The View From Prospect Hill for August 19

On August 19, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

A
ghost town. A hot, humid, ghost town. That is Somerville these last
couple of weeks before school begins. The only things happening around
the city involve either early school sports practices or end of the
summer activities from one agency or another.

Which works for
some of us, because we enjoy the summer attire on various members of
the opposite sex just fine. Do we like short-shorts, moo-moos and
halter tops? No, unless your name is Gisele, then, maybe. Can we
empathize with Jimmy Del Ponte about the shirtless joggers? Oh
definitely.

Somerville is fairly quiet in the summertime, but
its the short window between mid-August and the day before school
begins that makes the tumbleweeds roll and the crickets chirp. Where
the only people moving with any haste in the non air-conditioned
weather want to sell you rip-off/fake brand-name perfume or some form
of religion/religious experience.

If you spend a lot of time
indoors in a climate-controlled environment, especially online, you
wouldn't know that half the city is away on vacation. That's the
miracle of the internet at work – even when you are in Somerville North
or South (New Hampshire or Cape Cod), you can appear to be right here
in the thick of things by interacting with others on various blogs
around the city. Some are informative, others are annoying. They all
have their own flavors, and as they say, d'ffrent strokes for d'ffrent
folks.

Having the hot and humid weather hold off until August
was a tease this year – it seems like the whole summer has lasted 14
days and is over tomorrow. There isn't even a local primary election
this year, so the pod-people are still in hibernation – which is kind
of lousy for the rest of us "middle of the roaders," because only the
random political neophyte seems to be lurking.

In case you are
off in neverland, away from the not-so-much hustle and bustle of the
'Ville this abbreviated summer, and you have kids in the public
schools, remember that they go back to school before Labor Day – on
September 2nd – this year. Speaking of that, we have been shocked at
the anti-climactic response from the general public about an issue that
20 years ago would have had people rioting in the streets. Back then,
messing with the unspoken "no school before Labor Day" rule would have
meant serious public outcry inside the borders of Somerville, but not
today – now that's when you know things have changed around here.

Traffic Board shuts down petition against parking changes

On August 19, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Acting
Director of Traffic and Parking James Kotzuba explains the new parking
regulations at the August 13 Traffic Board public hearing. ~Photo by
Tom Nash

By Tom Nash

An
appeals board recently upheld a set of new parking regulations that
have polarized the city after hearing public testimony on how the
changes would affect residents, business owners and artists.

The
Traffic Board, which hears petitions by residents against the city's
Traffic Commission, heard comments from the public on August 13 on a
petition submitted by the Somerville Parking Advocacy and Reform
Coalition (SPARC).

The petition, signed by 87 registered
Somerville voters, asked for changes implemented by the Traffic
Commission in May to be rescinded – including a city-wide parking
permit mandate, increased meter hours and a 50 cents-per-hour rate
increase.

The new rules, announced after the Commission's May 21
meeting, sparked outrage among some residents and Board of Aldermen
members who said the city was forcing through the changes without
consulting residents or elected officials. The Traffic Commission and
the Traffic Board are unelected bodies.

The rules had been in a
constant state of flux since May, with the Board of Aldermen split on
whether they were justified given the $1.75 million in revenue
estimated to be brought through violations. Mayor Joseph Curtatone
established the Somerville Parking Solutions Task Force in response to
outcry over the lack of public input on the changes.

Since then,
several modifications have been made, including a list of main
thoroughfares to be kept as two-hour parking during the day. The
measure will be voted on at the Traffic Commission's meeting on August
20.

The new permit rule had been postponed from an August 1
enforcement date until October 1, which Acting Director of Traffic and
Parking James Kotzuba insisted would be thoroughly publicized.

Kotzuba also noted the meter rates would not change until a new kiosk system was implemented, most likely in January.

Ward
3 Alderman Tom Taylor had attempted to voice his opposition to
city-wide permit parking at the Traffic Commission's July 30 meeting,
but Chairman Stan Koty refused to give him the floor.

At the
August 13 hearing, Taylor briefly told the Board that the majority of
the calls he received on the issue were in favor of keeping the
neighborhood unregulated. About one third of Somerville remains permit
free, with much of the area falling within Ward 3 and Ward 2 around
Union Square.

