FebrUArY 2012 Free

WWW.FeNWAYNeWS.org

serving the Fenway, Kenmore square, upper BacK Bay, prudential, longwood area & mission hill since 1974 volume 38, numBer 2 FeBruary 3-march 1, 2012

he MBTA has proposed two scenarios that would close a $161 million gap in its Fiscal 2013 budget, which begins July 1st. One scenario would eliminate dozens of bus routes, including the #55 bus to the West Fens. Both scenarios would increase fares for all riders, with the steepest increases for seniors and school studentsthose least able to afford it. Both scenarios eliminate commuter rail after 10pm and on the weekends; eliminate weekend service on the E Line and Mattapan trolley; and eliminate ferry service altogether. Scenario 1 eliminates nearly two dozen weekday bus routes, and nearly 40 weekend routes; Scenario 2 eliminates 101 weekday bus routesincluding the 55nearly 70 Saturday routes, and 50 Sunday routes. Both scenarios hike fares steeply for passengers with disabilities who use The RIDE. These service cuts and fare hikes are dont solve the Ts long-term financial deficit or adequately address maintenance costs, so next year the T will face the same problem. The Ts budget problems are the result of short-sighted state policies that have failed the MBTA, making it pay for Big Dig debt and creating a ballooning financial crisis. Hundreds of residents and dozens of institutions have attended hearings over the past few weeks. Many seemed to agree with these following sentiments. First, service cuts and fare hikes are unfairthey harm those who can least afford to pay more. Under Scenario 1, senior fares would go up 175%, from 40 cents to $1.10 for the bus or $1.50 for the subway. Disabled users of The RIDE could face an increase ranging from 125% ($4.50 per trip) to 500% ($12 per trip) depending on distance traveled. Under Scenario 2, the T would entirely eliminate the #55 bus, which most Fenway News readers know as a lifeline for seniors, people with disabilities, and commuters alike. Second, service cuts and fare hikes discourage ridership, which is crucial to protecting the environment. These proposals place the burden of the Ts deficit on the backs of T riders, who are traveling in ways
GRAPHIC: GIL LOO

by Sarah horSley

BUS LINE AGAIN ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AS T TRIES TO CLOSE BUDGET GAP WITH SERVICE CUTS AND STEEP FARE HIKES

that reduce carbon production, helping to prevent climate change. The Fenway in particular depends heavily on transitwe have the lowest car-ownership rate in the city. Higher fares and reduced service also mean more traffic on our streets (think of Red Sox games with fewer buses running) and more health problems from air pollution. One speaker at the January 23 hearing pointed out that if these proposals go through, Massachusetts may end up failing to meet the states own implementation plan on air quality. Third, these scenarios would harm the economy. Big employers, universities, and cultural institutions rely on the MBTA to ensure that their employees can travel to and from work. The cultural and service economies depend on the T to move tourists around the city. Thats why institutions ranging from Brigham and Womens Hospital to Wentworth Institute to the U.S.S. Constitution Museumhave called on the MBTA to reconsider its drastic proposals. The MBTA cannot fix this problem on its own. Its time for the governor and the legislature to finish what they started more than a decade ago when they forced a new funding structure on the T. They must work to develop sustainable funding mechanisms that consider the bigger picture and dont force riders to bear the brunt of the Big Dig debt. A few possibilities include an increase in the gas tax or additional registry fees for higheremission vehicles, with carve-outs for lowincome drivers or permanent allocation of a portion of the state sales tax to transportation. There is wide consensus that this is NOT the right path to take. If T riders, residents, employers and others can stand together, we can press the state government to do the right thing. Many community groups, including the T Riders Union and Mass Senior Action, as well as Fenway CDC, are working passionately on this campaign. We are planning a variety of approaches to urge the state legislature and governor to take action. Sarah Horsley is the Civic Engagement Coordinator of the Fenway Community Development Corporation. To see a schedule of this months hearings on the scenarios or to submit comments, visit www.mbta.com/ about_the_mbta/?id=23567

Fenway Civic Honors Top Volunteers, Elects Officers at Annual Meeting

he Fenway Civic Association (FCA) held its annual meeting Jan 4, hosted at the Museum of Fine Arts in its Riley Seminar room, part of the new Linde Family Wing. More than 60 members gathered to hear reports on the FCAs activities in the past year and its plans for the coming year. It also elected some new officers and offered special recognition to three people who have helped it a lot in the recent past. Perhaps the most poignant recognition was that given to Erica Mattison, a longtime board member who recently resigned because she moved out of the neighborhood, to Dorchester. Erica was recognized for all that she has contributed to the Fenway neighborhood during her time here, including co-founding the Fenway Young Professionals, co-founding the Fenway Graffitti Squad, bringing Big Bellies to the neighborhood, and encouraging property owners to adopt recycling in their buildings. Erica was recognized with a gift of flowers from FCA and a resolution from the Boston City Council commending her for her many contributions. [Speaking as editor of The Fenway News, I would also like to commend Ms. Mattison for all the work she did toward getting the Duck House on Agassiz Road in the Fens into usable shape, and for the special effort she put in to make sure that FCA happenings were represented in this paper.] Three elected officials were also recognized State Representative Byron Rushing, newly elected State Senator Will Brownsberger, and District 8 City Councilor, Mike Ross.

PHOTO NIC LEHOUx, COURTESy GARDNER mUSEUm

#55 FAREWELL?

Changing the Guard at Mrs. Jacks Palace

Visitors got their first look at the highprofile addition to the Gardner Museum last month. The Special Exhibitions Gallery (left) offers a sweeping vista of the Gardners original building. The new building, designed by famed architect Renzo Piano, includes a spectacular and intimate auditorium for the museums highly regarded concert series. For pictures and details, see page 6.

by Stephen brophy

PHOTO: mATTI KNIVA SPENCER

Last Rites for Former Mayor Kevin White at St. Cecilias

Kevin Hagan White, mayor of Boston from 1968 to 1984, one of the citys most tumultuous periods, died late last month. His funeral was held at St. Cecilias Church on Belvidere St. the day we went to press, and those paying their respects included Gov. Deval Patrick, sitting Mayor Tom Menino, State Rep. Byron Rushing, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, and pretty much the entire Boston City Council. Matti Kniva Spencer, one of our photographers, reported that The church was filled to capacity, with some people having to stand in the back vestibule. I was lucky to get a seat!

Much of the FCAs recent activity has focused on developing and maintaining amenities in the parks in the Fenway. It started a Year of the Tree campaign to raise money for replacing ailing trees in the park and on the streets, working with the Mass. Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), the Boston Parks Department, and Historic Parks. It also carried out a comprehensive survey of the tree population, identifying 86 trees in particular need of help. In 2012, the FCA will contribute $7,500 to supplement government agency budgets to continue this work. FCA member Marie Fukuda has worked with a variety of neighborhood advocates in the past several years to improve conditions in Symphony Park on Edgerly Road, next to Morville House. That effort came to fruition this past year with new landscaping and planting. Fukuda is also instrumental in getting free Tai Chi classes set up in the park, and has secured funding to continue that program in 2012. The Duck House project led by Mattison raised $13,000 from neighborhood organizations, which DCR matched 2-to-1 to fund a study of improving Agassiz Road. DCR and FCA cosponsored two public meetings at which residents and other stakeholders viewed and commented on plans for making the road more bike- and pedestrian-friendly. FCA will continue raising money in 2012 to fund design work based on the results of those meetings. Fredericka Veikley, a long-term member, reported on the Sunset Concert Series in Ramler Park on Peterborough St., which was helped by support from the Mission Hill/ Fenway Neighborhood Trust. The FCA also cosponsors with Berklee College of Music an annual jazz concert in the Mothers Rest playground on the Muddy River near the Boston Conservatory. Four members were elected to the board, one for the first time. Paul Guglielmino became first assistant secretary, filling a vacated seat. Kathleen Brill was reelected as first vice president, Walter Hunt as secretary, and Steve Chase as Second assistant secretary. At the conclusion of the official business, the meeting adjourned for a tour of the MFAs new Art of the Americas wing Deputy Director Katie Getchell provided an insiders view of the vision behind the new wing and the process that went into designing and arranging the galleries. To learn more about the FCA and find membership information, visit http:// fenwaycivic.org/. This report was compiled from notes provided to The Fenway News by Kathleen Brill.

