Tuesday, July 3

Essential daily information at a glance.

1. More Heat: The National Weather Service is predicting another hot, sunny day. The high will be around 87 degrees. In the afternoon, there is a chance of showers after 1 p.m. It should cool off to about 67 degrees. 2. What's Open, Closed for July 4th: Later today we'll be posting a list — if you're a JP business and would like to be included, please comment here or email Chris at chrish@patch.com. 3. Movie Night at the JP Branch Library: The Sedgwick Street library will be debuting new projection equipment made possible by a bequest by Carol Harrigan. Thursday at 6 p.m. Free screening of the baseball film "The Sandlot." We've attached the YouTube trailer if you'd like to preview this family-friendly film. 4. Rock and Blues Concert Cruise…

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10 Things to Know about Boston's Budget — Including Jamaica Plain Highlights

Improvements coming to neighborhood parks, pools and playgrounds — including a $400,000 makeover for the boathouse at the Pond.

The Boston City Council unanimously passed Mayor Thomas Menino's Fiscal Year 2013 operating budget of $2.5 billion at Wednesday's regular council meeting. There is $215 million in new fiscal 2013 project authorizations throughout the neighborhoods - so let's see what Menino and some of the councilors believe are the highlights to the budget, which begins on Monday.  Overall, the city's budget increased 3 percent over last year, coming in at $2.5 billion for fiscal 2013. That's an annual increase of $72 million. Property taxes continue to be the city’s largest source of revenue, along with hotel, meals and other excise tax revenue. according to city officials. The city’s second largest source of revenue is net state aid from Massachusetts, …

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Mayor Thomas Menino Hints at Big Renovation for Jamaica Plain Branch Library

The mayor said pressure from the Friends of the Jamaica Plain Library is having an effect — and his office may have an announcement about wider-scale renovations in the next month or so.

Mayor Thomas Menino hinted strongly that people wanting a major renovation of the JP Branch Library may finally get their wish. In remarks to a group of local journalists at a lunch meeting on Thursday, Menino said plans for renovating the aging facility will likely go beyond the $125,000 bequest recently earmarked for improvements. "We have other ideas about the JP building," the mayor said. He said he would announce any decisions directly to the Friends of the JP Branch Library group before making them public, however. He said an announcement could be coming from his office within a month or so. While he would not provide details, he did say that a previous plan for an $8.5 million renovation was "not realistic." A copy of the 2006 plan …

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Jamaica Plain Branch Library Receives Bequest

The estate of longtime Jamaica Plain resident and library supporter Carolyn Harrigan bequeaths funds designated for capital improvements to the Jamaica Plain Branch Library.

Following her death at age 90 on May 28, 2010, the estate of Carolyn J. Harrigan, a longtime JP resident and library supporter, bequeathed approximately $19,000 to the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library (BPL). Among Harrigan’s many accomplishments, she worked as the director of development at the Children’s Museum at its original location in Jamaica Plain.   “Carolyn was a good friend,” said Don Haber, co-chair of the Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library. “For many years, she served on the friends’ board as its secretary. She was very involved in the planning process to get the branch renovated.” Completed in late 2006, the $8.5 million expansion plan for the branch, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last fall, …

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AUCTION PREVIEW: Library-Themed Art Celebrates Branch's 100th Year

Local artists show works inspired by the JP Branch Library and also their love of the institution as it celebrates its 100th birthday.

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library, UFORGE Gallery and the Friends of the JP Library have collaborated on an art exhibition entitled “Turning the Page:  Dewey to Digital.” The pieces in the show are all interpretations of library themes and were donated by local artists.  Patch is pleased, courtesy of UFORGE,  to offer an online preview here of the art works, which will be auctioned at the JP Library’s Birthday Bash on Saturday, Oct. 22. The opening reception was held on Thursday evening at the Sedgwick Street library.  Contributors to the exhibition, which includes collage, painting, photography and prints, are Myrna Balk, Karen Boss, Brian Crete, Rob Festa, Deidre Fisher, …

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PHOTOS: Stuffed Animal Library Sleepover

As part of the 100th anniversary of the JP Branch Library, children were able to leave their stuffed animals overnight.

Stuffed animals slept over Friday night at the JP Branch Library. Children tucked them as the library closed around 5 p.m., then got to pick them up the next morning. Children's librarian Barbara Rhodes caught the stuffed animals during their activities overnight, reports JP parent Stuart Horner. The toys read, painted, did computer work and used their library cards. On Saturday, when the children picked up their stuffed animals, the kids were able to make stories out of their stuffed animals' adventures by pasting the photos into books. "It was great fun," Horner said in an email. The stuffed animal sleepover is just one of many activities celebrating the 100th anniversary of the JP branch library.

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Five Things to Know

Five Things to Know Today: Tuesday, May 24

Essential daily information at a glance.

1. All Checks Cashed is scheduled to go before the Zoning Board of Appeal this morning to get approval to buy gold at their 282 Centre St. location. Hearings start at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall. As the comments section from an earlier story suggests, some residents are concerned that an outlet for buying gold would increase crime. All Checks Cashed's manager has made it clear the steps she'll take to prevent stolen merchandise from being sold, and the police captain in JP has recommended the permit be granted for a year. 2. The Friends of the JP Library say via their Facebook page that they made more than  $1,600 at their 30th annual book sale on Saturday. They say if you missed the sale, "there are always a few shelves of Friends' books …

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