Elections

Vote: 10th Suffolk State Rep Special Election Primary on May 2

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The special election Democratic Party primary on May 2 will determine the next 10th Suffolk State Rep.

No other party has any candidates to replace Ed Coppinger, who stepped down from the position. So it's between Jamaica Plain's Celia Segel, Roslindale's Rob Orthman, and West Roxbury's Bill MacGregor. The majority of district is in West Roxbury, but there is a good amount in Roslindale, Jamaica Plain and Brookline. The district includes 15 precincts in West Roxbury, and nine precincts between Roslindale, JP, and Brookline. After redistricting, part of Jamaica Plain became part of the district.

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City Services

City’s JP Better Bike Lanes Plan Includes Changes to Green, Boylston, Seaverns, and McBride

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Boston's Public Works Department will be reconstructing several Jamaica Plain streets this year to grow the city's network of low-stress bike routes, and community feedback is wanted to shape the projects. This year's JP Better Bike Lanes projects include Green Street and Seaverns Avenue/Gordon Street, Eliot Street, McBride Street, and Boylston Street. There are two upcoming open houses on May 3 and May 11 (more info below) to discuss and learn more about the proposals. There will also be community walks to physically go to the streets to discuss the proposals with city personnel. Eliot Street
The Public Works Department is planning to allow bicycling in both directions on Eliot Street between the Emerald Necklace and Centre Street.

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Neighborhood Life
A scene from the South Street Parade at Wake Up The Earth 2015

Wanted: Wake Up The Earth Festival Volunteers

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The 45th annual Wake Up the Earth Festival is May 6, and organizer Spontaneous Celebrations want volunteers for several different things. They outlined the volunteer gig in an email:

A few immediate asks:

We need confirmed puppet carriers for the parade! Big and small puppets
We need a megaphone
We need experienced parades to help Marshall

If any of these things are possible for you email wuteparade2023@gmail.com

Closer to the Festival/Day of:

We also need strong help Friday the 5th in the afternoon to set up stages and Saturday the 6th to help with set up 8-11am. If that’s you, email wutefestival@gmail.com
We need stage support to help Zumix from 11-6 day of the festival - perhaps pick a 2 hour shift or more and let us know? Wutefestival@gmail.com
We need people to run the cardboard slides and mini golf kids activities from 12-6 e-mail your available time to spontaneousvolunteering@gmail.com
We need core volunteers to be a trash bandit!

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Arts

Help Fundraiser to Create New South Street Mural

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A community fundraiser to create a mural on South Street by the basketball/pickleball/tennis courts is in full swing -- and JP Centre/South Main Streets has said it will match any online donation.  

The mural will be made on the wall outside Peru Travel. Gabrielle Hahn, the owner of nearby business Said & Done tattoo, created the fundraiser to pay local artist Massiel Grullón who is creating the mural. The goal is to fundraise $4,500 to cover paying the artist and supplies. Grullón was born in Boston, is an alum of the Boston Arts Academy, earned a bachelors degree in painting and graphic design at Montserrat College of Art in 2014, and teaches painting at Artists for Humanity in South Boston.

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Government

Emerald Necklace Conservancy Receives Oversized $250K Check for Economic Development Initiatives

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Earlier this month Emerald Necklace Conservancy President Karen Mauncy-Brodeck received an oversized $250,000 check for the organization's economic development initiatives. Mauney-Brodek received the check from state Sen. Mike Rush (D-Norfolk/Suffolk District) from the Commonwealth’s Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, which is helping the areas of the state that were hardest hit by the pandemic. Rush remarked that the Conservancy continued to offer free programs and took great care of the parks, ensuring that residents and visitors had a safe and attractive space to gather, play and reflect during the pandemic and beyond.

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Arts

JP’s Rehearsal for Life Musical ‘Banned in Boston: Funderdome’ with Gov. Healey and More

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Governor Maura Healey is among the cast members for Jamaica Plain based nonprofit Rehearsal for Life's new live Banned in Boston musical. The musical Banned in Boston: Funderdome will be performed live at Roadrunner Boston on April 27, and is once again be written and scored by award-winning creative Faith Soloway, Artistic Director of Rehearsal for Life and co-writer of Amazon’s award-winning show Transparent. Rehearsal for life is a non-profit leader in the Boston area’s creative youth development sector. The cast is huge for this year's musical-esque romp including more than two dozen Boston-area politicians, celebrities, philanthropists, and business leaders, performing on-stage and on-screen, fighting it out in an exaggerated, Battle of the Network Stars-style competition between fictional organizations trying to raise money in challenging times. The current cast list includes: Governor Maura Healey; Michael Bobbitt, Executive Director, Massachusetts Cultural Council; Jared Bowen, Arts Editor & Host, WGBH’s Open Studio; Jim Braude, Co-host, WGBH Boston Public Radio; Yolanda Coentro, President & CEO, Institute for Nonprofit Practice; Carolyn Cole, Program Officer, Massachusetts Cultural Council; Joanne Chang, Owner, Flour, Myers & Chang; Cheryl Cronin, CEO, Boston Public Market; Margery Eagan, Co-host, WGBH Boston Public Radio; Tiffani Faison, Chef, Restaurateur, rising star on Food Network; Sam Kennedy, President & CEO, Boston Red Sox; Makeeba McCreary, Ed.D., President, The New Commonwealth for Racial Equity & Social Justice Fund; Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, MBA, President & CEO, Carequest Institute for Oral Health; M. Lee Pelton, President & CEO, The Boston Foundation; Ken Reid, Comedian, TV Guidance Counselor podcast

