reduce the statutory speed limit in thickly settled residential or business districts to 25 mph. In 2016, the Governor signed a bill that would keep the statutory speed limit at 30 mph, but inserted a new provision that provides the ability to local authorities to either establish and post a speed limit of 25 miles per hour on specified roadways within thickly settled residential areas or business districts or establish and post a speed limit of 25 miles per hour Town-wide on all thickly settled residential areas or business districts. The second option would require signage being posted at the Town boundaries.
Brookline Town Meeting members voted last night to recognize that bill and let the town’s Transportation division take on the question of whether to lower the default speed limit in town on all streets in Brookline (aside from the State Controlled Route 9) or post a speed limit of 25 MPH where the neighborhood is considered “thickly settled.”
“This does not force us to do anything,” said Joshua Safer of the Transportation Board, clarifying what Town Meeting was voting on last night.
Some residents were concerned that lowering the speed limit would unfairly and have a greater impact on minority populations and cautioned officials to study carefully before making any decisions. Officials noted that, actually, one of the leading causes of death in minority communities, especially among children was traffic related.
176 Town Meeting Members (out of 240) voted in favor of the move. 18 Voted against.
The Transportation Division would not make any changes without a public meeting and public input and continued study, officials said, but Todd Kirrane head of the Transportation Division said he personally preferred the option of making the default speed limit in town 25 MPH where it wasn’t posted otherwise, to be in line with neighboring communities, such as Boston and Newton who had already done so.
A week after the U.S. Justice Department department appointed a special prosecutor to examine President Trump’s ties to Russia, Brookline Town Meeting is demanding its own investigation into the administration.
When it rains, it pours.
Town resident Alexandra Borns-Weil, who sponsored the article, said Trump has violated the emoluments clause of the Constitution and Congress must investigate.
“If we don’t stand up for the Constitution the social contract is broken,” Borns-Weil said. “If we allow the president of the United States to violate the Constitution, that Constitution means nothing. It’s only relevant if it’s enforced. We must not accept this level of corruption as business as usual. This is not a partisan issue. This is not about Donald Trump’s qualifications or his policies. It’s about ensuring the continuation of a democracy based on the Constitution.”
The vote carried 158-2, with 13 abstentions, stating that Brookline Town Meeting believes there is enough evidence to support impeachment, and calls on U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-Brookline) to support an investigation into Trump.
Voting against it was town resident David Pearlman.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for Town Meeting to be addressing a federal question,” Pearlman said. “They’re not necessarily as educated into the issue. They are not necessarily in a position to be making those determinations. This is something for Congress to decide.
“I think people can certainly petition their congressman in sort of an informal way,” Pearlman continued, “but I think part of the system of government and separation of powers clearly delineates the responsibilities for a town government, for a state government, for a federal government, and it’s not for a town government to determine impeachment.”
Martin A. Rosenthal, a lawyer and Town Meeting member, said Brookline has often taken up causes deemed to be outside the town’s purview.
“We have a very long history of doing resolutions on national and international issues,” he said. “My favorite goes back to 1778 when a unanimous Brookline town meeting voted to not pass the Massachusetts constitution until they added a declaration of rights.”
BоstоnHеrаld.com
Brookline’s second annual Porchfest will be held on Saturday, June 10th from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with a rain date of Saturday, June 17th
Featuring over 80 local performers on porches throughout Brookline. Brookline Porchfest 2017 will include performances by the Boston Typewriter’s Orchestra, Brookline Symphony Chamber Players, Brookline Music School Clarinet Choir, Pop Rox, Coulda Been Worse, Tracy Clark and Her Fabulous Friends, Too Klez for Comfort, Jim McKenna (Uilleann Pipes), Jay Ottaway & The Players and more!
Brookline Porchfest is brought to you by Arts Brookline & Brookline Music School.
