THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2021 Page 13 Josie’s Place ordered to start closing at 11 p.m. By Christopher Roberson J osie’s Place, which is already on probation until the end of the year, recently had its closing time moved from 1 a.m. to 11 p.m. During the September 27 meeting of the Licensing Board, Chairman Philip Antonelli said police responded to Josie’s at 2:45 p.m. on September 1 after receiving a report that a patron had collapsed. Upon arrival, police found that Peter Ward, the son of owner Josephine Ward, had fallen off a bar stool. It was quickly determined that Peter was suff ering from an overdose, and he was given one dose of Narcan. He was then taken to Massachusetts General Hospital. However, Antonelli said the hospital reported that Peter had more drugs with him and overdosed a second time. “He’s a grown man who’s lost his way and he’s putting this on you,” Antonelli said to Josephine. “With Peter there, you can’t stay open.” He also advised Josephine to change her management structure as the current managers are not operating the establishment in accordance with the board’s regulations. Licensing Board Member Michael Dantone told Josephine that the board has been lenient with her Main Street establishment. “In any other town, you wouldn’t have this license anymore,” he said. Member Philip Arloro said he does not see things getting any better in the immediate future and made the motion to have Josie’s start closing at 11 p.m. “This is going to be repetitive; it’s getting out of control,” he said. “You need to take full control of this.” This is also not the fi rst time that Josie’s has been put on probation. In November 2018, PLACE | SEE PAGE 15 Lack of oxygen cause of Mystic River fi sh kill By Christopher Roberson P ollution was not to blame when thousands of dead Atlantic menhaden washed up on the banks of the Mystic River – they simply ran out of air. According to the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA), a predator, most likely striped bass, may have forced the fi sh up the river, where dissolved oxygen is less plentiful. Although menhaden can grow up to 15 inches long, they are no match for stripers, which can reach fi ve feet in length. Pollution was ruled out as a possible cause as the Mystic River received a “B+” rating on the latest Water Quality Report Card. “Although we are saddened by the death of this incredible species, this most recent fi sh kill actually shows the health of the Mystic River Watershed and the Boston Harbor. Over the past several years, we have worked with the MWRA [Massachusetts Water Resources Authority] and our environmental partners to reduce pollution entering this valuable resource,” said Mayor Carlo DeMaria. “Today, we have abundant wildlife and a healthy marine habitat. For many years, menhaden were absent from these waters due to pollution. Today there are literally hundreds of thousands of these fish present. This event is a natural phenomenon caused by predator fi sh driving these smaller fi sh into less oxygenated, crowded waters, literally suff ocating a small percentage of them.” Patrick Herron, executive director of MyRWA, said he sensed trouble when he noticed a large school of menhaden near the Amelia Earhart Dam. This is also not the river’s fi rst fi sh kill. A similar incident took place in July 2018, resulting in 50,000 dead fi sh. According to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, in addition to a lack of dissolved oxygen, fi sh kills can also be triggered by disease or spawning stress. Lower Broadway District could include Everett Land Assemblage M By Christopher Roberson ayor Carlo DeMaria recently asked that the City Council consider expanding the Lower Broadway Economic Development District to include the 95.5-acre Everett Land Assemblage. “I didn’t want to wait two more weeks,” he said during the council’s special meeting on September 29. “I want to get the ball rolling; this opportunity is too VALLEY | FROM PAGE 11 its charter. In internal emails exchanged six months before any site visit, DESE personnel repeatedly stated, without evidence, that Mystic Valley is in need of reform. They used this sham site visit, conducted virtually and without ever setting foot on Mystic Valley’s campus, to set up an agenda-driven takedown of one of the best schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. “This comes as surprise, as DESE has reauthorized Mystic Valley’s charter and educational mission without fanfare every five years since the school’s founding in 1998. “We took advantage of the statutory revision period and submitted our changes and criticisms of the integrity of the draft report but have received no assurances that DESE will rescind it. It is unimportant. We’re moving from an industrial city to a 21st century city – it’s happening.” Matthew Lattanzi, acting director of Planning and Development, spoke about the benefit of including the assemblage in the Lower Broadway District. He said the inclusion would prohibit the site from being used for heavy manufacturing and that a special permit would be needed for light manufacturing. fortunate that it has come to legal action, but with no recognition of the gravity of this matter from DESE and no intervention from the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, this course of action was unavoidable. DESE must drop its agenda-driven attacks on our school by immediately retracting its biased and uninformed site visit report, grant Mystic Valley a waiver from new criteria it is using to assess the school, and begin a new evaluation process with an unbiased review team. “Mystic Valley remains faithful to its charter, its academic program is resoundingly successful, and it is organizationally viable. Provided DESE reviewers examine Mystic Valley without any preconceived biases, the school fully satisfies the statutory Charter School requirements, and it is confiThe assemblage consists of four parcels at 52 Beacham St., 51 Robin St., 0 South Farm Rd. and 211 Wharf Area, all of which are currently owned by ExxonMobil. However, Lattanzi said commercial real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle is working with ExxonMobil to put the properties up for sale. They will then be marketed to life science and biotechnology companies. “A lot of big developers are dent that it will be renewed once again in 2023, as it has been during every renewal cylooking at this site right now,” said DeMaria. “We just want to make sure it’s shovel ready.” City Council President Wayne Matewsky said ExxonMobil should be responsible for ensuring that the site is no longer contaminated. “I don’t see where Exxon should get off not having to clean that up,” he said. “They’re a multibillion dollar company.” Councillor-at-Large John Hanlon said it would have cle since its inception, including its most recent renewal in 2018.” been helpful to have additional information prior to the meeting. “I’m being asked to vote on an empty envelope,” he said. However, Ward 5 Councillor Rosa DiFlorio said there was no need to belabor the discussion. “I don’t see the argument,” she said. “It’s not that complicated.” The council voted unanimously to refer the matter to the Planning Board. To read the full complaint, please visit MVRCS.com/ADVOCATE
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