Weymouth shows support for Charlie Coyle, Bruins
https://www.patriotledger.com/entertainmentlife/20190611/weymouth-shows-support-for-charlie-coyle-bruins
WEYMOUTH — Sitting on a stool in the same weight room where Boston Bruins forward Charlie Coyle once trained, Weymouth High School strength coach Pat O’Toole thumbed through an old notebook filled with hand-drawn charts and data. When he arrived at Coyle’s height and weight measurements from seventh grade, O’Toole chuckled softly.
“I used to call him ‘Skinny,’” he said.
Now 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Coyle and his Bruins teammates are preparing to face off against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. If the Bruins win, Boston fans will celebrate their third major sports victory in recent months, following the Patriots’ Super Bowl win in February and the Red Sox’ World Series win last fall.
For the first time since 1970, when they defeated the Blues in overtime, the Bruins could win the Stanley Cup at their home arena.
“We’ve been blessed in this town to have all these great teams and championships,” O’Toole, wearing a Bruins baseball cap with Coyle’s name and number on it, said. “Having someone from Weymouth being part of it is very special.”
Coyle, 27, is the son of a hockey standout at the former Weymouth South High School and grew up dreaming of reaching the NHL as he rose from the youth hockey ranks to star status at Weymouth High and Thayer Academy.
He was drafted by the NHL’s San Jose Sharks in 2010, played for Boston University and was traded to the Minnesota Wild in 2011. This past February, he was traded from the Wild to his hometown Bruins, a thrill for his fans in Weymouth.
On Tuesday, while gazing at an old photo of Coyle that hangs on the weight room wall, where it serves as inspiration for the next generation of Weymouth High athletes, O’Toole remembered a promise the hockey star made years ago: to bring the Stanley Cup trophy inside the weight room after winning it on the ice.
Not wanting to jinx the outcome of Wednesday’s game, O’Toole quickly shook his head.
“Let’s win the Stanley Cup before we talk about what we’re going to do with it,” he said.
At Joe Cushman Sportswear on Main Street, Mike Loring, of Norwell, took off his glasses to get a closer look at what owner Joe Cushman said was the last youth T-shirt left in stock sporting Coyle’s name and number. A youth soccer coach, Loring promised his players the T-shirt as a prize for a recent competition, he said.
“It’s been a great time to be a Boston sports fan,” Loring said. “It’s almost surreal. You can’t compare it to any other state in the nation.”
Before Loring had even completed his purchase, Cushman got a call from another customer looking for Coyle apparel.
“We’re all great fans here,” Cushman said.
Between transactions, he pulls out an old photo of his grandson posing for a photo with Coyle, who Cushman said used to shop at the store.
“Isn’t that something?” he asked. “I’m going to get a frame for that.”
At Montilio’s Bakery on Union Street, manager Mirela Pema was selling cakes, cookies and cupcakes decorated with Bruins-themed icing and colorful sprinkles. She said customers come in before games, looking for a sweet way to celebrate their favorite team.
“Whether it’s a championship or a cup, they know if they come into the store they’ll find it here,” Pema said.
Bruins fans have another way to satisfy their sweet tooth at True North Bar on Bridge Street. A mixture of Frangelico liqueur, vanilla vodka, chocolate sauce and various types of cream, the “Charlie Coyle Chocolate Cake” cocktail sports the Bruins’ gold and black colors and comes inscribed with Coyle’s No. 13.
Though patrons can order it at any time, the specialty drink does not usually appear on the bar’s menu. Still, Jo Jacob, a bartender who lives in Brockton, was happy to make it the day before the Stanley Cup Final.
“It’s a great city to be in right now,” he said.
Newsmaker: Lt. Patrick Glynn fights against addiction
https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20190530/newsmaker-lt-patrick-glynn-fights-against-addiction
Name: Patrick Glynn
Age: 60
In the news: Glynn pioneered the use of naloxone among law enforcement, which has been credited with helping turn the tide in the state’s opioid epidemic.
Now you know: When he’s not fighting opioid abuse and crime, Glynn can often be found working on his model train collection.
His story:
Eight years ago, around Christmas time, Lt. Detective Patrick Glynn received an unexpected package at his office at the Quincy Police Department. After tearing through its brown paper wrapping, he found pajamas and a note from a former substance abuser named Brad.
“For all the things you’ve done,” the note said.
As commander of the Quincy narcotics unit and director of the South Shore drug task force, Glynn has helped save countless lives during his 34 years of service. Under his supervision, the Quincy police department was the first in the nation to train and equip its officers with naloxone, a drug better known by the brand name Narcan, that can counteract an opioid overdose in minutes.
Glynn earned national recognition for his work, including a certificate of appreciation from the White House, one of several awards displayed around his office. Under his computer keyboard, a transparent place mat protects the collection of police challenge coins he has received from police departments across the country where he has given presentations.
But the work is not always glamorous, he said. Twice, he was dragged along the street by a moving car, resulting in injuries that kept him out of work for months. Once, he had to chase a suspect through moving traffic before tackling him onto the sidewalk with the help of another officer.
It is grueling, sometimes scary work, but when a life is saved, from Narcan for example, the reward is worth it, Glynn said.
“I think the biggest motivating factor is you see what you do,” he said, “Your results in helping people are almost immediate.”
Still, distractions are necessary, he said.
“You have to have a happy medium and a balance and you need to have those stress relievers.”
For Glynn, relief comes in a variety of forms, including golfing, spending time with friends, walking his dog — a yellow lab named Riley — and spending time with his wife, Donna and his two adult children. Glynn also relieves stress through teaching at the police academy and at Eastern Nazarene College, where he is an adjunct professor.
Despite the accolades he’s received, Glynn attributes much of his success to his colleagues at the Quincy Police Department.
“Nothing is just one police officer. It’s a team,” he said. “You wouldn’t have a good officer if it wasn’t a result of every other officer here.”
https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20190530/newsmaker-lt-patrick-glynn-fights-against-addiction
Name: Patrick Glynn
Age: 60
In the news: Glynn pioneered the use of naloxone among law enforcement, which has been credited with helping turn the tide in the state’s opioid epidemic.
Now you know: When he’s not fighting opioid abuse and crime, Glynn can often be found working on his model train collection.
