August 13, 2024 • 35 mins
The first half of the hour Dan continued his topic on Steward Health Affecting MA...then Dan dove into his next topic on Boston Bike Lanes:
Many streets in Boston have now accommodated cyclists by implementing bike lanes. Are bike lanes really needed on every major roadway in Boston though? As one Boston Globe columnist expressed in a recent piece, “you can be pro-bike and advocate for bike lanes without feeling compelled to cram them onto every imaginable thoroughfare.”
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Many streets in Boston have now accommodated cyclists by implementing bike lanes. Are bike lanes really needed on every major roadway in Boston though? As one Boston Globe columnist expressed in a recent piece, “you can be pro-bike and advocate for bike lanes without feeling compelled to cram them onto every imaginable thoroughfare.”
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
With Dan Ray, I'm tell you Boston.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thanks very much, Kyle. I want to thank my guest
last hour, John McDonough, professor at the Harvard chan School
of Public Health, who really kind of gave us some
perspective on how we get to this point with this
Stewart Hospital healthcare crisis, and maybe a hint and suggestion
that some of these hospitals might be saved not as
(00:29):
a group, but on an individual basis. We'll have to
see if what John was alluding to, and obviously he
said he was someone limited in what he could say,
but we're going to continue on with this story. We
take at least a couple of calls here. I'll also
tell you that tomorrow night we will be joined at
the nine o'clock hour. I told you last night we
(00:50):
would stay with this topic because I think it's an
important topic. We'll be joined tomorrow night by Congresswoman Laurie Trahan,
who is from the north Northeast and north central part
of the Commonwealth, and she's particularly interested in the Soba
Valley Medical Center and air that, along with Connie Hospital,
(01:11):
expected to close by the end of August, which would
be a great loss for those two communities. Now, if
you want to continue to talk about the Steward healthcare crisis,
I'll be happy to do that, But if not, we're
going to move on to a different topic. Let me
start off with Dawn, who is holding over from last hour. Dawn,
thank you for calling. I understand that you like to
(01:31):
talk about the Stewart situation.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Go right ahead, don Well, I have to be a
good fortune that I worked at Quincy Hospital. Yep, I
worked at Cardinal Cushion Hospital, and I happen to have
worked at Department of Public Health.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
My question is is there anything that Brockton, being the
community the hospital not a city hospital, is that in
the wind to take over the Good Samaritan in the.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I kin'd answered that question. My guest is has has
has left for the for the evening. So I kind
of answered that question, Dawn, because I'm not an expert
in that area. Maybe John McDonald, if you had got
in earlier, could have could have handled that question for you.
You're in Abington, which is obviously close to Brockton.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I'm one mile from Brockton Hospital, okay, and I worked
at the Good Samaritan.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Right well, the medical center, the Good Samaritan Medical Center
in Brockton is one of the hospitals that potentially could close, right, okay,
so that's one of them now, the Brockton Hospital, as
I understand that it's still operating, correct.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Right, that one on that one in businesses today.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, so this so, yeah, you're kind of the tale
of two cities here. You've got some good news and
some bad news. But we're going to continue. We're going
to continue down. What you got to do is you
got to try to get in a little earlier because
we generally use a guest, have a guest with us
for about an hour and unfortunately, yeah, the person who
could answer that question, let's hope that the answer is positive.
(03:25):
Fair enough.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Way, good luck to all of them.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Absolutely all right, don thank you very much for your call.
I appreciate you. A great night. Let me go to
Rita in Boston. Rita, you are next on night side.
Go right ahead.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Hi, I'm sorry I missed mister McDonald, but I did
have a couple of points on to ask who is
overseeing Matt the Cochley.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, Martha Cokeley was the Attorney General at the time.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
I know that, but when when somebody I'm not knocking
on the door to take a look at these hospitals,
to want to take care of them and turn them over.
