Brookline Athlete Sets School Record

February 19, 2018

Senior forward Michal Alge, of Brookline, set a school record for most-ever career rebounds on the Yeshiva University women’s basketball team.

Alge grabbed her 832nd career rebound during the opening quarter, which breaks a program record that was previously held by Rebecca Yoshor. For the game, Alge produced a double-double with 12 points and 19 rebounds. Ten of Alge’s 19 boards were on the offensive side. The Boston native also forced three steals and distributed two assists. Alge entered the afternoon one rebound shy of tying the program record and two boards away from breaking it.

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Events Around Town

Brookline.com

February 19, 2018

David Polansky performance: 3:30 p.m., Wingate Residences at Boylston Place, 615 Heath Street, Brookline. Free; space limited. For information or RSVP: 617-244-6400. An accomplished musician, Polansky entertains audiences of all ages with a program that mixes music, humor, wit and sensitivity.

NT Live: “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”: 7:00 p.m., Coolidge Corner Theatre, 209 Harvard Street, Brookline. Cost: $20-$23. For information: wesley@coolidge.org; coolidge.org. Sienna Miller, Jack O’Connell and Colm Meaney star in Tennessee Williams’ play.

Yiddish Sing: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m., Boston Workmen’s Circle, 1762 Beacon Street, Brookline. Free. For information: 617-776-0448; circleboston.org. An informal, multigenerational gathering to sing Yiddish folk songs. Songbooks provided. Free. Open to all, regardless of singing ability or knowledge of Yiddish. Musical instruments welcome.

Saturday, Feb. 24

Friends of the Minot Rose Garden Spring spring organizational meeting: 9-10 a.m., Sussman House Community Room, 50 Pleasant Street, Brookline. For information: Linda, Minotroses@aol.com. Open to new volunteers. No previous experience necessary. An opportunity to find out about volunteering in the garden.

Review of “Born Yesterday:” 1:30 p.m., Wingate Residences at Boylston Place, 615 Heath Street, Brookline. Free; space limited. For information or RSVP: 617-244-6400. Film critic Dan Kimmel will review the 1950 comedy.

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Better Together: Joint Ventures for Small Businesses and Consultants: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m., The Village Works, 202 Washington Street, Brookline. Free. A roundtable discussion about creating joint ventures with colleagues in order to expand business and contract opportunities.

˜The Songs of Oscar Hammerstein”: 3:00 p.m., Wingate Residences at Boylston Place, 615 Heath Street, Brookline. Free; space limited. For information or RSVP: 617-244-6400. Cabaret singer Will McMillan and classical and jazz musician Joe Reid will perform “My Favorite Things: The Songs of Oscar Hammerstein.”

M.O.V.E.! workshops: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., Pine Manor Ferry Administration Building, 400 Heath Street, Chestnut Hill. For information: movegoals.com. Cathy Utzschneider will be holding a series workshops that apply her M.O.V.E.! goal achievement method that applies both to health and athletics, which she has been teaching in Brookline for 25 years. The first workshop will be led by Dr. Marwa Ahmed and will focus on goals for general health, the second will be led by Dr. Inez Kelleher and will be geared towards managing and staying strong with osteoporosis, and the third will be Marc Mangiacotti who will speak about the discipline of track and field influencing young adults – specifically for parents with children who like to run.

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Physician Finance: Planning for Residents: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., In Good Company, 1653 Beacon Street, Brookline. Free. For information: ingoodcompanyboston.com. Attendees learn how to protect themselves from the career risks that doctors face like malpractice. They will also learn some strategies for creating a solid financial foundation, saving for the future and paying down student debt.

Harry Downes Playground/Field design review meeting: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Town Hall, sixth floor, 333 Washington Street, Brookline. For information: Jessie Waisnor, 617-264-6490. Public design review process to discuss universal access into and within the park, improvement of the park’s perimeter and entries, new play equipment for all ages/safety surfacing, site furniture for seating and picnicking, renovation of the natural turf athletic field, drainage improvements, and refurbishment of the synthetic turf field and track.

Thursday, March 1

Rice and Beans Class: 6:15 – 7:30 p.m., Olive Connection, 1426 Beacon Street, Brookline. Cost: $25. For information: 617-879-9980; info@oliveconnection.com; oliveconnection.com. Chef Nathan will share a variety of ways to cook favorite beans from Rancho Gordo.

Wine and Investing: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., In Good Company, 1653 Beacon Street, Brookline. Free. For information: ingoodcompanyboston.com. Attendees will learn to identify which smells and tastes appeal to them, and get a better understanding of the investment basics like the difference between stocks, bonds and mutual funds.

Saturday, March 3

Ceramics Date Night: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., Brookline Arts Center, 86 Monmouth Street, Brookline. Cost: $80 per couple. For information or to register: 617-566-5715; office@brooklineartscenter.com; brooklineartscenter.com. Participants bring a date to the ceramics studio and learn to make their own pots together. Attendees bring light refreshments to enjoy as their teacher guides them through the basics of the wheel and handbuilding.

Sunday, March 4

Music for Viola, Clarinet and Piano: 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., Brookline Music School, 25 Kennard Road, Brookline. Free. For information: bmsmusic.org. Free; suggested donation of $10. The performance will feature Brookline Music School faculty members Stephanie Fong, viola; Aimee Tsuchiya, piano; and Rane Moore, clarinet. Followed by a meet-the-artists reception.

Robotics FUN-raiser: 6:30 – 9:00 p.m., The Makery, Coolidge Corner, 2 Sewall Avenue, Brookline. Cost: $25. For information or to register: brooklinemakery.com. Attendees hear the latest from leaders in the robotics field including Jibo, the first social robot for the home, along with Spyce, pioneers in restaurant robotics.

Thursday, March 8

“Ending Ageism”: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., Brookline Public Library, 361 Washington Street, Brookline. Free. For information: brooklineCAN.org; 617-730-2777. BrooklineCAN presents Margaret Morganroth Gullette, author of “Ending Ageism, or How Not to Shoot Old People.” Refreshments served from 6:00 – 6:30 p.m. Program and discussion from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

ONGOING

Watercolor exhibition: through Feb. 28, Gallery 93, 93 Winchester Street, Brookline. Watercolor paintings by Brookline artist Shirley Selhub.

“Discover Your Inner Resources: Tools for Living”: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, through March 6, Brookline High School, MLK Room and Atrium, 115 Greenough Street, Brookline. Cost: $40. For information: campusce.net. Also known as the Peace Education Program, created by The Prem Rawat Foundation. Each class, based on Prem Rawat’s international public addresses, will focus on a theme, including personal peace, appreciation, inner strength, self-awareness, clarity, understanding, dignity and choice. No class Feb. 20.

“The Dialogue Starts Here – HELLO Brookline”: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. March 1, Hunneman Hall, Brookline Public Library, 361 Washington Street; 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. April 3, Brookline Senior Center, 93 Winchester Street; 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. April 13, Putterham Branch Library Community Room, 959 West Roxbury Parkway, Brookline. To register: brooklinelibrary.org. Community members of all ages to come together and play a game developed by Common Practice. The game asks players a series of questions about their end-of-life wishes in a fun, light-hearted environment.

Release Rebalance Restore Essentrics Class: noon – 1:00 p.m. Fridays, through February, All Saints Parish, 1773 Beacon Street. Cost: $15-$65. For information: 617-738-1810; allsaintsbrookline.org. A full-body, rebalancing exercise program designed to slowly build strength, flexibility and balance. This class is for those who are new to, or returning to exercise, have slightly-limited mobility, or have atrophy-related stiffness, frozen shoulder or other chronic aches and pains.

Brookline Winter Farmers Market: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sundays through March 25, The Coolidge Corner Arcade, 318 Harvard Street, Brookline. For information: http://brooklinewfm.com.

Winter Learn-To-Skate classes: 4:00 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 1:00 p.m. Sundays, Brookline/Cleveland Circle Reilly Memorial Rink, 355 Chestnut Hill Avenue; 10:45 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, starting Dec. 2, Jack Kirrane Rink at Larz Anderson Park, 5 Newton Street, Brookline. For children, ages 4 ½ to 18. Participants can use figure, recreational or hockey skates. Beginner, intermediate and advanced classes available. For information or to register: Bay State Skating School, 781-890-8480; http://BayStateSkatingSchool.org.

Zen meditation and talk: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Thursdays, Eishoji Zen Center, 1318 Beacon Street, Brookline. Free; space limited. RSVP: Jason, 508-360-2323.

Al-Anon Family Group meeting: 7:00 – 8:40 p.m. Tuesdays, United Parish – Brookline, Choir Room, 210 Harvard Street, Brookline. For families and friends of problem drinkers. Anonymous, confidential and free. Open to newcomers.

Caffe’ Italiano — Free Italian Conversations: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday and noon Fridays, Coolidge Corner Library, meeting room, 31 Pleasant Street, Brookline. Supported by the Publish Library of Brookline and the Italian Consulate in Boston. A free and friendly Italian conversation, leaded by an Italian teacher. Participants practice and improve their Italian regardless of proficiency. No registration require; drop-in. For information: brooklinelibrary.org/events.

Game Day for Seniors at Putterham Library: 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Thursdays, Putterham Branch Library Community Room, 959 West Roxbury Parkway, Brookline. MahJongg, chess, Scrabble, dominoes, bring your own game or request. Handicapped accessible; wheelchair available. For information or to request a game: Helen, 617-942-7547.

Mindfulness Practice and Meditation: 7:00 – 8:40 p.m. Tuesdays, United Parish of Brookline, 210 Harvard St., Brookline. Attendees sit and walk mindfully together, read a text and share what comes up for us in the reading. MPCGB links the 17 ongoing meditation groups in the greater Boston area that practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, to build relationships and deepen the practice of mindfulness. Free. For information: 617-738-5917; Sangha.Matters@gmail.com.

