Environment

City Council Passes Ban on Plastic Bags, Mayor Reviewing Ordinance

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The Boston City Council unanimously passed an ordinance on Wednesday that would ban thin plastic shopping bags and create a 5-cent fee on paper bags and thicker bags. The purpose of the ordinance, which was co-sponsored by At-Large City Councilor Michelle Wu and District 6 City Councilor Matt O'Malley, is to reduce litter on the streets, avoid plastic bags ending up in our waterways, trees and harming the environment. Using fewer plastic bags would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste, while promoting the use of recyclable bags. A spokesperson for the mayor told Jamaica Plain News that the mayor is "reviewing the proposal." If the mayor approves the ordinance, it would go in effect one year after he signed it into law.

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Elections

Walsh Cruises to Second Term; Six Women Now on City Council

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As expected Mayor Martin Walsh easily defeated District 7 City Councilor Tito Jackson for a second term. But it was the Boston City Council races that were more interesting. Walsh took 65% of the vote to Jackson's 33%, according to unofficial results as of 10:30 pm on Tuesday. The only truly contested race in Jamaica Plain was the District 7 race (there's a little bit of District 7 in JP by Egleston Square). After a preliminary that had more than a dozen candidates Kim Janey and Rufus Faulk faced each other.

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Elections
Election Day, 2008, in JP, by Nick Sherman

Election Day on Tuesday: What You Need to Know

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What do you need to know about Tuesday's election? How about perhaps it's the sleepiest low-key election in Boston history? At least in the last 25 years. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh is expected to cruise past current District 7 City Councilor Tito Jackson in the mayoral race. In the September preliminary Walsh took more than 60% of votes and Jackson got 29%.

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Government

City Councilors to Massport and FAA: Plane Noise is ‘Unbearable’

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Much to the frustration of Jamaica Plain residents and those in other Boston neighborhoods, there has been a noticeable increase in airplane noise in recent months. Several Boston city councilors recently wrote a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration and Massport to express their own concerns, as well as their constituents' reported vexation. Seven city councilors representing Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Mattapan, Roslindale and West Roxbury penned the letter to Amy Lind Corbett, the regional administrator of the New England region for the FAA, and Thomas Glynn, CEO of Massport. "Nearly every morning, planes begin to fly overhead at or before 6 a.m. and often continue essentially non-stop for hours at a time. This can negatively impact an individual’s sleeping pattern, acuity, and quality of life," says the letter.

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Government

O’Malley Wants to Evaluate City’s Emergency Preparedness for Extreme Weather

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This hurricane season has walloped Texas, Florida and more this year. Luckily, Boston has escaped unscathed so far. But what if we are struck by a storm like Hurricane Harvey? Jamaica Plain's City Councilor Matt O'Malley wants to make sure the city sip prepared and has called for a hearing to evaluate the city's readiness for extreme weather situations. “We must act now,” said O’Malley via press release, who serves as the chair of the City Council’s Committee on Environment & Sustainability.

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From the Community

Malia & O’Malley: Thank You for South Street Summer Hot Dog Nights

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State Rep. Liz Malia and District 6 City Councilor Matt O’Malley would like to thank Roche Bros., Stop & Shop, Fernandez Spa, Il Panino Cafe & Grill, Blue Frog Bakery, Read Boston, our District E-13 Community Service officers, Boston Tenant Coalition, the many loyal volunteers like Bette Jo Green and Jo Ann Whitehead, our wonderful summer interns, and the manager and residents of the South Street neighborhood who made 23rd Annual South Street Summer Hotdog Nights possible and successful! Additional thanks go to the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators and Cradles to Crayons for donating back-to-school backpacks and supplies. The cookouts were held at 5:30 pm every Tuesday (weather permitting) June through August. The event builds community by bringing residents, neighbors, and public safety officials together, and helps to provide a safe and healthy space for all attendees to interact one hot dog at a time.

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Government

Councilor O’Malley Supports State Bills to Improve Oral Health Care for Those in Need

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The Boston City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of Massachusetts House and Senate bills to expand access to oral health for those in need. The issue speaks loudly to Jamaica Plain's City Councilor Matt O'Malley who championed the bills. "The city of Boston has a dental access problem. Third-grade children in Boston’s Suffolk County suffer unmet dental needs at more than twice the rate of the surrounding suburban areas, and more than 530,000 people in Massachusetts live in areas with a shortage of dentists," said O'Malley through a press release. "Boston residents deserve better, and these midlevel providers can help bring cost-effective dental care to children, seniors and people with disabilities currently going without it."

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From the Community
District 6 City Councilor Matt O'Malley

City Councilor O’Malley Holding District Hours on June 20

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Staff from District 6 City Councilor Matt O’Malley’s office will be on hand in locations throughout Jamaica Plain on Tuesday, June 20th in order to address any questions or concerns residents may have about neighborhood issues. The locations will be as follows:

9 to 11 a.m. at El Oriental de Cuba, 416 Centre St. 12 to 2 p.m. at Brassica Cafe, 3710 Washington St. 3 to 5 p.m. at the Jamaica Plain Branch Library, 30 South St. If you have any questions, please reach out to Andrew Baldizon at 617-635-4220.

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Environment

JP Forum on Greening Boston’s Buildings This Thursday

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A forum to consider how to make net-zero carbon building construction a reality in Boston will be held Thursday, June 15, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the First Church in Jamaica Plain at 6 Eliot St. The gathering is the second in a Jamaica Plain Forum mini-series on transitioning to green living, and will address sustainable ways to retrofit buildings for increased energy efficiency given technical, financial, legal and political challenges, as well as how Bostonians can demonstrate the importance of supporting local, renewable sources of energy. The event is co-sponsored by the Boston Clean Energy Coalition. Per the meeting notice, "The initial Imagine Boston 2030 report describes a major construction boom but does not call for the state-of-the-art efficiency requirements essential to keeping this development from locking us into new fracked-gas infrastructure to power new buildings and decades of dependence on fossil fuels. We urgently need net-zero carbon requirements for all new buildings in Boston."

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Sports

First-Ever Women’s Olympic Marathon Champion, Boston Marathon Winner Honored By Councilor O’Malley

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Joan Benoit Samuelson, who previously held the women's record for the Boston Marathon, was honored by the Boston City Council Wednesday. Jamaica Plain's City Councilor, Matt O'Malley, authored a resolution proclaiming April 12, 2017, as Joan Benoit Samuelson Day in Boston. Joan Benoit Samuelson won the first women’s Olympic marathon in 1984, which was the first year the women's marathon was held in the Olympics. “I am thrilled to be honoring Joan Benoit Samuelson for her outstanding running success and commitment to promoting health and wellness across the country,” said O’Malley, who has participated in the Boston Marathon seven times. “Benoit Samuelson has and continues to inspire competitive runners with her story.”

Benoit Samuelson entered the Boston Marathon as a relative unknown in 1979 and ended up winning with a record-setting time of 2:35:15.

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