She the first one they approached her. Is it the governor?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Well, my understanding, and again I'm not an expert here.
I'm going to be very honest with you, and so
therefore you're not looking for my opinion. You're looking for
the facts as I know them. As I understand that
Martha Cockley in twenty ten is the Attorney General. Her
office's responsibility was to make sure that the sale of
the Cowardice Christie chain of hospitals to Cerebus, this company
(04:30):
out of New York, met all the appropriate requirements. And
apparently it did, and there also was a five year
period was going to be substrict oversight. But under the
terms of that sale, according to John McDonough, the oversight
ended in twenty fifteen. Now by time twenty fifteen came around,
(04:53):
I believe that the attorney general is now the governor. Well,
Cokeley was gone, but now so the current governor, Mari Healey.
Governor Heally was the attorney general, so she is the
attorney general should have had some interest in this situation.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
I'm just wondering if Secretary of State Galvin didn't have
some oversight overall this.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I don't know that he, as the Secretary of State,
would have responsibilities here. Okay most of the yeah, let
me try to answer the question. Okay, if you asked
the question, give me a shot at answering it. Most
of the things over which he has control deals with
(05:37):
paperwork filings, whether it's election filings, corporate filings, all of that.
In terms of the oversight of how hospitals are run,
it falls much more under the Bailey work of the
governor's office, specifically the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
and as John McDonough indicated during our interview in the
(06:02):
last hour, Governor Baker was elected in twenty fourteen, took
office in January of twenty fifteen, and his Secretary of
Health and Human Services, Mary Luce Sutters, if you remember,
the Baker administration had problems with the Holyoake Veterans Hospital
and whether or not that was run properly, and there
(06:24):
was all sorts of legal wrangling there. So whether or
not Mary lou Sutter's her office dropped the ball. We
didn't get to that part of the story with John mcdonno.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
And okay, this one other thing, this is about the
Carney Hospital. It was also a part of the carneye
that was nursing school, library, nursing school. Is that still
there or was that closed before? I'm from that area.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
That's why I don't have an answer to that. Maybe
someone out there who's more familiar with the Karnie Hospital.
Right now, the Cornie Hospital is is going to close,
which is a huge loss for the Dorchester community. And
I know you're calling from Boston. I suspect that you
might be calling from the Dorchester area and my incorrection. Okay,
(07:13):
well you're calling from Boston tonight. And of course Dorchester
is part of Boston. I wish the.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Downtown it is just it's a mess.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
It's a mess. And if you go back to when
all this happened, Deval Patrick was the governor and Martha
Cookley was the Attorney general. Uh and they apparently were
the ones who oversaw the deal, and the deal was prompted.
The sale of Caratas Christie was prompted in some part
(07:47):
by the Archdiocese of Boston need for cash for money
to settle the pedophile priest abuse scandal and of course,
we also know that there were a lot of Catholic
parishes which had functioned for many years uh in communities.
Those properties were also sold to settle the pedophile priest scandals.
(08:09):
So it's interesting that the pedophile pre scandal has had
tremendous impact.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
That's where it began. That's pressed the beginning.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Of the tremendous impact not only in terms of the
reputation of the Catholic Church, the attendants at church, the
number of churches in the archdiocese, et cetera, but also
the pressure that was brought upon the church to find
some sources of money to settle claims and potential lawsuits,
which resulted in the sale of characters Christie, the Catholic hospitals.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
And they closed, and the condos.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You got it, you got it, you got it, you
got it. Thank you read, thank you, appreciate you call,
appreciate you listening. And I side and I wish you
had been calling and could have asked the same questions
of better source of information than I am under this.
I make no pretense to be an expert here. That's
why I had John McDonald on tonight. Thank you so much, Da.
(09:06):
I appreciate it, okay, If you'd like to continue to
talk about this, ask questions, comment on it. We will
have congress Woman Laurie Trehan on with us tomorrow night.
