Jillian Dempsey

January 05, 2016

This past New Year’s Day, the Bruins faced off against the Canadiens at Gillette stadium to a almost sold out crowed as part of the NHL 2015 Winter Classic. Little to many’s knowledge though, the NWHL’s Boston’s Pride faced off against the CWHL’s Montreal Canadians on New Year’s eve. Playing for the Pride was Winthrop’s own, Jillian Dempsey.

Bob Varney, team handyman and volunteer, hands Dempsey her stick before she joins her team in practice in Everett the night before the Winter Classic.

“This is my first year with the Boston Pride. The past two years I was with the CWHL,” said Dempsey.

Dempsey went to Rivers School in Weston for high school and then played for Harvard. After that she played for the national team before joining the CWHL’s Boston Blades, which took the 2015 Clarkson cup.

This past year with the creation of the NWHL, saw the movement of many players from the Blades to the Pride team, including Dempsey. This winter classic game is almost a rematch of the final championship match from last season’s CWHL that faced the Blades against the Montreal Canadians.

“I have played against them. We have had some pretty big battles, some big rivalries (in) the past two years, (with) boston and montreal,” said Dempsey. “We actually got the last say, because it was them who we had in the championship when we won the Clarkson Cup. They want some revenge.”

The difference between last year’s match and this year’s match is that it will be outside.

“Ya know, pond hockey wasn’t big for me growing up. I always put it on my Christmas list to have a rink in the yard and I always wanted to play pond hockey.”

“For a lot of people who haven’t seen the quality of play, I think it will be quite surprising for them,” said Pride coach Bobby Jay.

The game took place to an almost empty stadium with no tv coverage. The NHL did not heavily promote the women’s classic game as much as they promoted the alumni and Bruins game. With that said, the women played hard and fast.

It was incredible,” said Dempsey. “It was pretty short when we were out on the ice but there was a lot of adrenaline. Pond hockey on the biggest stage ever!”

The two periods ended with a 1 to 1 tie. “Obviously we wanted to win, but we did end up tying it up. Thank god because a loss would have really sat in my skull,” said Dempsey.

“Having the cross over was a great experience because they are highly talented and skilled. We wish we had a 60min game against them but it was great exposure. If we could have gone for another period we could have come out on top.”

The match saw heavy action and even the injury of Pride #24 Denna Laing of Marblehead who was injured near the end of the first period and taken out by stretcher. “She took a bad fall and we are keeping her in our thoughts, hoping everything ends up ok.”

Little is known at this time about Laing’s condition as the family is keeping it private. It is clear she took a hard fall.

Dempsey would like to see more crossover games between the CWHL and the NWHL. “The league feels successful, from our perspective, we seem to be drawing bigger crowds then we did with the CWHL. Our hope is that things continue to get better next season.”

The Pride is a new team, part of a new league and things right now seem to be going good as far as anyone in the league is concerned. Former US national coach Bobby Jay practices with the girls on the ice, taking part in their practice and not just giving orders. The support staff and players are like a family.

“I have known Jill for a while, I coached for the national team and she played for the national team for a few tournaments while I was there. So I knew her game and expected great things out of her this year and she surpassed them. She’s having a fantastic year for us.”

Women’s hockey has a lot to grow in the US and with two leagues competing for fans, two Boston teams alone, it will take time and effort to see which league is successful in the US. Dempsey has played for both leagues and hopes to see more women take to the ice.

In Winthrop/Lynn there is the Bulldogs girls hockey team that gives girls who enjoy the ice the chance to play in an all girls league, but not all towns and cities have that. This year Everett ended their girls hockey team and currently has one female, Casarra Roderick, as their goalie.

“A lot of kids get misguided and put too much emphasis on some things that aren’t as important as others. In my opinion the two most important things are, focus on where you are right now. Enjoy that experience and work to get better all the time. Don’t try to think I gotta do this to get their, all of a sudden you’ll be trying to line up three moves down the road when you're not getting the most out of where you are in that instance,” said coach Jay.

“Honestly the thing I would want to say to anyone for advice is to work hard and have fun. Playing hockey is the best thing ever and has brought me so much joy. Its my favorite thing to do, having that love for the game, that passion is going to drive you and motivate you to keep going,” said Dempsey.

Before the races….

December 14, 2015

Empty barns and buildings line the back lot of Suffolk Downs. Birds and Bees have made their nest and plants grow where horses once trained. Some buildings look like they should be condemned, some might be, but not today. Today there is life where there hasn’t been any for a while.

It’s rainy and cold. The barns are damp and workers like Moises Sanchez are hard at work getting ready for tomorrow’s race. Racing has returned to Suffolk Downs for a second time this year. The barns that were only home to the birds and bees are now full of hay and thoroughbreds that are waiting to run. Owners have brought their horses from up and down the East Coast to return to racing at the historic Suffolk Downs.

“I am always excited to be home,” said Jay Bernardini as he pets Navy Nurse, a celebrated thoroughbred. A horse owner and trainer, Bernardini brought nine horses to Suffolk from his stalls at Laurel Park Racetrack in Maryland. “I am a Lynn resident. My wife and son actually stay behind and I kinda co-habitat in Maryland and fly back and forth.”

“I have been racing here my whole career. When they are not racing here I go somewhere else. I am a full time trainer, so I have no option but to leave my family and go somewhere else. Where there’s racing is where I'll be,” said Bernardini.