His story:
Eight years ago, around Christmas time, Lt. Detective Patrick Glynn received an unexpected package at his office at the Quincy Police Department. After tearing through its brown paper wrapping, he found pajamas and a note from a former substance abuser named Brad.
“For all the things you’ve done,” the note said.
As commander of the Quincy narcotics unit and director of the South Shore drug task force, Glynn has helped save countless lives during his 34 years of service. Under his supervision, the Quincy police department was the first in the nation to train and equip its officers with naloxone, a drug better known by the brand name Narcan, that can counteract an opioid overdose in minutes.
Glynn earned national recognition for his work, including a certificate of appreciation from the White House, one of several awards displayed around his office. Under his computer keyboard, a transparent place mat protects the collection of police challenge coins he has received from police departments across the country where he has given presentations.
But the work is not always glamorous, he said. Twice, he was dragged along the street by a moving car, resulting in injuries that kept him out of work for months. Once, he had to chase a suspect through moving traffic before tackling him onto the sidewalk with the help of another officer.
It is grueling, sometimes scary work, but when a life is saved, from Narcan for example, the reward is worth it, Glynn said.
“I think the biggest motivating factor is you see what you do,” he said, “Your results in helping people are almost immediate.”
Still, distractions are necessary, he said.
“You have to have a happy medium and a balance and you need to have those stress relievers.”
For Glynn, relief comes in a variety of forms, including golfing, spending time with friends, walking his dog — a yellow lab named Riley — and spending time with his wife, Donna and his two adult children. Glynn also relieves stress through teaching at the police academy and at Eastern Nazarene College, where he is an adjunct professor.
Despite the accolades he’s received, Glynn attributes much of his success to his colleagues at the Quincy Police Department.
“Nothing is just one police officer. It’s a team,” he said. “You wouldn’t have a good officer if it wasn’t a result of every other officer here.”
Marshfield Powwow celebrates Native American culture
https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20190526/marshfield-powwow-celebrates-native-american-culture
MARSHFIELD — It sounded like a drum beat, but the steady thumping heard Sunday at the Marshfield fairgrounds was really a special sort of singing, an essential tradition at the 26th annual Spring Planting Moon Pow-Wow and Native American Crafts Festival.
Using rubber beaters tied on the end with leather, six members of the inter-tribal group, the Split Feather Singers, sat around a massive cowhide drum and pounded out the sound in perfect unison. Nearby, dancers decked out in traditional dress, known as regalia, performed rhythmic stomping movements around a large circle, roped off from onlookers.
“The drum is considered to be alive,” said Leonard Rosenorth, a member of the Split Feather Singers and the Narragansett tribe. “We’re not drumming, we’re singing.”
In addition to music, the two-day festival featured finger-weaving, basketry, story-telling and vendors selling jewelry, food and crafts. Organized by the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness, the festival is intended to celebrate the season’s first harvest of corn, beans and squash, or “The Three Sisters,” and celebrate Native American heritage. For non-native people, it was an opportunity to learn about another culture.
“A lot of people don’t realize that Native Americans are still here,” said Burne Stanley-Peters, president of the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness. “We hope they learn about the tradition and culture and don’t see us as people of the past.”
“We enjoy it, the color, the history, the culture,” he said. “We always learn a little bit.”
Alden Stahl, 9, said he came all the way from Ashfield to support his grandmother, Jennifer Lee, an Abenaki storyteller. Though Alden has heard his grandmother’s creation story before, he said, “I realize something different every single time.”
For Tohay Gooday, a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the festival offers an opportunity to continue a family tradition. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Gooday danced wearing a bright yellow “fancy shawl” during the stop dance presentation and accompanying drum song.
“It’s a wonderful place to connect with my own culture,” she said.
https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20190526/marshfield-powwow-celebrates-native-american-culture
MARSHFIELD — It sounded like a drum beat, but the steady thumping heard Sunday at the Marshfield fairgrounds was really a special sort of singing, an essential tradition at the 26th annual Spring Planting Moon Pow-Wow and Native American Crafts Festival.
Using rubber beaters tied on the end with leather, six members of the inter-tribal group, the Split Feather Singers, sat around a massive cowhide drum and pounded out the sound in perfect unison. Nearby, dancers decked out in traditional dress, known as regalia, performed rhythmic stomping movements around a large circle, roped off from onlookers.
“The drum is considered to be alive,” said Leonard Rosenorth, a member of the Split Feather Singers and the Narragansett tribe. “We’re not drumming, we’re singing.”
In addition to music, the two-day festival featured finger-weaving, basketry, story-telling and vendors selling jewelry, food and crafts. Organized by the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness, the festival is intended to celebrate the season’s first harvest of corn, beans and squash, or “The Three Sisters,” and celebrate Native American heritage. For non-native people, it was an opportunity to learn about another culture.
“A lot of people don’t realize that Native Americans are still here,” said Burne Stanley-Peters, president of the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness. “We hope they learn about the tradition and culture and don’t see us as people of the past.”
“We enjoy it, the color, the history, the culture,” he said. “We always learn a little bit.”
Alden Stahl, 9, said he came all the way from Ashfield to support his grandmother, Jennifer Lee, an Abenaki storyteller. Though Alden has heard his grandmother’s creation story before, he said, “I realize something different every single time.”
For Tohay Gooday, a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the festival offers an opportunity to continue a family tradition. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Gooday danced wearing a bright yellow “fancy shawl” during the stop dance presentation and accompanying drum song.
“It’s a wonderful place to connect with my own culture,” she said.
Primary Results: Profile of the Winners
http://fenwaynews.org/?p=18823
Last month in the Democratic primary, Jon Santiago and Nika Elugardo defeated longtime state representatives Byron Rushing and Jeffrey Sanchez in the 9th and 15th districts, respectively.
Santiago and Elugardo are part of a national political trend that favors underdogs. Rather than relying on pre-existing political ties, they each employed a grassroots campaign focused on connecting with voters.
“If you want to enact change, particularly in the State House, you can’t do it alone. You have to have a community behind you,” said Santiago. “There’s no better way to do that then meeting with people and engaging with them.”
