Update on Ed Portal Workforce Development programming

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Harvard Ed Portal

Dear Ed Portal Members,

We wanted to follow up on the topic of one-on-one career coaching sessions that are offered through the Ed Portal.

There was an approximately 2-week period in late August that career coaching sessions were not being scheduled due in part to the Ed Portal’s group of career coaches being renewed for the upcoming year. During that timeframe in late August, there was some confusion that resulted in an interpretation that career coaching had been cancelled or stopped. That was not the case, and as of over a week ago, career coaching sessions have resumed, including all outstanding requests being processed and scheduled. As a reminder, as part of our Workforce Development program offering, Ed Portal members can schedule one-on-one career coaching sessions for individualized consultations with professional career coaches.

https://edportal.harvard.edu/workforce

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

 

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Good Neighbor Day Nomination Form 2025

Neighbors make the neighborhood! Do you have a neighbor who always lends a helping hand, brightens your day, or makes your street feel more like home?

Deadline to submit your application is Friday, September 19, 2025, end of day. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQAeMnSlXOds5uPeGq9XVE44fazvsAYlI5V3TootucZVVTTA/viewform

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Applications are still open for the 2025 Spooky Streets and Fall & Harvest Grants!

The deadline to apply is Monday, September 22, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/civic-organizing/spooky-streets-2025

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

All of the events are on Sunday September 28th! The parade begins at 1pm!

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Boston Landing

🌾🎉 Fall Crawl is THIS SATURDAY! 🎉🌾
📆 Saturday, Sept 20 | 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 Athletes Park, Boston Landing
🎟️ Free to attend, RSVP required (link in bio)
Bring your boots and get ready for a day packed with:
🎶 A live DJ, music, and country line dancing
🎨 Kids’ fall cowboy crafts + face painting fun
📸 A western-style photo booth for your best snapshots
🍂 Delicious bites from Broken Records and The Pearl
🍹 Rail Stop mobile bar with cocktails, beer & wine
🍩 Free churros while supplies last
🐊 Reptile show for your critters
👨‍👩‍👧 This family-friendly day has something for everyone — from little wranglers to grown-up cowboys.
✨ Kick off the season with Boston Landing, create unforgettable memories, and celebrate fall the western way. RSVP now to save your spot!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boston-landing-fall-crawl-tickets-1583245422679

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

The Brighton Bazaar

Sun. Sept. 28th, 12-6pm: the annual Allston Village Street Fair returns for its 15th edition! Join the fun as Harvard Ave (1 to 101, from Brighton Ave to Cambridge St) Boston MA 02134 closes to traffic for an eclectic festival featuring live music, performers, activities, food trucks, + our pop-up market with over 60 small businesses selling art, crafts, vintage, & more!

*** Features ***

 Main Stage Schedule:

@beantownmusicschool Show Team: 12 – 12:30
@blindspot_music: 12:30 – 1:10
@phantomoceanband: 1:10 – 1:50
@dredbuffalo: 1:50 – 2:30
@acrylickillers: 2:30 – 3:10
@veronaroseband: 3:10 – 3:50
@ziptiehandcuffs: 3:50 – 4:35
@otherbrotherdarrylband: 4:35 – 5:20
@childrenoftheflamingwheel: 5:20 – 6

(special thanks to stage manager/MC John McGinley -@lifeisgoodatgrandmas )

Street Performers:

@youthacquiringknowledge - breakdancing acrobatics
 @sinha_capoeira_boston - musical martial arts
@north_horde - armored combat

Activities:
Face painting, glitter tattoos, balloon animals, a public chalk mural with @thecornerartroom , & more!

 Food Trucks:

 @snacksboxboston
 @roxysgrilledcheese
 @uhlmansicecream
 @micorazontaqueria

 Restaurants: Over 60(!!) restaurants within a 5-min walk of the festival. For starters, we'll be right outside the front doors of:

 @kimchipapiktchn
 @thedraftallston
 @yukiyaramen
 @kungfumalatang
 @kaju.allston
 @azamagrillfood

 Poster by local resident @who_is_hypokrites . Find his booth at the festival, or more work online: https://tr.ee/GsyVUj

***Info***

 Date: 9/28/25

 Time: 12-6pm

Address: 101 Harvard Ave. Boston MA 02134

 Location: Harvard Ave from Brighton Ave to Cambridge St.

 Admission: free, all ages

 Weather: outside, one day only, rain or shine!

*** Getting There ***

 T: Harvard Ave Green Line stop!

 Bus: 66, 57

 Drive: Free street parking on Sundays, no time limit!

*** Vendors ***

 Applications (link in bio): https://linktr.ee/thebrightonbazaar

 Vendor List:

@a.headfullofstars
@alicethepotter
@alki.studi0
@alltheragevintage
@alwaysjean.jewels
@angelcoshop
@aprilsprintedgarden @swirlsnstones
@beechstpottery
@butterbeanflorals
@caramics.pottery
@celions3
@citizenscrochet
@cloverpatchjewelry
@copperandprint
@corinnscreations
@drip.thrift_
@esperanzasart69
@feralfawnart
@fondrecollection
@garbageworld404
@gazillioneargarments
@goodformdesigns
@greatwoodco
@greycatstudiocrafts
@hecho_a_mano_
@iwalkto
@jaxolinetheartist
@just__rosy
@kailagilmorepottery
@knotty_hangers
@ladyrebellion79
@lafoliepress
@leatherpixie
@livingston_ceramics
@mamakonadesigns
@merchmerchmerch_screenprints
@miawhittemore
@minds.eye.collective
@mirasoaps
@moondrops__
@nevermind.customapparel
@oneknitwonderco
@owensavag
@piecebyirene
@pigmarieproject
@purpleacornz
@ratcitystudio
@ratglassmass
@ryeandcompany
@sam_dawgies
@shoprideon
@shrimpsalad.studios
@sparkalifewithart
@spellboundcandlecomp
@statementhandmade
@terrariumer.liron
@the_succulentspot_617
@thriftingxfairy
@weiskei.bos
@who_is_hypokrites
@yankeethrifting
@yuu.choy

Woodworking By Jess

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

ALLSTON-BRIGHTON

Allston Brighton Parade – Sunday, September 28, 2025

The annual Allston/Brighton Parade will be held on Sunday, September 28, 2025 stepping off at 1:00 p.m. In addition to the parade there will be the annual Brian J. Honan 5K Run/Walk which will begin on Brighton Avenue at Linden Street at 12:00 p.m. – ending on Brighton Avenue opposite 161 Brighton Avenue using much of the same route as the parade.