Links
Website: here
Google map: here
PDF program here
2016 photos: here
Facebook: here
E-mail Porchfest: porchfest@bmsmusic.org
Congratulations to Officer Michelle Lawlor, pictured here with DS Murphy, Sgt. Amendola & DS Gropman, for being awarded the mentoring award at tonight’s MAWLE ceremony.
Congrats Michelle!
MBTA’s Transit Police arrested a Canton man for, ahem, conducting himself in a lewd manner while he was on C Line. Turns out he was also a registered Level 2 Sex Offender.
On Thursday, May 25, a woman was on the Green Line train headed toward Coolidge Corner and noticed the man next to her may have been masturbating, according to the MBTA Transit Authority. She moved seats and called the transit police to report it. Transit Police officers met the train at the Coolidge Corner station in Brookline, and after talking with the woman took the man, later identified as Robert Widberg, 53, of Canton, into custody for Open & Gross Lewdness and transported to Transit Police Head Quarters for the arrest and booking process. That’s when they discovered Widberg is a Registered Level 2 Sex Offender.
There are 3 Levels of Sex Offenders, according to the state: Level 1 being the type that’s least likely to pose a danger to public safety. Level 2 Sex Offenders are deemed at a moderate risk for reoffense.
There are seven Level 1 sex offenders who live in Brookline and three who work in town, according to the registry.
“The public shall have access to the information regarding a level 2 offender through the Local Police Department and through the Sex Offender Registry Board for Level 2 offenders classified after July 12,2013.”
According to the state’s Sex Offender Registry Board, there are three Level 2 Sex Offenders who live in Brookline. There are four who work in Brookline.
The state deems the risk for Level 3 Sex Offenders to commit a crime again highest and the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that a substantial public safety interest is served by active dissemination, it shall give a level 3 designation to the sex offender.
There are no Level 3 sex offenders who live or work in Brookline, according to the Sex Offender Registry.
It may have been a first. Tonight during a discussion at Brookline’s Town Meeting on whether to pass a resolution supporting a program that supports racial equity through a series of tools, one Town Meeting member had a special message for the legislative board.
Donnelle S. O’Neal stepped to the mic with a saxophone strapped to his front spoke briefly “Let’s start the peace process,” he said and then started playing “Let there Be Peace On Earth.”
BHS Senior in favor of WA22. Don’t see a saxophone often at #BrooklineTownMeeting. pic.twitter.com/6iPdpNRA9R
— C. Scott Ananian (@cscottnet) May 26, 2017
Town-by-town, city-by-city residents of Massachusetts are deciding if they want to be able to drive to the corner store to buy marijuana.
State officials delayed the implementation of the law legalizing the recreational marijuana industry until July 2018, but residents in many towns and cities are voting this spring and summer to delay local implementation even longer.
As of the middle of May, 80 communities in Massachusetts have either approved amendments to their zoning laws creating moratoriums on establishments related to recreational marijuana or are preparing for votes on such a moratorium.
Hingham is one of the towns that approved a moratorium. These moratorium temporarily limit building or opening establishments connected with commercial scale retail, distribution and growing of marijuana. Most moratoriums will later be replaced by more permanent zoning requirements that regulate the locations of businesses.
“The next step will likely involve a community conversation, led by the selectmen, to discuss all of the related questions and decisions and to help everyone understand the related implications as best as possible,” said Hingham Community Planning Director Mary Savage-Dunham. “This conversation will help inform and guide the Planning Board in the future as they discuss possible zoning by-law changes.”
These moratoriums do not affect personal use, nor do they prohibit growing marijuana for personal use. The state law allowing personal use of marijuana and home growth became legal as of December 15, 2016. It allows an adult over age 21 to grow up to six plants or 12 plants per household.Town officials are using the moratorium, which vary in length, to amend zoning to regulate where establishments can open. Towns can also adopt local rules and procedures for recreational marijuana activities within their borders, or to hold a local vote on whether to allow recreational marijuana businesses at all.