Santiago and Elugardo went door to door and spoke directly with voters, rather than relying primarily on soliciting votes by mail like Rushing and Sanchez.
Loretta Dixon, a retired social worker who has lived in Mission Hill for 55 years, said that Elugardo visited her residence on three separate occasions. When Dixon wasn’t home, Elugardo left handwritten notes introducing herself and saying “sorry I missed you.”
Elugardo estimates that she knocked on 4,300 doors. For Santiago, the number was 8,000.
Alison Barnet, a writer and retired teacher and social worker who has lived in the South End for over 50 years, recalls meeting a woman whose door Santiago knocked on while canvassing. Weeks later, upon running into her again, Santiago remembered the woman’s street address.
“How could he possibly remember that? And yet, he did,” said Barnet. “He’s really friendly, he seems very competent and he’s full of energy...I don’t think the guy would be tired.”
Santiago’s energy is surprising given his tightly packed schedule -- when he is not pursuing his political aspirations, Santiago is an Emergency Medical Resident at Boston Medical Center. Santiago sees politics as an extension of his work in the medical field. Often times, the cases he treats are indirect results of political issues like poverty, inadequate housing, and the opioid epidemic -- all of which were common complaints during Santiago’s door to door visits.
“Until we get to these social determinants of health,” he said, “we won’t be able to make significant gains with respect to the quality of life of so many people living in Boston.”
Santiago was born in Puerto Rico (speaking Spanish proved useful when meeting voters) and grew up outside of Austin, Texas in what he describes as an underserved community. His family moved to Boston when he was in elementary school, but he attended the University of Texas at Austin as an undergraduate.
Santiago says he has always been interested in public health and politics. After college, he joined the Peace Corps, organizing sugarcane workers and immigrants in the Dominican Republic. He ultimately spent nearly five years working abroad in countries including France, Gabon, and Canada. Eventually, he returned to the the United States to get a masters in Public Health from the University of Washington in Seattle and later a medical degree from Yale.
Elugardo also spent an extensive amount of time overseas. After growing up in Ohio, she came to Boston to attend MIT and eventually studied nonprofit management at the Harvard Kennedy School. While there, she began to volunteer with a group called Women Waging Peace, which brought her to conflict areas like Rwanda, the Philippines, and Northern Ireland. Upon graduating from law school at Boston University a few years later, Elugardo was named a Public Interest Fellow and embarked on trips to India where she worked with nonprofits and religious groups to combat corruption and sex-trafficking.
Unlike Santiago, Elugardo was not interested in politics for most of her life. Despite seeing problems and possible solutions, she rarely noticed any significant changes. It was not until traveling to Rwanda, where she encountered women who had been abused by the government and responded by running for and winning public office, that Elugardo changed her attitude towards politics.
“I realized from watching these women that that viewpoint was not only overly cynical but it was a cop out,” she said. “Someone with my skills and passion was really well suited to serve.”
After the 2016 election, friends and family reached out to Elugardo via text and email encouraging her to consider public office. Eventually, she decided to run at the state level, where she aims to enact positive change in education, the environment, and housing.
While both candidates have voiced promising plans for future political change, Rich Giordano, the Policy and Community Planning Director for Fenway Community Development Corporation, is wary that they can enact change. “It's easy for the challenger to take a bunch of positions on something,” he said. “The voter needs to be smart enough to ask how they're going to accomplish it once they get in."
Both candidates are running unopposed in the general election on Nov. 6.
http://fenwaynews.org/?p=18823
Last month in the Democratic primary, Jon Santiago and Nika Elugardo defeated longtime state representatives Byron Rushing and Jeffrey Sanchez in the 9th and 15th districts, respectively.
Santiago and Elugardo are part of a national political trend that favors underdogs. Rather than relying on pre-existing political ties, they each employed a grassroots campaign focused on connecting with voters.
“If you want to enact change, particularly in the State House, you can’t do it alone. You have to have a community behind you,” said Santiago. “There’s no better way to do that then meeting with people and engaging with them.”
Santiago and Elugardo went door to door and spoke directly with voters, rather than relying primarily on soliciting votes by mail like Rushing and Sanchez.
Loretta Dixon, a retired social worker who has lived in Mission Hill for 55 years, said that Elugardo visited her residence on three separate occasions. When Dixon wasn’t home, Elugardo left handwritten notes introducing herself and saying “sorry I missed you.”
Elugardo estimates that she knocked on 4,300 doors. For Santiago, the number was 8,000.
Alison Barnet, a writer and retired teacher and social worker who has lived in the South End for over 50 years, recalls meeting a woman whose door Santiago knocked on while canvassing. Weeks later, upon running into her again, Santiago remembered the woman’s street address.
“How could he possibly remember that? And yet, he did,” said Barnet. “He’s really friendly, he seems very competent and he’s full of energy...I don’t think the guy would be tired.”
Santiago’s energy is surprising given his tightly packed schedule -- when he is not pursuing his political aspirations, Santiago is an Emergency Medical Resident at Boston Medical Center. Santiago sees politics as an extension of his work in the medical field. Often times, the cases he treats are indirect results of political issues like poverty, inadequate housing, and the opioid epidemic -- all of which were common complaints during Santiago’s door to door visits.
“Until we get to these social determinants of health,” he said, “we won’t be able to make significant gains with respect to the quality of life of so many people living in Boston.”
Santiago was born in Puerto Rico (speaking Spanish proved useful when meeting voters) and grew up outside of Austin, Texas in what he describes as an underserved community. His family moved to Boston when he was in elementary school, but he attended the University of Texas at Austin as an undergraduate.
Santiago says he has always been interested in public health and politics. After college, he joined the Peace Corps, organizing sugarcane workers and immigrants in the Dominican Republic. He ultimately spent nearly five years working abroad in countries including France, Gabon, and Canada. Eventually, he returned to the the United States to get a masters in Public Health from the University of Washington in Seattle and later a medical degree from Yale.
Elugardo also spent an extensive amount of time overseas. After growing up in Ohio, she came to Boston to attend MIT and eventually studied nonprofit management at the Harvard Kennedy School. While there, she began to volunteer with a group called Women Waging Peace, which brought her to conflict areas like Rwanda, the Philippines, and Northern Ireland. Upon graduating from law school at Boston University a few years later, Elugardo was named a Public Interest Fellow and embarked on trips to India where she worked with nonprofits and religious groups to combat corruption and sex-trafficking.
