This year, Mayor Thomas Menino's annual State of the City address focused on the progress the city made in 2007 and the progress the city hopes to make in 2008 and beyond. Some of the new initiatives for 2008, the mayor said, includes expanding several pilot programs citywide, a plan to end busing, and improving Boston’s cycling infrastructure--starting in the Back Bay/Kenmore area.
Delivered again for the second year from Dorchester's historic Strand Theater, Menino said the state of Boston is stronger than ever
“Boston is bursting with excitement, investment, and potential. While the national economic climate remains uncertain, we have prepared ourselves to weather the storms of economic change,” said Menino. “Boston is a world leader in life sciences and healthcare, and we have led the charge to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. We have decreased violent crime, and we have increased our population."
"We have lowered residential property taxes, and we have raised the quality of our schools. We have narrowed the achievement gap, and we have expanded the range of parks, museums, and theaters that energize our city. My fellow citizens, the state of our city is stronger than ever.”
Last fall, the mayor kicked off the City’s annual Hub on Wheels event, joining 3,000 people for a bike ride across the city.
"Now, we are going to improve Boston’s cycling infrastructure, starting with new bike lanes on Commonwealth Avenue, between Kenmore Square and the BU Bridge. This is one of the busiest cycling corridors in Boston, with thousands of people commuting by bike every day," said Menino.
On busing, Menino announced he has asked the School Committee and Superintendent Dr. Carol Johnson to review the school transportation plan and recommend the necessary changes specific to cost savings. Right now, the City spends about tens of millions a year on yellow school buses. If nothing changes, within five years that number will escalate to $60 million dollars.
In his address, Menino announced several new pilot programs and initiatives that will benefit the City’s neighborhoods.
Among them, he announced the single stream recycling pilot program started in parts of Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and the South End that will go citywide. The Boston Police Department's continued efforts to reduce violent crime across the City. And lastly he spoke of his vision and $1 million investment for “the next Boston Miracle” - Community Learning, an initiative that will involve both Boston Public Schools and Boston Centers for Youth and Families.
Speaking about the major accomplishment for 2007, Menino was proud to announce there was a terrific reductions in crime throughout the city.
“With the help of our legislative leaders, we have put more police on the street than at any time since 2002. Commissioner Ed Davis has deployed officers in Safe Street Teams, walking the blocks that most need police presence," said Menino. "We have increased the number of police detectives by 25 percent to investigate and solve crime."
"I am proud to say that this year, we reduced violent crime by 9 percent. We reduced homicides by 11 percent; and we reduced shootings by 14 percent. Commissioner Davis has promised me that this year, we will reduce violent crime by another 10 percent,” Menino added.

Hill House Executive Director David Beardsley (above)