Hellen Honsdottir and Moises Sanchez were on site at six am to prep the horses for Saturday’s racing. Giving them fresh food, fresh hay, washing them down and making them look good. Some horses were having their shoes replaced and others were just going round and round the barns getting some exercise with the hot walkers.

Honsdottir was excited to be back here. She started doing this just over two years ago while the track was still open. When she got the chance to be back here for three days she said of course. Unlike many of the other groomers, trainers and hot walkers, Honsdottir has not migrated to another track and has taken work in Waltham at a stable, but she would rather be working with race horses.

The owners greet their horses, talk to them and embrace them. Like spoiled dogs these horses have it good.

The racing day has also brought back local employees that haven’t been out on the track since the last racing day in September. “I thought it was very encouraging. It was like you can’t kill the place. Open the doors and people will come,” said Out Rider Cathy Chumbley in regards to the last racing day in September.

Most of the owners and crews know each other and share a camaraderie that is not seen in other workplaces. Everyone does everything, owners train and groom their own horses and then possibly for someone else. The lure of a day of racing even brought back Wayne Marcoux, a trainer and a owner with no current horses on site today. A Revere resident, he came down just to help. “My father was a trainer,” said Marcoux. “I took out my trainer's license and came down to help out.”

Not everyone can just walk on over thought for a day of racing. Owners like Bernardini who came from Maryland had to drive here. “We have known about these races for 30 days ago so all the prep work is down. We left at exactly 11:00pm (Thursday) and we got over the George Washington Bridge (NYC) at 3am.” Once they arrived at Suffolk they realised they left the bridles back in Maryland and had to get someone on a flight right way with them. Bernardini said that what his horses need now is “rest and relaxation.”

With the racing on Oct. 3 there will be one more day of racing on Oct. 31st. Many people want to get more racing at Suffolk, but it's an uphill battle.

“Suffolk Downs in not interested in opening up and losing money,” said Bernardini. “There are other people trying to force racing where there is none and I don’t think that’s a realistic thing. It has to be a two way street. The race track has to be able to be viable and feasible financially and offer a product that is feasible for me. I have to be able to make a living.”

Where racing in Massachusetts will end up is anyone’s gamble right now, but for today and tomorrow the horses and their teams are back at Suffolk.

Clean and sober!

December 14, 2015

Centola Graduation

-Joseph Prezioso

Rain trickled on the windows of the court room as people from all over the city gathered in the damp court room at the Charlestown Municipal court room on this past Wednesday Dec. 2. The room was filled with members of the judicial system, local elected officials, friends and family members of the soon to be graduated Candice Centola who had finished her time in the drug court program and would be off of probation by the courts adjournment, but not before everyone she knew had a chance to speak and honor her commitment for what she has achieved.

In the court room, Honorable Judge Lawrence E. McCormick invited those that she had worked with and those who were involved with her treatment to speak. As they spoke Centola sat and cried a number of times, but they were tears of joy and not sadness.

“When she started here the court had faith in her. I didn’t think she had faith in herself when she got here, but I know when she walks out the door she has faith now,” said Judge McCormick. “I have respect for Mrs. Centola.”

“As judges we typically see tears of sadness in the court room, but today we celebrate the graduation of Ms. Centola and here in the courtroom I see joy because of her struggle, because of her commitment and her dedication to her sobriety she has achieved success,” said Chief Justice of the Boston Municipal Court Dept. Roberto Ronquillo Jr. “Today we celebrate her success as a community, as a court, as a system where we see an individual who has given up her part, has taken the opportunity given to her through the court and the care providers to get to the point of sobriety to the point where she can be an inspiration and a help to others.”

There were plenty of tears this day in court too. Centola and her sister both cried as did Joyce Hogan, secretary at the Valentine House for Women, who was on the stand in tears to speak about her admiration for Centola. “This is a person I had to ask to leave the Valentine House, and now I have the utmost respect for her to have me here today,” said Hogan. A relapse caused Centola to be evicted from the all sober Valentine House.

Centola had been a drug addict since age 14 and been on heroine for the past 15 years. Running, using with her sister up until 2011, she had been in and out of jail countless times and she was not happy with her life. “We ran together, for a long time, and when I say ran together, you wouldn’t believe the houses, it was sort of a animalistic sort of way,” said Candice Centola. “It wasn’t nice.” Then about three years ago she found herself in lock up again, but this time around she had a new option, Drug Court. She took it.

“Well, you know honestly.....It was actually desperation. I was desperate. I had no other way. I was just, nothing else worked for me, you know, and jail, I could adapt. It was, I guess just easy and, I didn’t want to live like that anymore. Deep down I always wanted to get clean, and when he offered it to me (Stephen Deluca, probation officer) at that point, I took it,” said Centola.

“Its difficult for the courts, its difficult for the participants, this is not easy!” said Judge McCormick.

It wasn’t and easy or simple path to becoming clean and sober for Centola either. The 18 month program lasted a lot longer for her, almost three years. “I relapsed four months after my father passed away, my mother passed away seven months before and then my dad passed away right after. At four months after my dad passed away I was, I noticed it because I started isolating and just not....the behavior, the signs were showing, the anger and stuff like that. I wasn’t asking for help or really going to as many meetings as I should have been and I wasn’t letting anybody in. I relapsed. After about a month I came down, came back and turned myself in,” said Centola. From there she went on to finish and graduate the program.