In addition, a number of local chefs from participating restaurants will serve delicious meal to attendees including

Dan Bazzinotti, Pescador/Blue Ribbon Restaurants
Brad Brown, Blue Frog Bakery
Carl Dooley, Mooncusser
Lambert Givens, Hunter’s
Andrew Marconi, The Catered Affair
Steven Peljovich, Michael’s Deli
Cory Seeker, Lolita/COJE Group
Arlin Smith, Eventide
Stephen Sherman, Scarlet Oak Tavern/Webber Group
JC Tetreault, TrilliumBrewing
Will & Dave Willis, Bully Boy Distillers
Chris & Pam Willis, Pammy’s
Jen & Josh Ziskin, La Morra, Heritage & Punch Bowl

All proceeds benefit Rehearsal for Life’s creative youth development programs: Urban Improv, a no-cost program in its 30th year, serving 1,400+ Boston Public School students grades 4–12 every year; Youth Unscripted, a stipended after school community building and leadership program serving 25 teens from across Boston, and founding program Freelance Players, an after school theater program serving 200 youth ages 8-16 in Boston and surrounding suburbs.

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Neighborhood Life

Photos: Half Half Half Half Half Marathon at Jamaica Pond

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There was more than one very important marathon this month. More than 70 serious and casual runners gathered at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse for this year’s Half Half Half Half Half Marathon, hosted by 826 Boston at Jamaica Pond on April 13. All photos by Deborah Karson Photography

The event raised more than $18,000 for 826 Boston’s writing and tutoring programs, offered free to thousands of Boston students and their families every year. “We’re so grateful to everyone—friends, babies, college students, grandparents, dogs—who joined us for Boston’s greatest shortest race,” said Loni Zelfon, 826 Boston’s Development and Events Manager. “We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to walk, wheel, and run around Jamaica Pond to support 826 Boston’s incredible student authors."

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Animals

Olmsted Park Spring Bird Walk This Sunday

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Do you see pretty birds and want to know their name? Or maybe you've already got a pair of binoculars and a keen eye for springtime warblers. This weekend's spring bird walk is for both beginner and more seasoned ornithological enthusiasts. The 90-minute free walk will be led by local birding expert Bob Mayor, and focus on migrating warblers and other spring species at Leverett, Willoe and Ward's ponds, as well as the woods of the Emerald Necklace Olmsted Park. Meet at the Olmsted Park Daisy Field parking lot on Willow Pond Road between Pond Avenue and the Jamaicaway.

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City Services

CPA Funding Approved for New Curley School Playground, Jackson Square Greenway, Churches, and More

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Community Preservation Act funds will be used to build a new school playground, support new affordable housing, and historically rehab several churches,

Mayor Michelle announced 56 projects will receive more than $40 million through CPA funds. The Boston City Council approved the funding on April 12. By law, projects must support the creation or preservation of affordable housing, historic sites, or open space and recreation. Since 2018, Boston has awarded more than $157 million to support 293 projects including 112 open space and recreation projects, 46 affordable housing projects, and 135 historic preservation projects, according to a press release. The following are the eight Jamaica Plain projects that are receiving funding:

361 Centre Street

$3,000,000 to partially fund an​ ​adaptive reuse rental proj​ect utilizing the vacant Blessed Sacrament Church in the Hyde Square neighborhood.

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Arts

Footlight Club’s ‘A Man of No Importance’ is Important to Watch This Weekend

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At a time when some people believe LGBTQIA+ people are more dangerous than guns, or trans folk are somehow less than others, it's important that we have shows like the Footlight Club's A Man of No Importance.  

The Footlight Club’s production brings amateur theater production to life with a minimal set, period-appropriate costumes, a big heart and lots of talented vocalists. Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and created by Terence McNally, Lynn Ahrens, and Stephen Flaherty, the production serves as a strong reminder that love is what matters. All three previously won Tony Awards for Ragtime. The musical is based on a movie of the same name starring Albert Finney in 1994. The musical is about Alfie Byrne, a bus driver in 1964 Dublin whose heart holds secrets that he can't share with anyone but his imagined confidante, Oscar Wilde.

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