Julie Sullivan

Resident Julie Sullivan has been living in Charlestown for 30 years. She lives alone at her home in the Navy Yard, but the avid knitter, exerciser, and food bank volunteer is always busy. Sullivan, who will be 92 in July, can be seen walking all over town, smiling and stopping to chat with friends.

START THE MORNING OFF RIGHT

I get up and make breakfast. I’m very careful with what I eat. I cook my own oatmeal, and rarely I’ll have eggs.

DRESS TO IMPRESS

I love to dress. I go into my closet and put things together. My favorite places to shop are Lord and Taylor’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, but I buy things on sale.

GETTING SPIRITUAL AND GIVING BACK  

Of course I go to Spanish Mass at 12:30 pm. I’m learning Spanish to better communicate with people at the food bank I volunteer at on Vine Street. (St. Catherine of Siena’s Harvest on Vine Food Pantry). I used to work for a food stamp program, meeting with people to see if they were eligible.

STROLLING AND CHATTING

I walk the piers and go around my area. Wherever I am, I’ll go. If I need to do grocery shopping I’ll go to Johnny’s. I walk alone but I always see people. I love to interact with people and find out different things. It’s just so easy to talk to people in Charlestown.

FAMILY TIME AT THE DINNER TABLE

I get supper with my son and daughter-in-law at the Ninety Nine Restaurant on Austin Street. It’s nice to catch up because I’m kind of busy all the time.

Kristin and her family enjoying the outdoors

Susan Lynch, who has been running Charlestown Yoga for the past six years, decided to devote all of her time to her non-profit organization Then & Back Again, with teacher Kristin Quinn to take over. 

Any longtime Charlestown resident will tell you that the area has changed quite a bit over the years. Businesses have grown to meet the growing needs of customers, and locals have welcomed new owners who have set up shop. The sense of community abundant in Charlestown is the reason why Susan Lynch settled into Charlestown Yoga, where she was the owner until last week.

“In 2005, I took ownership of Charlestown Yoga after returning from a deployment,” Lynch wrote in a letter sent to students of the Main Street yoga studio. “Prior to this time, I searched for a place to belong and develop a connected community of like-minded people.  I feel that the studio has become that and so much more for me and many others students who are dedicated to their practice, seeking a deeper understanding of yoga, and support of our military community in healing through the benefits of yoga.  This journey has been a true awakening to the power of community through the practice of yoga.”

Lynch, who founded There & Back Again, a nonprofit organization that delivers wellness reintegration program for combat veterans, decided to focus solely on the organization, meeting the demand of returning troops in need of services. But first, she had to decide who could best continue the success that Charlestown Yoga has held for the past six years. That person was Kristin Quinn, a former student and trainer at the studio.

“It was really important to me to find a new owner who shared the same philosophy and commitment to our yoga community as I do… I feel confident that the studio will flourish under Kristin’s ownership,” Lynch wrote.

“When I moved here, I showed up one day and met Sue,” Quinn said. “’I loved the area, loved the people, and loved the studio. And when Sue was thinking to sell, she meditated on it and said my face kept popping up.” And Quinn is glad it. The mother of her 10-month-old daughter Paigely has a constant flow of energy, as well as ideas.

“I want to make it a space for moms, and moms with kids because that’s near and dear to my heart,” said Quinn, who also mentioned hot yoga classes and hip-hop style yoga classes.

“Once you have kids you constantly think about how to make the world a better place for your kid. Yoga definitely makes this world a better place. I already loved the community and the people so it seemed like a good fit. There’s just nothing like Charlestown anywhere you go,” said Quinn, who was just starting to reintroduce herself to yoga after her pregnancy when Lynch approached her with the proposal.

“There are still a lot of details to work out but I’m excited,” said Quinn. “I’m still getting my feet wet, but I want to start implementing new classes in the next month. I’m also considering selling more merchandise, and doing events outside.”

Quinn’s excitement for the new endeavor is matched by Charlestown Yoga’s network. “The teachers here are so great. I’ve already received so much love and support. People who do yoga totally just get it. I think they’re very open to change. I think everybody will be very happy,” she said.

But Lynch won’t be out of sight, or out of mind. She will continue to be part of the Charlestown Yoga community as a teacher on Wednesday nights, and will be the director of the teacher-training program.  Charlestown Yoga will also continue to be the home of There & Back Again, offering complimentary classes for combat veterans.

