Congratulations to first-year president Joe Gerardi and all players from East Boston Little League for a great 2010 season.

President Joe Gerardi and the board of directors would like to take this time to thank all sponsors and donors for contributing toward the 2010 season.

Special thanks go out to all coaches, parents, and league officials for making the Minor League program one that we all can be proud of. More and more 9-year-olds are being taught the fundamentals of the game and transitioning to the Major League level ready to play. A super job by everyone involved in the Minor League level.

In the Major League division, the Cubs did what the New England Patriots couldn’t: going undefeated during regular season and then the playoffs to be crowned champions.

Coaches Joe Gerardi, Ray Albanese, and Richie Voto’s team finished a perfect season with 18 wins and no losses. Here’s to a great job on a season that will be hard to match for years to come.

In the Senior League championship, the Cardinals, managed by Shawn Theriault and Phil Plagenza, came from behind in two straight last-inning victories to halt Gerry DiVenuti’s Mets from winning their third straight championship. The young Cardinals players did a spectacular job by going from last place in 2009 to the top in one year. All the coaches and players on the Senior Division teams did a great job this season.

In All-Star competition, the 13-and-14-year-old Junior League team won the District 9 title for the third time in four years. They also defeated Swampscott in sectional play. After losing a tough game at Billerica, the players had plenty to be proud of. It’s been quite a few years since any Eastie team has won an All-Star game on the state level. Hats of to coaches Gerry DiVenuti and Shawn Theriault, but mostly the players for an excellent All-Star run.

Special thanks go out to Susan Theriault for administering the District 9 Tournament without a glitch.

The East Boston Little League board of directors are as follows: Joe Gerardi, president; Richie Voto, vice president; Gerry DiVenuti, treasurer; Ray Albanese, equipment and concessions director; Phil Plagenza, Minor League coordinator; and Tom Henderson, safety officer.

If you’re looking for someone that has a growing concern for the lack of accountability in state government, then Suzanne English-Merullo’s your candidate.

English-Merullo is running for Massachusetts Governor’s Council–the governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the governor–in the upcoming statewide election. She is hoping to replace Michael Callahan for the 6th District seat. Callahan has decided to retire but is rumored to be supporting English-Merullo’s challenger Terry Kennedy, an attorney from Lynnfield, despite English-Merullo’s father’s ties to the former council member.

“There a real emphasis on the effort here in Massachusetts and not on the result,” said the Democratic Candidate and Eastie native. “This is a state held hostage by special interest groups and lobbyist and in return it seems nothing ever gets accomplished.”

English-Merullo grew up on Byron Street, attended St. Mary’s School in Eastie, Pope John in Everett and graduated with from Salem State College with a degree in education. She went back to school and now works part-time as a nurse and has two girls ages 15 and 10.

She ran for the same seat 10 years ago and said this time around she’s cautiously optimistic.

“We worked hard to get 1,500 signatures to get on the ballot and we’re planning standouts in Alewife in Cambridge and in Wellington Circle in Malden,” said English-Merullo. “Running for the seat relies heavily on name recognition so I’m trying to get my name out there the best I can.”

And this involves a clever slogan ‘I’m not asking for political contributions, I’m asking for your vote’.

“My basic belief is that lobbyists and special interest groups are a problem so it would be inappropriate for me to accept donations,” she said.

However, she has taken money from friends and family to get her campaign going, purchase signs and begin to get her name out there.

“So far campaigning is going good,” said English-Merullo. “Although its been an enlightening civic lesson and I hope to be able to inspire people with my message.”

It’s been off limits since the September 11 terrorist attacks due to its proximity to Logan International Airport but since banning the public from a small sliver of land at the airport’s Northwest Service Area, Massport has tried to put a 1,700 car parking lot and now a Bus Depot.

Activist have tried for years to connect Bremen Street Park and Eastie’s other park systems to Constitution Beach via a small path in the Northwest Service area but were always told safety concerns trump the neighborhood’s desires to have a streamlined park system.

Now with the proposed Bus Depot, members of East Boston AirInc. are saying it would support Massport’s plans but in return want to once and for all have their connector.

At a recent Orient Heights Community meeting, AirInc.’s Gail Miller and Chris Marchi said Eastie has a unique opportunity to use that development to get a connector.

"We are looking to extend the airport buffer mitigation to include a small pathway big enough for walkers, joggers, and bicyclists to continue from Bremen Street Park to Constitution Beach," explained Miller.