Present in the court room were other participants in the program, some she had used with and others she barley knew, but all congratulated her.

“You all don’t understand the magnitude of the transformation she made,” said Drug Court participant David Matson. Other participants said she was an example to them and an inspiration and they wanted what she now has. As Centola knows, its not easy. Prior to her graduation Judge McCormick imposed daily urine testing on another participant who might be slipping in the program and they wanted to get him back on track or it was back to jail and failure from the program. The man was trying to balance work and the program, but Judge McCormick blankly told the man this program must come first, not work.

“Its not an obligatory program. It is very difficult because there is high accountability before a judge, but by completing those difficulty steps, we have seen many successes,” said Chief justice of the Boston Municipal Court Dept. Roberto Ronquillo Jr.

Addicts have to want the to change for the program to work, otherwise they relapse according to the court. “When she first agreed to drug court I had mixed emotions. Part of me was relieved, the other part was worried she would give up. As time went on and I started to see the dedication and the desire to live clean and sober I knew she would graduate,” said Shannon Lundin, Community Outreach Coordinator at MGH/CSAC.

Centola’s sister Lisa also had doubts when her sister joined the program. “I was, I was nervous, because I knew drug court was tough,” said Lisa Centola. “We used together, and I looked at drug court, to me I looked at it back then in that mind set as a set up. So watching her it proved to me, that although taking the time is the easy way out she chose the difficult path and she did well. So drug courts works.”

“The reality is that if we incarcerate people who are addicts, addicted to substances, ultimately they go to jail, they come and out. Unless it is being treated, nothing changes. So this opportunity, drug court, and other specialty courts is an opportunity for us as a justice system to coordinate with other agencies to provide the services to the people who we see on a daily basis to get to the root to whatever it is that brought them before the court. Its a very different approach that seems to be working and for evert one person we keep out of jail and get productive is a success,” said Chief Justice Ronquillo Jr.

After her relapse and getting back in the program, Centola had daily drug test that eventually went down to a few times a week till none. She attended a intensive outpatient program and moved in with her sober and clean sister. Now she is graduating and wanting to move on with her life.

“I don’t want to put any expectations on me, as I have done that in the past and my expectations were way to high and I couldn’t meet that and became overwhelmed and ended up back sliding a bit and thats not safe,” said Centola. “I won’t set exceptions, however, I go to a relapse prevention group and I go to a meeting every day.” Centola is looking forward to moving into an apartment and getting a stable home life so that she can get a job and support herself.

“A lot of people have given a lot to her and she is able to give back to those around her by giving the support she received to others and I hope and expect that she’ll be a success in every endeavor of her life now that she has this head start. We expect big things from her,” said Chief Justice Ronquillo Jr.

The court does not want her to disappear and told her she is welcome to come back anytime for help if she needs it. They want her back on her own will and not coming in with the police.

The informal court hearing ended with Centola receiving a citation from State. Rep Dan Ryan and the court relieving her of her probation. She is now free, clean and sober.

Boston Calling

May 25, 2015

I spent the weekend covering memorial day ceremonies, parades and also had the chance to cover the Boston Calling Concert at government center.

50,000 fans gathered over the course of three days at government center to celebrate music.

Old Ironsides Dry Docked!

May 19, 2015

Huzza! Huzzah! Huzza! Shouted navy personal late on Monday night as a low fog rolled into Charlestown Navy yard. From Tobin Bridge the yard looked like a Friday night football game with hundreds of helmeted men and women standing in the yard, but these weren’t football players. They were Navy engineers and support staff on site at Dry Dock #1 in Boston’s historic Charlestown Navy yard. Their purpose, to safely move the USS Constitution from her pier and into the Dry Dock #1 for what will be a three year repair session for the 200+ year old ship.

“We are all observing the dry dock, first because of curiosity and second because it’s a core competency, dry-docking, in becoming an engineering duty officer,” said Charlestown resident Lt. Kerry Boshe. Boshe was on sight with two fellow MIT students who wanted to see the procedure up close. They weren’t alone, hundreds of local residents and media crews were on hand to witness the dry-docking procedure, which for a ship like the Constitution is a delicate process. If they were to damage her, it could be un-repairable.

“The biggest challenge is getting her safely into the dry dock,” said Commander Paul Brawley. The ship was being pulled into dry dock by hand, by men and women with ropes and the help a few tug boats this evening. The process had to start at just exactly the right time when the high tide raised the water level high enough in the dry dock to allow Constitution to slip into her place. The crew of the ship had to remove all the ship’s guns, rigging and sails to lighten her load so she would clear the shelves upon which she will rest on when the water is drained from the dry dock. Constant radio chatter filled the air as crew members, engineers and navy staff communicated to keep the ship moving like a robot, on course and down to the inch. Periodically the ship would stop, the bow line would stop pulling and ropes on either side, the starboard and port, would be moved or changed to adjust for the ships route.

Moving an inch at a time and sometimes slower, navy engineers used lasers with digital transits to bounce off of prisms on the ship to precisely monitor the ships movement. “Divers will go in to check how she lands in the dry dock,” said three star General Willie Hilarides of Comnavsea. “It will be a very bad thing if we have to re-land her.” With that precision, the ship started to be pulled into the dry dock at around 10:20pm and by 12:30 she was in place. Now it was the job of the divers and engineers to make sure she was positioned correctly and balanced safely so that the water of the dry dock could be drained and repairs could start, which will take a few days said Commander Brawley.

