January 13, 2025 • 40 mins
We kicked off the program with four news stories and different guests on the stories we think you need to know about!
Massachusetts Republican Party Reelects Amy Carnevale As Chairperson. Amy Carnevale checked in with Dan.
Daniel Valez, Spokesman for TSA New England says the deadline (May 7, 2025) for the REAL ID is fast approaching! Are you ready? If you don’t have a REAL ID, what do you need to board a plane flying domestically?
Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch reacted to ruling by The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection over the rebuilding of Long Island Bridge.
Emily Mew - Director of EDS for Massachusetts - Salvation Army explains how to help the victims of the CA wildfires. What they need most.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!
Massachusetts Republican Party Reelects Amy Carnevale As Chairperson. Amy Carnevale checked in with Dan.
Daniel Valez, Spokesman for TSA New England says the deadline (May 7, 2025) for the REAL ID is fast approaching! Are you ready? If you don’t have a REAL ID, what do you need to board a plane flying domestically?
Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch reacted to ruling by The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection over the rebuilding of Long Island Bridge.
Emily Mew - Director of EDS for Massachusetts - Salvation Army explains how to help the victims of the CA wildfires. What they need most.
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's news
radio home.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Thanks very much to call as we start another week
of Nightside right here on WBZ Boston's news radio. I
am Dan Ray. Rob Brooks is back in the control
room at Broadcast Central headquarters. He will be able to
begin taking your phone calls after the nine o'clock news.
During the first hour tonight, we're going to talk with,
amongst well, we're gonna talk with Amy Cornavalley, the newly
(00:31):
re elected chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party. Going to
talk with Daniel Vales of the TSA about the deadline
now that is back again to get your real ID.
Going to talk with Quincy mayor Tom Coke about a
little bit of movement on the Long Island Bridge. You're
going to talk with a representative of the Salvation Army
about those horrific wildfires that just now keep going. We're
(00:54):
talking about a week a week of wildfires in southern California,
and the the loss is simply immense. Now in terms
of lives, I think I saw a statistic that said
twenty four people and just you know, billions of dollars
worth of damage, probably the largest single catastrophe in the
(01:17):
history of the United States in terms of a natural disaster,
but we'll get to all of that a little bit
later on tonight. We will also talk later tonight with
Boston Business Globe reporter John Cesto about the fact that
Massachusetts we're still losing people, although not at as much
of a rate as we did a couple of years ago.
(01:38):
So the bleeding, if you will, the metaphorical bleeding, is stopping,
but can it be ended? I don't know. We'll also
talk about tuition going up, according to UMass President Marty
Mean three percent. That is not good news for people
who are students or people who are helping pay the
(01:59):
bills for students in the UMass system. Now let's start
off with Amy Connavalley, who had a pretty pleasant weekend,
at least on Saturday. Amy, congratulations, you have been re
elected the chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party. Some might
say that's sort of being appointed captain of the Titanic.
But what are you going to do to steer the
(02:21):
vote in a better direction here in Massachusetts away from
the theoretical icebergs that sometimes the party encounters.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Good evening, Dan, and thanks very much for having me
on screenspeed with you in your listeners once again. So
the Massachusetts Republican Party is actually on the rebound. We've
actually gained membership in the last two years after a
number of years of shrinking members We've gained thirteen five
(02:51):
hundred new registered Republicans in the Commonwealth over the last
two years. In addition to that, we've gained some seats.
We gained two state Senate seats, and we have our
eyes focused on the twenty twenty five and twenty twenty
six elections, twenty twenty five at the municipal level and
twenty twenty six at the legislative and congressional level. So
(03:14):
I would say, you know, the future is a lot brighter.
We are in a Democratic super majority state, but we
have a long history of electing Republican governors here in Massachusetts,
and we're going to work awfully hard as a team
to try to prove to the voters and show them
how we can do things differently and we think much
better for people of the Commonwealth.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, the Democrats have a lot of problems that they're
dealing with. You have the mayor in Boston who has
a real estate tax problem that she can't even get
resolved with the Democratic legislature. Now the governor, if the
reports are to be believed, is taking a second look
at the Massachusetts Shelter Law, which was passed in ninety
nineteen eighty three and signed by Governor Decacus. I was
(03:59):
actually at that ceremony, which was never intended for the
manner in which it has been used. So, I mean,
the Democrats have fumbled quite a bit. How do you
take advantage of that and say that people, hey, we're
a one party state, and things like that can happen
(04:19):
in a one party state. Competition is good? Now the
largest group of voters in Massachusetts are the unenrolled, as
I know you realize, and the Democrats are the second largest.
How do you push through that? This is this is
a big lift. You have some candidates who I think
could be a potential gubernatorial candidates. I saw lou and Evangelitis,
(04:44):
the sheriff of Worcester County said he might be looking
at that that run tell us, tell us what you're thinking.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yeah, absolutely, Dan, you know, talking about two party government,
talking about transparency, and of course the auditor has shown
how opaque the legislature is, and you know even the
media trying to cover what's happening on Beacon Hill, it's
almost impossible to find out, you know, how how things
are debated, how legislative legislation is debated, and you know,
(05:16):
we've got moved past the time where we have amendments
to bills and open debate, and that's not a good
thing for public policy. So having more Republicans represented on
Beacon Hill, having a Republican in in the gubernatorial seat,
brings back a level of transparency and accountability for public
(05:37):
policy and taxpayer dollars, and that's been missing, as has
been very clear on this migrant issue, which now over
two billion dollars has been spent over the last two years.
And now the governor, you know, seems to have perhaps
thrown up our hands after Republicans have been you know,
saying for two years now that the current system is
(06:00):
is not working. So we would argue, we certainly know
we have great quality candidates, and we would argue having
more Republicans present is a good thing for democracy and
public policy.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
And one of the things about the Shelter law is
that not only have has the law, in my opinion,
been used for in a manner which it was never intended.
Number one, it was always intended. And I remember at
the time there was a spike of homeless people in
this country and a spike of in Massachusetts of women
with children, and so the law was passed to make
(06:35):
sure that women and children, and it may sound a
little sexist, but it was passed at that time to
make sure that women in sheilton and children, women with
children and who were single and alone are abandoned, that
they had a place to stay. And that was the
purpose of the law. And now we find out that
not only was the purchase purpose of the law stretched incredibly,
(06:59):
but in addition that the regular criminal background checks that
should have been done on the folks who were availing
themselves of the new interpretation of the law were never
made and the governor was kept in the dark. There's
a lot to unravel.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
There a lot to unravel. And you're right, you know,
in the ironic thing about the original purpose of the
law is that women and children who have been living
in the Commonwealth for years and perhaps have come upon
hard times now are really being at the end of
(07:35):
the line and not finding that the shelter is even
available to them, because perhaps they're they're receiving other public assistants,
and those migrants coming across the border from day one
when they arrive are finding the shelter system open to them,
and Massachusetts residents are being frozen out, and that clearly
(07:59):
was not the.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Intent of the law.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
And now we're of course, now we're seeing that the
shelters themselves are in many cases unsafe place places to
live for the individuals who are there because background checks
were not done on the individuals as they came in.
And we also understand it's it's not been covered much
by the media, but the vendors who go into these shelters,
(08:24):
who are the case managers and interacting with these individuals,
we understand they're still operating in most cases under emergency
provisions and they're not background checked either. And there's been
some issues with the background with some of those individuals
because of course that the Commonwealth needs to find people
who speak the language and which is oftentimes a difficult thing.
