John Tobin Boston City Councillor

Boston City Councillor John Tobin takes us down to South Street in Jamaica Plain to report on the progress of the paving over of the trolley tracks, and talk about the history of the project. Slide 25 by bsra5706, on Flickr Visit the Boston Street Railway Association. More info on the old trolleys: Overhead lines, Trolley pole, Pantograph, Bow collector. Alternate versions: Quicktime (.mov) MP3 Audio (.mp3) MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Watch this space for a live video broadcast from Parkway Family Day at Millennium Park on Saturday June 14th at 11:00 AM for the opening speeches and at 1:00 PM for Parkway Idol. When I'm not live, you'll see my most recent broadcast. When I'm live, click on the chat to talk to me via text message. Here's an archive of my past live reports.

Boston City Councilor John Tobin at his Annual Spring Breakfast Fundraiser, Saturday, April 19 at the Corrib Restaurant.

Governer of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, Boston City Councillor John Tobin, Representative Jeffrey Sanchez and others turned out to stock Jamaica Pond in Jamaica Plain, MA. More video: qik.com/video/57225 (4:42)

English High School: “ETV – English High Television The 'Top Ten Finalists' in FOX25’s My High School Newscast have been decided. You have until Thursday, April 10th at 12 noon to VOTE! The winner will be announced live Thursday, April 10th, on FOX25 News at 5:00. Vote for English High School

I'm running unopposed for District 6 City Councillor and am on the ballot for the General Election, Tuesday November 6th. I don't take it for granted. It's a team effort with my entire office staff and support from the neighborhoods. I need your vote. I'm delighted about returning for another two year term. I love having a real opportunity to have an impact on people's everyday lives. It would not be possible without so many of you. I'd like your vote. If you have any questions email me or call the City Hall Office, 617-635-4220, or call our new campaign office in West Roxbury 617-327-3634. Thanks for all your support in the past, present and future.

Here a musical slide show of pictures from Boston City Councillor John Tobin's 4th Annual Fall Fiesta Halloween Party which was held on Saturday, October 20, 2007. Everyone had a great time! Enjoy the show. Look at John Tobin's Fall Fiesta Halloween Party 2007 photos here.

Boston City Councillor John Tobin provides the details for his 4th Annual Fall Fiesta Halloween Party. Saturday, October 20, 2007 4 PM to 7 PM Annunciation Hall, 7 VFW Pkwy, Roslindale, Mass. Kids and Seniors Free, Costume Prizes, Music, Food and Goodie Bags for Children.

Meet Alex Gordillo, Councillor Tobin’s new liaison for West Roxbury. Alex came to this job from being a street worker in Jamaica Plain working with youth. Alex speaks Spanish and can relate to youth. He enjoys working with people and wants to reach out to the people in JP. Alex's job includes constituent services focusing on JP, legislative research, and other administrative tasks. He also represents Councillor Tobin at community meetings and public hearings. Look for Alex around the neighborhood or contact him with your questions, concerns or ideas at (617) 635-4220 or e-mail him at Alex.Gordillo [at] cityofboston.gov Alternative Version: Quicktime (.mov)

Meet Cliff McLean, Councillor Tobin’s new liaison for West Roxbury. Cliff began working in Councillor Tobin’s office earlier this summer. His job includes constituent services, legislative research, and other administrative tasks. He also represents Councillor Tobin at community meetings and public hearings. Cliff, a lifelong resident of West Roxbury, is a graduate of Hamilton College in New York where he majored in Government. He also attended Catholic Memorial High School. Cliff replaces Robert Orthman who recently left Councillor Tobin’s staff after more than three years to attend Suffolk University Law School. Look for Cliff around the neighborhood or contact him with your questions, concerns or ideas at (617) 635-4220 or e-mail him at Cliff.Mclean [at] cityofboston.gov. Alternate Versions: Quicktime (.mov) 320x240, Quicktime (.mov) 640x480, MP3 Audio (.mp3), MPEG-4 Video/iPhone (.m4v)

Boston City Councillor John Tobin's Video Blog, VoteJohnTobin.com, has been nominated for Best Vlog of 2006!!! "The George Washington University's Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet, announced the shortlist of nominees for its annual Golden Dot Awards today. The Golden Dot Awards will recognize outstanding achievement between the dates of January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006." Congratulations John! Alternate Version: Flash.

Boston City Councillor John Tobin's Video Blog, VoteJohnTobin.com, has been nominated for Best Vlog of 2006!!! "The George Washington University's Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet, announced the shortlist of nominees for its annual Golden Dot Awards today. The Golden Dot Awards will recognize outstanding achievement between the dates of January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006." Congratulations John! Alternate Version: Flash.