Constitution, launched in 1797, is the sole survivor of the original US navy’s first fleet; a group of six frigates designed by Joshua Humphrey, designed to be the fastest, strongest and most heavily armed ships of their day. They were built in response to the constant harassment of US merchant vessels by the British, French and pirates as the US sought to spread its shipping and exportation of goods worldwide. With her three layer oak hull, canon balls bounced off her in the war of 1812 and she was given the name “Old Ironsides”.

“It’s a momentous occasion for the history of the ship,” said Melinda Cheston, senior development officer for the Constitution Museum and also a Charlestown resident. “We can keep her going and continue to tell her story to future generations.”

As part of the repair process, oak planks, the outer copper sheeting and anything is disarray will be repaired or replaced. “The entire bottom of the boat will be re-cocked and sealed, she will be solid,” said Commander Brawley. “The Navy has a grove of white oak trees at a navy base in Indiana, Constitution grove,” said Admiral Hilarides. “We’ll cut trees depending on what hull planks need to be replaced.” Its estimated now that only eight to twelve percent of the boat is the original 1794 parts, including her keel.

“You’ll be able to see her naked like never before,” said Cheston on viewing Constitution out of the water. “Not a lot of people have seen her like that before.” She was last in dry dock in 1992.

The Navy estimates the entire repair process to last three years and cost between $12 and $15 million dollars. During that time the ship, a major tourist attraction for the city, will still be open for visitors. Crew members, which there are 70 of will rotate working in the museum and serving on the ship’s deck while repairs are under way said Cheston. “People will hear her construction story for the next three years. Paul Revere provided copper for her hull!”

For many residents of the city and Charlestown, the Constitution is a part of their daily life, a backdrop to their view of the harbor. “I walk down here all the time, it’s such an asset to our community,” said local resident Chrissy Coughlin. Coughlin was on hand to watch the ships dry-docking, she hired a baby sitter so she could come down at the late time to watch the process. “It’s a very powerful feeling for me to come down here and see people who have dedicated their lives to us. It’s a powerful feeling from my heart (to those that serve now and then).

The ship has been repaired many times before, staring in the mid 1800’s and having a full restoration in 1927. “It’s a constant maintenance that is going on all of the time,” said Commander Brawley. “She is the other woman in my life, and my wife understands that.”

With the sun down, the lights came on and Navy crews got to work.

Two navy engineers keep track of the positioning of the ship with their tracking equipment.

Pulling on the bow lines and rapping them around a mooring was hard grueling work.

The ship was last in dry dock from 1992 to 1995.

Navy workers pull on the bow lines to make sure the boat is properly in hr new resting place.

As the sun sets the constitution rest at the end of dry dock one, waiting for high tide to be ever so delicately moved into the dry dock.

Mapfre leads with Alvimedica and Abu Dhabi in pursuit.

Volvo Ocean Race Newport Stopover

May 18, 2015

The oceans, they cover the planet, 75% of it to be exact. They are vast, beautiful, plentiful and deadly. Crossing the oceans and going around the world was once something thought to be impossible, but explorers like Magellan and Columbus proved those doubters wrong. Today circumnavigating the globe on a sailboat is a sport, a harsh grueling deadly exercise that takes skill, wit and knowhow.

This past oct, seven teams set out from Alicante, Spain on a nine month journey around the world. A race to see who is really the best of the best, and in the words of Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad, “Compete in the last great human adventure.” The teams are made up of nationalities from China, UK, France, the USA, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, Argentina, Brazil and Antigua. They are competing to see who is the best.

Each team has the same boat, a Volvo Ocean Type 65. An incredible piece of engineering. Made of carbon fiber and capable of reaching up to 40knots. Fast and slick they are not meant for comfort. “Because the carbon fiber (hull) is so thin, it sounds like being on a freight train, on the boat,” said Walter Whalen. Whalen, who works for Federated Investors, a Boston native was chosen as a guest of honor for the Mapfre boat at the team Vestas Wind’s in harbor race in Newport on saturday. The type 65 is a far cry from the yachts you’ll find at your local yacht club and are designed for speed on the high sea’s, not just your local waters. In the original race in 1973, sailors had no idea what to expect in a round the world race and were pretty much amateurs at best when saying they were round the world sailors. That year 2 sailors died. In the past 40 years, Volvo has studied and designed the type 65 to deal with the rough waters of the southern oceans and move on those windless dead zones of the Atlantic and Pacific. The boat even features a movable keel which can swing up to 40 degrees to help stabilize the boat in different situations.

“This is a chance of a lifetime,” said Whalen. “I have been around boats my entire life and have had an experience like this.” Sailing on these boats takes skill and mental strength. For nine months sailors live and breath with each other, taking four hour shifts on manning the boat, but no one really sleeps. Food is kept to dry goods like rice and pasta and its not unusual for crew to loose more then 10% of their body mass during the race.

Each team also has the same exact boat, they are all identical. “It comes down to pure seamanship, sailing ability takes all the tech out of it,” said Whalen. Mark Towill a USA crew member of team Alivimedica said that this is a test of pure sailing skill. There are no engines, no motors, every sail is pulled by hand and with the use of manual power winches. Volvo Ocean race magazine says its like doing a four hour gym workout every eight hours for the entire trip around the world.