Learn to Meditate: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Sundays, Shambhala Meditation Center of Boston, 646 Brookline Avenue, Brookline. Taught by qualified instructors, this basic meditation class is for beginners, as well as anyone who would like to refresh their understanding of the technique. Drop-in class; no registration required. Participants are welcome to come as often as you like, but the class is designed as a one-time introduction with the same content each week. Suggested donation: $5-$10. For information: 617-734-1498; boston.shambhala.org.

Overeaters Anonymous: 9:45 – 11:00 a.m. every Saturday, Brighton Marine Health Center, Hawes Building, third floor, 77 Warren Street, Brighton. Attendees find physical, emotional and spiritual recovery. For information: Deanna, 617-731-8150.

Car Crashes Into Anna’s Taqueria In Brookline

Brookline.com

February 18, 2018

Anna’s Taqueria opened for business as usual after a car crashed into the restaurant just before 4:00 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 in JFK Crossing.

“We are so grateful no one was injured during this morning’s incident. We’d like to give thanks to first responders and everyone else involved in the cleanup process,” tweeted the folks at Anna’s on Harvard Street.

The owner of the property called Boston Board Up, a company that specializes in emergency building repair and they were on the scene and had cleaned up the debris so that the restaurant was ready to go the next morning.

Police did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Brookline Man Arrested After Stabbing At Allston Gas Station

Brookline.com

February 18, 2018

A 39-year-old Brookline man was arrested early yesterday morning, accused of stabbing a man in a fight in a gas station parking lot in the Allston/Brighton area.

Ruoding Zhang was arrested after state troopers approached three men involved in an altercation outside a Speedway gas station near Brighton Avenue and Linden Street at 1:42 a.m., state police said.

State troopers learned that a 25-year-old had been assaulted and stabbed.

The stabbing victim was transported by Boston EMS to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for treatment, state police said.

Boston police and detectives arrived on scene and assisted state trooper Brendan Donovan, who located a knife believed to be the weapon used in the altercation.

Zhang was transported from the State Police Brighton Barracks to the Boston police for further booking, state police said.

Possible Hoarding May Have Fueled Apartment Fire In Brookline

Brookline.com

February 16, 2018

Officials say a possible case of hoarding may have caused a fire at an apartment building Friday morning in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Firefighters were called to Brook House Condominiums at 77 Pond Avenue at about 4:00 a.m. where a fire was showing in a 5th-floor apartment.

The fire reached 2-alarms but crews were able to quickly get the blaze under control.

Authorities said there was one person in the apartment at the time but he was able to make it out safely. He also refused medical treatment.

Because the apartment owner had his door shut, fire officials said the blaze was contained to just that unit.

The dozens of other residents who live in the building also made it out safely. They have been temporarily displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Authorities are investigating if the fire may have been fueled by a potential hoarding situation.

“We’re looking into a possible hoarding situation but very heavy fire in the construction of the building, you know, it holds the heat in. A lot of concrete. The fire is very hot, it self-vented and it broke through the windows on its own,” explained Brookline Deputy Fire Chief Robert Nelson.

2 Brookline Related Restaurants Make James Beard Semifinalists

Brookline.com

February 15, 2018

The 2018 James Beard Award semifinalists were announced Thursday morning, and among the honorees are two Brookline names.

Being nominated for a James Beard Award is a big deal for those in the food industry. It is often called the “Oscars” of the food world, and covers 21 different culinary categories. There were eight names from Massachusetts that made the list.

Brookline’s Taberna de Haro was a semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Program, one of two in New England. There were a total of 19 nominated in this category across the country.

Taberna de Haro is a tavern with an extensive Spanish wine menu and tapas in the St. Mary’s area along Beacon Street in North Brookline. Chef-owner Deborah Hansen spent eight years living in Spain, before coming back and opening the restaurant in Brookline. She and the restaurant are no stranger to awards. It’s selection was named Top 100 Wine Lists in America by the Wine Enthusiast magazine for the past three years (among other awards and recognition).

And Brookline’s own Irene Li, the co-owner and chef at Mei Mei on the Boston side of Audubon Circle near Fenway, was one of two New England chefs who made it into the category of rising chef. There were a total of 27 chefs nominated across the country. Li grew up in Brookline and her family still lives here even though her restaurant is on the Boston side.

Mei Mei started as a food truck in 2012 to acclaim, and then added the brick and mortar restaurant serving up creative Chinese-American cuisine made from local, sustainable ingredients. The restaurant opened in November 2013 and serves up casual truck-style lunch and contemporary table service dinner. Since then, they’ve also been no stranger to awards. Li has been named a James Beard Rising Star semi-finalist, StarChefs.com also awarded her as a Rising Stars winners for Concept. The restaurant was also one of Boston’s 50 Best Restaurants and Eater Boston’s Restaurant of the Year.

The long list of names will be winnowed down to a list of final Restaurant and Chef Award nominees on Wednesday, March 14, in Philadelphia. The annual awards gala will be May 7 in Chicago.

Brookline Police Officer Involved Crash In Coolidge Corner

Brookline.com

February 15, 2018

Brookline police are using the word “lucky” to describe the outcome of a non fatal crash involving a police officer in his police SUV and a woman driving a sedan in Coolidge Corner, that ended with her car up on the sidewalk next to Trader Joe’s.

Both the officer and the woman were taken to the hospital, said police, and both are expected to be OK. No passersby were reportedly harmed in the incident. The woman did not sustain any serious injuries but a friend described her as distraught.

The officer was responding to a call when he turned onto Beacon Street, according to police. The woman was driving inbound and the two collided, spinning the police cruiser around and sending the woman in her car up onto the sidewalk, bouncing off of a lamp pole and skidding down past the post box and newspaper boxes before it came to a stop in front of Trader Joe’s, according to police.

The lamp pole only appeared to have a large couple of scratches on it. Tire skid marks on the sidewalk and small pieces of the cars were all that was left of the ordeal by 8:00 a.m.

A woman said she was a friend of the woman who was injured in the crash said the driver had a green light at the time of the incident and described the woman as having “terror at the experience of being shoved onto the sidewalk due to sheer impact,” she said but declined to be named because she said she did not want to speak for her friend.

The crash closed down the inbound side of Beacon Street just as the morning commute was getting underway. Police routed drivers down Harvard and around the section of Beacon for less than an hour. By 7:30 a.m. the police SUV and the woman’s white Hyundai were towed and traffic was resuming.

“I’m just glad this happened so early before more people were here,” one officer told a man who appeared to be a DPW worker looking at the struck lamp post for damages after the cars were both removed from the scene.

Chiapas Photography Project Opening

Brookline.com

February 14, 2018

Respeto/Respect features photographs and trilingual text by 7 Maya women from two different ethnic-linguistic groups and non-traditional religions who are staff of the Chiapas Photography Project, and demonstrates Maya religious diversity and coexistence after decades of strife in the Chiapas, Mexico; these are values shared in common by Quakers and Maya/CPP. Issues also embedded in this exhibit include: indigenous and women’s rights and autonomy, post-colonialism, and decolonization.

Come hear Erica H. Adams, the curator of this exhibit, and General Mexican Consulate in Boston Emilio Rabasa discuss the project.

The event will take place on February 22 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the following address:

Brookline Public Library
Coolidge Corner – Meeting Room
31 Pleasant Street
Brookline, MA 02446

A Look At Slavery In Brookline

Brookline.com

February 14, 2018

Contrary to a common misconception, the North was not without slavery; in fact, most slave traders were from New England, and Brookline was no exception.

“We tend to think if slavery as a southern U.S. problem,” said Barbara Brown, a Brookline resident and member of Hidden Brookline, an organization that aims to shed light on the hidden histories of slavery and freedom in Brookline.

According to Brown, Brookline’s introduction to the slave trade began around 1675 with the enslavement of seven Native Americans. The enslavement of Native Americans was quite common, Brown said, as the government and white people were afraid that young Native American men would rise up against them, as had happened during King Philip’s War.

From 1675 to around 1800, the slave trade boomed. Many of Brookline’s household names like Edward Devotion, Henry Sewall, Thomas H. Perkins, Thomas Aspinwall and Joshua Boylston Esq. benefited from the slave trade.

“The slave trade was not considered a terrible thing to do,” said Brown. “It was part of ordinary business practices.”

Though slave traders were common in New England, most slaves were sent to the Caribbean. That is not to say that Brookline was without slaves. During the 1740s, at the height of slavery in Brookline, one household in four was a slave-owning property.

“We have records of people being sold into Brookline, usually around age 11,” said Brown.

Life as a Brookline slave

Life as a slave in Brookline was devastatingly lonely, Brown said. As a farming community, the properties were spread out and slaves were unlikely to meet each other. According to Brown, most slave-owners had jobs that took them away from their property, like military captains, doctors and ministers, so slaves were used to work the land.

“You were not likely to spend time with other enslaved people,” said Brown. “You were on your own and with no one on your side.”

Brown shared one story of a Brookline slave named Sambo, who while serving a meal to his owner and a guest, fell for a trick when his owner asked him which was heavier, a pound of iron or a pound of feathers. Sambo replied that a pound of iron was heavier.

Upon realizing his mistake, according to Brown, Sambo told his owner “well sir, which would you rather have fall on your head from a chimney?”

Though there are few details about Brookline’s enslaved, Sambo’s story is not singular. Going back through records, Barbara has discovered a few enslaved men with similar moments.

“These were men who found a way to maintain their dignity,” said Brown.

Records show that Brookline had a little over 80 enslaved people. Of those enslaved, two-thirds were men.

“The owners did not want women and they did not want children because they were in a place where they could buy new enslaved [men],” said Brown.