After doing yoga, Quinn said she feels as if her soul’s been cleansed. And with all of the progressive moves she has in store, students will definitely feel a shift in their shakras.

LaMattina has already taken out papers for a run for the Suffolk County Register of Probate position recently vacated by longtime register Richard Iannella. If he wins, the city council seat will be up for grabs a short time later.

Ryan, the well known, highly respected aide to Congressman Mike Capuano, lives in Charlestown. In 2006, he came up short by 152 votes against LaMattina in a heated struggle for the city council seat.

In that election, Ryan’s Herculean effort in Charlestown led to one of the biggest turnouts in the neighborhood’s recent history. With just a tad more support in East Boston and in the North End, he would have beaten LaMattina – but it never came to pass.

Ryan, according to friends and colleagues has already made up his mind to pursue the seat if the opportunity arises.

He will likely face Ernani Arujo, a Harvard graduate, East Boston resident, who has been working for the mayor’s office as his local assistant in East Boston for the past three years.

Arujo is multi-lingual with finance and banking experience who has been performing the job LaMattina used to do before he became a councilor.

Although Arujo has not officially announced, friends say he has the political bug inside him and he just might give it a go.

“Right now, I’m just doing my job,” he said. When asked about whether or not he is going to run he answered: “I’m just doing my job and serving the people of this city.”

There are manifold questions regarding the possible variables in an Arujo run.

Could he gain any traction in the North End and more importantly in Charlestown?

Also, will the mayor support Arujo.

There is the widespread belief among those who claim to know that when push comes to shove, the mayor calls the shots on the East Boston candidate. Right now, the mayor has not made a statement regarding his thoughts about this possible race.

It is known he likes and respects Arujo who is hard working and very bright – and  multi lingual which comes as a great advantage in East Boston.

Arujo might also easily transition into the North End as he was brought up in an Italian/South American household.

In Charlestown, Arujo’s Harvard pedigree would serve him well in the Navy Yard and among the many professionals now living in the neighborhood.

Ryan, on the other hand, will be a very strong candidate in Charlestown, where he rallied voters in 2006. He will be hard pressed to pull out the same vote in a special election.

He will also struggle in the North End and especially in East Boston whomever runs against him.

However Ryan’s strengths far outweigh his liabilities.

He is very popular. An extremely friendly, gregarious, hard working, well known Charlestown guy who’s done a credible job for Congressman Capuano.

If he is committed to running and running hard, he is the man to beat at this moment.

With a dream of writing a book detailing the stories behind Boston’s abundant public sculpture, Gallo’s comprehensive guide is now very much a reality. “There hasn’t been a book like this in 75 years,” said Gallo, who worked on it for six years, conducting his research by sifting through Massachusetts Statehouse archives, newspaper articles, books, and the Internet.

Unlike other books on Boston’s statues, “Boston Bronze and Stone Speak to Us” is inviting and lively, much like the statues themselves, which seemed to come alive with the animated way Gallo described them. “This book is not just stagnant statues, they speak to us, and you have to listen to their whispers,” he said.

In college, Gallo minored in history and art, two consuming passions that were suppressed because he had to work and make a living. When he moved to Lincoln Walk about seven years ago with his wife, Gallo reveled in the art and history surrounding him.

“I was walking through the streets and saw all these monuments, and I realized I didn’t know much about them. So I looked at old books and the photos were horrendous. The photos were black and white, and the text was boring…I got into it out of ignorance,” he reflected.

But Gallo’s encounters with monuments he lived amongst but knew nothing about is no foreign feeling to a great majority of Bostonians. People walk the Freedom Trail, perhaps out of a sense of obligation, but the journey is meaningless unless there is an understanding of its significance, and the statues that are meant to help portray that.

“Boston Bronze and Stone Speak to Us” is an exciting guide that informs readers of not only what they’re seeing, but why it’s important. “I tried to make my book colorful and meaningful for people who come. Newer statues emit feeling, while older statues are rigid, and I want people to know the history of why that is. I added maps and put stars to reflect the pages of where statues are, and broke everything up into neighborhoods so you can take these sections and not be overwhelmed by the city of Boston,” Gallo said of his work.

Speaking in between sips of hot chocolate at Caffe Paradisio on Hanover Street, Gallo dissected some of the sculptures in his book, piecing together art and history with each animated word. Gallo’s favorite statue is Paul Revere, and not just because of the gallant way he sits atop his horse in the North End. “Like myself, he was an entrepreneur,” Gallo started. “He made all the bells in New England, and so many different buildings still have them. He was also a patriot, and I, too, love my country.”