Unlike Santiago, Elugardo was not interested in politics for most of her life. Despite seeing problems and possible solutions, she rarely noticed any significant changes. It was not until traveling to Rwanda, where she encountered women who had been abused by the government and responded by running for and winning public office, that Elugardo changed her attitude towards politics.
“I realized from watching these women that that viewpoint was not only overly cynical but it was a cop out,” she said. “Someone with my skills and passion was really well suited to serve.”
After the 2016 election, friends and family reached out to Elugardo via text and email encouraging her to consider public office. Eventually, she decided to run at the state level, where she aims to enact positive change in education, the environment, and housing.
While both candidates have voiced promising plans for future political change, Rich Giordano, the Policy and Community Planning Director for Fenway Community Development Corporation, is wary that they can enact change. “It's easy for the challenger to take a bunch of positions on something,” he said. “The voter needs to be smart enough to ask how they're going to accomplish it once they get in."
Both candidates are running unopposed in the general election on Nov. 6.
Primary Results: Reactions from Residents
http://fenwaynews.org/?p=18820
Democrats new to the political realm defeated long-term state representatives in the Massachusetts primary election last month, prompting various reactions from residents in the 9th and 15th districts.
In the 9th district, which spans from Back Bay to Fenway and Roxbury, Jon Santiago beat Byron Rushing, the House’s assistant majority leader and fourth-highest ranking Democrat, with 48 percent of the vote to Rushing’s 37 percent. In the 15th district, Nika Elugardo beat Jeffrey Sanchez, a Jamaica Plain Democrat and the House Ways and Means chairman, who has not faced a primary opponent since 2010, with 52 percent of the vote to Sanchez’s 48 percent. The district includes Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, Roslindale, and part of Brookline.
Jonathan Cohn, a member of the Ward 4 Democratic Committee and Fenway resident, supported Santiago and Elugardo. He said that both candidates displayed an impressive “grounds campaign.”
In particular, Cohn feels that the two candidates willingness to go door to door to engage with voters differentiates them from the incumbents, particularly Rushing. “Byron has a very impressive civil rights history,” said Cohn. But then, “he was brought into House leadership and didn't have that same force he once did.”
On the other hand, Cohn believes Sanchez lost because his values did not align with those of voters. “Jeffrey Sanchez had a mismatch with the district,” Cohn said. “Things that would be assumed that you would support, he didn't...Many of things that people in the district felt passionate about hadn't been making progress. Even when he says that he supports things, he's still deferring to the speaker of the House.”
This notion, that Sanchez often deferred to House leadership, is something that many people, including Elugardo, have criticized.
But Christopher Feiss, a Mission Hill resident and member of the Ward 10 Democratic Committee, defended Sanchez. “You’re setting yourself up for failure if you butt heads with the speaker just because you want to make a statement that won’t ultimately help your district,” he said. “It won’t help you, it won’t help your people.”
The speaker of the House, a position that has been held by Robert A. DeLeo since January 2009, does evoke a lot of power. So voting with him, as Sanchez and Rushing have done in the past, is a pragmatic choice.
But some people, like Varshini Prakash, the Communications Director of Sunrise Movement, an environmental group that endorsed Elugardo in September’s election, look at long-running political careers as a disadvantage. “We're witnessing a wave of change across this country, and Massachusetts is no exception,” she said. “Young people are fed up with an out-of-touch political establishment that's corrupt and complacent in the face of the greatest existential crisis of our lifetimes. We're the largest voting block for the first time in history, and we're ready for a new generation of leaders.”
Massachusetts general election, in which Santiago and Eluguardo will be representing the 9th and 15th districts respectively, will take place on Nov. 6.
http://fenwaynews.org/?p=18820
Democrats new to the political realm defeated long-term state representatives in the Massachusetts primary election last month, prompting various reactions from residents in the 9th and 15th districts.
In the 9th district, which spans from Back Bay to Fenway and Roxbury, Jon Santiago beat Byron Rushing, the House’s assistant majority leader and fourth-highest ranking Democrat, with 48 percent of the vote to Rushing’s 37 percent. In the 15th district, Nika Elugardo beat Jeffrey Sanchez, a Jamaica Plain Democrat and the House Ways and Means chairman, who has not faced a primary opponent since 2010, with 52 percent of the vote to Sanchez’s 48 percent. The district includes Jamaica Plain, Mission Hill, Roslindale, and part of Brookline.
Jonathan Cohn, a member of the Ward 4 Democratic Committee and Fenway resident, supported Santiago and Elugardo. He said that both candidates displayed an impressive “grounds campaign.”
In particular, Cohn feels that the two candidates willingness to go door to door to engage with voters differentiates them from the incumbents, particularly Rushing. “Byron has a very impressive civil rights history,” said Cohn. But then, “he was brought into House leadership and didn't have that same force he once did.”
On the other hand, Cohn believes Sanchez lost because his values did not align with those of voters. “Jeffrey Sanchez had a mismatch with the district,” Cohn said. “Things that would be assumed that you would support, he didn't...Many of things that people in the district felt passionate about hadn't been making progress. Even when he says that he supports things, he's still deferring to the speaker of the House.”
This notion, that Sanchez often deferred to House leadership, is something that many people, including Elugardo, have criticized.
But Christopher Feiss, a Mission Hill resident and member of the Ward 10 Democratic Committee, defended Sanchez. “You’re setting yourself up for failure if you butt heads with the speaker just because you want to make a statement that won’t ultimately help your district,” he said. “It won’t help you, it won’t help your people.”
The speaker of the House, a position that has been held by Robert A. DeLeo since January 2009, does evoke a lot of power. So voting with him, as Sanchez and Rushing have done in the past, is a pragmatic choice.
But some people, like Varshini Prakash, the Communications Director of Sunrise Movement, an environmental group that endorsed Elugardo in September’s election, look at long-running political careers as a disadvantage. “We're witnessing a wave of change across this country, and Massachusetts is no exception,” she said. “Young people are fed up with an out-of-touch political establishment that's corrupt and complacent in the face of the greatest existential crisis of our lifetimes. We're the largest voting block for the first time in history, and we're ready for a new generation of leaders.”
