Rush hour at Murray Circle on Monday, May 17, 2021.

New Murray Circle, Arborway Lane Markings Spark Anger, Delight

At evening rush hour on Monday, the cars inching into JP's busiest rotary moved slower than a woman pushing a stroller along the sidewalk. Bikes, however, zoomed through via a new bike lane.  

Arborway Cycletrack! The broken link in the Emerald Necklace bicycle network has been eliminated! @EmNecklaceBos @bostonbikeunion @MassBike @StreetsBoston @StreetsblogMASS pic.twitter.com/clPBy9y8r0
— Peter Cheung (@bostonaruban) May 18, 2021

Murray Circle, the rotary that links Centre Street and the Arborway, received new lane markings this week.

4,875 Views

Soul Journey: Roots: Darkness and Light

10-month intensive that supports being with our deeply rooted patterns and trauma in a space of love. This program offers practices, ceremonies and support to risk living a heart-centered, soul-centric, and healing life. Your soul journey presents ways to remember who you truly are; in this process of  expressing yourself fully, change and healing can arise – in you, in your family, and in the world.

Video: ‘Thriller’ Flash Mob with Boston Symphony Orchestra & Pops in Jamaica Plain

This Halloween in Jamaica Plain wasn't just costumed kids going from house-to-house asking for candy. This year, professional musicians and dancers made their way across JP creating flash mobs in an homage to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Jamaica Plain's Hoopla Productions collaborated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops to produce several flash mobs for Halloween outside of Symphony Hall and in various locations in Jamaica Plain, said Hoopla's Mindy Fried to Jamaica Plain News. Hoopla Productions also organizes the popular Jamaica Plain Porchfest. Ali Pierre-Etienne choreographed the dancing, which was accompanied by the professional musicians, who also got into the zombie performance with makeup and some dance moves.

5,876 Views

Happy Halloween! Go Trick-or-Treating on Centre and South Streets

Not sure where to go trick-or-treating with the kids on Halloween? Then head to Centre and South streets where local stores will be handing out hundreds of pieces of candy. The 5th Annual JP Business and Professional Association Trick or Treat Halloween Stroll will be from 3 to 6 pm. "The last five years, the Trick or Treat Halloween Stroll on Centre and South streets was especially great," said Michael Reiskind, board member of JP BAPA, via email. "There was high energy in the business district and some businesses gave out over 1,000 pieces of candy.

3,460 Views

Boston Day of Reparations to African People

The Days of Reparations to African People is an annual, international speaking tour to raise white reparations to African (black) people and discuss how we as white people can be in genuine solidarity with African liberation. It is a campaign by the African Peoples Solidarity Committee and its mass organization, the Uhuru Solidarity Movement, both founded and led by the African People’s Socialist Party. WHERE: First Church in Jamaica Plain, Unitarian Universalist (6 Eliot St, Jamaica Plain)
WHEN: Thursday, November 8th, 2018, 7-9pm
Suggested Donation $5 - No one turned away for lack of funds
REGISTER: BostonDayOfReparations2018.eventbrite.com

Keynote Speaker: Omali Yeshitela, Chairman of the African People’s Socialist Party
Also speaking:
Penny Hess, Chairwoman of the African People's Solidarity Committee
Jesse Nevel, Chair of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement

A Call to Build the Days of Reparations to African People

A Call to Build the Days of Reparations to African People

For more info on the Boston event: usmboston@riseup.net or call 781-214-8131

Follow the Boston branch of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement at facebook.com/usmboston

For more info on the Days of Reparations to African People campaign, visit uhurusolidarity.org

New Cigarette ‘Buttlers’ Help Centre Street Look Its Best

In November, Jamaica Plain News reported that smart receptacles for cigarette butts would soon be coming to Centre Street. These Sidewalk Buttlers are now up. Each box bears the name of a local business that helped sponsor the project. The boxes are inconspicuous, so you might not have noticed them yet. "I think that they’re really helpful because I do smoke and there are not always trash cans nearby," said Ari Barrett, who works at Caffé Nero.

2,449 Views
Boston Police wagon for District E-13 (Jamaica Plain) on Green Street Friday, April 18, 2014

Eastern Bank Robbed

Boston Police say a white man in his 30s robbed the Eastern Bank in the middle of the Centre/South district on Monday. Police received a call about the robbery at 4:17 p.m. The robber did not show a firearm, according to Boston Police Officer Jamie Kenneally. The man stood about 5 feet, 9 inches and wore a blue jacket and blue knit hat. The bank branch is at 687 Centre St.

2,585 Views

Most-Read Stories of 2016: Goats and Gluttony

As 2017 begins, here's a look at the five most-read stories of 2016 here at Jamaica Plain News. 5. Man Shot Outside 7-Eleven
Luckily, and thanks the efforts of police and residents, crime was not overall a huge story in JP in 2016. However, isolated violence did continue this past year. Jeffrey Kelly, 28, was killed outside the South Huntington 7-Eleven in August.

2,068 Views

Chilacates Opening Second Location on Centre Street

Popular Jamaica Plain taqueria Chilacates is opening a second location in the neighborhood, taking over the Centre Street space formerly occupied by the short-lived Pink Samurai dumpling house. A Chilacates employee at the taqueria's 224 Amory St. location confirmed to Jamaica Plain News that a second Chilacates will open at 658 Centre St. -- and that the Amory Street location will remain open as well. Chilacates, which opened in the summer of 2015, has quickly gained a loyal customer following who gravitate to their burritos, tacos and other Mexican specialties.

2,293 Views
Rendering of proposal for multi-use building at 5 McBride St., as of Dec. 7, 2016

4-Story Building at James’s Gate Site Wins OK From Neighborhood Group

The old James's Gate Pub will become 11 condos plus ground-floor retail in a four-story building approved this week by a key neighborhood group. The Zoning Committee of the JP Neighborhood Council voted 8-2 with one abstention to recommend support for a plan by local developer Stephen Ballas to transform the site at 5 McBride St. The proposal has been on the table for roughly a year. Wednesday marked at least the fifth community meeting about the project. While condos are nothing new in JP, the size of the proposed development and fact that it takes the place of a well-known pub have focused attention on the project.

5,716 Views