PHOTO: PATRICK OCONNOR

2 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012

For Gardeners, new-FanGled Internet opens cornucopIa oF old-FashIoned seeds

Boloco offers $1,000 reward for info on Break-in

by Mike Mennonno

f youre like me, you are already laying out your 2012 garden. There are so many resources online that these days you never have to wait for the postman to bring your seed catalogs to start planning for spring. There are a wide variety of seed suppliers out there, from the big names like Burpee (www.burpee.com) to local seedling coops like ReVision Urban Farm in Dorchester (www.vpi.org/Farm/index.htm), a true urban farm in the heart of Dorchester that works in conjunction with ReVision Family Home, a shelter for 22 homeless women and their children. Most gardeners Ive spoken to favor regional seed suppliers like Johnnys Seeds in Maine (www.johnnyseeds.com) and Vermonts own High Mowing Seeds (www.highmowingseeds.com), as well as seed swaps like the non-profit (www.seedsavers.org) Seed Savers Exchange. Boston Natural Areas Network is also an excellent resource for seed-sharing. Their Multi-Cultural Seed and Recipe Exchange works on a give and take system through which gardeners are welcome to submit recipes and donate seeds while pulling other seeds and recipes from a communal source. (Contact karen@bostonnatural.org to participate). For lovers of rare heirloom varieties it doesnt get any better than Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com) which sells only openpollinated (as opposed to hybrid or cross-pollinated), pure and natural, and non-genetically modified (non-GMO) seeds. Beauty Beyond Belief (www.bbbseed.com) is another heirloom vegetable and wildflower seeds whose online resources include the informative and fascinating wikiseedia. The benefit of organic, open-pollinated and non-GMO seeds cant be stressed enough. GM and hybrid seeds cant be saved, and discourage the genetic and cultural diversity that local seed exchanges are all about. And with the slow food and locavore phenomenon at fever pitch, theres never been a better time for urban gardeners to share seeds, knowledge and produce through local networks! Carpe Diem! Seeds the Day! Mike Mennonno, President of the Fenway Garden Society, lives in the West Fens.

olice responding to a call on Saturday morning, Jan. 28, from the Boloco at 1080 Boylston St. were told by the manager that an unknown person had entered the store and removed the safe with its contents. No signs of forced entry were present. A surveillance camera near the rear door had been smashed. The thieves didnt know, however, that, while they smashed the cameras casing, recording continued. It captured very clearly the face of the man wielding the sledgehammer, and the activities of his two comrades as they broke into a rear office, placed the safe in a blue recycling bin, and departed. Boloco CEO John Pepper has uploaded a portion of that video to YouTube, and posted the video to the burrito chains Twitter and Facebook accounts. He invites people to watch it to see if they can identify the miscreants, and has offered a $,1000 reward for any information leading to their arrests.

laptop stolen at panera

n Jan. 23 at about 6pm officers were called about a larceny in progress at Panera at 289 Huntington Ave. On arriving at the restaurant they spoke with the victim who reported that he was sitting downstairs when a man stole his MacBook Pro from a bag next to the victims chair. The theft was captured by a security camera, and the manager played the tape for the officers, who were able to see details of the suspects clothing and behavior. The suspect also left behind a black glove, which was forwarded to District 4 as evidence. The victim was sitting with an unidentified female who did not speak to the officers about the incident. n Jan. 8 at about 6pm, officers were called to the Symphony Market at 1130 Boylston St, where they talked with a clerk who stated that a man (who was present) had tried to purchase products with a counterfeit $50 bill. The man told officers that he was a cab driver and had been given the bill by a passenger. He described her as a short female wearing a black jacket, accompanied by a young child which he believed to be a male. He had picked her up on Western Ave. and driven her to the Copley Place mall, where she gave him the bill for a $20 fare. He gave her $30 in return. Officers seized the counterfeit bill as evidence, and contacted the Secret Services Boston office to make a report. t 10:15 in the morning on Jan. 8, officers went to the Fenway Convenience Store at 78 Kilmarnock St. in response to a radio call. There they were told by the clerk that a man had grabbed a bottle of water and approached the register. He pulled a black semiautomatic gun from his waist, pointed it at the victim, and demanded all the money from the register. The victim gave him between $900 and $1,000, and then the suspect fled on foot toward Queensberry St. A search of the area produced no suspect, but the robbery had been recorded on a surveillance tape.

counterfeit Bill not successfully passed at symphony market

With Parks Budget Stretched Thin, City Has No Plans to Fix Broken Garden Lights
PHOTO: SPENCER CHIERT

armed robbery on Kilmarnock st..

$300 scooped from 2 registers at dangelos

n Jan. 26 at about 6:15pm officers went to the DAngelos at 200 Brookline Ave. in response to a larceny report. The manager of the store stated that two occasions, Jan. 23 and 26, he discovered that $300 had been stolen from two registers at different times. He stated that on Jan. 23 his general manager had opened the store to a computer tech person to update the computers, and later in the day they discovered that each register was short $150. The manager also discovered that the DVR that is attached to the video surveillance camera was missing. This DVR is located in the rear of the store in a small closet. The manger spoke to his companys auding department, which confirmed that the registers were missing a total of $300 on both dates. oon after 6am on Jan 28 an officer responded to a report of an accident at Boylston and Kilmarnock streets. Upon arrival he found the Boston Fire Department and EMS personnel already providing treatment to a female, who was standing upright and appeared to be conscious and alert. The driver of a truck, who had a Texas license, stated that he was about to pull out of the loading bay at Shaws when a person (who became a witness) sounded a horn. He exited his vehicle and discovered the victim lying on the ground, but she then stood up on her own. EMS personnel took her to Beth Israel Hospital for further evaluation and treatment of a minor head injury. The officer then spoke to the witness who had seen the incident from the street. The witness, another truck driver also parked at the loading dock, had not seen the victim completely in front of the truck, nor had he seen her getting struck. He attested to the difficulty of seeing over the hood directly in front of a truck.

pedestrian struck by truck next to shaws market

S
Hurricane Irene toppled this willow in the Victory Gardens last August. When the tree fell, it knocked down nearby light wiring.
by Spencer chiert

The City of Boston has no current project planned to repair the Fenway Victory Gardens pathway lighting damaged by a large willow tree that collapsed during Hurricane Irene in August. Tami Anderson, a member of the Fenway Garden Society, cares for a plot next to the damaged lighting. They have strung the wires, but Im here after dark and theres no light coming out of them right now, Anderson said. She then pointed to a nearby light fixture on Park Drive and said, Im getting my light from over there. The damaged lighting does little to help deter vandalism or other disreputable acts. I definitely think more lighting would be appropriate. A lot of things happen here at night. Especially down the darker paths. I think more lighting might keep some elements out that we dont particularly want, Anderson said. Asked about the likelihood of any surplus money from any current projects being transferred to repair of the lights at the Victory Garden, David Dederer, the City of Bostons chief engineer said budgeting for current projects is fixed and park engineers strive to stretch dedicated city dollars as best they can.

We have an estimate and weve been appropriated a certain amount of money, Dederer said. What we try to do is get as much pathway repair work done as we possibly can for the amount of money that we have. So if there is some additional work adjacent to where the pathway work may occur, we may try to take care of those issues in the immediate vicinity. Each year, Dederer discusses with the citys parks commissioner the progress of current and planned projects. They also review new project requests. Current park projects include $220,000 to restore and install lighting fixtures around the James P. Kelleher Rose Garden, next to the Victory Gardens. Another $300,000 will pay for repair and restoration of pathways in the Public Garden. There also are plans for lighting, bridge restoration, and a dozen beautification projects for city parks. The Victory Gardens are one of the few remaining public gardens developed during World War II. The Fenway Garden Society manages the area and distributes garden plots to its members, who strive to keep the area safe, clean and beautiful. Spencer Chiert is an undergraduate student in the Northeastern University School of Journalism.

THE MISSION HILL/FENWAY NEIGHBORHOOD TRUST, INC.

requests proposals from organizations seeking funding for projects and programs intended to serve residents of the Mission Hill and Fenway neighborhoods.
For information and a proposal form, please visit www.MissionHillFenwayNT.org
ALL PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE AN ORIGINAL AND 6 COPIES AND MUST BE SENT BY MAIL POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN MARCH 30, 2012. NO DROP-OFFS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012 | 3

Justice catches up with Driver who causeD hit/run Death

Just after the last months issue of The Fenway News went to press, a Roslindale man was sentenced to five years in jail after his conviction on multiple charges stemming from a hit-andrun accident that drew substantial media attention in November 2010. Andrew Prior, a recent Northeastern graduate, was killed while driving a motor scooter on Tremont Street on the Roxbury/Mission Hill line. Colin Ratiu, drunk and speeding at the time of the accident, evaded discovery for three months until police received an anonymous tip that led them to him.

Mayors oFFice says Frozen Fenway DelivereD cool cash

Last months Frozen Fenway events paid off for the city and the regions visitor economy during what is typically considered a slow time, says the Mayors Office, which reports that 80,000 tickets were sold and more than 10,000 people took part in free skating and hockey sessions. The city cited the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau in concluding that the event generated $28.8 million in regional economic impact.

reconstruction aDDs cycling, peDestrian space to B.u. BriDge

you Might QualiFy For Free help with your taxes

The Mass Department of Transportation (MassDOT) completed a $19 million rehabilitation of the B.U. Bridge at the end of December. And while drivers will hail the end of 30 months of construction, the big news is the states decision to take a complete streets approach to the structures redesign. Instead of sticking to the previous configuration of two lanes in each direction, MassDOT striped the new roadbed for three lanesone in each direction, plus a leftturn lane for exiting cars at each endand introduced a bike lane and better sidewalk design on both sides. Crews will return in the spring to landscape the approaches to the bridge.