Massachusetts general election, in which Santiago and Eluguardo will be representing the 9th and 15th districts respectively, will take place on Nov. 6.
Lemieux Exhibit Advocates for Progress
https://www.huntnewsnu.com/2018/02/lemieux-exhibit-advocates-for-progress/
A patterned wallpaper and paper mache figure sounds conspicuous, but the award-winning exhibit it belongs to is hidden behind an unobtrusive wall on the second floor of the Museum of Fine Arts.
Annette Lemieux’s “Mise en Scene” exhibit received the Boston Museum of Fine Arts’ 2017 Maud Morgan Prize, which honors a female artist from Massachusetts who has made a significant impact in the art world. “Mise en Scene” features several striking pieces, including a colorful floor-to-ceiling print of radio antennas and a flashing blue light bulb mounted to a red and white striped base.
“In this exhibit, [Lemieux was] playing with color a lot,” said third-year English major Nicole Sojkowski. “[She was] mixing movies with wood sculptures. It’s kind of the different play of materials that I like.”
At first glance, the pieces seemed unrelated to one another; the exhibit’s works are made from varying mediums and represent different subjects. But each piece was inspired by films Lemieux saw as a child, including François Truffaut’s “Fahrenheit 451” (1966), Robert Mulligan’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962), Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” (1940) and Fritz Lang’s “M” (1931).
“Most of the films [Lemieux] draws from in ‘Mise en Scene’ are set in small-town environments, and they all deal with retrograde value systems such as racism, sexism, classism, censorship, excessive societal control, surveillance,” said Liz Munsell, the MFA’s Lorraine and Alan Bressler Curator of Contemporary Art.
Although decades old, the themes present in the films and artwork can still be seen today.
“This show is yet another reminder of the retrograde values that are currently at war with the future majority,” Munsell said.
There are no easy solutions for these problems, but art like Lemieux’s work in “Mise en Scene” marks a colorful step in the right direction.
“Traditionally, [art] has been a very subversive way to express issues in oppressive regimes,” said Gail Pendleton, a Plymouth resident and political activist, during a recent trip to the museum. “Sometimes it takes seeing something for issues to resonate.”
Pendleton agreed.
“We need everyone out there [working for change] in some little way,” she said. “Even if it’s making art, that’s great. Make more art."
https://www.huntnewsnu.com/2018/02/lemieux-exhibit-advocates-for-progress/
A patterned wallpaper and paper mache figure sounds conspicuous, but the award-winning exhibit it belongs to is hidden behind an unobtrusive wall on the second floor of the Museum of Fine Arts.
Annette Lemieux’s “Mise en Scene” exhibit received the Boston Museum of Fine Arts’ 2017 Maud Morgan Prize, which honors a female artist from Massachusetts who has made a significant impact in the art world. “Mise en Scene” features several striking pieces, including a colorful floor-to-ceiling print of radio antennas and a flashing blue light bulb mounted to a red and white striped base.
“In this exhibit, [Lemieux was] playing with color a lot,” said third-year English major Nicole Sojkowski. “[She was] mixing movies with wood sculptures. It’s kind of the different play of materials that I like.”
At first glance, the pieces seemed unrelated to one another; the exhibit’s works are made from varying mediums and represent different subjects. But each piece was inspired by films Lemieux saw as a child, including François Truffaut’s “Fahrenheit 451” (1966), Robert Mulligan’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962), Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” (1940) and Fritz Lang’s “M” (1931).
“Most of the films [Lemieux] draws from in ‘Mise en Scene’ are set in small-town environments, and they all deal with retrograde value systems such as racism, sexism, classism, censorship, excessive societal control, surveillance,” said Liz Munsell, the MFA’s Lorraine and Alan Bressler Curator of Contemporary Art.
Although decades old, the themes present in the films and artwork can still be seen today.
“This show is yet another reminder of the retrograde values that are currently at war with the future majority,” Munsell said.
There are no easy solutions for these problems, but art like Lemieux’s work in “Mise en Scene” marks a colorful step in the right direction.
“Traditionally, [art] has been a very subversive way to express issues in oppressive regimes,” said Gail Pendleton, a Plymouth resident and political activist, during a recent trip to the museum. “Sometimes it takes seeing something for issues to resonate.”
Pendleton agreed.
“We need everyone out there [working for change] in some little way,” she said. “Even if it’s making art, that’s great. Make more art."
'The Mayor's Premiere Recap: No Political Experience Required
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/tv-lust/bs-fe-the-mayor-recap-season-1-episode-1-story.html
Try to imagine a scenario in which someone with no political experience runs for office. And wins. I know -- this might sound vaguely familiar.
Now, imagine that this person lives in an apartment with his mother, rides a bicycle to work, and says things like “that’s how I roll.”
By now you’ve likely realized that I’m not talking about Donald Trump. I’m rather referring to Courtney Rose. Ever heard of him?
Well that’s okay, because unlike our president, Courtney Rose isn’t real. He’s the protagonist of ABC’s “The Mayor,” which began its first season Tuesday night.
In the show’s opening scene we meet Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall) as he admires a new pair of sneakers. He doesn’t put them on or polish them, but holds them above his head, lion king style, and talks to them like he would talk to a pretty girl -- “Daaaamn, how you doin shawty?”
Obviously, Rose is a sneaker head.
He’s also a rapper, albeit, a struggling one. This, we find out in the following scene, is why Rose has decided to run for Mayor. He wants publicity. What better way, in this day and age, than through a political campaign?
After all, “it’s super easy,” according to Rose. “Step 1, get 200 signatures. Step 2, don’t be a felon.”
His opponent, Ed Gunt (David Spade), doesn’t think Rose has a shot at winning. The two face off in political debate within the episode’s first few minutes.
Initially, it appears Gunt is the obvious winner. He’s well dressed in a suit and tie. He has a smart and energetic campaign manager (Lea Michele). He is not afraid to correct Rose when he makes a mistake.
But then, Gunt mentions the city commons, a park in Fort Grey, California where the show is set, and Rose cuts him off. After asking when Gunt last spent time in the commons, Rose jokes, “there’s so much trash, Bravo gave it a second season.”