Her district covers much of the Lowell Lawrence area and
also has an impact is impacted by the potential closing
(09:28):
of that facility, that hospital in Air, Massachusetts, which is
called the Neshoba Valley Medical Center, So we'll focus on that.
That is one of the two hospitals expected to close
by the end of August, that in Carnie Hospital, which
in of themselves is a tremendous impact. Look, medical care,
we had Obamacare that doesn't seem to have have simplified
(09:51):
things here in Massachusetts. We have the Massachusetts Health Connector,
we have all of this, but we also have a
tremendous influx of people who in need of medical care.
We are messed up as a state right now. I
think there's more demions upon Massachusetts now than ever before,
and this hospital crisis does nothing to simplify that situation.
(10:13):
If you want to continue to talk about it, six
one seven, two, five, four ten thirty or six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. If not, I'm going to
go to a commentary that was in the Boston Globe
yesterday that I found particularly interesting, and it is about
it's about bike lanes in Boston, a subject that we
are very familiar with here, in which I don't want
(10:34):
to consider myself an expert on anything, but if I
could claim some expertise, I would claim it on this.
And former editor of The Boston Globe, Brian McGrory wrote
a commentary, is the Boylston Street bike lane really necessary?
We'll get to that unless you want to continue to
talk about the Steward Hospital crisis, which we will get
(10:56):
back to tomorrow night at nine o'clock with Congresswoman re
tra Hand back on night Side after this.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Now back to Dan Ray Mine from the Window World.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Night Side Studios on w b Z the News Radio.
Go to my friend Gregory in Dorchester. I suspect it'd
like to talk about the Curry Hospital. Gregory. Welcome, How
are you, sir?
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Yeah, thank you, Dan, thank you for taking my call.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Welcome.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
You know Elizabeth Warren, our singer senator. She said, godamn disgrace.
She didn't even show her face there tonight. She should
be suppoking the people at Dorchester. The people of Boston, Gregor, I.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Think what you're referring to is there was a there
was a community meeting in Dorchester tonight earlier, correct, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
And sore In Hall was crowded. The only guy that
was there was Eddie Flynn, and he did a great job.
But you know, the people were there that worked, the
employees were there, and now that the people that they
feel we all feel bad because it was so convenient
and it was a great hospital.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Yeah. Other than other than counselor ed Flynn, who I know,
I believe he released a letter late this afternoon which
I might be able to get access to here in
a second. What other political luminaries You said that Elizabeth
Warren was a no show?
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Yeah? No, the only I got it in child seven.
They able to go down there myself. Yeah, okay, Eddie
Flynn I saw and there was a representative from the
Seed Hospitals there two and he said that they wouldn't
get no servants pay or anything else or something like
that anyway, you know, But there's Elizabeth Warren that was
(12:38):
all over Dorchester and I didn't I never voted for her.
I was going around, but the ambassador of Flynn, he
was with Brown, and they voted for Brown. I would
never vote for her because I knew she was a
faker from day one. And I don't mean to be
mean to her or anything else.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
But were you ever you ever write to your opinion?
Trust me on that. Yeah, and particularly.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
The Kennedy woke him up. He finally woke up. But
I saw him the other day, but in Turtles out
only Cape Turtles in the water. Instead of worrying about
the people in darkness or Boston, there something else better
to do them do that. You know, it's awful the
representation we have, it's terrible.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Well, you know, you get the representation that you unfortunately
that that that you vote for, you know, one way,
one way or the other.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
She doesn't go in again. Let's name of the guy
that's running against her again? He sounds very good.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, Well, there's there are three Republicans who are vying
for the Republican nomination.
Speaker 5 (13:41):
One of them is a Philla named John Dear.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
John Deaton is one of them.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
I hope he gets it.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Well, there's there's a there's at least a couple of
others as well. One of them will emerge as the nominee.