The need for inclusion in Brookline’s curriculum

In looking at curriculum in Massachusetts, Brown sees a gap in history lessons where slavery should be.

“We have a hard time in this country, and somewhat in Brookline as making slavery and the slave trade as not one side of our history but as essential to our history,” Brown said.

Slavery needs deeper attention in schools, according to Brown, as it makes up such a large part of history.

“Our notion of what it means to be free comes from this terrible history, our history,” said Brown.

Slavery’s presence in New England clashes with a common perception of the New England colonies as revolutionary and slave free. For Brookline High teacher and Hidden Brookline member Malcolm Cawthorne, Brookline’s history with slavery is not so much surprising as it is typical.

“It’s pretty typical that wealthy people in America were connected to slavery in some way, shape or form,” said Cawthorne.

Having grown up in Brookline and gone to Devotion – named after Edward Devotion, who was a slave owner – Cawthorne said Brookline’s history with slavery was something he was always sort of aware of, and when he began researching it more at an older age, what he learned didn’t produce an ‘ah hah’ moment, rather it made him feel vindicated.

“For me it was always on the peripheral, stuff I hadn’t truly absorbed” said Cawthorne.

This is true for many Brookline students.

Brown recounted a moment that Cawthorne shared with her from when he took one of his African American Studies classes to see the Town Hall plaque that lists the names of men from Brookline who marched to the Battle of Lexington. Included on that plaque are the names of three enslaved men who also marched. Upon learning who those men were one of Cawthorne’s students reportedly said it made him angry, because he had never learned this part of Brookline history.

“I think for a lot of kids, Brookline is depicted as this liberal bastion of fairness and equality, until they find out that’s not true history,” said Cawthorne. “Of course things aren’t fair; the reality of history tells us something different.”

Brookline is taking steps towards incorporating slavery more into the curriculum. About two years ago the schools introduced a unit on slavery into the third grade curriculum. Cawthorne would like to see the schools take it a step further.

Slavery is something that needs to be incorporated in at the high school level, he said.

“We have to give a deeper look,” said Cawthorne.

Remembering Brookline’s 84 enslaved people:

Ackey
Adam
Ben Boston
Boston
Bung
Caesar
Caesar
Charles
Coff
Cuff
Cuff
Cuffe
Dido
Dinah
Dinah
Dinah
Dinah
Dinah
Exeter
Felix
Flora
George

Great David
Hagar
Hawkins
Jack
Jack
Jack
Jackie
Jane
Jenny
Jenny
Jeremy
Jethro
John Indian
Kate
Kate
Kate
Katherine Cuff
Kent
Lemon
Margaret
Moll
Pamela

Peter
Peter
Phillis
Phillis
Pompey
Primus
Primus
Primus
Prince
Quaco
Reube
Rose
Rose
Sambo
Seco
Titus
Tobey
Tounnaquin
Venus
Venus
Violet
Warwick
William
– and eighteen whose owners listed them in documents simply as ‘negro’

Brookline Man Accused Of Masturbating While Peering Into Women’s Apartment

Brookline.com

February 14, 2018

A Brookline man is accused of touching himself outside a Brighton apartment and scaring the two women who live there.

One of the woman reported seeing the guy pacing outside her apartment around 11:00 p.m. Monday, and when she got inside her roommate saw him peering through the window and touching himself.

“They looked out their window and the could see the defendant walking back and forth along the walkway and then kneeling in front of a window and they watched him move his arm in a motion that would be consistent with masturbating,” an assistant district attorney said in court.

The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Bruce Seals, hid his face in court but has previously been arrested for similar behavior.

Neighbors said the report is concerning in an area that is generally considered safe.

“It’s definitely very disconcerting as a woman living in this neighborhood and in these buildings my building is on the first floor and I feel very uncomfortable with that,” Kathryn Harris said.

Seals lives just a few blocks away from where the alleged incident happened, and a man who identified himself as Seals’ housemate told Boston 25 News he had not heard about the arrest.

In court a judge set bail at $2,500 and ordered Seals to stay away from the victims.

Posters Welcoming All Go Up Across Brookline

Brookline.com

February 13, 2018

Brookline is soon to be plastered in posters welcoming visitors to the community in 28 different languages.

On Feb. 10, the Commission for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations led a team of community members on a mission to distribute those welcome posters to local businesses, public buildings, offices and places of worship. On Feb. 11, the commission held a unity event to celebrate the signs and thank volunteers.

Bright and colorful, the posters send a simple message – all are welcome.

The inspiration for the posters came from the signs that popped up around town with slogans that stated “We don’t care where you’re from, we’re glad you’re here” and “Hate has no home here.”

The core of those messages resonated with Commission Chair Kelly Race and other members, and they thought that having the same sign hanging all over Brookline would send a message not just of welcome but of united welcome.

“It’s difficult times right now, and we want to say that Brookline is a welcoming community,” Race said.

In designing the poster, the commission wanted a positive message that started positive rather than with a negative idea like some of the signs that had popped up around town.

“We just didn’t like that idea, ‘we don’t care,’” Race said. “Wouldn’t it be nicer, ‘we do care’?”

In addition to the positive message of welcome, the poster emphasizes the importance of diversity with the phrase “Diversity strengthens Brookline” stretching out below the image of a tree.

“The ‘Diversity strengthens Brookline’ is important because it does,” said Race. “It is the core of this community.”

So far the response to the posters has been positive, Race said.

In addition to local businesses, Race said the posters have gone up in town buildings and the police department. According to Race, Superintendent Andrew Bott has also been supportive and is working to bring the posters to Brookline schools.

In distributing the posters, Race said the commission is mainly focused on bringing the posters to public spaces where they will be seen, as opposed to residences. The commission has also talked of putting up signs on the street lights as well, according to Race.

Over the past few days the commission has distributed around 400 posters, according to Race, and even more will be distributed in the days to come.

Those interested in receiving a poster should contact the Department of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations.

Mass Pike Rebuild Project Could Mean Better Public Transit For Brookline

Brookline.com

February 13, 2018

As MassDOT looks to finalize the details of its I-90 Allston Interchange Improvement Project, Brookline is weighing in on the project.

Curving around old rail yards and toll booths, the project is intended to improve the outdated I-90 viaduct, thereby improving traffic flow and creating space for development and enhancing connectivity and livability in the area. According to MassDOT’s website, this section of the highway has an average traffic volume of around 144,000 vehicles per day.

Though located in Allston, the project is seen as an opportunity for Brookline.

“It will be big and it will be at Brookline’s doorstep,” said Transportation Board member Chris Dempsey.

Recently, Brookline’s Transportation Board presented its feedback on the project in a nine-page letter to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which is currently reviewing MassDOT’s plans.

The main element of the project is to straighten the I-90 viaduct which currently curves around rail yards and toll plaza space no longer in use. Straightening the viaduct will open that unused land – which Harvard University has purchased – for development of housing, commercial space and civic space, according to Dempsey.

In addition to updating the viaduct, the project is expected to benefit pedestrians, cyclists and public transit.

In particular, the project includes the creation of a new commuter rail stop on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Line, to be named West Station. This station would serve as an alternative to those who currently use the B-line, Dempsey said, by offering faster service to downtown Boston.

Train service is not the only benefit to public transit users. The Transportation Board sees West Station as the opportunity to introduce a direct bus route to areas like Harvard Square.

“This is an opportunity to have a new bus line or a rerouted bus line that offers a more direct route,” said Dempsey.

Some Brookline residents have expressed concern that the new bus route and West Station would increase traffic in Brookline.

“Those are concerns the Transportation Board understands and supports,” Dempsey said. ”[The buses] would provide great access to Brookline without being on our streets.”

According to Dempsey, MassDOT has indicated that it would not start construction of West Station until 2040. In its letter, the Transportation Board asked that construction start much earlier so as to encourage transit-oriented development, rather than car-oriented development, Dempsey said.

Depending on the design that MassDOT chooses, the changes stemming from the viaduct’s new layout could allow for easier access to the Charles River and the Esplanade.

According to Dempsey, MassDOT has indicated preference for a design option for an elevated, widened viaduct with shoulders and pull off space. Brookline prefers a different option.

According to Dempsey, the Transportation Board prefers a different option that would create a ground-level highway kept at the width it is today. This would enable a better connection to the Esplanade and Charles River and would save money.

The ground-level option is estimated to have a cost difference of about $100 million according to Dempsey.

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs is expected to review the letter, as well as any input from other communities, and weigh in on MassDOT’s plans, according to Dempsey.

$400 Worth Of Razors Stolen: Brookline Police Logs

Brookline.com

February 13, 2018

Here is a sample of the types of calls the Brookline Police department responded to this weekend.

Saturday, Feb. 10

Drunk: Someone called to report a drunk person at Bendi’s Fine Fitting & Talyor on Beacon Street. This person was transported to a hospital just before midnight.

Stolen: Someone called to report he left his wallet at Winn Residential on Village Way and later got an alert that someone was using his debit card. He said his wallet with license and social security card was in it.

Some friend: Someone came into the station to report his car was now stolen after he had made an unofficial agreement with his friend to rent his car. He said his friend had stopped paying him but still had the car.

Shoplifting: Someone reported a shoplifting incident at Back Motion on Beacon Street and then someone else reported one at the TJ Maxx on Harvard Street.

uh, if a tree falls in Brookline: A Lee Street resident called to report a large tree had started to fall on the main roadway and was precariously balanced against another tree. She wanted advice.

Sunday, Feb. 11

Suspicious: Two people called separately about someone they thought was fishy. An employee at a local pub said they saw a someone acting weird at the Station Street parking lot around 1:05 a.m.

Noisy: Someone on Beacon Street was given a citation for being too loud after midnight after being given a warning an hour earlier.