(08:48):
So yeah, so it maybe not serving anybody well, and
the law needs to be changed.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You've got a big test. Let me ask you if
the people tonight who are listening, who liked what they've
how can they most easily get in touch with you
or the Republican Party, particularly people who are looking to
get active politically, young people who might be thinking about
running for office, or older people who are thinking about
any involved in politics. What's the easiest way for them
to get in touch with you?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Thanks Dan.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
So, we actually do have some candidate training sessions coming
up in February in March, and i'd welcome anybody who's
interested in learning more about running for office, or that
perhaps they know somebody who wants to run for office.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
That's the best way to get involved, and they can
check out our website at massgop dot com, or they
can send me an email at AC at massgop dot
com and happy too happy to talk to anybody who's interested.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
At any ConA Valley, AC at massgop dot com. Amy,
appreciate your time tonight, Best of luck. We all will
be better off if there is an active two party
state competition breeds competency, and I just think that it
will only in order the benefit of everyone in the
come off if we had a legitimate two party system.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Thanks Amy, Thank you Dan.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
All Right, when we get back, we're going to talk
about something that you may have a memory of remember
when they was in October twentieth deadline you had to
get a Massachusetts or had to get a driver's license
with what was called the real ID. Well, after about
four and a half years delay, they are now mandating
(10:27):
it and we're going to talk to someone from the
TSA bring it up to speed if you do not
have at this point a real ID driver's license. Right
after the break here on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Now back to Dan ray Mine from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Well, I remember about five years ago when we all
were looking at a deadline of October of twenty twenty,
I believe, and we had to get our real ID
drive licenses and I did get mine back then it
was not easy. And now after about five years, the
(11:08):
government is once again mandating that you've got to have
a real ID driver's license. With us is Daniel Valez.
He's a spokesperson with the TSA here in New England.
Daniel remind us why it is so important, particularly for
people who travel and will want to go into federal
buildings to get this real ID driver's license.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Yeah, so thanks Dan for having me on. I appreciate it. Yeah,
we are one hundred and fourteen days away from the
real ID deadline of May seventh, twenty twenty five, and
that's when every traveler who's eighteen years of old, eighteen
years of age or older has to have a real
ID or an enhanced driver's license or some type of
acceptable form of ID to be able to access military bases,
(11:58):
nuclear power plans that's where you're going, or spy domestically.
You're going to have to have a real ID. And
the main reason we're implementing the real ID is for security.
So Congress passed the real ID Act back in two
thousand and five to enhance security standards for identification directly
(12:19):
in response to the security vulnerabilities that were highlighted by
the nine to eleven attacks. We had nineteen hijackers on
nine to eleven that had thirty separate driver's licenses and
identification cards on them. So this real idea is going
to help us secure our military bases, the and our
(12:39):
flights that are traveling every day throughout the country.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Can I ask you a really dumb question, how do
we know that the nineteen hijackers had thirty sets of
drivers' licenses? Weren't they just obliterated when the planes hit
the various locales the Pentagon.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
But I think it I think it stems from I
think it stems from them. One we had video of
them presenting licenses, so that was some of them, and
then others they were of the find through databases.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Okay, fair enough, Okay, So I don't want to I
don't want to distract you from what we got to do.
What happens if someone, let's say, uh, their driver's license
doesn't come up for renewal until next year, are they
supposed to now go into the registry and get the
driver's license more quickly? So if you know, if they
want to, you know, fly domestically, obviously, if you're gonna
(13:35):
fly internationally, you gotta you have to have a passport.
Everyone understands that. What is the choice of someone who
who is in May after May seventeenth or whatever the
date is, or in June July whatever, want to fly somewhere,
but their driver's license is not renewable for a cup
for a year or two.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
So when I was in Boston about three weeks ago,
I was up there with the Massachusetts Registry Motor Vehicles
and they were telling folks that if your ID doesn't
expire till after the deadline, you can still come in
and renew it. They will allow you to renew it
to get a real ID. If that's not something you
(14:17):
want to do and you want to wait until your
license is due to be renewed and then get your
real ID, you can do that. However, on May seventh,
if you have a passport that's the most popular alternative
ID that will be accepting. You're going to have to
travel with your passports until you do eventually go and
(14:40):
get your real ID, or you know what if the
bottom line is, if you don't want to get a
real ID at all, you can use your US passport
if that's what you have. That's an acceptable form, and
we keep that. We're thinking, you know, we're thinking that
a lot. We're going to see a lot of US
passports come May seventh. On twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Ye, when did they reset the deadline to to May seventh?
How long ago was that set?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Well, we've we've reset it a bunch of different times.
I don't remember the exact day the last time we
reset it, Okay, but I know, you know, the biggest
the biggest reason for the extension of the deadline was COVID.
I mean COVID.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Uh, that's what. Yeah, that's what. That's what up set
the Apple card. Let me ask you a question, if
I could, Daniel, I remember when I got my real
ID driver's license, which I'm holding in my hand. You
can't see it, but trust me, I'm holding in my hand.
It was a pain in the neck to get it.
You had to bring a whole bunch. I brought my passport,
(15:46):
I brought my Social Security card. You had to bring
like a draw, your driver's license, of course, and then
you had to bring I think some some bills that
proved that you lived at the address. I mean, it
was very com Has that been streamlined at all? Enough?
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Well from for my understanding, especially for Massachusetts. At a minimum,
you must provide documentation showing your full legal name, your
date of birth, your soul Security number, two, proofs of
address proof what proof of residents where you live like Bill,
and your build status in the US, Yeah, Bill would work.
(16:25):
Each state has their own separate requirements. The best thing
to do is to visit the Massachusetts r m V
and click on the real ID link and it'll tell
you exactly what you need.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Yeah, it's a pain in the neck, but frankly, for convenience,
you got to do it. Uh. And there's I I'm
glad I did it. When I did it, I got
it done. I guess in it, you know, in advance
of COVID, because things got shut down after COVID. And
(17:00):
it does make traveling a little easier. You can leave
your passport at home. You don't have to fear losing
it or whatever. But yeah, point again to this is
a this is a huge undertaking by the government. I
mean that seriously, And I wish your best of luck.
I'm glad that you came on tonight, and just kind
of people should look at their passport and look at
(17:21):
their driver's licenses, and you need to have in the
upper right hand corner of your driver's license a gold
circle with a star inside of it, and that is
and it says USA and that. So some people may
have had may have gotten their real idea and forgotten
about it. So if you before you head off to
(17:41):
the registry, take a look at your license and see
if in the upper right hand corner you have this
gold circle with a white star and the word USA
in the in the lower right of the circle.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
Fair enough, fair enough.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, I just want people I'd hate like people go through.
You know, they got it three years ago, four years ago,
and they forgot about it, and they find themselves back
of the Register of Motor Vehicles unnecessarily. Daniel, appreciate you call.
You made it very clear, and I really do think
that it was a helpful interview tonight. Thanks so much.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yeah, thank you, Dan. I appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
You bet you we'll talk again when we get back.
When we talked to Quincy Mayor Tom Coke, you're not
happy about a decision that was made in Massachusetts which
has moved the city of Boston a little closer to
the possibility of reconstructing the bridge to Long Island. We'll
talk with Mayor Coke right after the news at the
(18:38):
bottom of the hour.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Night Side with Dan Ray ONBZ, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Thanks to Cole joining us. Now is Quinsy Mayor Tom Coke? Yes, well, recently,
I should say, actually I believe it was on January seventh,
the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection granted Boston and a
permit which previously had not been allowed Mayor Coke welcome
(19:07):
to nightside, sir, how are you? That's the heck of
a welcome, hon you know, and Dan Well, I forgot
to get the bad stuff out of the way. First. Look,
there's there once was a bridge that linked Boston to Quincy,
and I believe it was Mayor Marty Walsh who felt
that that bridge should come down and the the the
(19:28):
underpinnings of the bridge remained. But but the bridge is
no longer there. And you're not in favor of the
bridge because it's going to have a real impact on
the portion of your city that is known as squantum.