The letter that Ed Flynn wrote that you're referring to
is a letter to Commissioner Robert Goldstein, who's with the
Massachusetts Department. He's the commission of the Massachuset Department of
Public Health. And since you refer to the letter, let
(14:08):
me just make sure the audience understands what we're talking about.
He writes, the represented a rather Council of Flynn rights
a right to express my concerns regarding the closure of
the Charnee Hospital. On July twenty sixth, Stewart Healthcare System
revealed in its bankruptcy court filings that is planning to
close Corney Hospital in the Shoba Valley Medical Center in
(14:29):
airby August thirty first, citing a lack of qualified bids
for these two hospitals. The August thirty first closure date,
two and a half weeks from today, is three months
earlier than the state required one hundred and twenty day
notice for closing hospitals, leaving patients and hospital staff little
time to prepare and transfer their care. He goes on
and talk about Corney Hospital, with a long history of
(14:50):
serving patients in Boston, including Dorchester, South Boston, Mattapan. The
loss of Karnie would post significant risk to the health
and wellbeing of the community served by these facilities. A
significant population of communities of color and economically disadvantage residents
would be disproportionally impacted by the service closures. In addition
to the loss of Cornee Hospital will also compromise and
(15:11):
further strain and delay access to healthcare for all communities
in Greater Boston, as already overcrowded facilities will be forced
to absorb this population of patients. The closure would also
impact around eight hundred jobs, many of whom have families
to support. It's critical for our city and state to
do all we can to ensure that we keep the
(15:32):
doors to the Cornee Hospital open. I urge your office
take the calls for Connie to remain open and concerns
of our healthcare workers, patients and impacted communities seriously at
the public hearing tonight and do everything that you can
to prevent the catastrophe catastrophic loss of this critical and
life saving institution of our residents. If you have any questions,
(15:54):
please please feel reach out to him. Understand well, that's
the letter that you're.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
That sounds great.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Whither or not will have an impact. I think that
a lot of these decisions, unfortunately, have have have been made.
They're baked in unfortunately in my and my humble opinion.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
But the governor to threw so that the boss do
so well.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
She's saying that that that she has basically washed her
hands of it, which I don't understand.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
That's what she is.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Well, I don't know about that one, but that's your opinion.
I'm not going to try to change your mind. Greg
is always You're always welcome to calling.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Especially thanks Gregor.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Okay, uh As I said, we will get back to
this tomorrow night when we talk with Congresswoman Laurie Trahan
of the Lowell area, with specific emphasis not only on Carnie,
but in a hospital in her district, the Nishova Valley
Medical Center in Air. When we get back, I'm going
to open up a conversation about bike lanes in Boston.
(17:02):
I think you know how I feel about bike lanes
in Boston. I think that they are proliferated at a
well they and absolutely absurd situation. Bike lanes everywhere. There
was an interesting commentary in Yesterday's Boston Globe, written by
someone who I know and who has been a friend
(17:25):
over the years Brian McGrory, former editor of The Globe.
He writes, Boylston Street is a place to spread out
and think big, to feel what brings us together and
know as what Boston sets us apart. It is, or
was a place of wide lanes and broadside walks that
flow from the grittiness of Mass Avenue to the cosmic
beauty of the Boston Public Garden. But that has now
(17:48):
changed too much of it since our city leaders thought
it was absolutely imperative that they crowbar bike lanes onto
a street that was thriving without them. We will share
with you all of his comments. Is not an anti
bike activist by any stretch of the imagination, but the
the bike activists, the pro byte activists, know no end
(18:10):
to the dreams of having bike lanes on every street
in the city of Boston. And we haven't talked about
this in a while. It impacts all of us, and
it impacts all of us advoicely. I will explain if
you'd like to jump on board now and either defend
the proliferation of bike lanes or agree with me that
(18:31):
we have gone way overboard to accommodate the bike community.
In Boston six one seven, two four ten thirty or
six one seven nine three one ten thirty changing topics.
