By John Joseph Fahey The Mary Ann Brett Food Pantry held its annual fundraiser – in fact it was the 15th anniversary of the second largest food pantry (after Catholic Charities) in Dorchester. Relevant because the food pantry, named after the mother of former Dorchester State Representative and now president of The New England Council Jim Brett, is located in the lower level of St. Margaret’s Church on Columbia Road. The imposing Romanesque Revival style edifice was designed by Patrick C. Keely, a prominent church architect with roots in Ireland. St. Margaret’s was erected at the confluence of ..read more

Armed with colorful visions and boundless creativity, kids from the Edgerley Family South Boston Boys & Girls Club showcased their artistic talents last week at the Club’s judged art show. “I like the fact that I can draw things I haven’t experienced yet,” said 8-year-old Sierra Lites. “And I can make my own styles. I can draw something I want to experience one day.” Danae Dahabreh, 8, likes art “because there’s not only one way to do it” and it makes her happy. Kay’ary King, 12, likes art because he’s good at it and loves that he can create without boundaries.  “The art gallery was i ..read more

By Carol Masshardt Susan Hurley, 61, is the founder and owner of Chairty Team.org, established to support charity runners and the organization they represent. She is also a life force, who in addition to working as a consultant with the South Boston Neighborhood House’s running team, plans to run the Boston Marathon again this year. And, all with a serious health condition. “I started running in second grade, and haven’t stopped,” she said. “Connecting philanthropy with my passion for running allows me to see people accomplish so much and it benefits the community.” Susan Hurley was a New Engl ..read more

By Carol Masshardt Make no mistake, the forty or so ladies, ages twenties to eighties, own the bowling alley on Wednesday nights from September-April. They come from a variety of jobs, backgrounds, abilities as bowlers, and though some don’t actually recall how they came to join, they surely know why they stay. “It’s the camaraderie,” said Jeanne Hogan, who comes from her healthcare job at Tufts Medical Center. “I have only been coming about three years, but there are some thirty-plus. It is a fun group. We laugh, we bowl, there are banquets and get togethers. It breaks up the week and the win ..read more

Andrew Square and the neighborhood directly around it are being rapidly expanded and renovated.  This includes the very substantial “On the Dot” development and future plans for rebuilding the McCormack residences, as well as the recent opening of the novel “flat iron” building at 400 Dorchester Street.  This architecturally striking building combines ground floor retail space and five floors of living space above that overlook the Square from the triangle formed by Preble and Dorchester Streets. So far, the ground floor space in 400 Dorchester Street includes a barber shop, a Dan Mc ..read more

By Carol Masshardt Ateacher with two years’ experience in Boston, Kate Fennessey, and her 7th grade Math students at the Condon School showed what is possible with commitment, support and focus. On March 21st, teams of students presented their concepts for innovative programs with an audience of classmates, community representatives and banking executives from HarborOne. All worthwhile, three were chosen for a special recognition “micro loan” by HarborOne Bank. The “02127 Boys”, Jayden Bengoche, Jio Mendez and Muktar Hassan, presented a clear and energetic proposal to clean, repair the update ..read more

STATEMENT FROM THE SOUTH BOSTON ALLIED WAR VETERANS COUNCIL & SOUTH BOSTON ELECTED OFFICIALS REGARDING THE 2025 ST. PATRICK’S DAY & EVACUATION DAY PARADE Following the St. Patrick’s Day & Evacuation Day Parade, the South Boston Elected Officials met on Friday afternoon with the leadership of the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council and officials from the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security, the Massachusetts State Police, MBTA Transit Police, Boston Police Department, City of Boston Licensing Board and Special Events Division. The focus was on the issues that took ..read more

By Carol Masshardt (The next few weeks will profile the running team for the SBNH) “I don’t want to sugar coat it. The dark, brutally cold morning runs can be tough, but then you see a sun rise, and I do it with all the other charity runners, so you get close and it’s worth it.” Devin Baker, originally from Montpelier, Vt. has lived in Boston for three years. She is twenty-five years old, a soccer and basketball player in her youth and now a University of Vermont graduate and an accountant. It would be easy for Devin to enjoy the fullness of her young adult life without running several days a ..read more

By Carol Masshardt Over two hundred attended a zoom meeting on Friday evening to hear and question the plan for  20-25  families to move into 24 Farnsworth St. Leaders from the collaboration with the Commonwealth of Ma., represented by Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll and her staff,  the United Way, the  Unitarian/Universalist Association (owner of the building), the YMCA of Greater Boston, and the Black Refugee and Immigrant Community Coalition, were joined by elected officials, Mayor Michelle Wu, State Rep. David Biele, City Councilor’s Ed Flynn, and  Ruthzee Louijeune on s ..read more

A virtual abutters meeting (via ZOOM) is now scheduled for Wednesday evening, February 28, at 6 p.m. Last October, Native Sun opened for business on their premises at 115 K Street, at the corner of East First Street.  The actual entrance to Native Sun’s premises is at 538 First Street.  Native Sun is a licensed Retail Recreational Cannabis Dispensary – the first of three total cannabis dispensaries that will eventually be granted licenses in South Boston.   It is owned by a business called Holland Brands SB LLC; it received its license from the Boston Cannabis Board.  And a ..read more