Gardner Pilot Academy student and Charlestown resident Yumin Lisa Wei, right, accepts her award from Mayor Menino and Gardner intern Sandy Simeon.

Gardner Pilot Academy student and Charlestown resident Yumin Lisa Wei, was among the more than 325 guests gathered in the Imperial Ballroom at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel to celebrate The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s 22nd annual Awards Luncheon on May 3 for the exceptional courage of 41 sixth-grade students from Boston and surrounding communities.  The students honored as 2013 Max Warburg Fellows at this special event were chosen to have their essays published in the 22nd volume of The Courage of Boston’s Children, the organization’s annual publication.  Over 100 volunteer judges selected the winning essays from the thousands submitted from 33 middle and K-8 schools in Boston and surrounding communities.

The students, joined by their teachers, principals and families, each received a medal from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s Founder and President Stephanie Warburg, and Fred Warburg. Each guest in attendance received a copy of The Courage of Boston’s Children, Volume XXI, which was dedicated this year to Mayor Menino and his outstanding team, who have steadfastly supported “The Max” and the children of Boston during his remarkable tenure as Mayor of Boston.  The 22nd volume of The Courage of Boston’s Children includes a special supplement featuring 11 essays written by middle school students from across the United States and abroad participating in the organization’s national and international programs.

Master of Ceremonies Jennifer Donaldson introduced several guest speakers, including Mayor Menino and program alumna, Heather Quigley.  Mayor Menino, who has presided over the ceremony every year of his mayoral tenure, reflected the courageous actions of first responders, law enforcement officials and civilians during the tragedy at the Boston Marathon.

The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum is a language arts and character development curriculum that honors the life of Max Warburg, an eleven-year-old Boston student who lost his courageous battle with leukemia in 1991. This year-long program empowers sixth and ninth-grade students to realize that their actions and decisions can be powerful agents of change, both in their lives and the lives of others.

Through reading, writing and discussion, students discover and recognize the role of courage in the lives of the characters they read about, in the lives of those around them, and in their own lives. Since 1991, the Max Warburg Courage Curriculum has served more than 150,000 young people and supported their teachers in promoting literacy and value-based education.

Steven Jones.

Boston Police are still investigating the shooting death of a 21-year-old Charlestown man last week on Monument Street.

On Tuesday, May 7 at 10:18 p.m. police were called to 92 Monument for a person shot.

Police found the victim, later identified as Steven Jones, 21, of Charlestown, was found suffering from a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jones was a lifelong Charlestown resident where he attended Boston Public Schools. According to his obituary, Jones worked several different jobs in his short lifetime but was always concerned about the well-being of his family and friends. He cherished the quality time that he spent with his loving mother.

Friends of Jones have set up a fund to raise money for his family and held a candlelight vigil last Wednesday.

The fund was set up by Shannon Lundin and can be found at http://www.gofundme.com/2um828.

Over $16,000 had already been raised.

“When a family loses a loved one,they are left with the financial burden of funeral costs on top of their emotional grief,” Lundin wrote on the page. “You can help comfort Steven’s family, especially his mother Suzy- by sharing this page, leaving thoughts, prayers, memories and donating funds. We can all come together.”

Anyone who may have information about this case is encouraged to call the Boston Police Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470. Individuals who wish to help the investigation anonymously can do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 800-494-TIPS or by texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).

We will discuss updated plans for the redevelopment of the 1360 feet long 176 year old Ropewalk building in the Navy Yard.  The proposal by Joseph Timilty is to convert the structure into apartments and include a “flirtation walk” and an interpretative museum of rope making.

For further information please call 617-241-8757.

The purpose of this first of several meetings is to get feedback from the community to determine appropiate uses and the character of the new development and open space in Sullivan Square.

There is also a market analysis to support the successful disposal of public land in a manner consistent with community goals.

Your input for this project is being sought.

Open Space in our neighborhood is scarce and any design should involve as much community input as possible.

Likewise any new use for public land should also include as much community input as possible.

We urge all those who have any interest to attend these meetings and voice your opinion.

05/06/13 – Officers on patrol in the area of Monument Street placed an individual under arrest for an outstanding Cambridge Court warrant charging receiving stolen property.

Death Investigation

05/07/13 – At about 10:15 p.m., officers responded to Monument Street for a report of a person shot.

Upon arrival, police observed a black male on the ground, suffering from   gunshot wounds to the head and chest. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene, and the Boston Police Homicide Unit and Area A-1 detectives are continuing the investigation.

Drugs

05/08/13 – As a result of a drug investigation in the area of Tufts Street, an individual was placed under arrest for possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute.

Drugs

05/08/13 – As a result of an investigation on Bunker Hill Street, a suspect was issued a citation charging non-criminal possession of marijuana, and drugs were seized as evidence.

Assault and Battery

05/11/13 – A victim reported while he was sitting on a bench outside a restaurant on Main Street at about 10 p.m., he was attacked by two white males who were leaving the establishment.

The victim stated he was punched and kicked several times by both suspects, who allegedly also kicked out the glass doors to the business. The suspects may be known to restaurant employees, and detectives are further investigating the incident

Charlestown resident and BHCHP founder and president, Dr. Jim O’Connell, center, poses with gala honorees John Henry and Larry Lucchino of the Red Sox.

Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) recently honored Cary W. Akins, MD, a renowned cardiac surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and clinical professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, with its Dr. Jim O’Connell Award. Dr. Akins  was recognized for his role as a champion of the organization.