"What I would really hope is you listen to all
these folks tonight," Alderman-at-Large Bill White told the Traffic
Board. "I want the folks here to be assured their voices are going to
be heard."

Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero, who supported city-wide
permit parking since the issue was raised at a February Aldermen
meeting, stressed that while the changes came through a "flawed
process," they will help residents of his ward who face a constant
battle with commuters and prepare the whole city for the coming of the
MBTA Green line in 2014

"We're getting the public ready for three years from now," Pero told the Traffic Board.

Of
the roughly two dozen speakers, most were opposed to at least some of
the regulation changes. The meter hour increases, including special
regulations in Davis and Magoun squares that would keep them running
until 10 p.m., were universally panned.

Joe Grafton, executive
director of small-business advocacy group Somerville Local First, said
the meter hour changes would hurt businesses by scaring away customers
who would go to Cambridge and Boston instead.

"We must not
sabotage our long-term health for our short-term needs," Grafton said,
referring to the city's budget crisis which Curtatone has said
necessitated the changes. "Local independents of Somerville are
surviving one of the most challenging economies of our time. We do not
need a competitive disadvantage."

Others expressed frustration
at the difficulty in finding parking in their neighborhood, noting they
were pleased when their neighborhoods were converted to permit-only
parking – which is possible with a petition from 51 percent of a
street's residents.

"It's a joy to come home after work and park
on my street instead of the Stop and Shop parking lot," Garfield Avenue
resident Dan Adams said.

Among the arts community members
speaking against the changes was Dan Maher, who runs a stained glass
studio in Magoun Square. He said the studio would lose 75 percent of
its available parking if city-wide permit parking went into effect.
Others presented similar concerns, noting the changes would make it
difficult for non-resident artists and students to park near their
studios.

After brief consideration, the Traffic Board
unanimously rejected each section of the residents' petition, with
Commissioner Peter Miller noting that it wouldn't be necessary to
reject the rules given the changes being made to them.

Miller also stressed that the revision process being conducted by the mayor's Parking Task Force would continue.

"I
hope that people would just be patient and try to understand that
everybody's working to make this work for everybody in the city,"
adding, "There's nothing here that is permanent."

SCAT program teaches obesity prevention

On August 19, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff

SCAT's
Next Generation Producers program has taught local Latinas ways to
control weight and prevent chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes
through the shows they have produced.

By Julia Fairclough

Never
skip a meal because it can lead to over eating, eat protein for energy,
and drink six to eight glasses of water each day, John Mendoza told me,
while a group of his peers from Jovenes Latinos feasted on a healthy
dinner of red beans and rice, grilled chicken, cooked green beans,
salad, fruit, and brownies made with black beans.

The group of
seven Latino teenagers and folks from Somerville Community Health
Agenda of Cambridge Health Alliance dined in the Somerville Community
Access Television (SCAT) meeting room right before viewing their series
of three talk shows, "Latinos Living Better for the Future" ("Latinos
Viviendo Major para el Futuro").

For the past six weeks, SCAT's
Next Generation Producers program-under the direction of Daniel
Marques, SCAT's youth media and membership coordinator and Prince
Charles, the programming coordinator and youth media instructor-has
taught local Latinas ways to control weight and prevent chronic
diseases like Type 2 diabetes through producing the shows.

Next
Generations Producers program teaches youth through hands-on
instruction the art of digital media production, equipment. Youth
acquire the skills needed to create media projects that communicate
their own ideas to the broader community.

The three 20-minute
shows-in both English and Spanish-will air on SCAT's media Web site,
www.saymedia.blogspot.com and on the Next Generation MySpace page,
www.myspace.com/nextgenerationproducers.

The shows are great way
to share ideas on how Latino families can live better in Somerville to
a wider audience, Charles said. In one short month, students explored
the topic, developed a plan, created questions for guests (healthcare
professionals) and interviewed them, while learning about why obesity
is a preventable health issue.

The guests offer tips for parents
on how to eat better, how to read labels, the importance of exercise
and other lifestyle issues.

Latinos have a high rate of obesity
and diabetes, both nationally and locally. Nearly one-fifth of American
four-year-olds are obese, and children of color are at higher risk,
according to new research in the April issue of the Archives of
Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine..

