Special to the Times-Free Press

The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy is delighted to welcome Boston-born artist Rixy, who will begin work this week on the 2026 Dewey Square Mural—one of the city’s most vibrant and visible canvases for public art.

From May 1, 2026, through the first week of June, neighbors, community members, and visitors are invited to watch the artwork come to life in real time, as Rixy and her all-women painting team bring a bold new vision to the heart of downtown.

Selected through the Conservancy’s first-ever national open call in partnership with Embrace and Everyone 250, Rixy’s upcoming mural, The Midnight Ride, reimagines familiar histories through world-building, storytelling, and meaningful dialogue—inviting visitors of all ages to pause, reflect, and see themselves within a shared, continually evolving story.

Throughout the mural painting process, community members, families, and visitors are invited to stop by, take in the process, and return often as new details emerge each day. Whether it’s a morning coffee break with colleagues or a picnic lunch with friends, join us at The Greenway during the month of May to witness contemporary art coming to life in Boston.

Key dates for the public and media include:

April 20–25: Scrape and prime the previous mural

April 24 (1–4 PM): Aerial lift training for mural team and Conservancy employees

May 1 – June 5 (weekdays 9 AM to 6 PM): Mural painting in progress at Dewey Square

May 21 (12–1 PM): Meet the Muralist Lunch & Learn with Rixy at the Dewey Square Mural

June 16 (12–1 PM): Online Artist Talk with Rixy Learn more about Rixy, her work and what it takes to paint large-scale walls. RSVP via Eventbrite to receive the Zoom link.

June 27 (3–6 PM): Opening Reception & Community Celebration for the completed mural

Since 2012, the Dewey Square Mural has served as a dynamic canvas for contemporary public art in Boston, welcoming millions of visitors each year and sparking connection, curiosity, and joy in a shared civic space.

This summer, Rixy’s mural offers a fresh invitation to engage with our shared histories, reimagine accepted narratives, and envision new futures together.

Follow along on our Instagram @greenwaypublicart or learn more at  https://www.rosekennedygreenway.org/rixy

The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a contemporary public park in the heart of Boston and one of the most visited attractions in the Commonwealth, welcoming millions of visitors annually. The Greenway is managed by the Greenway Conservancy, a nonprofit responsible for the administration and care of the park. The majority of the Conservancy’s annual budget is made up of generous donations from the community, and it is with their support that the Conservancy cultivates a gathering space where all are welcome and celebrated.

The Dewey Square Mural is funded, in part, by Massachusetts250, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, Meet Boston, Holland America, and an Anonymous Donor.

Public Art on The Greenway is made possible with major support from the Barr Foundation, Goulston & Storrs, the Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation, and the Wagner Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, Robert & Doris Gordon, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and The New Commonwealth Fund.

Special thanks to our co-commissioning partners Embrace and Everyone 250 and our project partner, Marr Companies.

Special to the Independent

Triangle, Inc. presented this year’s Inclusion Community Award to the Everett Public Schools and the City of Everett for their supportive group employment partnership at the organization’s annual fundraising event in Cambridge.

Everett Mayor Robert J. Van Campen and Everett School Superintendent William D. Hart accepted the award in recognition of their leadership and commitment to fostering inclusion in the community and schools.

“Everett is one of the original “Triangle” communities, alongside Malden and Medford, and we are thrilled to honor them with this award,” said Triangle, Inc. CEO Rachel Kaprielian. “Our partnership with the school district demonstrates their commitment to disability inclusion and provides Triangle program participants with opportunities to build job skills and earn a paycheck.”

More than 200 guests attended Triangle’s annual awards ceremony and fundraiser, Celebrate, at the Regattabar at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge on April 29. The event raised $125,000 for Triangle, a Malden-based nonprofit that offers innovative and comprehensive programs providing employment and independent living skills for people with disabilities.

Each year, four Triangle program participants work three-days per week as a team to clean up school buildings in Everett, earning a paycheck while they build their employment skills.

