Heating at Franklin Field in Dorchester to be converted to geothermal

Following along with one of our Making Sense of Climate recurring topics, Boston goes with a pilot on geothermal.

"As the Boston Housing Authority works toward an ambitious goal of going fossil-fuel free, its path to success could begin at the Franklin Field complex in Dorchester.

Mayor Michelle Wu joined officials from the BHA and National Grid at Franklin Field on Thursday to unveil details of a plan to convert the heating system for 129 public housing units there to an electricity-powered geothermal system. The project would replace the 20-year-old gas-fired boiler in use today.

BHA administrator Kenzie Bok said the idea can be traced back to Wu’s announcement a year ago that the BHA would wean itself off fossil fuels by 2030. BHA officials first considered using air-source heat pumps to replace the aging boiler but found that National Grid’s centralized geothermal proposal would be more cost efficient.

“The first step in going fossil-fuel free is not to put in new fossil fuel infrastructure,” Bok said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/01/25/business/boston-geothermal-energy/

The Boston Housing Authority will install a geothermal project at the Franklin Filed housing complex in Dorchester. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (left) walks into the event with National Grid New England president Lisa Wieland. JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF

Episode 513 of Freakonomics Radio asks a good question: "Should Public Transit Be Free?"

Episode 513 of Freakonomics Radio asks a good question: "Should Public Transit Be Free?" 

The episode byline reads "It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it’s complicated."

Listen to the full episode here ->  https://freakonomics.com/podcast/should-public-transit-be-free/

CommonWealth Magazine has coverage of this episode here (Boston Mayor Michelle Wu participates in this episode)  -> https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/a-freakanomics-debate-about-free-fares-2/  

Episode 513 of Freakonomics Radio asks a good question: "Should Public Transit Be Free?" 

Providence, Lowell & Boston offering free outdoor performances

Providence, July 28, 2022

Summertime is a good time for outdoor performing arts. And when the location is the Waterplace Park in Providence for a performance by Trinity Rep, put it on the calendar! 

"Meet the cast of "La Mancha!" This Spanish/English bilingual adaptation of "Don Quixote" is part of Teatro en el Verano, produced by @rilatinoarts in association with Trinity Rep. It features local Latinx artists, and is completely free to attend.

"Don Quixote" ... closes with a special performance on the Waterplace Park  in Providence on July 28. 

For more information, visit trinityrep.com/lamancha."

Spanish/English bilingual adaptation of "Don Quixote"

Lowell Folk Festival Returns July 29-31, 2022

The 35th Anniversary Lowell Folk Festival, a staple cultural event of the region since its inception in 1987, will take place in person on July 29, 30, and 31. The 2022 festival will feature close to 20 performing groups sharing their unique musical traditions on stages throughout downtown Lowell. The Lowell Folk Festival attracts more than 150,000 people for three days of music, food, and art.

Ethnic food vendors will serve traditional dishes representing over a dozen different cultures. In the Folk Craft Area, the theme is Crafting Sound: Making & Restoring Musical Instruments, which will feature demonstrations playing and building the instruments. The Foodways Area will explore comfort foods from an array of communities. Art In The Courtyard will offer the opportunity for visitors to view and purchase some of the finest art and craftwork. The Family Fun area is back on Shattuck Street.

Check this site to stay up to date on all Lowell Folk Festival updates.

The Lowell Folk Festival is produced by the Lowell Festival Foundation, the City of Lowell, Lowell National Historical Park, the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For more information visit -> https://lowellfolkfestival.org/

35th Anniversary Lowell Folk Festival

Boston, through August 7, 2022

Shakespeare on the Boston Common -  Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) and Artistic Director Steven Maler are pleased to announce the return of Free Shakespeare on the Common in the summer of 2022 – William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian. Performances will begin on The Boston Common on Wednesday, July 20 at 8PM (with press opening on Wednesday, July 27 at 8PM) and end on Sunday, August 7.

Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and frequently performed plays. The plot revolves around two couples — witty Beatrice and Benedick, who publicly proclaim their disdain for each other but fall madly in love; and naïve Hero and Claudio, who fall quickly in love only to be thwarted and then reunited (in both cases, with a bit of help from their friends). But it’s more than just a comedic romp. The play tackles serious themes too: trust and betrayal, power and privilege, gendered expectations around chastity and violence. This is a comedy entangled with a tragedy, where love and justice nevertheless manage to prevail with vigorous joy — a perfect play for our uncertain times.

