Eagle Feathers #299 – Brick Solid

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Brick manufacturing in Massachusetts began as early as 1629, the year of Charlestown’s charter.

In 1678, Charlestown’s Peter Tufts built a brick home for his son in Medford. It is the oldest brick house in New England. Through the years, this extended Tufts family became large landowners and brick makers in both Medford and Somerville.

Who thought this thing up anyway? Spring forward, fall back. Or is that fall forward, spring back? The only way we can ever be sure is if we’re early or late for church Sunday morning, or whatever it is you do on Sunday morning.

To be fair, there’s usually someone around smart enough to know the difference, if it isn’t you yourself.

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I recently caught up with printmaker Liv Cappello, who recently took up a space at the Vernon Street Studios.  She went to college in the hinterlands of Vermont, and is now in the Paris of New England – Somerville, MA – perfecting her craft.

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Janelle Solviletti is a writer from Boston, Massachusetts. She is the author of two poetry collections, Euphony and The Cameo. Previously, she published works in Matter, The Horn Pond Review, The Feathertale Review and The Lyrical Somerville. She attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and currently lives and works in Boston.

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Poor and low-wage people joined Massachusetts Poor People’s Campaign Tri-Chairs Savina Martin and Vaughn Allen Goodwin; partners 1199SEIU, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement Greater Boston Chapter, Massachusetts Peace Action, Housing = Health, and others; the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts and faith leaders from other denominations; and advocates and allies from across the state for a mass assembly at the 54th Regiment Memorial on Boston Common (across from the Boston statehouse) to launch a 40-week effort to mobilize poor and low-wage voters in Massachusetts, and demand legislators take immediate action to end the crisis of death by poverty in the United States. The Boston assembly was one of more than 30 coordinated efforts across the country.

If you’re voting in person, polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Look up your polling place before you head out. (Note: Voters in Ward 7, Precincts 2 and 4 should enter West Somerville Neighborhood School via the Raymond Ave. entrance.) You can still vote in person if you’ve applied to vote by mail.

City of Boston President Ruthzee Louijeune will join City Councilor Ed Flynn, City of Boston Veteran Services Commissioner Robert Santiago and the Parade Grand Marshal Brigadier General Joseph Milano, President of the Union Oyster House, and Honorary Consul General for Thailand.

The MBTA will host a virtual public meeting on Thursday, March 7, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. regarding the 2024 Track Improvement Program, an initiative to eliminate all existing speed restrictions and bring tracks closer to a state of good repair by the end of the year. This meeting is part of a series of open houses and community events to give riders the opportunity to learn about the program, ask questions, and share feedback.