Back on Nightside right after the news at the bottom
of the hour.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
It's night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
All right, So yesterday's Globe, Now, the Globe has been
a big supporter of bike lanes editorially. Okay, uh, the
Globe traditionally has supported bike lanes. So when I see
this commentary above the fold on B one in yesterday's Globe,
it caught my eye. Now, as I mentioned, Brian McGrory,
(19:14):
from an editor the Globe is now a commentator and
he has a very prominent position yesterday again on the
B one of the Metro section. So he talks about,
you know, Boss Boylston Street and the beauty of Boylston
Street and what an important location that it is. And
(19:34):
he talks about how that city leaders thought it was
absolutely imperative that they here's an nice word for a
crowbar bike lanes onto a street that was thriving without them.
He said, the whole thing now feels like a crowded, unkempt,
chaotic mess. Gone is the broad shouldered appeal of a
(19:54):
proud urban thoroughfare replaced by something decidedly hunched. Let's stop
here and understand what this isn't. And he writes somewhat defensively,
but I understand why he writes. It's not a screen
against bicycles, because more and more good everyday people are
cycling in Boston, which is truly a great development in
(20:15):
his opinion. It's not even another complaint about bike lanes
and a season full of them. We have bike lanes
on nearby Cumwoalth Avenue, the most majestic residential street. Those
of us in Boston are very, very proud of Colnwouth
Avenue in town that work magnificent. We have bike lanes
on Stuart Street just to the south that apparently really
(20:37):
get used. And this is not a shot at our
mayor or hera's They're trying to make Boston more forward looking,
of a more forward looking city with better and cleaner
transportation for all. But but let's know our limits. You
can be pro bike and advocate for bike lanes without
feeling compelled to cram them into every imaginable thoroughfare. You
(20:58):
can pursue a better future while still balancing the realities
of the present. Sense and right now where a city
filled with Uber drivers and riders, with Amazon Prime vans,
with door dash workers, and regular old delivery trucks on
a place like Boylston, specifically on Boyleston, they cause outsized
(21:19):
havoc wherever they park, and they're not going away. When
used to be three through lanes on Boylston Street through
a hole through the whole of back Bay has been
reduced to a maximum of two, and in some key places,
with the addition of a bus lane, just one. When
used to be the city's grand boulevard, can feel like
(21:39):
a narrow path. Meg Mainster Cohen has run the Back
Bay Association with a boil Street office for the past
twenty four years and runs it very well. But it's
only been this summer that the chaos, in the form
of constantly beeping horns has caused her to shut windows,
mute calls, and even work more from home. It's completely
(21:59):
dis functional, she said. It goes on and on and on.
It's a great article. He finishes his last paragraph says,
even amid the cacophony of Boylston Street, especially amid the
cacophony of Boylston Street, one thing still rings clear. That's
got to be a better, more thoughtful way. Brian McGrory. Now,
(22:22):
we invited Brian to join us tonight. Brian, as I say,
as a friend, he and I kind of grew up
in the business, and he writes to my producer, thanks, Marita.
I'm a fan of Dan and his show, but much
prefer to write columns rather than speak about them. I
appreciate the invitation, very gracious, denial, whatever, So I just
(22:44):
want to open up. We haven't talked about bike lanes,
but specifically bike lanes in Boston. It is now a
miserable experience to drive into Boston, in my opinion, particularly
as you get into the heart of the city from
ken Moore Square all the way to Beacon Hill. It's
(23:04):
bike lanes, bike lanes and bike lanes. And what has
happened is the bike lean lobby has been very effective
at convincing politicians that they vote, and they do and
those politicians better pay attention. But they will lead, in
my opinion, to problems in Boston, just as they have
in other cities. At some point in West Roxbury on
(23:26):
Center Street, bike lanes are unnecessary and they are complicating matters.