As of May 24, residents in 37 municipalities have voted to, or are scheduled to vote, to prohibit all facilities connected with commercial scale retail, distribution and growing of marijuana.
In Middleton on May 9, Town Meeting approved three articles regarding recreational marijuana articles including an all out ban. Before the prohibition can take effect, the majority of voters will have to ratify the Town Meeting vote in an election.
“A ballot vote has not been scheduled,” said Middleton Town Administrator Andrew Sheehan. “We are hoping for some clarification on the need for a vote. Clarification on this issue could come from the Cannabis Control Commission, Legislature, or courts.”
In case the ballot vote fails, Middleton Town Meeting voters also approved a zoning moratorium through June 30, 2018, with a built-in one-year extension if the state Cannabis Control Commission fails to adopt regulations by January 1, 2018.
Statewide work
Voters approved the legalization of marijuana for recreational (non-medical) use and authorized a retail marijuana industry in November 2016.
In November, approximately 54 percent of voters approved the ballot question. Supporters carried 263 of the 351 communities in the state.
The state law also allows communities to adopt an additional 2 percent sales tax on non-medical marijuana sold in their communities or to ban all recreational marijuana businesses. Less than a half-dozen towns have adopted the tax at this point.
Many towns are waiting to see what state officials release for regulations on retail, cultivation and distribution locations and practices. The first retail license is expected to be issued in July 2018. The state is supposed to release regulations on the industry before that, although the Cannabis Control Commission and the Marijuana Policy Committee have not released any draft guidelines yet.
“I think this was just a first conversation, and there’s a recognition that we will all be working collaboratively, and with the members of the committee because they have done a significant amount of work to try and figure out how to meet the needs of and the will of the people of Massachusetts and the way in which they voted,” Treasurer Deborah Goldberg said in early May.
Without any indication from the state about the future of the industry, many municipalities are taking a wait-and-see approach. Some are forming study committee and others, such as Lexington, are simply waiting to take any action.
“At this time, myself and town counsel are closely monitoring the situation,” wrote Aaron Henry, the planning director in Lexington. “The earliest a recreational dispensary can open is (currently) July 2018; between now and then we have two Town Meetings, so we feel we have the time to let the Legislature act (which is anticipated, but not guaranteed) and then propose a policy. Although the referendum did pass statewide, it did not pass here in town – I’d imagine that this fact will influence what the town ultimately decides to do; but again, we’d like to see what the state does before we go too far down one path or another.”
Brookline Bank, subsidiary of Brookline Bancorp, Inc., recently announced the addition of David Yesue to its Commercial Real Estate Banking division. Yesue brings 15 years of nationwide and local banking experience to Brookline’s ranks of real estate professionals. At the Bank’s 131 Clarendon Street offices in Boston, he will work with middle-market and institutional developers and investors, domiciled or operating in the Greater Boston marketplace.
Leaders of the CRE team believe his background will benefit their efforts. “David is a great addition to the team bringing an ability to offer the full spectrum of the Bank’s services to his clients,” commented Bob Brown, Senior Vice President of the CRE team.
Yesue also looks forward to working with such an established group “I am very excited to be associated with such an active institution with a long-standing reputation for deep relationships with its clients,” Yesue noted.
Several unlocked cars were broken into this week in Brookline and police are advising residents to lock their car doors and make sure not to leave anything valuable in them. The simple act of locking your car door significantly reduces the chances someone will be tempted to break into it, say police.
Police said in a Tweet the incidents over the weekend took place in Aspinwall Hill near the University and Rawson roads area.
Police said four unlocked cars were broken into overnight Monday to Tuesday and thieves took change and a bag. Three were on University Road and one was on Rawson Road. Police sent out notifications to folks living in the Apsinwall Hill neighborhood to make them aware of these crimes and to encourage residents to lock their doors.
In April there were 13 reports of cars broken into across town. But so far this month there have only been these four reports. Last year, Brookline police received the most reports of car break ins in April, according to police data. In 2015 June saw 32 car break ins.
