Parkway Blog

Cool Times at Hynes

Posted on July 1, 2008 by Kate Flock
Filed Under General, weather | Leave a Comment

The spray park at Hynes Playground in West Roxbury was packed this afternoon, with kids and parents trying to beat the heat.

Marcela Agurcia and her daughter Sayen, of Brookine, took their turn in the fountain.

Staff Photos by Kate Flock

Rush wants $$ for Washington St and MBTA stations

Posted on June 30, 2008 by David Ertischek
Filed Under Politics, Transportation | Leave a Comment

State Rep. Mike Rush has added two $1-million items to the Transportation Bond Bill.

One million dollars would go to beautification, maintenance and upkeep of Washington Street, including the improvement of pedestrian safety features.

The other one million would go to improve the three commuter rail stations in West Roxbury.

The bond bill still needs to be debated by the state Senate, so it is unknown when, and if, this money will come to the community.

Made in the SHADE

Posted on June 25, 2008 by Keith Jacobson
Filed Under General, Sports | Leave a Comment

Skating in the SHADE, a partnership between the SHADE Foundation of America and FMC Arenas kicked off 8 weeks of free skating and skate rentals at the Jim Roche Community Ice Arena at 1275 VFW Parkway in West Roxbury on Wednesday, June 25. The purpose of the program is to offer an alternative to being out in the sun when the UV rays are at their most dangerous.

This year more than 1,000,000 people will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer. Skin cancer is the fastest growing cancer and affects more people than prostate, breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer combined according to the SHADE Foundation of America.

For a detailed schedule of locations, dates and hours for the entire summer, visit the web site and click on “Skating in the SHADE.”

The SHADE Foundation of America, was started by melanoma survivor, Shondra Schilling, wife of Red Sox ace Curt Schilling. It is “dedicated to eradicating melanoma through the education of children and the community in the prevention and detection of skin cancer and the promotion of sun safety.”

Christina Yeomans, 2, helps her mom Pam lace up big sister, 5-year-old Kates skates as they prepare to take to the ice. They are West Roxbury residents.

Keith E. Jacobson/Staff Photographer

Train accident may have killed teenager

Posted on June 24, 2008 by clong
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One 15-year-old male teenager is dead after being struck by an MBTA commuter train on Tuesday night on the Needham commuter rail line east of Bellevue Station in Roslindale.

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo told media sources that the victim and another 15-year-old teen were walking along the tracks when the train struck one of the pair shortly before 6:30 p.m. The second person was uninjured, according to Pesaturo.
According to NECN, the victim’s family was at the scene. The name of the teen has not yet been released. The two teens were reportedly walking along the track with their backs to the train.
The Needham line was shut down and a bus shuttle was operating.
The accident is under investigation by the MBTA.
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Seeing nature helps girls with self-discipline and avoid dangerous behaviors

Posted on June 24, 2008 by David Ertischek
Filed Under Animals and nature, Health | Leave a Comment

The subject line is just one of the odd statements that came from a press release for Thursday night’s Highland Civic Association meeting. Here’s some more things to think about when you’re having dinner with your children:

Some West Roxbury residents may already know that trees and other green shrubs: improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide emissions; increase property values; deflect microwaves from cell phone towers; mitigate ground water runoff & heat islands; enhance sociability in a neighborhood. But did you also know that:

Play in natural, green settings increases the ability of children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) to concentrate, follow directions, and complete tasks.

For girls, seeing nature on a regular basis improves their self-discipline and increases their chance for success in life.

Exposure to trees and vegetation reduces mental fatigue and irritability leading to domestic violence.

These are the findings of researchers at the University of Illinois Human-Environment Research Lab, led by Francis E. Kuo and William C Sullivan. Sullivan shared the results of the team’s research at the Arnold Arboretum in 2007, and, more recently, with Highland Civic Association officers.

Here’s some more:

The better a girl’s self-discipline, the better she is able to avoid dangerous behaviors and foster life success. The University of Illinois researchers identified three forms of self-discipline that influence a youth’s choices:

1) concentration —the ability to focus on and complete tasks; 2)impulse control—not jumping to conclusions or acting thoughtlessly contributes to prudent decisions; 3)delayed gratification—allows the pursuit of long-term goals.

Interviews with the mothers of children in a poor, South Chicago housing development, where the only difference between housing units was landscaping, the researchers found that the greener a girl’s view was from home, through windows or doors, “the better she concentrated, the less she acted impulsively and the better she was able to delay gratification—in short, the better her self-discipline.”