Tell us about that, first of all. And uh tell
us what this latest ruling means in terms of this
(19:50):
fight between Boston and Quincy. No other way to describe it,
I think, Mayor, I don't want to I don't want
to be.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Dis no understood, understood and and and with respect to
mighty wells, respect Mayor Michelle Wou. I have opposed the
bridge from day one because it will introduce an amount
of traffic to my neighborhoods in North Quinsey Atlantic Squantum.
And you know, there was never any description of what
they would do at the island. There's a lot of
(20:16):
concepts about programs. There used to be programs out there.
Reality was, the bridge was so badly to take it down,
and it was said to me at that time it
probably would never go up again. So then when may
Walsh announced we're going to rebuild the bridge, that began
a long and we continue to be in that process.
And I said to him at the time, with all
(20:37):
due respect, that I'm going to do everything I can
to keep you from building that bridge. And I said
the same thing that Michelle wou when we met a
few years back, and here we asked, she's going to
be going on her second term, assuming she runs again,
and we still held the bridge entangled in legal and
environmental permits and we're going to continue to appeal. Were
(21:00):
you going to use every legal avenue we can to
keep them from building that bridge? And by now the
bridge is probably cost to build. It would be in
the three hundred billion dollar range. So I know the
Boston Seven some challenges right now. Finally resources, I don't
know how you find it for the bridge.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
So so the bridge was taken down.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
What year, well, Mayor Walsh was the mayor. Okay, so
I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
It did he agree with that or did was it
taken down over his objections.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
He's the one that authorized it coming down because it
was I thought I wasn't safe. That wasn't safe, and
and then within a year or whatever, it was the
indicator that he was going to look to rebuild it.
And you know, and I understand, you know, there were
a lot of programs out on Long Island that a
lot of people were served, and maybe the Allies was
safe for some of those programs, but I don't believe
(21:53):
you need to have a bridge to do those programs.
And by all accounts stand and this isn't me talking
out of my panny, but there was a globe done
some time ago, maybe a couple of years ago. The
buildings out there need a half ability into three quarters
of a billion dollars worth of work, never mind the
cost of the breach. When you start to really look
at it, you know that's that's an awful lot of money.
(22:16):
I'm sure you could be doing some of these things
on the mainland.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Well, for example, there's Mattapan State Hospital, which, to the
best I'm not sure if that's being utilized at this point.
Shat a hospital. I think I don't think that's being
fully utilized. You probably more familiar with this than I am.
I'm only speaking as someone who has some familiarity with Boston.
It's not as if Boston has no other options. Why
(22:42):
is Mayor Wu so intent on apparently, and she's at
the same time appealing for relief for her residential taxpayers.
Looks seems to me like a whole bunch of conflicting
signals coming out of this mayor's office.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Yeah, that's and that's why I don't understand it. You know,
indicated to me early on. Look, she didn't know she
would build it, but she wants to get all the
permits and plays, so you know, that was their their
goal and goals keeping from doing that. Now the other
thing that you should know, I'm let me say.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Did that sound somewhat disingenuous? Man?
Speaker 6 (23:16):
I mean, it's like, well, I was your next door
neighbor and I said to you, you know, Tom, I'm
not gonna intend to put up a twenty five foot
fence between your house and my house and and block
your view of whatever you whatever your view is.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
I'm just going to try to get the permits in place.
I mean it is.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
It is a lot, no question.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
But the other thing is that and for people to
fully understand is that this this is considered a private
bridge because it's a private activity out there, so they
they're not eligible for state or federal dollars. So the
entire cross of that bridge would be born by the
City of Boston. And as you said, the way the
nights going, I don't know how they find them money
(24:02):
for that. Now, by the way, Dan, they have a
summer program, a summer day camp which was one of
Tom Andino's babies out there for inner city kids, and
they ferry those kids every day during the summer, So
I don't know why you wouldn't bury folks up to
the other side of the island.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Yeah, that was the great summer camp that may Or
Menino and the late Great Jack Conner's built out there,
which is a great, a great program.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Now, I don't know. There might be days in the
winter time when the wind is howling and it's the
northeastern but I would say probably you know, three hundred
and forty days out of the year you could run
a ferry out there, right, I mean, what are we
talking about a couple of a couple of weeks of bad,
really bad weather where you couldn't run a ferry.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Perhaps, I mean we this. Ferries run all over the
world for for cities that live in the habble like Boston,
and they do it exactly.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
What was the last time you and Mayor WU talked
about this? So do you talk to it or is
it just between your subordinates? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Just you know, early on we first met when she
first got in and I met with her and some
of her staff members, and uh, you know, I just
want to make sure she knew directly from me how
I felt about it, why I was opposing it, and uh,
we haven't really talked about it since. I mean she
she called me maybe a year ago when they won
one of the battles to let me know they won
(25:31):
one of the battles. But we but we haven't had
any any discussions about it, and uh, she you know,
she we did have a conversation. My my story is
the same, you know, we're not I'm not making any changes.
The quality of life of my neighborhoods have gone up
since the bridge went down, and the values and property
vality in those areas also went up. So you know,
(25:53):
it definitely would have an adverse effect on the quality
of life and my constituents. And you know, when Mighty walls,
I don't think I'm talking out of school. When we
met for breakfast and I told them I was going
to do everything again to keep me So come on,
I says, with all the respect made, you'd be doing
the same thing if the show was on the other floor.
And and he laughed, and he said, sure, of course,
(26:13):
of course, is that very personal?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Do you have or are you contemplating any form of
court action to try to reverse this this permit?
Speaker 4 (26:24):
We probably will take this, will appeal this to superior court. Absolutely,
And there's still the Coast Guide permit that's hanging u.
There's there's other steps in the process here. This isn't
a slam dunk by any means for Boston.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Wow. I just think I just think it's very interesting. Look,
you've been mayor in in Quincy for for some time.
You've got to be doing something right to have been
re elected as many times as you've been, how many
how many reelections? You're sort of the Tom Menino, if
you will, He was the Tom Cooke of Boston. Look
at it. How many how many years have you been
(26:58):
in office down there now?
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Well, I did four two year terms and in my
third four year terms, I'm in my eighteenth year. Just
getting the hang of it, Dan, just get the hang of.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
It, getting good at it. Okay, Well again, obviously, you
are representing your constituents first and foremost, and I think
that's absolutely that's absolutely commendable. And there's there's no I
assume pushback from any of your neighborhoods down there saying, oh,
mayor we got to change our position. I assume you're constituents,
(27:31):
particularly those who are going to be affected by it,
are appreciative.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
Of the and that that showed in the election results. Honestly, Dan,
I did. I mean, I have individual people that come
out to me and think I'm doing the wrong thing
because they're in the social world of of helping people,
and I get it. But when you walk through them,
the other options that are out there for people, and
quite frankly, you know, the states could land around this
(27:58):
is a regional issue. The state could be helped fullness
as well. So I know Boston, you know, it gets
a bad rap in some ways. People. It's not all
Boston people. That they come in there, and whether it's uh,
you know, the the stretch along mass Ave that's the issue,
or in public places. Yeah, and it's not all Bostome people.