Parking restrictions will be in place throughout Sunday on the following streets:

Brighton Avenue - North side, outbound roadway, from Malvern Street to Harvard Avenue

Faneuil Street - South side (park side), from opposite Adair Street to opposite #365 Faneuil Street

Tremont Street - North side (school side), from Washington Street to Tip Top Street

Brighton Avenue - North side, outbound roadway, from Harvard Avenue to Cambridge Street

Cambridge Street - Both sides, from Brighton Avenue to Washington Street

Washington Street - Both sides, from Cambridge Street to Oak Square

Allston Village Street Fair – Sunday, September 28, 2025

The Parents and Community Build Group, Inc. will be holding the Allston Village Street Fair on Harvard Avenue on Sunday, September 28, 2025.

Parking restrictions will be in place throughout Sunday on the following streets:

Harvard Avenue - Both sides, from Cambridge Street to Brighton Avenue

Harvard Terrace - Both sides, from Harvard Avenue to the dead end

Farrington Street - Both sides, from Harvard Avenue to Highgate Street

Gardner Street - Both sides, from Harvard Avenue to Linden Street

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Honan Allston Branch Library

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with Laura Macias!

Stories and folk tales from around the world told in English and in Spanish.

Includes puppets, songs, and movements for children ages 3-5 years old.

No registration is required.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Roundhead Brewing Company

Hey Brighton! Nothing beats good weather, good vibes, and good company at the Beer Garden. Cheers!

#cervezaquereúne #bostonbeergarden #brightonbeer

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Boston Landing

💪🌟 Fit Fest is almost here — and it’s packed with wellness + fitness for everyone! 🌟💪
📆 Sat, Sept 27 | 9 AM – 4 PM
📍 Athletes Park + The TRACK at New Balance
🎟 Free with RSVP (link in bio)
Here’s what you’ll find throughout the day:
🏋️‍♂️ NB Fitness Club hosting free outdoor classes — all levels welcome
💪 Dead Hang Challenge (test your grip!)
🚴 Spin class inside NB Fitness Club (open to the public, limited spots)
🧘 Meditation + sound bath on the Warm-Up Track at The TRACK
🎲 VOLO lawn games + fun contests
❄️ Cold plunge experiences with SweatHouz (solo + party plunges!)
🍹 Juices, mocktails, non-alcoholic beer & gluten-free beer to keep you fueled
🏟 Tours of NB Fitness Club available all day
✨ Remember: all classes + workshops require RSVP/registration. Space is limited. If the class you want is booked, DM us to join the waitlist.
Don’t miss Boston Landing’s most energizing day of the year — grab your spot now!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boston-landing-community-fit-fest-tickets-1557384622329

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library

Catch a flick with friends this Thursday evening! Beginning at 6:00 PM, we'll be screening "A Minecraft Movie" here at the library. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

MassDOT

 

BOSTON- BRIDGE PRESERVATION, B-16-056, CAMBRIDGE STREET OVER I-90

 

Project will preserve the bridge deck on Cambridge Street over I-90 in order to extend its lifespan until a future bridge replacement is performed.

 

Draft Scope of Work: The work in general includes…..bridge substructure repairs;   concrete crack injection;  removing and replacing the bridge joints; rehabilitation/replacement of the bridge bearings;  bridge shoring as needed to facilitate the work;  bridge curb remove and replace (R&R);  full and partial bridge deck repairs;  bridge deck paving;  sawing and sealing joints;  structural steel repairs;  bridge cleaning and painting; removing and refurbishing metal bridge rail; and removal and replacing bridge shielding.

 

The scope of work above will include the repair the existing sidewalks and restore the bridge to full capacity.

 

(MassDOT is still working through some details with the Contractor but have given them initial approval on portions of the work. Project schedule to follow.)

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

The Build Up: Community Visioning Workshop with Problak & Friends
Harvard Ed Portal
Thursday, September 25, 2025, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

What does unity look like on a wall that represents all of us? You’re invited to join Roxbury muralist Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs, local artist Pheebz, the Ed Portal and the American Repertory Theater for a hands-on workshop shaping a new mural design at the A.R.T.’s future home in Allston.

Through guided storytelling, creative group activities, and sharing what makes Allston-Brighton special, you’ll help inspire the colors, imagery, and spirit of an 11,000 sq ft mural that reflects the people, and stories of Greater Boston. No experience necessary—just bring your voice and imagination. Free and open to all ages; supplies and refreshments provided.

RSVPs strongly recommended.

This workshop is part of a city-wide series.

Tickets: https://edportal.harvard.edu/event/build-community-visioning-workshop-problak-friends

224 Western Ave, Allston

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Craft Food Halls - Allston

Look forward to pub Trivia night with Don Julio at Craft Food Halls Allston. Wednesday, Sept 26, 6–8pm. Bring friends and bring your A-game.

Get your free tickets via the link in our story!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trivia-night-at-craft-food-halls-allston-tickets-1677028420149

#craftfoodhalls #lovenergyfood #allstonma #brightonma #bostonma

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Chalk It Up!
1 Fern St, Allston

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library

This Month, The Food Group will meet to discuss and share recipes from "Mi Cocina" by Rick Martínez. Part cookbook and part travelogue, "Mi Cocina transports" readers to the seven regions of Mexico and features 100 recipes. We hope you can make it!
The Food Group is a book club for cookbooks and potluck. We meet on the 3rd or 4th Saturday every month from 2-3 PM.

Bringing a dish is not required and neither is reading all of the cookbook. Copies are available at the front desk of the Branch.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Charles River Regional Chamber

We’re No. 1 but we’re also No. 50

A new, eye-opening, analysis comparing Massachusetts’ competitiveness to other states is now available.

Once again, it highlights our world-class strengths in education, healthcare, and innovation.

But — also once again — the study cautions that “the state’s high costs of living and doing business are eroding our competitive edge, even before the changing federal policy landscape poses unique threats.”

That’s among the conclusions found in the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation second installment of its 2025 Competitiveness Index.

Among the good:

• We’re smart: We rank No. 1 nationally in 8th-grade reading and 8th-grade math test scores. We’re also No. 1 in having the highest percentage of our population aged 25 and older with a bachelor's degree.

• We’re productive: Massachusetts is ranked 2nd nationally in Gross State Product per capita, reflecting high economic productivity and workforce efficiency.

• We’re still innovating: Massachusetts continues to rank 1st in venture capital funding despite a significant year-over-year decline in funding.

Not so good:

• We’re expensive: The state has the highest infant childcare costs in the nation. We’re 45th in the country for housing cost burden.  We dropped from 36th to 48th in healthcare costs for employers. Unemployment taxes are 38th worst.

• We’re losing people: Massachusetts ranks 45th nationally in domestic migration, signaling continued loss of residents to other states, especially among young adults aged 26-35 (48th nationally).

• We’ve stopped creating jobs:  Private employment growth ranked 50th nationally.

• We’re congested: Massachusetts has the 47th-longest commute time.

The report also notes that international migration is a clear competitive strength, 3rd best nationally.  But, of course, those and the rest of the rankings don’t reflect the impacts of current federal policies.

