Walsh says Boston schools won't re-open May 4, may not re-open until next fall

"I don't think there's any question: Kids aren't going back to school May 4," Mayor Walsh said today.

At a press conference in front of City Hall, he said he's not even confident that school will resume at all before next fall - and that when it re-opens then, it will likely look a lot different than it did before coronavirus - and so likely will restaurants and other businesses.

Walsh had earlier said the ultimate decision on what to do about schools is up to Gov. Baker and state government. Baker said last week he will likely announce a decision "shortly."

Walsh said that he expects to continue the city's current suggested 9 p.m. curfew past May 4, and that he and city officials are considering whether to expand the hours for that - and, possibly make outdoor mask wearing mandatory.

Walsh spent a fair amount of his time today expressing disappointment and frustration. He singled out people who went golfing at Franklin Park and at the George Wright course In Hyde Park - and said Boston Police sent officers to Franklin Park to order some golfers off the officially closed course.

"This weekend, I was disappointed in people," he said, singling out in particular one young man he watched on TV, grinning as he talked about golfing. "It's nothing to smile about nothing to be proud about," he said. "It's not impressive to be on the golf course; it's closed."

Walsh also expressed disappointment in crowds of people playing soccer across the city, although he said he doesn't want to create fines for social-distance violators, but vowed to keep sending police out to break up large gatherings. He said he doesn't enjoy that and that police aren't doing it for the hell of it. "We're doing it because we want to keep people alive," he said.

He also expressed scorn for both whoever fired a gun that sent a Roxbury 10-year-old to the hospital, but all the people who were at the party when the gun went off, both for what happened and for their complete disregard for social distancing and staying at home. The shooter, he vowed, will be caught, while the others should take a long hard look at themselves and then at their younger siblings, nephews and nieces and their grandparents and think hard about exposing them to the virus.

Walsh said that even though this is technically school vacation week, the city's is continuing to run its meal-distribution sites for Boston school kids.

He added that, starting today, Boston will begin releasing Covid-19 data per Zip code and said the Boston Public Health Commission now has an app that people can download to find a nearby testing site.

Walsh began his press conference by expressing condolences for Nova Scotia, which sends us a Christmas tree every Christmas. "They're the nicest people you'll ever meet," he said, adding he can only imagine the shock and grief in the province.