Group employment is often the springboard Triangle participants need on their pathway to competitive employment. Since starting its Inclusion Community program in late 2024, eight municipal partnerships have created more than 25 new employment opportunities for Triangle participants.

For more information about Triangle, Inc., visit https://triangle-inc.org.

Special to the Independent

Senator Sal DiDomenico spent time with constituents during the 40th anniversary celebration of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Constituents Day at the State House. DiDomenico also met with his friend, Michelle Motta Dardeno, the Chair of the Statewide Advisory Council for the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), to learn more about their priorities. The Senator also met with Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa, who is the Commissioner for the MCDHH.

“I am proud to be an active supporter of this community, and it was such a joy to spend time with friends of mine from the district during their advocacy day,” said DiDomenico.

Stephanie McColaugh, founder of the Clean Up Everett organization, thanked Mayor Robert Van Campen and the residents of Everett for the successful Clean Up Everett event held in coordination with Earth Day on April 25 at Gateway Park.

“Clean Up Everett is deeply grateful to the more than 200 residents of Everett, Mayor Van Campen and his administration—as well as DPW, Facilities and Maintenance, Tom Philbin, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA), and Casey-Lee Bastien with BSC for coming together to make this event a success,” said McColaugh. “BSC and MyRWA led the planting efforts, while Clean Up Everett led the cleanup activities.

“We also appreciate the many community partners who joined us, including the New England Revolution, the Eliot Family Resource Center, LUMA, Electrify Everett, and so many other wonderful organizations.

“Together, we removed a tremendous amount of trash from the riverbanks and the surrounding park areas throughout Gateway Park, spanning over a mile of trails and collecting everything from discarded couches and car bumpers, to plastic wrappers, totaling approximately 800 cubic feet of litter. We hope this event helps raise awareness of what an incredible community asset Gateway Park is, while also drawing attention to the ongoing littering and pollution challenges that affect Everett. Increased awareness through events like Earth Day are a crucial step toward meaningful change.

“Clean Up Everett hosted 15 cleanups last year and continues to host at least one cleanup each month—please consider joining us to keep Everett clean, safe, and beautiful,”  concluded McColaugh.

Daria Santollani of the Mystic River Watershed Association said, “MyRWA was thrilled to be part of this community effort to care for the Gateway Park area in honor of Earth Day. It was great to see familiar and new faces learning about this important green space in Everett. This park is undergoing a transformation to build a healthy wetland habitat, construct new trails, reduce pollution, and increase flood storage. We are so grateful for the community action and partnership making this transformation possible.”

 “We planted several hundred native trees and shrubs, more than 12 species selected for their air quality benefits and food for wildlife,” said Casey Lee Bastien of BSC Group.

Press Conference on the ENOUGH Act set for May 7

On Thursday, May 7, Senator Sal DiDomenico and Harlem Children’s Zone Founder & President, Geoffrey Canda, will host a press conference highlighting the ENOUGH Act (S.3022/H.5187) at the State House. DiDomenico filed this transformational anti-poverty bill, after visiting the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York where he learned about their nationally recognized program that is breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, building community, and creating meaningful opportunities for thousands of children and families. DiDomenico’s bill will be heard shortly after the press conference before the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses.

Everett Public Library hosts  a journey through music June 24

On Wednesday, June 24, Jon and Li Waterman will perform “A Journey through the Roots of American Popular Music” at Everett Public Library at 410 Broadway, in Everett at 7 p.m. The program consists of original songs and history, and explores some of the fascinating characters and events at the roots of the blues, country, rock and other genres of American popular music.

The program is supported in part by a grant from the Everett Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy leadership announced the graduation of 26 firefighters from the 50-day Career Recruit Firefighting Training Program.

“Massachusetts firefighters are on the frontlines protecting their communities every day, and today’s graduates are needed now more than ever,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “The hundreds of hours of foundational training they’ve received will provide them with the physical, mental, and technical skills to perform their jobs effectively and safely.”

