GE Foundation & MGH To Host Opioid Epidemic Hack-A-Thon

The GE Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), in partnership with the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to Host Hack-a-thon to Combat Opioid Epidemic:

• September 9-11, 2016 at District Hall
• 250 innovators across public health, engineering, business, and design to catalyze disruptive innovations addressing the opioid crisis
• Prizes for the five most promising innovations, including a grand prize to accelerate implementation
•  Event and implementation is supported by GE’s five-year, $50 million philanthropic commitment to the Greater Boston community

GE Foundation’s sponsorship of this event is part of its five-year, $50 million philanthropic commitment to the Boston community, $15 million of which will be dedicated to health efforts such as the hack-a-thon, increasing access to health for the underserved, particularly those patients requiring care for addictions and behavioral health, and increasing training for specialty care.

The hack-a-thon directly aligns with priorities around the opioid crisis and addiction medicine for both Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “We appreciate the efforts of GE Foundation and MGH to tackle this public health crisis and are hopeful that the innovations that come out of the hack-a-thon will make a significant impact and contribute to our fight to combat the opioid epidemic in our communities,” said Governor Baker. Mayor Walsh added, “Addiction is a devastating disease that impacts individuals, families and communities throughout Boston and the Commonwealth. To end this crisis, and the stigma of addiction, it is important that we work together to tackle the crisis on all fronts. GE Foundation is a welcome ally in combating the opioid crisis, and I believe together we can prevent suffering and save lives."

During the hack-a-thon, GE Foundation and MGH and will bring together a far-reaching and diverse group of 250 innovators across public health, engineering, business, and design to develop solutions to the opioid epidemic. The event will open with an Opioid Challenge Summit on Friday, September 9, providing a forum for clinical experts, thought leaders, policy makers, patients, families, and law enforcement to identify the greatest unmet needs and challenges in addiction and prevention. On Saturday, September 10, cross-disciplinary teams will rally around these challenges to create disruptive innovations in opioid addiction prevention, treatment and recovery. On Sunday, September 11, teams will make their final presentations to an expert panel of judges, who will give awards to the five most promising innovations. Teams will be supported for 90 days after the event, and, at the conclusion, the single most promising innovation will receive a grand prize to accelerate implementation.

Applications are now open to participate in the opioid hack-a-thon. To learn more, please visit Massachusetts General Hospital.

For continuing information on GE's move to Boston and their transformation into the world's largest digital industrial company, download GE Boston app available on Itunes and Andriod.

Art Heats Up Fort Point This August

The Boston Children’s Museum presents a new gallery exhibit, “Lines and Vines,” a growing exploration of houseplants. Fort Point artist, Elisa H. Hamilton, brings her favorite houseplants to life on paper and into the gallery in this exhibition about process, growing, and day-to-day beauty.

Join Boston Children's Museum Art Gallery for the opening reception of "Lines and Vines" on Friday, July 29, 2016 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. 

Lines and Vines runs through September 18, 2016. The gallery is located at 308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210

The Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC) Gallery is kicking off August with 300 SUMMER, an exhibition of paintings, photographs, works on paper and new media by the residents of The Artist Building at 300 Summer Street, one of Boston’s first live-work artist cooperatives. 

Please join the artists of 300 Summer for an opening reception on:

August 4, 2016

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

with a special performance by 

resident musicians John Cremona and Larry Plitt of the Squeezebox Stompers

R.S.V.P.

Exhibiting Artists: Dirk Ahlgrim, Ellen Altman, Linda Brown, Carolyn Callahan, Katharina Chapuis, Lisa Damtoft, Jesseca Ferguson and Mark Pevsner, Lisa Greenfield, Jennie Griffith, Jeff Heyne, Joanne Kaliontzis, Kelly Kerrigan, Andrew Klein, Mario Kon, Christina Lanzl, Jennifer Moses, Jenifer Mumford, Andrew Neumann, Estate of Rob Reeps, Jose Santos, Pierre Schiepers, Gustavo Soto-Rosa, Christine Vaillancourt, Daniel van Ackere, Dorothea Van Camp, Meg Weed, and Judith Ziegler.

300 SUMMER is on view through August 25, 2016. Gallery hours are Monday - Tuesday: 7:00 am–3:00 pm, Wednesday –Friday: 7:00 am–6:00 pm, and by appointment. The FPAC Gallery is located at 300 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210.