Talking to some of the crew and support crew members it also becomes clear that skill alone will not get your crew anywhere. “You have to be able to get on with each other,” said an Abu Dhabi support member. “Some teams have fell apart and dropped out when they couldn’t work with each other.” That makes sense. Nine months at sea, one non private Korean made toilet, no shower and the ocean. Getting along with your fellow crewmates seems to be a clear necessity to be a team. Imagine if the Patriots were crammed together in a bus for nine months, no shower, just rice and pasta. That bus might get awfully smelly and cramped after a few days. Frostad jokingly said in his opening speech to the guest riders that these boats today won’t smell like they did when they arrived in Newport.

Between sailing across the vast emptiness of the ocean, the boats have eight stops at various ports to replenish water, food, repair their boats and get a few days rest. One of these stops this year was Newport, RI. All the teams minus Team Vestas Wind which ran aground and has been out of the race, made it to Newport on May 5th for a short reprieve and to compete in a in harbor race to score points they may have lost during the race.

“The sailors have to race today like nothing else matters,” said Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean race. “Today could make or break a team.” The race started at 2pm on what started as a sunny day but ended up being a overcast cloudy day with relatively no wind. With all the boats starting at the exact same time, you could clearly see how sailing skill and luck comes into play as team MAPFRE clearly gained a huge lead early in the race leaving the other teams scrambling to catch up. MAPFRE kept its pace and came in first with team ALVIMEDICA coming in second and team Abu Dhabi coming in third.

Newport harbor had 10,000 plus people watching from the shore and an untold amount of viewers from boats from on the water. Newport PD, the Harbor Master, Coast guard and Volvo security boats were all on duty keeping pleasure boats and spectator ships out of the race zone and out of the way of these fast moving ships. They even had to clear the way at one point during the in harbor race when team SCA and Dongfeng looked to gain a more favorable positon and made there way out of the main sailing path and into the spectator zone to gain some speed. Everyone cleared out pretty fast as not to be in the way of these fast ships.

“Never did we expect that kind of a turnout during a chilly May weekend in Rhode Island, but instead we were treated to a Narragansett Bay mob maybe bigger than it ever was!? Alby (Alberto Bolzan a crew member from Italy) thinks he finally knows what it feels like to be a “footballer.” Housty (Ryan Houston is a crew member from Auckland, New Zealand ) says it was the most impressive sight he’s seen in three Volvo Ocean Races. Nick imagines it as busy or busier than Newport in the 80s, during the America’s Cup glory days his father always reminisces about. It was almost overwhelming--the energy and enthusiasm that everyone showed for this little event of ours--and even if just for a few hours you made us feel like rock stars. Thank you!!,” said Amory Ross the on board reporter for team Alvimedica in a recent blog post.

Of special note, Boston Bruins Capt. Zdenko Chára was a guest on the team Abu Dhabi sailing team. Chára signed autographs and had some fun with the crowed before downing race team ocean wear and embarking out for the race. Chára, who has never taken part in a sailing race before seemed very excited to be a part of it. Although all he would be doing is being an on board observer, he exclaimed, “I have never done this before, at a stage or level like this. I’m very excited.”

At the end of the race when team Abu Dhabi pulled back into dock, Chára gave some observations on what he observed to be goals in winning. “The timing of the start, it was so important for the start to be in the right place at the right time. Reading the position of the wind and the sails,”

Most the teams are also all male and some of veterans of previous Volvo Ocean Races, but then there is the new entry to the race. Team SCA. A team composed of eleven all female sailors. “Not one of us has competed in any of the last Volvo Ocean Races!” said SCA skipper Sam Davies. Although the team is in 6th place now, they still have the chance to make up points and place in the top three.

Currently in 1st place is team Abu Dhabi with eleven points. The teams are expected to make land in Lisbon on or around May 25th, from there its off to Lorient and finally ending on June 21st in Gothenburg. “Leg 7 has started. It’s a highly iconic route and a classic among most sailors. It took Christopher Columbus five weeks to cross the Atlantic in 1492, we are counting on arriving to Lisbon within 9 days. It’s the last ocean leg of this edition of the Volvo Ocean Race and we are determined to make the best out of it,” said Anna-Lena Elled the on board reporter for team SCA in a recent post to Volvo’s live online race blog.

Charles Caudrelier, skipper of the Chines racing team Dongfeng has this to say about the sailors in this race. “The thing all the competitors have in common is that they love what they do and given the choice would do it all again. Because they’re nuts!”

Zdenko Chára sings autographs and gives out signed pucks.

The start had all the teams in close quarter, making way to get the best wind.

Team Abu Dhabi and Alvimedica were close the entire race, here they make their way to the first buoy,

Team Mapfre cruises past the thousands of fans who came to watch this world class sailing event.

Rounding the buoy, the team are tacking their sails.

Team SCA do what they can to make up time.

In an effort to get more wind, team SCA pulled away from the main boats to try to get better wind and suddenly found itself in the line of many spectators who quickly moved out of the way for the team.

Team Abu Dhabi rounds the bout and tacks.

Sailors hurry to the bow to help get the jib out.

Team Mapfre has won the race and now sets to taking down her jib and prepping the boat to dock.

Support crew for Abu Dhabi take off the jib sail.

Mapfre captain Iker Martinez gives a post race interview.  "The day on the water was fantastic, when you're winning everything looks great and you are happy so that's how we are feeling now, super happy. — Mapfre captain Iker Martinez gives a post race interview. "The day on the water was fantastic, when you're winning everything looks great and you are happy so that's how we are feeling now, super happy.