Oops: A Stearns Road resident called to report they were locked out of their apartment… and there was a burning candle inside.

Monday, Feb. 12

Vandals: Someone reported a sign on Fuller Street was vandalized somehow.

Lock your car: Someone came into the police station at 5:23 p.m. to report his truck, which was parked on Brookline Ave earlier this morning for an hour, was broken into and his bag of tools was taken. He said his his vehicle was unlocked.

Looking for a close shave: A manager at CVS on Beacon Street reported someone came in and stole about $400 worth of men’s razors on Saturday.

Pedestrian hit: Someone called to report a person was hit by a Toyota Prius near the corner of St. Paul street and Longwood Avenue. The person refused ambulance transport. The driver of the car was issued a citation.

Entryway pirates: Someone from the building management at a Parkman Street reported that there had been several packages stolen from the common area in the building over the past few days, including at least two stolen today.

Fire: Someone called to report an outside fire in a rear lot on Pleasant Street around 10:47 p.m. The person who called said she thought it was set by teens.

Larcenies, Car Theft Up, Most Other Crime Down: Brookline Police

Brookline.com

February 12, 2018

There has not been a murder in Brookline for a decade and most crime in town is down compared to previous years, but larcenies and car thefts are up from last year, according to data just released by the Brookline Police Department.

Larcenies were up 11 percent from 476 to 527 and the number of car thefts were up from 7 to 10. Total property crimes (burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft) are up 9 percent with 597 this year compared with 547 last year.

Still, the incidents of crime reported over the entire year was down 67 percent from where it was in 1994 and is the second lowest year in that time. And total violent crime (murder, rape, robbery and assault) are down 7 percent – from 153 in 2016 to 142.

Police attributed the increase in larceny and car thefts for 2017 to crimes of opportunity – such as thefts of packages in unlocked foyers, thefts from unlocked motor vehicles and bikes.

“These thefts are often perpetrated by addicts in need of money to support their habit. Brookline is not immune to the opioid crisis we are seeing across America. In 2017, there were 26 reports of overdoses in Brookline, 17 of which indicated opiate usage,” according to the report.

And speaking of drug usage, Narcan was administered 14 times and there were three-opioid related deaths in town.

As far as other crime: In 2017, rapes were down from six reported in 2016 to four reported last year. Robberies were down from 12 to seven, assaults were down from 135 to 131, burglaries were down from 64 to 60.

Of the 739 Part A crimes reported last year, 123 cases were cleared by arrest, 80 cleared by court action, 43 cleared “exceptionally,” 14 closed by completed service, 3 cleared by referral and 1 was closed by other means, resulting in a 36 percent clearance of crimes for the year.

All four rape cases were considered closed, 86 percent of the assault cases, 57 percent of the robberies, 25 percent of burglaries, 24 percent of larcenies were all considered cleared last year. None of the car thefts were cleared.

There are some 739 active cases still under investigation.

The report could be found here.

Brookline’s Rebecca Stone Kicks Off Run For State Rep

Brookline.com

February 12, 2018

Rebecca Stone’s campaign for State Rep kicked off February 11, with a packed party at the home of Stuart Shieber and Cassia Wyner, in the heart of the district she hopes to represent, the campaign announced Sunday night.

The former Chair of the School Committee and longtime Town Meeting member, told the crowd that home was where she launched her campaign that won her seat for School Committee in 2005. “Stuart and Cassia’s house is my good luck charm,” she said.

Stone is seeking the Democratic nomination for State Representative from the 15th Norfolk District, the seat held by Rep. Frank Smizik, who announced his decision to retire late last year. She’s up against Town Meeting Member Tommy Vitolo so far.

Stone’s campaign is co-chaired by Casey Hatchett, a Brookline police officer who is also co-chair of the Brookline Women’s Commission and a Town Meeting Member from precinct 12. Former Advisory Committee Chair Harry Bohrs is her other campaign co-chair.

“The work and experience of being on the School Committee prepares you for the challenges and responsibilities of being a State Representative in ways few other things can,” Bohrs told the crowd, according to a press release.

Bohrs gave Stone credit for sounding the alarm on increased school enrollment, the need for additional school space, and the need to begin acting immediately, according to the campaign.

Stone credited her parents for inspiring her career in public policy and public service. At the dinner table growing up, she told the crowd, “they would talk about what really mattered: how we treat each other, what it means to act with integrity, and whether you are willing to stand up for what is right.”

Stone related that her father directed a pathbreaking play in 1963 about the African American experience called In White America. Her math-teacher mother founded a non-profit, opening the world’s first community technology access center in the basement of a Harlem housing project in 1980.

“My brothers and I understood that success in our parents’ eyes meant not just making a living, but making a difference,” Stone said.

Stone’s own professional history includes editing a newspaper for consumer advocate Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen, handling human rights and foreign policy legislation for two Members of Congress, advocating for adolescent reproductive rights and health care, and studying the dynamics of race and power imbalances in community building efforts.

Stone said her 12 years of Town-wide service on the School Committee was an eye opening experience that would help her serve Brookline from Beacon Hill.

“Rebecca is committed to achieving the shared goals of those she represents, and she works collaboratively with those outside her immediate constituency to achieve those goals,” said Town Meeting Member Bobbie Knable.

That appeared to be the theme of the evening.

“Political expediency creates laws with unfunded mandates that steal time and money from our schools and Town. Brookline needs someone on Beacon Hill who knows how these things affect our students, our teachers, our seniors, local businesses, our Town,” Stone said according to the campaign. “Someone who is watching out for Brookline and ready to act.”

Stone has lived with her family near the Lawrence School in Brookline Village/Coolidge Corner South Side since 1999. She has been a Town Meeting Member since 2002 and was elected to the Brookline School Committee four times, serving from 2005 – 2016. Stone was Vice Chair and then Chair of the Brookline School Committee from 2009-2012. She and her husband have two children who graduated from the Lawrence School and Brookline High School. She has been a consultant to non-profits and philanthropy for the past fifteen years, most recently developing special grant initiatives in family strengthening for the William J. and Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation. Stone has served on myriad committees over the years in Brookline, including the original Green Dog Program committee, the Selectmen’s [sic] Climate Action Committee, the Community Development Block Grants committee, B-SPACE, and the Steps to Success Board of Directors.

Stone’s endorsers include Select Board Chair Neil Wishinsky, BCAN founders Carol and Frank Caro, School Committee Chair David Pollak, Library Board Chair Puja Mehta, Housing Board Chair David Trietsch, Building Commission Chair Janet Fierman, and former School Committee Chairs Kitty Ames, Helen Charlupski, Kevin Lang, Judy Meyers, Alan Morse, and Henry Warren, according to the campaign.

9th School Public Hearing

Brookline.com

February 11, 2018

After hearing the Mid-Point Progress Update on the work HMFH has done to date to study the existing school site options on February 8th, the Select Board and School Committee are holding a public hearing to hear input from community members.

Please review the presentation that will be shown at the Public Hearing and come provide your input on February 12th at 7:00 p.m. at the Brookline High School Auditorium.

Presentation on evaluation of existing school sites done by HMFH Architects

Judge Decides Former Brookline Firefighter Gerald Alston’s Lawsuit Can Move Forward

Brookline.com

February 9, 2018

In the latest installment of former Brookline firefighter Gerald Alston’s case against Brookline, a federal magistrate judge has decided that Alston can move forward with his lawsuit against the town and 10 individuals.

In 2013, Alston filed a case in federal court claiming a pattern of systematic racism and retaliation within the town. This came after Alston complained about a racial epithet left on his voicemail by a white supervisor in 2010, and later lost his job in 2016 following a lengthy internal investigation.

In his case, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, Alston is suing the Select Board, town counsel and the Human Resources director, collectively as the town. He is also suing the individual board members, town counsel and the Human Resources director personally in the same case.

On Feb. 6 Magistrate Judge Page Kelley denied a motion to dismiss the case against the 10 individuals listed as defendants.

“Alston is a member of a racial minority and … he has adequately alleged that the Town defendants and each of the individual defendants engaged in racial discrimination, including harassment, retaliation, and termination, that adversely impacted his employment,” Kelley wrote in her report.

In separate decision also made on Feb. 6, Kelley dismissed the use of some claims of racism made in the case against the defendants. This means that while Alston can move forward with his case, some of the claims cannot be brought up in court as they do not directly relate to Alston’s case, Kelley wrote in her decisions.

Despite this, Alston is still able to use the examples of what happened with police officers Prentice Pilot and Estifanos Zerai-Misgun, who complained of racism within the police department and were fired in 2017.

“We’re pleased the judge denied the individuals’ defense’s motion to dismiss and did a lot of work in analyzing the claims,” said Alston’s attorney, Brooks Ames.

Both Alston and the defendants have 14 days from the time of the decision to file objections to the decision.

Town Counsel Joslin Murphy did not respond to requests for comment.

View Kelley’s full report here.

Werner Hertzog Comes To Brookline’s Coolidge Theatre

Brookline.com

February 8, 2018

If you have not walked past the Coolidge Corner Theatre recently, you may have missed the signals: the posters, the screenings of “Into the Inferno”, “Grizzly Man” and “My Best Fiend”. It all points to this afternoon, when the theater will honor iconic filmmaker Werner Hertzog.

Herzog has produced, written, and directed some 60 feature and documentary films. Francois Truffaut, called him “the most important film director alive.”

It may come then as no surprise that the Coolidge Corner Theatre chose to honor him at this year’s Coolidge Award.

“He’s been on our wish list for year. Everyone on staff is a huge fan of his films,” said Beth Gilligan of the Coolidge Corner. The criteria for the annual award is someone who has contributed to the art of film and film making and original and creative contributions, she said.