A botanist by trade (he works at Plantscape Designs, Inc.), Gallo gives life to plants. So it is no wonder that he is fascinated with statues expressing lifelike qualities. “The twisted aspirational monuments, the ones that are contorted in different ways are the monuments that have real life. They’re scattered all throughout Boston. I particularly like the Hungarian Freedom Monument where the Stamp Act occurred. It’s a beautiful twist with the mother and father, and the other one is the Aspiration of the Great Spirit in front of the Museum of Fine Arts. It’s an Indian looking upwards and it represents what they believed in, which is nature and the power of multi-gods,” he said.

“When you see a modern one [statues], it’s inspiring, it’s alive. A lot of the sculptures incorporate characteristics of what the city was moving towards and personalities of who they’re after, like mayors,” Gallo added.

Symbolism is another praised characteristic of the sculptures and statues. And with Boston being one of the oldest cities in the United States, you can expect that there are no vapid monuments without representation.

“Quest Eternal on Boylston Street is a 700 ton monument of a naked man stretching. It symbolizes the aspiration of Boston for the time period when the Prudential Center was the tallest building. It was Boston’s first 50-story building, and the statue symbolizes development. Boston became a modern city whereas before it was more Gothic,” Gallo said.

But who were the sculptors erecting these progressive, symbolic statues, and where did they come from? The answer, Gallo divulged, lies in a city with deeper history than Boston’s cobbled streets could ever know—Rome, Italy.

“Rome has a direct influence on American sculpture,” Gallo said, who admits to Rome being his favorite European city. “Rome also has a direct influence on Boston. There’s a connection between Boston sculptors and Florence and Rome, and can be seen in MFA (Museum of Fine Arts).   The Democratic donkey on School Street was done in Florence. There’s just so much,” he said.

Speaking in between sips of hot chocolate at Caffe Paradisio on Hanover Street, Gallo dissected some of the sculptures in his book, piecing together art and history with each animated word.

“These things, although they’re monuments, have an influence on people, on architects, on mayors, to build and have an aspirational freedom and forward movement,” he said.

Like the monuments, Gallo also possesses a yearning to move forward, and will do so by creating more books. “I want to get to a second edition and put in more monuments that are coming up in Boston. I enjoy telling others the significance of monuments with respect to the history of Boston, and telling it through photography and art. But I want everything to flow. Harbor Fog, by Ross Miller, was too contemporary for first book. It’s a monument of granite stones from original wharfs, and in center are LED lights that blink off and on in different colors to represent harbor lights, and mist comes out to simulate fog, so when you’re walking, it seems like you’re walking through the harbor. It’s things like that that I’m going to be putting into the second book.”

Gallo would also love to extend his reach to Washington D.C. and New York City, which are cities he believes lack a colorful guide to their monuments. Even still, nowhere else in the country has monuments like there are in Boston, according to Gallo.

“Everything done in Boston was later done in other cities,” he said. “Boston is a European city. What people don’t understand is the reason why Boston was the most successful plantation is because of the harbor…It became an international trade center.

John Winthrop saw the importance and value of the deep waters of Boston Harbor, knowing the wharfs would be the stimulus for mercantile trade. If Gallo were to create his own statue, it would be placed in the location of Boston’s early success, and it would be a remake of Paul Revere.

“The Paul Revere statue is mythical, historical, and patriotic. I would put it where the Long Wharf Marriott is. Historically, that’s what I would do, in a more dynamic form,” Gallo said.

Gallo’s enlightening guide to all of Boston’s monuments serves as a way for people to look at statues not with empty eyes, but with a twinkle that can only come from knowledge of the history behind them. And if there is one thing Gallo knows, it’s Boston’s history.

“Boston is America, America is Boston” is Gallo’s trademarked phrase. “The concept of America started in Boston,” he said. “It was the first city to have churches and selectmen and towns. You had all these firsts. That statement has a lot of scholarly meaning.”

Although Gallo himself is not a scholar, historian, or artist, he is an educator for all of the above. “And that’s why I wrote this book,” he said.

“Boston Bronze and Stone Speak to Us” is available on Gallo’s website pdiplants.com/BBSweb/, local bookstores in Boston, and Boston’s Historical Society.

Its re-opening in its newest and best incarnation, will bring back to this neighborhood a destination that helped to give the new Charlestown so much of it culinary panache.

