Pho Lynn on Hallowe’en

Owner Thuy Diem Le and her father, Tam Le, inside Pho Lynn

They did it again. The Dining-out Club of the East Lynn Community Association went out for lunch on October 31 at one of downtown Lynn’s nicer restaurants, Pho Lynn on Munroe St. Pho (pronounced fuh) is a Vietnamese beef and rice noodle soup, but Pho Lynn serves other noodle-based dishes as well as specialties like Pad Thai and Salmon with Tomato Sweet and Sour sauce. The prices are affordable.

I had a large noodle soup with rare eye-round and well done brisket for around $6.00. Sliced thin, the meat was succulent in the clear beef broth. A sprig of basil and bean sprouts were provided on the side. I am very glad I took my unfinished portion home. I ate it a week after going, and the bean sprouts were still crunchy and the broth still tasted of lime and basil. I will be going there again.

Thuy Diem Le is the owner; she opened the restaurant five years ago. Her father, Tam Le, and her mother, Lai Kim Nguyen, help her run the establishment. The space is fairly large and spacious. I saw a stack of books by the cash register, which immediately piqued my curiosity. Among the titles were the Tao of Physics and various college text books ranging from accounting to sociology. Thuydiem said they are her father’s; he has far ranging interests and likes to educate himself on a wide variety of topics.

Below are more pictures from a Lynn Hallowe’en.

Read about the Food Project’s new site on Munroe Street.

Random Thoughts After an Election

Kind of like Deep Thoughts, only Random.

This was a divisive election. Neither side spared the other from accusations, incriminations and dire predictions. The margin of victory was extremely slim. There were so many pros and cons to weigh, I had a hard time deciding who to cast my vote for. I thank Clancy for his service getting the city through financial hard times. I hope Kennedy will prove to be a competent and visionary mayor.

Today I noticed that the Eugene Schneeberg sign in front of my house was gone. I can’t say I have looked at other parts of the city with an eye out for campaign signs, but I can tell you I will be looking now to see whose signs are left. If indeed they collected all their signs, I applaud the Schneeberg campaign. It demonstrates they care, even after losing the election. May he continue to be a strong presence in Lynn.

Judy, please keep Jamie Marsh. If there is one Clancy appointment that should be kept on merit, it is him. He truly loves what he does and works to make the city safer and more enjoyable. I want him on my side.

Some parts of Lynn are downright rustic. I saw 3 deer today in the backyard of a house on a hill overlooking the harbor. This was in a residential area behind the Lynn Water and Sewer Commission off Parkland Ave.

We should all be thankful we live where we live. I’m reading “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba. As a teenager, the author, who is native to the African country of Malawi, built a windmill from discarded parts and the knowledge accumulated from reading science textbooks and taking apart electrical devices. Everyone in his village thought he was crazy, but in the end, his windmill produced the energy to power his home with electricity and a water pump to battle the famine and drought that plagued his country.

Kamkwamba lived through famine I was horrified to read about. For instance, he tells the story of how he survived an angry mob in line for food from the government. One of the last to receive a portion, the price suddenly goes up and he gets cheated by the careless weighing of his bag by the government official. The people survive on a grain called maize, which goes up in price as it gets scarcer. They sell their livestock and belongings, which go dramatically down in price as the famine gets worse. “Because so many farmers were selling off their animals, chicken was practically free for people with money.” Kamkwaba calculates how many days his family will have to go with little or no food before the next harvest:  210 days.

Don’t Forget to Vote Tomorrow!

Where do I vote?

Who is Charles E. Shannon Jr. and Why Does He Have a Grant Named After Him?

And what does this have to do with Lynn?

Charles E. Shannon Jr. was a Lexington police officer for 20 years. Shannon served 8 terms in the State Senate. During his tenure in the Senate, he worked on ways to combat gang violence in Somerville. After he died of cancer in 2005, the state of Massachusetts named a grant after him.

The Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative (Shannon CSI) is administered by the State Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) and goes to fund not only gang task forces in police departments across the state but youth violence prevention programs.