If AirInc. gets its way, Eastie will have one continuous park system that would go from Piers Park on Marginal Street all the way to the Bayswater Street buffer.

"This will allow everyone in the neighborhood to access the park closest to them and continue in one direction to Piers Park or the other to Constitution Beach without being on dangerous city streets,: said Marchi.

Marchi and Miller said having this streamlined park system could improve mobility in the neighborhood without the use of cars, improve property values of homes near the park system and build a unified community that is connect by one gigantic park system.

AirInc. is currently conducting a park survey and going to community events and door to door to garner support for the plan.

However, one of the most interesting concepts of unifying Eastie’s park system is using the old MWRA right-of-way as a greenway. The right-of-way runs parallel to the Blue Line behind Wood Island and dumps out onto Constitution Beach.

Marchi explained that there is nationwide movement called Rails to Trails that is using old right-of-ways and train track beds and transforming them into public open spaces and greenways like Eastie did years back on its own Greenway using the abandoned Narrow Gauge railroad.

Marchi explained that in addition to providing a safe place for people to enjoy recreational activities, greenways and trails often function as viable transportation corridors.

Trails can be a crucial element to a seamless urban or regional multi-modal transportation system. Many areas of the country incorporate trails and similar facilities into their transit plans, relying upon trail facilities to "feed" people in to and out of transit stations in a safe and efficient manner. The ability to avoid congested streets and highways, and travel through natural areas on foot or by non-motorized means, is a large factor in a community’s "livability".

Agility Global Integrated Logistics, a provider of supply chain solutions for technology, retail, chemicals, and other industries, has expanded its local presence with its recent lease of a 25,500 square foot space at 290 McClellan Highway.

The company had leased space for several years at the adjacent 310 McClellan Highway but the new home offers 5,000 square feet of office space, 27 cross-docks and 16’ clear height.

Agility, with its $6.8 billion in annual revenue with offices in 120 countries, operates an 8,000 vehicle fleet. The company has been chosen to handle logistics for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year and the London Olympic Games in 2012.

The location is one of the closest airfreight facilities to Logan International Airport and is minutes from downtown Boston and major highways.

The announcement was made by Richard McKinnon, Director of Brokerage Services for The Grossman Companies, Inc., of Quincy (Mass.), who negotiated the lease, and is the Exclusive Broker for the Landlord, 310 McClellan Highway LLC. The tenant was represented by Paul Delaney of Grubb & Ellis.

Agility’s former space at 310 McClellan Highway, 16,175 square feet, is now available and is also represented by McKinnon. The property includes 4,000 square feet of office space, 13 tailboards, a drive-in ramp and 18’ clear height.

This transaction has slipped under the noses of most watchdog groups in the neighborhood that are usually on top of huge airfreight developments along McClellan Highway.

Back in 2004, U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano (D-East Boston) said the former owner of 175 McClellan Hwy., Berkeley Investments’ efforts to attract Logan Airport related business to that location in Eastie would further burden the neighborhood’s streets with freight forwarding truck traffic.

Capuano was urged to weigh in after residents made it know that they had opposed the plan.

“I’m totally opposed to any development that would draw more traffic to local streets,” said Capuano in 2004. “There are so many more valuable uses for this site other than freight forwarding or other Logan related uses.”

Recently Capuano has earmarked $5 million in the U.S. House’s version of the Transportation Bond Bill for the construction of a by-pass road in Eastie that would reroute the daily gridlock of eighteen-wheelers and other airport traffic away from of Day Square and Neptune Road.

This has been followed up by legislation by Senator Anthony Petruccelli to have Massport flip the bill for the rest of the road’s construction.

Eastie activists have long argued that without a bypass road, adding more freight-forwarding businesses dependent on Logan for survival along McClellan Highway would have an adverse impact on the health and safety of the neighborhood.

Historically airport-related trucks have had to depend heavily on either McClellan Highway or side streets to access Logan, inevitable adding more airport traffic to the neighborhood’s already congested roadways.

The track shut its doors without much notice on a lazy Friday morning at the end of summer.

Thus ended a track with a seven-decade history and an industry in one fell swoop.

The end was coming but was hastened by the failure of the state to pass an expanded gambling bill, which would have allowed for casinos and slot machines.

The slot machines were suggested to aid the tracks.

The casinos were part of the deal to recoup hundreds of millions of Massachusetts residents dollars that goes down to the casinos in Connecticut.