The Midway Gallery at Midway Artist Studios is pleased to host the  BOSTON LGBTQIA+ ARTIST ALLIANCE (BLAA) tenth exhibition "You think it's _______, but it's really ______" featuring work by artists living and creating at the intersection of LGBTQIA issues and culturally defined notions of “disability”. Representing a wide variety of experiences, practices, and media, Boston LGBTQIA+Artist Alliance (BLAA)’s 10th show is a timely consideration of a main issue and question within disability studies, queer theory and socially engaged practices today: how do we find ourselves in the intersection of these identities together?

Featured Artists: Xray Aims, Lauren Alindogan, JoeBalestraci, Darren Black, Carl Bowlby, Steven Cabral, Ken Diaz, Ariel Freiberg, Catherine Graffam, YoAhn Han, Madge of Honor, Heather Kapplow, LB Lee, Kyri Lorenz, Terrell Lowry, Chris Maliga, Daniel Lloyd-Miller, Ty Muto, Rose Ranauro, Sopheak Sam, Sasha Seaman, Cai Steele and Courtney White.

Opening Reception: Friday, August 5th, 2016 6-8PM

Performance & Talks : Saturday, August 20th, 2016 4-6PM

On view through September 2nd

The Midway Gallery is located at 15 Channel Center Street, 1st floor, Boston, MA 02210.

South Boston Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan Public Meeting

The City of Boston submitted the South Boston Waterfront District Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment and Renewal for approval to the Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs last month. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and its Office of Coastal Zone Management will conduct a public hearing on the Municipal Harbor Plan on

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

6:00 p.m.

Boston City Hall

Piemonte Room, 5th Floor

One City Hall Square

Boston, MA 02201

Written comments on the proposed Municipal Harbor Plan will be considered. Comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on July 22, 2016 (30 days after publication of this notice in the Environmental Monitor). Comments should be addressed to:

Office of Coastal Zone Management
251 Causeway Street, Suite 800
Boston, MA 02114
Attention: Lisa Engler

Copies of the South Boston District Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment and Renewal are available at the Boston Redevelopment Authority office (and here). Individuals may obtain copies of the plan and supporting documentation upon request to Chris Busch at (617) 918-4451.

Copies of the state regulation under which the proposed planning program will be evaluated (301 CMR 23.00) can be obtained at the State Bookstore, Room 116, State House, Boston, MA 02133 or online.

originally posted 7.12.16

South Station Expansion

Update: Meeting presentation & transcript are now available on the project website. Public comment deadline is  August 5th. MassDOT and the project team will be reviewing all of the ideas and comments discussed at the meeting as the project advances. 

MassDOT is hosting a public meeting to present the South Station Expansion Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) findings on:

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

6 pm

Fort Point Room, 2nd floor

Atlantic Wharf

290 Congress Street

The purpose of the South Station Expansion project is to expand South Station terminal capacity to meet current and anticipated future commuter rail and intercity rail service needs. The project would also promote city-building in a key area of Boston, and allow Dorchester Avenue to be reopened for public use and enjoyment for the first time in decades. The expansion of South Station would enable growth in passenger rail transportation within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and along the Northeast Corridor (NEC). Expanding the terminal would improve the passenger experience of using South Station and updating the infrastructure (track and signals) and related layover capacity would improve service reliability. In addition, the project would acquire and demolish the USPS facility and extend the Harborwalk.

The FEIR summarizes the project’s environmental benefits and impacts. It responds to comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), lists changes since the DEIR, and updates the permits and approvals anticipated for the project.

You can comment on the FEIR via email, mail or fax to:

 Secretary Matthew Beaton, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

 Mail: MEPA Office,

 Attn: Holly Johnson, MEPA Analyst

 EEA # 15028

 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900

 Boston, MA 02114

 Fax: 617-626-1181

 Email: Holly.S.Johnson@state.ma.us

Comment letters on the FEIR must be received by the MEPA office no later than August 5, 2016. All comment letters should include EEA #15028.

In addition, MassDOT is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA will be released in 2017.