In 2008, the following programs in Lynn were funded by the Shannon Grant:

Saturday night Drop-in Center at Lynn VoTech

Straight Ahead Ministries

College Application Education Project (CAEP)

Essex County Community Organization (ECCO) Street Outreach Worker Program

347 Summer jobs for teens including the Ford School Garden, St. Stephen’s summer programs for youth and City Hall Youthworks.

During the Highlands Coalition debate, the level of Shannon grant funding for Lynn came up. The following table was compiled by Alexandr Heimann of ECCO. I supplied the 2009 figures.

Debate Dissection Part II

Politics is the art of evasion. Try as you might to frame a question that requires a specific answer, the good politician will find away to avoid answering it so as not to commit to any specific course of action. Most of the questions at the Ford School debate were of the “What would you do…” variety. Yet both candidates were guilty at times of not providing any specifics.

“What would you do to support the concept of full-service community schools in Lynn?” asked a resident and teacher in the public schools. Clancy responded by saying it was “the most effective anti-crime idea that anyone could ever have… my administration will promote policies that reflect the needs of the people who need the helping hand of government the most.”

Flanagan Kennedy praised Ford School principal Clare Crane, saying “she did a great job for her community,” and lambasted Clancy for closing the Ford School Annex. Clancy responded by saying cuts in public funding made by a Republican administration forced him to make “tough decisions.”

At one point during this exchange, in what I thought was a risky move, Flanagan Kennedy “donated” 30 seconds of her time to Clancy, saying that he had not answered the question. Clancy used the time to emphasize the importance of keeping class size down, leaving an opening the size of the Ford School for Flanagan Kennedy to remark, “class size increases when schools close.” Telling the audience what they wanted to hear, she then said she would do everything she could to support the re-opening.

The next question was “What would you do to increase funding for schools?” Clancy used the opportunity to promote his experienced leadership with “democratic funding formulas” and accuse his opponent of supporting an increase in property taxes. Flanagan Kennedy cited what she said was an increase in property taxes of $600 between 2002 and 2009 under Clancy, and stated that she never said she was going to raise property taxes. So what would she do to increase school funding? She repeated her promise to hire a grant writer for the city.

In terms of debating, I thought Flanagan Kennedy won these exchanges. She tempted fate by repeating her gambit of donating time to Clancy, but he didn’t take the bait a second time.

 

Debate Dissection Part 1

Moderator David Gass of the Highlands Coalition opened by telling the audience what was at stake: the mayor of Lynn has executive power over all building and services in the city. In other words, he or she is the CEO in charge of a $225 million budget as well as chair of the school committee.

Mayor Clancy’s opening remarks emphasized his Democratic credentials. As I listened I couldn’t help but think of the opposite of Democrat. He clearly recognized the city’s role as a gateway community for immigrants and refugees in the state. He vowed to continue Democratic initiatives under his watch such as the new New American Center, which he said “provides linguistically accessible social services” to the immigrant community. He criticized the last Republican administration as unfair to retirees and disabled.

Judy Flanagan Kennedy contended that “if you put all our positions side by side on a piece of paper, you’d have a hard time telling who was Democrat and who was Republican. “Don’t label me,” she said. She emphasized the Republican ideal of meritocracy blind to outward appearance.

Flanagan Kennedy used her opening remarks to promote a compelling (in my view) plank of her platform. She is for posting city budgets, council meeting minutes and agendas on the city’s website. She wants to extend cable TV coverage to Council subcommittee and School committee meetings. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. She also panned what she alleged is the current exclusion of women and minorities on the city boards and commissions.

I Like a Good Debate

Tonight, the Highlands Coalition hosted a mayoral debate between Mayor Chip Clancy and Judy Flanagan Kennedy at the Ford School in the Highlands. Clancy sat on the left side of the long table on stage, and Flanagan Kennedy on the right. Over 200 folding chairs were arranged in the school auditorium with an aisle down the middle dividing the audience into two separate camps. Judging by the sustained applause and other reaction, the audience  mirrored their candidates’s position at the table. By 7:15 PM, all the chairs were filled as well as some bleacher stands off to the side.