Hidden behind humor, a new side of Rose is revealed. No, he’s not exactly qualified for office. No, he doesn’t know the first thing about formal debate. But Rose does know Fort Grey. And, judging by the laughter in the room, he knows how to win over a crowd.
Flash forward a few scenes later and Rose is checking the status of his mixtape as his mother and two best friends watch a newscast about the election. And, what do you know? Rose has won.
We, as an audience, may not be surprised, but Rose and his friends certainly are.
“This has to be a mistake,” Rose says. “I mean Russia clearly tampered with the voting machines, right?” Despite his laugh, it's hard to tell whether Rose is joking.
The plan had never been to actually become mayor. Rose only wanted to promote his music. Now, he has a problem. A big problem.
As is often the case when big problems arise, Mom is there to help. Rose’s mother brings him out on the fire escape and convinces him to accept the nomination.
“You rap because you’re a commentator, an observer, you critique the status quo,” she tells her son. “Baby, maybe now you can change it.”
After thinking it over, Rose agrees. “I think I got this,” he says.
Although I loved the sentiment -- local rapper turned political do gooder -- I wasn’t so sure Rose had what it takes. I mean, the guy can barely speak one sentence without cracking a joke.
I am reassured, however, when Gunt’s former campaign manager, Valentina Barella, marches into Rose’s bedroom the next morning. She wakes up Fort Grey’s newest Mayor with coffee, and a plan.
For Barella, Rose’s inexperience offers an opportunity to advance her career. If she can help him successfully navigate his new position, she is sure to join the “pantheon of female political masterminds, just crushing every Kellyanne Conway and Donna Brazile in [her] path.” It’s an offer that Rose can’t afford to turn down.
A moment later the duo is standing inside city hall as Barella introduces Rose to his new team. “I found you the absolute best staffers in the county,” she says. “But they weren’t available.”
That’s okay, because Rose has also hired his two best friends: Jermain Leforge (Bernard David Jones) and T.K. Clifton (Marcel Spears). They may not have any more political experience than Rose, but they do “know Fort Gray inside and out.”
The Mayor’s first order of business? Restore the city commons. How? Doing what Rose and his friends do best: throwing the party “of the millennium.”
Barella is not sure about the idea, but Rose is confident. “Trust me,” he says. “Once we pull this off, the voters will only have one question: why’d it take 25 years?”
The following scenes show Rose and his team preparing for the party as Rihanna’s “Work” plays in the background. Invitations are extended. Supplies are bought. Rose even remembers to get the necessary city permit. Together, Fort Grey citizens clean the city common and the Mayor’s first order of business seems like a success.
Then, Rose gets a call from a local booker. He’s been asked to perform at the 8:30 club, a gig he never would have gotten before the election. Ignoring his friend's advice to stay at the party, Rose leaves.
In his absence, the cops arrive. They’re looking for the permit that Rose still holds in his pocket. Without it present, the party is shut down and Rose’s mother is arrested after provoking the cops -- “Arrest? I’d like to see you try.”
With less than five minutes left in the episode, it appears Fort Grey’s newest Mayor has failed. But once again, Mom steps in with some advice.
“Courtney, listen. This is not about you anymore. Your actions have consequences for a lot of people,” Rose’s mother tells him. “Your failures are their failures.”
Flash forward a few more scenes and Rose has finished cleaning the Common with the help of a neighborhood kid (Di Vinci SanTana Guthrie). Maybe he has what it takes to be the mayor after all.
“Music can wait,” he says. “I have a job to do.”
“The Mayor” airs at 9:30/8:30c on ABC. Check back next week for a recap of Episode 2.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/tv-lust/bs-fe-the-mayor-recap-season-1-episode-1-story.html
Try to imagine a scenario in which someone with no political experience runs for office. And wins. I know -- this might sound vaguely familiar.
Now, imagine that this person lives in an apartment with his mother, rides a bicycle to work, and says things like “that’s how I roll.”
By now you’ve likely realized that I’m not talking about Donald Trump. I’m rather referring to Courtney Rose. Ever heard of him?
Well that’s okay, because unlike our president, Courtney Rose isn’t real. He’s the protagonist of ABC’s “The Mayor,” which began its first season Tuesday night.
In the show’s opening scene we meet Rose (Brandon Micheal Hall) as he admires a new pair of sneakers. He doesn’t put them on or polish them, but holds them above his head, lion king style, and talks to them like he would talk to a pretty girl -- “Daaaamn, how you doin shawty?”
Obviously, Rose is a sneaker head.
He’s also a rapper, albeit, a struggling one. This, we find out in the following scene, is why Rose has decided to run for Mayor. He wants publicity. What better way, in this day and age, than through a political campaign?
After all, “it’s super easy,” according to Rose. “Step 1, get 200 signatures. Step 2, don’t be a felon.”
His opponent, Ed Gunt (David Spade), doesn’t think Rose has a shot at winning. The two face off in political debate within the episode’s first few minutes.
Initially, it appears Gunt is the obvious winner. He’s well dressed in a suit and tie. He has a smart and energetic campaign manager (Lea Michele). He is not afraid to correct Rose when he makes a mistake.
But then, Gunt mentions the city commons, a park in Fort Grey, California where the show is set, and Rose cuts him off. After asking when Gunt last spent time in the commons, Rose jokes, “there’s so much trash, Bravo gave it a second season.”
Hidden behind humor, a new side of Rose is revealed. No, he’s not exactly qualified for office. No, he doesn’t know the first thing about formal debate. But Rose does know Fort Grey. And, judging by the laughter in the room, he knows how to win over a crowd.
Flash forward a few scenes later and Rose is checking the status of his mixtape as his mother and two best friends watch a newscast about the election. And, what do you know? Rose has won.
We, as an audience, may not be surprised, but Rose and his friends certainly are.
“This has to be a mistake,” Rose says. “I mean Russia clearly tampered with the voting machines, right?” Despite his laugh, it's hard to tell whether Rose is joking.
The plan had never been to actually become mayor. Rose only wanted to promote his music. Now, he has a problem. A big problem.