There’s oodles more here, plus a poll exploring the public’s perception of our strengths and weaknesses, including this sobering statistic: 41 percent of residents age 18-29 plan to move within five years, largely driven by high living costs.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Mayor Wu Announces New Allston-Brighton Neighborhood Liaison

 

Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Jennifer Roberts as the new neighborhood liaison for Allston-Brighton within the Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS). ONS plays a vital role in connecting residents with city services and resources; facilitating resident input on local government matters; ensuring that the appropriate city departments address constituent service requests; attending neighborhood meetings; and responding to emergencies, such as fires, to assist displaced residents.

 

“Neighborhood liaisons are a critical connection between the City and Boston’s communities,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Jennifer’s passion for civic engagement and educational advocacy will be an invaluable asset to the large student population and community that make up Allston-Brighton. I’m excited to see the new liaison step into this essential role and connect with the neighborhood and residents they represent.”

 

Roberts began her career supporting international students and non-native English speakers at organizations such as Education First, English Language Center, Pine Manor College, and Boston University—work that deepened her commitment to inclusion, cultural exchange, and accessible education. She later transitioned into civic and community engagement, most recently serving as Student Engagement Lead at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. In that role she developed interdisciplinary learning experiences, designed cross-Institute events and programming, and helped launch a new student-centered third space at Radcliffe.

 

Jennifer Roberts was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Western Massachusetts and has called Boston home for over a decade. She currently resides in Allston-Brighton.

 

“I am grateful for the chance to advocate on behalf of Allston-Brighton constituents—especially around housing affordability, youth engagement, and connecting residents to city resources and services,” said Jennifer Roberts, Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services Allston-Brighton Liaison.

Jennifer Roberts 

The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services is led by Executive Director Lindsey Santana, who works alongside four deputy directors. Deputy directors directly supervise the liaisons and community engagement specialists who facilitate abutters meetings.

 

“Jennifer is committed to supporting Allston-Brighton. She has already connected with constituents on the ground and is eager to continue assisting Boston residents,” said Lindsey Santana, Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood Services. “I encourage community members to attend neighborhood office hours every Friday or call 311 to connect directly with their liaison.”

 

Community members can meet with their designated neighborhood liaisons at weekly office hours in-person every Friday to receive guidance on how to navigate City services.

 

ABOUT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES

 

The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) encourages, facilitates, and maximizes citizen input and participation through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses. To report non-emergency issues to the City, residents are encouraged to connect with BOS:311 by dialing 3-1-1 or downloading the free BOS:311 app on iOS or Android platforms.

 

Last updated: September 24, 2025

Published by: Mayor's Office

 

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

The Kittie Knox Plays
Saturday, September 27, 2025
www.tickettailor.com
Herter Park
1175 Soldiers Field Rd, Allston

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

57 Riverdale Street Abutters Meeting

Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services

Monday, September 29, 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Proposal: Confirm as three-family and change to six units. Construct a three-story addition on the rear of the existing three-family structure to add three dwelling units.
The purpose of this meeting is to get community input and listen to the resident's positions on this proposal. This is a virtual meeting via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86923211969
Meeting ID: 869 2321 1969
Please note, the City does not represent the occupant(s)/developer(s)/attorney(s)/applicant(s).
Email Contact: Sigurgeir Jonson (sigurgei...@boston.gov)

Property Owner: Clover Oak Twenty Five LLC (John Bannon, Registered Agent)
61 Jarvis Circle, Needham, MA 02492

57 Riverdale Street (2201018000)
Property Type: Three Family
Owner Occupied: No
Lot Size: 58.00’ X 108.12' X 75.65' X 117.50' = 7,488 sf
Living Area: 4,488 sf
Year Built: 1900
Zoning SubDistrict: 3F-4000 (Medium Residential)
Boston MHC Historic Inventory Areas

Sale Date: 7/2/2019
Sale Price: $1
Grantor: John Bannon      
Grantee: Clover Oak Twenty Five LLC (John Bannon, Registered Agent)

Sale Date: 6/24/2013
Sale Price: $830,000
Grantor: Claire P. Corbett 2006 Revocable Trust (Eugene M. Corbett, Trustee)      
Grantee: John Bannon

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

The Future of Work in the Age of Generative AI

 

October 1, 6:00pm-8:00pm, FREE
Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave., Allston
or Online on Zoom

 

The future of work is being reshaped by generative AI. Harvard Business School Professor Joseph Fuller will present insights from two major Harvard research projects, examining the effects on career pathways, entry-level employment, and the nation’s skills gap. This discussion provides critical perspective for anyone navigating the evolving labor market. 

Doors open at 5:30pm - speaking program to begin promptly at 6:00pm. To ensure an efficient check in process, please have your registration confirmation email available. This event is free & open to all.

 

RSVP Today: https://edportal.harvard.edu/event/community-lecture-future-work-age-generative-ai-prof-joseph-fuller

 

If you would like to submit a question for Professor Fuller ahead of time, please email comm...@harvard.edu. There will be no live questions during the lecture. A brief reception will follow the lecture. 

 

Can’t make it in person? You can still attend the event virtually on Zoom. Please visit this link to RSVP for our online event. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/harvardedportal/1849386

 

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

What do these three photos have in common?

217 Western Avenue (Barry’s Corner)

1660-1670 Soldiers Field Road

1948 Beacon Street (Cleveland Circle)

They are all former Starbucks locations in Allston Brighton!!

Tony

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Allston Yards Allston-Brighton Community Fund

The Allston-Brighton Community Fund mission is to support and enhance the Allston-Brighton community by making grants to support programs and other improvements in the community, including for public realm improvements. Grants are not restricted to improvements on public land.

The Allston Yards Project is pleased to accept grant applications for The Community Fund.

Fall 2025 Cycle

Up To $3,000 GRANT APPLICATION

Online applications only. Grant awards announced in early December. Grants are offered twice per year. Additional information can be found at the beginning of the application.

Community Fund Application: Allston Yards Allston-Brighton Community Fund Application (Fall 2025) (Page 1 of 5)

Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025, by 5:00pm.

For questions, please email Risa Meyers at rme...@nedevelopment.com.

[janet england]

Wow,sad

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[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Free Classes in Allston!  Sign Up Now!

Beginner Acoustic Guitar! Fridays 6-8pm

Jackson Mann Beginner Acoustic Guitar

Intro to Podcasting! Tuesdays 5-6:30pm

Jackson Mann Intro to Audio Podcasting

Digital Photography! Tuesdays 6:30-8pm

Jackson Mann Intro to Digital Photography

Links in the comments above (or use QR code), dm with any questions!

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library

THIS THURSDAY! The Unreal Reads fiction book club will discuss the award-winning novel Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice.

Thursday, October 2, 6:30 pm at the Brighton Branch.

The Unreal Reads book club reads fiction of all kinds. We typically meet on the first Thursday of the month, 6:30 pm at the Brighton Branch, barring holidays or special events. No registration required, you're welcome to drop in. We also welcome readers who decided not to or weren't able to finish the book — as long as you're okay with spoilers!

