A Boston police officer was hit by a car while he was pulling over speeding vehicles around the 2000 block of Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton. That driver is so busted.
May 16, 2012
Hell on wheels
A short video giving a glimpse of a tow truck driver’s evening, including lifting a car in Allston. Definitely NSFW language, via @mikenusbaum on Twitter.
May 14, 2012
Back to school
The official opening of the former Presentation school building in Oak Square as a community center is this Friday, May 19 from 3:30 to 8PM. The ceremonial ribbon-cutting, speeches and whatnot will begin at 4. The Presentation School Foundation has been working for eight years to raise money, renovate the building and attract service providers.
May 11, 2012
Go ask Alice
The annual (who knew?) prescription “Drug Take-Back Day” netted 140 pounds of pills at D-14 on April 28. The BPD describes it as a “popular, annual event”. Popular with who? And why? (image via Deviant Art)
May 11, 2012
Blame Steve Jobs
Diskovery, which has been purveying used records and books for thirty years, is closing its doors. Digital media has pushed out paper and vinyl, knocking out retailers big and small.
May 10, 2012
Boston joy ride, 1964
Take a spin through Boston and Cambridge, including Cleveland Circle and Brighton Center, circa 1964. It is amazing how few cars there are on the road. Things look a lot more stylish on Mad Men, but maybe that is just Boston. (h/t to @bostonsnudisco on Twitter)
May 10, 2012
Love that dirty water
Photo via Boston Public Library
Actually, it ain’t that dirty anymore. The EPA has given the Charles River a “B” rating for cleanliness. Still not going for a swim.
May 9, 2012
Future Nobel prize winners at Harvard
Close to 100 people attended the Harvard Allston Education Portal’s end of semester Showcase, an event that demonstrated the projects of about 20 local kids mentored by Harvard students. The event also allowed attendees to get a peek at the Annex, a new space that triples the area available for programming.
May 8, 2012
BU commencement to leave local police with nothing to do
BU’s graduation and the end of the semester will leave Boston police officers bereft, hanging around D-14 like Maytag repairmen, waiting for the 911 call that never comes. No parties, no hazings, no quality time on Ashford Street. The university has finally figured out that it makes more financial sense to honor billionaires one at a time instead of John Silber every year.
May 8, 2012
We sell plants for cash
Need some green? We all need more cash, but the Brighton Garden Club is offering the next best thing, plants. Their annual plant sale will be held at the Presentation School Community Center in Oak Square on Saturday, May 19 from 10AM to about 12:30PM, rain or shine. This collective of green thumbs is looking for donations and volunteers. Contact Wilma at w /dot/ wetterstrom /at/ comcast /dot/ net if you can help.
May 8, 2012
Eat your vegetables
The Allston Farmer’s Market is returning, starting this Saturday, May 12. Union Square will be a cacophony of push carts, stalls and vendors hawking produce twice per month, so you will have to eat twice as much green stuff as you did last year. Eat healthy, then drink away at the Model.
May 8, 2012
Dash or stay
May 8, 2012
Zip car is easier
Last month Ender Durgut led police on a car chase through three towns before crashing his car. Last week he decided to test drive a Venza while it was still in the Herb Chambers Toyota showroom on Commonwealth Avenue in Allston.
May 8, 2012
New health facility planned
The Joseph Smith Health Center hopes to consolidate its operations into a new, $19.1 million facility. The center was recently awarded $5 million under a federal government to build new community health care sites. So far the center has not announced any details on where it might be located or what the timeline is.
May 4, 2012
One more one-family
This property at the corner of Gerrish and Brooks Street, Brighton was recently sold and the lot subdivided. A single family is going up.
4 Gerrish Street, Brighton
May 4, 2012
Rock of Allston
Not Allston Rock City or a basement show. This marker, dating from 1729, is being restored.
April 30, 2012
Build it and they will buy
The demand for single-family homes in Brighton continues, despite a generally still-weak housing market. This Thursday the the Brighton Allston Improvement Association will be hearing from the owners of two different addresses, 82 Presentation Road and 46 Gerrish Street, both looking to construct one-family houses. As always, the meeting starts at 7PM at the Elks, 326 Washington Street, Brighton Center.
April 30, 2012
A real (so far) crack-down on absentee owners
The city is continuing its push against irresponsible landlords. The initiative started in response to a fire at 81 Linden Street, Allston that left one student with a brain injury after he had to jump from the second story to escape from the flames.
It’s good that the city is encouraging the students who live in these buildings to know their rights and file complaints about the unsafe conditions they live in. Another option they have is to withhold rent, depending on the circumstances. That will get the attention of owners like Joseph Ciliberti of Newton, who has over $37,000 in unpaid fines for code violations and a disconnected phone.
Here’s to hoping that the city continues to make this a priority, and doesn’t drop it as it did in the past.
April 26, 2012
Fill yourself to the gills
For months now, sushi addicts have been posting on Twitter, wondering when Maki Maki, an all you can eat buffet-style restaurant would open. According to Grub Street Boston, the place had its opening party a few days ago. I tried to call a couple of times, no answer, so be forewarned, they may not be serving every day of the week.
April 24, 2012
Keyless entry
Boston police responded to call of a breaking and entering at 3:30AM Sunday morning at 33 Highgate Street in Allston. After a brief chase, they apprehended the suspect, who was quite apologetic, but still arrested.
Highgate Street runs from Cambridge Street to Farrington Avenue, and is often used as a short cut to Brighton Avenue. Don’t do it during rush hour, it is not allowed during that time and police sometimes pull people over for making the turn when they’re not distracted by burglars.