For more info please visit -> https://commshakes.org/2022/01/28/free-shakespeare-on-the-common-2022-much-ado-about-nothing/

Shakespeare on the Boston Common

WALKING CITY TRAIL: a 25-mile hike through Boston's parks and urban woodlands

"Today's (06/16/22) the day, folks. I'd like you to meet the WALKING CITY TRAIL: a 25-mile hike through Boston's parks and urban woodlands. The trail is divided into four sections that are accessible by public transit. Here's where the trail will take you.... "

Follow the trail through Boston in the Twitter thread here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jwq6IvTpxv-MF5c0yh3OF0VbCU37PAp5/view?usp=sharing

Visit the website ->  https://www.bostontrails.org/

 #walkingcitytrail

WALKING CITY TRAIL: a 25-mile hike through Boston's parks and urban woodlands

"A majority of the state board endorsed a patient approach on Tuesday"

Before the school news from Texas took over the headlines, the possible takeover of Boston Public Schools dominated the headlines. That DESE charges Boston with disfunction coming from an institution which is also disfunctional at times is more than ironic, especially since the period in question is primarily the pandemic.

"State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley hammered Boston Public Schools for its “bloated” central office and “unconscionable” transportation failures in his first public comments Tuesday on a new state review of the district, but held off on recommending any takeover of city schools, saying he remains “hopeful and optimistic” that the state and city can reach agreement on a plan for urgent improvement.

Addressing the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education at its monthly meeting, as dozens of people protested outside and dozens more were turned away from the packed meeting room, Riley said he will give Mayor Michelle Wu a chance to respond to his initial proposal for next steps. Details of that plan have not been released to the public."

Continue reading the Boston Globe article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/24/metro/state-education-board-mayor-weigh-fate-boston-public-schools/

Parents and teachers gathered outside the Massachusetts State House before walking the short distance a Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to show opposition to a state takeover of Boston Public Schools. The state on Monday released a scathing review of the district.JONATHAN WIGGS/GLOBE STAFF

Read the full DESE report -> (at the bottom of this Globe article)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/05/23/metro/state-releases-blistering-review-boston-public-schools/

"STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER Jeff Riley said the Boston Public Schools face a “myriad of problems,” from special education and English language learner services in disarray to data systems reporting inaccurate student outcomes, but he made it clear on Tuesday that he is hoping to reach agreement with Mayor Michelle Wu on a plan to address them rather than recommend that the state’s largest school district be put in receivership. 

“I am hopeful and optimistic that we can come to some kind of an agreement on next steps forward,” Riley told members of the state board of education on Tuesday at a meeting dominated by several hours of discussion of the plight of the Boston schools."

Continue reading the CommonWealth Magazine article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/riley-looking-for-pact-with-boston-not-receivership/

MA Public Health reminds us to practice self-care and support your mental health; Boston announces pilot program

"It's more important than ever to practice self-care and support your mental health. Relax, stay socially connected at a safe distance, and take a deep breath. 

If you're in a crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. #StopSuicide" https://t.co/745s6GoH8i

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassDPH/status/1440380331077496835?s=03

Mass. Public Health reminds us to practice self-care and support your mental health

Franklin participates in a grant program with Medway to implement this support for 911 calls and now Boston is starting a pilot program.

"Amid a nationwide push to rethink policing strategies and reduce the use of force when possible, a new Boston program seeks to scale back police involvement in 911 mental-health calls.

Last month, Acting Mayor Kim Janey announced a pilot program encouraging greater use of mental-health workers, EMTs and trained community members during 911 mental health calls. In a city that received 10,000 such calls last year, officials are seeking to de-escalate fragile mental-health interactions while easing the strain on police resources.

“This mental-health response will help us evaluate how to deliver the best possible response for our residents when they are in crisis,” Janey said during an Aug. 5 press conference. “These investments will help connect residents and their families with the care they need. They will also help us send officers to where they are needed most.”

Continue reading online 
https://www.mma.org/boston-launches-pilot-program-to-address-911-mental-health-calls/

Grant announced in 2018
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/08/franklin-and-medway-police-receive-jail.html

Franklin Police in its Annual Report section for 2020 touted the program

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-annual-report-2020-police.html 

The Freedom Trail: Imaging the Age of Phyllis

On September 1, 1773, Phillis Wheatley's "Poem's on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" was published in London. Wheatley's collection was the first volume of poetry by an author of African descent to be published.  https://t.co/vzW8rtgG7x https://t.co/PwEZPZkt4F

"For many, Phillis Wheatley Peters is well known as a poet, but not as a woman. She is mainly remembered as a literary prodigy and enslaved girl in 18th century Boston who became the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry.