As is often the case when big problems arise, Mom is there to help. Rose’s mother brings him out on the fire escape and convinces him to accept the nomination.
“You rap because you’re a commentator, an observer, you critique the status quo,” she tells her son. “Baby, maybe now you can change it.”
After thinking it over, Rose agrees. “I think I got this,” he says.
Although I loved the sentiment -- local rapper turned political do gooder -- I wasn’t so sure Rose had what it takes. I mean, the guy can barely speak one sentence without cracking a joke.
I am reassured, however, when Gunt’s former campaign manager, Valentina Barella, marches into Rose’s bedroom the next morning. She wakes up Fort Grey’s newest Mayor with coffee, and a plan.
For Barella, Rose’s inexperience offers an opportunity to advance her career. If she can help him successfully navigate his new position, she is sure to join the “pantheon of female political masterminds, just crushing every Kellyanne Conway and Donna Brazile in [her] path.” It’s an offer that Rose can’t afford to turn down.
A moment later the duo is standing inside city hall as Barella introduces Rose to his new team. “I found you the absolute best staffers in the county,” she says. “But they weren’t available.”
That’s okay, because Rose has also hired his two best friends: Jermain Leforge (Bernard David Jones) and T.K. Clifton (Marcel Spears). They may not have any more political experience than Rose, but they do “know Fort Gray inside and out.”
The Mayor’s first order of business? Restore the city commons. How? Doing what Rose and his friends do best: throwing the party “of the millennium.”
Barella is not sure about the idea, but Rose is confident. “Trust me,” he says. “Once we pull this off, the voters will only have one question: why’d it take 25 years?”
The following scenes show Rose and his team preparing for the party as Rihanna’s “Work” plays in the background. Invitations are extended. Supplies are bought. Rose even remembers to get the necessary city permit. Together, Fort Grey citizens clean the city common and the Mayor’s first order of business seems like a success.
Then, Rose gets a call from a local booker. He’s been asked to perform at the 8:30 club, a gig he never would have gotten before the election. Ignoring his friend's advice to stay at the party, Rose leaves.
In his absence, the cops arrive. They’re looking for the permit that Rose still holds in his pocket. Without it present, the party is shut down and Rose’s mother is arrested after provoking the cops -- “Arrest? I’d like to see you try.”
With less than five minutes left in the episode, it appears Fort Grey’s newest Mayor has failed. But once again, Mom steps in with some advice.
“Courtney, listen. This is not about you anymore. Your actions have consequences for a lot of people,” Rose’s mother tells him. “Your failures are their failures.”
Flash forward a few more scenes and Rose has finished cleaning the Common with the help of a neighborhood kid (Di Vinci SanTana Guthrie). Maybe he has what it takes to be the mayor after all.
“Music can wait,” he says. “I have a job to do.”
“The Mayor” airs at 9:30/8:30c on ABC. Check back next week for a recap of Episode 2.
OriolesREACH, Kevin Gausman and BARCS Partner for Reading Program
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bs-fe-orioles-tails-tales-20170530-story.html
Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman and his wife, Taylor, are launching a new program to promote childhood reading and social interaction with shelter pets. “Tails with Tales” is the latest result of an ongoing partnership between OriolesREACH and Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc. (BARCS).
“As animal lovers, Taylor and I are enthusiastic supporters of BARCS and this program was a perfect way to increase our involvement,” Gausman said in an announcement released May 30.
The program pairs children with animal “reading buddies.” After reading five books to a shelter pet, participants will receive a complimentary book and two Orioles tickets.
“As a former teacher, Taylor understands the challenges that children face when learning to read, especially the pressure they experience when reading out loud in front of their classmates,” said Gausman. “This program helps to alleviate that pressure by allowing kids to practice reading in a safe space with supportive listeners, all while providing companionship and love to animals most in need.”
Children who wish to participate in the reading program should go to baltimoreanimalshelter.org/home for more information.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/baltimore-insider-blog/bs-fe-orioles-tails-tales-20170530-story.html
Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman and his wife, Taylor, are launching a new program to promote childhood reading and social interaction with shelter pets. “Tails with Tales” is the latest result of an ongoing partnership between OriolesREACH and Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc. (BARCS).
“As animal lovers, Taylor and I are enthusiastic supporters of BARCS and this program was a perfect way to increase our involvement,” Gausman said in an announcement released May 30.
The program pairs children with animal “reading buddies.” After reading five books to a shelter pet, participants will receive a complimentary book and two Orioles tickets.
“As a former teacher, Taylor understands the challenges that children face when learning to read, especially the pressure they experience when reading out loud in front of their classmates,” said Gausman. “This program helps to alleviate that pressure by allowing kids to practice reading in a safe space with supportive listeners, all while providing companionship and love to animals most in need.”
Children who wish to participate in the reading program should go to baltimoreanimalshelter.org/home for more information.
When Liberalism Limits Us
http://brynmawrquill.blogspot.com/2016/10/when-liberalism-limits-us-by-katie-coiro.html
With the 2016 presidential election rapidly approaching, students across the tri-school seem to be immersed in a nearly constant political debate. Though I will still be too young to vote in the fall, this debate has pushed me to examine my own political views more closely.
I am not a liberal, nor am I a conservative. In fact, I am a student who is still actively trying to develop my political views. I would like to think that Bryn Mawr, a school which advertises itself as supporting a “diversity of opinions,” is an environment in which my political curiosity will be given the opportunity to flourish. However, as I witness an extreme discrepancy between the representation of liberal and conservative views on campus, I question whether or not Bryn Mawr students are truly open to a diversity of opinions.
Regardless of one’s individual political tendencies, most can agree that the majority of Bryn Mawr students and faculty hold liberal beliefs. While I can easily list several senior convocations in which the speaker supported liberal policies, it is much more difficult to think of one that promoted a conservative viewpoint. I have been told by upperclassman on more than one occasion, “Just make sure your thesis is liberal and you’ll be given a good grade.” When flipping back through past issues of this very newspaper, headlines like “Donald Trump: The Rise of the Prideful and Prejudiced,” and “Islamophobia in American Sniper,” catch my eye. These examples indicate that liberal opinions are quite common at Bryn Mawr.