You go down Center street in West Roxbury. You can't
find a parking space. People are going up and down
side streets in West Roxbury and that is lack of
political leadership. Lack of political leadership in West Roxby. The
mayor wants bike lanes and bike lanes everywhere. Okay, that's
(23:47):
her philosophy. She's been pretty clear about it. She's never
lived in West Roxbury to the best of my knowledge.
But West Roxby has no political leadership at this point.
No one is going to stand up to Mayor WU
from West Roxbury and as a result, people in West
Roxbury are going to be rolled over. Well, let's go
to the calls. If you have an opinion of bike lanes,
(24:08):
bring it on. Let me go to Harriet in Ruburt. Harry,
thanks very much for checking in tonight. I make reference
to Brian mcgrory's peace in the Globe yesterday. You can
make reference to that or just to the question in general.
Go right ahead, Harry.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Sure, Dan, I read the article. It's tremendous. You're one
hundred percent correct about bike lanes. I've spoken to you before.
I am a tour guide downtown. Actually my main area
where I am is on Boylston Street between Tremont and
Charles Street. And I got to tell you, it is
unbelievable what's happened in the last three or four years.
Traffic is so much worse. So many of my clients
(24:43):
come late. I mean me and myself. I live in Uburn.
It takes me twenty minutes to go eight miles and
it takes me twenty five minutes to go three quarters
of a mile. It is unbelievable. But what do we do, Dan,
This mayor doesn't care at all about business. She has
no concern about busines. This, and if you live in
the suburbs, like many most people downtown do not live there,
(25:05):
we can't vote. I call the mayor's office complain she
doesn't care. What do we do well?
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think that she's basically making a calculation, and that
is that she can be re elected by people in
Boston who are either anti automobile or they're agnostic in
terms of automobile. They're people who live downtown and they
do not have a car. They don't need a car.
They walk to wherever they have to go to. And
(25:33):
of course many of the people who who live that way,
they're pretty wealthy people. I mean to live in Boston
not have to worry about a car. You have to
be a successful doctor, a lawyer, or some sort of
a business person. In terms of the mayor, she's making
that judgment. But I don't understand why people in West
(25:54):
Roxbury are not revolting against the bike lanes on Sentis Street.
Do you ever get out to West Roxbury.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Oh, it's hard, it's gonna kill business. They're gonna go
to They're gonna go elsewhere. It's insane. It's just like,
I don't know if you've seen Milk Street now now
she completed that, this just happened the last week. That
looks like a white picket fence in the middle of
the street. And also on Washington Street, the corner of
Washington between School and Milk. They keep putting them up everywhere.
(26:21):
It's what happens. Also in the winter time, do they
how do they plow? I just it's just it's it's
just overwhelming. It's absolutely horrible.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, I gotta tell you, we've had a succession of mayors,
going back to John Collins, Kevin White, Ray Flynn, obviously
Tom Menino, Boston's great mayor of twenty years, Marty Walsh.
But the current mayor has just gone overboard with bike
lanes to accommodate bike the bike lobby, and that's where
(26:52):
she wants to put her political capital. So be it.
But at some point people in Boston are going to say,
wait a second, you are gonna she she's fought with
the restaurant owners in the North End unnecessarily in my opinion,
they were treated badly. I don't know why. It sounds
to me like this mayor likes to hold grudges against
(27:12):
people with whom she disagrees. The last time we had
Mayor will in this program was in April of last year,
not April of this year, and that was a time
when there were people picketing her house in Rossendale. And
one of the people who picketed the house actually called
(27:32):
in that night and asked a pretty straightforward question, was
very polite to the mayor. The next day, her press
flack called me, and the press flat was just, I
don't know if he has any idea about what a
radio talk show is. He said, why would you let
that person get on who you knew did not like
(27:52):
the mayor. Well, first of all, I explained to the
press flack and he is a press flack. I explained
to the press flag that a talk show, I explained
very patiently. I said, we give out the phone number
six one, seven, four, ten, thirty people dial that number.