“He’s certainly more than creative. And he’s had such a long and diverse career,” she said adding that the fact Herzog was accomplished in both narrative and documentary film styles stood out to them.

What was a surprise, she said, was that Herzog said he would come receive the award. Last year when the Coolidge decided to award Actress Jane Fonda they had some faint connection to her. This year the folks at the theatre decided he was their first choice but did not have any connections and had to just email his office.

“This was really just a shot in the dark,” she said. They emailed and hoped he’d say yes.

“He emailed us from Moscow where he was filming Gorbachev,” said Gilligan. “He said he was really impressed with the caliber of people we had previously honored.”

Herzog will be in town for a Q&A following an afternoon screening of one of his documentaries that debuted in 2016 and then on stage again in the evening to receive the Coolidge Corner award at a fundraiser for theatre.

The first event was a way to host a more inclusive event for those who couldn’t afford to shell out the money for the more expensive black tie dinner.

But tickets sold out fast.

“I think his appeal is really multi-generational,” said Gilligan. Herzog has been a guest star on the sitcom Rick and Morty. He has been on Parks and Rec and then there are those who have been following his decades long career.

As for what the folks at the theatre hope others will get out of Herzog’s presence?

“He’s really a visionary film makers he’s carved out a career and a life for himself that’s quite unique and goes to show you can accomplish so much. I hope people hear him and are inspired by that and his movies are really uniquely cinematic. There’s no comparison seeing those, they’re so extraordinary,” she said.

And seeing them at the Coolidge is another reminder the brilliance of watching movies in a theatre, she adds.

“We’re just really honored that he’s said yes and is coming. It’s just a thrill and an honor to get to host guests of this stature.”

More on Herzog from the theatre:

Herzog is widely known for his prolific and daring body of cinematic work, including both narrative and documentary pieces. He began his film career in the early 1960s and quickly established himself as a powerhouse within the evolving New German Cinema movement of the 1970s.

Over the next several decades Herzog would challenge and inspire movie-going audiences with his stunning excessive realism, eccentric and deeply intense protagonists, and poignant visions of anti-conformity.

He has produced, written, and directed more than sixty feature and documentary films comprising such world-cinema classics as Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972), The Enigma of Kasper Hauser: Every Man For Himself and God Against All (1974), Nosferatu (1978), Fitzcarraldo (1982), Lessons of Darkness (1992), Little Dieter Needs To Fly (1997), My Best Fiend (1999), Grizzly Man (2005), and Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010). In addition to his dynamic directorial career, Herzog has published more than a dozen books of prose, and directed as many operas.

More about the award, from the theatre:

The Coolidge Award, launched in 2004, recognizes a selected film artist whose work represents original and outstanding contributions to cinema. Previous honorees include actress Meryl Streep (Sophie’s Choice, The Devil Wears Prada), actor/artist Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises, Lord of the RingsTrilogy), director Jonathan Demme (Rachel Getting Married, Stop Making Sense, Silence of the Lambs), film editor Thelma Schoonmaker (Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Departed), cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, The Conformist, Reds), director Zhang Yimou (Hero, Raise the Red Lantern), film producer Jeremy Thomas (Sexy Beast, The Last Emperor) and animators the Quay Brothers (Street of Crocodiles, Institute Benjamenta).

Brookline Bank Names Leslie Joannides-Burgos Senior Vice President, Division Executive Of Retail & Business Banking

Brookline.com

February 7, 2018

Brookline Bank announced today that Leslie Joannides-Burgos has been named Senior Vice President, Division Executive of Retail and Business Banking. Joannides-Burgos, who has been a Vice President and Regional Manager at Brookline Bank for the past five years, will be responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of Brookline Bank’s Branches, Business Banking Officers, Financial Advisors, Mortgage Loan Officers, and the Bank’s Customer Service/Call Center.

“Leslie has been an invaluable member of our team and I look forward to the leadership contributions she will bring to her new role,” said Darryl Fess, President and CEO of Brookline Bank. “Her experience across business lines and strong ability to bring all that the Bank has to offer our clients will help drive growth and serve our customers with excellence.”

“I view my new leadership role as an opportunity to deepen the financial solutions that the Brookline Bank team delivers every day to both individuals and business customers alike,” said Joannides-Burgos. “Whether it is cash management services for businesses, investment options for the owners, or mobile banking for family members, we have the colleagues and products to help every type of client meet any financial need.”

Joannides-Burgos brings 28 years of banking experience in sales, service, operations, colleague engagement, and development to the Division Executive role. She has been with Brookline Bank since 2012. Prior to that she held positions at leading financial institutions across Massachusetts and in Florida. She has received several industry distinctions throughout her career. Joannides-Burgos holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.

About Brookline Bank

Brookline Bank is a subsidiary of Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKL), and is headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts. A full-service financial institution, Brookline Bank provides individuals and businesses with deposit and lending services, residential mortgages and home equity lending, commercial and CRE banking, cash management, merchant services, and access to investment services. Brookline Bank operates 25 offices in Greater Boston. For more information go to brooklinebank.com. Brookline Bank is an Equal Opportunity and Equal Housing Lender. Member FDIC / Member DIF.

Investment and insurance products and services are offered through INFINEX INVESTMENTS, INC. Member FINRA/SIPC. Brookline Investment Services is a trade name of the bank. Infinex and the bank are not affiliated. Products and services made available through Infinex are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency of the United States and are not deposits or obligations of nor guaranteed or insured by any bank or bank affiliate. These products are subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Brookline To Host Affordable Housing Presentation

Brookline.com

February 7, 2018

Brookline’s Economic Development and Housing Advisory boards will host a presentation and panel discussion Feb. 15 on creating mixed-use developments and affordable housing in town. The guest speaker will be Northeastern University economist Barry Bluestone, who will offer a perspective on Greater Boston’s “explosive real estate and jobs economy” and how that impacts housing affordability, the town said in a statement on its website.

Bluestone is the lead author of the Greater Boston Housing Report Card for 2017, published by the Boston Foundation. That report found that while there is a building boom for homes in Boston itself, permitting in the surrounding region has dropped since 2015, helping to keep housing prices high. Panelists from the two town boards “will explore how Brookline can encourage appropriate mixed-used development with more affordable housing, while also expanding the town’s commercial tax base,” the statement said. The presentation will be held in the Select Board’s Hearing Room at Brookline Town Hall, 333 Washington Street, starting at 7:00 p.m.

Insider Selling: Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (BRKL) Director Sells 5,000 Shares Of Stock

Brookline.com

February 7, 2018

Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) Director John A. Hackett sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.25, for a total transaction of $81,250.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 31,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $511,875. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

John A. Hackett also recently made the following trade(s):

On Thursday, November 16th, John A. Hackett sold 2,000 shares of Brookline Bancorp stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.00, for a total transaction of $30,000.00.

Shares of Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (BRKL) remained flat at $$16.15 on Wednesday. The stock had a trading volume of 75,721 shares, compared to its average volume of 311,504. The stock has a market cap of $1,241.85, a P/E ratio of 23.75 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.16 and a quick ratio of 1.16. Brookline Bancorp, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $13.60 and a fifty-two week high of $17.05.

Brookline Bancorp (NASDAQ:BRKL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The bank reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.20 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $63.47 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $61.22 million. Brookline Bancorp had a net margin of 17.11% and a return on equity of 7.58%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.19 earnings per share. research analysts predict that Brookline Bancorp, Inc. will post 0.9 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.09 per share. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 15th. Brookline Bancorp’s payout ratio is 52.94%.

A number of research analysts have commented on BRKL shares. Sandler O’Neill cut shares of Brookline Bancorp from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 19th. BidaskClub cut shares of Brookline Bancorp from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Finally, Piper Jaffray Companies restated a “hold” rating and set a $16.50 price target on shares of Brookline Bancorp in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. California Public Employees Retirement System increased its holdings in shares of Brookline Bancorp by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 358,649 shares of the bank’s stock worth $5,631,000 after buying an additional 3,852 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas acquired a new stake in shares of Brookline Bancorp during the fourth quarter worth approximately $410,000. Aries Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of Brookline Bancorp during the fourth quarter worth approximately $372,000. Aperio Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brookline Bancorp by 36.6% during the fourth quarter. Aperio Group LLC now owns 32,929 shares of the bank’s stock worth $517,000 after buying an additional 8,830 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Moody Aldrich Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brookline Bancorp by 26.3% during the fourth quarter. Moody Aldrich Partners LLC now owns 140,084 shares of the bank’s stock worth $2,199,000 after buying an additional 29,175 shares in the last quarter. 77.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Brookline Bancorp Company Profile

Brookline Bancorp, Inc operates as a multi-bank holding company for Brookline Bank and its subsidiaries; Bank Rhode Island (BankRI) and its subsidiaries; First Ipswich Bank (First Ipswich) and its subsidiaries, and Brookline Securities Corp. As a commercially focused financial institution with 50 full-service banking offices throughout greater Boston, the north shore of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the Company, through Brookline Bank, BankRI and First Ipswich (individually and collectively the Banks), offered a range of commercial, business and retail banking services, including cash management products, online banking services, consumer and residential loans and investment services throughout central New England, as of December 31, 2016.

26th Annual “A Woman Who Inspires Me” Essay Contest

Brookline.com

February 6, 2018

In celebration of National Women’s History Month, the Brookline Commission for Women (BCW) is currently running its 26^th annual “A Woman Who Inspires Me” Essay Contest and accepting nominations for the 2018 Brookline Woman of the Year.

For the “A Woman Who Inspires Me” Essay Contest, all 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students who live in Brookline or attend a public or private school in Brookline are eligible to submit an essay that honors a woman who inspires them.