Here are some moments from Boston City Councillor John Tobin's Fall Fiesta Halloween Costume Party. Held on Saturday October 21, 2006 at Annumciation Hall in Roslinadale, everyone had lots of fun! This video features an excerpt of Jeannie Mack entertaining with a trick or treat song, winners of the costume contest, plus a group shot of all the kids in costume.

Local residents and city officials turned out to celebrate the reopening of one of Jamaica Plain's favorite restaurants, El Oriental de Cuba on Monday October 15th. Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Boston City Councillor John Tobin provides the details for his 3rd Annual Fall Fiesta Halloween Party. Saturday, October 21, 2006 4 PM to 7 PM Annunciation Hall, 7 VFW Pkwy, Roslindale, Mass. Kids and Seniors Free, Costume Prizes, Music, Food and Goodie Bags for Children. Listed on upcoming.org: http://upcoming.org/event/114505

Here's a mashup of Ayla Brown at Parkway Family Day singing Unwritten with the help of local kids on stage. Everyone had a great time! Length 1:45 Click here for video. [ QuickTime ]

Click here for video. [ QuickTime ] Parkway Family Day 6/24/06 Highlights from Parkway Idol

Click here for video. [ QuickTime ]Parkway Family Day 6/24/06 Ayla Brown performs Reflection from Mulan

Click here for video. [ QuickTime ] In this video we see Boston City Councillor John Tobin talk about his experience with videoblogging and see some highlights from past videoblog posts.

Click here for video. [ QuickTime ] Boston City Councillor John Tobin heads down to the Theatre Disctrict to talk about the progress and plans for a Boston Walk of Fame.

Please join Councillor John Tobin, the Boston Foundation, and the Museum of Science at Boston Unplugged: Mapping a Wireless Future. This forum will be a followup to the Wi-Fi Boston Summit hosted by Councillor Tobin in May 2005 at the Museum of Science in partnership with the Boston Foundation. Date: February 15, 2006 Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Location: Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Main Auditorium, 41 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116 RSVP: Call 617-338-4390 or email rsvp@tbf.org by February 8th Continental breakfast is available at 8:30 AM The agenda will be as follows. Welcome Michael Taylor President, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology Paul S. Grogan President and CEO, The Boston Foundation Richard M. Burnes Chairman, Museum of Science Setting the Context John Tobin Boston City Councillor Presentation of Report Findings Authors: Geeta Pradhan, Michael Cudahy, Brian Worobey Audience Questions and Reflections Space is limited. To reserve a seat, please call 617-338-4390 or email rsvp@tbf.org by February 8th

Neighbors for Neighbors JP will host its first Community Organizing Meeting of the year this coming Wednesday, February 1st at 7 PM at the Milky Way Lounge and Lanes on 405 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain.

The location for the Boston Public Schools budget hearing on February 8th has been changed to the Mary Curley Elementary School at 493 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain. The hearing will be from 6 PM - 8PM. For more information, please call the BPS Budget Office at 617-635-9580.

Registration for the Hopeline to work this summer for the Boston Youth Fund will take place from February 21-23. To work for the Boston Youth Fund, you must be registered on the Hopeline. To register you: - Must be a resident of the City of Boston - Must turn 15 years old on or before July 9, 2006 - Cannot turn 18 years old on or before August 18, 2006 How to register: Call 617-635-HOPE (4673) Tuesday, 2/21/06: 10 AM - 2 PM Wednesday, 2/22/06: 10 AM - 2 PM Thursday, 2/23/06: 4 PM - 8PM Also, register at the city's website by clicking on the Summer Jobs link. The website will be open for 24 hours from 10 AM on Feb. 21st until 11:59 PM on Feb. 23rd. Registering with the Hopeline does not guarantee a summer job. For more information, please call the Boston Youth Fund headquarters at 617-635-4202.

With the implementation of new fare collection equipment (Charlie Cards), the MBTA is currently replacing all valid existing MBTA Senior Citizen Ids and Transportation Access Pass IDs (T.A.P.) for persons with disabilities. MBTA staff will be on hand at Holy Name Church in West Roxbury on the following date to take photos and replace current Senior and T.A.P. IDs at no charge. Holy Name Church Monsignor Finn Hall/Auditorium 525 West Roxbury Parkway West Roxbury, MA Tuesday, February 21, 2006 1 PM - 4PM

The Boston Water & Sewer Commission will have a representative from the Community Services Department in West Roxbury and Roslindale to assist residents at the following neighborhood locations. West Roxbury Roche Community Center, 1716 Centre St Friday 10 AM- 1 PM Jan. 27 and Feb. 24 Roslindale Roslindale Municipal Building, 4220 Washington St Tuesday 10 AM - 1 PM Feb. 14 Representatives will be available to - Accept payments. (checks or money orders only) - Process elderly or disabled persons discount forms - Resolve billing or service complaints - Schedule water meter tests and/or maintenance - Arrange payment plans for delinquent accounts For more information, please contact Thomas Bagley, Manager of Community Services, at 617-989-7000