If you earned less than $50,000 in 2011, you may want to contact Action for Boston Community Development about help with your taxesyou might get them done for free. ABCD has teamed up with the Boston Earned Income Tax Credit Campaign to make sure low-earning residents get tax help and the savings theyre entitled to, like full Child Tax Credits. They also offer financial coaching, credit advising, and can help file for federal student aid. To find out more, call 617918-5275, or visit www.BostonTaxHelp.org or FreeTaxHelp#Cityof Boston.gov.

onuoha leaves traDes city hall For northeastern

Frugal Fenwickians cheer Marshalls plan For Brookline ave...

Off-price retailer Marshalls plans to open a 30,000-square-foot store next fall in the former Boston Billiards space between Brookline Ave. and Van Ness St. Samuels & Associates Peter Sougarides, told the Globe that the store will have entries on both streets as part of Samuels plan to make Van Ness a great retail street. The building, which Samuels owns, will welcome a 350-seat Yard House Restaurant in March.

...while another Marshall conteMplates a Fenway exit

Bob Marshall, owner of Marshalls Fenway Farm Stand, thought he would have closed his doors by now to make way for redevelopment of the former Goodyear store on Boylston Street. With BRA approval in hand, Samuels & Associates had planned to begin work on its Fenway Triangle project on the site (290 apartments, plus offices and retail space, rumored to be an urban format Target). But Samuels has delayed demolition of the Goodyear building for at least two months, and Marshall now expects to keep operating into March. The Gloucesterbased farm stand opened in December 2009, one of several temporary Samuels recruited to fill up property it owns on Boylston while it was preparing development plans. Marshall hopes to find another nearby location when he finally does have to move. In the meantime, visit soonhe wont be there forever!

Former Fenway Liaison to the City of Boston Will Onuoha recently notified friends and colleagues that hes changing jobs. Its with mixed emotions and a warm heart, he wrote, that I am writing to inform you all that I am leaving my position within the Mayors Office of Neighborhood Services. I am taking a new post at Northeastern Universitys Office of City and Community Affairs, as a Community Liaison. To all residents, businesses, neighborhood/civic associations, community-based partners, business associations, and many others that I have worked with throughout the years, while in service to our communities there are no words that can adequately do justice to convey the deep sense of gratitude that I feel towards you and your organizations.

Mary Baker eDDy liBrary oFFers vacation week prograMMing

Children 17 and under are invited to the Mary Baker Eddy Library Feb 21-24 for a series of programs utilizing the Mapparium and five other exhibit galleries. Mapping My World incorporates multiple activities having to do with making and reading maps and the history of mapmaking. Families are also invited to tour the librarys five main galleries, where they can experience how the power of ideas has inspired individuals and changed the world. During all school vacation week programs, showings of the film Big Blue Earth are featured in the Mapparium. Go to mbelibrary.org/programs for updated information, or call the librarys educational programs producer at 617-450-7211.

MuDDy river restoration work takes next step

The Army Corps of Engineers opened the bidding process for contractors last month on Phase I of the Muddy River flood-control and restoration project. This phase includes (1) daylighting the river in front of the Landmark Center and from Brookline Avenue to Avenue Louis Pasteur, meaning the river will no longer run through a buried culvert; (2) removal of the jughandle lane and other roadway changes; and (3) new wetland plantings along the rivers edge in keeping with the design devised by Frederick Law Olmsted, who oversaw creation of the Emerald Necklace parks. (See the link to the request for bids at https://acquisition.army.mil/asfi/ solicitation_view.cfm?psolicitationnbr=W912WJ11R0019

FrienDs oF the Boston puBlic liBrary host sale on FeB. 6

The City-Wide Friends of the Boston Public Library host a book sale on Sat., Feb. 4, from 10am to 4pm on the lower level of the McKim Buildings at the librarys main branch in Copley Square. Most hardcovers sell for $2, paperbacks for $1; new or collectible books sell for a bit more. Other items for sale include records, CDs, DVDs, and other media. As always, proceeds from the sale will benefit the library system.

Boston conservatory Buys ipswich street BuilDing

natural gas leaks imperil more than people

by Matt Seidner

Boston Conservatory announced its purchase of 132 Ipswich Street (near Jillians), which it will use as rehearsal and administrative spaceat least for the present. This building project will allow us to address our current needs, the Conservatory said in a statement, while making provisions for future possibilities. The school says it will continue to work with the City and Fenway neighbors on future plans for the building, which it hopes to unveil later this year.

Boston arts acaDeMy turns steM into steaM

Boston Arts Academy (BAA) recently announced that Educating the Imaginationan initiative in interdisciplinary education that merges science, technology, and math with the artshas won funding from the National Science Foundation and the Boston Scientific Foundation. Researchers and educators from the King Open K-8 School in Cambridge and the BAA will design and implement a studio approach to science learning during the summers of 2012 and 2013. The approach will integrate art and science habits of minde.g., close looking, analysis, modeling, and making with ongoing experimentation and critiqueas the foundation of learning and teaching.

In Policy Papers, Fenway Argues Providers Should Ask Patients Gender, Orientation
he Fenway Institute issued two policy focus briefs last month highlighting the importance of gathering sexual orientation and gender identity data in clinical settings. Gathering such data, one of the briefs argues, will help health-care providers understand lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) health disparities, a key recommendation of Healthy People 2020, a recent Institute of Medicine report on LGBT health issues and research gaps. Gathering such data in electronic health records (EHRs) is especially important. A second briefwhich focuses on the best ways to to ask questions on form and during medical visitsaddresses concerns about confidentiality with EHRs and other potential barriers to collecting data on LGBT identity. In order to understand and address LGBT health disparities, we as health care providers need to better understand who our LGBT patients are, said Stephen Boswell, MD, president & CEO of Fenway Health, parent of the Fenway Institute. These policy briefs explain why asking these questions is important and provide guidance to help

by chriS ViVeiroS

clinicians to gather these data effectively. The briefs were produced by Fenway staff, including Sean Cahill, PhD; Judith Bradford, PhD; Chris Grassos; and Harvey Makadon, MD. They will be distributed to health education professionals, professional associations, and policy makers are available online as PDFs: Why Gather Data On Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity In Clinical Settings www.fenwayhealth.org/whygather How To Gather Data On Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity In Clinical Settings www.fenwayhealth.org/ howgather The Fenway Institute at Fenway Health is an interdisciplinary center for research, training, education and policy development focusing on national and international health issues. Fenways Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center cares for youth and young adults ages 12 to 29 who may not feel comfortable going anywhere else, including those who are LGBT or just figuring things out; homeless or living on the streets; struggling with substance use or abuse; sex workers; or living with HIV/AIDS. Chris Viveiros is the Something Something at Fenway Health.

s customers and citizens, we expect that our utility companies will come to our rescue when we smell gas. We do our part by leaving the premises and reporting the incident. We assume the problem will be resolved and we move on. At the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, we were surprised to learn that reporting a gas leak does not guarantee repair. In addition to posing a danger to life and property, these ruptures pose a grave risk to trees and the environment. Just as humans need oxygen to survive, so do trees, and methane-contaminated soil will strangle an otherwise healthy plant. The methane that escapes a cracked pipe rapidly displaces oxygen from normal soil, and is more than 20 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. State Representative Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead has introduced a set of four bills in the state legislature to address the problem of broken gas pipes. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy strongly supports this package of bills, which will compel all utility companies to inspect and rate all gas leaks on a uniform scale, and repair them within three years, based on severity. Utility companies say this legislation is unnecessary, and that they already have systems in place to ensure that leaks are fixed in a timely manner. Thats only part of the story, however. Severe leaks highly likely to detonate are repaired within hours, but tens of thousands of cracked pipes remain unfixed across the state, leaking eight to 12 billion cubic feet of methane into the atmosphere each year. Utility companies are well aware of these low-level leaks, but have made a conscious decision that the cost of repair outweighs the risk to their own customers. Massachusetts natural gas infrastructure, the second oldest in the nation, is made up of cast-iron pipes that are especially vulnerable to cracking due to changing temperatures in the winter. A leak rated at level 3, the lowest on the scale, will currently be inspected only once per year. Most of the time, gas buildup at one of these sites will simply be vented into the atmosphere. But, at any time during the winter, a small fissure in this pipe could expand and go undetected for as long as another year. Residents have told us compelling stories about leaks near the Arborway that have gone unfixed for as long as three years, killing trees and dooming any replacements to death by asphyxiation. In an urban environment like Boston, tree cover is a precious resource; it provides protection from sun, wind and erosion as well as clean air and comfort to all. Trees cool us down during the summer, provide shelter and habitat for local wildlife and help to offset carbon emissions. To be sure, the death of a tree can be a result of other causes, and the bills wisely call for inspection by a qualified arborist. These professionals can, with a simple test, determine whether a gas leak is the true cause of death, and if so, the burden for line repair and replacement rightfully lies with the utility company. Though these bills may seem like a common-sense issue to stand behind, public support is paramount to ensuring their passage. For your own safety, and for the sake of the environment, write or call your local representatives to urge them to support Rep. Ehrlichs legislation.

Matt Seidner is a volunteer at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy.