Todd English is a culinary artist and icon of the first order. What he has done to raise the mark relative to Boston’s restaurant culture cannot be weighed or measured except to say  that his influence has been profound.

The new Olives will revive this neighborhood’s true connection to fine food delicately seasoned and prepared and then served to an adoring customer base who will flock back to this famous restaurant.

In years past, Olives was a hopping place and alternately a legacy kind of stop for people who had eaten there many, many times.

The go go 1980’s when it came into being are absolutely gone, a thing of the distant past receding into the stuff of mythology.

The new restaurant will succeed because English knows what he’s doing and has refined his entire program in the past few years.

The new Olives will cater to its old crowd and to an entirely new crowd that will experiment with its atmosphere and its food.

The atmosphere is a no brainer – open space, warm colors and tones, gorgeous accoutrement and detail.

However it is ultimately the combination of fabulous food served well which will propel the new Olives when it comes into being again.

The exact opening day remains a mystery but it is getting closer everyday.

Not only will Charlestown get another fine restaurant among its list of them but it gets 40 or 50 new jobs, a huge payroll, vendors and purveyors providing food and everything it takes to run a modern American restaurant.

The reopening of Olives is a win win for everyone.

Drugs – 02/06/12- As a result of an ongoing drug investigation in the area of Bunker Hill Street, two individuals were placed under arrest charged with possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute.

Robbery – Knife 02/07/12- A taxi driver reported he picked up a fare in Cambridge and drove him to Medford Street. When the suspect exited the vehicle, he placed either a knife or screwdriver to the victim’s throat and $14. The suspect then fled into the Bunker Hill housing development.

Warrant Arrest 02/08/12- Officers on Polk Street placed an individual under arrest for an outstanding Somerville Court warrant charging shoplifting.

Warrant Arrest02/08/12- Officers on Walford Way placed an individual under arrest for an outstanding Framingham Court warrant charging larceny by check and destruction of property.

Larceny

02/08/12- A storeowner on Main Street reported that two white males entered his place of business and stole about $50 worth of groceries. The incident was recorded by store cameras. Detectives were scheduled to investigate.

Robbery

02/08/12 – A victim on Tufts Street reported while walking home, she was punched from behind by unidentified person(s), who then stole her Marshalls shopping bags. containing about $300 in new clothing.

Drugs

02/10/12 – As a result of a drug investigation on Medford Street, an individual was placed under arrest for possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute.

Charlestown Resident

John P. Doherty died on January 28.

He was the beloved son of the late Barney and Mary (Burns) Doherty; beloved brother of Kathleen, Joanne, Daniel, Hugh and Roger Doherty, Barbara Hunter, Peggy Gillis, Mary Deary, Nancy Ryan, and the late Bernard and Thomas Doherty.

Services were private.

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Mary Venturini

Of Woburn, formerly of Charlestown

Mary J. (Wilson) Venturini of Woburn, formerly of Cambridge and Charlestown, died on February 12. She was the beloved wife of the late Charles P. Venturini; devoted mother of Charlene Venturini of Oldsmar, FL, Gina Venturini-Kennedy and her husband, Robert Kennedy of Woburn, and the late Michael Venturini and Janet Chambers; loving grandmother of Jacquelyn Chambers, Robert Chambers, Jr., and Olivia Johnson and her mother, Brandy of Iowa and great-grandmother of Brianna Chambers.

Her Funeral will be held from the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main St., Woburn on Friday, February 17 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Charles Church, 280 Main St., Woburn at 10. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home Friday morning from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Soldier’s Lot at Woodbrook Cemetery. (Obituary, directions and guest book at www.lynch-cantillon.com)

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Ruth McLaughlin

Charlestown Resident

Ruth C. (Maguire) McLaughlin of Charlestown died on  February 4.

S   he was the beloved wife of the late John J. McLaughlin; devoted mother of Ruth Kacic and her husband, Ronald of Michigan, John J. McLaughlin Jr. and his wife, Karen of Peabody, Robert F. McLaughlin and his wife, Margaret of Quincy, Daniel E. McLaughlin and his late wife, Marianne of Medford and his fiancé, Maryann Pulliam of Billerica, Paul F. McLaughlin and his wife, Ann Marie of Charlestown and the late James M. McLaughlin; sister of Rosemary Kelly of Hingham and the late Frances Noseworthy and Lillian Etta Forgione. She was the Nana to 13 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were by the John H. Sawyer Funeral Home, Charlestown. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances may be made to St. Francis de Sales Church Bldg. Fund, 303 Bunker Hill St. Charlestown, MA. 02129.