Researchers calculated
the body mass index from a sample of 8,550 Hispanic, black, white,
Asian and Native American 4-year-olds. The children were born in 2001,
and in 2005, their height and weight were measured — 18.4 percent of
them were obese.

Jessie Vasquez, 15, learned a lot from
interviewing a nutritionist and physician about how to reduce the
chances of getting diabetes. It's better to exercise before eating, and
people should avoid large meals at night, she said.

Both
Vasquez and Mendoza agreed that obesity was an issue in their
community. Certain habits, like looking at the price rather than the
nutritional label and splurging on fast foods could be part of the
culprit, they said.

They added that food was fresher and
lighter in their native country, El Salvador. And indeed studies show
that most of the changes that have occurred in body fat tend to occur
from being in an environment that promotes very easy access to
high-caloric foods and limited opportunities for physical activities.

Teens
eat out at fast food restaurants, Vasquez said. "People sit and play
video games and eat," Mendoza said. "They don't get enough physical
activity."

Teens are the voice of the future, and at just the
right age to learn about prevention, said Ismael Vasquez, the Latino
Youth Program Director at Somerville Community Health Agenda of
Cambridge Health Alliance. The video is a new venture for the alliance
to create a message for the Latino community, he said.

"In the
immigrant community, the transition we made from our country is to a
much different environment," he said. "For example, El Salvador is
different. There's less money, so you eat less."

Obesity also
feeds itself on the resulting low self esteem, said Michelle Rubiera,
an exercise instructor who works with Cambridge Health Alliance, the
South End Community Clinic and Step Up in Dorchester. Staying active is
integral to good health but is an upward battle in a culture that
"mainly just exercises their fingers" with video games and computers.

Students
also learned about the power of the media-film-in getting a message
across, as well as the soup-to-nuts of video production.

"I
loved learning how to use the video camera and recording," said
fourteen-year-old Beverly Abrego. "Being a talk show host was neat,
although nerve wracking."

Not Necessarily the News

On August 19, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The
opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News
belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect
the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

It's
hot. No surprises there: after some of the coolest, dampest summer
weather in years, it's finally, brutally hot. But do you know what has
become one of the "hottest" spots in town this week? It's our cooling
center at the Council on Aging: Channel 5, Channel 7. WBZ radio and our
local media have all shown up for pictures and interviews. Council
Director Cindy Hickey is getting a lot more than fifteen minutes of
fame – and she deserves it. Of course, if I got to pick what she should
be famous for, I would have chosen all of the wonderful programs she
runs for seniors, but she's also a great spokesperson to advise the
public on keeping cool and watching out for friends and family members
who might show signs of heat-related problems. So I have no complaints.

But
this latest episode of media attention reminded me of one of the
unavoidable realities of city government: no matter how hard you try,
you can't always pick what the media decides is news. Overall, we've
been lucky here in Somerville that some of our biggest successes –
SomerStat, Shape Up Somerville and Assembly Square – have gotten so
much media attention both locally and nationally. We have also been
lucky that some of our quirkier local stories – the "What the Fluff"
festival, U2 dropping in on the Somerville Theatre, and even that piece
on NPR about the resident who created a techno-pop remix out of one of
our snow alert calls – have helped build the image of Somerville as a
fun and exciting place to live, work and raise a family.

We
haven't always been so lucky: when our Police Department accidentally
and uncharacteristically threw out an old desk that still had some
stored evidence inside, the story traveled far and wide almost
instantaneously, and a lot of people had a good laugh at our expense.
And it turns out that, despite five press releases and multiple
handouts, folks are just beginning to focus on changes to our parking
policies – and much of the information they've picked up is either
outdated or just plain wrong. (Please visit the city's website, www.somervillema.gov, for the latest and most accurate information.)

So
what I'd like to do in the balance of this column is talk about a
program that I really hope will get a lot more publicity and
participation. It's the comprehensive community planning effort that
we're calling "SomerVision." We kicked off this effort back in April
with an open house at the Argenziano School in which we highlighted the
resources available for the public, and asked them to join us in
developing a shared vision of our city's future, along with the many
aspects of future development that we need to address.