This week I sent a letter to my colleagues in the Boston Delegation at the State House asking for their support on Bill H.4452, an Act to Promote School Nutrition. The Boston City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of this bill and believes this act to be important to the well being of our schoolchildren.The sale of junk food and soda has already been banned in Boston Public Schools due to the efforts of my office and the entire Boston City Council. I am writing to ask for your support for Bill H.4452, an Act to Promote Proper School Nutrition. On December 7, 2005, the Boston City Council unanimously passed the enclosed resolution in support of this bill to ban the sale of junk food and soda in public schools across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Boston School Committee with the support of the Boston City Council banned the sale of these products in the Boston Public Schools in 2004 in order to protect the health of our city’s schoolchildren. As you probably know, childhood obesity is an ongoing and growing problem in Massachusetts and across the United States. The federal government estimates that sixteen percent of adolescents in the country are currently overweight. That number has almost tripled since 1980 alone. Ending the sales of junk food and sodas in our schools across the Commonwealth would be an important step towards combating this epidemic. On behalf of the Boston City Council, I ask for your support for H.4452. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions at 617-635-4220. Sincerely, John M. Tobin, Jr. Boston City Council District 6

This week I sent a letter to the Superintendent Search Committee requesting that they hold community meetings in every neighborhood of the city or every city council district. The education of our youth is one of the most important issues that the City of Boston faces today and is imperative that we give every resident the opportunity to have a say in the issue. Ms. Elizabeth Reilinger, Co-Chair Mr. Cleve Killingsworth, Co-Chair Superintendent Search Committee c/o The Boston School Committee 26 Court Street, 4th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Dear Ms. Reilinger and Mr. Killingsworth: As Chair of the Boston City Council’s Education Committee, I am writing to urge the members of the Search Committee to hold additional community meetings in an effort to gather as much public input as possible during the process to replace Boston Public Schools Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant. The public meetings that have been held to date have revealed valuable information about what parents, students, and educators think the new superintendent’s priorities should be. We know that while residents acknowledge that significant strides have been made in the Boston Public Schools under Dr. Payzant’s leadership, they still have major concerns about the quality of our city’s educational system. So far meetings have been held or are scheduled to be held in the neighborhoods of Dorchester, Brighton, Roslindale, East Boston, and Roxbury. That’s a great start. However, in an effort to reach out to even more residents, I am asking that the members of the Search Committee consider holding community meetings in every neighborhood in the city or in each of the nine City Council Districts. Boston is grateful to Dr. Payzant for his decade of service and for his unwavering commitment to the Boston Public Schools. As we work together to find his replacement I believe that we should give residents citywide an opportunity to have their voices heard. Sincerely, John M. Tobin, Jr. Boston City Councillor District 6

Trash pickup in Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, & West Roxbury will be delayed one day next week for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. For a list of other Boston neighborhoods, see the attached pdf file (click here if you don't have Adobe) or call the Sanitation Department at 617-635-7573. For a complete 2006 holiday trash pickup schedule, check out the Public Works website.

The State House News Service reports that 2005 marked the first year in the last two decades that no newborns were abandoned in Massachusetts. Officials credit the state's Baby Safe Haven law with bringing about this change. Councillor Tobin was the leader in getting Boston to pass a Safe Haven law that became a model for the statewide legislation passed shortly thereafter. Last year, one baby was surrendered under the law's guidelines. In March, the baby was turned in to a Merrimack Valley area hospital, said Department of Social Services spokeswoman Denise Monteiro. The child's adoption will be finalized "pretty soon," Monteiro said. Details of the adoption and the child's surrender are kept confidential to ensure parents remain anonymous, she said. Another incident last year involved a woman who surrendered her three-month-old baby at a police station. Although that case was not covered under the safe haven law because the baby was too old, Monteiro said the department was working with the mother to ensure the child is placed in a safe home. "If you can't take care of your baby, we'd prefer that it be surrendered than it be left out in the cold," she said. Under the law, the Department of Social Services is immediately granted custody of the infant and is responsible for placing the baby in a foster home. Michael Morrissey, a leading advocate of the law and a member of the board of directors for the National Safe Haven Alliance, said this is a case where no news is good news. "Suddenly a police station became a non-threatening environment, which had never happened before," he said. Jack Collins, general counsel for the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, agreed. "I've heard nothing," said Collins, who also served on the state's advisory committee for the law's implementation. "And if there were horror stories I certainly would have heard them."