Fire

May 05, 2015

A fire broke out Saturday morning around 8:50 am at Sully C's in Saugus. Fire Departments from Saugus, Malden and Wakefield responded to the blaze. Damage is estimated at $100,000 and the cause is yet unknown.

Eagle scout honor

May 05, 2015

This past saturday Paul Michael Bonetti of Boy Scouts Malden/Revere Troop 603 earned the privilege to become one of the elite and few members of scouts to be called an Eagle Scout. At a ceremony in Malden at the First Baptist Chruch, Paul was surrounded by his fellow troop members, troop leaders, city officials, friends and family has he was award the Eagle Scout.

Mason Burne and Geoffrey  Gomez lead the way into the church as the color guard to start the ceremony. — Mason Burne and Geoffrey Gomez lead the way into the church as the color guard to start the ceremony.

Ethan Butler lights the candles for the ceremony.

Paul Michael Bonetti takes the Eagle Scout pledge.

Paul's mom Melissa sheds a few tears of joy as she looks on as Paul thanks everyone for helping him become the person he is today and will be as the years go on.

Joseph Englen worked the Island End Marsh filling his trash bag with bottles, glass, and other derbies that have washed up.

city clean up

May 05, 2015

Last year about 9 billion tons o litter were dumped into our ocean and almost 4.6 trillion cigaret buts tossed onto our streets. People litter, thats a fact. Some people want to change that and others are here to clean up the mess that the litterers create.

Last Saturday 200 volunteers participated in the 18th annual Citywide Earth Day clean up. 200 bags of trash were filled by the volunteers and collected by the DPW. Volunteers young and old, and even a fraternity helped join in the cleaning. After a long winter trash was everywhere. The event is a group effort between the Chelsea Collaborative, Greenspace and the City of Chelsea.

Volunteers worked to clean up trash and litter behind stop and shop.

“We cleaned twelve sites and I actually think thats an increase from last year,” said Roseanne Bongiovanni of Greenspace. “I see lots of littering and even my son notices it,” said Bongiovanni in talking about trash around the city. “The littering problem is huge.”

“No matter how hard the city works, people keep littering,” said Bongiovanni. Its not just litter that is being found either. Silvia Ramerez of the Chelsea collaborative who was working to clean up around Stop and Shop found furniture, clothing and what seemed to be a abandoned makeshift shelter. “I feel like no matter how hard these volunteers work that its in vain. It looks good right now but a week later it looks the same,” said Bongiovanni.

Roseanne Bongiovanni  confronts the owner of WW trading who left their broken truck running and spewing tons of toxic fumes into the air with its broken exhaust system. — Roseanne Bongiovanni confronts the owner of WW trading who left their broken truck running and spewing tons of toxic fumes into the air with its broken exhaust system.

People need to stop littering and the city needs people to start enforcing the littering laws and air quality violations Bongiovanni stated. If these things were to happen we could have a cleaner city.

Fran Roznowski was busy moving from site to site as she walked down Shawmut st.

According to most research, the same people who admit to wanting a clean place to live also admit to have littered in the past. So why do people do it? There is no clear answer. Smokers are considered the largest litterers, then children and then adults over the age of 50 according to a study done my VROM, a Dutch organization.

Members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon frat worked to clean up around the Chelsea Community Gardens.

What can make a cleaner city in you the people who live there caring more about it, and thinking twice about putting your trash out properly, tossing your ice coffee cup or cigarette out the window and picking up trash when you see it. If you want a clean city, you have to participate in keeping it clean and not adding to the problem.

Dylon Jablonski moves some broken branches to a pile of wood.

Cate Maas works to clean up the Island End River.

Revere Little league Opening Day.

April 25, 2015

Hundreds of little league players marched down Malden Street to St. Mary's baseball field for the opening day ceremonies for the St. Mary's Revere Little League. Special guest Wally the Green Monster was on hand to take photos with the kids (and a number of parents) and throw out the opening day pitch.

The Chefs lead the way onto the ball field.

Lio Murphy, age 4, was a little scared on opening day.

Wild cats players scream when they saw Wally!

Mets players Chase Smith, Orlando Quintana, Ronnie Gordwell, William Foley, Derek Huydson and Joshua Roldan wait patiently for the opening pitch to start their season.

Play ball!  The first pitch for the 2015 season is thrown my Red Sox mascot Wally! — Play ball! The first pitch for the 2015 season is thrown my Red Sox mascot Wally!

Mayor Dan Rizzo wished the players a great season.

Alana Nelson and Caroline Stasio were super excited to meet wally and were ready for their first game.

Tyler Minasian grabs his bat before heading out to play.

Nick Coughlin, Anthony Hosin and Gerry Visconti enjoy some laughs before taking the field.

Gerry Visconti practices before the game starts.

front page!

April 25, 2015

Jacob Ventura peered out from under his caps visor as the teams gathered around the diamond for the opening day ceremonies for the Lynn Shore Little League on Saturday April 18th 2015.

Sports Round up

April 20, 2015

Justin Londono of the Red Sox took a few moments to play ball with himself before heading over to his team to take a team photo.  Londono was one 0f 215 kids at the opening day event for the East Boston Little League. — Justin Londono of the Red Sox took a few moments to play ball with himself before heading over to his team to take a team photo. Londono was one 0f 215 kids at the opening day event for the East Boston Little League.