*

About the book:

With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.

The community leadership loses its grip on power as the visitors manipulate the tired and hungry to take control of the reserve. Tensions rise and, as the months pass, so does the death toll due to sickness and despair. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Guided through the chaos by an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky, they endeavor to restore order while grappling with a grave decision.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library

Join Laura Macias for music, movement, puppets, and stories in Spanish and English! Recommended for children ages 3-5 years old

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Veronica B Smith Multi Services Senior Center

Don't miss this week's events at the Senior Center!
Thursday October 2nd at 11:00: "Pirate Ghost Stories" with Luca Rebussini

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Veronica B Smith Multi Services Senior Center

Don't miss this week's events at the Senior Center!

Friday, October 3rd at 1:00: "My Grandmother's Legacy" Hispanic Heritage Month Event with Karina Liendo- RSVP- Limited Space- (617) 6350-6120

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Community Alert!!

Mailbox Thefts on the Uptick.

Per the US Postal Service here's what you can do to protect your mail from thieves:

-Use the letter slots inside your Post Office for your mail, or hand it to a letter carrier.

-Pick up your mail promptly after delivery. Don’t leave it in your mailbox overnight. If you're expecting checks, credit cards, or other negotiable items, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your mail.

-If you don't receive a check or other valuable mail you're expecting, contact the issuing agency immediately.

-If you change your address, immediately notify your Post Office and anyone with whom you do business via the mail.

-Don’t send cash in the mail.

-Tell your Post Office when you’ll be out of town, so they can hold your mail until you return.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Tonight! District 9 City Council Candidates

 

As a public service, Talk of the Neighborhoods on BNN-TV will be featuring the two candidates for District 9 City Council: Pilar Ortiz and Liz Breadon. Tune in tonight at 6:30-6:55 PM on Xfinity 9, Astound 15, Fios 2161, or online.

https://reflect-cablecast-bnn.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/watch-now

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library

We can't wait for our visit with Rainforest Reptile Shows this upcoming Saturday! Children ages 3+ can join this educational and hands-on program to learn more about reptiles of all shapes and sizes.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Kelly McGrath

Take this survey to help the AB Health Collaborative and our community collect data on how people get to Brighton Center! We want all voices to be able to be heard! Please share!

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Boston Parks & Recreation Department

Ringer Park: Woodland Closure & Courts

Dear friends and neighbors of Ringer Park,

I met with the contractor and arborist team yesterday, and I wanted to let you all know that they plan to begin arborist work on Monday, October 6. While the most convenient approach would be to close the entire park, the team has agreed to work in stages to preserve access where possible.

What’s closing first

• The woodland path from Gordon Street to Allston Street will likely be closed starting Monday, Oct 6 and is expected to remain closed for at least one week.

• After that, work will likely shift to the wooded area between Gordon Street and the tennis courts. I’ll share details about temporary closures in that area as soon as they’re confirmed.

Tennis courts

• I've received a lot of questions about the courts! The courts are no longer open for permitting while the park is under construction, due to uncertainty about ongoing access.

• For now—likely through October—the contractor will try to maintain access to the courts from Emrie Road or Gordon Street, but access is still not guaranteed.

Fence replacement & tree removals

• The failing fence between the basketball court and abutting properties will be renovated. To install the new fence, trees along the fence line will need to be removed. The contractor will protect adjacent properties to the maximum extent possible.

Thank you for your patience as we move through this work. I’ll keep you updated as the schedule evolves. The project webpage https://www.boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/project/improvements-ringer-park will be updated this weekend and a rendered site plan should pop up on Monday or Tuesday!

Warmly,
Nellie

Nelle Ward (they/them)
Project Manager
City of Boston | Parks & Recreation Department
1010 Massachusetts Ave, 3rd Floor
617-961-3035(w)

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library

Start your week off with a movie! Our October selection is director George A. Romero's classic Night of the Living Dead (1968).

Monday, October 6, 3:00 PM at the Brighton Branch. Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes. Not rated. English subtitles.

*

About the movie:

A disparate group of individuals takes refuge in an abandoned house when corpses begin to leave the graveyard in search of fresh human bodies to devour. The pragmatic Ben (Duane Jones) does his best to control the situation, but when the reanimated bodies surround the house, the other survivors begin to panic.

As any semblance of order within the group begins to dissipate, the zombies start to find ways inside -- and one by one, the living humans become the prey of the deceased ones in horror legend George A. Romeros' first film.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library

Poster-Making Workshop for Adults

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

‘The bigger picture is grim’: Yes, Mass. snagged Hasbro, but can it compete with North Carolina? (Editorial Board, Boston Globe: October 6, 2025)

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation’s latest competitiveness index report ranked the Commonwealth dead last in the nation for private employer job growth between 2023 and 2024.

Opinion | Mass. snagged Hasbro. But can it compete with North Carolina?

Hasbro’s move to Massachusetts is good news, but it’s also a one-off victory — like landing on Free Parking.

Photo illustration by Gwen Egan/Globe Staff

Two recent headlines gave conflicting pictures of the Massachusetts economy: On the bright side, state policy makers celebrated toy and game maker Hasbro’s decision to relocate its headquarters from Pawtucket, R.I., to Boston. Days later, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation’s latest competitiveness index report ranked the Commonwealth dead last in the nation for private employer job growth between 2023 and 2024, with a decline of 0.6 percent.

Hasbro’s move to Boston is unquestionably good news. But it shouldn’t obscure that the state is facing serious, systemic headwinds, and policy makers need to be focusing on the broader business climate to attract new businesses and keep the ones we have.

The way the state lured Hasbro, maker of iconic products like Monopoly and Mr. Potato Head, is unfortunately not a blueprint for sustained growth. It took $14 million in tax credits to entice the company to relocate, and there’s only so many handouts the state can give. Tax incentives are disliked by economists left and right, and while they might sometimes be necessary, they’re also risky (look no further than the 38 Studios fiasco in Rhode Island, or the Evergreen Solar debacle in Massachusetts).

What really matters is the fundamental business climate. Businesses should be starting or moving here because it’s a good place to do business — not for a special tax break.

To many conservatives, improving the business climate means cutting taxes. Liberals often stress factors like a well-educated workforce and strong infrastructure. The cost of health care, energy, and labor are also factors. So is housing: Businesses are less likely to locate in a state where employees will face ruinous housing costs.

Other than education, Massachusetts is lagging behind on almost every one of those measures. For instance, the Tax Foundation ranks Massachusetts 41st on state business tax climate. The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation report put the state in the bottom 10 nationally on energy costs, health care premiums, infant child care costs, commuting times, and housing costs.

No wonder that while Massachusetts lost jobs between 2023 and 2024, New York, Florida, Texas, and North Carolina all saw gains close to or over 1 percent.