Hill House, the independent community center that provides sports, music classes, art classes and community events for more than 1,500 families throughout the city, has begun its annual fundraising Appeal Campaign.
Dana Lewis, chairwoman of the Hill House fundraising committee and a member of the board of directors, said the goal of the campaign is to raise $150,000. The campaign is roughly halfway to its goal.
“It’s been going great,” said Lewis. “The campaign is going well mostly because I think people are appreciative to have the community center right in their neighborhood. We have a very supportive community. We have a committee of about 30 people working not only on the Annual Appeal but Hill House fundraising in general. ”
David Beardsley, executive director of Hill House, said that it costs about $1.2 million to run Hill House each year. Program fees fund approximately 65 to 75 percent of those operating expenses, but the organization relies on support from donors in the community to fund the rest, including program scholarships. Hill House does not receive any city, state, or Federal funding.
Families can join Hill House for $100 per year, but no one is required to participate in the programs at the center. Members pay discounted program fees, and when people register for three or four of the programs in any given year, the discounts generally exceed the cost of membership. Programs are offered for all ages, but mostly for children between the ages of six months and 12 years.
Beardsley said the fundraising campaign is “a really critical element to what we do.”
“The fundraising and the support of the community is what allows us to offer both the volume of programs that we offer and to ensure that they’re at the highest level possible – it’s really what allows us to have such a talented and dedicated staff and such great facilities,” said Beardsley.
Hill House has as its motto, “your backyard in the city.” That backyard is getting bigger as more and more families throughout the city of Boston realize the benefits of having so many activities and sports programs available under one roof. The message of Hill House being a unique, professionally run, non-profit organization in the community is being heard and donors have been responding well to the Annual Appeal.
“It’s really exciting that we’ve seen a big growth in donations across different neighborhoods such as Charlestown, South End, North End, and Chinatown. All those neighborhoods are becoming areas where we have more families participating and where we’re seeing more support to our fundraising efforts.”
Close to 175 people have donated to the campaign to-date. More than 80 people are new donors to the campaign.
At Hill House Beardsley oversees a staff that includes Ian Moorhouse, associate director who manages all of Hill House’s programs; Laurie Backall, marketing and development associate; Liza Roman, finance manager; Ashley Glesser, program associate; Kelsey Bruno, marketing and community relations intern; and Mario Mancia Lopez, custodian.
The sports programs at Hill House are particularly close to Beardsley’s heart. Beardsley played Division 1 college baseball at Harvard University in Cambridge, graduating as a member of the Class of 1988. More than 600 youths participated in Hill House’s soccer program. The Hill House-North End Athletic Association youth baseball league includes among its graduates, Zack Farkes, a catcher in the Boston Red Sox organization.
Dana Lewis said Hill House will continue its Appeal Campaign with a phon-a-thon on Feb. 4 and Feb. 6. The fundraising chairwoman considers Hill House an important part of her family’s life.
“We love Hill House,” said Lewis, a resident of Beacon Hill for 10 years. “It makes it possible to stay in the city because our kids can go there for all sorts of classes and you get a real sense of community. We’re grateful to the community for supporting our efforts. They call Hill House ‘your backyard in the city’ so we’re grateful to everybody for supporting our backyard in the city.”