(28:19):
So there are regional issues that we should be addressing,
and I think this is the one should be addressed regionally.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Well. The other thing too is, if if I'm not mistaken,
there's been some some suggestions of uh, some of the
the either the jail space uh that is that's available
in Suffolk County, some of it could be utilized on
a day, daytime basis, not where people are in jail,
but where they could avail themselves of benefits. I think
(28:49):
we all know that there's a lot of commercial property
in Boston which has not been refilled post COVID.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Why are the city officials in Boston not taking outside
the box and doing something that on a short term
basis that might even be the solution on a long
term basis, I don't understand that.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Yeah, it's good question. I hope they are thinking about
other options and that you know, we even haven't even
talked about Connie. What's going to have on Connie Hospital?
You know? So I do believe there are a lot
of options within the whatever it is, forty six square
miles of Boston on the mainland without having to spend
a half to you know, three quarters of a billion
(29:30):
dollars on of you know, you could probably do that
for tenth of that somewhere in the mainland. So I'm
still perplexed by it, the position that Boston has taken.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Yep. Well, you present the arguments very well, Mayor, and
I wish you best of luck on it. Thank you
so much, Quincy Mayor Tom Coke in his eighteenth year
of service as mayor in the City of Quincy, appreciate
you taking the time tonight, Mayor Coke.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
Thanks Dan, You're very welcome when.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
We get back, and to talk about a real big
problem which I think everyone is now familiar with, the
California wildfire. Is going to talk about the representative of
the Salvation Army as to how those of us here
in New England or anywhere up and down the East
Coast who are listening to night Side tonight can try
to help out through a legitimate charity where you know
(30:18):
that whatever funds you might send actually will go to
benefit people in need. My name's Dan Ray. This is
Nightside and it's eight forty six here on a Monday night,
the thirteenth, and I believe it's a full moon tonight,
the wolf moon. We'll talk about about that sometime later
on this week. We may talk about it tonight, depending
(30:39):
upon the call as we get later on. We'll be
back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Well, I think you would have to be living under
a rock not to know what has transpired in southern California,
in Los Angeles, in some of the most expensive portions
of Los Angeles west of the city towards the Pacific
Ocean in the last week, devastation of a level that
(31:13):
from fires, wildfires that a few of us have ever
seen in our lifetime. And as always, one great organization
that is rising to the challenge, and that is the
Salvation Army with us is Emily Mew. She is with
the Salvation Army here in Massachusetts. She's the director of
EDS for Massachusetts Salvation Army. Emily, I'm not sure what
(31:36):
EDS stands for, and I don't want to take a
guess at it. So you're the director, would you explain
what EDS is in the Salvation Army?
Speaker 7 (31:44):
Hi, Dan, sure, EDS stands for Emergency Disaster Services. So
I work in the department that responds to things that
are happening in southern California.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Probat each could have taken a guess at it, but
I didn't want to be incorrect. So so you're located
in Massachusetts, uh and, but but you're assigned to try
to do work uh for for the Salvation Army in
southern California. At this point?
Speaker 5 (32:19):
Is that?
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Am I? Is that what I'm to understand?
Speaker 1 (32:22):
No?
Speaker 7 (32:22):
I I do that work here in Massachusetts and sometimes
get deployed two areas that are affected by national disasters.
So if we were to have something here in Massachusetts,
I would be in charge of coordinating the effort to
respond here locally.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Okay, So so I'm a little confused. Tell me what
your role is in terms of Southern California.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
So I don't.
Speaker 7 (32:49):
I don't at the at this moment, have a role
out there. I I am only providing some information today.
There is the possibility at some point that somebody from
Massachusetts could potentially get deployed to southern California.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
But I just don't.
Speaker 7 (33:09):
I just do that this that job here in Massachata.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
So what message do you want to bring to our
listeners about what we here in the East can do
through the Salvation Army to help people who are really
in desperate shape, who literally have butt the closure in
their back.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Sure, so in Southern California, I do know some of
the work that we are doing. I was on a
call earlier this morning learning you know what are not
just what we the Salvation Army is doing down there,
but also some of our partners, and you know, we
can here in Massachusetts except financial donations that will go
(33:50):
to the Salvation Army in Southern California, and one hundred
percent of those financial donations go directly to the response
effort on the ground. So you know, even though Massachusetts
personnel is not local to Southern California, we can still
(34:10):
help in that way and recruit, you know, financial assistance
to support our efforts.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Have you had a chance to talk with your fellow
colleagues in Southern California who have seen this up close
in person. We've all seen the pictures in television there
it's it's you know, I mean, it is just something
that looks like a war zone. Particularly when they when
they fly over and they take the picture of all
(34:39):
the properties, the buildings that are now in rubble. But
I assume at some point you must have talked to
some of the folks, your folks on the ground out there.
What are they describing the situation.
Speaker 7 (34:50):
As so they're I mean, they're heavily into the work.
I myself haven't had an opportunity to speak to anyone individ, Julie,
but I do know that you know, some of our
locations in southern California, we have forty three local Salvation
Army community centers across that region, and all are involved
(35:12):
one way or the other. Some are are affected themselves,
are in evacuation zones and needed to get out, which
you know can impede our response, but some are actively
engaged in providing emergency shelter and temporary housing. I know
our Pasadena location was a temporary shelter at some at
(35:35):
one point in the early days. Many of our our
volunteers and staff are in our kitchens preparing meals, Some
are coming together in prayer, offering emotional and spiritual care
support and you know, really being there for the people
that have experienced devastating loss. So I know, you know
(36:00):
they're on the ground doing doing the work, doing that
tough job of not only struggling themselves because they're in
that zone and you know, the red flag warnings are
still on effect, but they're also simultaneously providing services to
their to their fellow community members and friends. There are
(36:25):
UH several evacuation shelters open. We're providing meals at those
centers UH to the displaced staff or to the displaced residence,
to the staff, to the medical UH personnel, as well
as utility workers and first responders, and just being in
there in the community and and providing that support is
(36:49):
is is really impactful, not only for mm hm.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
So so what kid people then here in New England
or are station right now? Is being heard probably in
I don't know, twenty twenty five states as the as
the night comes comes across the country. We we penetrate
many states, virtually all states east of the Mississippi River.
If if people want to make a contribution, what what
(37:17):
is the easiest way for them to UH to send
a contribution through you folks here in Massachusetts directly to California,
what what what way would you suggest?
Speaker 7 (37:28):
So I would suggest two ways. You can call in
to one eight hundred sal Army s A L A
R M Y, or go to I think the easiest
one to remember since I'm on the radio is help
Salvation Army dot org uh and that would provide a
drop down menu and they can select the Southern California
(37:49):
wildfires and that will go directly to the Salvation Army
in Southern California. And again one hundred percent of that
will go directly.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
To the to the to the effort through the Salvation Army.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
No, I mean, I think everybody knows what a great
job the Salvation Army does. We often see the Salvation Army.
It's most visible around Christmas with you know, with the cattle,
et cetera. How many people are involved in the Salvation
Army across the country, I mean it is an army
of people. How large is the is the organization?
Speaker 7 (38:25):
It's I don't have that number off the top of
my head, but I know we have like sixty four
hundred community centers across the nations. Were present in every
single zip code in the US, so you know, anybody
can go in to a local center and receive services
at any place across the country. I mean, I couldn't
(38:48):
wager a guess on how many. But we work, like
many organizations work with volunteers as well, and here in Massachusetts,
we can't do what we we do without a number
of volunteers. So, you know, I know it's not easy
to get involved immediately, but if any people are interested
(39:11):
in being a volunteer for the Salvation Army and getting
trained to respond locally, they can you know, maybe at
some point in the future help with a situation like
this as well.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Great Emily, thanks very much for your time tonight, and
thanks for the work you do. There are a lot
of charities out there now that are trying to scam people.
The one thing people can certainly be certain of if
they donate for this cause through the Salvation Army, either
it helps Salvation Army dot org or one eight hundred
Sale Army, that that money will get to a place
(39:44):
where it will help some family.
