Menino, Warren Champion Women in JP Business

The mayor and U.S. senator from Massachusetts met with a group of businesswomen Tuesday to discuss Community Development Block Grants.

Mayor Thomas Menino and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren met with local businesswomen at Bella Luna Tuesday morning to discuss how they got their starts and the Community Development Block Grant program that has helped them all thrive. The group gathered as part of Menino's Women on Main initiative, which assists female entrepreneurs in Boston’s Main Streets districts. 

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City Councilor Connolly Running for Mayor

John Connolly is announcing his mayoral candidacy today.

  Boston City Councilor John Connolly is announcing he is running for mayor today.   "I'm running for Mayor because Boston should be the first city in America to transform urban public schools and offer every child a world-class education. We all need our Boston Public Schools to work because great schools lead to safe and healthy neighborhoods," wrote Connolly on his campaign website. Connolly, from West Roxbury, is in his third term, and is announcing his mayoral candidacy at the corner of Warren and Cambridge streets, in Brighton at 11 a.m. today. A former teacher and father of two young children, Connolly said he will focus on bringing "change to Boston Public Schools and to bring new ideas and new energy to the challenges facing the …

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Menino Staying in Hospital for Thanksgiving; Not Sure When He's Getting Out

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has been in the Brigham & Women's Hospital since October 26 with different ailments.

  Boston Mayor Thomas Menino will remain in the hospital for Thanksgiving, with no set date in sight for when the 69-year-old mayor will leave. Dot Joyce, the City's Media Communications Director, told the Boston Herald there is "no word" on when Menino will be discharged from Brigham and Women's Hospital. Menino was first admitted to the hospital on Oct. 26 due to a viral infection, which he fought off, but a blood clot was found in his leg while staying at the hospital.  Doctors are now keeping Menino in the hospital due to a back fracture that was discovered while he was in the hospital. Doctors were unsure whether Menino suffered the break while in the hospital, or if his stay aggravated the fracture.

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Menino Remains Hospitalized with Worsening Back Pain

The mayor has been hospitalized for weeks with a viral infection, blot clot and compression fracture in his back. The other conditions have abated but the back pain has worsened, according to his physicians.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino remains hospitalized with worsening back pain, according to his physicians at Brigham and Women’s hospital. Doctors Dale Adler and Charles Morris addressed the mayor’s condition in a Tuesday afternoon press conference at the hospital. Menino suffered a compression fracture in his back while in the hospital, which, coupled with a viral infection, and a blood clot in his leg, has left the mayor hospitalized for weeks. "The Mayor is doing quite well, and sends his regards," began Dot Joyce, chief communications officer for Boston. Joyce called the back pain a “minor setback” and said Menino was getting healthier every day. The doctors would not commit to a timeline for Menino’s release from the hospital or return to…

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Should the State Reinstate Boston's Pit Bull Muzzle Law?

A new state law bans animal control laws that target specific breeds, nullifying a Boston regulation for pit bulls. Does the new law go to far?

Boston officials are fuming over a new state law that nullifies the city's pit bull muzzle law. According to the Boston Herald, Mayor Thomas Menino and City Councilor Ron Consalvo are among the city leaders criticizing the new state law, saying the city knows best when it comes to protecting the public from what many consider vicious dogs. The new state rule, supported by animal rights groups, bans breed-specific regulations, like muzzle and leashing laws for pit bulls or other types of dogs the public considers aggressive or violent.  Does the new state law go too far? Should cities and towns get to decide what kinds of dogs need muzzles? Or do you believe the laws supporters when they say there's no data to support breed-specific laws? …

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Jamaica Plain's Mendell School Inaugurates Outdoor Classroom

Mayor Thomas Menino cuts the ribbon on long-used outdoor learning space, which is new this year.

Reading, writing, math and science got a little greener Wednesday morning when Ellis Mendell Elementary School officially inaugurated their new outdoor classroom  which they've been emjoying all year. Students like Wilson Sanon and Shawn Robertson, both in the fourth grade, led guests around with instructions like, “These are beautiful plants, be careful.” and “You have to stay on the path.” Shawn said he likes the gardening, while Wilson is happy that, “we could do everything here! Thinking, watching, writing stuff down. And it looks so pretty.” Although the classroom – one of several being established in Boston through the Boston Schoolyard Initiative – has been in use all year by the nearly 200 students in grades K1 through fifth, this …

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Building A Better Boston

New BRA Director Peter Meade Is Simply Mediocre

Mayor Menino has picked Back Bay resident Peter Meade as the new director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. This is not a bold or inspiring choice by the mayor.

On Tuesday, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced the appointment of Peter Meade as the new director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The move comes two weeks after its current director, Thomas Palmieri, submitted his resignation. Palmieri’s last day will be May 1. The newspapers have been full of effusive praise for Mr. Meade, a Back Bay resident and born-and-bred Bostonian. He sincerely sounds as though he's a great guy. Buried deep in each article, however, was the fact that Meade has no redevelopment experience. He has worked in both the public and private sectors, notably at Boston City Hall and for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts but never, from what I can tell, in construction, architecture, or real estate. Compare …

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