4 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012

Take Three Simple Steps to Help Fight Service and Fare Cuts

Serving the Fenway, Kenmore Square, Audubon Circle, upper Back Bay, lower Roxbury, Prudential, Mission Hill, and Longwood since 1974

by Sarah horSley

ith the #55 bus threatened and service cuts and fare increases promised across the MBTA system, its time for you, dear reader, to get on the bus (if youll pardon the expression)! We need to let the governor and the state legislature know how unhappy citizens are with the two cost-cutting scenarios the T has outlined. Heres what you can doits as easy as 1-2-3. 1. Attend the MBTA public hearing on Monday, February 13, 6-8pm at the Boston Public Library (700 Boylston St.). A coalition of community groups will hold a Save the T rally at 4pm that day in Copley Square. Please let me know if you plan to attend. ASL interpretation is available at all meetings, and you can request translation to Spanish, Chinese and other languages in advance by calling the Ts Trish Foley, 617-973-7073 2. Fill out a postcard to the governor. Pick up postcard(s) from Fenway CDC office at 70 Burbank Street or contact me and we can deliver them to you. Return postcards signed by neighbors and friend by end of the day on Mon, Feb 13. Well hand
senator william Brownsberger 617-722-2020 william.Brownsberger@mahouse.gov senator sonia chang-daz 617-722-1673 sonia.chang-diaz@state.ma.us

guest opinion

deliver them to the governor, perhaps as a Valentines Day gift! 3. Contact your state legislators. Tell them we need a transit system that works. That will require a long-term funding solution that doesnt force riders to bear the burden of the Big Dig debt and that maintains a strong public transit system, vital for building a strong economy and slowing climate change. Contact information for Fenway officials appears in chart below. Then ask everyone you know in Massachusetts to contact their legislators and urge them to support a long-term solution. They can find their legislators at www.malegislature. gov/people/findmylegislato We can have an affordable and reliable public transit system that benefits all of us, whether we ride the bus, drive a car, walk or bike. We call on Governor Patrick and our legislators to invest in a first-class public transportation system now. For more information, contact me at the Fenway CDC 617267-4637 x19 shorsley@fenwaycdc.org www.fenwaycdc.org Sarah Horsley is the Civic Engagement Coordinator of the Fenway Community Development Corporation.
rep. Byron rushing 617-722-2006 rep.Byronrushing@hou.state.ma.us

Steve Chase Helen Cox Tracey Cusick Joyce Foster, president Steven Harnish Barbara Brooks Simons Steve Wolf, treasurer editor: Stephen Brophy weB teaM: Nicole Aubourg, Stephen

Fenway news association Board oF directors

brophy, Mandy Kapica, Steven Kapica,

Production designer: Steve Wolf writers: Jon Ball, alison barnet, Liz Burg,

Valarie Seabrook

rep. gloria Fox 617-722-2810 rep.gloriaFox@hou.state.ma.us

unacceptable scenarios price seniors off the Busor cut it entirely

dear editor,

Reading of the MBTAs budget problems in papers, I went to their web site at http:// mbta.com/ and looked over the two proposals they have determined are the ONLY way they can make up a huge deficit. Looking at their proposals I see in Scenario 1 the cost of a bus trip for seniors will go from 40 to $1.10, and under this scenario bus route 55that basically is the ONLY transportation seniors have in the Fenway to shop Boylston, the Pru, and downtown during the week, or use for plays, concerts, etc. at night, and is very important transportation during rush hours for workers in the Fenway, and during the day for students getting out of schoolcontinues, as is. BUT under Scenario 2, where the bus service cost goes from 40 to 75 for seniors, a cheaper deal, the bus those seniors would be riding in the Fenway, Bus 55, would be ELIMINATED completely! Those same seniors would then have to walk from the Fenway, over to Kenmore Square for the subway, as would morning workers, and students using the 55, now eliminated. This is quite unacceptable. And I think eliminating all ferry service is unacceptable. The T is simply proposing to eliminate all but the heaviest ridden routes, and forgetting entirely the needs of people who require public transit, and it cannot simply eliminate service without providing some reasonable alternative for people. It is also extremely stupid to ignore the ridership of commuter rails coming into the Yawkey station during

letters

the baseball season by eliminating weekend service, when games and concerts are filling Fenway Park. The T would lose a very large stream of income from such a stupid move, and create chaos on the roads, and the city of Boston in car traffic, parking etc. Imagine the added traffic in just the West Fenway for every Fenway weekend event! And just why is the state ready to spend millions of dollars on a new Fenway Commuter Train Station? I think the T needs to propose something different from these scenarios. It may be the T is far to debt-ridden to function properly and if so, this MUST be brought to the governors attention and the attention of the legislature. Money may be tight, but there must be some solution to get some of the debt that burdens the T OFF of the T so such draconian proposals as those at present could be revised. My understanding of that debt is that some years ago, the legislature parked some Big Dig debt on the T and this is a burden not sustainable, to either the T or the public dependent on the T for transit to work, school, play.
Gary duncan, WeSt FenS

pathway is still in the planning phase. It is the part of the project NUASCE was unable to complete due to funding and time constraints, and which we are currently working very hard with Parks, NAG, and the City of Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities to implement. The complete renovation of the Accessible Garden has been an enormous ongoing effort, and the board of FGS has worked very hard to earn the trust of all parties involved and ensure that all are included as equals in the process. We are still working very hard to make the Accessible Garden truly accessible, but we are not yet there. Its important for the community to know that we are still 100% committed to working to improve conditions in the Accessible Garden and the park in general, not taking credit for having done so when in fact we have a long way to go yet. Sincerely,
Mike Mennonno, preSident FenWay Garden Society

Bob Case, Spencer Chiert, Conrad Ciszek, Helen Cox, Tracey Cusick, Rachel DiBella, Margot Edwards, Lisa Fay, Lori A. Frankian, Joyce Foster, Marie Fukuda, Steve Gallanter, Galen Gilbert, Elizabeth Gillis, Katherine Greenough, Sam Harnish, Steve Harnish, Sarah Horsley, Rosie Kamal, Mandy Kapica, Steven Kapica, Ruth Khowais, Shirley Kressel, Mike Mennonno, Letta Neely, Catherine Pedemonti, Richard Pendleton, Karla Rideout, Mike Ross, Barbara Brooks Simons, Matti Kniva Spencer, Anne M. Tobin, Fredericka Veikley, Chris Viveiros PhotograPhers: Steve Chase, Lois Johnston, Mike Mennonno, Patrick OConnor, Valarie Seabrook, Matti Kniva Spencer, Ginny Such, Steve Wolf caLendar: Penina Adelman, Helen Cox, Ruth Khowais, Steve Wolf, ProoFreader: Tracey Cusick Business Manager: Mandy Kapica distriBution: Della Gelzer, Aqilla Manna, Lauren Dewey Platt, Reggie Wynn
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Comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.

The founders of The Fenway News adopted this motto to express their mission of exposing and opposing the dangers the neighborhood faced in the early 1970srampant arson, unscrupulous landlords, and a destructive urban renewal plan. If the original motto no longer fits todays Fenway, we continue to honor its spirit of identifying problems and making our neighborhood a better and safer place to live.
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garden society working hard to make accessible garden plan reality

dear editor,

Im writing you as head of the board of the Fenway Garden Society to express my thanks for running the piece on the Gardens in your January issue. I would, however, like to correct a few factual inaccuracies I feel may cause some unnecessary confusion among our partners on upcoming projects. Reconstruction of the Accessible Garden

The following letter was sent to Wendy Zinn, Director of the Huntington Ave. YMCA. by a member who has also been involved in the effort to stop the demolition of the organizations gymnasium. Dear Ms. Zinn, I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding the cleanliness of the YMCA, especially the Mens Locker Room. In recent weeks there has been a noticeable deterioration in the upkeep of the facilities. To wit: 1) The mats of the mini-gym of the Mens LETTERS on page 5 >

ymca should clean up its act or at least the mens locker room

The Fenway News reaches the stands every 4-5 weeks, usually on the first or last Friday of the month. Our next issue will appear on Friday, March 2. The deadline for letters, news items, and ads is Friday, February 27. Contact our business manager at ads@fenwaynews.org
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FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012 | 5

even though cuts and Fare hiKes wont solve ts Funding gap, a lasting Fix will taKe time
he MBTA faces a Fiscal 2013 budget deficit of $161 million (roughly 10% of its budget) and has proposed two alternative scenarios for closing the gap: Scenario I relies primarily on substantial fare increases (overall increase of 43%); Scenario II substantially consolidates bus routeseliminating many, but improving a few of the most heavily used, while still increasing fares by 35%. Constituents all across my Senate district have voiced strong concern about both scenarios but have tended to prefer fare increases to service cuts. The problem is real: I havent heard any knowledgeable commentator suggest that the budget gap is illusory or that it can be substantially narrowed by better cost-control. Moreover, fare revenue currently covers less than half of the operating cost of the system, and every route in the system loses money; therefore, it is not practically possible to make the system more profitable by increasing service. Public transit is broadly beneficial to the metropolitan area, improving air quality, reducing central congestion and providing an essential alternative commuting mode for many workers. In recognition of its importance, state and local taxes already subsidize two-thirds of the total budget of the system, including both operating costs and debt service. An infusion of additional state subsidy funds might appear to offer The Fenway News an alternative to the grim scenarios proposed, but there is more bad invites elected news that we need to absorb: (a) the budget gap is expected to widen in officials who future years; (b) the true budget gap is much greater than statedif the represent the T were spending what it should to maintain its assets, the gap would be neighborhood several hundred million dollars greater. to contribute Some additional infusion of state funds is clearly necessary, but columns on issues that infusion should go first to restructure debt payments that are slated of concern. These to balloon in future years and to improve maintenance. If we dont pay appear on a regular down the debt, well face further financial crises. If we continue to basis in FensViews. under-maintain the system, the likely result will be more breakdowns and surprises and a degradation of service that will drive riders away and possibly threaten the regions economy. Some combination of fare increases and service cuts appears inevitable in Fiscal 2013. An infusion of state funds is also inevitable, and I will advocate for that over the months to come. However, it would not surprise me if it takes a another year or two for us to grapple with the long-term issues and structure a new revenue source for the T. We will need to satisfy legislators across the state that the cost structure of the T is reasonable and that all alternatives to greater subsidy have been fully explored. I look forward to working with the T and with my colleagues in the legislature to minimize service cuts and to put the system on a firm financial footing for the long-term. Will Brownsberger is the newly elected state senator for most of the Fenway.

