'Flag for All Seasons' postage stamps make national debut in Weston
WESTON -- A stamp might be a small rectangle affixed to an envelope, but for postal enthusiasts like those at Regis College on Friday, a stamp can deliver a message of resiliency, patriotism, and comfort.
The US Postal Service debuted a new collection of Forever Stamps at the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History. Known as a First Day of Issue ceremony, the event introduced the newly-produced stamps to the public.
Titled “A Flag for All Seasons,” each of the four stamp designs depicts a flag against trees that evoke one of the four seasons.
“We are honored with the flag in life, and in our darkest hours, we are comforted by it,” said Boston Postmaster James Holland in a statement. “Nowhere do we know this better than right here. As our nation was rocked by the senseless acts put upon Boston on Patriots Day, and again in the criminal trespass upon the campus of M.I.T. that claimed the life of Officer Sean Collier, we turned to our flag to speak for us.”
That sentiment was echoed by postal spokesperson Denise Varano: “Boston helped welcome these stamps for the country.”
A few dozen people attended the ceremony and were among the first in the nation to purchase the stamps and have them postmarked, according to the postal service.
Before the unveiling, Spellman Curator George Norton invoked the words of the museum’s namesake, Francis Cardinal Spellman: “Stamps are miniature documents of human history. They are the means by which a country gives sensible expression to its hopes and needs; its beliefs and ideals. They mirror the past and presage the future. They delineate cultural attainments, industrial works, domestic, civil and social life. In a word, these vignettes give a vivid picture of the world, its occupants and their multifarious endeavors.”
As part of the ceremony, a flag that had been flown over the US Capitol was displayed outside the museum as patriotic songs were performed by the Weston Country School Chorus.
Later, museum staff, volunteers, and stamp enthusiasts crowded inside the museum to purchase the stamps and have them canceled with a special “First Day of Issue” Weston postmark.
For museum trustee Ann Grady, there were two reasons to celebrate. “It’s wonderful to have this event here, because it was 50 years ago that this museum opened,” she said.
“Stamps connect people,” she said. “They have a wonderful history. They tell stories, and the museum is a wonderful place for people to come and learn.”
The stamp’s designed are based on paintings by Laura Stutzman, who used her personal photographs as flags as reference. In 2008, the Postal Service issued four of her designs as Flags 24/7. The art director was Phil Jordan.
“A Flag for All Seasons” stamps are now on sale for 46 cents apiece nationwide. They are Forever Stamps, meaning they will remain valid regardless of postal rate increases. Books of 20 will be made available May 17.
John Swinconeck can be reached at johnswinc@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @JohnSwinc.
Weekend service suspension of Fitchburg line postponed to begin on June 1, not May 4
The weekend service suspension of the Fitchburg commuter rail line scheduled for May 4 has been postponed to begin on Saturday June 1, according to the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company.
Due to MBTA improvement projects on the line, service will not be available between the Fitchburg and South Acton stations on Saturdays and Sundays from June 1 to July 28. On Independence Day weekend (July 4 to July 7), weekend train service will be provided.
On Saturday August 3, weekend service will be suspended for the South Acton, West Concord, Concord, Lincoln, and Kendal Green stations until November 17. Weekend train service will be available on Labor Day weekend (August 31 to September 2).
Substitute buses will not be provided throughout the duration of the project.
Trains will terminate and originate at South Acton during the first phase of the project. During Phase 2, trains will terminate and originate at Brandeis/Roberts.
Phase 1: June 1 - July 28 (Fitchburg to/from South Acton)
Trains will terminate and originate at South Acton. During these weekend outages, the following stations will be closed:
- Fitchburg
- North Leominster
- Shirley
- Ayer
- Littleton/Route 495
Fitchburg line trains (inbound and outbound) between South Acton and North Station will operate on the normal weekend schedule.
Phase 2: August 3 - November 17 Fitchburg to/from Brandeis/Roberts
Trains will terminate and originate at Brandeis/Roberts. The following stations will be closed:
- South Acton
- West Concord
- Concord
- Lincoln
- Kendal Green (Weston)
Fitchburg line trains (inbound and outbound) between Brandeis/Roberts and North Station will operate on the normal weekend schedule.