MassDOT is committed to comprehensive and inclusive civic engagement as part of the South Station Expansion project. Please explore the website for additional information, and feel free to contact Steve Woelfel, Deputy Director, MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning.

originally posted 7.7.16

Medicine Wheet 02127/02210 Art Opening This Saturday

Make plans to see Medicine Wheel Productions’ annual summer exhibition,
02127/02210, featuring artists who live and/or have their art practice based in one of the two zip codes of South Boston. The opening reception is this Saturday, July 16th from 5 pm to 7 pm with an a gallery talk at 6:30 pm.

The fifth annual show focuses on photography and photographic based practices. See the work of Dirk Ahlgrim, Don Eyles, Peter Harris, Michael Indresano, Deb McCarthy, Michael Warren, P.T. Sullivan, and Jenn Wood.

02127/02210 runs through September 24, 2016. Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Fridays 12 to 5pm and Saturdays by appointment. The Spoke Gallery is located at 110 K Street- 2nd Floor South Boston, MA 02127.

Fort Point Channel Landmarks July 2016 Meeting

The FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION will hold a public hearing:

Thursday, 14 July  2016

5:30 PM

Boston City Hall – Piemonte Room (5th Floor)

After 5:30 pm, enter and exit City Hall at the Dock Square entrance on Congress Street

(across from Faneuil Hall).

Subject of the hearing will be applications for Certificates of Design Approval on the agenda below, review of architectural violations and such business as may come before the commission, in accordance with Ch. 772 of the Acts of 1975, as amended

I. DESIGN REVIEW HEARING

5:30 PM

16.1757 FPC 319 A Street

Applicant: Paul Boutchia, BRG 319A LLC (Applicant)

Proposed Work: Remove existing building signage; install a marquee with "Oak & Rowan" signage at the A Street entrance; install one "319A" non-illuminated metal sign panel on the vacant lot façade; install two internally illuminated "319A" signs on the A Street and Pastene Alley façades; install two sign plaques "Entrance to 319 A" one on the Pastene Alley façade and one on the vacant lot façade; and install applied lettering "Entrance to 319 A" on the glazing at a door fronting Pastene Alley.

6:00 PM

16.1759 FPC 64 Sleeper Street

Applicant: Liza Meyer, City of Boston Parks & Recreation Dept. (Applicant)

Proposed Work: Constructing a children's park with plantings and play features with parking below.

6:30 PM Previously presented 5/2016 – new ownership and new design team

16.1760 FPC 22 Boston Wharf Road

Applicant: Lisa Serafin, Redgate (Applicant)

Proposed Work: Modify the existing building and alter previously approved two-story rooftop addition with stair and elevator bulkhead.

7:00 PM Previously presented 11/2015

16.1771 FPC 10 Boston Wharf Road

Applicant: David McMahon, McMahon Architects (Architect)

Proposed Work: Install signage; install a temporary seasonal vestibule; install infill at an entryway fronting Boston Wharf Road; and reduce previously approved scope of work by eliminating the wood panels on the brick façade

7:15 PM

16.1769 FPC 44 Thomson Place

Applicant: John Kiernan, Fort Point Channel Investors, LLC (Applicant)

Proposed Work: Remove the parking lot and surrounding landscape from the lot adjacent to 44 Thomson Place, and create a plaza with pavers, lighting, built-in benches, moveable furniture, and green spaces.

7:30 PM

16.1770 FPC 25 & 44 Thomson Place

Applicant: John Kiernan, Fort Point Channel Investors, LLC (Applicant)

Proposed Work: Widen the sidewalk in two locations on Thomson Place and one location on Stillings Street.

ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW / APPROVAL: In order to expedite the review process, the commission has delegated the approval of certain work items, such as those involving ordinary maintenance and repair, restoration or replacement, or which otherwise have a minimal impact on a building’s appearance, to the staff pending ratification at its monthly public hearing. Having been identified as meeting these eligibility criteria and all applicable guidelines, the following applications will be approved at this hearing:

16.1762 FPC 33-41 Farnsworth Street: Remove two banner signs and associated armature; and install two halo-lit metal sign panels flanking the entryway with concealed conduit.

PROJECTED ADJOURNMENT: 8:00 PM

FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT COMMISSION

David Berarducci, Susan Goganian, John Karoff, Michele Yeeles, Vacancy

Alternates: B.K. Boley, Thomas Rodde