BHCHP also honored the leadership of the Red Sox — John H. Henry, principal owner, Thomas C. Werner, chairman, and Larry Lucchino, president/CEO —with its Tim Russert Award for their personal generosity and for the partnership that has developed between the Red Sox organization and BHCHP. Journalists Maureen Orth, Russert’s widow, and Mike Barnicle presented the award to the Red Sox. The ceremony took place at BHCHP’s Medicine That Matters Gala, Monday, April 29 at the Sheraton Boston Hotel.

At 17,000 square feet of romping room, Crate Escape is the largest in-door dog daycare facility in Boston. It’s a renovated warehouse space for dogs to play located at 200 Terminal St., Charlestown, under the Tobin Bridge. Arranged like a park, Crate Escape offers a climate-controlled environment for dogs to expel their energy and bolt around, unleashed.

After working for 10 years at UPS, Bradley Hastings desired a business of his own where he could bring his dog to work. His family opened a dog boutique in Cambridge, where people assumed he was babysitting his dog and inquired if he could watch theirs as well. The company has since expanded to serving 200 dogs per day.

“We wanted to be in a town with a tightly knit community in Boston, and we wanted them to love dogs,” says Hastings, President and Owner. “That’s what brought us to Charlestown. This is the perfect fit for us.”

Established in 2004, Crate Escape provides daycare, overnight boarding, van service, grooming, and training in Cambridge and Belmont. Charlestown is the newest location, having opened Jan. 28, 2013.

Crate Escape is outfitted with seven pens that have fenced in outdoor access. Dogs are grouped with other dogs of the same personality and size, so they become familiar with each other. Dogs can sleep over in a dorm that is like a giant parlor where they can lodge with a TV and pet attendant. There is a 15:1 dog/ person ratio to ensure the safety and comfort of staff and pets.

“What really makes us different is that our dogs are screened and temper-tested. They’re up-to-date on vaccinations and don’t display aggressive behavior toward other dogs,” Hastings explains.

Staff includes professionals skilled in pet behavior and dog training. Specialists conduct orientations for prospective dogs to examine their body language while around their peers to determine if they are suitable for the daycare.

“It’s easier for your kid to get into Harvard University than your dog to get into our daycare because we’re strict,” jokes Hastings.

Owners can bring their dogs to Crate Escape for $10 an hour ($4 for each additional hour) or spend the day for $30. Van services can pick one’s dog up at his home for a $15 round-trip ($5 for Charlestown residents). For further information about Crate Escape, call (617) 886-9003.

“We’re looking forward to establishing relationships with all the business owners and townspeople, and learning how to better service their needs,” Hastings says.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

Customers explain why they love Crate Escape

Barbara Stanley, Marketing Manager, and Bradley Hastings, President and Owner

Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to one (1) student entering college and one (1) student attending a private high school. Deadline for submission of completed scholarship application will be on or before Saturday, June 1st by returning to: CHAD, c/o Peter Looney Scholarships, P. O. Box 335, Charlestown, MA 02129.

Scholarships will be award at the Annual Peter Looney Night, Tuesday, June 11th at Peter’s Park on Union Street.  The Event, sponsored by CHAD and City Councilor Sal LaMattina,  will begin at 6 pm with awarding of scholarships to take place at 7 pm.  All are welcome to attend.  For more information, contact CHAD scholarship committee chairman Bill Boyle at 617-645-3279.

With Boston’s 2,200 acre park system woefully under funded, LaMattina said there could be an opportunity to create a mitigation package similar to what Mayor Thomas Menino issued thirteen years ago in an executive order creating the Inclusionary Development Program (IDP), which requires developers of residential real estate to set aside 13 percent of their units for affordable housing or pay 15 percent of the total project cost into a fund to build affordable housing.  LaMattina hopes that some money from private development would start streaming into Boston parks.

“Boston has one of the most dynamic public park systems in the country, with nearly four percent of the City’s total land area maintained by the Parks Department and much more supported by State or private entities,” said LaMattina. “Despite all the benefits out parks provide, public parks are thoroughly under funded both nationally and here in Boston. That shortfall means we struggle to fix broken parks and playgrounds and the rate that would fully preserve this important public service. ”

LaMattina said the City of Boston Parks & Recreation has a Fiscal Year 2013 operating budget of $16.8 million with almost $11 million going to salaries. This leaves very little money left for park enhancements, beautification upgrades or

“The Mayor stated in March that he expects $5 billion in development to break ground this year in Boston, which is tremendous,” said LaMattina. “For example, some of that money has already been pledged to the parks system – such as Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital offering funds to help construct a park for children with special needs near their new Charlestown campus.”

However, LaMattina said much more can and should be done to work with developers to support the parks system that has contributed to the value of their properties and encourages people to live, work and shop near their facilities.

“It is not unheard of to work with – and even require – developers to set aside private money for public and community assets,” said LaMattina. “I know the Mayor and all of us want to keep Boston beautiful. I know that we recognize that protecting, preserving and improving our parks is vital to continuing to grow Boston’s population and maintaining our status as a world class city.”

LaMattina is planning to hold a hearing that will include testimony from the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Parks and Recreation Department, and the Office of Budget Management.

“This hearing should enable us to explore how best we can ‘Keep Boston Beautiful’ and provide adequate funding for our parks system,” said LaMattina.