In addition, the casinos would have provided the state with hundreds of millions in licensing fees and then there would have been construction jobs and everything that would have come as a result of this new industry taking hold in the state initially.

Instead, there was the closing of Wonderland last week.

About 100 employees were laid off, including a good number from East Boston.

Suffolk Downs is set to officially purchase the Wonderland property – approximately 55 acres of prime urban land.

Prime for what, is the question.

Suffolk Downs officials have indicated that the property may be developed by a major commercial developer.

This means the Wonderland site may become a shopping center or some derivative thereof.

Because of the weak housing market, it is unlikely the site would be used for residential construction.

At the beginning of the summer there were soaring hopes and all kinds of speculation that the legislature would cause Wonderland and Suffolk Downs to become bidders in the expanded gambling bonanza expected to accrue from the passage of the bill allowing it.

Instead, we have the end of summer, no passage of that bill, and now the closing of Wonderland.

Meridian Market has taken a place on Endicott Street.

The Noviellos will be cooking up great Italian treats that will certainly be noticed among all the others.

When you get there and order, please tell them the Times Free Press sent you!

Kevin Daniel Murphy of 107 Falcon Street, East Boston, was arrested and charged with possession & distribution of Class D marijuana within 1000ft of a school.

David King of 158 Rent Avenue, Medford, was arrested and charged with operating without a license.

Miguel Landaverde of 15 James Street, Lynn, was arrested and charged with trafficking Class B cocaine within 1000ft of a school.

Julio Hernandez of 15 James Street, Lynn, was arrested and charged with trafficking Class B cocaine within 1000ft of a school.

Brian Jonas a homeless male was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Tuesday, August 17

Estiben Mejia of 297 Sumner Street, East Boston, was arrested and charged with unlawfully carrying a dangerous weapon.

Joseph Casanova of 10 Carney Court, Charlestown, was arrested and charged with buying, receiving or concealing stolen property.

Wednesday, August 18

No Arrest.

Thursday, August 19

Gustavo Rodriguez of 806 Border Street, East Boston, was arrested on a straight warrant for breaking & entering.

Friday, August 20

Michael Hunt of 7 Shelby Street, East Boston, was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

Yunisleydi Santace of 187 Forest Hill Street, Jamaica Plain, was arrested and charged with operating after suspension.

Saturday, August 21

Angel Gonzalez of 7 Shelby Street, East Boston, was arrested and charged with trafficking Class A & B drugs.

Jodi Fiore of 10 Wordsworth Street, East Boston, was arrested and charged with possession & distribution of Class A drugs within 1000ft of a school, unlawful possession of a firearm & unlawful possession of ammunition.

Jayson Belbin Restrepo of 32 Jones Road, Revere, was arrested and charged with operating without a license.

Sunday, August 22

No Arrest.

Joseph Bonfiglio

East Boston resident

Joseph Bonfiglio of East Boston died on August 22.

He was the beloved husband of Theresa (Bruno); loving father of Peter Bonfiglio and his wife, Rhonda; cherished grandfather of Joseph, Nicole and Jodi Ann.

His Funeral Mass was held on Tuesday at Sacred Heart Church, East Boston. Arrangements were by The Kirby-Rapino Memorial Home (Orient Heights) East Boston.

Virginia Claire Cappucci

Winthrop resident

Virginia Claire (Meaney) Cappucci of Winthrop died at the Massachusetts General Hospital on August 17. She was 89 years old.

Born in Boston, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Virginia (O’Brien) Meaney; beloved wife of the late Enrico Cappuci; devoted mother of Enrico Cappucci and his wife, Carol, of Shirley, Robert and John Cappucci, both of East Boston, Patricia Cappucci of Methuen, and Mary Cappucci of Ocala, Florida; dear sister of the late Edward Meany and Marjorie Donovan; adored grandmother of Eric and Ricky Cappucci, Kimberly Sapienza and Tiffany Jurczak. She is also survived by four dear great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home, Winthrop. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden. Donations can be made to the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St, Framingham, Ma, 01701. For guestbook, go to www.mauricekirbyfh.com.

Michael Chauvin

Flight Attendant

Michael Chauvin died on August 13 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He was 53 years old.

He was born in Lafayette, LA., the sixth of seven children and was preceded in death by his parents Irving Mitchel and Gertrude Domingue Chauvin and a sister, Myra Rose.