Poet Honorée Fanonne Jeffers sought to revive and expand our collective memory of Phillis through her award-winning book The Age of Phillis. Jeffers’s evocative work calls on us to imagine Phillis through her other identities: a daughter of Africa, a friend, a wife, a mother, and an author who spoke to the historical moment of the American Revolution."

Imaging the Age of Phyllis ->  https://www.revolutionaryspaces.org/exhibits/imagining-the-age-of-phillis/

The Freedom Trail: Imaging the Age of Phyllis

Job fair on 9/15/21 at The Lawn on D in Boston

Job fair on Wednesday, September 15, from 2 to 6 PM at the Lawn on D in Boston. It is an opportunity for local jobseekers to connect directly with Massachusetts employers such as Citizens, Procter & Gamble, AT&T and many more. It is an in person job fair in downtown Boston as you will see below.

Please share this invitation and registration with job seekers in your network.  You can view the event landing page here. All event on-site logistics are being organized by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and Lawn on D Powered by Citizens. 

Event landing page -> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/job-fair-at-the-lawn-on-d-tickets-168434412863

Shared from Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MassConvention/status/1433103119622287373 

Job fair on 9/15/21 at The Lawn on D in Boston

 

Boston Camera Club: The Focused Eye: Our Unique Views

Experience The Focused Eye: Our Unique Views A 250-ft Long Photo Exhibition at Fan Pier

The Boston Camera Club invites the public to view 88 large-scale photographs displayed in a series along an entire city block at Fan Pier on the Public Green in Boston's Seaport District

Free and open to the public from Memorial Day weekend through November 2021

May 17, 2021 – BOSTON, MA – The Boston Camera Club this week announced The Focused Eye: Our Unique Views, an outdoor photography exhibition on the Public Green at Fan Pier in Boston's bustling Seaport District. Spanning an entire city block at Northern Avenue and Marina Park Drive, the photo banner exhibition will run from Memorial Day weekend through November 2021. 

For the first time in the club's history, the imagery of BCC members will be on display outdoors in an immersive exhibition featuring 88 images printed on a large-scale banner, 5-feet high and 250-feet long. One image from each participating member's submissions was selected, and expertly sequenced by curator Emily Belz. Each image speaks to the next by subject, color, composition or use of light to form a bridge, creating a compelling visual experience, honoring each individual's view as well as that of the collective whole.

"It's a joyful experience for me to curate connections between photographs, pulling out what are sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden, and sometimes even humorous, parallels between pictures," said Belz. "Indeed, in this installation each photographer presents a Unique View and a meaningful contribution to this collective public art project," she added.

This project has a companion website, www.BostonCameraClub.photos, featuring an artist statement from each photographer and creative contributions from community groups from across the greater Boston area, including: Actors' Shakespeare Project; Boston Latin Academy Photography Club; Boston Latin Academy 7th Grade English Language Arts class; Mission Hill Women's Writing Group; Never Too Late to be a Poet; Rehearsal for Life; and Zumix. Participants from these organizations contributed poems, prose, audio, video, and artwork in response to the exhibition's photographs. All viewers of the banner and website are encouraged to share their own reactions on social media using the hashtag #BCCPHOTOBANNER.

"The community partner collaborations enhance the viewing of the individual images as does the professional sequencing of photographs on the banner," said Boston Camera Club President Tom Hill, who noted that the project was entirely conceived and developed by club members. "Collaboration with these community groups has built bridges among artists of all ages who would not otherwise have had opportunities to connect within the greater-Boston community. The timing of the exhibition could not be better and will supplement the diversity of outdoor art in Boston at a time when residents, workers, and visitors are breaking out of their pandemic cocoons." 

The Focused Eye: Our Unique Views is generously funded by Tufts Medical Center, Blue Hour Photo Ventures and two anonymous gifts. The Boston Camera Club is especially thankful to the owners of Fan Pier for warmly welcoming the photo exhibition to the Public Green.

About the Boston Camera Club

Founded in 1881, the Boston Camera Club is dedicated to the advancement of photography as an art and a science. The club currently has over 150 members, ranging in experience from novice to professional, from all over the greater Boston metropolitan area. Meetings are held weekly and include photo competitions, critiques, educational lectures, and studio portrait sessions. Additionally, the club sponsors exhibitions, field trips to local points of interest, and special events and workshops led by well-known photographers. For more information on club activities and membership, visit www.bostoncameraclub.org or connect with the BCC on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

 

The Focused Eye: Our Unique Views 

Boston will soon allow ‘retail residential kitchens’ - maybe something Franklin could consider?