Carmine Damelio and Tizziano Areneillo dive to catch a ball during a game of catch.

Tech's 2nd basemen Mehrin Hueston and shortstop Meagan Leblanc  stubble for the ball while Chelsea's #23 Emily Arroyo takes 2nd and Tech's right fielder #15 Jailene Rivera looks on. — Tech's 2nd basemen Mehrin Hueston and shortstop Meagan Leblanc stubble for the ball while Chelsea's #23 Emily Arroyo takes 2nd and Tech's right fielder #15 Jailene Rivera looks on.

Battle Road

April 20, 2015

Battle Road

“Battalion Volley,” yelled generals on saturday as hundred of muskets fired into a grouping of British regulars. Cannon and musket fire filled the air with bangs, explosions and lots of smoke as the Battle Road reenactment in Lexington at Tower Park.

Every April men, women and children get into uniform, grab their muskets and head to Lexington to take part in the Patriot’s Day reenactments and Battle Road battles that took place back in 1775. They are commemorating the first battles of the Revolutionary War.

Colonials take aim and fire.  Muskets were not that accurate so firing in a straight line was the best option when trying to hit a target. — Colonials take aim and fire. Muskets were not that accurate so firing in a straight line was the best option when trying to hit a target.

The Charlestown Militia took part in Battle Road reenactment on Saturday April 18th. They participated in Parker’s Revenge and the battle of Tower Park, which commemorates Percy’s Retreat. “General Percy was a British commander and his forces were retreating from Concord when Militia blocked them off on their way back to Charlestown,” said Tom Coots, Captain of the Charlestown Militia. According to history the British were marching to concord to take the munitions that were being stockpiled by the colonial militia. They were about 800 British soldiers who marched out of Boston at 11pm the night before, but they never made it to the munitions depot, they were stopped by about 3000 militia and the first shots were fired that April morning. “The shot heard round the world” as its been called. The Militia then chased the British all the way back to Charlestown were they camped at Charlestown Heights.

The Charlestown Militia, with Rick Young, Tom Taygan, Ryan Hayward, Capt. Tom Coots, Dan Dudley and Joe Brown.

“I have been captain of the Charlestown Militia since 2007, but I have been doing this since 1986,” said Coots. Coots is a Revere resident who loves teaching people about the American revolution. “I had always loved history as a child, but you can only get so much out a text book. When I saw the reenactments back at the bicentennial I was hooked!”

There are about 14 members of the Charlestown Militia, but only six were present at Battle of Tower park reenactment. One of the soldiers was Rick Young, Lieutenant in the Militia under Coots. Young, a resident of Charlestown also loves to teach people. “I got the history bug from my dad, who started the Charlestown Militia back in 1968,” said Young. “I would follow him to parades, ceremonies and reenactments, and loved it. When Tom started the Militia back up in 2007 (the original disbanded in 1986) I joined in.”

Dylan Potter of Lynn as part of the British, His majesty's 10th of foot, light infantry speaks with six year old Ezra Devonshire about his role in the reenactment.

Young’s goal is to show and tell people about the history Charlestown during the creating of out country. “It shows a different side of Charlestown, its shows its history and contributions to creating America,” said Young. “People don’t always see Charlestown in the best light.”

As part of the battle at Tower Park, Young was part of the Picket Guard and headed out ahead of the main militia body to harass the British and hold them off till the main body could arrive. “We get to do more guerrilla warfare stuff,” said Young.

Not everyone is in the Militia though, many people sign up to play the part of the British. People like Dylan Potter of Lynn. Potter, a young 22 year old has been dressing up and shooting at Militia men for nine years. “I saw a reenactment back in 2003 and knew I wanted to do it. I went back again in 2006 and saw the Battle Road reenactment, saw a flyer and joined up,” said Potter. “When I first saw the reenactments I was really impressed with their (British) uniforms, they were impressive and drew me right in.”

The fog of war, latterly, with all the gun powder going off it creates a fog.

According to Coots, it cost about $1200 to get set up to be a militia or British soldier. After that its not a lot of money. Some units have dues but most don’t. The people who due this do it because they love history and America. “Its a great honor to honor America’s first veterans. I like to teach people who might not know a lot about the American Revolution. A lot of higher educations don’t touch it,” said Potter.

People from all over come to watch these reenactments. There was a few thousand on Saturday to watch the Battle Road reenactments. These reenactments take you back in time and teach you what it was like to be fighiting for freedom back in 1775. As Coots said earlier there is only so much you can learn from a text book, bus seeing it live is a whole different thing.

Rick Young and his picket guard take fire from British Infantry.

A good day to die

April 12, 2015

Last week I covered the good friday crucifixion of Jesus in at St. Rose de Lima in Chelsea. At St. Rose, parishioners march behind actors playing the roles of the bible and march down broadway singing gyms and chanting prayers.

I covered this event back in 2003 and mostly its the same. Back in 2003 they used fake blood and a crown of thorns which were missing this year.

The people here are devoted catholics who are united on this day to celebrate the crucifixion of Jesus.

Rev. Reynaldo Escobar prepares a sculpture of Jesus on the cross for being placed back in the church.

Actors getting ready bustled through the church halls.

Thomas the apostle, played by Pedro Del Toro watches closely as the priest read scripture.

Alter girls and boys lined the front pews ready to due their duty at the start of the procession.