“Massachusetts Firefighting Academy instructors draw on decades of experience in the fire service to train new recruits,” said MFA Recruit Program Coordinator Dean Babineau. “Through consistent classroom instruction and practical exercises, today’s graduates have developed the tools they’ll need to work seamlessly with veteran firefighters in their home departments and in neighboring communities as mutual aid.”

The graduating firefighters of Career Recruit Class #338 represent the fire departments of Andover, Ashland, Attleboro, Beverly, Chelmsford, Dover, Everett, Lawrence, Medford, Nantucket, North Reading, Revere, Southborough, Tewksbury, Wakefield, Walpole, and Westford.

The Richard N. Bangs Outstanding Student Award, which is presented to one recruit in each graduating career recruit training class, was presented to Firefighter Michael Russo of the Everett Fire Department. The award is named for a longtime chair of the Massachusetts Fire Training Council and reflects the recruit’s academic and practical skills, testing, and evaluations over the course of the 10-week program.

Students receive classroom training in all basic firefighter skills. They practice first under non-fire conditions and then during controlled fire conditions. To graduate, students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Fire attack operations range from mailbox fires to multiple-floor or multiple-room structural fires. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1010, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, and are certified to the levels of Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, which is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.

Today’s firefighters do much more than fight fires: They train for and respond to all types of hazards and emergencies. They are the first ones called to respond to chemical and environmental emergencies, ranging from the suspected presence of carbon monoxide to gas leaks to industrial chemical spills. They may be called to rescue a child who has fallen through the ice, an office worker stuck in an elevator, or a motorist trapped in a crashed vehicle. They test and maintain their equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hydrants, hoses, power tools, and apparatus.

 At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, recruits learn all these skills and more, including the latest science of fire behavior and suppression tactics, from certified fire instructors. They also receive training in public fire education, hazardous material incident mitigation, flammable liquids, stress management, and self-rescue techniques.

The MFA provides recruit and in-service training for career, call, and volunteer firefighters at every level of experience, from recruit to chief officer, at campuses in Stow, Springfield, and Bridgewater.

By Adam Swift

The cities of Chelsea and Everett lost a $50 million federal grant that would have helped with the construction of the Island End River Flood Barrier, a critical infrastructure project designed to protect thousands of residents and key facilities from severe coastal flooding.

However, Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez said the project remains a top priority. To that end, Maltez recently provided an update to the city council on the city’s negotiations with the Marina at Admirals Hill, located at 305 Commandants Way on ownership and access rights along the path of the proposed flood barrier.

“We are continuing to advance (the project) using secured state funding for design, engineering, and land acquisition,” Maltez stated. “It is essential that we utilize these state funds now; delaying their use could jeopardize our eligibility and result in the forfeiture of significant grant dollars. Moving forward at this stage ensures we maintain momentum and keep the project on track for eventual construction.”

The city manager said the city will need access and ownership rights to the property along the path of the Island End River Flood Barrier to construct and maintain the structure. Maltez added that the city is  prepared to proceed with the next set of negotiated takings, at 305 Commandants Way.

“The City desires to acquire through a friendly eminent domain taking of a permanent easement on 3,728 square feet of the property,” Maltez said. “We also seek to acquire two long-term temporary easements on the property for the purposes of construction (14,088 square feet). The public purpose of these takings is to construct and maintain a flood barrier that will protect 5,000 residents, primarily in Chelsea, and significant critical infrastructure, from flooding in the event of a coastal storm.”

The current property owner is supportive of the project and has worked collaboratively with the city, according to the city manager.

“It is mutually agreed that acquiring the necessary permanent easements, along with a temporary easement for construction, is in the best interest of all parties,” Maltez stated. “There takings will be financed with state grant funding from the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program and by City matching funds already appropriated for this use in the CIP. With grant money in hand and the cooperation of the property owner, now is an appropriate time to advance these takings.”

The city recently completed an independent appraisal of these easements, with a fair market value of $287,643, according to Maltez.

The city manager is asking that the council a public hearing on the takings in preparation for final approval from the council.