Some of
the topics we touched on that day, and which continue to shape our
discussions, include the Green Line Extension, the status of the
Assembly Square Development, the future of Union Square, Broadway
rezoning, the Community Path, the hotel project in Davis Square, and
our long-term efforts to build a sustainable community and economy
built on Smart Growth principles.

Throughout the summer, our
Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development has gone on to
sponsor a series of public "trends meetings" to cover individual topics
that include current and projected changes in demographics, housing,
employment industries, transportation, infrastructure, and land use
patterns. Six of these meetings have already been held (and the News
has done a good job of covering them), but there are four more left:
August 25, 2009 at the TAB Building, 167 Holland Street; September 14,
2009 at Capuano Early Education Center, 150 Glen Street; September 22,
2009, also at Capuano; and September 28, 2009 back at the TAB Building.
(All meetings start at 6:30; for more information, please check the
website or call 311.)

We would truly welcome the public's full
participation in these events. The whole point is to tap into the
creativity, energy and knowledge of our residents to come up with a
comprehensive plan that represents all of us and can inform our
development decisions and initiatives for the next 20 years.

And,
speaking of planning and development policy, it was an eye-opening
experience to visit California last month to look at development
programs and strategies in Oakland, Redwood City and San Jose. I led a
delegation there for two reasons. The first reason was that we wanted
to learn from California communities about their experience with that
state's successful, 40-year-old Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program,
which is designed to spur economic development in targeted areas. The
second was that our OSPCD Director Monica Lamboy is a former City of
Oakland official with good contacts in the region.

We ended up
with a packed program of meetings and tours that was both intense and
fascinating. We learned a tremendous amount about how to get state
dollars to underwrite local projects, even in tough economic times.
(Massachusetts adopted a similar program called District Improvement
Financing – DIF – in 2003, and it's something we want to tap into.) I
was therefore very grateful not only to the organizers of the trip but
to Thomas Bent of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce, transit advocate
Wig Zamore and Aldermen Jack Connolly, Bruce Desmond, Sean O'Donovan,
Walter Perot, and Dennis Sullivan for joining me.

Come to think
of it, we put out a press release on that trip, too – but what the
media most wanted to know was how much it cost ($18,000) and who paid
for it (business-donated community benefits funds, a federal grant; we
all paid for our meals and incidentals; no local tax dollars were used
to finance the trip).

Like I said, you don't always get to pick what the "news" will be.

School of Rock celebrates historic Woodstock 40th Anniversary in Somerville

On August 19, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff

Paul Green School of Rock celebrated Woodstock‚Äôs 40th anniversary at the Somerville Armory Auditorium on Saturday afternoon.

~Photos by Mike Rubin

By Mike Rubin

Turn
back the clock 40 years, and the spirit of Woodstock, of Peace Love and
Happiness, filled the summer time air in the heart of Somerville. To
honor the historic event that changed the face of Rock and Roll, the
Paul Green School of Rock celebrated Woodstock's 40th anniversary at
the Somerville Armory Auditorium on Saturday afternoon.

"It's
great that we got so many people to help out and to contribute," said
School of Rock General Manager and Event Organizer Anderson Mar. "We're
very grateful that we had the vendors come out, donate their time for a
great cause. The bands were just fantastic, and it was a total success."

On
a picture perfect day, nearly 200 people turned out to see memorable
performances by such novelty acts as the Paul Green School of Rock's
Show Team, which played several stunning renditions of Janis Joplin
classics, Jimi Hendrix renditions and Richie Havens folk motifs. Also
performing were contemporary artists Eluding Gravity along with the
School of Rock Adult Show Team, which also played several songs based
on the Woodstock theme.

Another band that also fared
impressive throughout the afternoon was Right Red Reason, a teenage
trio based out of Medford, along with The Brooklyns and Beatles tribute
band BeatleTracks.

The genres of music based on nu-metal, to
country blues to traditional classic rock. After a long, but
enthusiastic afternoon of music, Beatletracks finished out the event in
fine form, with some stunning rare 60s classics. Using a combination of
solid hooks and harmonies, the quintet captured the true sound of
Woodstock.

Even as temperatures soared into the 90's throughout
the afternoon, many music enthusiasts managed to keep cool while
listening to a wide variety of artists.

