The Dorchester Reporter alerts us that the group building the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate on Columbia Point is thinking about trying to shrink Boston's current collection of Mt. Vernon streets to honor the late senator by changing the name of the main street through the peninsula.
Don't worry, Mt. Vernon fans: Beacon Hill, Charlestown and West Roxbury would still represent.
You can read the media summaries or you can plow through them yourself.
CommonWealth interviews John McDonough, who has been fighting for universal health care for years, first as a state rep from JP, then as director of a statewide advocacy group and most recently as an aide to Ted Kennedy. He talks about the challenges for the new law and says the Senate election in Massachusetts wasn't really about health care, the Republicans blew it and Mitt Romney should be proud of his role in the whole thing, rather than just running away, again, from Massachusetts.
State Rep. Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead is proposing adding Kennedy's name to the airport, the Globe reports, in a story that also answers the question: Just who was Logan, anyway?
Cardinal Sean O'Malley blogs about his participation in Ted Kennedy's funeral, defends his decision from Kennedy haters and adds that he used his brief time talking to President Obama to tell him the church will only support universal health care if it does not include abortion provisions.
The School Committee voted tonight to rename the Health Careers Academy as the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers in honor of Kennedy's work on health care. Mayor Menino proposed the change last Friday.
The Herald reports that some dignitaries at Ted Kennedy's Mass at Mission Church tired of waiting in the pouring rain for a shuttle bus back to the Northeastern parking garage where their cars were - so they hopped on the Orange Line. Among them: New York Sen. Chuck Schumer:
... Schumer, who is a Brooklyn, N.Y., homeboy, seemed quite comfortable taking the train, unlike dozens of other wet, bedraggled funeral invitees who had to wrestle with the Charlie Card automated ticket purchasing system! ...
Stephen McCarthy captured one man's musical farewell to Ted Kennedy on Mission Hill yesterday:
h/t J. Kaliontzis.
Michael Paulson answers some questions about the funeral Mass yesterday.
Korri Leigh Crowley watched on Mission Hill as the Kennedy funeral procession approached (above). Third Decade was nearby, at Tremont and Parker (below).
Respective photos copyright Korri Leigh Crowley and Third Decade. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.
in this alert from the MBTA is missing. However, you be the judge.
NOTE TO CUSTOMERS TRAVELING TO SEN. KENNEDY MEMORIAL: Due to excessve crowds and concerns for public safety at the JFK Library the line for public viewing will be closed to the public effective at 1:00pm. After 1:00pm there will be additional service to the JFK Library. We apologize for any inconvenience. 8/28/2009 12:49 PM
Michael Ratty photographs the tons of news trucks that are already there.
Chris Devers reports that when he took this photo this morning, the line to pay respects to Ted Kennedy at the JFK Library was a half-mile long.
Posted under this Creative Commons license and in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.
Victoria Welch was among the thousands who waited long into the night on Friday to pay their last respects to Ted Kennedy. She reports museum staffers handed out bottles of water and that mourning Kennedys walked the lines:
Each offered her hand, smile and message of appreciation, making a point to thank each and every person she saw.
Caitlin is in line this morning and reports the Kennedy family members are back this morning and that the Red Cross is handing out snacks and water.
Colin Moore tweets the line moved surprisingly quickly.
The Phoenix tweets:
to walk to jfk from bayside parking, u must pass geiger-gibson community health center - reminder of ted kennedy legacy
Jump the Turnstile reports what seems like the entire Boston DPW was out in force today to clean up the neighborhood in advance of tomorrow's eyes-of-the-world-are-on-you funeral at Mission Church:
... Sidewalks getting repaired, landscaping done seemingly overnight. Fresh coats of paint on buildings ...
Shortly after 4 p.m., the news copters started circling over the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Boston police and state troopers on motorcycles began roaring by, and people who'd been waiting for an hour or more stood up, knowing the funeral procession was approaching.
Some people had tears in their eyes as they said goodbye to their senator. Others applauded or waved as his hearse passed. Inside the limos and one bus of the procession, members of the Kennedy family returned the waves. And then, quickly, it was over. A Duck Boat turned onto Hanover. The driver managed to refrain from asking his passengers to quack.
The T says it will add extra Red Line trains for the JFK/UMass stop and will increase the number of buses running between the station and the JFK Library between 5:30 and 11:30 p.m. on Thursday and 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
Also, all Old Colony commuter-rail trains will stop at JFK/UMass, and the T says it may even add Red Line trains after the normal 12:30 a.m. shutdown time if warranted.
On Saturday, the T will stop E trolleys at Brigham Circle, but will compensate with extra 39 buses along Huntington Avenue, while the Orange Line will add extra service to Roxbury Crossing. Route 66 buses, which normally go past Mission Church on Tremont Street, will be diverted until after Kennedy's funeral Mass. The Mission Hill Link bus won't operate at all.
Anali explains:
... I didn't know Senator Kennedy personally. But as a lifelong citizen of Massachusetts, he's always been my Senator. From day one.
As a little black girl growing up in Massachusetts during the late 60's, I heard my parents talking about politicians. About who actually cared about our struggle for civil rights. I heard about the Kennedy family. That they cared about the poor, people of color, or anyone who needed help. ...
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