"Boston food entrepreneurs will get a boost beginning on Friday, April 30, when a retail residential kitchens ordinance goes into effect. This allows home cooks to prepare shelf-stable foods in their homes for resale at farmers’ markets, online, and through the mail. They can make up to $25,000 per year.

Boston City Councilor at Large Julia Mejia introduced the ordinance after a conversation with Andree Entezari, who had relocated to Boston from Los Angeles, where he ran a fruit leather business from home. He wanted to do the same here.

“This is a way to test products that aren’t cost-prohibitive,” he said. “Working out of your home reduces start-up costs and engages you in your local community. It allows you to meet others in a special way, through food.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/27/lifestyle/boost-home-cooks-with-small-business-hopes-boston-will-soon-allow-retail-residential-kitchens/

MA State Library: old Boston photos found and digitized

MA State Library (@mastatelibrary) tweeted on Mon, Mar 22, 2021:

During a major cataloging project at the State Library, the staff rediscovered many beautiful collections, including an album of photographs of old Boston, which was digitized and we invite you to view here:  https://t.co/xhrDKv4xKN   or https://www.flickr.com/photos/mastatelibrary/albums/72157709811009401

 

Shared from Twitter: https://twitter.com/mastatelibrary/status/1373998270620520453

MA State Library: old Boston photos found and digitized

Hear about "Boston Made" with Alan Earls - virtual meeting Thursday at 2 PM

Hear about "Boston Made" with Alan Earls

Click below to join "Boston Made" Thursday FEBRUARY, 25 at 2pm
https://zoom.us/j/96071688574?pwd=blYveStuNENTeUFnaHZSU3pDQjRqUT09

Meeting ID: 960 7168 8574      Passcode: 871132
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,96071688574#,,,,*871132# US (New York)
+13017158592,,96071688574#,,,,*871132# US (Washington DC)

--

Ariel Doggett

Virtual Program Coordinator

Respite Coordinator

"We rise by lifting others" - Robert Ingersoll

There is no act of kindness too small

Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture Boston: HOME Poetry reading March 5-6

Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture Boston (@ArtsinBoston) tweeted on Wed, Feb 17, 2021:

"The next HOME poetry reading and workshop will be on March 5-6. The theme is "I Belong There", and the facilitator is Monica Sok. In this workshop, we will read poetry of exile and ask ourselves what it means to create (be)longing inside of our poems."

City of Boston poet laureate  https://www.boston.gov/departments/arts-and-culture/city-boston-poet-laureate

 

Shared from Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ArtsinBoston/status/1362158458611589120

 

Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture Boston: HOME Poetry reading March 5-6

 

“Four Week Illumination and Sound Experience” - Hatch Shell, Boston

"As is the case with so many of Boston’s beloved destinations, it’s hard not to think about the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade and get a little bummed out. All the celebrations that would normally take place in its giant shadow, like the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectaculars, the BSO performances, and all the free-to-all concerts held there every year, have been canceled. One of the loudest publicly-accessible outdoor spaces in the city has gone quiet, and dark.

But a new month long public art project slated to take over the Hatch Shell this winter will change all that, and in the process, give Bostonians something they have no doubt been craving of late: something cool to do outside.

Beginning later this month, the stage will host what the Esplanade Association is calling a “four week illumination and sound experience.” Called Hatched: Breaking through the silence, it will include laser-projected animations that will fill the 40-foot-tall arch, as well as music that can be played through smartphones and portable speakers.

It debuts on January 22, and viewings will last 15 minutes and run every 20 minutes from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night through February 21. It’s free to all, and the Hatch Shell’s lawn will be open to anyone who wants to see the show up close while keeping a safe distance apart."

Continue reading the article online

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2021/01/04/hatch-shell-illumination-hatched/

 

Shared from Twitter:  https://t.co/wrtjjLU4lf

 

“Four Week Illumination and Sound Experience” - Hatch Shell, Boston (Rendering via the MF Dynamics)

Watch "Confronting Colonial Myths in Boston's Public Space: Highlight Video" on YouTube

Boston Artist-in-Residence Erin Genia led a panel series called Confronting Colonial Myths in Boston's Public Space, featuring Indigenous artists, leaders, and allies.  

"As part of her residency, Erin led a virtual panel series called "Confronting Colonial Myths in Boston's Public Space". In this two-part series, Indigenous leaders and artists spoke about their work in the public realm. They addressed how symbols perpetuating colonial myths affect the lives of Indigenous people in the City, and how these symbols contribute to the public health emergency of racism."

To watch the full series or listen to the podcast, visit https://www.boston.gov/departments/arts-and-culture/erin-genia

Video link:  https://youtu.be/UMx-XXpJkT4

 

“Whose story is being told with this monument?”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The white Union Army commander sits rigid atop an imposing horse. His Black men, rifles to their shoulders, march resolutely alongside on their way to battle. 