North Carolina is especially notable because it competes for many of the same high-tech businesses as Massachusetts. In 2024, North Carolina saw a $10.8 billion expansion of its life science industry when 25 companies announced expansions or new facilities.

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, there’s a glut of unused laboratory space. In fact, Hasbro is slated to move into a space that its developer describes as a “laboratory building” in the Seaport.

Massachusetts still has the second highest number of PhDs in its workforce — but North Carolina isn’t far behind, ranking at 10. The state boasts a slate of prestigious research universities and is a far cheaper place to live and do business. While Massachusetts has the 12th highest corporate tax in the country, North Carolina is in the bottom five — and will phase out the tax entirely by 2029.

“The bigger picture is grim,” Jim Stergios, the executive director of the Pioneer Institute, said. A Pioneer report shows that the Greater Boston area lost about 30,000 private sector jobs over the past five years. Meanwhile, Charlotte and the Research Triangle — made up of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill — gained about a quarter million private sector jobs over the same period. “That’s the real competition,” Stergios said.

Competing with North Carolina means getting serious about improving the state’s competitiveness, either by reducing taxes, improving public infrastructure, reining in energy and housing costs, or a bit of all of the above.

Hasbro’s move to Massachusetts is good news, but it’s also a one-off victory — like landing on Free Parking. To put it in Monopoly terms: if the state really wants to reclaim our broader economic momentum, we just can’t expect people to keep paying Broadway costs.

[partslar...@aol.com]

How ironic and poetically rich. Once targeted by the woke cancel culture of Massachusetts, Hasbro and more specifically Mr. Potato Head, are now the financial saviors of Massachusetts' failing economic policy. What next, will Dr.Seuss books go into double full printing production?

This is too funny to ignore.

Michael dePierro

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[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Veronica B Smith Multi Services Senior Center

Fall Funnies with Comedian David Shikes!

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Brighton Branch of the Boston Public Library

THIS SATURDAY - A frightening flick for some October fun! Join the Brighton Branch for a screening of Sinners this Saturday, October 11 at 2:00 PM.

Rated: R. Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes. English subtitles. Viewers under 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

About the film:

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Brighton Bazaar

Rooted in Irish & Scottish ancestral traditions, @eldersistersapothecary is a women-owned business based in the Catskill Mountains.

Cultivated by herbalists, Elder Sisters Apothecary offers homegrown, small batch, organic herbal remedies, potions, and magickal goods. Every product is handcrafted in ritual by the phases of the moon that best supports the intention and magick of each one.

From herbal teas, tinctures, and salves, to incense, spell kits, and candles, @eldersisterapothecary is your one-stop-shop for artisanal elixir vitae.

The doctors are in, tomorrow and Sunday at the @howbazaarexpo!
Brighton Bazaar ‘How Bazaar Expo’ @ Brighton Elks Lodge
📆 Sat 10/11 + Sun 10/12 11-6pm
🎸 Live music aftershow – Sun 10/12 8-11pm
📍 Brighton Elks Lodge – 326 Washington St 02135
🗓️2 Days 🎪 80+ vendors 🎶 Vinyl DJ 🛍️ Vintage + Handmade 🎟️ Free + family friendly

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Notch Biergarten Sessions
Live Original Music in the Biergarten, Friday's 5:30 - 800PM!!! Aug 29 through Oct 10. FREE!!!
A residency from Hilken Mancini and Melisa Gibbs!
Guests and dates:
10/10 – Dave Fredette

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Immigrants and American Nobel Prizes (The Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal: October 8, 2025)

Three of the six U.S. science winners this year are foreign-born.

Welcoming immigrants to the U.S. is out of fashion on the political right these days, even for those who enter the U.S. legally. That’s short-sighted for America’s future prosperity, as this week’s news about the annual Nobel prize winners in the sciences shows again.

Six U.S. residents are among the nine winners in this year’s three Nobel science categories, and three of those six are immigrants. Three U.S.-based professors swept the physics prize, including Michel Devoret, an immigrant from France, and John Clarke, who came to the U.S. from the United Kingdom. They shared the prize with native-born American John Martinis for “quantum mechanical tunnelling.”

Omar Yaghi, an immigrant from Jordan, shared the prize in chemistry with an Australian and a Japanese national. They won for what the Nobel committee called “the development of metal-organic frameworks.”

Mr. Yaghi, a Berkeley professor, came to the U.S. as a teenager in a refugee family and had limited knowledge of English. He studied at a community college in Troy, N.Y., earned his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, and had faculty positions at Arizona State, Michigan and UCLA before joining Cal. Only in America, as some of us still like to say.

 

Professor Yaghi’s path speaks to the varieties of the U.S. immigrant experience. You never know who or how the poorest refugee or migrant might blossom into a world-class scientist or entrepreneur. This is talent the U.S. needs, and immigration is a force multiplier for American innovation.

 

Stuart Anderson at the National Foundation for American Policy has looked at the three science Nobels awarded since 2000, and immigrants make up 40% of the U.S. winners. As the nearby chart shows, it’s 45% for physics, 43% for chemistry and 32% for medicine.

 

Some of our readers will sniff that these are mere anecdotes and say the Trump White House supports legal immigration. Sorry, anecdotes matter because the contributions of individuals matter. And the restrictionists in the White House are trying to shrink even legal immigration too.

See its plan to make H-1B visas too expensive for all but the largest companies, and the campaign to reduce the number of foreign students at U.S. universities. This year’s Nobelists, like winners every year, were attracted to the U.S. in part because of the opportunities at great research universities. One inevitable if hard-to-calculate price of the Trump campaigns against immigration and the U.S. academy is that an unknown number of future potential prize winners will choose to study elsewhere, or return home after they have a degree.

Nobel prizes in the sciences are the result of intellectual capital built over decades of hard work and research. The U.S. will get fewer in the future if the Trump Administration won’t welcome legal immigrants and refugees.

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is announced in Stockholm, Wednesday. Peng Ziyang/Zuma Press

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Allston gets opulent. The Atlas Hotel promises ‘elevated comfort’ with a view. (Christopher Muther, Boston Globe: October 10, 2025)

The exterior of the Atlas hotel, scheduled to open next year, in Allston. Handout

The Atlas Hotel is in full hardhat-required construction mode. The 246-room hotel won’t be open for several months, so it takes a fair amount of imagination to envision the current cavernous concrete lobby transformed into the planned living room-like space where hotel guests can linger and lounge.

The same is true for the hotel’s under-construction ground-level restaurant, Ama, which will be run by the team behind Dorchester’s Comfort Kitchen. The restaurant will be a large, colorful space with outdoor seating that looks onto an adjacent greenway.

The Atlas is scheduled to open in winter 2026.

But the one part of the hotel that doesn’t require imagination is the view it offers of the Charles River and the Boston skyline. On a tour earlier this week, I took the elevator up to the 16th floor, which will house the hotel’s rooftop bar and restaurant, and tried to picture the scene here on a warm summer night. Yes, in its current state, the Atlas requires a lot of imagination. Earplugs would also be helpful to drown out the construction noise.