The “Women Who Inspire Me” essay contest is an important part of chronicling the history of women in Brookline and encourages students to reflect on those who make an impact on their lives. Essay contest winners will be honored at an awards ceremony on Thursday, March 29 at 6:30 p.m. in Hunneman Hall, Brookline Main Library. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Commission’s naming of the 2018 Brookline Woman of the Year.

Student essays can be submitted online. To be eligible, essays must be received no later than February 26th. Winning essays will be announced on the BCW website and through e-mail on/around March 6^th. Please contact BCW Co-Chair, Casey Hatchett at 617-730-2734 or via e-mail at chatchett@brooklinema.gov with any questions.

For the 2018 Brookline Woman of the Year nominations, we are accepting nominations online until February 28. Please contact BCW Co-Chair, Casey Hatchett at 617-730-2734 or via e-mail at chatchett@brooklinema.gov with any questions.

Brookline Housing Authority Invites Sealed Bids From HVAC Contractors

Brookline.com

February 6, 2018

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

The Brookline Housing Authority, the Awarding Authority, invites sealed bids from HVAC contractors for the Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Replacements at Various Sites for the Brookline Housing Authority, in Brookline, Massachusetts, in accordance with the documents prepared by Nangle Engineering Incorporated.

The Project consists of in general but is not limited to:

(1.) At Kickham Apartments:

a. Replace boiler plant, including heating and domestic hot water systems,

b. Replace roof exhaust fans,

c. Replace engine-generator and accessories

d. Replace automatic transfer switch

e. Provide remote annunciator

(2.) At Morse Apartments:

a. Replace roof exhaust fans,

b. Replace engine-generator and accessories,

c. Replace (retrofit) common area panelboards and dwelling unit loadcenters

d. Replace automatic transfer switch

e. Provide remote annunciator

(3.) At O’Shea House:

a. Replace engine-generator and accessories,

b. Replace automatic transfer switch

c. Provide remote annunciator

(4.) At Sussman House:

a. Replace roof exhaust fans

The Contractor’s work is estimated to cost approximately $515,000.00, including all alternates.

Bids are subject to M.G.L. c.149 §44A-J and to minimum wage rates as well as other applicable laws.

This project is being electronically bid, and hard copy bids will not be accepted. Please review the instructions in the bid documents on how to register as an electronic bidder. The bids are to be prepared and submitted at www.biddocsonline.com. Tutorials and instructions on how to complete the electronic bid documents are available online (click on the “Tutorial” tab at the bottom footer).

General E-Bids will be received until 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at www.Biddocsonline.com and publicly posted online, forthwith.

General bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) in the category of HVAC and must submit a current DCAM Certificate of Eligibility and a signed Update Statement with their bid.

Each General bidder must submit a completed HUD 5369-A form, Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Bidders and a completed HUD 2530 form, Previous Participation Schedule with their bid.

Filed Sub-E-Bids for the trades listed below will be received until 2:00 PM on Thursday, February 22, 2018 at www.Biddocsonline.com and publicly posted online, forthwith.

Filed sub-bidders must be DCAM certified for the trade(s) being bid, and must submit a current DCAM Sub-bidder Certificate of Eligibility and a signed Sub-bidder Update Statement with their bid.

Subtrades:

Section 220000, Plumbing

Section 260000, Electrical

General and filed sub E-bids shall be accompanied by a negotiable bid guarantee which shall not be less than five (5%) of the amount of the bid, considering all alternates, and made payable to Brookline Housing Authority. Refer to Instruction to Bidders.

Bid Forms and Contract Documents will be available for pick-up on Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at www.biddocsonline.com (may be viewed electronically and hardcopy requested) or at Nashoba Blue, Inc. at 433 Main Street, Hudson, MA 01749 (978-568-1167).

There is a refundable plan deposit of $25.00 per set (maximum of 2 sets) payable to Biddocs Online.

Deposits may be electronically paid or must be a certified or cashier’s check. This deposit will be refunded for up to two sets for general bidders and for one set for sub-bidders upon return of the sets in good condition within thirty days of receipt of general bids. Otherwise the deposit shall be the property of the Awarding Authority.

Bidders requesting Contract Documents to be mailed to them shall include a separate check for $40.00 per set for UPS Ground (or $65.00 per set for UPS overnight), payable to BidDocs ONLINE, Inc., to cover mail and handling costs.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 15, 2018 starting at Kickham Apartments at 190 Harvard Street, Brookline. Immediately following the Pre-Bid Conference, there will be a tour of the sites, including Kickham Apartments, O’Shea House, Sussman House and Morse Apartments. Parking is only available on the street at each site. Any questions should be submitted in writing prior to or at that time.

The Contract Documents may be seen by electronic media at: Project Dog – www.projectdog.com; Joseph Merritt & Co www.merrittgraphics.com; and CMD (formerly Reed Construction Data) www.cmdgroup.com/Home

The Brookline Housing Authority reserves the right to waive any informalities in or to reject any and all bids, or to waive any informalities in the bidding. No bid shall be withdrawn for a period of thirty (30) days, Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays excluded, after approval of the award by the Brookline Housing Authority without written consent of the Brookline Housing Authority.

This Contract is funded in part by a Community Development Block Grant provided by the Town of Brookline through the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and is subject to all provisions and regulations issued pursuant to this Act.

Sharon Cowan, Director of Modernization

Brookline Housing Authority

February 7, 2018

Brightleaf Solutions Named As Company Of The Year By CIOReview

Brookline.com

February 6, 2018

Brightleaf Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of technology powered services to overcome the challenge of mining important data from unstructured documents has been named as company of the year by the CIOReview magazine.

“We are honored to be named as Company of the year for Contract Management solutions provider. This honor shows the importance of migration of legacy contract and associated data into the Contract Management Systems deployed by companies. Contract management is now a necessity for corporations”, says Samir Bhatia, CEO of Brightleaf. “We are committed to advancing the success of these systems by using natural language, artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to extract data from legacy contracts to be populated into the system along with their contractual documents.”

“We are extremely happy to announce Brightleaf Solutions as Company of the year as a Contract Management solutions provider in our latest magazine edition. Brightleaf is the only company in the contract management landscape that provides an end-to-end technology powered solution for extraction of data from contracts, customized to each client’s requirements” said Jeevan George, Managing Editor of CIOReview. “This focus and substantial benefit provided to all the system vendors, made Brightleaf an easy choice in this space.”, adds George. (Click here to view the writeup on Brightleaf).

Brightleaf has developed a state of the art platform using Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing technologies to extract key data information from contracts. “The contracts pass through the software which carries predefined rule sets/algorithms that are handpicked as per client specifications. The software is then followed by a review from our expert lawyers to find and fix any discrepancies.” says Samir Bhatia, “We are also exploring new domains outside contracts and English language to meet extended requirements from our clients.”

Data extraction from unstructured text is perhaps the most challenging issue that information processing faces. Because the implications of missing critical information, such as risk factors, expiry dates, penalty clauses and opportunities are so much greater in complex contracts, quality and reliability of data is paramount. Brightleaf understands the relevance of staying on top of quality of extracted data for its clients and promises a Six Sigma quality level output.

About Brightleaf Solutions, Inc.

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Coolidge Corner PJ drive

Brookline.com

February 6, 2018

The Coolidge Corner Library is participating in the Boston Bruins and Cradles to Crayons annual PJ drive. Please bring your donation of new pajamas to Coolidge Corner!

Coolidge Corner Library
31 Pleasant Street
Brookline, MA 02446

Tel.: 617-730-2380

Police Blotter

Brookline.com

February 5, 2018

Monday, Jan. 29
Laser on Colbourne Crecsent: At 7:46 p.m., a caller reported that someone in a home by Colbourne Cresvent and Winthrop Road was shining a laser pointer at drivers as they went by.

Tuesday, Jan. 30
Suspicious man on Newell Road: At 5:27 a.m., a caller reported seeing a man walk around their Newell Road home near the basement. The man was dressed in all black, and was last seen walking towards the Lawrence School, according to the report.

Wednesday, Jan. 31
Trying to open car doors on Washington Street: At 2:47 a.m., a caller reported that a man was in a Washington Street parking lot trying to open car doors. The caller described that man as around 5 feet 10 inches and dressed in all black.

Thursday, Feb. 1
Yorkie on Ivy Street: At noon, a caller reported a yorkie – Yorkshire Terrier – with a bandana on Ivy Street. The caller said the yorkie looked mean.

Dispute on East Milton Road: At 3:51 p.m., a caller reported having an ongoing issue with Herb Chambers over work being done in the caller’s backyard. The caller wanted to know how to stop the work.

Gesturing wildly on Babcock Street: At 6:30 p.m., a caller reported that a man in an alleyway on Babcock Street had been talking loudly and gesturing in a wild manner for 10 minutes.

Friday, Feb. 2
Break and enter on Brookline Avenue: At 1:45 p.m., a caller reported that a rock had been thrown through the window of their truck and that tools were missing.

Solicitors on Park Street: At 2:46 p.m., a caller reported that a man had been asking to see old copies of the electric bill. The caller said the man was carrying an iPad and had a red badge around his neck.

Attempted break in on Alton Court: At 3:57 p.m., a caller reported that when she got home that her door was open and unlocked. She believed someone had tried to break in, but nothing was taken.

More solicitors on Browne Street: At 4:21 p.m., police received a report of a man knocking door to door asking for resident’s electrical bills. The man was described as wearing a fluorescent orange vest.

Even more solicitors on Brookline Avenue: At 6:42 p.m. a caller reported that three men who were soliciting had attempted to enter the Brookline Avenue building and put their foot in the door so she couldn’t close it. The caller said the men had a binder with an old Eversource invoice on it and were claiming to be with the company. According to the report, the men were no longer wearing orange vests.