Who Knows Where The Shadow Goes

by richard pendleton

Will Brownsberger

ord on the street is that the residents of 360 Newbury St., the condo complex above Best Buy, are up in arms about the potential construction of new structures over the Mass. Turnpike. Planned offices and condominiums will block 360s view to the west and the south. The turnpike, in its own way is a form of open space, a below-grade corridor to points west that allows those who have the residential privilege to see the sunset daily in varying meteorological conditions. Ditto for Mass. Ave, though to a lesser degree. Those living on the south side of 360 will no longer have their grand view down Mass. Ave. with the glimpse of majestic Symphony hall. Some in attendance at recent turnpike air rights presentations for Parcel 12 were critical of the 360 Newbury residents concerns. Loss of views, imposing shadows, reduction of property valuesto these skeptics say, tough nuggies (www.Urbandictionary.com). Advocates for turnpike parcel development want empty areas at Mass. Ave. and Boylston Street filled with new architectural creations. They say, New construction will bring balance to the intersection and create a sophisticated link between The Fenway and Back Bay. Once known as the Transit Building, the headquarters of the old Boston Elevated Railway Co., 360 Newbury is a unique structure in a unique location. The Green Line central subway runs east and west through the sub-basement of the building. The No. 1 bus (Dudley-Harvard) north and south stops on Mass. Ave. in front of the building, and the No. 55 bus (about which much has been

written in this issue) east and west, stops at Boylston and Saint Cecelia streets, about 150 feet away. The area is literally a mass transit crossroads. Fenway and Back Bay developers could taunt passing drivers with posters saying If you lived here, youd be home by now! The developers of 360 Newbury have shown how such a large commercial/condo undertaking in a dense, downtown setting can be quickly sold out without attached parkinga remarkable accomplishment. It is possible to give the 360 Newbury occupants the benefit of the doubt. Their complaints about the loss of view and shadow projection are legitimate and not necessarily theirs alone. Take note of the campaign launched by the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay (NABB) to keep shadows cast by new developments off the Boston Common. That effort has reached the State House and been transformed into House Bill 1169. For more information, read this: http:// backbay.patch.com/articles/shadow-bill In 1997 Millennium Partners proposed a 59-story tower on the same Parcel 12 that worries 360 residents. Many in the surrounding neighborhood complained bitterly over shadow that would be generated by the Millennium tower. Fortunately, the current proposed buildings for Parcel 12 would rise no higher than 14 stories. Unified neighborhood opposition ultimately stopped the Millennium Partners project. No developer interested in working in the Fenway area should underestimate the determination of nearby residents. Richard Pendleton lives in the East Fens.

Locker Room are coated with dust, and the garbage cans are filled to overflowing at all times. 2) The television in the mini-gym has been inoperative since 1/7/2012. If the TV cannot be fixed it needs to be disposed of. I do think that it would be easy to request a donation from a member to replace the television. 3) The tile of the Mens Locker Room large shower is coated with a brown substance that resembles mildew. I could continue with an extensive inventory of the decline in the upkeep of the Weight Room but I think the examples offered are probative. As you know I am firmly against the proposed demolition of the Y gym. However seeing as how the Y continues to offer memberships, it is incumbent on the Y to offer a facility worthy of good will.
reSpectFully, SteVen Gallanter

> LETTERS from page 4

Ross Thinks Better of Run for Franks Seat, Says Hell Stay Put
Following last falls surprise announcement that he would move to Newton and run for the congressional seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, Mike Ross has announced hell stay in his house on Mission Hill and his seat on the Boston City Council. A Newton native, Ross spent time studying a run but last month decided against it. The arrival of two high-profile candidatesJoseph Kennedy III and Sean Bielat, Franks opponent in 2010certainly wouldnt have made a bid any easier. Ross issued this statement last month. Almost seven weeks ago today we learned that Barney Frank, a long-time crusader for justice and equality, would not be running for reelection, creating a rare open seat in the fourth congressional district. These events dont happen often. I was nine years old attending the Ward School in Newton when Barney was first elected. For the last several weeks, along with some extremely dedicated volunteers, dear friends, and a devoted family, I began the privilege of exploring a run for U.S. Congress. The opportunity to follow in the shoes of Barney Franks more than three decades of service, and represent my home town and surrounding communities, deserved my serious consideration. I know that my 12 years of experience in elected office have equipped me with the skills needed to make a difference in Washington. In Boston I created jobs and opportunities that improved the lives of the families and communities Ive served. I believe that the accountability that is the cornerstone of local government is sorely missing at the federal level. Our country has begun to fall behind in multiple measures: American public education which once led the world, has fallen somewhere in the middle of the pack; our ability to train our people to compete for the jobs of tomorrow is slipping; and at this moment in our country the American dream

is less achievable than it was just decades ago. And Congress, instead of tackling these real problems, is dysfunctional and broken. With these challenges facing our country in mind and after long personal deliberation, I have come to the difficult decision that a run for this congressional seat is not the best decision for me at this time. I am humbled by the significant outpouring of support that I have received from residents of the district and beyond and I am committed to working together with everyone to ensure that we elect a Democrat who will fight for working families and represent our progressive values. Despite my disappointment of being unable to participate in this spirited exchange of ideas, I am truly honored to continue to serve the people of Boston. I am particularly proud to be able to remain in the neighborhood of Mission Hill - a community I love - and stand ready to work for the constituents I serve and tackle the important issues of our time.

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6 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012

Wizard of Oz Blows in as Big Show of Wheelock Family Theaters Season

PHOTO By TONy PARADISO

by aliSon barnet

t opens on a little house with a pitched roof on a dark and lonely stageKansas just before the tornado. Enter Dorothy, the little dog Toto, and a not-sosympathetic family circle. Soon Dorothy is belting out Over the Rainbow. Watch what you wish for! A multitude of small Munchkins in pointed hats appears in a perfectly choreographed number, welcoming Dorothy to the Land of Oz. A wedge representing the yellow brick road slides on stage, and so Dorothy and Toto, after meeting the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lionall Wheelock Family Theatre veterans and inventive dancersand hearing their sad stories, head off to the see the Wizard. The Cowardly Lion may not have had a 90-pound, real lion skin suit, as in the classic film, but his baggy orange satiny costume works as well. Katherine Leigh Doherty (Dorothy)

is a senior at Noble & Greenough who It was good to see Gamalia Pharms has played leading ladies in several WFT (Aunt Em as well as the Wizards guard) productions over eight years and has a again. I first encountered her as Horton, the number of other theatre credits to her name. Shes a convincing, common-sense Dorothy in her common-sense Dorothy dress with a surprisingly well-developed voice. In many ways, Sofia Pilar Villafane (Toto) has the toughest role. How sore do your knees get crawling around in a fur suit, even if youre a second grader and trained as a gymnast? Colorfully outfitted ensemblesthe Winkies, Jitterbugs (a scene cut in 1939 as too contemporary), Citizens of Oz, and two trios, the Lullaby League and the Lollypop Guild, were clever and fun. But Jane Staab, co-founder of WFT and now business manager and casting director, was particularly wicked as the Wicked Witch of the West. She was in her element, and the kids really responded. Melted to death, she slowly disappears from view with only waggling fingertips remaining behind.

After the curtain calls, the play isnt over. Out in the lobby, actors meet the audience and give out autographs. Here is a sample of questions posed to students in a study guide on The Wizard of Ozand my answers. Are lions and pet cats related? Yes, my cat is quite a bit like a lion. Why does a lion, or a pet cat, flick its tail? When they want their dinner? Are witches real? Probably. If you feel bad about yourself in some way, how can you be your own wizard? Only on the computer. What does theres no place like home mean to you? Well, I think its taken on a different meaning in this time of homelessness and rising rents. What if theres no home to go to? What would Dorothy have done?