"It was a great day, and
so many people put the work into making this happen," said Mar.
"Everyone really did a great job between the planning and the selling
of tickets. We saw some new faces and we're hoping we can increase the
awareness as well as our number of students by the end of the year. It
was great to see some old faces and some new ones as well, and we're
doing what we can do to let people know who we are. We had a lot of the
parents come out, and support the kids, and it was just a great sight
to see."

Project STAR shines bright in Somerville

On August 19, 2009, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Project STAR members performing ‚ÄúBack in the Ville‚Äù at the Somerville High School Auditorium last Wednesday.

~Photos by Christina Acosta

By Christina M. Acosta

Last
Wednesday evening, Project STAR (Summer Theater Arts Recreation), made
its thrilling debut with the production of "Back in the 'Ville," a
musical written and directed by Jimmy Del Ponte. The performance
showcased the boundless talents of fourteen members of Project STAR as
they sang, danced, and won the hearts of the crowded auditorium.

The
musical began with a recorded parody involving Somerville parking
restrictions, traffic tickets and water maintenance, which had the
crowd in hysterics. When the youths, aged 10-17, took the stage, the
crowd was already wiping away tears from laughter.

"Back in
the 'Ville" is a fictional story about a former Somerville resident
that returns after 30 years when he hears of his aunt's passing and
goes around the city noticing the changes. Favorite musical numbers
included "Too many restaurants," "Parking Police" and "Gene Brune's The
Man." The lyrics "…too many restaurants in Davis Square" and the
Parking Police "…you'll make a donation" had crowds laughing in
agreement.

Also directed by Sophia Carafotes, the performance
had charismatic set backgrounds that were created by the cast. In the
set design were some of the city's local businesses, street signs and
squares. Scenes took place in well-known areas such as Davis Square and
The Somerville Home. The three-piece band added music and drama to the
songs and scene changes.

"Project STAR is a great program
because the children learn so much about set design, costumes, acting
and theater. Even if you are a shy kid, they find a place for you to
fit in" explained Margo Carafotes Popken, who was in the Sunsetters and
Project STAR in the 70s.

The crowd consisted of family, friends,
residents, and Somerville Sunsetters and Project STAR alumni. The
performance brought nostalgia to many, as the program was a large part
of their own youth.

Michelle Grace Lynch reminisced about her
time in Project STAR in the 80's, "I'm glad the mayor brought this
program back. It was one of my best experiences growing up. I made a
lot of friends that I still talk to." Laughing, Michelle was quick to
add, "No, we don't still perform…not in public anyways."

The
free six-week summer program took a lot of dedication from the cast,
but the performance was a wonderful display of their talent and hard
work. The group raised money during intermission, selling water and
raffle tickets. The raffle prizes were generously donated by the cast's
families and local businesses, which included gift baskets of back to
school supplies, and certificate's to Lyndell's Bakery and Stop &
Shop. For more information regarding the 2010 Project STAR
participation contact Jimmy Del Ponte at JimmyDel@rcn.com.

Time for a wash down!

On August 18, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

~Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Recently
seen at a local well known coffee/donut shop, that has the colors in
the picture, was a fine specimen of a roach that appears to have been
living in-house for a long time. He probably was out to get some cool
a/c air when he encountered a customer having a cool drink and a donut.
Camera phones are awesome these days.

Dog left in car in 110 plus degrees!

On August 18, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

~Photos by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Cambridge
Animal Control officer Alison Price holds a little Toy Poodle mix named
"Diva" who was locked in a Lexus SUV parked in Twin City Plaza today in
95 degree temperatures while the owner went shopping! Pat's Tow
unlocked the vehicle and released the animal. Somerville Animal control
arrived and took the dog into their custody. The owner of the vehicle
is still being tracked down.

CDC Will Host a Strategy Session on the H1N1 Virus on August 29 in Somerville

On August 17, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Call to register for this event

Mayor
Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Health Department Director Paulette
Renault-Caragianes today announced that the Center for Disease Control
(CDC) has selected Somerville as one of ten national sites for an H1N1
vaccination strategy and information session, to take place on
Saturday, August 29, 2009 at the Center for Arts at the Armory, 191
Highland Avenue. The day-long event is open to the first 100 residents
who register, and all registered participants will receive a $50
stipend for participation in focus groups throughout the day.
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided. Interpretation will be
available in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, and American Sign
Language for those requesting that service.