When it’s open, the rooftop restaurant (which will also be operated by the team behind Comfort Kitchen) will be like nothing else in Allston, but that could be said for much of the Atlas Hotel. Operated by Highgate management, the same company that runs posh properties such as the Newbury, the Ace Hotel in New York, and the Marker resort in Key West, the Atlas will be Allston’s first luxury hotel. Room rates will start at $325 based on season and availability.

Furniture for guest rooms and suites was custom-made for the hotel. Even the color of the hotel’s doors and room numbers, an electric shade of orange called piñata, is unique.

A rendering of a guest room at the Atlas hotel. When it opens, it will be 

Allston's first luxury hotel. Handout

The hotel is part of Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus. When complete, the 14-acre campus will operate like a self-contained village. It’s a mixed-use urban hub with laboratories, offices, residences, and conference spaces.

The first phase of Harvard's Enterprise Research Campus in Allston will 

include 440,000 square feet of labs. Tishman Speyer

The periscope-shaped hotel is the tallest and most prominent structure on the site. The front of the hotel facing Western Avenue is mirrored, while the sides of the building facing into the Enterprise Research Campus are covered in scalloped metal panels. The building was designed by Arkansas-based Marlon Blackwell Architects.

“I just have a gut feeling about it,” said Marlon Blackwell. “I could be wrong, but I have a feeling it’s going to be successful. It’s going to be a gathering place for the community. You don’t have to be in the labs. You don’t have to be at a conference. You can just be a citizen to be part of the community.”

The Atlas could already be facing competition from another hotel with its sights set on Allston. City Realty is proposing a seven-story, 96-room hotel for 393 Cambridge St., the current site of an automotive parts store. The application is currently under review by the city.

A rendering of a hotel called the Allston, which is proposed for 393

Cambridge St. in Allston. The project is currently under review by the city. KDI Architecture

“The hotel’s guests will contribute to the economic vitality of local restaurants, retail establishments, and service businesses, creating a multiplier effect that supports the broader commercial ecosystem in Allston," City Realty said in its filing to the city.

The proposal did not clarify whether the hotel would be luxury, utilitarian, or somewhere in between.

As the motto says: ‘Come. Sit. Stay.’ (Devra First, Boston Globe: October 9, 2025)

With FiDO Pizza, Allston gets a new neighborhood hangout

Topped with soppressata, garlic honey, chiles, and dollops of whipped ricotta, the 

Doc pizza is for those who appreciate heat. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Where to: FiDO Pizza, slinging pies and more at the Allston Labworks building.

Why: October is National Pizza Month, as if you needed an excuse. (Pretty sure every month is National Pizza Month in practice.)

Baked clams at FiDO Pizza in the Allston Labworks building. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

The backstory: Traveler Street Hospitality, the team behind FiDO Pizza, also runs South End spots Bar Mezzana, Black Lamb, No Relation, and Shore Leave. This is their first restaurant in a different neighborhood, and their first pizza parlor.

A Pizza Shop Chopped salad with salami, cheese, and crispy chickpeas. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

What to eat: Start with snacks: the Mighty Meatball, some spicy wings, baked clams with chorizo and breadcrumbs. (They’re not on the menu, but mozzarella sticks seem to be available with some regularity.) It’s not a complete meal without vegetables, so you’ll want to order a Caesar salad or the Pizza Shop Chopped, a hearty combination with salami, cheese, and crispy chickpeas. By this point, after watching beautifully charred pies come out of the ovens, you’re very ready for pizza. Pies are 16-inchers, and the indecisive can get different toppings on each half. There’s cheese, of course, with shreds of fresh basil; one topped with spicy sausage and onion; a mushroom pizza and a Buffalo chicken pizza; a white potato pie with Parmesan cream and guanciale. You’ll also find seasonal specials, like one made with butternut squash. If you appreciate heat, don’t miss the Doc, a spicy little number with soppressata, garlic honey, chiles, and dollops of whipped ricotta. For dessert, you could try chocolate budino or olive oil cake — or pasta. FiDO serves fusilli with pesto and baked eggplant rigatoni, as well as spicy sausage with creamy polenta.

Fusilli with pesto. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staf

What to drink: This is a seriously fun cocktail list. On draft: a Pepperoni Pizza-Groni, made with sausage-steeped booze. It’s savory and a little spicy, and it’s worth ordering at least once. A charred orange spritz and an espresso martini are on tap, too. Or ask someone behind the curved marble bar to make you a Tomato Vine Martini, Lambrusco Sbagliato, or Paper Plane. There are plenty of mocktails, beer (including Reissdorf Kolsch from a side pull tap, producing a thick, creamy head), and wine — from Austrian pinot blanc to a chilled Sardinian red.

FiDO's cocktail list includes the Lambrusco Sbagliato (left) and a Pepperoni Pizza-Groni on draft. 

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

The takeaway: Every neighborhood needs a hangout where friends and families can relax, eat pizza and a salad, and drink a nice cocktail. FiDO is that for Allston. On a Saturday night, it’s filled with little kids and their parents, couples out for a chill date night, fashionable young women at the bar talking up all the new restaurants they want to try, and everyone in between. As the restaurant’s motto says: “Come. Sit. Stay.”

250 Western Ave., Allston, 617-420-3436, www.fidopizza.com. Appetizers $5-$24, pizza $18-$26, large plates $22-$24, desserts $10, cocktails $15-$20.

The exterior of FiDO Pizza in Allston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

[Barbara Parmenter]

When you read this article, remember that the profits from the hotel at the ERC. as well as the expected lab and office rents, were what allowed for 86 (25%) of the 344 apartments there to be income restricted, including units at 30, 40, and 50% Area Median Income.

I'm not a big fan of fancy hotels, but 86 Boston households now have new housing they can afford who wouldn't have had that before. I know some folks thought this still wasn't enough when the deal was made, but it seemed to me as good as we could get (Mayor Wu had just come into office and negotiated that deal based on community demands).

It's extremely hard to get that level of inclusionary income restricted units if there is no offsetting lab or office or other high value development. So now that lab and office are overbuilt, it's going to be very tough.

It's also somewhat complex because it's a private developer building the ERC (Tishman Speyer) while Harvard owns the land, so acts as landlord to the developer. So it's Tishman, not Harvard, providing the 86 income restricted units as I understand.

Barbara Parmenter 

Brighton 

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[PJ Szufnarowski]

Welcoming immigrants who arrive legally is certainly not out of fashion. 

The whole premise of this article is simply based on propaganda and lies.