Self-disciplined girls do better in school and make better choices, handling peer and sexual pressure and other stressful situations.

The meeting will feature a presentation on The Importance of Trees & How to Get More, also what’s going at 11 Ruskin Street and other developments.

Oh, there will also be an election of officers for the association. Maybe they’ll opine on whether trees don’t help boys with being more self-disciplined.

The meeting will be held at the West Roxbury Branch Library on Thursday, June 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. Please bring your daughters (there are several trees around the library).

Roslindale students targeted by anonymous overseas threat

Posted on June 23, 2008 by Wayne Braverman
Filed Under General | Leave a Comment

By David Ertischek
STAFF WRITER
After the Boston Police Department received an anonymous tip last Sunday threatening Roslindale students, all principals were notified of the threat.
The threat was traced back to several Web sites to multiple countries, said Boston Public Schools spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo. Due to the specifics of the incident, BPD determined Read more

Parkway residents arrested at Celtics celebration

Posted on June 20, 2008 by Wayne Braverman
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It seems that there were some Parkway residents who may not have been on their best behavior during Thursday’s rolling rally honoring the World Champion Boston Celtics.
During the parade, officers encountered a number of individuals who they say were “more concerned with acting unruly than celebrating responsibly.”
Police arrested 22 people, including five from the Parkway.
The list of people includes:
· Mark A. Phillips, 25, of West Roxbury - Possession of Class D, assault and battery by means of a dangerous, assault and battery
· Peter J. Starkey, 18, of West Roxbury – Affray
· Nathaniel B. Scannell, 17 of West Roxbury - Affray, assault and battery on a police Officer
· James Callahan, 18, of West Roxbury - Affray, resisting arrest and possession of Class D
· Steven P. Smith, 19, of Roslindale - Disorderly person
They all appeared in Boston Municipal Court on Friday.

Michelle Kwan is spamming the Parkway Blog!?!?

Posted on June 19, 2008 by David Ertischek
Filed Under General | 1 Comment

As most of you the Parkway Transcript receives a lot of spam, especially on the blog. But today I found a spam from Michelle Kwan. Yes, I know it wasn’t really her.

Below is the spam email we got in reference to a post about how to fold an American flag: That’ll teach Michelle Kwan to spam the Parkway Blog! And notice the email address given. Apparently Michelle Kwan is also a WWE Diva.

Michelle Kwan | wwedivasws@gmail.com | michelle-kwan.info | IP: 64.22.107.90

Hello…I Googled for american flag set, but found your page about eps to fold the American flag : Parkway Blog…and have to say thanks. nice read.

How fast can you text message?

Posted on June 18, 2008 by David Ertischek
Filed Under General | Leave a Comment

Is your child as fast with the text messaging as Sundance was with a gun? If you can text fast, and I mean really, really fast, you could win lots and lots of money! Check out this contest?!

Proposal for 357 apartments next to Millennium Park

Posted on June 17, 2008 by David Ertischek
Filed Under General | Leave a Comment

Rivermoor Real Estate LLC is proposing to put up a four-story apartment development by Millennium Park. They would raze a vacant building on the property and then build their project. At this time the plan calls for all of the apartments to be rentals.

“On the face of it, it’s an interesting proposal. It’s an industrial area. The city archives are there. Boston Gas used to be there. To have Millennium Park as your backyard isn’t the worst thing,” said City Councilor John Tobin.

Greyhound racing ban nets plenty of supporters

Posted on June 17, 2008 by David Ertischek
Filed Under Animals and nature, General, Politics | Leave a Comment

Supporters of the Greyhound Protection Act have collected 45,000 signatures, more than four times the needed amount, to get the act on the November ballot. If passed by voters, the proposal would phase out commercial greyhound racing by 2010.

“Massachusetts is a state filled with passionate dog lovers. It is time for the caring voters of Massachusetts to step forward for the dogs. The nature of greyhound racing causes dogs to suffer, and it should be phased out so we can end the abuse and cruelty inherent to this industry,” said Carter Luke, President of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA)-Angell.

For the proposal to move further 11,099 certified signatures must be presented to the Secretary of State by July 2 at 5 p.m.

Candidate Julian looking for campaign office on Centre Street

Posted on June 17, 2008 by David Ertischek
Filed Under General | Leave a Comment

Pamela Julian may not want to talk but word on the street (Centre Street) is that a campaign organizer is asking around to find office space for the state rep candidate.

keep looking »