He was a flight attendant for nearly 15 years. While he lived in Winthrop for 12 years, he recently moved to East Boston. He found great pleasure in bringing his neighbors together for BBQs and holidays, especially Halloween. He enjoyed gardening, decorating and baking. In 2003 he was recognized by the Twenty First Century Seacoast’s Nicest Garden committee for his Side-Yard. He will be remembered for his friendliness, generosity and joy that he brought to others. He was a special brother, neighbor and friend.

He is survived by his wife, Jan-Louise Haller Chauvin, of Portland, OR; her son, Zo Barazzuol; and five brothers and sisters, Anna Thibodeaux, Arthur Chauvin, Marie Kratz, Theresa Wayne, and Jude Chauvin. He also leaves a wonderful community of friends in Winthrop.

His remains will be buried in his hometown of Lafayette, LA. Arrangements were made by Casper Funeral Home, Boston.

Saverino Correale Sr.

Of North Reading, formerly of East Boston

Saverino A. Correale Sr. of North Reading, formerly of East Boston and Lake Havasu City, Arizona, died on August 19. He was 83 years old.

A US Army veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict, he was the beloved husband of the late Florence T. (Caruso) Correale; loving father of Anthony of Portland, ME; Robert and his wife, Janice, of Tyngsboro; Saverino, Jr. and his wife, Kathy, Michael and his wife, Joanne, and Steven and his wife, Lori, all of North Reading; Wayne of Tyngsboro and Mark and Susan Hart of Methuen; brother of Raymond of Winthrop and Clorinda Lavoie of East Boston and the late Vincent J., Frederico, Ralph and Michael Correale, Phillomina Barker and Elizabeth Andreatta. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were by the Croswell Funeral Home, North Reading. Burial was in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to: The National Kidney Foundation of MA, 85 Astor Ave., Suite 2, Norwood, MA 02062.

Joan Rizzuti

Of Chelsea, formerly of East Boston

Joan E. (Parziale) Rizzuti of Chelsea, formerly of East Boston, died on August 19.

She was the beloved wife of Joseph P. Ruzzuti with whom she shared 26 years of marriage; loving mother of Suzette Mathews and her husband, David, of Milford and Rochelle Gore and her husband, David, of East Boston; cherished grandmother of David Jr. and Teddy Gore.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, Revere. For guest book visit: www.vazzafunerals.com.

Mary Denehy

Of North Reading, formerly of East Boston

Mary (Yannetty) Denehy of North Reading, formerly of Lynn, East Boston and Chelsea, died on August 14.

Mrs. Denehy was a member of the Lynn Senior Citizens YMCA Group, a long time volunteer at Union Hospital, attended Spectrum from 2004 to 2007 and was a member of the Red Hat Society of Spectrum.

She was the wife of Francis Denehy; mother of Jane Blake and her husband, Richard, of North Reading and Fran King and her husband, Henry, of Danvers; daughter of the late Ceasar and Michelina Yannetty; beloved nonna of Christine MacNevin and her husband, Ryan, Gabriel Finocchietti and his wife, Elicia, Emily Blake, 1st Lt. US Army William King, James Blake and Lisa Finocchietti; sister of the late Ceasar and Edward Yannetty; sister in law of Rosemary Yannetty of East Boston, Margueritte Yannetty of Winthrop and Lorraine Dockerty of Peabody. She is also survived by several loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by the Cota Funeral Home, North Reading. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to either the Spectrum Adult Day Health Program, 600 Cummings Center, Suite 176X, Beverly, MA 01915 or Angel Flight NE, 492 Sutton St., North Andover, MA 01845. www.cotafuneralhomes.com

Joseph Sanders

Boston resident

Joseph Sanders of Boston died on August 20.

The loving son of the late Joseph and Netta (Basano), he was the brother of Steve Saunders and is also survived by his loving cousins and friends.

In accordance with Mr Sanders wishes, funeral services were private. A memorial service will be announced in the fall. Arrangements were under the direction of Ruggiero Mazzarella Memorial Home Joseph Ruggiero, Director East Boston 617 569 0990.

When artist David Chatowsky was commissioned to paint Jersey Barriers at the ongoing HarborArts outdoor exhibit at the Boston Shipyard and Marina on Marginal Street he was encouraged by locals to paint a clipper ship.

