Neighbors,

By most accounts, it's going to snow a lot on Friday and Saturday - 18 to 24 inches. 

Here are the top 10 questions to ask yourself and your neighbors before the storm:

1. Do we have enough food and water to last three day?
2. Do we have have working flashlights and extra batteries?
3. Do we have all the medications we need?
4. Do we have enough heating fuel?
5. Are our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors working?
6. Does my…

Neighbors,

A massive snow storm is expected to hit Boston this Friday and dump 1 to 2 feet of snow!

While snow storms can be fun, they can also cause a lot hardship for our elderly, disabled, and sick neighbors as snow makes it very difficult to for them to get basics such as food, medicine, and getting around town.

Utilizing…

On Saturday, the area will host Urban Shield: Boston, a 24-hour training exercise that simulates large-scale public safety incidents in the metro-Boston area.  Urban Shield: Boston will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and conclude at 8 a.m. Sunday. It will include personnel from the City of Boston, (including Boston Police, Fire, and EMS) Metro-Boston Homeland Security Region, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the Conference of…

Originally posted on CityofBoston.gov:

• Boston Public Schools: Closed on Monday October 29, 2012   
• Boston City Hall: Open for essential employees only. Non-essential employees are asked to stay home. 
• Community Centers: Curtis Hall, Hyde Park, Paris Street and Tobin are open Monday October 29, 2012 from 7:30AM-6PM. Other BCYF centers will open…

If you don't please make time to get them before Sandy arrives. 

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced preparedness plans for the City of Boston to deal with potential impacts of Hurricane Sandy. The high-impact storm is expected to reach Boston late Sunday, bringing heavy rain and hurricane-force winds, with the brunt of the storm arriving late Monday evening and into Tuesday morning. While City departments are taking measures to prepare for Sandy’s arrival, Mayor Menino reminds residents to take precautions and use common sense to stay safe throughout…

It's gonna get hot - please take care of yourselves and your neighbors. See the advisory.

DO:

• Drink lots of water and stay hydrated 
• Check on elderly persons and sick neighbors
• Rest often in shady areas

DON'T:

• Underestimate the seriousness of heat-related emergencies!
• Drink alcoholic or caffeinated…

The Boston Transportation Department would like to advise commuters to use caution this evening during the PM commute due to the forecasted heavy rain and wind expected this afternoon.

Motorists should lower traffic speed to avoid hydroplaning and skidding on slick roadway surfaces.  An extra emphasis should be placed on pedestrian movement during this inclement weather as visibility will be impacted.

Traffic delays and congestion should be expected throughout the afternoon. …

The National Weather Service has issued a hurricane watch for coastal Massachusetts, including the City of Boston. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the next 48 hours. In addition, a flood watch has been issued and will be in effect beginning Saturday evening and into Sunday night. 



The City urges individuals and businesses to closely monitor this storm and complete any preparations for its potential impact by Saturday evening. Tips on how best to…

Here is what you need to know about Staying Informed During an Emergency:

The basics:

1. If you need help call 911
2. Do not put yourself in danger, you will just make more work for emergency responders down the road. 

Sign up for Alerts:

1. From the City of Boston…

Neighbors,

It looks like we are going to get hit by Hurricane Irene this weekend.

"National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read laid the threat out plainly: "We are very concerned with what's going to happen in New England. The benchmark is the 1938 hurricane. I am very concerned with what will happen there.""

We'll keep you posted throughout the storm. We are also thinking about doing "Hurricane Crew" like we did for the snow storms this winter - stay…

For women 18 and older: This one-to-one mentoring program matches girls in elementary school with women mentors.  Matches meet once a week at the Little Sister’s school or at an after-school site.  Weekly visits are 45 minutes to an hour for one academic school year.

School-Based mentors are not teachers or tutors; they are caring and consistent friends.  They do arts and crafts, shoot hoops in the gym, read books, or simply share stories over lunch.  Each match independently…

Boston feels like a real city to me now!

That's a big statement, but until recently, I've had to travel to Montreal, Miami, and NYC to enjoy the experience I had yesterday at Figment and I will again later this afternoon on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. 

When I tell friends not from Boston, about Boston, I tell them it feels like a big town, mostly it's because it's walkable which I love, and but…

Maureen just posed a question "does anyone use a national bank with a branch in JP that you are happy with?" in the Jamaica Plain Community Discussion Forum. I'd like to expand on her question.

• What bank do you do business with and why?
• What else do you wish they offered such as services, extended hours, something…

Happy Spring Neighbors!

With spring quickly opening up, it is time again to think about the yearly community Clean-Up. This year's annual BOSTON SHINES is the last Saturday morning in April: Saturday, April 30, 2011.

This event has…

From a City Press Release I just received. BEGIN::

Today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino released a comprehensive report on the potential impact of federal budget cuts currently proposed by House Republicans. According to the report, over $30 million of direct funding to the city will be cut by HR 1. The report also details additional cuts that will affect Boston residents. These include cuts to heating oil assistance, Community Service Block Grant funded efforts for low income people,…

Mayor Thomas M. Menino has announced that a Snow Emergency and parking ban for the City of Boston will go into effect tonight at 7pm to ensure that city roads are cleared for the morning commute.   Due to the unpredictable nature of this storm and conflicting forecasts, Mayor Menino has issued this snow emergency to allow Public Works crews the best opportunity to treat, plow, and clear the streets as efficiently as possible, particularly after the…