Speaker 4 (39:45):
Thanks so much, Emily, You're welcome.
Speaker 7 (39:48):
I really appreciate being here. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
You're very welcome. When we get back, we will start
the program at hand, and we are going to talk
about the increase increase that now is expected at the
University of Massachusetts, and that news was disclosed over the
weekend by UMass President Marty Mehan while he was being
(40:12):
interviewed on Channel five. We'll be back on Nightside right
after the nine o'clock news
It's night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's news
radio home.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Thanks very much to call as we start another week
of Nightside right here on WBZ Boston's news radio. I
am Dan Ray. Rob Brooks is back in the control
room at Broadcast Central headquarters. He will be able to
begin taking your phone calls after the nine o'clock news.
During the first hour tonight, we're going to talk with,
amongst well, we're gonna talk with Amy Cornavalley, the newly
(00:31):
re elected chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party. Going to
talk with Daniel Vales of the TSA about the deadline
now that is back again to get your real ID.
Going to talk with Quincy mayor Tom Coke about a
little bit of movement on the Long Island Bridge. You're
going to talk with a representative of the Salvation Army
about those horrific wildfires that just now keep going. We're
(00:54):
talking about a week a week of wildfires in southern California,
and the the loss is simply immense. Now in terms
of lives, I think I saw a statistic that said
twenty four people and just you know, billions of dollars
worth of damage, probably the largest single catastrophe in the
(01:17):
history of the United States in terms of a natural disaster,
but we'll get to all of that a little bit
later on tonight. We will also talk later tonight with
Boston Business Globe reporter John Cesto about the fact that
Massachusetts we're still losing people, although not at as much
of a rate as we did a couple of years ago.
(01:38):
So the bleeding, if you will, the metaphorical bleeding, is stopping,
but can it be ended? I don't know. We'll also
talk about tuition going up, according to UMass President Marty
Mean three percent. That is not good news for people
who are students or people who are helping pay the
(01:59):
bills for students in the UMass system. Now let's start
off with Amy Connavalley, who had a pretty pleasant weekend,
at least on Saturday. Amy, congratulations, you have been re
elected the chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party. Some might
say that's sort of being appointed captain of the Titanic.
But what are you going to do to steer the
(02:21):
vote in a better direction here in Massachusetts away from
the theoretical icebergs that sometimes the party encounters.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Good evening, Dan, and thanks very much for having me
on screenspeed with you in your listeners once again. So
the Massachusetts Republican Party is actually on the rebound. We've
actually gained membership in the last two years after a
number of years of shrinking members We've gained thirteen five
(02:51):
hundred new registered Republicans in the Commonwealth over the last
two years. In addition to that, we've gained some seats.
We gained two state Senate seats, and we have our
eyes focused on the twenty twenty five and twenty twenty
six elections, twenty twenty five at the municipal level and
twenty twenty six at the legislative and congressional level. So
(03:14):
I would say, you know, the future is a lot brighter.
We are in a Democratic super majority state, but we
have a long history of electing Republican governors here in Massachusetts,
and we're going to work awfully hard as a team
to try to prove to the voters and show them
how we can do things differently and we think much
better for people of the Commonwealth.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, the Democrats have a lot of problems that they're
dealing with. You have the mayor in Boston who has
a real estate tax problem that she can't even get
resolved with the Democratic legislature. Now the governor, if the
reports are to be believed, is taking a second look
at the Massachusetts Shelter Law, which was passed in ninety
nineteen eighty three and signed by Governor Decacus. I was
(03:59):
actually at that ceremony, which was never intended for the
manner in which it has been used. So, I mean,
the Democrats have fumbled quite a bit. How do you
take advantage of that and say that people, hey, we're
a one party state, and things like that can happen
(04:19):
in a one party state. Competition is good? Now the
largest group of voters in Massachusetts are the unenrolled, as
I know you realize, and the Democrats are the second largest.
How do you push through that? This is this is
a big lift. You have some candidates who I think
could be a potential gubernatorial candidates. I saw lou and Evangelitis,
(04:44):
the sheriff of Worcester County said he might be looking
at that that run tell us, tell us what you're thinking.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yeah, absolutely, Dan, you know, talking about two party government,
talking about transparency, and of course the auditor has shown
how opaque the legislature is, and you know even the
media trying to cover what's happening on Beacon Hill, it's
almost impossible to find out, you know, how how things
are debated, how legislative legislation is debated, and you know,
(05:16):
we've got moved past the time where we have amendments
to bills and open debate, and that's not a good
thing for public policy. So having more Republicans represented on
Beacon Hill, having a Republican in in the gubernatorial seat,
brings back a level of transparency and accountability for public
(05:37):
policy and taxpayer dollars, and that's been missing, as has
been very clear on this migrant issue, which now over
two billion dollars has been spent over the last two years.
And now the governor, you know, seems to have perhaps
thrown up our hands after Republicans have been you know,
saying for two years now that the current system is
(06:00):
is not working. So we would argue, we certainly know
we have great quality candidates, and we would argue having
more Republicans present is a good thing for democracy and
public policy.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
And one of the things about the Shelter law is
that not only have has the law, in my opinion,
been used for in a manner which it was never intended.
Number one, it was always intended. And I remember at
the time there was a spike of homeless people in
this country and a spike of in Massachusetts of women
with children, and so the law was passed to make
(06:35):
sure that women and children, and it may sound a
little sexist, but it was passed at that time to
make sure that women in sheilton and children, women with
children and who were single and alone are abandoned, that
they had a place to stay. And that was the
purpose of the law. And now we find out that
not only was the purchase purpose of the law stretched incredibly,
(06:59):
but in addition that the regular criminal background checks that
should have been done on the folks who were availing
themselves of the new interpretation of the law were never
made and the governor was kept in the dark. There's
a lot to unravel.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
There a lot to unravel. And you're right, you know,
in the ironic thing about the original purpose of the
law is that women and children who have been living
in the Commonwealth for years and perhaps have come upon
hard times now are really being at the end of
(07:35):
the line and not finding that the shelter is even
available to them, because perhaps they're they're receiving other public assistants,
and those migrants coming across the border from day one
when they arrive are finding the shelter system open to them,
and Massachusetts residents are being frozen out, and that clearly
(07:59):
was not the.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Intent of the law.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
And now we're of course, now we're seeing that the
shelters themselves are in many cases unsafe place places to
live for the individuals who are there because background checks
were not done on the individuals as they came in.
And we also understand it's it's not been covered much
by the media, but the vendors who go into these shelters,
(08:24):
who are the case managers and interacting with these individuals,
we understand they're still operating in most cases under emergency
provisions and they're not background checked either. And there's been
some issues with the background with some of those individuals
because of course that the Commonwealth needs to find people
who speak the language and which is oftentimes a difficult thing.