“Everyone kept telling me ‘you have to do a clipper ship’ and I kept hearing about the Flying Cloud,” said Chatowsky, a Rhode Island native. “So I researched clipper ships and their history here in East Boston. I read about Donald McKay and his work and the importance of this ship the Flying Cloud.”

So as Chatowsky was planning his mural he put the Flying Cloud in the back of his mind for a few weeks.

“Then the people from HarborArts kept asking me if I had chosen a clipper ship to paint,” he explained. “I told them I had not.”

That was until one day, by chance, Chatowsky found himself in a consignment store in Wakefield, R.I. poking around some of the antiques.

“So there, in the basement of this shop in Rhode Island behind a few pieces of wood and facing the wall was a painting,” said Chatowsky.

He walked over and turned the painting around and found it was a Dutch painter’s painting of the McKay’s most famous ship.

“I immediately called HarborArts and told them I was doing the Flying Cloud as my mural,” said Chatowsky.

Chatowsky’s mural is symbolic of the new age of environmental stewardship. The image of the Flying Cloud clipper ship returning to Boston Harbor at dawn represents mans’ long awaited return to his original role as the steward of creation. The dark colors represent the negative environmental impact man has had in the past. The warm colors of the rising sun signify our future environmental successes. The three dolphins herald the return of man to the role he was created for – steward of the oceans.

Chatowsky is also working on other pieces in and around the shipyard and hopes to be able to work with local kids on art and environmental awareness.

He is currently painting a mermaid mural on the side of one of the shipyard’s buoy tug boats.

“The guys here at the shipyard have been great,” said Chatowsky. “It’s been a lot of fun working down here and meeting all these great people from East Boston.”

Chatowsky was born in Rhode Island but was raised on Florida’s Gulf of Mexico. There he gained a deep appreciation for the environment and the sea.

“It’s always been part of my life since I was a little kid,” he said.

Before painting the mural here Chatowsky spent time in Nicaragua teaching poor kids the fundamentals of art.

“That was a rewarding experience,” he said. “But I left there for Miami and drove from Florida to here to work on this mural.”

Chatowsky been in Eastie ever since garnering support for his unique work here and other seaside hamlets.

“I have a 100 ft. long mural painted on Jersey Barriers where the ferry lets tourists off on Block Island in Rhode Island,” he said.

Chatowsky wants to be able to take the mural he did of the Flying Cloud and try and do other 3D art in murals throughout the neighborhood with the help of local kids.

“I’m talking right now with the Salesians Boys and Girls Club and seeing if there are some classes I can do over there with the kids,” he said.

In the small press room in the old Logan Airport Tower, a group of employees gathered last Wednesday for a special event.

Sixteen Massport workers from East Boston and surrounding communities working various custodial jobs throughout the airport reached an important milestone, graduating from Massport’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESL) class.

The proud group was honored with a small reception, diplomas and speeches from Massport’s top brass.

From East Boston Juana Iraheta, Maria Loza, Sixta Palacios and Danny Gomez all received diplomas Wednesday from the program.

“The 62-week ESL program is a critical investment in the people at the airport who are often times serve as our eyes and ears,” said Thomas J. Kinton, Jr., CEO and Executive Director, Massport. “Being comfortable in your working environment benefits not only the employee but provides for better overall customer experience.”

This program is tailored to the airport environment focusing on airport and security-specific components, such as the consequences of failure to implement security measures and what to do if a worker sees something out of the ordinary.

Massport’s ESL program recently received the Airport Minority Advisory Council’s “Award of the Organization.” The award, which recognizes programs promoting opportunities for minorities, was given at AMAC’s national annual diversity conference in New Orleans on June 22.

“We are proud and honored that our innovative program which enhances airport security, customer service and the quality of life for airport workers received this recognition,’’ said Kinton Jr.

The language program, which is a joint effort by Massport, UGL Unicco and SEIU Local 615, is tailored to the airport environment with half of the 64 classes focusing on airport and security-specific components, such as the consequences of failure to implement security measures and what to do if a worker sees something out of the ordinary.

The program was announced in February 2009 and dozens of UGL Unicco custodial employees applied and had their skills assessed. The first class was 32 weeks long (64 sessions) with 90 minute classes held twice a week. Many class members have been in the US for between 10 and 20 years with few opportunities to take English classes. The first class graduated in November and a second class started this year and will end this summer.

The AMAC Award of the Organization is given to an individual, airport, or a firm for significant contributions toward the realization of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and/or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) goals on an airport.