Saturday, Feb. 3
Possible drug deal at Lawrence Park: At 8:22 p.m. a caller reported what they believed was a drug deal involving three boys wearing coats and hoodies. The caller said money was exchanged.

Sunday, Feb. 4
Reported gun shots on Beacon Street: At 12:40 a.m. a caller reported hearing four pops near the CVS parking lot by Beacon Street.

Faculty Artist Series Concert On March 4 Features BMS Faculty Members Stephanie Fong & Aimee Tsuchiya, With Guest Rane Moore

Brookline.com

February 5, 2018

Brookline Music School’s 2017-2018 Faculty Artist Series continues on Sunday, March 4, 2018, with Music for Viola, Clarinet, & Piano.

The performance will feature BMS faculty members Stephanie Fong, viola and Aimee Tsuchiya, piano, performing works by Alisa Rose and Sergi Rachmaninoff.

Clarinetist Rane Moore will join Ms. Fong and Ms. Tsuchiya for Mozart’s Piano Trio in E-flat Major for Viola, Clarinet, and Piano, K. 498. The concert will begin at 3:00 p.m. and take place in the Bakalar Recital Hall at Brookline Music School (25 Kennard Road, Brookline, MA).

The concert is free, with a suggested donation of $10. The performance will be followed by a Meet-the-Artists Reception.

The 2017-2018 Faculty Artist Series comprises four diverse performances featuring the talented collective of professional musicians who make up the Brookline Music School faculty. From timeless classical masterpieces and contemporary works to jazz standards and innovative original compositions, the series presents something for everyone.

About the Featured Brookline Music School Faculty Members
Violist Stephanie Fong is a native of Oakland, California. She enjoys a versatile career as a music educator, chamber music performer, and orchestral musician. Stephanie performs regularly with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and has served on the chamber music faculty at the University of Michigan School of Music, the Innsbrook Institute Summer Music Academy, and the Peaks to Plains Suzuki Institute. She has performed as a member of the Boston-based group Mistral and the Alianza String Quartet, and was a top-prize winner at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition with the Kailas String Quartet. Stephanie has performed at a number of festivals including the Tanglewood, Monadnock, Aspen, and Yellow Barn Music Festivals. She holds degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Pianist Aimee Tsuchiya has appeared as soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia and in live broadcasts on WGBH, Chicago Public Radio, and CBC radio. She has worked with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Philharmonic, Emmanuel Music, Guarneri Quartet, Peabody Trio, Gryphon Trio, and Cleveland Quartet, as well as pianists Emanuel Ax, Awadagin Pratt, Lydia Artymiw, Victor Rosenbaum, Irma Vallecillo, Margot Garrett and Andre Watts. Ms. Tsuchiya has won competitions including Chopin Society Young Artists Competition, the Schubert Club Competition, Thursday Musical Competition, and the top piano prize in the Minnesota Orchestra’s Young People’s Symphony Concert Association. She has been a finalist in the New World Symphony auditions, and was awarded fellowships to Interlochen, Tanglewood, Yellow Barn and Banff Chamber Music Festivals. She is also an active and versatile teacher in the Boston area, and works with students of all ages and levels. Ms. Tsuchiya holds degrees from University of Minnesota Twin Cities and New England Conservatory.

About Brookline Music School Brookline Music School, now in its 93rd year, is a private nonprofit community school for the arts offering music instruction to people of all ages and abilities. The School serves the community by teaching in multiple locations, offering tuition assistance, and sponsoring a full schedule of concerts and public performances throughout the year.

The Faculty Artist Series is sponsored by Brookline Bank, Johnson String Instruments, and New England Legal Search. The Media Sponsor is Brookline Interactive Group. Brookline Music School is sponsored in part by the Brookline Community Foundation, the Mass Cultural Council, and the Associated Chamber Music Players.

Boomers & Beyond

Brookline.com

February 5, 2018

The following programs will take place at the Brookline Senior Center, 93 Winchester Street. For information, call 617-730-2770 or brooklineseniorcenter.org.

February spotlighted volunteer opportunities: This month’s spotlighted opportunities include Coffee Duty from 8-9 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; Food Commodity Program on third Wednesday of each month — Russian and Chinese interpreters morning and afternoon shifts and people able to help with phone calls and/or lifting 30-35 pounds in the morning; Food Pantry volunteers for morning — able to lift 30 pounds — and afternoon setup, shopping assistance and Russian interpreters for 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays; one-on-one assistance for seniors with their smartphones and other technology. To apply for these or other volunteer opportunities at the BSC: Patricia, 617-730-2743, pburns@brooklinema.gov.

UPCOMING

AARP tax preparation assistance: Tuesdays, through April 10. AARP Tax Aide volunteers will once again return to the Senior Center on Tuesdays to assist with filing returns. Scheduling has begun. Please note that the Tax Aide program will again be using newer software this year. As a result, it is very important for to bring copies of 2016 returns to appointment. The tax aide volunteers will not be able to assist with any amended tax returns, other than for the year 2016. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 617-730-2777.

Blood pressure screening: 1-2 p.m. Feb. 14, Sussman House; Feb. 15, Senior Center; Feb. 28, Park Street. Barbara Westley, the nurse from the Brookline Public Health Department will provide blood pressure screenings.

Cake Decorating: 1 p.m. Feb. 8. To register: 617-730-2770. Heathwood Healthcare’s master chef presents cake decorating tips. Small cakes, frosting and supplies will be provided. Space limited.

“Dark Girls” documentary: 1:00 p.m. Feb. 9. To register: 617-730-2770. A screening of this controversial film which goes underneath the surface to explore the prejudices dark-skinned women face throughout the world. It explores the roots of classism, racism and the lack of self-esteem within a segment of cultures. Due to our space limitations, this film will be shown on the large screen TV in Room 103.

Barbershop Quartet: 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Feb. 14. To register: 617-730-2770. Select members of the New Sound Assembly Barbershop Chorus will stop by the Center to perform loves songs in honor of Valentine’s Day.

“The Many Faces of Love:” 1:00 p.m. Feb. 15. To register: 617-730-2770. Stephen Collins leads an afternoon of sonnets and passages that are all about love.

Brookline Hearing Services: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Feb. 15. The staff from Brookline Hearing Services will provide hearing aid cleanings, maintenance and patient counseling at no charge. They will also be selling all sizes of hearing aid batteries for $5 per pack. All services will be provided on a first come, first served basis.

LGBT Out 2 Brunch Bunch: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Feb. 17, Goddard House, 165 Chestnut Street, Brookline. RSVP: Zoraida, meals@ethocare.org, 617-522-6700, ext. 306. Goddard house in partnership with the Brookline Council on Aging, ETHOS, the LGBTAging Project and the City of Boston Comm on the Affairs of the Elderly, supports the LGBT Older Adult out 2 Brunch Bunch.

Low Vision Group: 1:00 p.m. Feb. 21. A peer-led support group for individuals with limited eyesight.

Roland Hayes and John Wilson: 1:00 p.m. Feb. 21. To register: 617-730-2770. Roland Hayes, tenor, and John Wilson, artist, lived in Brookline for 50 years. Hayes was recently honored with a plaque in front of his former home. Wilson’s sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. was installed in Town Hall. Rob Daves has helped coordinate efforts to tell their fascinating stories. Daves, a Town Meeting member from Pill Hill, served on the Hidden Brookline Committee, The Committee to Commemorate John Wilson and the Town’s MLK Celebration Committee.

The Impact of the Equifax Breach and How To Protect Yourself: 2:00 p.m. Feb. 14. A presentation on the Equifax breach, how to protect one’s self and one’s identity, as well as other current scams and fraud. Handouts and light refreshments will be available. To register: 617-730-2770.

Let’s Go Out To Lunch Bunch: Noon Feb. 27. For reservations and transportation: 617-730-2770. Out to Lunch Bunch will dine at the Cheesecake Factory in Chestnut Hill. The van will leave the Senior Center at 11:30 a.m. sharp.

Zumba Gold: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Thursdays, through March 8. There will be no class on Feb. 15. Cost: $45; for winter session; $7 per session; free for Brookline Housing Authority residents.

Mass College of Pharmacy: 1:00 p.m. Feb. 22. Students and faculty from MCPHS University present an interactive, informational session on osteoporosis. Faculty and students always encourage questions.

Gallery 93 show: Through Feb. 28. “Group Meditation,” watercolors by Shirley Selhub will be on exhibit in Gallery 93 Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Council on Aging meeting: 1:00 p.m. March 1. The Council on Aging will not meet in February. The March speaker will be Dr. Deepak Kumar from Boston University Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training. Kumar will talk about University research projects geared towards developing more effective strategies to reduce pain and improve physical activity in middle-aged and older adults with knee pain.

Book discussion group: 2:00 p.m. Feb. 26. The community room at the Putterham Branch. We will discuss “Property of a Noble Woman” by Danielle Steele. harlotte Millman and Batia Bloomenthal are the discussion leaders for this book group.

Public issues book discussion group: 9:00 a.m. Feb. 27. Tom Faulhabe challenges your thinking every month with a nonfiction book discussion centered on public issues, history, current events and other nonfiction topics. We will discuss “Shock: The Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy” by Kitty Dukakis and Larry Tye. The Coolidge Corner Branch Library will have copies of the books available several weeks ahead of each meeting.

Memory Connections Café: 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Feb. 28. For information or RSVP: Jamie, 617-730-2753. A free monthly Memory Connections Café for people with early memory challenges and their care partners to participate in socialization and can partake in refreshments and a variety of enjoyable programming in order to gain support and engage with others in a relaxing environment. Either party can attend by themselves, but a care partner must accompany those who require any care assistance.