Please be aware that overnight Monday night into Tuesday morning this week, several cars in the Aspinwall Hill neighborhood (University Road/Rawson Road) were broken into and items taken.
These cars were unlocked and change and a bag were targeted.
Please make sure to lock your car doors and keep valuables out of sight.
Brookline Police Officers who have served in the military participated in the Pierce School’s Memorial Day Assembly. The Officers spoke about their service in both the Military and the Police.
The Police Officers who attended were very thankful for the opportunity to speak and the wonderful music performed.
Breaking and entering: At 7:57 a.m. a caller reported the breaking and entering of an Audi between 4 p.m. and that morning at a Rawson Road residence. The door was unlocked, change was taken from the vehicle and the car was rifled through.
Stop means stop: At 8:10 a.m. it was reported that a vehicle ran three stop signs at the intersection of Marion Street and Harvard Street and turned right on Harvard.
Breaking and entering: At 8:34 a.m., a caller on University Road told police he believed that his car had been rummaged through, but it didn not appear anything was stolen. The caller stated that the car may have been unlocked.
More change taken: At 9:09 a.m. it was reported that a car on University Road was rummaged through and change was taken.
Unwanted delivery: At 10:31 a.m. a call reported suspicious activity on Tappan Street where a neighbor left paper goods at a caller’s front door.
Gobble, gobble: At 12:42 p.m., a custodian reported aggressive turkeys at 1 Rene Playground during recess time.
Suspicious person: At 1:13 p.m., a caller reported that she was followed while heading to her home Beacon Street by a man on Friday night. She told police that she started running, and he chased her to her building where he took a picture of the outside of the building. No call was placed to police on Friday night.
Suspicious: At 1:17 p.m., a caller reported three Middle-Eastern-looking men who were going in and out of a store at 306 Harvard St. over the course of four hours. The caller described one man as wearing a mustard-colored shirt with stripes and jeans. Another was described as wearing a dark-colored top, dark jeans and had a ponytail. The last one may or may not have been with the first two, but he was described as wearing light denim bottoms, a white shirt, and has his hair in a bun.
Even more change taken: At 5:56 p.m., a caller reported that someone broke into their car on University Road and took loose change.
A stray Gummy Bear: At 8:25 p.m., a party came to the front desk and spoke to police officer about an orange gummy bear left on a rear bumper behind a Beacon Street business. The caller was advised that it was not a police matter.
New York Times bestselling author and Boston Globe book reviewer Hallie Ephron will be at the Brookline Booksmith Tuesday, June 6, 2017 to launch and talk about her latest suspense novel “You’ll Never Know Dear.”
“You’ll ever Know Dear,” Ephron’s ninth suspense novel. She is a four-time finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark award, and her “Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel” was an Edgar and Anthony award finalist. Ephron comes from a family of writers. All four of her sisters, including the late Nora Ephron, made it their lives work.
Channel 7’s Hank Phillippi Ryan will join Ephron as they discuss her new book. There will be refreshments, book sale and signing, according to the Booksmith Facebook Invite.
Where: The Brookline Booksmith at Coolidge Corner.
What: Book launch for “You’ll Never Know Dear”
Check out this message from Ephron:
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) was downgraded by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday, April 27th. They currently have a $16.50 price target on the bank’s stock, down from their prior price target of $17.00. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ target price indicates a potential upside of 18.71% from the stock’s current price.
Separately, Compass Point raised Brookline Bancorp from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 26th.
Shares of Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) opened at 13.90 on Thursday. Brookline Bancorp, Inc. has a one year low of $10.40 and a one year high of $17.45. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.53 and a beta of 0.88. The company’s 50-day moving average is $14.67 and its 200-day moving average is $15.37.
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 26th. The bank reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.19. Brookline Bancorp, Inc. had a return on equity of 7.53% and a net margin of 19.97%. The company had revenue of $69 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $56.36 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.18 EPS. Brookline Bancorp, Inc.’s revenue for the quarter was up 20.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Brookline Bancorp, Inc. will post $0.78 earnings per share for the current year.
