from The Patriot Ledger
His past bosses have included Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese and Oliver Stone. But you probably don’t know Tom Kemp – he’s that guy whose face you know, but can’t place.
Rest assured, though, you’ve seen Kemp plenty. He’s a Milton actor who has had roles in Stone’s “W.,” Eastwood’s “Mystic River,” and Scorsese’s soon-to-be released thriller “Shutter Island.” (Read the full story here.)
John Adams died on July 4th 1826. On that day, he toasted the 4th one last time with the words, “Independence forever!”
=======================
hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
from Wicked Local Canton
The Friends of Blue Hills, a group that aims to preserve and protect the Blue Hills Reservation, is concerned with a proposed 140-foot cell tower that could mar the view of the Blue Hills range.
The monopole tower, with up to five groups of disk-like antennas, may be constructed near the northbound ramp to Route 128 at Houghton’s Pond, close to Canton and Randolph. The Milton site is owned by Mass Highway, and it is sandwiched in between Blue Hills Reservation property, which consists of 22 hills and a 7,000 acre park. (Read the full story here.)
It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
–John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776
The Resolution of July 2, 1776
“Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”
This is from the National Archives. You can learn more here.
The Planning Board recently rounded out the committee appointed to evaluate options regarding the development of the Temple Shalom property. They were seeking town residents with knowledge of mixed user development, architecture and landscape design.
Temple Shalom congregants, Buddy Packer and Rob Rosofsky, and neighborhood residents, Tammy Murphy, Joe Sloan, Beth Fleitman, and Nicholas Macke are now joined by Tom Smigliani, Lawrence Witko, Cheryl Tougias, and Christine Hodlin.
Mr. Witko is a developer and Ms. Tougias, an architect who specializes in commercial and mixed use development.
For a list of posts related to the Temple Shalom property development click here.
from Wicked Local Carver
After receiving an offer he couldn’t refuse, the school department’s chief operations and finance officer, Matthew Gillis, is leaving Carver.
According to Superintendent Liz Sorrell, Gillis has accepted an offer from Milton Public Schools. But his departure will not be immediate. His contract calls for a 120-day notice to be given in order to allow ample time to find a replacement. (Read the full story here.)
from Wicked Local Milton
As a teenager, John Grant Jr. had thoughts about becoming a firefighter just like his father. “It wasn’t something I really planned, but it was always there,” Grant, the town’s new fire chief, said Wednesday. “I knew I did want to wind up as a firefighter.”
The 49-year-old Grant, a lifelong Milton resident, was sworn in as chief on Tuesday. (Read the full story here.)
A memorial mass for Francis Walskh will be celebrated in Saint Agatha Church in Milton on Friday, July 3 at 10:30 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited.
Donations in Walsh’s memory may be made to the Milton High School Athletic Fund, c/o Milton High School, Gile Road, Milton, MA 02186.
You can read an obituary on the Northeastern University web site here.
Here is an update on the status of the path the Park Department is going to improve around Turner’s Pond.
The Conservation Commission approved the Park Department’s plan for the path.
The plan calls for a redeveloped path around the pond that will enable wheelchair access, improve drainage, and, hopefully, increase and improve access for all residents.
It will not be a paved path. Along the south side of the pond (that portion that leads off to the right from the Central Ave entrance) the path will be rebuilt with stabilized stone dust. This material is permeable, organic, and is in compliance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). You can find a sample of this material on the bike path that head’s out toward Pope John Paul Park just before it crosses Granite Ave.
On the north side new drainage will be installed and new landscaping to improve overall holding capacity. Unstable soil will be replaced with 1/2″ processed gravel similar to what is used in the current Turner’s Pond parking lot, providing a stable level surface.
The project is funded entirely by a grant from the Department of Conservation and Recreation and private donors. The contractor who was awarded the contract came in below budget and has committed to honor the price through end of this calendar year.
The Conservation Commission approved the plan, however, a group of residents whose property abuts the pond appealed the decision to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Concerns include (but are not limited to) an anticipated increase in bicycle traffic and a disruption to resident wildlife’s natural habitat.
The Park Department is compiling the information requested by DEP and expects to submit a comprehensive response before the end of July.
Assuming all questions are addressed to DEPs satisfaction, construction will begin this fall. Construction should take between 30 and 60 days.
In a tragically ironic twist yesterday, another crash involving an elderly driver in Woburn sent a woman to the hospital with life-threatening injuries while a hearing was taking place at the state house on elderly driver legislation.
Senator Brian Joyce of Milton has been advocating for more rigorous oversight of elderly drivers for some time. There have been a spate of accidents involving elderly citizens recently. Perhaps the most tragic occurred in Stoughton in which a 4 year old was killed. You can read coverage of recent incidents here. You can find coverage of yesterday’s session here.
What do you think?
[poll id=”4″]To view a NECN video interview with Transportation Committee Senate chairman Steven Baddour, click on the “Continue reading . . ” link.