Gussied-up Gardner: Addition Is Sleek, But Dont Miss Tapestry Room

he Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has reopened and, while much has changed, much else has stayed the same (as Mrs. Gardner would have wanted it). And, in one spectacular development, restoration has made the original space better than it has been in nearly a century. Members of the press were invited to a special opening preview on January 11, with speakers including architect Renzo Piano extolling the virtues of the new space. This part of the event was held in the new performance spaceCalderwood Hallto
PHOTO NIC LEHOUx, COURTESy GARDNER mUSEUm

by Stephen brophy

The lobby of the Renzo Piano addition. give the invited guests a sense of the acoustics of the space. In many cases this part of such ceremonies involves a number of people congratulating each other for, among other things, putting up with each other through the duress of the projectand that was a component of this gathering as well. Nevertheless, the speakers did also convey a sense of their dedication to making sure that more than a decade of struggle would result in a product that justified the effort, and their relief that, in this case, the struggle has really improved the institution under their care. Director Anne Hawley, along with her staff and board, ran into quite a bit of neighborhood opposition to the removal of the old building on whose site the new

building sits, some of which was reported as it happened here in The Fenway News. That old building, a carriage house designed by Mrs. Gardner, was in many respects unique, and many neighbors viewed its demolition as the equivalent of taking a sledge hammer to a Faberg egg. Whats past is past, and the new building brings many amenities that were undreamable before. One of the most impressive aspects of the new building, other than Calderwood Hall, is the on-site greenhouses that offer opportunities for education in landscape architecture and other things botanical. These stand just to the left of the new entrance, and can be viewed from the street as well, since the extension is almost entirely glass, creating a really inviting interior space that gets your eyes open even before you go through the glass tunnel that delivers you into the familiar courtyard of Mrs. Gardners palazzo. A much-improved gift shop, a new caf, and a space nicknamed the living room because of how comfortable it feels fill out the rest of the public part of Pianos creation. When you go, be sure to head to the second floor of the old building to experience the wonderfully renovated Tapestry Room. This space used to house the musical performances and thus contained rows of chairs as well as a small stage at the far end. Now the chairs are gone, the floors have been refurbished, and the tapestries that give the room its name have the display space that makes their spectacular qualities a lot more visible. While the museum was closed for nearly two months to allow for shifting offices and other functions to the new wing, a modern lighting system was installed in the galleries, making the preservation of works of cloth and paper much more practical. If youre going to the Gardner Museum, for the first time you will no doubt enjoy the contrast between the old and the new that the two buildings offer one another. If youre returning to visit an institution you have long loved, you will be surprised at how the familiar galleries somehow feel more open than in the past, even though little has changed. If you are one of those who regrets what was lost for what has replaced it, give yourself a chance to feel the airiness of a space with almost all glass walls and harmonious lines, and you might regret it a little less.

Adaptation of the 1939 film, the Wizard of oz, runs at the Wheelock Family Theatre, 200 The Riverway, through Sunday, Feb 26. Original book by L. Frank Baum, music and lyrics by Harold Katherine Leigh Doherty as Dorothy, Sofia Arlen and E.Y. Hamburg, background music by Herbert Stuttgart, dance and Villafane as Toto vocal arrangements by Peter Howard, Sour Kangaroo, in Seussical. Her interpreta- and orchestration by Larry Wilcox. For tion of the Guard is idiosyncratic and witty. tickets call 617-879-2300 or email tickPharms is a localshe hales from Mission ets@wheelock.edu. Hill and works at Mass. College of Art.

mFa unspools anim treasures in February

By STEphEN BRophy

on Feb. 1 the Film program at the Museum of Fine Arts commenced screenings of 14 marvelous animated movies by Japanese anim master hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli. While DVDs of his films have become universally popular with young children (and their families) only five of them have received commercial theater release in the U.S. This series goes a long way toward redressing that lack. Anim, as Japanese animated movies are known in this country, first became popular in the 1980s with the release of Akira. In fact, people of my generation were unconsciously familiar with it because of the popularity of the TV series Speed Racer in the 1960s. Most early anim distributed in North America was not intended for children; some of it could Hayao Miyazakis My Neighbor Totoro be really violent, and some of the blood-spurting excesses of the genre alienated big parts of the audience. All that changed with the distribution of Hayao Miyazakis Princess Mononoke in 1997. While it still involved conflict and death, its visual beauty drew large audiences back to anim, and Miyazaki movies have become steadily more popular since then. Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animation in 2002, and just about any child who has seen My Neighbor Totoro will list it as one of their all-time favorite movies. Miyazakis work is created under the imprint of Studio Ghibli, which an MFA press release describes this way: Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by animation directors hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and is one of the most successful and well-respected animation studios in the world. Cultivating a creative force of talented directors, animators, and storytellers under the revered brilliance of Miyazaki and Takahata, Studio Ghiblis films have been praised for their originality, dazzling animation, and epic storytelling. The films have become a beloved part of Japanese popular culture, and have garnered worldwide acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are included in the retrospective at the museum, as well as other popular titles like My Neighbor Totoro, Kikis Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, and Howls Moving Castle. It also includes other Studio Ghibli films by Miyazakis colleagues, Isao Takahata, Toru Hara, and Toshio Suzuki. The series continues through Feb. 19. If you have a child available to go with you, be sure to see at least one of these films. But you can still awaken your own inner child by taking yourself to the MFAs theater during this series. For more information, go to www.mfa.org/programs/series/castles-skymiyazaki-takahata-and-masters-studio-ghibli.

FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012 | 7

clear that considerable thought had gone into his is not your grandfathers Vivaldi. them. Someone like mewho likes serious The Handel & Haydn Society got music but doesnt have much formal together again on the weekend of knowledge of itwill have a tendency to Jan. 20 in Symphony Hall for a compare a familiar piece like The Four mostly baroque concert (an early classical symphony by one of the Bach progeny was the Seasons to other recorded versions with which only exception) capped with a performance of we have become familiar. This can set up people in my position for disappointment if a The Four Seasons. Purists would have gone favorite phrase is not away much troubled reproduced exactly as by the many liberties we have heard it so taken with this familiar many times before. masterpiece. But the rest In this case, the of us might be pleased at prologue of the Winter how happily music that Concerto was what is old can be made new I had been waiting again. for all evening, and Harry Christophers, when it finally arrived the ensembles artistic I felt that the tempo director, conducted was just a couple of the performance with hairs too fast. That his usual flair. But is the grandfather what really stood out in me, wanting the was the performance music to be exactly as of head violinist and it always has been concertmaster Aisslinn and not giving the Nosky. Capped by performers permission a shock of bright, to feel it differently cherry-red hair, this than I do. I love the Canadian native puts building up of tension her whole body into her in the prologue and performances and makes Aisslinn Nosky, concertmaster for the its release when the you feel the music as Handel & Haydn Society main theme states much as you watch her itself, and I was able to reclaim that love as you do with your ears. In this way she is a good match for the conductor, one of the most as the music kept going, and I watched Ms. Nosky pour body and soul into her version. athletic who has ever graced the Symphony Ultimately, I feel that Im in very good hands Hall stage. The real surprise of the evening, though, whenever Christophers and Nosky do their thing, because I know they are challenging me was the bridges that Ms. Nosky performed to hear it as if for the first time. between the four concerti, which seemed a Coming up at the Handel & Haydn little like cadenzas from some more modern Society will be two performances of work, and were totally unexpected in a Beethovens Symphony # 3, Eroica, on Friday, baroque context. As with the work of Robert Levin, a great pianist who frequently performs Feb. 17 (8pm) and Sunday, Feb. 19 (3pm). The program, conducted by Jean-Marie Zeitouni, with Handel & Haydn ensemble, her bridges will also include Haydns Symphony #48 felt completely spontaneous, but it was also and Beethovens Egmont Overture. Tickets, from $20, can be purchased online at www. handelandhaydn.org/
by Stephen brophy
PHOTO: CyLLA VON TIEDEmANN, COURTESy H&H

The Familiar Sounds New in Handel & Haydns Energetic Reading of Four Seasons

ARTSLINES
opera hopeFuls coMpete at JorDan hall
The road to the Metropolitan Opera stage led through Jordan Hall last month. On Sunday, January 29, fifteen singers, all in their twenties, competed in the National Council Auditions for the New England region, sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera. All had been winners in district competitions. Each singer performed two arias, displaying vocal skills, language ability, charisma, and other qualities needed for the opera stage. Winners of regional competitions travel to New York for the semifinals and Grand Finals Concert on the Met stage in March. National winners receive cash prizes and a chance to join the Mets Young Artist Development Program. Judges in Jordan Hall awarded three major prizes as well as three Encouragement awards. Mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen, age 25, was the first place winner and will go on to the national finals in New York. Her selections came from Mozarts Cosi fan tutte and Handels Giulio Cesare. Second place went to 22-year-old soprano Andrea Carroll, the youngest competitor; Andrew Craig Brown, a 24-year-old bassbaritone, won third place. The three Encouragement awards went to two Canadians, soprano Claire de Sevigne and baritone Cameron McPhail, and tenor John Irvin. Barbara Brooks Simons

pop-Music lighting strikes For two Berklee Duos

Two Berklee-connected acts have found that a little bit of YouTube can go a long way. Emily Luther and Charles Puth won a contest sponsored by cheeseball celebrity blogger Perez Hilton in which contestants covered Adeles Someone Like You. On the strength of the YouTube video of their performance, Ellen DeGeneres invited them onto her show last fall, then signed them to her record label. (If you missed that performance, watch it at http://ellen.warnerbros. com/videos/index.php?mediaKey=1_f5dbzrvy.) The pair appeared on the show again last month with an original song. Meanwhile, Amy Heidermann and Nick Noonan, performing as Karmin, have parlayed a a highly stylized look and, yes, YouTube videos into a contract with Epic records. Theyll appear as the musical guests on the Feb. 11 Saturday Night Live, and if you want to compare their cover of Somone Like You with the Luther/Puth version, check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRS6s9g_K7Y&feature=related

