Amy Joyce watches a Public Garden squirrel.

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Gov. Patrick has released proposed legislation for finding and punishing corrupt public officials - proposal calls for expanding state wiretapping (currently limited to organized-crime investigations). Good thing or not?

The Outraged Liberal rounds up the latest on Sal DiMasi and Richard Vitale (hero to slackers everywhere - his lawyer tried to get his arraignment postponed this week because dude was on vacation).

Open Media Boston reports that new City Council President Mike Ross wants to hold at least some council meetings in Boston neighborhoods - and at night - so that the sort of people who don't get paid to attend meetings in the middle of the day can see their elected officials in action.

Ross himself discusses what he wants to do with his yearlong term (beyond promoting world peace, of course), such as:

I will require that all council documents be made available electronically on the City of Boston website. It is time for the City Council to enter the 21st century, and ensure that all documents, legislation, and resolutions be fully accessible online.

Hmm, what about those minutes that city lawyers say can't legally be put online?

The U.S. Attorney's office today filed a formal request asking that a federal judge make City Councilor Chuck Turner promise not to publicly divulge the contents of any recordings or documents it hands over to his attorneys before his and Dianne Wilkerson's criminal conspiracy and bribery cases come to trial. The U.S. Attorney's office argues:

Defendant Turner has made clear through his public statements that he intends to press his case in the media prior to trial and to act as "his own lawyer" in that regard. Mr. Turner has held a series of press conferences and rallies since we hwas charged in this matter, aimed in part at bolstering his character and attacking the government's motives for seeking an indictment against him from the grand jury. It can fairly be inferred that Mr. Turner will continue such press conferences and rallies in the future and, in the absence of a protective order, he will selectively use discovery provided by the government as part of his media campaign.

Because that would be unfair (and could hurt Wilkerson) - as opposed to, say, releasing photographic evidence against Turner before his trial.

Does anyone have any info on "Allegedly deceptive business practices" of LA Fitness?

I happened to find this petition site, Petition Site with a petition to stop the LA Fitness club from opening in W. Roxbury. These people seem to be very upset that the permits were fast-tracked by the city, and have lots of alleged problems with LA Fitness listed on the petition.

It's written by the "VFW Parkway Business Assoc" but I don't know if that's a real group or not.

I almost hate to give them any publicity but the petition has been signed by people in Australia and Romania (Romania?) so I guess it's out there.

I just don't get it. I know health clubs often have tricky or misleading contracts, but I don't know enough about LA Fitness to know if they are really that bad. Seems to me a new business in an abandoned building would be a good thing.

The Blue Mass. boys talked to Deval Patrick yesterday about sealing wax and things and Jim Aloisi. Patrick explains why he picked the lawyer who helped give us the Big Dig in its current configuration to reform transportation in the state. Among other things:

... One thing that is helpful to me is that he knows where the bodies are buried. And you know, the sad reality is that we have to dig up a lot of those bodies, and bury them properly. ...

The Globe reports that some state lawmakers want to set up a commission to designate "1,000 great places" in the Commonwealth:

"We thought it would be useful for these attractions to have the seal of approval to be designated as a great place in Massachusetts," said Representative Eric Turkington, a Falmouth Democrat and chief sponsor of the legislation. "It's sort of the equivalent of a UNESCO World Heritage site, in a much more modest way."

H.R. 3417.

Third Decade is not amused, reminds us, if not Rep. Turkington, that we already have a Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism:

... C'mon, state officials. Stop looking for ways to keep yourself busy when there's real work to be done regarding the state budget and the current economic downturn. If you want a list, leave it to MOTT and ask residents to make their suggestions. ...

Although not badly enough to go public, Kevin McCrea reports.

Earlier:
City Council could spend $50,000 determining whether it can get rid of Chuck Turner.

David Bernstein reports that Yoon surpassed his must-raise-100k-by-New-Year's goal and so will now run for mayor. Maybe. Pete Stidman at the Dorchester Reporter wonders if Yoon didn't already have the cash in hand when he sent out his pre-Christmas plea - he notes Yoon's wife knows a bit about fundraising techniques.