Weekday service will not be impacted.
For more information, visit MBTA.com.
Cardinal Sean O'Malley to deliver Regis College commencement address May 11
Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, will deliver Regis College's commencement address during the ceremony in Weston on May 11, and will receive an honorary doctorate of laws degree from the college.
“Regis congratulates Cardinal Sean for persevering in re-building trust within our Boston Church, preparing this great ecclesiastical community for the challenges of the 21st century, and keeping major issues out in front," Antoinette M. Hays, the college's president said in a statement.
"We consider him a friend, and Regis College alumni, staff, and faculty have supported him in the past decade in various ways on his journey not only to repair and console a Church wounded by clerical sexual abuse but also to revitalize Catholic education at every level.”
Regis, a Roman Catholic school, expects to graduate over 550 students with degrees ranging from associates to doctorates. About 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at the school, which was founded in 1927 as a liberal arts college for women.
The college will also award Kathryn Erat, sponsor of the Erat Scholars program at Regis, with an honorary doctorate of laws degree at the commencement. The academic program selects a group of undergrads to participate in a seminar addressing both ancient and new issues in the Church, and brings the students on international travels relevant to the religion and the school.
For more information on the school and commencement, visit the college's website.
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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com
Follow her on Twitter: @jaclynreiss
Earth Day Charles River cleanup postponed
The Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup was postponed from Saturday, April 20, to Saturday, April 27, as authorities continued their manhunt Friday for the second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings.
The Charles River Watershed Association said it would provide more details about the rescheduled event next week.
The annual cleanup takes place at various sites all along the Charles River. Since 2000, Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and a dedicated group of partner organizations and agencies have celebrated Earth Day by engaging local citizens in the state’s largest river cleanup.
Even outside lockdown area, some colleges close during hunt for Boston Marathon bombing suspect
Even outside the communities on official lockdown, some colleges and universities are closed today as authorities search for a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. Regis College, Mass Bay Community College, and Wellesley College have all closed their doors.
A Wellesley College spokeswoman sent the following statement by email:
"At this point, there is no direct threat to the town of Wellesley or Wellesley College, but due to the continually changing nature of events that are unfolding today, the College made the decision to close," said Sofiya Cabalquinto in the email.
The Regis College website this morning advised those already on campus in Weston to stay on campus, which is in lockdown, and instructed those who have not already come in to stay away.
Mass Bay closed its three campuses in Ashland, Framingham, and Wellesley. The school’s service area covers 27 cities and towns, including most of those on lockdown, said Jeremy Solomon, spokesman for MassBay.
“In the interest of public safety for our campus community, we felt it would be best to close all three campuses at this time,” he said by phone.
Other schools outside the lockdown communities remained open but advised students who live in the lockdown area to stay put.
Such was the case with Babson College and Framingham State University.
Framingham State sent out an alert by phone or text message to students telling those who live in the locked down communities to stay where they are, according to Dan Magazu, university spokesman.
The Globe reported earlier that the following schools are closed: MIT, Harvard, Brandeis, BU, BC, Boston Conservatory, Bentley, Suffolk, Northeastern, Simmons, Berklee, Wheelock, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Tufts, Emmanuel, and Emerson have canceled classes today.
A celebration of Poila Baisakh for Indians becomes a day of terror in Boston
April 15 2013 – how I looked forward to the day on April 14 2013! It was going to be Marathon Monday and my plans were to sit back at home, relax and enjoy the day as it unfolded.
And you know what? It was also the Bengali New Year. Bengalis – are those who belong to the state of West Bengal in India and even those from Bangladesh. Called “Poila Baisakh” or the first day of the month of Baisakh is celebrated with family, sharing the bounties of harvest, making delicacies to welcome the New Year and seeking blessings from those older.