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 12th will be paid a $0.09 dividend. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.59%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 10th. Brookline Bancorp, Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.65%.
In other news, Director John M. Pereira bought 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 27th. The stock was bought at an average price of $14.50 per share, for a total transaction of $145,000.00. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 2.82% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. by 2.1% in the first quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 7,790 shares of the bank’s stock worth $121,000 after buying an additional 160 shares in the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System increased its stake in Brookline Bancorp by 1.1% in the first quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 28,700 shares of the bank’s stock worth $449,000 after buying an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System increased its stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. by 1.1% in the first quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 36,739 shares of the bank’s stock worth $575,000 after buying an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. increased its stake in Brookline Bancorp, Inc. by 0.8% in the third quarter. Moors & Cabot, Inc. now owns 78,872 shares of the bank’s stock worth $956,000 after buying an additional 625 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hartford Investment Management Co. increased its stake in shares of Brookline Bancorp by 5.7% in the third quarter. Hartford Investment Management Co. now owns 14,800 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $180,000 after buying an additional 800 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.36% of the company’s stock.
About Brookline Bancorp, Inc.
Brookline Bancorp, Inc. operates as a multi-bank holding company for Brookline Bank and its subsidiaries; Bank Rhode Island and its subsidiaries; First Ipswich Bank and its subsidiaries, and Brookline Securities Corp. As a commercially-focused financial institution with approximately 50 banking offices in greater Boston, the north shore of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the Company offers commercial, business and retail banking services, including cash management products, online banking services, consumer and residential loans and investment services in central New England. The Company’s activities include acceptance of commercial; municipal and retail deposits; origination of mortgage loans on commercial and residential real estate located principally in Massachusetts and Rhode Island; origination of commercial loans and leases to small- and mid-sized businesses; investment in debt and equity securities, and the offering of cash management and investment advisory services.
Cyclists of all ages took to Beacon Street for a sunny and cheerful afternoon of riding in the 10th annual Brookline Bike Parade on May 21, 2017.
A popular event, this year the parade saw a crowd of 450 to 500 enthusiastic bicyclists, according to John Dempsey, who helps coordinate the Brookline Bicycle Parade for the Bicycle Advisory Committee.
The parade, which stretches through town down Beacon Street, serves two purposes – to encourage bike riding and to build community.
“It’s a community event, my motivation is to get people in the community out there and bikes are a vehicle to do that,” said Dempsey. “And I wanted to encourage people to ride bikes.”
Intended for bike riders of all ages and levels, the parade included two routes – a five-mile loop down Beacon Street, and a 1.5-mile-loop that started and ended at Amory Park.
Though the shorter route was open for children 10 years and under, many young riders could be seen on the Beacon Street route keeping up with other riders according to Dempsey.
For those riding along with the crowd, the parade seemed endless.
“When you’re in the parade it looks like thousands,” said Dempsey. “Thousands ahead of you and thousands behind you.”
The event was particularly special this year because it honored Brookline Police Officer Ronnie McNeil, who will be retiring after over 36 years with the department.
McNeil has played a key role in the parade for the 10 years that is has run by coaching the marshals, setting the pace and stopping cross traffic at intersections as the officer leading the parade, according to Dempsey.
Though the parade gave a nod to McNeil, there was no special ceremony planned to thank McNeil or celebrate his retirement. According to Dempsey, this is because McNeil didn’t want any, as a purely a behind-the-scenes kind of person.
“He doesn’t want the limelight, he just prefers to do the work in the background,” Dempsey said.
In addition to his work with the bike parade McNeil has made himself a community fixture as a coach for several Brookline High School sports teams and as one of the two officers to lead the D.A.R.E. program.
The parade marshals were able to say goodbye to McNeil privately as he led the parade of bicyclers down Beacon Street for the last time.