Get Outlook for Android

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From: cleveland-cir...@googlegroups.com <cleveland-cir...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Anthony D'Isidoro <anthony...@msn.com>
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2025 1:25:41 PM
To: Cleveland - Circle - Community Google Groups <cleveland-cir...@googlegroups.com>; Allston - Brighton Google Group <allstonbr...@googlegroups.com>; Brighton Allston Community Coalition <bacommunit...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Cleveland-Circle] Immigrants and American Nobel Prizes

 

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[Executive Director]

A shout out for Fido Pizza. The Allston Brighton Chamber of Commerce was able to try their pizza at our luncheon this past week and it was delicious. 

Cannot wait to go to the restaurant! 

Also want to plug the Park Bagelry! Bagels were amazing and they will have a separate station for ice cream coming. Perfect proximity to Smiths! 

Lots of cool things happening in LA!

Kelly

Brighton Main Streets

358 Washington Street

Brighton, MA 02135
617-779-9200

dire...@brightonmainstreets.org

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[partslar...@aol.com]

President Clinton and Obama deported multiple times more illegal immigrants than President Trump.

The USA accepts 1.2Million legal immigrants on an annual basis. They also allow migrant workers to enter with a proper Visa. Those 1.2million legal immigrants deserve the respect of a legal and controlled process.  

The liberal Democrats thrive on lies, double-standards, misdirection, gas-lighting, projection, and inciting violence to justify their own existence. The world is witnessing the hypocrisy, corruption and criminal behavior of the Democrat agenda.

The anarchy and fascism of the left needs to stop.

Michael dePierro

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cleveland-circle-community/MN0PR19MB59219752C7910553BED3D1A6CBECA%40MN0PR19MB5921.namprd19.prod.outlook.com.

[Barbara Parmenter]

Y'all need to read the article, which is from the conservative Wall Street Journal. It speaks to the point about the impacts of President Trump's policies, like charging $100,000 for HB-1 visas, on LEGAL immigration. I could list some other policies as well, but first read the article before claiming it's a lie.

Barbara 

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[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Mayor Michelle Wu Announces Team to Deliver Affordable Music Studio and Rehearsal Space in Allston-Brighton

City selects development and community engagement teams for first-of-its-kind cultural and residential space at 290 North Beacon Street

Mayor Michelle Wu, The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) and Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC) announced the selection of a development consultant and a music rehearsal studio consultant for the 290 North Beacon Project in Brighton. This project will create the City of Boston’s first publicly owned affordable music rehearsal studio space as well as new deeply affordable housing.

"Delivering new permanent studio rehearsal space alongside much needed public housing will be a historic achievement for our Allston-Brighton cultural community and citywide goal of preserving and growing new creative spaces in Boston," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "I am excited that The Community Builders and Webb Mgmt will help accelerate this work to stabilize our artists from displacement, a win for bolstering the cultural vibrancy of our city."

The Boston Housing Authority is leading the development process for 290 North Beacon and has selected The Community Builders (TCB) to join the development team. TCB brings decades of experience in delivering high quality mixed-use housing and arts developments utilizing creative financing sources, and partnerships across the public and private sector.

“BHA is committed to delivering the affordable housing that the Brighton neighborhood needs and the music rehearsal space that the Boston arts community deserves at 290 North Beacon,” BHA Administrator Kenzie Bok said. “With their deep experience, creativity, and expertise, The Community Builders will be an invaluable partner in helping our team bring this vision to life.  As our designated developer for Faneuil Gardens next door, they also have a strong familiarity with the surrounding neighborhood and residents. We look forward to working together to offer exciting opportunities for connection between all the communities invested in this important public site, in line with Mayor Wu’s vision of using public land for public good.”

To ensure this signature project meets the needs of the music community, the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture has selected Webb Mgmt as the music rehearsal space engagement consultants for the 290 North Beacon project. They will be assisted by Inquillinos Boricuas en Acción, Wilson Butler, and Accentech bringing together a team with extensive experience in creating high quality cultural and acoustic developments, and trusted relationships in Boston’s creative sector. This team will work with artists as well as the development team to ensure the priorities and interests of the music community are meaningfully reflected in the development of 290 North Beacon. 

“290 North Beacon brings together two of Boston’s most pressing needs—affordable housing and affordable creative space. This collaboration with the BHA will set a new precedent for how the City of Boston invests in cultural infrastructure,” said Joseph Henry, Director of Cultural Planning, Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. “We’re committed to delivering a space that reflects the true needs of Boston’s music community—one that’s affordable, and intentionally designed by and for the musicians who will use it.”

"I’m excited to partner with The Community Builders and the Boston Housing Authority to build an affordable arts and culture space in Brighton," said House Majority Leader Michael Moran. “This project will help give children in our community greater access to creative arts programs."

“I am thrilled that The Community Builders have been selected to develop the 290 North Beacon Street project in Brighton. Allston-Brighton has long served as a hub for Boston’s music, arts, and cultural scenes. Local musicians and artists, however, continue to face displacement due to the loss of rehearsal and performance space. The 290 North Beacon project will help address the needs of our music and arts communities through the development of affordable music rehearsal space and affordable housing,” said District 9 City Councilor Liz Breadon. “The Community Builders’ ongoing work on the redevelopment of the adjacent BHA Faneuil Gardens community has provided them with prior knowledge of the Allston-Brighton neighborhood. As the first arts and housing-centered project in the City’s history, I am confident that The Community Builders will bring its extensive experience to help realize this vital project.”

The 290 North Beacon site was transferred to the Boston Housing Authority from the Boston Planning & Development Agency, as part of a public benefit that was negotiated due to the loss of musician rehearsal and recording space at 155 North Beacon. As a result, 290 North Beacon was identified as a location for replacement of musician studio space and complementary arts uses. The goals for the 290 North Beacon site are to develop 40,000 square feet of musicians rehearsal/recording studio space and create new deeply affordable homes for Boston residents.

Over the fall the development team will roll out a formal engagement process to connect with musicians, artists, residents, and other community members to define key design priorities and considerations for 290 North Beacon. For further updates about 290 North Beacon please visit the BHA website here. 

Last updated: October 10, 2025

Published by: Mayor's Office

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

Why Are the Democrats Increasing Inequality? (David Brooks, The New York Times: October 9, 2025)

When Democrats are at their best, they are performing one job: reducing inequality and making American life more just. That’s what Franklin Roosevelt did with the New Deal and Lyndon Johnson tried to do with the war on poverty. That’s what Bill Clinton and Barack Obama did with their education reform policies. Both Clinton and Obama ran as education outsiders and change agents. In between those presidencies, Democrats worked with George W. Bush on the No Child Left Behind Act, which passed with a majority of 384-45 in the House and 91-8 in the Senate. No Child Left Behind was all about bringing accountability to America’s schools.

Because of those reform efforts, student achievement test scores in reading, math and most other academic subjects shot upward between the mid-1990s and about 2013. In 1990 48 percent of America’s eighth graders scored below basic competency in math. But by 2013 that was down to just 26 percent. The best part of this progress was that the scores of the most disadvantaged students shot up the most. Among Black students, the share of those scoring below basic in math fell from 78 percent to 48 percent. Among Hispanic students, it fell from 66 percent to 38 percent.