A series of ten
sessions will be held around the country before Labor Day, all designed
to help state and local health organizations develop a voluntary fall
vaccination program for the H1N1 flu virus. Public discussion at
strategy sessions will focus on the following questions:

‚Ä¢ Should the CDC create a mass vaccination program against H1N1?

‚Ä¢ What are the particulars of a mass vaccination program?

‚Ä¢
How does the federal prioritization guidance (developed for all
scenarios) apply in light of this real outbreak? If there are elements
that don't apply, what's different and why?

‚Ä¢ Are there particular/unique strategies that this pandemic will require?.

"In
choosing Somerville as one of ten locations around the country for
these public forums, the CDC acknowledged value that the ethnic,
cultural, and economic diversity of our City offers a unique and
important opportunity to gauge the very wide range of views the public
holds around how local, state, and federal public health agencies
should move forward in dealing with H1N1. We look forward to having the
chance to listen to our constituents on this important issue," said
Renault-Caragianes.

To register for the event or for more information,, contact the Somerville Health Department at 617-625-6600 x4300.

National Director of Energy Star Program gives demonstration at Beacon Street townhouses

On August 15, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Sam
Rashkin, the national director of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency‚Äôs Energy Star Program, conducted a homes program
training at the Beacon Courtyard luxury townhouses Friday, to help
builders understand new requirements to meet the Energy Star efficiency
guidelines.

~Photos by Derek James Whelen

Derek James Whelen

On
Friday, August 7th, a collection of builders, architects, and
developers gathered at the Beacon Courtyard luxury townhouses on 221
Beacon Street to welcome Sam Rashkin, the national director of the
United States Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program, as
he conducted a homes program training. The demonstration was part of a
series of classroom presentations and field training sessions designed
to help builders understand new requirements to meet the Energy Star
efficiency guidelines.

Energy Star is a program founded by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of
Energy that focuses on creating energy efficient homes and buildings
that will help protect the environment while also saving money for home
owners and businesses. Homes constructed under the Energy Star program
must meet a series of energy efficiency guidelines established by the
EPA. Compared to homes that meet only the standard 2004 International
Residential Code requirements, Energy Star qualified homes are at least
15 percent more energy efficient and can be operated at substantially
lower costs.

Greater efficiency in Energy Star homes can be
attributed to several different physical features, including tight
construction and ducts, effective insulation, efficient heating and
cooling equipment, high performance windows, and efficient home
products. According to the Energy Star website, American households and
businesses that met Energy Star qualifications avoided greenhouse
emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars while saving $19
billion in utility bills in 2008 alone. About 750,000 Energy Star homes
exist to date, and Energy Star expects more than 2 million homes to
become Energy Star qualified by the end of 2010.

Rashkin's
presentation was an in field follow up to a classroom presentation at
Middlesex Community College that took place on Friday Morning. On
Thursday, August 6th, Rashkin gave a similar classroom presentation at
Stonehill College in Easton, followed by an in field training at
Wayside Farm in East Bridgewater. The Beacon Courtyard Townhouses,
which opened construction in November of last year, are set to be
finished sometime in September.

The Beacon Courtyard location
was chosen for the demonstration mostly because the stage of
construction it was under provided for an effective look at the
building's energy systems, but after the training ended, Rashkin noted
that the townhouses were an "outstanding project." He was especially
impressed by what he described as "impeccable installation,"
particularly regarding the attic areas of the building. Effectively
airtight windows and vents were another standout feature that made the
townhouses an impressive complex.

Developers George Dedic and
Stephen Andrade, and Realtor Mark Roderick, stated that "we are pleased
to have been chosen as a model for Energy Star Homes Training Program.
Beacon Courtyard is an example of our commitment to building high
quality, energy efficient homes. In addition to reducing greenhouse
emissions, the homeowner will benefit with increased property value and
lower utility bills." When finished, the complex will consist of 8
townhouses, one of which will belong to the city's affordable housing
program. Each townhouse will consist of 3 bedrooms, two to three
bathrooms, and two garage spaces in the impressive 18 spot parking
garage located beneath the complex. For more information on Energy
Star, visit www.energystar.gov. For more information on the Beacon
Courtyard Townhouses, contact Realtor Mark Roderick at 617-230-3674