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June Brenner

Of Charlestown, formerly of Florida

June T. (Wells) Brenner of Charlestown, formerly of Bradenton, Florida, died on February 10. She was 86 years old.

The beloved wife of the late George H. Brenner, she was the devoted mother of Janice I. Brenner of Charlestown. Funeral Services will be held in Florida. To send a message of condolence, please visit www.carrfuneral.com. Carr Funeral Home, Charlestown

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Marie Nadeau

Members of Daughters of Isabella

Marie E. (Kennedy) Nadeau  of Charlestown died on February 6. She was 83 years old.

A member of the Daughters of Isabella, she was the beloved wife of the late Louis P. Nadeau; devoted mother of David Nadeau of Windham, Me., Linda Smith of Lynn, Donna Wallace of Charlestown, Diane Ferreira and Louis P. Nadeau II, both of Wilmington, Glenn Nadeau of Charlestown and the late Marie E. Nadeau; loving Nana to her many grandchildren and the late Amanda Nadeau and her many great-grandchildren; beloved sister of the late John Kennedy and special friend to Beverly Hansen.

Funeral arrangements were by the Frank H. Carr Funeral Home, Charlestown. Burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in her name to the Golden Living Center, 40 Martin St., Melrose, MA. 02176. For obituary and online condolences, please visit www.carrfuneral.com

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Jay Kelley

Florida Resident

Jay G. Kelley of Naples, Florida, formerly of Walpole, died on February 2. He was 76 years old.

A US Navy veteran, he was the beloved husband of the late June (Stefanik) Kelley; loving father of Jay G. Kelley, Jr. and his wife, April of Franklin, Sean J. Kelley and his wife, Susan of Walpole, Tracey K. Lavin and her husband, John of Charlestown, and the late Kerry S. Kelley; cherished grandfather of Katie, Jake, Brian, Kerry, Anna, and Drew.

Arrangements were by the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, Walpole. Burial was private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Walpole Scholarship Foundation, in memory of Kerry S. Kelley, 3 West Street, Walpole, MA 02081.

Charlestown is a coffee crazy place for residents who take their cup of Joe seriously. Shown in the photographs accompanying this story is Sorelle’s near to the Navy Yard, Zume’s, top right on Main Street and the Grasshopper on Bunker Hill Street, lower right. It isn’t so much a coffee war in Charlestown as a coffee lover’s delight. There’s a variety to choose from and that makes for great coffee experiences

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. But for those who have to wake up for an 8 a.m. start to the workday, swinging by the local coffee shop is much easier than preparing freshly squeezed orange juice and an egg-white omelette. And every Charlestown resident knows that no muffin tastes as good without a piping hot cup of coffee. But when you’re on your way to work which locale do you go to for your java boost?

The place to be seen: Sorelle Bakery & Café

Along the Freedom Trail, tourists and locals alike stop by this chic café to purchase coffee, tea, and delicious homemade granola. As a self-proclaimed upscale coffee shop, Sorelle has changed to meet the needs of the changing neighborhood, which includes some well-known actors and Boston sports players who frequent the shop.

(1 Monument Avenue; open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m.)

If you want a shot of hipness in your coffee: Zumes Coffee House

Zume’s is definitely Charlestown’s most vibrant coffee shop, with its colorful interior and welcoming staff. The independent vibe adds an edge over the competition. And if that’s not enough, there are always the fast-selling donuts from Verna’s in North Cambridge which each ring up for a buck. (223 Main Street; open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. through 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.)

For a quick pick-me-up:  American Bakers’ Café

A hidden gem in the Navy Yard, American Bakers’ Café is tucked underneath an arch, enticing those in need of caffeine with a sign outside. While waiting for your espresso-based drink, you can check out a copy of the daily Italian newspaper and pretend to understand what you’re reading. But there is nothing foreign about the prices, with a large latte costing just over three dollars. (39 1st Avenue; open Monday through Sunday from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m.)