Other audience reaction included a woman who called Clancy a “scumbag” and accused him of not living in Lynn. As she stormed out, I heard Clancy say, “My wife would debate you on that…”

Prepared questions from Coalition members at first weighed heavily toward neighborhood issues such as voting at the Ford school and the closing of the Ford School Annex, but they later addressed such city-wide issues as the distribution of anti-violence grant money and residency. Other audience members were given the opportunity to participate by writing on notecards and submitting to the moderators.  The Coalition ran a professional debate; one nice touch was the beeping of the alarm on a stopwatch over PA system as candidates ran over their allotted time.

The debate itself was divisive at times, with each candidate drawing sharp distinctions between most their positions. Clancy emphasized his experienced leadership while Flanagan Kennedy stood for change. In any debate, Status Quo usually has a built-in advantage. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know, so the saying goes. The burden of proof lies with Change. A majority must be significantly dissatisfied by the way the things are for change to win. I hope to examine in detail some of their conflicting positions in future posts.

Lynn Happens was there to record the video which will be posted in 48 hours.

Hello, Moon

I didn’t expect all the cars parked near the entrance to High Rock Tower Park when I arrived last night, nor did I expect the number of people. While  there, I encountered about 50–young, old and in-between; families, couples, and friends–in a crowd that mirrored the diversity of Lynn. I also didn’t expect to hear katydids* at High Rock. I forgot that the stars are for everyone, and that nature has a way of persisting.

Jamie Marsh, director of Community Development for the city of Lynn, conducts observation nights at the High Rock Tower Observatory with its 12 inch Meade telescope. Marsh said that 2500 people have used the telescope since the mayor’s office started doing tours in 2002.  ”The Mayor’s office volunteers their time as do I for the tours.”

The 2009 schedule of public viewing came to an end yesterday, but Marsh may take the telescope off its mount to the Red Rock Park some time in November for one more night.

To get to the telescope, you must climb the spiral iron staircase inside the tower. When you get to the top, you might see the domed observatory turn on its motorized moorings in order to face the celestial object of choice.

Everyone gets a chance to enter the dimly lit interior, climb the stepladder and look through the eyepiece. The chilly, cloudy night yielded fleeting views of the moon. It popped out from behind the cloud cover to reveal its cratered surface to the delight of young and old. Wisps of cloud floated past its illuminated disc.

*Katydids are a species of grasshopper-like insect that were once numerous in late summer and fall in my suburban hometown of Braintree, MA. The males make a distinctive noise by rubbing their wings together that sounds like the sandpaper scuffed on back and forth on wood 3 times. This is their mating call. In concert, it can be quite loud. I remember their sound permeating the humid night. In hot weather, their sound is fast. It slows down in proportion to how cold it gets. I remember one year when they made a great racket when I first noticed them. For some reason, their numbers decreased from one year to the next after that.

More pictures.

White House Invites At-large Candidate to Fatherhood Forum

At-large candidate for city council Eugene Schneeberg recently attended a White House Community Forum on Responsible Fatherhood and Education Success on Wednesday, September 23, in Manchester, New Hampshire.

The Fatherhood Forum was cosponsored by the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the U.S. Department of Education.  The event brought together experts, practitioners and fathers from across New England to address the successes and challenges faced by fathers. Participants also discussed father engagement as a strategy for boosting positive education outcomes for children.

From 1:30 to 3:30 at the Radisson Hotel, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Senior White House staff were present at the forum to advance President Barack Obama’s fatherhood initiative. On June 22, 2009, the President announced his intention to begin a national dialogue to explore how individuals, families, community organizations, and government can work together to strengthen fathers and families and address the challenge of father absence in America.

“As a councilor I plan to support existing and create new fatherhood initiatives throughout the city,” said Schneeberg. “I currently am a part of a new group that recently started in Lynn called the Lynn Fatherhood Initiative. I know first hand the impact of growing up without a father, and also the rewards of raising my own two children.”