As immigrants we tend to latch onto festivals that can be celebrated abroad where we live without much effort. Some festivals require complicated rituals which unless you gather resources and material, it is hard to pull it off. But Poila Baisakh is always simple and picking up the phone to call or answer calls and wish is the easiest thing to do. It is such a folksy day (unlike other stern, ritualistic festivals) that welcomes all and it is the inclusive nature of the day that makes me happy and I look forward to it every year. It gives me a chance to carry forward some of my traditions and I surprise myself sometimes at the food I whip up like my mother did. As a child watching her cook and helping her around in the kitchen has paid off although at the time of, it was a chore!
In the news early morning I read that US Secretary of State John Kerry sent his Poila Baisakh wishes to the Bengali speaking people across the world. “On behalf of President Obama, I convey my warm greetings to all Bengali speaking people around the world as you celebrate Poila Baisakh. The American people wish you all happiness and prosperity in the New Year,” he said in a statement. Those words made me feel like it was going to be a beautiful day. Some days are just like that.
As I finished my calls to India by late noon, wishing friends and family I was wondering what would be on our festive dinner menu. It must have been around 3 pm that I switched on the news and all channels on TV had a rider at the bottom of the screen saying “breaking news.” What was so urgent that they had to stop regular programming? Maybe the Marathon runners were being felicitated, I thought. I waited for the sound to come on and that is when I realized how ominous the day had turned into.
I looked aghast at the at the plume of smoke and fire as the “explosions” came on, people running injured and crying, the shock on their faces writ large and the police, EMTs scattered on the screen. It took me back to 9/11 and the subsequent fear, shock and devastation. Why? And why Boston? People from all over the world were participating – what a way to target innocent people! Time stood still and all the festive spirit with which the day started for me had completely diminished.
Again calls poured in from India and rest of the country asking if we were safe – and everyone asked about the eight year old Martin who lost his life and his mother and sister have serious injuries. What has the world come to? Who are the people who thrive on killing a child? And innocent by standers supporting and cheering on the runners – what was their fault? In the years that I have spent in and around Boston and made it my home I have never seen anything as violent, despicable and alarming as this. May be DC because it is the political hot seat, maybe New York because of its financial status but never Boston. I made calls to people I know who work and live around Boston and was relieved to learn they were safe but for some it was quite close. Either they walked down Boylston Street minutes before the explosion or they were stopped by the police much before they reached the finish line.
My day changed. If the New Year begins on such a violent note, what is the rest of the year going to be like? I shudder as I keep my eyes peeled on the news updates. Stories of brave men and women helping those injured pour in. Yes we are in mourning – we have lost people – lives and their being. We have lost a way of living and trusting.
What I am sometimes uncertain about is how as a regular law abiding, hard working immigrant am I supposed to mourn? Is there a template that I could follow so I am recognized as a viable mourner? Am I allowed to be part of a shared sense of loss? I see my colleagues share their experiences as Marathon runners, bystanders and just regular people and then write about how “American” it is to help each other in times of distress. At one go, I am shut off from what is going on.
Did I hear that the devices used were packaged in a pressure cooker? It is as common as an oven or a microwave for an American as a pressure cooker is for many cultures and cooking. It even forms part of wedding trousseau because the cookers are sturdy and last a life time just like silverware and dishes in this country.
At this point I am angry that something so cultural has been usurped for a heinous crime. And I want to reclaim that and much, much more. At the time of writing this piece, no one had been found responsible or at least reported. I hope they do find out and soon because we are hurting and need closure.
Understandably, loss is private, personal but when there is breakdown of the normal, let us recognize that bereavement is across family, community, national boundaries and an essential step in rebuilding our lives.
Rajashree Ghosh is a resident scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University in Waltham.
Medical Reserve Corps aided injured after Boston Marathon attacks
The first responders who raced toward the finish line after two bombs exploded at Monday’s Boston Marathon included 151 volunteers from the Massachusetts Region 4A Medical Reserve Corps, doctors and nurses who expected to be helping runners with more typical and minor injuries get medical help.