The City of Everett is proud to announce that Pamela Marias Arévalo, an intern in the City’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Department, has been named a recipient of the TheDream.US National Scholarship. This highly competitive award will support her academic journey beginning in Fall 2026 at a TheDream.US Partner College.

Pamela’s internship, coordinated by the City’s Youth Development and Enrichment Department, reflects Everett’s commitment to investing in young leaders. During her time with the City, she has helped ensure youth voices are meaningfully represented in DEI initiatives.

She also served as a lead producer of “Mariposas,” a City-led exhibit and documentary that explored the Latina immigrant experience in Everett and across the country. The project brought forward deeply personal stories and helped create space for broader community understanding.

“‘Pamela represents the very best of Everett’s future,” said Mayor Robert J. Van Campen. “Her work on the Mariposas project has given a powerful voice to our community, and this scholarship ensures that her own voice will continue to lead and inspire others.”

TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college access and success program for undocumented immigrant youth. As a National Scholar, Pamela will receive up to $33,000 to cover tuition and fees toward a bachelor’s degree, along with additional support for books, supplies, and transportation.

The scholarship helps students overcome financial barriers to higher education, particularly those who are not eligible for federal financial aid. Since its founding, TheDream.US has supported more than 11,000 students across the country.

Pamela’s achievement highlights both her individual dedication and the impact of creating opportunities for young people in Everett to grow, lead, and be heard.

Special to the Independent

Governor Maura Healey and MassHousing announced that starting this week, more Massachusetts residents are now eligible for $25,000 in interest-free downpayment and homebuyer assistance to help them afford to buy their first home. Earlier this year, Governor Healey announced a $25 million investment to expand MassHousing’s homebuyer assistance program so that more people than ever before can lower their upfront costs and afford to become homeowners.

“We are focused every day on lowering the cost of housing for people,” said Governor Healey. “This program lowers families’ upfront costs and their monthly payments so that more people can afford to buy a home and build their future right here in Massachusetts. Today, we’re bringing this assistance to a wider cross-section of the middle class who are being priced out of homeownership right now. We encourage any eligible first-time homebuyers to apply for this expanded assistance, and we’re going to keep using every tool at our disposal to lower costs for everyone.”

“Making homeownership more affordable takes action on multiple fronts, and that is exactly what we are doing,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “By expanding homebuyer assistance and supporting other tools that lower costs, we are helping more working families and middle-class residents take the first step toward buying a home of their own.”

This program provides eligible buyers with up to $25,000 at 0 percent interest with deferred repayment terms to help cover a down payment, closing costs, prepaid mortgage insurance or reduce their interest rate. The program is available to first-time homebuyers who lock in their MassHousing mortgage between April 27 and July 31, 2026 and earn up to 135 percent of area median income, which includes many middle-class borrowers across the state. This assistance is available to people earning up to 135% of area median income – ranging from $205,335 in eastern Massachusetts, to $165,645 in Worcester County, to $137,565 in the Berkshires and $129,870 in Hampden County.  

Interested homebuyers can visit masshousing.com to learn more about eligibility criteria and application instructions.

“For many families, the biggest obstacle to buying a first home is saving enough for a down payment,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Juana Matias. “This expansion will help more Massachusetts residents become homeowners by tackling that barrier head-on.”

“MassHousing is committed to expanding sustainable homeownership opportunities across Massachusetts and ensuring that homebuying opportunities remain within reach for working families,” said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. “Homebuyer assistance, including down payment assistance, is critical to removing barriers to homeownership and ensuring that first-time homebuyers are positioned for long-term success. The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s investment in Massachusetts families will deepen the impact of MassHousing’s homebuyer assistance program and accelerate the path to homeownership for middle-income families.”

“We see owning our home like an investment for the future. We hope to grow our family and now we have something for us,” said Ilse Bellido, who with her fiancé, used MassHousing financing with down payment assistance to purchase their home in Lowell. “When I first walked into my house, honestly, it’s so beautiful, it’s new, and it’s mine.”