Given that Bryn Mawr is an academic institution composed of young students, this is actually not that unusual. According to the Harvard Political Review, 60 percent of voting students supported President Obama in 2012, while only 36 percent supported Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate. Similarly, research conducted by Neil Gross and George Mason, sociology professors at the University of British Columbia, found that only 13.7 percent of college professors in the United States identify as Republican.
The problem I have perceived, therefore, does not lie in Bryn Mawr’s supposedly liberal tendencies. Rather, it lies in Bryn Mawr students’ reluctance to respect opinions that differ from their own.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the term “liberal” literally means “not opposed to new ideas or ways of behaving that are not traditional or widely accepted.” If this is the case, why have I experienced so many instances in which students, claiming to be liberal, are quick to criticize an opposing view, rather than respect its uniqueness and seek to understand the reasoning behind it?
Too often, I have watched students voice conservative opinions in class, only to be accused of small-mindedness by their classmates. Too often, I have heard the word “ignorant” accompany the word “Republican.” Too often, I have witnessed friends who identify as conservative fall silent amidst lunchtime conversation, for fear of being judged for their beliefs.
According to Avery Riedel ’17, “When you have conservative views at Bryn Mawr, you just learn to lay low. At a school that claims to be so accepting of everyone’s views, I feel like the views of conservatives are often shamed. People judge an entire political party based on the actions of one candidate. Just because I’m a Republican doesn’t mean that I agree with what Donald Trump says.”
Avery is not alone. In fact, this article was initially supposed to be written by a student who identifies as a Republican. However, after realizing that her conservative opinion would be shared with the school in a very public manner, she asked me to write it instead. This student was so afraid of the judgement that her opinion would bring, she chose not to share any opinion at all. Is this really the kind of environment we want Bryn Mawr to be?
In my sophomore year history class, Dr. Kim Riley, the head of Bryn Mawr’s history department, stressed the importance of gathering opposing historical accounts in order to most accurately examine an area of study. The same must be said when it comes to politics. I find it difficult to form my own, unbiased political beliefs in an environment that so often tells me, even if it is said only indirectly by means of an eye role, that the only right opinion is a liberal one.
It is my hope that, in the future, Bryn Mawr students can focus less on labels like “liberal” and “conservative,” and more on creating an environment in which all voices can be heard and respected. This goal is particularly crucial now, as some juniors and seniors prepare to participate in a national election for the first time. The more educated we are about all political opinions, the better prepared we are to cast a thoughtful and informed vote.
http://brynmawrquill.blogspot.com/2016/10/when-liberalism-limits-us-by-katie-coiro.html
With the 2016 presidential election rapidly approaching, students across the tri-school seem to be immersed in a nearly constant political debate. Though I will still be too young to vote in the fall, this debate has pushed me to examine my own political views more closely.
I am not a liberal, nor am I a conservative. In fact, I am a student who is still actively trying to develop my political views. I would like to think that Bryn Mawr, a school which advertises itself as supporting a “diversity of opinions,” is an environment in which my political curiosity will be given the opportunity to flourish. However, as I witness an extreme discrepancy between the representation of liberal and conservative views on campus, I question whether or not Bryn Mawr students are truly open to a diversity of opinions.
Regardless of one’s individual political tendencies, most can agree that the majority of Bryn Mawr students and faculty hold liberal beliefs. While I can easily list several senior convocations in which the speaker supported liberal policies, it is much more difficult to think of one that promoted a conservative viewpoint. I have been told by upperclassman on more than one occasion, “Just make sure your thesis is liberal and you’ll be given a good grade.” When flipping back through past issues of this very newspaper, headlines like “Donald Trump: The Rise of the Prideful and Prejudiced,” and “Islamophobia in American Sniper,” catch my eye. These examples indicate that liberal opinions are quite common at Bryn Mawr.
Given that Bryn Mawr is an academic institution composed of young students, this is actually not that unusual. According to the Harvard Political Review, 60 percent of voting students supported President Obama in 2012, while only 36 percent supported Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate. Similarly, research conducted by Neil Gross and George Mason, sociology professors at the University of British Columbia, found that only 13.7 percent of college professors in the United States identify as Republican.
The problem I have perceived, therefore, does not lie in Bryn Mawr’s supposedly liberal tendencies. Rather, it lies in Bryn Mawr students’ reluctance to respect opinions that differ from their own.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the term “liberal” literally means “not opposed to new ideas or ways of behaving that are not traditional or widely accepted.” If this is the case, why have I experienced so many instances in which students, claiming to be liberal, are quick to criticize an opposing view, rather than respect its uniqueness and seek to understand the reasoning behind it?
Too often, I have watched students voice conservative opinions in class, only to be accused of small-mindedness by their classmates. Too often, I have heard the word “ignorant” accompany the word “Republican.” Too often, I have witnessed friends who identify as conservative fall silent amidst lunchtime conversation, for fear of being judged for their beliefs.
According to Avery Riedel ’17, “When you have conservative views at Bryn Mawr, you just learn to lay low. At a school that claims to be so accepting of everyone’s views, I feel like the views of conservatives are often shamed. People judge an entire political party based on the actions of one candidate. Just because I’m a Republican doesn’t mean that I agree with what Donald Trump says.”
Avery is not alone. In fact, this article was initially supposed to be written by a student who identifies as a Republican. However, after realizing that her conservative opinion would be shared with the school in a very public manner, she asked me to write it instead. This student was so afraid of the judgement that her opinion would bring, she chose not to share any opinion at all. Is this really the kind of environment we want Bryn Mawr to be?
In my sophomore year history class, Dr. Kim Riley, the head of Bryn Mawr’s history department, stressed the importance of gathering opposing historical accounts in order to most accurately examine an area of study. The same must be said when it comes to politics. I find it difficult to form my own, unbiased political beliefs in an environment that so often tells me, even if it is said only indirectly by means of an eye role, that the only right opinion is a liberal one.
It is my hope that, in the future, Bryn Mawr students can focus less on labels like “liberal” and “conservative,” and more on creating an environment in which all voices can be heard and respected. This goal is particularly crucial now, as some juniors and seniors prepare to participate in a national election for the first time. The more educated we are about all political opinions, the better prepared we are to cast a thoughtful and informed vote.