(08:48):
So yeah, so it maybe not serving anybody well, and
the law needs to be changed.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You've got a big test. Let me ask you if
the people tonight who are listening, who liked what they've
how can they most easily get in touch with you
or the Republican Party, particularly people who are looking to
get active politically, young people who might be thinking about
running for office, or older people who are thinking about
any involved in politics. What's the easiest way for them
to get in touch with you?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Thanks Dan.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
So, we actually do have some candidate training sessions coming
up in February in March, and i'd welcome anybody who's
interested in learning more about running for office, or that
perhaps they know somebody who wants to run for office.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
That's the best way to get involved, and they can
check out our website at massgop dot com, or they
can send me an email at AC at massgop dot
com and happy too happy to talk to anybody who's interested.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
At any ConA Valley, AC at massgop dot com. Amy,
appreciate your time tonight, Best of luck. We all will
be better off if there is an active two party
state competition breeds competency, and I just think that it
will only in order the benefit of everyone in the
come off if we had a legitimate two party system.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
Thanks Amy, Thank you Dan.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
All Right, when we get back, we're going to talk
about something that you may have a memory of remember
when they was in October twentieth deadline you had to
get a Massachusetts or had to get a driver's license
with what was called the real ID. Well, after about
four and a half years delay, they are now mandating
(10:27):
it and we're going to talk to someone from the
TSA bring it up to speed if you do not
have at this point a real ID driver's license. Right
after the break here on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Now back to Dan ray Mine from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Well, I remember about five years ago when we all
were looking at a deadline of October of twenty twenty,
I believe, and we had to get our real ID
drive licenses and I did get mine back then it
was not easy. And now after about five years, the
(11:08):
government is once again mandating that you've got to have
a real ID driver's license. With us is Daniel Valez.
He's a spokesperson with the TSA here in New England.
Daniel remind us why it is so important, particularly for
people who travel and will want to go into federal
buildings to get this real ID driver's license.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
Yeah, so thanks Dan for having me on. I appreciate it. Yeah,
we are one hundred and fourteen days away from the
real ID deadline of May seventh, twenty twenty five, and
that's when every traveler who's eighteen years of old, eighteen
years of age or older has to have a real
ID or an enhanced driver's license or some type of
acceptable form of ID to be able to access military bases,
(11:58):
nuclear power plans that's where you're going, or spy domestically.
You're going to have to have a real ID. And
the main reason we're implementing the real ID is for security.
So Congress passed the real ID Act back in two
thousand and five to enhance security standards for identification directly
(12:19):
in response to the security vulnerabilities that were highlighted by
the nine to eleven attacks. We had nineteen hijackers on
nine to eleven that had thirty separate driver's licenses and
identification cards on them. So this real idea is going
to help us secure our military bases, the and our
(12:39):
flights that are traveling every day throughout the country.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Can I ask you a really dumb question, how do
we know that the nineteen hijackers had thirty sets of
drivers' licenses? Weren't they just obliterated when the planes hit
the various locales the Pentagon.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
But I think it I think it stems from I
think it stems from them. One we had video of
them presenting licenses, so that was some of them, and
then others they were of the find through databases.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Okay, fair enough, Okay, So I don't want to I
don't want to distract you from what we got to do.
What happens if someone, let's say, uh, their driver's license
doesn't come up for renewal until next year, are they
supposed to now go into the registry and get the
driver's license more quickly? So if you know, if they
want to, you know, fly domestically, obviously, if you're gonna
(13:35):
fly internationally, you gotta you have to have a passport.
Everyone understands that. What is the choice of someone who
who is in May after May seventeenth or whatever the
date is, or in June July whatever, want to fly somewhere,
but their driver's license is not renewable for a cup
for a year or two.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
So when I was in Boston about three weeks ago,
I was up there with the Massachusetts Registry Motor Vehicles
and they were telling folks that if your ID doesn't
expire till after the deadline, you can still come in
and renew it. They will allow you to renew it
to get a real ID. If that's not something you
(14:17):
want to do and you want to wait until your
license is due to be renewed and then get your
real ID, you can do that. However, on May seventh,
if you have a passport that's the most popular alternative
ID that will be accepting. You're going to have to
travel with your passports until you do eventually go and
(14:40):
get your real ID, or you know what if the
bottom line is, if you don't want to get a
real ID at all, you can use your US passport
if that's what you have. That's an acceptable form, and
we keep that. We're thinking, you know, we're thinking that
a lot. We're going to see a lot of US
passports come May seventh. On twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Ye, when did they reset the deadline to to May seventh?
How long ago was that set?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Well, we've we've reset it a bunch of different times.
I don't remember the exact day the last time we
reset it, Okay, but I know, you know, the biggest
the biggest reason for the extension of the deadline was COVID.
I mean COVID.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Uh, that's what. Yeah, that's what. That's what up set
the Apple card. Let me ask you a question, if
I could, Daniel, I remember when I got my real
ID driver's license, which I'm holding in my hand. You
can't see it, but trust me, I'm holding in my hand.
It was a pain in the neck to get it.
You had to bring a whole bunch. I brought my passport,
(15:46):
I brought my Social Security card. You had to bring
like a draw, your driver's license, of course, and then
you had to bring I think some some bills that
proved that you lived at the address. I mean, it
was very com Has that been streamlined at all? Enough?
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Well from for my understanding, especially for Massachusetts. At a minimum,
you must provide documentation showing your full legal name, your
date of birth, your soul Security number, two, proofs of
address proof what proof of residents where you live like Bill,
and your build status in the US, Yeah, Bill would work.
(16:25):
Each state has their own separate requirements. The best thing
to do is to visit the Massachusetts r m V
and click on the real ID link and it'll tell
you exactly what you need.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Yeah, it's a pain in the neck, but frankly, for convenience,
you got to do it. Uh. And there's I I'm
glad I did it. When I did it, I got
it done. I guess in it, you know, in advance
of COVID, because things got shut down after COVID. And
(17:00):
it does make traveling a little easier. You can leave
your passport at home. You don't have to fear losing
it or whatever. But yeah, point again to this is
a this is a huge undertaking by the government. I
mean that seriously, And I wish your best of luck.
I'm glad that you came on tonight, and just kind
of people should look at their passport and look at
(17:21):
their driver's licenses, and you need to have in the
upper right hand corner of your driver's license a gold
circle with a star inside of it, and that is
and it says USA and that. So some people may
have had may have gotten their real idea and forgotten
about it. So if you before you head off to
(17:41):
the registry, take a look at your license and see
if in the upper right hand corner you have this
gold circle with a white star and the word USA
in the in the lower right of the circle.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
Fair enough, fair enough.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, I just want people I'd hate like people go through.
You know, they got it three years ago, four years ago,
and they forgot about it, and they find themselves back
of the Register of Motor Vehicles unnecessarily. Daniel, appreciate you call.
You made it very clear, and I really do think
that it was a helpful interview tonight. Thanks so much.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yeah, thank you, Dan. I appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
You bet you we'll talk again when we get back.
When we talked to Quincy Mayor Tom Coke, you're not
happy about a decision that was made in Massachusetts which
has moved the city of Boston a little closer to
the possibility of reconstructing the bridge to Long Island. We'll
talk with Mayor Coke right after the news at the
(18:38):
bottom of the hour.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Night Side with Dan Ray ONBZ, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Thanks to Cole joining us. Now is Quinsy Mayor Tom Coke? Yes, well, recently,
I should say, actually I believe it was on January seventh,
the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection granted Boston and a
permit which previously had not been allowed Mayor Coke welcome
(19:07):
to nightside, sir, how are you? That's the heck of
a welcome, hon you know, and Dan Well, I forgot
to get the bad stuff out of the way. First. Look,
there's there once was a bridge that linked Boston to Quincy,
and I believe it was Mayor Marty Walsh who felt
that that bridge should come down and the the the
(19:28):
underpinnings of the bridge remained. But but the bridge is
no longer there. And you're not in favor of the
bridge because it's going to have a real impact on
the portion of your city that is known as squantum.
Tell us about that, first of all. And uh tell
us what this latest ruling means in terms of this
(19:50):
fight between Boston and Quincy. No other way to describe it,
I think, Mayor, I don't want to I don't want
to be.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Dis no understood, understood and and and with respect to
mighty wells, respect Mayor Michelle Wou. I have opposed the
bridge from day one because it will introduce an amount
of traffic to my neighborhoods in North Quinsey Atlantic Squantum.