A brew with a view: Style Café

A cozy coffee shop located in the heart of the Navy Yard, Style Café offers patrons good coffee with an even better view.  And while you’re waiting for your made-to-order breakfast sandwich, you can capture a snapshot of the picturesque scene of still waters and quiet ships. (197 8th Street; open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. through 5 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

The townie spot: Grasshopper Café

Stepping into Grasshopper Café for the first time, an overwhelming sense of calm takes over, and you just know you’re going to come back. It’s as close to a love affair one can get with their local coffee shop. The family-owned café makes it a point to know their customers, and it shows in their tasty breakfast treats and coffee made to go with love. (229 Bunker Hill Street; open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

Dinner will be served at 7:30 pm, with the Awards Ceremony to follow at 8:30 p.m.

The purpose of the Awards’ Ceremony is to recognize those who have helped enrich the quality of life in Charlestown, but have done so in such a manner that their deeds have gone unheralded and, in the most cases, unknown to the general public.

The Committee is looking for nominations for the 2012 award recipinets in the following categories:

ORGANIZATION: Incorporated non-profit, Charlestown-based group that primarily serves Charlestown and whose goals are geared toward the betterment of the community.

BUSINESS: Charlestown-based business that supports and enhances the quality of life in the Charlestown community.

PUBLIC SERVANT: Person who performs service within his/her job capacity but goes beyond that job

description in service to the betterment of the Charlestown community.

NEW RESIDENT: Person who has taken up residency in Charlestown and whose deeds have contributed to the quality of Charlestown life.

SENIOR: Charlestown resident, 55 years of age or older as of Jan. 1, 2012, whose deeds have gone unheralded.

YOUTH: Charlestown resident, 18 years of age or younger as of Jan. 1, 2012, whose deeds have gone unheralded.

ALUMNUS: Former resident who has not forgotten their roots and whose actions enhance the quality of life in Charlestown.

UNSUNG HERO: Charlestown resident whose deeds have been performed within the community and has gone publicly unrecognized.  These deeds resulted in the enhancement of the quality of life in Charlestown but cannot have been performed as part of his/her job performance.  There is no age restriction for this category.

To submit a nomination, forward a 100 words or less description to include name of award, name, address and phone of both the person being nominated and person submitting the nomination to: Charlestown Community Appreciation Awards, P.O. Box 316, Charlestown, MA 02129 or email to: CharlestownAppreciation Awards@gmail.com.

Deadline for the nominations is March 9!  For more information, tickets, or to have a nomination form sent to you, call Kathy Giordano at 617-242-1332.

Glenn Cooper, Associate Electrical Engineer of the Street Lighting Division for the city of Boston, made a presentation about the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Program currently in effect.

According to Cooper, California is known for being green, having reduced their carbon footprint with energy conserving initiatives.

However, he said, Boston is not too far behind California.

Boston has an aggressive energy efficiency target for reducing gas consumption. There are currently 2,800 solar panel gas lamps placed throughout the city, including five samples of ones presently used in Charlestown.

Charlestown residents have come to enjoy the gas lamps flickering in the evenings along  Main Street or Warren Street, but what people don’t know, is that the lamps result in an annual savings of $450,000.

According to Cooper, Boston spends $18 million dollars a year to operate and maintain about 70,000 street lights, including 19 different types of lighting fixtures and four different lamp types.

Needless to say, streetlights are both difficult and expensive to maintain, costing about $2 million in maintenance fees (aside from the $16 million spent annually to power the street lights). The energy efficiency program analyzes cost saving methods in order to decrease these hefty maintenance costs, as well as to alleviate other problems such as light pollution.

Another benefit of the project, aside from the obvious savings and environmental aspect, is that real estate values are higher wherever there are gaslights.

“Right now, gas is used 24 hours a day,” said Cooper. “The solar panel gas lamp turns gas on and off when it’s needed. Maintenance is heavily reduced.”

Cooper also added that even when there is no sunshine, the battery for the lamp is designed to last 20 days on its own, with a life expectancy of at least five years. The council members are in favor of the project that will replace all 2,800 lamps over the course of the next two to three years.

In 2008, the Green Communities Act was enacted in Massachusetts. The Act established energy efficiency as the state’s first-priority resource, creating an Energy Efficiency Advisory Council to develop statewide efficiency plans.

Many municipalities have taken the initiative to follow the Act and become greener.

On its own, a unit (lamp) costs $750, and the community can advocate for the implementation of more gaslights throughout Charlestown.

If the council sees it as an option for the neighborhood, a public meeting will be arranged for further discussion. As taxpayers, residents will likely appreciate the aesthetic, environmental and economic advantages that solar panel gaslights provide.