By Phineas J. Stone It had to be at least 3 a.m. when the phone rang. I answered in a fog, wholly irritated that someone would phone at such an hour. “You gotta get out here to Revere,” said the…
Category: Editorials
Why I Voted “No” on the 2% Tax on the Sale of Alcohol in Boston
By Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George I want to start by thanking the Makers of this Order. Councilors Bill Linehan and Frank Baker have been passionate forces of advocacy and support for families that are struggling to connect their loved ones to…
Boston City Council Votes Down 2 Percent Alcohol Tax to Fund Substance Abuse Programs
By Beth Treffeisen The Boston City Council last week voted down an order that would place a two percent tax on certain alcoholic beverages to fund prevention and treatment programs for substance abuse. Backed by City Councilors Frank Baker and…
Remember Those in Need
Although the holiday season for most of us will be filled with fun and joy, it is incumbent upon all of us who are fortunate to be doing well in our lives to remember that there are many among us,…
Enjoy A Happy — and Safe — Holiday Weekend
By a coincidence of the calendar, both Chanukah and Christmas arrive this weekend, and we wish to take this opportunity to wish all of our readers of the Jewish and Christian faiths (and those of no faith at all) a…
The Politics of the Coffee Shop
By Phineas J. Stone Nothing these days in Boston speaks as to who we are, what circles we run within and what class of person we are than where we choose to get coffee. In Boston, the simplicity of getting…
The Winthrop Square Project
Few building projects in recent years have generated the neighborhood outcry like the Winthrop Square Project that proposes a 775-foot tower casting shadows over highly used and very environmentally fragile areas like the Public Garden, Boston Common and Commonwealth Mall.…
The Urban Standoff and Triangles of Dysfunction
By Phineas J. Stone The scene: a narrow street in the downtown neighborhoods that will remain nameless. Cars park on both sides, and the path is narrow for two-way traffic; but it’s the way it’s been for years. It always…
Trump and the Vote
We love how many of the national commentators and pundits always point out that while Donald Trump won the presidency, he didn’t get the popular vote. Well, it’s clear Donald Trump’s strategy was to reach the 270 electoral votes he…
A Vinyl Record and the Lost Spirit of Boston Rock
Thanksgiving weekend at my house has been about cleaning up and clearing out for as long as I can remember. As a kid, it wasn’t long after the turkey hit our stomachs that our mother came in with a laundry…