Bso Joins Mit to celeBrate harBison syMphonys worlD preMiere

In anticipation of the world-premiere performances of John Harbisons Symphony No. 6 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra last month, the BSO and Massachusetts Institute of Techonology jointly organized a roundtable discussion on the genesis of the new composition at MITs Kresge Auditorium earlier in the month. The discussion focused on the commissioning, the composition, and rehearsal of the new work. Joining Harbison in the discussion were conductor David Zinman and mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy, who sang Harbisons setting of James Wrights poem Entering the Temple in Nimes, featured in the first movement of the new symphony. The discussion was moderated by BSO Assistant Artistic Administrator Benjamin Schwartz,

Berklee honors Funk icon george clinton on FeB. 16

PLAyING mUSIC, FIGHTING HUNGER: CONCERT FOR A CAUSE AT NEC ON FEB. 20

five-person ensemble will gather on Feb. 20 in the New England Conservatorys Brown Hall to play the Brahms F Major Quintet, as well as some duos by Bartk and Berio. Nothing unusual there, you might think, except that rather than pay a fixed price for tickets to the concert, audience members will donate either non-perishable food items or write checks, all of which will go to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). The concert is part of a series organized by Music for Food, a group established by New England Conservatory viola professor Kim Kashkashian to use music performances as a way of generating new support for the food bank. Kashkashian has made a name as teacher and performer. her NEC biography includes quotes from the San Francisco Chronicle, which called her an artist who combines a probing, restless musical intellect with enormous beauty of tone, and from The New York Times, which praised her rich, mellow timbre and impressive artistry. She has performed with conductors and musicians of considerable fame and has toured with a quartet that includes classical superstars yo-yo Ma, Gidon Kremer an Daniel phillips. At www.musicforfoodboston.org, Kashkashian states that we invite each listener to donate at the door, as their spirit and their income permits. The Feb. 20 concert begins at 8pm and features yura Lee, Masuko Ushioda, Dimitri Murrath, Kim Kashkashian, and Laurence Lesser. Music for Food will end its season with another concert on April 16.
STEphEN BRophy

George Clinton crashed a Berklee P-Funk Ensemble rehearsal for an MTV special a few years ago. This month he returns to the college to teach a four-day residency, perform a concert, and receive an honorary degree. At the February 16 concert, Berklee President Roger Brown will present Clinton with an honorary doctor of music degree in recognition of the funk icons enduring musical and cultural contributions. Featuring performances of I Wanna Testify, an early career doo-wop hit, Mothership Connection, and other P-Funk classics, the concert will pay tribute to Clintons musical legacy. The concert will cap a four-day residency at Berklee in which Clinton will visit classes, meet with students, and rehearse withyesthe Berklee P-Funk Ensemble. Greg Thomas and Bennie Cowan, long members of Clintons horn section, will join him at the concert. George Clinton Meets Berklee on Thursday, February 16, 8:15 p.m., at the Berklee Performance Center. Tickets are $20 and $15 with reserved seating. Purchase tickets at berkleebpc.com, call 617-747-2261, or visit the BPC box office. Nick Balkin

nec celeBrates 100 years oF John cage

Roof Deck KENO Now Open Memorial Day ESPN Game Plan Draft Specials to Labor Day! Great seafood Swing on tips and steak in for

Composer John Cage (19121992) paid attention to the 99% of sound that was not previously called music. This even led him to explore what was previously thought of as silence. He similarly sought to create an ego-less music that proceeded from a Zen-like self-abnegation. Because he challenged existing notions of music and musical composition in such a fundamental way, his ideas still provoke and inspire 20 years after his death. Cage visited New England Conservatory for a festival of his music in 1991. In 2012, we celebrate his centennial with performances by NECs musicians across Boston. A highlight of the celebration will be a performance on Feb. 27 of the complete keyboard compendium, Music for Piano, in what may be the first ever complete traversal of this work of 80+ pieces. For further information, visit www.necmusic.edu or call the NEC Concert Line at 617-585-1122. Ellen Pfeiffer

huntington theatre naMes playwrighting Fellows

lunch & enjoy Tavern BuzzTime favorites including hot dogs for interactive only $1.50 during Red television Sox Away Games!
1270 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02215 617.867.6526

The Huntington Theatre Company announced the 2011-2013 cohort of Huntington playwriting fellows: John Oluwole ADEkoje, Eleanor Burgess, and David Valdes Greenwood. These artistically diverse writers began two-year residencies with the company in September and follow in the footsteps of past Huntington fellows like Lydia R. Diamond (whose Hungtingtonpremiered play Stick Fly opened to critical acclaim last month in New York), Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro (Before I Leave You), Kirsten Greenidge (the upcoming The Luck of the Irish), Melinda Lopez (Sonia Flew), and Ronan Noone (The Atheist, Brendan). Fellows complete a two-year residency and receive a modest grant. During the fellowship they take part in a bi-weekly writers collective and have access to the artistic staff and the resources of the Huntington. The 2011-2013 fellows were selected from 60 applicants.

cultural District Designation Moves ForwarD on council vote

Official designation of the Fenway as a state-sanctioned cultural district moved a step closer to reality in December when the Boston City Council approved a resolution in support of the idea. The entity would be managed by the Fenway Alliance, a consortium of institutions that includes 13 colleges and universities, two museums, the Christian Science Church, Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Mass. Historical Society, and the YMCA. The Massachusetts Cultural Council is currently reviewing the Fenway Alliances application.

Visit us online at:

Bso naMes new eDucation Director

se TheBa ballTavern.com

The Boston Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment last month of Jessica Schmidt as the new Helaine B. Allen Director of Education and Community Engagement. Schmidt will be responsible for the BSOs youth, education, and community programs, including Youth and Family Concerts, the BSO Concerto Competition, High School Open Rehearsal Program, Community Chamber Concerts, Teen Council/Teen Internship Program, Days in the Arts, and additional education programs at Tanglewood.

8 | FENWAY NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012

This symbol indicates a free event. For even more listings, visit www.fenwaynews.org

SAT, FEB 4: From the Top tapes its NPR show at New England Conservatorys Jordan Hall in Boston. Experience the delight of a live THROUGH FEB 26: The Wizard of Oz occupies taping with host Christopher ORiley and the Wheelock Family Theatre. See review on incredible young musicians who will share p. 6. 180 The Riverway. Call 617-879-2300 or their unique talents and personalities. 7:30visit www.WheelockFamilyTheatre.orgfor 9pm. 30 Gainsborough St. Tickets $20-$30 details. Tickets $15-$30

THU-SAT, FEB 9-18: Happy Medium Theater

pick of the month

you may know your state representative, Byron Rushing, from his frequent appearances at community meetings, but did you know hes a historian by training? That makes him a logical choice to kick off a program of three speakers wholl focus on current events and issues affecting Boston neighborhoods, the state, and the nation. Organized for Black History Month by darryls corner Bar & Kitchen at 604 Columbus Avenue (just down the block and around the corner from the Mass Ave stop on the Orange Line), the program runs 5:30 to 7:30 on three Mondays, beginning Feb. 6, when Rushing will speak. Hell be followed on Feb. 13 by William (Mo) Cowan, Governor Patricks chief of staff, and on Feb. 27 by Michael Curry, president of the Boston chapter of the NAACP. To learn more about the series, call Darryls at 617-536-1100. The Boston Public Library has a full schedule of events for the month, focusing its film series at the main branch in Copley Square on the films of Sidney Poitier (Thursday nights) and films featuring black actresses (Monday nights). Other highlights include a concert tribute to Ella Fitzgerald on Feb. 9 and a dance and drumming performance on Feb. 22 that moves from Africa to Brazil and the US. See the full schedule at www.bpl.org/ central/calendar.htm#/?i=1 Over in Dudley Square, haley house Bakery cafe presents part 4 of High Notes of Jazz Roxbury: An Oral History Project that explores jazz and its connection to the Civil Rights movement in Roxbury during the 1950s. Presented in with JazzBoston, the program is free, with first-come, firstserved seating. The presentation runs from 7 to 9pm., but dinner is available from 5pm, and we highly recommend the Haley House menu. Find out more at www. discoverroxbury.org (look in the red Events box at the right on the home page).