Broadway was shut down as hundreds of people marched behind a reenactment of Jesus carrying the cross to be crucified by the Romans.

Crosses stood out over the heads of hundreds of the walkers.

Rev. Reynaldo Escobar marched somberly down broadway.

Herbert Guiterez carried the cross as he marched.

Jesus, played by Santiago Reyes carries the cross as Romans whip him.

Anna Gonzalez recited prayers as she marched with her cross down broadway behind the church actors.

46th annual Lt. Michael P. Quinn Scholarship Dinner Dance

April 12, 2015

The 46th annual Lt. Michael P. Quinn Scholarship Dinner Dance was held Saturday evening at the Knights of Columbus. A scholarship was presented to Bridgette Collier who will be attending the University of Connecticut. Veterans, friends and supporters were on hand to celebrate the memory of Lt. Quinn who was killed in action during the Vietnam war on August 29, 1969.

Lance corporal Adrien Benitez leads the color guard into the room for the national anthem.

Ed Flaherty bows his head doing the playing of the national anthem and the marine's Hymm.

Last July 4th, family film on the iPhone

April 08, 2015

This was a great day and I can't wait for July to come back around!

Memories

April 04, 2015

Today I thought I would share some old photos of my nieces and nephews growing up. In this world I know so many people don't print their photos, but I beg you to print them. If you don't print them, how will your kids or grandkids ever see the photos in 30 or more years. Will they scroll though your Facebook 30 years back in time? Or find your hard dive or CD with your backups of photos on them? Print is the only really archival method. I have photos backed up on floppy disc from the late 90's easy 2000's and have no way to see them, thats if the disc even work.

Print your memories.

My cousin Lynn with my godson Salvatore.

Aj at one of his early birthdays.  Shot on a 20mm close up. — Aj at one of his early birthdays. Shot on a 20mm close up.

here come the robots!

April 03, 2015

When one thinks about high school, they don’t usually think of kids building seven-foot robots that will compete in nationwide competitions, but that would be wrong.

For the past nine years, the Lynn Schools have taken part in the US First Robotics competition.

Skyla and Daniele are discouraged when they loose communication with their robot. — Skyla and Daniele are discouraged when they loose communication with their robot.

Students from all three high schools meet every school day after classes at Lynn Tech to design, build and operate their robot. Every year, the specifications for what the robot must do at the contest are different, so each year a new robot is needed. Currently in charge of the program is Mike Pickering, who came to Lynn Tech in 2012.

“We have three GE engineers that work with us,” said Pickering. “The kids get a lot of help, and learn a lot about what makes a robot work. It’s an after school club; it gives the students an opportunity to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), electricity and robotic engineering.”

“I like building stuff. It’s pretty cool this school has this,” said ninth grader Reece Archer.

Reece has spent nearly every day after class from 2:30 to 6 p.m. working on the robot.

The team has to raise all the money they need to run the program, which last year came to almost $13,000. This money is needed to both build the robot and to pay to compete in the matches. GE sponsors the team and provides funding and tech support. The rest of the money is raised by the students and local business donations.

“It used to be just a regional competition, so your team would just compete once,” said Paul Woodlley.

Woodley has been helping the team design and build robots on his own personal time since 2006.

“Now they (First Robotics) have opened it up so we can compete in more competitions,” he added.

The $5,000 entry fee gets them into two district competitions.

“There are about 40 teams in a district competition,” said Pickering. “All teams eventually play on another.”

“This year the games are really hard,” said Woodlley.

This year the game is titles RECYCLE RUSH. Robots have to stack totes on top of each other and then place a recycling trash barrel container on top of that stack. The robots must also work autonomously for 15 seconds of the round, doing all the work without human controllers.

To practice for this game, the students build two robots, one for them to practice with and experiment on ,and another for the actual competition. Students use the practice robot, the prototype, to get used to maneuvering the robot to lift and move the totes around. Students also work on the electrical and control systems so that they learn how to repair their actual robot should something go wrong during the games.

This year also hasn’t been easy for the team. At the first district match, the team’s computer programmer couldn’t make it, and they had problems with the robot’s operating system. They also lost more than 10 days of building and practicing due to snow.

“We’re hoping to do a lot better; we have worked out a lot of the bugs,” said Pickering.

“We’re working better,” said Mario Centofanti, a junior on the team who has been involved since freshmen year.

Centofanti wants more students to join up and help.

“It’s one of those things that many kids join, but drop out when they realize how much time is involved,” he said.

This year the team has a lot of freshmen that have stayed on and love the program.

This past weekend, on March 28, the team competed at Mathews Arena at Northeastern. The team was up against schools all over New England, some with more funding and more fans. That didn’t deter the Lynn team.

They played on and did their best.

“My goal is for our team to be in the top 50 percent; if we win that’s a bonus,” said Pickering.

Some of the team actually started helping out in 8th grade.

Skyla Repecko and Danielle Davis started coming after school when they were in 8th grade with Davis’s sister, Victoria, who has since graduated.

“We’d come after school on the bus,” said Davis. “It was a great experience. We would come in and would be already working on a robot that year.”

That hooked them and the two, now sophomores, have been together working on the robots ever since.

Pickering and Woodlley hope that more students will get involved and hope to grow the program to better compete with some of the better-funded schools. Some of these schools show up to the competition, he said, with busloads of students and fans.

Lynn doesn’t have that.

They work and compete on their own merits and pride.