For L’Merchie Frazier, the towering bronze relief in downtown Boston captures the stirring call to arms answered by Black soldiers who served in the state’s famed Civil War fighting unit, which was popularized in the 1989 Oscar-winning movie “Glory.” 

But the longtime Boston artist says she understands how the imagery of the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial (https://www.nps.gov/boaf/learn/historyculture/shaw.htm) can conjure mixed feelings as the nation takes another hard look at its monuments and memorials in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. 

“Whose story is being told with this monument?” said Frazier, who is the education director at the nearby Museum of African American History. “The hierarchy is very evident. White commander out front; Black soldiers in the background. It’s the first thing you see.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200727/whose-story-is-being-told-questions-and-scrutiny-focus-on-memorial-to-robert-gould-shaw-and-massachusetts-54th-regiment-in-boston?rssfeed=true

Robert Gould Shaw Memorial Boston African American NHS/ NPS

"we cannot bring the world to Boston in September"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced Thursday that running the 2020 Boston Marathon is “not feasible this year.”

The race was originally scheduled for Patriots Day and was rescheduled for Sept. 14. The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A) said that the 124th Boston Marathon will be held as a virtual event.

Walsh said Thursday that officials agreed it was not possible for the city and other communities along the route to host the race safely.

“The traditional one-day running of the 124th Boston Marathon is not feasible this year for public health reasons,” Walsh said. “There is no way to hold this unusual race format without bringing large numbers of people into close proximity. While our goal and hope was to make progress and contain the virus and recover our economy, this kind of event would not be responsible or realistic on Sept. 14 or anytime this year.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200528/updated-2020-boston-marathon-is-canceled-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak-this-is-first-time-in-history-it-will-not-be-held-in-person

"Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito joined UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney to tour UMass Lowell’s Fabric Discovery Center, a Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT) funding recipient conducting high volume screening of locally produced personal protective equipment (PPE) for FDA approval."

https://youtu.be/UY1_FPyIqxQ

25 Franklin Residents officially completed the 2019 Boston Marathon

On Monday, I posted that there were 27 Franklin residents scheduled to start the Boston Marathon. 16 men and 11 women with the following distribution by age group.

Age Group	M	W	T
20's	4	3	7
30's	3	3	6
40's	7	1	8
50's	2	3	5
60's	0	1	1
	16	11	27

After the race I can share that 25 Franklin residents completed the full course per the official results.

Age Group	M	W	T
20's	4	2	6
30's	3	3	6
40's	7	1	8
50's	2	3	5
60's	0	0	0
	16	9	25

25 Franklin Residents officially completed the 2019 Boston Marathon

For more info about the runners and the race visit BAA.org/ or go directly to

https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon

27 Franklin residents scheduled to start the Boston Marathon

Disclosure: I am proud to be working for John Hancock, one of the major sponsors of the Boston Marathon.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephensherlock/

Note: due to the data available from the results, I don't know if the 2 'missing' runners did not start the race, or started and did not complete the race.

27 Franklin residents scheduled to start the Boston Marathon

As the Boston Marathon gets underway on Monday, there are 27 Franklin residents scheduled to start this race. 16 men and 11 women with the following distribution by age group.

Age Group	M	W	T
20's	4	3	7
30's	3	3	6
40's	7	1	8
50's	2	3	5
60's	0	1	1
	16	11	27

27 Franklin residents scheduled to start the Boston Marathon - 2019

For more info about the runners and the race visit BAA.org/ or go directly to

https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon

27 Franklin residents scheduled to start the Boston Marathon

Disclosure: I am proud to be working for John Hancock, one of the major sponsors of the Boston Marathon.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephensherlock/

Military Hiring Event in Boston - May 14

At the Boston Hiring Expo, join the Boston Red Sox and Hiring Our Heroes to connect directly with recruiters and hiring managers from local and national companies of all sizes.

This event is free and is open to active duty service members, Guard and Reserve, veterans, and military spouses. Even better? All registered veteran and military spouse job seekers who attend the hiring expo are eligible to receive up to two free tickets to attend the evening's game between the Boston Red Sox and the Colorado Rockies.

More info and to register
https://events.hiringourheroes.org/events/boston-hiring-expo/event-summary-6c38865e57c048c9a9c8b2916a43fc38.aspx

PDF Flyer
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kU1P7e46LAf7h8PxVQIuuU3ERBV1TQPb/view?usp=sharing

Military Hiring Event in Boston - May 14