MassHousing already offers up to $25,000 in down payment and homebuyer assistance loans to moderate- and middle-income households purchasing a first home in any Massachusetts community. Prior to the Governor’s investment, this assistance was offered in the form of a 15-year second mortgage with interest rates ranging from 2 to 3 percent, depending on household income. With the new funding, that assistance is now available at 0 percent interest with deferred repayment, significantly lowering upfront costs for buyers. 

Since the beginning of 2023, MassHousing has delivered more than $1.9 billion in mortgage financing, helping over 5,900 households become homeowners. During that time, the agency has issued 4,757 down payment assistance loans, with four out of five mortgages supported by this tool. Over the past 18 months, nearly all first-time homebuyers using MassHousing have relied on down payment assistance to purchase a home.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is also advancing the Massachusetts Homeownership Tax Credit (HTC), created under the Affordable Homes Act and administered by MassHousing, to increase homeownership opportunities for moderate-income households through the development of new homeownership units. The HTC provides up to $10 million a year for five years through calendar year 2029 to support the production of new homeownership units. It is the first program of its kind in Massachusetts and one of only three programs nationally to use state tax credits to support homeownership production. 

These initiatives complement existing programs that help expand access to homeownership through Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s (MHP) homeownership programs, including ONE Mortgage, ONE+ and ONE+Boston, which help eligible first-time buyers lower borrowing costs and access financial assistance. Since 1991, MHP has provided over $5.3 billion in below-market bank financing and made it possible for more than 26,000 low- and moderate-income families in Massachusetts to purchase their first home.

Americans’ optimism about their future has sunk to an all-time low, according to a recent Gallup Poll (which was conducted, we might add, before the war with Iran had begun).

Why the malaise when we have record-low unemployment and a record-high stock market?

In our view, the explanation is right in front of our eyes.

Humans have four basic needs: shelter, food, health, and safety. But other than public safety (crime rates have been at historic lows for more than two years), America is a failing society in all other respects.

The housing crisis affects Americans at almost every income level. Young people, even those with six-figure incomes, are unable to buy a home unless they either inherit it from their parents or receive a large cash gift from a family member for a downpayment.

The average age for a first-time homebuyer in the early 1980s was 28 — and that was  when mortgage interest rates were in the double digits and huge numbers of Baby Boomer buyers were flooding the market.

But today, the average age of a first-time homebuyer has risen to 40 and the median age of a homeowner is almost 60. In short, the long-held American dream of homeownership is attainable only for a lucky few among the younger generation.

On the healthcare front, our national healthcare system has never been more precarious. The budget enacted by Congress last year that reduced subsidies for health insurance for low-income Americans (while giving trillions of dollars of tax breaks to billionaires) has resulted in millions of Americans losing their health insurance.

In addition, immigration policies have reduced the number of healthcare workers, including doctors, which have placed a strain on the delivery of healthcare services for all Americans, not just the poor.

The acclaimed HBO TV show The Pitt accurately portrayed the dire straits of our healthcare system, a situation that will be exacerbated with the loss of the Obamacare subsidies for health insurance.

Even for middle-class Americans with private health insurance, our healthcare system is failing. Medical debt from an unexpected illness ranks as the number one cause of personal bankruptcy filings because of high deductibles, co-pays, and uncovered services,

The budget enacted by Congress last year also significantly reduced the eligibility for the SNAP program (formerly known as Food Stamps). Government data estimated that up to 48 million Americans, including 14 million children, faced “food insecurity” (the new bureaucratic term for not having enough to eat) even before the cutbacks in the SNAP program.

But now, under the new rules, enrollment in SNAP has decreased by nearly 3.5 million people, a development that will only further exacerbate the problem of hunger in America.

As for those of us who have been fortunate enough never to need SNAP,  food inflation continues to make feeding ourselves and our families a more and more expensive proposition at a time when the ultra-rich are spending $1500 (that’s not a typo) on a dinner at a restaurant in Los Angeles.

The defining characteristic of Americans (as noted by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1830) since our founding has been a boundless optimism that our future will be better.

But as we approach the 250th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence, our national mood of sunny optimism has been replaced by a feeling of hopeless pessimism.