And you know, there was never any description of what
they would do at the island. There's a lot of
(20:16):
concepts about programs. There used to be programs out there.
Reality was, the bridge was so badly to take it down,
and it was said to me at that time it
probably would never go up again. So then when may
Walsh announced we're going to rebuild the bridge, that began
a long and we continue to be in that process.
And I said to him at the time, with all
(20:37):
due respect, that I'm going to do everything I can
to keep you from building that bridge. And I said
the same thing that Michelle wou when we met a
few years back, and here we asked, she's going to
be going on her second term, assuming she runs again,
and we still held the bridge entangled in legal and
environmental permits and we're going to continue to appeal. Were
(21:00):
you going to use every legal avenue we can to
keep them from building that bridge? And by now the
bridge is probably cost to build. It would be in
the three hundred billion dollar range. So I know the
Boston Seven some challenges right now. Finally resources, I don't
know how you find it for the bridge.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
So so the bridge was taken down.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
What year, well, Mayor Walsh was the mayor. Okay, so
I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
It did he agree with that or did was it
taken down over his objections.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
He's the one that authorized it coming down because it
was I thought I wasn't safe. That wasn't safe, and
and then within a year or whatever, it was the
indicator that he was going to look to rebuild it.
And you know, and I understand, you know, there were
a lot of programs out on Long Island that a
lot of people were served, and maybe the Allies was
safe for some of those programs, but I don't believe
(21:53):
you need to have a bridge to do those programs.
And by all accounts stand and this isn't me talking
out of my panny, but there was a globe done
some time ago, maybe a couple of years ago. The
buildings out there need a half ability into three quarters
of a billion dollars worth of work, never mind the
cost of the breach. When you start to really look
at it, you know that's that's an awful lot of money.
(22:16):
I'm sure you could be doing some of these things
on the mainland.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Well, for example, there's Mattapan State Hospital, which, to the
best I'm not sure if that's being utilized at this point.
Shat a hospital. I think I don't think that's being
fully utilized. You probably more familiar with this than I am.
I'm only speaking as someone who has some familiarity with Boston.
It's not as if Boston has no other options. Why
(22:42):
is Mayor Wu so intent on apparently, and she's at
the same time appealing for relief for her residential taxpayers.
Looks seems to me like a whole bunch of conflicting
signals coming out of this mayor's office.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
Yeah, that's and that's why I don't understand it. You know,
indicated to me early on. Look, she didn't know she
would build it, but she wants to get all the
permits and plays, so you know, that was their their
goal and goals keeping from doing that. Now the other
thing that you should know, I'm let me say.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Did that sound somewhat disingenuous? Man?
Speaker 6 (23:16):
I mean, it's like, well, I was your next door
neighbor and I said to you, you know, Tom, I'm
not gonna intend to put up a twenty five foot
fence between your house and my house and and block
your view of whatever you whatever your view is.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
I'm just going to try to get the permits in place.
I mean it is.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
It is a lot, no question.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
But the other thing is that and for people to
fully understand is that this this is considered a private
bridge because it's a private activity out there, so they
they're not eligible for state or federal dollars. So the
entire cross of that bridge would be born by the
City of Boston. And as you said, the way the
nights going, I don't know how they find them money
(24:02):
for that. Now, by the way, Dan, they have a
summer program, a summer day camp which was one of
Tom Andino's babies out there for inner city kids, and
they ferry those kids every day during the summer, So
I don't know why you wouldn't bury folks up to
the other side of the island.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Yeah, that was the great summer camp that may Or
Menino and the late Great Jack Conner's built out there,
which is a great, a great program.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Now, I don't know. There might be days in the
winter time when the wind is howling and it's the
northeastern but I would say probably you know, three hundred
and forty days out of the year you could run
a ferry out there, right, I mean, what are we
talking about a couple of a couple of weeks of bad,
really bad weather where you couldn't run a ferry.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Perhaps, I mean we this. Ferries run all over the
world for for cities that live in the habble like Boston,
and they do it exactly.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
What was the last time you and Mayor WU talked
about this? So do you talk to it or is
it just between your subordinates? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Just you know, early on we first met when she
first got in and I met with her and some
of her staff members, and uh, you know, I just
want to make sure she knew directly from me how
I felt about it, why I was opposing it, and uh,
we haven't really talked about it since. I mean she
she called me maybe a year ago when they won
one of the battles to let me know they won
(25:31):
one of the battles. But we but we haven't had
any any discussions about it, and uh, she you know,
she we did have a conversation. My my story is
the same, you know, we're not I'm not making any changes.
The quality of life of my neighborhoods have gone up
since the bridge went down, and the values and property
vality in those areas also went up. So you know,
(25:53):
it definitely would have an adverse effect on the quality
of life and my constituents. And you know, when Mighty walls,
I don't think I'm talking out of school. When we
met for breakfast and I told them I was going
to do everything again to keep me So come on,
I says, with all the respect made, you'd be doing
the same thing if the show was on the other floor.
And and he laughed, and he said, sure, of course,
(26:13):
of course, is that very personal?
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Do you have or are you contemplating any form of
court action to try to reverse this this permit?
Speaker 4 (26:24):
We probably will take this, will appeal this to superior court. Absolutely,
And there's still the Coast Guide permit that's hanging u.
There's there's other steps in the process here. This isn't
a slam dunk by any means for Boston.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Wow. I just think I just think it's very interesting. Look,
you've been mayor in in Quincy for for some time.
You've got to be doing something right to have been
re elected as many times as you've been, how many
how many reelections? You're sort of the Tom Menino, if
you will, He was the Tom Cooke of Boston. Look
at it. How many how many years have you been
(26:58):
in office down there now?
Speaker 4 (26:59):
Well, I did four two year terms and in my
third four year terms, I'm in my eighteenth year. Just
getting the hang of it, Dan, just get the hang of.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
It, getting good at it. Okay, Well again, obviously, you
are representing your constituents first and foremost, and I think
that's absolutely that's absolutely commendable. And there's there's no I
assume pushback from any of your neighborhoods down there saying, oh,
mayor we got to change our position. I assume you're constituents,
(27:31):
particularly those who are going to be affected by it,
are appreciative.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
Of the and that that showed in the election results. Honestly, Dan,
I did. I mean, I have individual people that come
out to me and think I'm doing the wrong thing
because they're in the social world of of helping people,
and I get it. But when you walk through them,
the other options that are out there for people, and
quite frankly, you know, the states could land around this
(27:58):
is a regional issue. The state could be helped fullness
as well. So I know Boston, you know, it gets
a bad rap in some ways. People. It's not all
Boston people. That they come in there, and whether it's uh,
you know, the the stretch along mass Ave that's the issue,
or in public places. Yeah, and it's not all Bostome people.
(28:19):
So there are regional issues that we should be addressing,
and I think this is the one should be addressed regionally.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Well. The other thing too is, if if I'm not mistaken,
there's been some some suggestions of uh, some of the
the either the jail space uh that is that's available
in Suffolk County, some of it could be utilized on
a day, daytime basis, not where people are in jail,
but where they could avail themselves of benefits. I think
(28:49):
we all know that there's a lot of commercial property
in Boston which has not been refilled post COVID.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Why are the city officials in Boston not taking outside
the box and doing something that on a short term
basis that might even be the solution on a long
term basis, I don't understand that.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Yeah, it's good question. I hope they are thinking about
other options and that you know, we even haven't even
talked about Connie. What's going to have on Connie Hospital?