Student outcomes are rarely just about what happens in the schools. The policies of that so-called neoliberal era helped, too. Economic growth was strong; income inequality decreased. Between 1983 and 2010 the child poverty rate fell from 30 percent to about 17 percent.

Then came the financial crisis in 2008. States and families had less to spend on education. That slowed the increase in student achievement scores, but it did not stop it. The turnaround came in about 2013. Ever since then, American student achievement scores have been falling. Scores for students at the top end of the performance distribution are merely stagnant. But the scores of students from less privileged backgrounds are collapsing. Outcomes are becoming more and more unequal, and the life opportunities for American young people are becoming more unequal, too.

What happened around 2013?

Two things. The first was screens. If you use screens to read articles and books, you are building mental muscles, but if you use screens to passively consume short videos, you’re basically committing intellectual suicide.

As James Marriott argued in an essay that went viral several weeks ago, democracy and literacy rose together. The world of print is the world of logical, complex and rational ideas. An avid reader is absorbing disciplined habits of thought.

Because of smartphones, global literacy is in rapid decline. The share of American 18-year-olds who say they have difficulty thinking or concentrating has been rising since around 2013. The share of adults who lack basic literacy and numeracy skills is surging. I.Q. scores, which had been rising for a century, are falling in all but one category of the tests.

Smartphones are a global phenomenon, and sure enough, student achievement scores and general reasoning abilities are declining in many different nations around the world. But we shouldn’t be fatalistic about phones. They clearly impede intellectual attainment, but what really matters is what individuals, families, schools and nations do in response to them. And in this regard, U.S. performance is particularly terrible.

As Nat Malkus of the American Enterprise Institute has demonstrated, the achievement gap in the United States for science and math is growing far faster “than in any country with comparable data.” We have done almost nothing to protect our most vulnerable people from the scourge of the screens.

That’s in part because of the second thing that happened around 2013: The American political center collapsed. Populist Republicans replaced Bush-style Republicans. The populists didn’t like the way No Child Left Behind centralized power. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party shifted left. Progressive Democrats never liked the accountability regime in the first place, and since then, progressives have marginalized the moderate education reformers.

In 2015 Congress replaced No Child Left Behind with the Every Student Succeeds Act. The age of accountability was over; the age of equity was here. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, states no longer had to produce rigorous report cards on how schools were doing. Most Democratic states watered down the accountability mechanisms. For example, California revised its rating system, and magically, nearly 80 percent of its schools were ranked as medium- or high-performing.

George W. Bush had earlier warned of the “soft bigotry of low expectations,” but in the age of equity, schools moved to ease rigor and standards for poorer kids. Many schools stopped assigning whole books and started assigning short passages. What the education writer Tim Daly calls the education depression had begun.

Some people blame the Covid-19 pandemic for our catastrophically declining test scores. But the educational depression started before Covid and was only magnified by it. James H. Wyckoff of the University of Virginia estimates that about 47 percent of the decline in eighth grade math scores since the pandemic were “predicted” by trends that were already in place before the coronavirus hit.

You probably saw stories on the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress Report. The average 12th-grade reading scores are now lower than at any time since these reports began publishing 33 years ago. Once again, top performers merely stagnated, but scores from the lowest performers fell through the floor.

A few paragraphs ago I mentioned that during the accountability era, the number of Black students scoring below basic levels in math had fallen from 78 percent to 48 percent. Well, now that number is back up to 62 percent. My own conclusion is this: The equity approach is supposed to increase, well, equity. But by lowering accountability, rigor and standards, it produces more inequality.

We’ve now had 12 years of terrible education statistics. You would have thought this would spark a flurry of reform activity. And it has, but in only one type of people: Republicans. When it comes to education policy, Republicans are now kicking Democrats in the butt.

Schools in blue states like California, Oregon and Washington are languishing, but schools in red states like Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Louisiana, traditional laggards, are suddenly doing remarkably well. Roughly 52 percent of Mississippi’s Black fourth graders read at grade level, compared with only 28 percent in California. Louisiana is the only state where fourth-grade achievement levels have returned to prepandemic levels. An Urban Institute study adjusted for the demographics of the student bodies found that schools in Mississippi are educating their fourth graders more successfully in math and reading than schools in any other state. Other rising stars include Florida, Texas and Georgia.

Writing in Education Next, the scholars Michael Hartney and Paul E. Peterson report on an interesting turnaround. In 2019 deep blue states tended to have higher average reading scores for fourth graders than deep red states after adjusting for demographics. By 2024 that had flipped: “Red states rank highest, blue states lowest.”

The so-called Southern Surge came about because the red states built around a reading curriculum based on science, not ideology. The schools provide clear accountability information to parents and give them more freedom to choose schools. They send coaches to low-performing classrooms. They use high-quality tutoring, and they don’t promote students who can’t read, reducing the bureaucratic strings that used to control behavior in the classroom. They also hold schools and parents accountable. In Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, a child who isn’t reading at the end of third grade has to repeat it.

Where the hell are the Democrats? One gets the impression that many of them have spent the last decade deciding that social justice ideology is more important than reducing inequality. What was Joe Biden’s big K-12 education idea? Zippo. In 2024 there was nothing but a howling void where Kamala Harris’s education agenda should have been.

Fortunately, there are some bright spots.

A few days ago I was scrolling through my phone (yes, I have my own addictions) when I came across an astonishing video. Rahm Emanuel was speaking in Iowa and was asked about school reform. He proceeded to rip through a series of ambitious and credible ideas: Return K-8 to the fundamentals, like phonics, the way Mississippi is doing. Completely reinvent high schools, which haven’t changed in a century. Put a special focus on keeping freshmen on track, because once they are juniors it’s too expensive to try to get them on a better course. Create incentives for students who earn a B average to get books and transportation for free. Bring college into high school with dual credit programs so they can gain confidence and do advanced work. Make high school degrees contingent on students having a letter of acceptance from a college, the armed forces or a vocational training program so they have a plan for the day after.

In this video, I saw an impressive and even inspiring Democratic approach to improving student outcomes. It probably helps that Emanuel served in both the Clinton and Obama administrations, when the Democrats were a strong reform party. It probably helps that Emanuel was mayor of Chicago. Between 2009 and 2014, Chicago student learning improved from third grade to eighth grade at a faster rate than students in 96 percent of the school districts in the United States, according to a Stanford study. Between 2007 and 2019, Chicago’s high school graduation rates went from around 60 percent to 82 percent.

We can’t live in a country in which the party that dominates the rural areas has a proven educational agenda while the party that dominates the urban areas doesn’t. The Democrats lost part of their soul when they lost touch with the working class; they’ll lose whatever is left of it if they can’t be a party that champions equal opportunity. We can’t live in a country that is rapidly losing its basic intellectual abilities, where those who are least privileged get hammered the most.

 

[Anthony D'Isidoro]

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