Councilor Mike Ross reports the council passed a home-rule petition yesterday:

... When a foreclosure occurs on a rental property, this bill gives the renter the right to stay in their home, so long as they continue to pay the rent they were paying prior to foreclosure, and assuming they remain a tenant in good standing. This situation remains until one of two things happen:

1. The lender sells the foreclosed property to a new landlord or owner, who has the right to select their own tenants if they so choose; or

2. The lender still owns the property upon arrival of the law's sunset clause, which is two years from passage (with the possibility of a third year extension if approved by the council and mayor).

The lender is required to notify the tenants of the foreclosure, so the tenant doesn't continue to pay rent to the old owner - something which we have seen happen quite frequently. ...

The proposal needs approval of the state Legislature and the governor to become law. Ross says some 2,000 apartments in Boston have been affected by foreclosure over the past year and that he expects that number to rise, with Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester and Hyde Park being hit hardest.

Putting the kidlet to bed about 20 minutes ago, we noticed down the hill - where Poplar Street in Roslindale become West Street in Hyde Park - some flashing blue and red lights. Looked to be a couple of fire trucks and a couple of cruisers. And she insisted I post something here in case anybody knows what was going on there - given that I was disinclined to put shoes on and drive down there (yeah, I'm a slug).

Globe: Retraining, maybe discipline for 911 worker who didn't dispatch anybody to a Hyde Park beating immediately despite several calls from neighbors:

The call taker, who was not identified, knew the man was bleeding and needed help, but categorized the call as lower priority because the assailant was gone, Driscoll said.

Earlier:
Which Washington Street?

Mother Brook is a blog about the country's oldest canal, which connects the Charles and Neponset rivers via Dedham and Hyde Park.

Kathleen Powers quotes my state rep, the normally reclusive Angelo Scaccia:

"Mr. Speaker, we have a chance to tax the well-endowed." ...

He was, allegedly, referring to a proposed tax on private colleges with endowments of more than $1 billion.

Allegedly, of course. Boston Police report that parishoners at Most Precious Blood Church in Hyde Park arrived on Sunday to find "a broken stained glass window, missing oriental rugs, an open safe, and chalices thrown about the upper church."

And then they found the alleged perp - asleep! - in the lower church. Police roused him from his reverie - with one officer injured during the resulting fray:

A search of the suspect produced a gold spoon with religious symbols, two knifes, a sword, and prescription pills. Charles Martin, 47, of West Roxbury was charged with Breaking and Entering a Building with Intent to Commit a Felony, Destruction or Injury of Personal Property, Dangerous Weapons Unlawfully Carried, Resisting Arrest, Assault and Battery on A Police Officer (with injuries), and Possession of Class E Drugs.

Meanwhile, over in Dorchester, police report breaking up a girl fight early Sunday morning at 108 Westville St. - four 20something women arrested.

Finally, early this morning, police responding to reports of shots fired near Bowdoin and Mount Ida streets promptly stopped a car they say was weaving and had obstructions that prevented the driver from fully seeing where he was going. The two occupants were arrested after police found two guns in the car and despite one of the men's protestations that "neither of them were used in no shooting."

Innocent as little lambs, etc.

A mall developer wants to turn the old Bay State Paper mill on River Street into a mall with room for at least three "big box" retailers, the Hyde Park Bulletin reports. But first they have to come up with a name, since 892 River St. isn't all that exciting.

Cleary Squared lives down the street from the apartment complex where that elderly woman was attacked in her bedroom early yesterday:

... The Hyde Park I know isn't a place where "stop snitching" is pretty much useless; in fact, it's a sport that many people glean information about their neighbors, other families, and other strangers. Even if it's a rumor or a half-truth, it will reach all corners within at least an hour.

Furthermore, the more brazen the crook thinks they are, the more quickly they will trip up and be caught. ...

This morning's attempted rape of an 88-year-old woman in her Hyde Park bedroom was the second attack on an elderly person in the neighborhood in four days, Boston Police report.

On Sunday, an 86-year-old man was attacked as he walked on Braeburn Road - only a few blocks from this morning's attack, police say:

The victim stated that as he was walking home from Cleary Square, where he noticed the suspect was following him. The suspect approached the victim and struck him with a blunt object. The suspect then reached into the victim's pocket and stole a small amount of cash. The suspect is described as a black male in his late 20's and was last seen wearing a 3/4-length black leather jacket and green pants. Police are investigating the possibility of a connection between these two incidents.

Police say anybody who may have seen or heard something can contact District E-18 detectives at (617) 343-5607 or Sexual Assault detectives at (617) 343-4400 (anonymous tips to 1-800-494-TIPS or via text 'TIP' to 27463).

Earlier:
Elderly attacked in Brighton, too.

Boston Police report the woman, 88, was attacked in her bedroom at the Joseph Malone Apartments on Gordon Avenue around 4 a.m. and that her assailant attempted to rape her. Police say they are looking for a black man, slight build, about 5'7" and wearing all black with a black stocking cap.