Instead, the medical personnel who had been stationed a few blocks from the finish line heard the explosions and ran toward smoke and screams, some pushing empty wheelchairs, to help the seriously injured. The volunteers came from communities outside Boston, roughly bounded by interstates 95 and 495.
“They ran up and got the people to the medical tents,” said Liisa Jackson, coordinator for the Region 4A unit. “It was pretty chaotic.”
A total of about 200 volunteers were on the medical sweep team, given the task of sweeping injured or ill runners into the medical tents. Some of the others came from around the country.
“All of us didn’t know whether our lives were at risk as well,” Jackson said. She panicked because her daughter was with the girl’s father, closer to the finish line. Both turned out to be fine.
The Medical Reserve Corps is a national group that was created after another tragedy connected to Boston -- the 9/11 terror attacks – as a way to quickly mobilize public health teams in emergencies. The Region 4A unit was established in 2005.
Now Jackson and her group are working with the Boston Athletic Association and the Mass Support Network to make sure the volunteers who helped injured runners and bystanders Monday get emotional help they may need in the coming weeks.
“This is such a traumatic event and the things the volunteers saw and had to attend to will certainly have some effects on them emotionally,” she said. “I want to make sure they have all of the services needed to cope with what has happened.”
Kathleen Burge can be reached at kburge@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @kathleenburge.
Students plan to wear red in show of support after Marathon explosions
Students at the Rivers School in Weston plan to wear an article of red clothing Tuesday, as the area begins to respond to the explosion at the Boston Marathon.
In a message to the Rivers community, Sam Berger and Ope Olukorede, the co-presidents of the student body, said "As we keep all those affected by this terrible event in our thoughts and prayers, it would be great if we could show our immediate support.''
Erica Chalmers, a junior, said she heard about the idea via social media Monday evening. "I knew at that point that the world was watching how we were going to react,'' Chalmers said. "As students we are responding by saying we are together and we are standing strong.''
T-Shirt design announced for the 31st Anniversary Run of the Charles Canoe & Kayak Race
The Charles River Watershed Association has chosen a design by Zachary Cunningham of Dennis, who attends Massachusetts College of Art, for the 31st Annual Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Race T-shirts, according to a press release.
Scheduled for Sunday, April 28, The Race draws approximately 1,200 paddlers and its Finish Line Festival attracts over 5,000 spectators to enjoy a day on the river full of fun and festivities.
Cunningham is currently in his junior year in the illustration program at MassArt. He enjoys combining what he has learned of Graphic Design and Illustration, and this passion manifests itself in things like T-shirt design.
Having the opportunity to design a unique piece of art for the Run of the Charles has always been an exciting challenge for the students at MassArt. Once all of the artwork is submitted, a board member of the CRWA selects the final winner. “We received many strong pieces of artwork for submission this year,” said Amy Rothe, director of Advancement and Communications for the Charles River Watershed Association, “but Zachary gave us exactly what we were looking for. He did a fantastic job of representing both the race and the river in his design.”
The 24-Mile Relay Race draws many corporate teams year after year due to the bonding experience it creates with co-workers, and the 19-Mile, 9-Mile, and 6-Mile races bring out recreational paddlers ranging in age from 11 to 80 years old.
Sponsors of the Run of the Charles include Boston Duck Tours, Wicked Local, Charles River Canoe and Kayak, Weston Solutions, New England Biolabs, Keewaydin Foundation, Skanska, GenOn, SignArt, Tetra Tech EC, ESP Solutions, VHB, BR+A, CDM Smith and Horseley Witten Group.
Register now to avoid late fees. For more information on registration, becoming a volunteer, or any other aspect of the race, please call (508) 698-6810, e-mail rotc@crwa.org or visit www.charlesriver.org.
Weston Town Meeting to vote on mixed-use plan for Josiah Smith Tavern site
Four years after Weston Town Meeting members struck down a plan to renovate the historic Josiah Smith Tavern as a large-scale restaurant, the future of the long-vacant site again depends on a Town Meeting vote.
Town officials are asking Town Meeting members this May to pass the first phase of a revamped proposal to build a new mixed-use development at the historic property.