(People can donate to Hill House through the organization’s website, hillhouseboston.org).

Above is Steven Greenberg, executive director of the Boston Center for the Jewish.

Steven M. Greenberg, executive director of the Boston Center for Jewish Heritage at the Vilna Shul on Phillips Street, couldn’t be happier with the response to the center’s “Boston Jewish Experience: Reconnect to the Tapestry” exhibit that opened in December.
While last month’s wintry weather kept attendance down, those who have walked through the exhibit, located in the museum part of the shul, have been captivated by its extensive look at the Jewish community’s history in Boston and the interactive, multi-media, exhibits that allow people to trace their origin and view historical photographs of area synagogues.
Greenberg said the unique exhibit was designed to inform people about “the Jewish presence in Boston.” Greenberg, along with center board member and museum professional Deborah Feinstein, Brandeis professor Ellen Smith, the Bostonian Society, the Boston Public Library, the West End Museum and other people and organizations helped develop the exhibit.
The exhibit is divided into eight sections: The Way Jews Settled in Boston neighborhoods; the Way They Lived; the Way They Worshiped; the Way They Learned; the Way They Built Community; the Way We Remember; the Way They Moved; and the Way We Are Today.
“There were 115,000 Jews and 50 synagogues in Boston at the height in the 1930s,” said Greenberg. “What this exhibit does is walk someone through that whole Boston Jewish experience in what we call ‘the threads of the tapestry. The tapestry is the experience and the issue is, how do you understand that experience? You pull it apart and look at the threads.’’
According to Greenberg, Boston’s Jews primarily settled in seven neighborhoods, South End, North End, West End, East Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan.
“The exhibit takes a look at the period from 1850 to 1950, which is a real growth period of Jewish population,” said Greenberg.
In the Way They Lived section, visitors will see that Jews built houses of worships, schools, club, kosher meat markets, bakeries, and stores where they lived. Greenberg said the Way We Are Today section illustrates that “we’re open and proud about being Jews and being proud about Israel.”
Greenberg said one of the most exhibit’s most popular attractions is an information booth where visitors can learn about all aspects of Judaism or do genealogical research. “People can look up their surname and learn about their family history,” said Greenberg. “We wanted to make the exhibit as interactive as possible and as in-depth. We’re working with the Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston and once a month, we’ll have a genealogist here.”
Greenberg said about 300 people have walked through the exhibit since it opened in mid-December. “On the day we opened, there was a snowstorm and 12 brave souls came in and viwed the exhibit,” said Greenberg with a smile. “We do give tours but many people like to walk through the exhibit themselves because there’s a lot of information here. People stand in each section and try to get a sense of what it must have been like to have this Jewish community from East Boston all the way to Mattapan. Most visitors have been unaware how extensive the Jewish community in Boston was.”
Greenberg, who grew up in Natick and has a Master’s Degree in Regional Planning from Cornell University, wants residents to come and enjoy the exhibit. He said the Vilna Shul is historic in its own right as “the only building left in Boston that was a synagogue in the immigrant era and still is a synagogue.”
“We want people to come from everywhere to see our exhibit,” said Greenberg, “We feel it’s a good exhibit that covers a lot of ground. We’re very proud of this exhibit. I’ve been told by people who lived through this era that this exhibit represents it, and their community was made up of all the things you’ll see in the exhibit.”
Admission to the exhibit is free. The exhibit is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