Aging Together Senior Children and Their Parents: The Senior Center is looking for senior children, aged 65 and older. Led by Dr. Kathrin Boerner, of the University of Massachusetts Boston, the team wants to learn what their relationship is like, what challenges they may face and what support they may need. Learning about their experience will help the team better understand how parents and children age together. Participants will be interviewed at a place of their convenience. they will each receive $40. For information: 617-901-1082; agingtogether@umb.edu.

Spanish Immersion Brookline: Thursdays, through March 29. For information or to register: Giovanna Tapia, 617-953-7016. Spanish I will be offered from 1:15 – 2:15 p.m. and Spanish II is offered from noon – 1:00 p.m. There is a small fee.

Real estate tax exemption: 10:00 a.m. – noon Feb. 20. Sandy Spector will have information for seniors on real estate tax exemptions and abatements in the gallery area of the Senior Center. Those interested can drop by with their questions.

ONGOING

Library books: For those who need someone to pick up and return library books during the winter weather, and who would like to have someone read the same book and then discuss the book. For information: Patricia Burns, 617-730-2743.

Job and Volunteer Search Network Series: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Feb. 27, March 6, 13 and 20. Attendees share experiences and resources for their job or volunteer search. This series led by Patricia Burns is free, however registration is required. To register: Patricia, 617-730-2743.

Individual job search skills appointments: Patricia Burns, the REAP Program Job Skills counselor, is available for one-on-one/individual appointments to assist with essential job search tools — resume writing or updating, job-specific cover letters and LinkedIn profile development, interviewing — phone, Skype, in-person or mock — as well as identifying transferable skills from past experience to use in your next job. Appointments required. Contact Patricia at 617-730-2743 or pburns@brooklinema.gov.

Greater Boston Food Bank Food Commodity Program: The Greater Boston Food Bank Commodity Program provides shelf-stable food to low-income seniors. Two shopping bags of food for each approved participant are delivered to the Brookline Senior Center at 93 Winchester Street, Sussman House at 50 Pleasant Street and O’Shea House at 61 Park Street on the third Wednesday of each month. The program is actively recruiting new applicants to participate. For information or to set up an appointment: Patricia, 617-730 2743, pburns@brooklinema.gov.

SHOP “Students Helping Older People:” The Brookline High School will start recruiting students to shop. Seniors who would like to have a student shop for them should call Patricia, the volunteer coordinator, at 617-730-2743 or email her at pburns@brooklinema.gov. The SHOP Program has been a community service program at Brookline High School for many years. It is a volunteer opportunity where students grocery shop for an elder in Brookline and seniors share their actual history and experience with students. It is a weekly to biweekly commitment that is usually shared with a partner student. It starts with visiting the senior’s home to get a grocery list and cash, then shopping, and returning with the groceries and checking the receipt. Besides getting the groceries for the senior, the most important part of this program is developing meaningful multigenerational relationships.

Learn to play or improve your chess game: Three Brookline High School seniors who are co-captains of the high school Chess Club will be at the Senior Center from 3 to 5 p.m. each Friday. Those interested can drop in for a lesson or a game. For information: Patricia, 617-730-2743.

Springwell Lunch: Copies of the menu will be available to pick up at the Senior Center during the last week of the previous month. To register: 617-730-2747. Lunch should be reserved on the business day prior before 10:30 a.m. To reserve a lunch on the business day prior before 10:30 a.m.: 617-730-2747. For reservations for Monday, those interested should call by 10:30 a.m. the previous Friday. Springwell can only guarantee a lunch reservation until 12:15 p.m. each day. Those who will be arriving late for lunch should let Kristine know in advance. Those arriving arrive after 12:15 p.m. with no advance notice, cannot be guarantee a meal for that day. On Feb. 14, the lunch of the day will be vegetarian lasagna with tomato sauce, green beans and red peppers, snowflake wheat dinner roll and chocolate mousse. On Feb. 19, the Senior Center is closed for President’s Day. No Springwell lunch. On Feb. 20, February birthdays will be celebrated at the monthly Birthday Lunch. The sponsor of this lunch has provided a complimentary lunch and a small gift to all February birthday celebrants. Wingate at Chestnut Hill will provide the monthly birthday cake.

ELF: The program has some bariatric equipment available, including a transport wheelchair, rolling walker and commode. To request these items or to donate other items: Jamie, 617-730-2753.

Computer One-on-One: Computer One-on-One has resumed in the computer lab. Fran Pechenick is available for one-hour appointments to assist with PC issues. Dan Siagel is available for one half-hour appointments from 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays to help with smart phones, apple and PC instruction.

ICARE — Independent Clients Accessing Rides To Eyecare: The Council on Aging, through the HELP program, has announced a new program in partnership with ITNAmerica, through their generous grant funding. The HELP program will be able to provide free transportation to scheduled eyecare appointments in the Greater Boston area. To access, contact the HELP line at 617-730-2752 at least a week before scheduled appointment.

Brookline Eats: Brookline Library Starts Special Focus On Food

Brookline.com

February 5, 2018

The Brookline Library has long been more than just a library for books. And until Spring it is a library of eats, too. That’s right. Who ever said there was no eating in the library? Think again:

“All three branches are offering food related programs from February through May. We wanted to highlight the wonderful cuisine and ethnic food representative of our diverse Brookline and provide programs for all ages. The baked food cookbook group will be a monthly program at our Coolidge Corner Branch,” said the library’s Anne Reed.

On February 6, founder and owner of Breadboard Bakery Daisy Chow kicks off the “Brookline Eats!” series. She will be bringing some samples of her baked treats and her tech-to-bakery story to an event for folks interested in good eats and good stories.

Chow is responsible for those kolaches and wacky cake and cinnamon rolls you probably cannot get enough of at Cutty’s down the street in Brookline Village.

The folks at the library say they got into the idea of focusing on food this spring part of their ongoing efforts to connect with the community in new ways.

“Food is always popular and a great way to celebrate our community. Staff from the branches, our staff programming committee, and youth services were excited to plan the programs,” said Reed.

What started as “several programs” blossomed into a series of 27 events, and collecting recipes for a cook book along the way, she said.

For Reed in particular, who is also a member of the Brookline Women and Girls Thriving Health and Nutrition working group she said she saw this series as a way to compliment that mission and introduce members of the community to the library.

Stay tuned for more food-related talks and treats: Also on the list of visitors? The owner of Brookline’s own Union Square Donuts.

Black History Month Film Series At Brookline Public Library

Brookline.com

February 4, 2018

In honor of Black History Month, the Public Library of Brookline (361 Washington Street, Brookline, MA 02445) is screening a month-long film series. Join us every Thursday in February at 6:00 p.m. to celebrate Black history and culture. Snacks and hot cocoa will be provided.

February 8: Get Out (2017)
February 15: 13th (2016)
February 22: Moonlight (2016)

For more films dedicated to Black History Month, check out February’s Midday Movies at the Putterham Library and Movie Matinees at the Coolidge Corner Library. View upcoming titles here.

Phantom Gourmet: Michael’s Deli

Brookline.com

February 4, 2018

In Coolidge Corner Brookline, there is a little deli serving big sandwiches, really big sandwiches, and outrageously big sandwiches.

“You have to share it. It’s an obscene amount of food for one person to try to eat,” said owner Steven Peljovich.

The name of the place is Michael’s Deli.

Thanks to Peljovich’s hard work and dedication, the old-time New York-style Jewish deli is making a big-time comeback.

“Delis don’t really exist so much anymore because there’s a ton of work, a ton of labor involved in it, there’s a ton of love that you need to do. And if you don’t love what you’re doing you’re gonna find a way to cut corners, and you’re gonna serve people product that’s ‘deli meats’ but they’re not real deli meats,” he said.

The menu is what you’d expect to find in a traditional old school fashioned deli but “amped up a little bit. So corned beef, pastrami, brisket are the features. Our turkey is real turkey from a local farm, and then we’ve taken some twists on some of the traditional items.”

Alongside standards like the classic Reuben, there are more adventurous options that are stacked to the sky, or stuffed with potato chips.

The corned beef is cooked in house, the bagels come straight from the Big Apple, and at Michael’s, great service is certainly still in style.

“We know our regulars. Most of the time my guys will be firing up the sandwich before they even make it up to the front of the line. And it’s sort of that homey restaurant feel,” Peljovich said.

“So for me, what I hope this is sort of memories for people. The smells, the food, the taste. Bring them back to a time when they went with their grandparents to have lunch which people don’t really do so much anymore.”

Brookline’s Jesse Mermell To Represent Warren Campaign: Caucus

Brookline.com

February 2, 2018

Former Selectwoman and Town Meeting Member Jesse Mermell was chosen to represent the Elizabeth Warren Campaign at the Brookline Caucus this weekend.

Mermell was asked by the Campaign to speak for about a minute about the senator’s record at the Caucus. Most campaigns (for any office) will have local people there representing the candidate if that person can’t be there themselves. This isn’t the first time Mermell has done work for Warren.

“In 2012 I did a fair amount of surrogating for her,” Mermell told the media.

Democrats will convene at Brookline High School in the cafeteria at 2 p.m. to elect delegates and alternates to the 2018 MA Democratic State Convention, which will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester on June 1 and 2. Delegates at the 2018 MA Democratic State Convention will determine which statewide candidates will be on the Democratic ticket in the 2018 Primary Election in September and amend the Party Charter.

Brookline will be electing 42 delegates and seven alternates. Registered and pre-registered Democrats in Brookline will be eligible to vote at the caucus. Those not elected as delegates or alternates who meet the qualifications may apply to be add-on delegates in the following categories: Youth, Minority, Disabled or LGBT.

WHEN: Saturday, February 3, 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookline High School, cafeteria,115 Greenough Street, Brookline, MA

For information: Brookline Democratic Town Committee Chair, Cindy Rowe, 617-277-6282.

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