You know? So I do believe there are a lot
of options within the whatever it is, forty six square
miles of Boston on the mainland without having to spend
a half to you know, three quarters of a billion
(29:30):
dollars on of you know, you could probably do that
for tenth of that somewhere in the mainland. So I'm
still perplexed by it, the position that Boston has taken.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Yep. Well, you present the arguments very well, Mayor, and
I wish you best of luck on it. Thank you
so much, Quincy Mayor Tom Coke in his eighteenth year
of service as mayor in the City of Quincy, appreciate
you taking the time tonight, Mayor Coke.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
Thanks Dan, You're very welcome when.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
We get back, and to talk about a real big
problem which I think everyone is now familiar with, the
California wildfire. Is going to talk about the representative of
the Salvation Army as to how those of us here
in New England or anywhere up and down the East
Coast who are listening to night Side tonight can try
to help out through a legitimate charity where you know
(30:18):
that whatever funds you might send actually will go to
benefit people in need. My name's Dan Ray. This is
Nightside and it's eight forty six here on a Monday night,
the thirteenth, and I believe it's a full moon tonight,
the wolf moon. We'll talk about about that sometime later
on this week. We may talk about it tonight, depending
(30:39):
upon the call as we get later on. We'll be
back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Well, I think you would have to be living under
a rock not to know what has transpired in southern California,
in Los Angeles, in some of the most expensive portions
of Los Angeles west of the city towards the Pacific
Ocean in the last week, devastation of a level that
(31:13):
from fires, wildfires that a few of us have ever
seen in our lifetime. And as always, one great organization
that is rising to the challenge, and that is the
Salvation Army with us is Emily Mew. She is with
the Salvation Army here in Massachusetts. She's the director of
EDS for Massachusetts Salvation Army. Emily, I'm not sure what
(31:36):
EDS stands for, and I don't want to take a
guess at it. So you're the director, would you explain
what EDS is in the Salvation Army?
Speaker 7 (31:44):
Hi, Dan, sure, EDS stands for Emergency Disaster Services. So
I work in the department that responds to things that
are happening in southern California.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Probat each could have taken a guess at it, but
I didn't want to be incorrect. So so you're located
in Massachusetts, uh and, but but you're assigned to try
to do work uh for for the Salvation Army in
southern California. At this point?
Speaker 5 (32:19):
Is that?
Speaker 2 (32:19):
Am I? Is that what I'm to understand?
Speaker 1 (32:22):
No?
Speaker 7 (32:22):
I I do that work here in Massachusetts and sometimes
get deployed two areas that are affected by national disasters.
So if we were to have something here in Massachusetts,
I would be in charge of coordinating the effort to
respond here locally.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Okay, So so I'm a little confused. Tell me what
your role is in terms of Southern California.
Speaker 4 (32:49):
So I don't.
Speaker 7 (32:49):
I don't at the at this moment, have a role
out there. I I am only providing some information today.
There is the possibility at some point that somebody from
Massachusetts could potentially get deployed to southern California.
Speaker 4 (33:07):
But I just don't.
Speaker 7 (33:09):
I just do that this that job here in Massachata.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
So what message do you want to bring to our
listeners about what we here in the East can do
through the Salvation Army to help people who are really
in desperate shape, who literally have butt the closure in
their back.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Sure, so in Southern California, I do know some of
the work that we are doing. I was on a
call earlier this morning learning you know what are not
just what we the Salvation Army is doing down there,
but also some of our partners, and you know, we
can here in Massachusetts except financial donations that will go
(33:50):
to the Salvation Army in Southern California, and one hundred
percent of those financial donations go directly to the response
effort on the ground. So you know, even though Massachusetts
personnel is not local to Southern California, we can still
(34:10):
help in that way and recruit, you know, financial assistance
to support our efforts.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Have you had a chance to talk with your fellow
colleagues in Southern California who have seen this up close
in person. We've all seen the pictures in television there
it's it's you know, I mean, it is just something
that looks like a war zone. Particularly when they when
they fly over and they take the picture of all
(34:39):
the properties, the buildings that are now in rubble. But
I assume at some point you must have talked to
some of the folks, your folks on the ground out there.
What are they describing the situation.
Speaker 7 (34:50):
As so they're I mean, they're heavily into the work.
I myself haven't had an opportunity to speak to anyone individ, Julie,
but I do know that you know, some of our
locations in southern California, we have forty three local Salvation
Army community centers across that region, and all are involved
(35:12):
one way or the other. Some are are affected themselves,
are in evacuation zones and needed to get out, which
you know can impede our response, but some are actively
engaged in providing emergency shelter and temporary housing. I know
our Pasadena location was a temporary shelter at some at
(35:35):
one point in the early days. Many of our our
volunteers and staff are in our kitchens preparing meals, Some
are coming together in prayer, offering emotional and spiritual care
support and you know, really being there for the people
that have experienced devastating loss. So I know, you know
(36:00):
they're on the ground doing doing the work, doing that
tough job of not only struggling themselves because they're in
that zone and you know, the red flag warnings are
still on effect, but they're also simultaneously providing services to
their to their fellow community members and friends. There are
(36:25):
UH several evacuation shelters open. We're providing meals at those
centers UH to the displaced staff or to the displaced residence,
to the staff, to the medical UH personnel, as well
as utility workers and first responders, and just being in
there in the community and and providing that support is
(36:49):
is is really impactful, not only for mm hm.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
So so what kid people then here in New England
or are station right now? Is being heard probably in
I don't know, twenty twenty five states as the as
the night comes comes across the country. We we penetrate
many states, virtually all states east of the Mississippi River.
If if people want to make a contribution, what what
(37:17):
is the easiest way for them to UH to send
a contribution through you folks here in Massachusetts directly to California,
what what what way would you suggest?
Speaker 7 (37:28):
So I would suggest two ways. You can call in
to one eight hundred sal Army s A L A
R M Y, or go to I think the easiest
one to remember since I'm on the radio is help
Salvation Army dot org uh and that would provide a
drop down menu and they can select the Southern California
(37:49):
wildfires and that will go directly to the Salvation Army
in Southern California. And again one hundred percent of that
will go directly.
Speaker 3 (37:57):
To the to the to the effort through the Salvation Army.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
No, I mean, I think everybody knows what a great
job the Salvation Army does. We often see the Salvation Army.
It's most visible around Christmas with you know, with the cattle,
et cetera. How many people are involved in the Salvation
Army across the country, I mean it is an army
of people. How large is the is the organization?
Speaker 7 (38:25):
It's I don't have that number off the top of
my head, but I know we have like sixty four
hundred community centers across the nations. Were present in every
single zip code in the US, so you know, anybody
can go in to a local center and receive services
at any place across the country. I mean, I couldn't
(38:48):
wager a guess on how many. But we work, like
many organizations work with volunteers as well, and here in Massachusetts,
we can't do what we we do without a number
of volunteers. So, you know, I know it's not easy
to get involved immediately, but if any people are interested
(39:11):
in being a volunteer for the Salvation Army and getting
trained to respond locally, they can you know, maybe at
some point in the future help with a situation like
this as well.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Great Emily, thanks very much for your time tonight, and
thanks for the work you do. There are a lot
of charities out there now that are trying to scam people.
The one thing people can certainly be certain of if
they donate for this cause through the Salvation Army, either
it helps Salvation Army dot org or one eight hundred
Sale Army, that that money will get to a place
(39:44):
where it will help some family.
Speaker 4 (39:45):
Thanks so much, Emily, You're welcome.
Speaker 7 (39:48):
I really appreciate being here. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
You're very welcome. When we get back, we will start
the program at hand, and we are going to talk
about the increase increase that now is expected at the
University of Massachusetts, and that news was disclosed over the
weekend by UMass President Marty Mehan while he was being
(40:12):
interviewed on Channel five. We'll be back on Nightside right
after the nine o'clock news
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.