Abundant Choices for Black History Month

presents Election Day, a comedy that takes the audience through the day of the mayoral election with an A-type lawyer/activist, her graphic designer boyfriend, his slacker sister, a violent (sort of) political activist and mayoral candidate as our guides. At the Factory Theater, 277 Northhampton Street, www.happymediumtheatre.com for details. Tickets $14$17. of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, presented by the Boston Center for American Performance, the professional extension of the BUS School of Theatre, Feb 9-25, LaneComley Studio 210 (in the BU Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave.). www.bu.edu.cfa/ bcap. Tickets $14-$20
OPENS FEB 9: A Guilded and Heartbreak-

mately cold-blooded Regina. Fri/Sat shows at 8pm; Sun shows at 5pm. Go to www.facebook.com/golddustorphans for details. 1254 Boylston St. Tickets $35$45
SUN., FEB.19: The Secret Life of Cones

THU-SAT, FEB 9-25: Monster, an adaptation

is a docent talk by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy. At the Shattuck Emerald Necklace Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway. Free but reservations advised. 1-2:30 pm. Call 617-522-2700 or reserve online at emeraldnecklaceconservancy.org.

ing Life: The photographs of Clover Adams, 1883-1885 at Mass Historical Society. The striking photographs of Clover Adams, wife of historian and writer Henry Adams, capture iconic moments of Gilded Age Boston and Washington, while opening pathways to Clovers long-concealed inner life. Visit www. masshist.org/2012/calendar,mo=201202,path=#calendar for details. 1154 Boylston St. FREE

THROUGH FEB 20: Exhibition: Aphrodite and the Gods of Love features 150 Greek and Roman works of art showcasing the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodites image has inspired artists from the Renaissance to the present. At the Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave. Check online for museum hours or call 617-267-9300. WED, FEB. 22: The Post PostHolocaust Era in America. Leon Wieseltier, a leading public intellectual, talks with Noah Feldman, author and Harvard professor, about the role of the Holocaust in shaping post-war America and what the passing of the last generation of survivors will mean for American Jewry. Wieseltier is the literary editor at The New Republic and the author of several books, including Kaddish and Against Identity. At Charles Modesien Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown. 7:30 pm. $28. THU, FEB 23: Attend a free public reading of August Wilsons Ma Raineys Black Bottom at Roxburys Hibernian Hall. Presented by the Huntington Theatre Company, the reading will get you in the mood for their staging of August Wilsons seminal play on the Huntington Ave. main stage in March. 184 Dudley St., 7pm. RSVPs at huntingtontheatre.org/raineyreading are encouraged as seating is limited. FREE

SUN, FEB 12: Visit Haley House Bakery Cafe

for its annual Souper Bowl, a winter festival of local soups, supporting the Haley House Soup Kitchen, presented by Mass Arts Clay for Change program. Find the Souper Bowl iV Facebook page for more details. 12 Dade St., 2-5pm, $30 admission includes a ceramic bowl. sponsoring a rose in the Kelleher Rose Garden in the Fenway. Glowing Peace, Compassion, and Playgirl are some of the choices available. For info, contact emeraldnecklaceconservancy.org. acclaimed new Calderwood Concert Hall at the Gardner Museum. Tonight the Ron Savage Berklee Trio performs at 7pm as part of Gardner After Hours. Visit www.gardnermuseum.org/calendar/events/ for more information. 7pm. Tickets $12$27

TUES., FEB. 14: Celebrate Valentines Day by

SAT, FEB 11: Ward 4 Democratic Committee

holds its caucus at 10:45 a.m. to elect delegates to the state Democratic convention on June 2. Registered Democrats in Ward 4 may run for a position on the slate and vote. For more info, contact Janet Slovin at 617267-0231 or email slovinj@aol.com. South End Branch Library, 685 Tremont St.

sponsored by Emerald Necklace Conservancy, 1-2:30 p.m. Emerald Necklace Visitors Center, 125 The Fenway, Space limited; reserve yours online at www. emeraldnecklace.org or call: 617-522-2700. FREE. meeting., 6 p.m. Morville House, 100 Norway St.,
TUE, FEB 21: East Fens Community/Police

SUN, FEB 19: The Secret Life of Cones

THU, FEB 16: Check out the acoustics of the

SAT, FEB 25: For school vaction week, may we

your neighbors in showing your support for the #55 Queensberry Bus, a lifeline for residents of the West Fens. 6-8 p.m. Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St. Bring neighbors and friends.
WED, FEB 15: West Fens Community/Police meeting., 5 p.m. Landmark Center (401 Park Drive, 2nd fl, District 4 Police substation next to security desk). WED, FEB 15: Air Rights Parcels 12-15 CAC

mON, FEB 13: MBTA public hearing. Join

TUE, FEB 21: Audubon Circle Neighborhood Assoc. board meeting., 6:30-8:30 p.m.. Harvard Vanguard, 131 Brookline Ave., Annex Room 3D. For more info, call 617262-0657. Public welcome. TUE, FEB 21: Ward 5 Democratic Committee; 7 p.m. in a NEW location: LiR Restaurant, 903 Boylston St. (across from Hynes Aud). Committee will consider endorsements for Democratic State Committee ballot seats that affect the ward. The Committee will also move to endorse President Barack Obama for re-election. mON, FEB 27: Longwood Medical Area) Forum. 6:30-8 p.m. Location TBD. For location or to verify if meeting will be held, email Laura at lfogerty@masco.harvard. edu. TUE, FEB 28: Symphony Neighborhood Task

FEB. 16-19: Triple Treat: Dance performance from Boston Conservatory highlights three choreographers, three composers, and three dance genres. Boston Conservatory Theater, 31 Hemenway St. 8 pm Thurs and Fri, Sat.; 2 pm and 8 pm; Sun. 2 pm. $1025. FRI-SUN, FEB 17-mAR 11: The Gold Dust

suggest MassArt Family Day in the Bakalar and Paine Galleries. Admission is free and materials are provided, so you and your junior Louise Nevelson can drop in at any time to enjoy art-making projects, guided conversations, interactive activities, and refreshments. 621 Huntington Ave., 11am 4pm. 617 879 7333, www.MassArt. edu/calendar. FREE

Orphans present another extravaganza at Machine. Lillian Hellmans classic The Little Foxes had been adapted into The Little Prickswe cant wait to see what they do with the Bette Davis character, consum-

THU-SUN, mAR 1-4: Boston Conservatory Theater Ensemble presents The Full Monty. Based on the hit British film, The Full Monty follows six unemployed steel workers in Buffalo willing to try pretty much anything to earn some quick cash. Book by Terrence McNally. Music and lyrics by David yazbek. Directed by Laura Marie Duncan. information from box office 617912-9222 or http://bostonconservatory. ticketforce.com/. Tickets $10$25 .

working session. 6 p.m. Location TBD. For more info, email Jonathan at jonathan. greeley.bra@cityofboston.gov son holds office hours, 1-2 p.m. at Fenway Health, 1340 Boylston St. Questions and concerns about national issues or legislation are welcome.

THU, FEB 16: Rep. Michael Capuanos liai-

The following events take place at the Peterborough Senior Center, located two blocks from Boylston between 100 and 108 Jersey St. (walk down the alley and look left). For more information, call 617-5367154.

police officer, will be at the center to address any safety concerns or community problems. 11am

RECURRING
mONDAyS

SAT, FEB 18: Ward 5 Democratic Committee holds its caucus at 10 a.m. to elect delegates to the state Democratic convention on June 2. Registered Democrats in Ward 5 are eligible to run for a position on the slate and to vote.

SPECIAL
WED, FEB 8: Marian Knapp join us for the

Force meeting., 6 p.m.. For more info or location, email Johanna in Councilor Ross Office at Johanna.sena@cityofboston.gov or call her at 617-635-4225. Committee. Get involved in monitoring development in the Fenway and advocating for the kind of neighborhood you want. 6 p.m.., 70 Burbank St., lower level. For info, email Lilly Jacobson at ljacobson@ fenwaycdc.org or call her at 617-2674637x16.

educational, social, and support network of gay and bisexual men meets at USES Harriet Tubman House, 566 Columbus Ave. (corner of Mass. Ave.handicapaccessible. Rrefreshments at 2:30 p.m., program at 3:30. $2 donation at door. Visit www.bostonprimetimers.org or email bostonprimetimers@uses.org or call: 617447-2344.

SAT, FEB 18: Boston Prime Timers, an

TUE, FEB 28: Fenway CDC Urban Village

second time to talk about stuff. She recently wrote an article about things people collect and accumulate over their lifetimes. Her article will be available to read prior to her visit. 11:30am

11am: FilmsFeb 6: Amadeus (1984) - Pt. 1; Feb 13: Amadeus - Pt. 2 Feb 20: closed for Presidents Day; Feb 27: Cimarron (1931)
TUESDAyS

11 a.m: Exercise with Mahmoud 12 noon: DocumentariesFeb 7: Food Matters (2008); Feb 14: The Untold Story of Emmett Till (2005); Feb 21: Waste Land (2010); Feb 28 Sergei Linkov will show two of his works.
WEDNESDAyS

noon

WED, FEB 15: Mass. College of Pharmacy. WED, FEB 22: John Voigt, a Qigong-

For BRA meetings and hearings check www. bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/ calendar/calendar.asp

Chi Kung (Chinese yoga) master, will demonstrate and teach us about the benefits of this practice for wellbeing of the mind and body. 11am

9:45am: yoga with Carmen 10noon: Blood pressure check with Joyce
THURSDAyS

WED, FEB 29: Officer McCarthy, a Boston

10am: Whats In the News?