On Saturday and Sunday January 12 and 13, Beacon Hill Webelos Pack 74 visited Battleship Cove, in Fall River, Massachusetts, to explore the world's largest collection of historic naval ships. After touring the battleship USS Massachusetts, destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., submarine Lionfish, PT Boats 617 and 796, and the Russian missle corvette Hiddensee, the scouts and their dads spent the night on board the famous USS Massachusetts. The trip enabled the scouts to better understand and appreciate the living and working conditions of sailors and the sacrifices made by veterans of all military branches in all wars.
Pictured from left to right on the bow of the USS Massachusetts are Vova Quigley, Fairfield Street, John Eaton, Chestnut Street, Billy Curtis, Union Park, Jack Ditomassi, Beacon Street, Brian Zick, Sentry Hill Place, Reed and Ethan Winter, Charles River Square, and Jack Saylor, West Cedar Street.
Webelos Pack 74 is looking for 4th grade boys who would be interested in joining the group. Meetings are weekly at Hill House. Interest parents should email Stephen Quigley at stephen.quigley2@verizon.net or John Saylor at jvcs02114@yahoo.com.

This month, millions of folks who have resolved to find a better job and further their careers will be digging out their resumes and looking for a new position. And there’s good news for job seekers – with baby boomers retiring, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that America will have more than 5 million more jobs than people to fill them this year. According to CareerBuilder.com, 32 percent of employers plan to increase their number of full-time permanent employees.
Still, finding a new job will take some, well, work. Leanne Owens, manager of the Boston office of Aquent, a global leader in marketing staffing headquartered in the Back Bay, says that those who are serious about finding a new job need to give priority to the job search.
“Put work into it – treat it like a full-time job,” she says. “You can’t expect to find a job if you’re only putting quasi effort into it.”
Owens, with 16 years of experience in the job staffing industry, is an expert in Aquent’s specialized field of marketing recruiting. However, many of her tips apply to anyone looking for a job.
Her advice is to develop a plan before beginning a job, taking stock of your current position and figuring out exactly what you want to do. Owens says it may sound basic, but many people make the mistake of throwing themselves into a search before they have a firm idea of their goals.
“Make a list: what you want to take away from the company you’re in, what you want to replicate,” she says. “You should also determine if there are things about your current job you want to avoid replicating.”
To begin that search in earnest, Owens suggests a time-honored strategy with a new twist – online networking. Networking has long been a proven tool in career advancement, and in the past few years it’s become easier than ever with Web sites such as LinkedIn and even Facebook. Owens also recommends building relationships on a face-to-face level through more traditional methods such as professional associations and alumni groups. The value of networking cannot be underestimated, she says.
“A lot of people don’t understand how to network and they can be afraid of using it,” she says.
In addition to the traditional classifieds and large job Web site postings, Owens says there are other ways to find open job positions. She says more and more companies are building their own cyber communities aimed at recruiting talent, with blogs and Web chats providing interactive ways to build brand recognition and attract new hires. Companies are also building their own internal staffing organizations.
More senior job searchers should look into utilizing the services of a recruiting firm, she says. And this means that even if you are not currently in a position of looking for a job, it is wise to be polite and respectful to recruiters if they should contact you.
As far as the resume goes, Owens is a traditionalist, advising job searchers to be sure their resumes are concise, relevant, updated and clear. This means leave out unnecessary information such as hobbies and photos.
“I like it short and sweet, and I like it plain,” she says.
Once you get a foot in the door, Owens says a professional appearance is key, and first-impressions do count.
“When you’re going in for interviews, you’re never going to offend someone in a suit,” she says.
And when the job offers come pouring in, Owens says it is important to carefully weigh all of the pros and cons. She says a common mistake is to base a job search solely on monetary compensation, when in the long-run the other factors are much more important.
“Don’t make a job decision based on money. Don’t be swayed by the big package – it can be a big trap,” she says.

With yet another big snowstorm just behind us, it may be difficult to “think spring,” since flowers, swan boats and walks in the Public Garden seem very far away. But in just a few months, the thaw will come and it will be time for the Public Garden, the Common and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall to come alive again. And the Friends of the Public Garden are working through the colder months to make sure our parks are ready when winter finally ends.
Nichole Cirillo, Director of the Friends of the Public Garden, says that this time of year is actually a very busy one for the organization.
“What goes on right now is a lot of the planning for the work that occurs the rest of the year,” she says. “Our winter is quite busy.”
One of the things at the top of the list for 2008 is wrapping up the $6.5 million capital campaign that was begun in 2003. This fundraising effort will go a long way toward supporting the many goals of the Friends, including of course the plantings, statue cleaning and general repair and upkeep around the parks. But the Friends do much more.
Currently, the Friends are supporting a skating program through which students at two Boston area schools receive lessons. The Friends hope to expand this program.
And on tap for this spring is the unveiling of an audio tour that will be available for download through the Friends Web site. Cirillo says guest speakers with a vested interest in the parks will lead walkers on an insiders’ tour. For example, Lyn Paget, whose family has owned and operated the Swan Boats for generations, will discuss the history of this Boston tradition. And Sen. Edward Kennedy will speak about Boston’s 9/11 memorial, the “Garden of Remembrance,” with which he was so actively involved in the fundraising.
“We’re really excited about the involvement of people who have a genuine interest in the parks,” Cirillo says.
Other goals for 2008 include repairing lighting for the George Washington monument and working with the city to begin restoration on the Brewer Fountain.
Cirillo says the Friends will also continue their advocacy work, working to protect the parks from encroachment and misuse.
“We are in the planning rooms, meeting with building planners, architects and continuing to advocate for the park,” she says.
There are plenty of ways for local residents to get involved and help the Friends with their mission, including joining the Rose Brigade, whose volunteers take care of the four rose beds on the Public Garden, or becoming an official Friends member. This spring, the Friends also will hold their biannual Volunteer Days. May is a particularly busy month, with Duckling Day, the Green and White Ball and the Annual Meeting.
“We always have a lot on tap,” Cirillo says. “These are city properties and the city does what it can, but it will never be enough. If we can let people know one thing, it’s to let them know about the efforts it takes to do what we do.”