According to 2008 American Community Census data, 24% of children in Lynn live in low income families. 13.2% was the national poverty rate in 2008. 36% of female head-of-household families in Lynn live below the poverty line. The national rate of female head-of-household families living in poverty is 24.4%.

Schneeberg lives in Ward 7 and has been a resident of Lynn for 5 years. “This gives me a fresh perspective on the problems facing Lynn,” said Schneeberg, who has been Director of Operations at Straight Ahead Ministries in Lynn for the last 5 years. Straight Ahead Ministries is a faith-based regional organization serving incarcerated and gang-affiliated youth. Its mission is to “transform the lives of juvenile offenders.”

Schneeberg says “Straight Ahead’s impact is that the city is safer because previously violent or criminal youth are now working in school, going to college and or are now giving back to their community instead of acting out criminally or violently. We are helping to restore hope throughout the city.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree in Urban Affairs at Boston University, Schneeberg chose to work at the MA Department of Youth Services. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Family and Children’s Services of Greater Lynn and the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts. He has worked with a wide variety of agencies to plan and implement a number of community clean-ups and to restore basketball hoops throughout the city so that families and children in our city have clean and safe places to play.

“I’ve dedicated my life to working together with other concerned citizens to build on and promote the great things about Lynn and to clean-up and minimize the negative and destructive elements of our city.” Schneeberg lives with his wife Deitra, son Eugene, Jr. & daughter Genesis in Ward 7.

http://www.electeugene.com/wordpress/

Comfort Food with a Twist

If only there were more places in downtown Lynn like the Blue Ox, I would probably visit more often. The place was packed Saturday night, people all dressed up, walking by outside our window table and coming through the door in a continuous stream. The food was excellent; the decor and ambience just right. The wait staff was excellent. The moon grew brighter over Munroe lofts as the sky grew darker. I would come here again, even if it was just to sit at the bar and watch the ballgame. Yes, there would be more people walking the streets of downtown if there were places like the Blue Ox to attract them.

The Eating-out club of the East Lynn Neighborhood Association met for the second time at the Blue Ox on Saturday evening at 5PM. A lot of the talk during and after revolved around politics in Lynn, the way things are in city and the way we would like them to be.

According to the Lynn Restaurant Group, “We have designed a restaurant for the Lynn community to gather for a great time and also become a catalyst for bringing people into the downtown area. The Group has as its main goal, to attract friends, family, neighbors and business associates by offering great food at affordable prices all served in relaxed and comfortable environment.” Lynn Attorney Matt DeJoie is the principal owner of the Lynn Restaurant Group. I’d say he has succeeded but time will tell–two  other establishments at this location have tried and failed.

What makes the Blue Ox different is its decision to cook “comfort food with a twist.” Chef Matt O’Neil, who graduated from the American Culinary Institute of America and has been chef at Prezza in Boston’s North End and the former Copia in Charlestown, thinks it’s a winning concept for downtown Lynn, and I would agree. Comfort food such hamburgers, ravioli, and clam chowder are given decorative presentations and interesting flavors.

The Blue Ox Burger is the restaurant’s signature dish, and let me tell you, it is delicious. It consists of two ¼ lb blue cheese stuffed burgers, topped with applewood bacon, tomato, lettuce, & mayo and served with herbed french fries. For $11, you could share this dish with a friend or significant other and not go into the red.

After tasting the fries, we talked about them as if they were a fine wine, detecting hints of various flavors such as thyme and lime. I tasted the squash stuffed ravioli, and it too was phenomenal. The clam chowder had a smoky flavor and was served with a drizzle of tabasco on the top. The prices were not outrageous. For drink, I recommend a Lobster Ale.

The Blue Ox is a winner. Next month, we are eating lunch at Pho Lynn on Munroe St. on Halloween. Let me know if you would like to join us. And please check out the 350 Project and support local businesses.