The plan calls for over $4 million in town funds to renovate the exteriors of the tavern and old library, which would be done in conjunction with private developers as they build three luxury condominium units, a three-suite bed and breakfast, an 80-seat tavern, and construct an addition to be used as meeting space for the Weston Historical Society and the Women’s Community League of Weston.
Officials said although the new plan does not repurpose the site for public use as residents had hoped, it does minimize the town’s financial risk, reduces traffic concerns and environmental impact, and restores historic architecture for permanent viewing in town.
However, residents are already growing worried over the town’s new proposal, citing concerns about the site’s use and the town losing ownership over the historic properties, which date as far back as the 1750s.
Town officials will propose the first phase of the plan at Town Meeting this May, which includes transferring the old library’s property to local developer Urbanica, Inc., who would use $790,000 in pre-allocated town funds to renovate the library’s historic exterior while repurposing the interior as three luxury condominiums. Developers hope the condo units would be sold at a combined total of nearly $3 million.
But by approving the first phase of the plan, Town Meeting members would be supporting the other ideas of mixed-use development in the space – a plan that is not finalized enough to present to Town Meeting until this fall, said Michael Harrity, Weston Board of Selectmen chair.
Harrity said the developer would not go forward with the project unless residents support the idea at Town Meeting this spring.
“If the majority of voters feel that we shouldn’t be selling this property, this deal is dead,” Harrity said, noting that the developer has already spent time, money and resources evaluating the initial plan's costs and needs.
However, residents who attended an informational meeting on the proposal Wednesday night already showed uneasy feelings about the development.
Tom Selldorff of Pollywog Lane said he would prefer to see the old library space used as low-income housing, noting that the town could fit about four units in the currently-crumbling building.
“We know there’s a need for affordable housing in town,” he said, citing long waiting lists at other affordable venues in Weston. He said if the town looked into building affordable units in the old library, “the spaces would be smaller than the luxury condominiums, but then it might be possible to preserve the large reading room for community use.”
However, Kamran Zahedi, president of Urbanica, Inc. and a Weston resident himself, said that building low-income units would prove too small – each one would only measure about 700 square feet each, the size of a decent studio or one-bedroom apartment – and would not be feasible to comply with certain regulations, such as making units handicap-accessible.
Selectmen also noted that the town received only one proposal for the project, leaving officials with few options in planning for the site.
“There were more than a dozen firms that expressed interest in the project initially, but when it came down to it, after they saw the details of what they would be working with, we only got one proposal,” said selectman Doug Gillespie. “If there truly was a housing function there, we would have gotten a proposal.”
Some residents also were concerned about the town losing ownership over the historic sites, and hoped the buildings still could be repurposed for a possible public use.
Joan Pesek of Boston Post Road said she would prefer to see the buildings used as office space, since the area is already zoned to support businesses.
“If we had office space and rented it out, it could still generate taxable income while maintaining some public access,” Pesek said.
Harrity said officials originally hoped for an office space proposal, but said ultimately, businesses require too much parking, while the town has a poor track record of efficiently renting out professional offices.
He also said banks are not financing office space as much as residential projects.
“Frankly, the suburban office market is not particularly strong,” he said.
Harrity also noted that although the buildings would no longer be in town possession, part of the deal would allow Weston to make certain restrictions on the proposed-private structures that would prohibit residents and business proprietors there to make certain exterior changes.
“With the deed restrictions, we control the future happenings at the old library in terms of its exterior,” he said.
He also noted that reusing the site would generate town revenue from property taxes, and would save Weston money in the long run on repairs that private owners would then take over.
And, Harrity said after the meeting, without town support, the proposal could easily slip through the town’s fingers, leaving the empty and continually-failing structures to waste away on the Town Green.
“Without this proposal, these buildings will just be left to fall down,” he said.
Weston’s Spring Town Meeting begins Monday, May 13 at the town’s high school. A simple majority vote would be required to pass the project’s first phase.
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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JaclynReiss
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