My producer answers the phone and ask them what their
(28:16):
name and at you know, where they located, and what
would they like to ask the mayor. And at that
point we put the person on the air. And it
was if they expected me to call out people who
might call with a challenging question of the mayor. Well,
that's not what we do here. You may go to
another talk show where they will make sure that there
(28:39):
are no tough questions asked of the mayor or whomever.
That's not the way it works on night side. We
think everybody has an opportunity to call in, and as
long as they're polite. I always caution people treat my
guests as if they're a guest in my home. And
I probably said that that night as well. And the
person who called in was very polite to the mayor,
and the mayor had a good answer and actually had
(29:01):
the better part of the conversation in my opinion. But
she surrounds herself with these you know, these young press
flats who have never worked in the media, And at
this point, I don't care if the mayor ever comes
on Night Side again. If she wants to, the door
is always open. Right at the same time, she's got
to walk through the door to come on the program
and talk to her constituents. So she's up for reelection
(29:24):
a year from now. You see how it works out.
Maybe maybe she'll be just fine.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Okay, yeah, Dan, you're doing a great job. Keep this
issue up. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Well, I'll tell you something again. If you want to
be disrespectful to me and to my callers, you can
do that. But I'm not going to go out of
my way to invite you back. And if you want
to come back and talk to me my callers, you're
going to have to ask our permission to come back.
It's as simple as that. Or apologize for having a
(29:54):
press flat who doesn't have the common sense to treat
people respectfully and understand that when you do a talk
show and you open it to the public, the public
has a right to talk to their elected officials. That's
one of the things about Nightside that I think has
always been great. We'll have Congressman Laurie Trehan on Tomorrow Night.
She's been on many times before. Steve Lynch has been
(30:14):
on many times before. We had Governor Patrick on before,
We've had Governor Baker on before, Mayor Flynn, certainly Mayor Menino,
Mayor Walsh. But if if Mayor Wu wants to just
basically surround herself with people who are going to tell
her never never to ask her a question, that's a
(30:35):
tough question. Yeah, well stay away from Nightside, Mayor Wu.
Simply is that right? Hey? Thanks Jerry, Dan, thank you
my pleasure. Appreciate your call. Six one seven two fat
four ten thirty six one seven nine three one ten
thirty just telling you the truth back on Nightside right
after this.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World,
Nightside host on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
He go gonna go to Warren and Fall River, Warren
next on Nightside.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
Welcome, Hey Dan, buddy. How is the trip?
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Wait? A great trip? We saw it. We did a lot.
We saw a lot in Rome and the Mouthey Coast.
Wish you'd been with us, Warren?
Speaker 6 (31:16):
Yeah, I mean I wish I had, I wish I
had the funds by day. I just don't right now.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Next time, next time. So what do you think about
bike lanes? Tell me about that.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
Oh, yeah, I think they're horrible. I mean I think
that bike lanes should only be in certain parts of
the community, like like around parks and this and that
where be recreational.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Now, how much time do you how much time do
you get into question? How much time do you get
into Boston? Number one? And how would the bike lanes
situation down? And you're part of the state down in
the southeast corner of the Southeast coast, in Fall River,
in Fall.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
River, there are certain parts where it gets pretty bad,
like in around the in and around like the schools
and in the colleges, it gets pretty bad. But overall
it's not it's not you know, it's not horrible. It's
not Boston. I mean I get into Boston once in
a blue moon, and I know exactly what you're talking about,
(32:19):
Like like if I go in to see a concert. Yeah,
it's amazing that. You know, you could be driving on
Boylston and next thing you know, you you have you know,
you have to be squeezed over because there's only so
much room you know, taken up by a by a
b you know by a fight, lan, I'm sorry, Well.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
It's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt the city economically. People
are gonna stop coming.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
And oh yeah, I mean I don't like going into
Boston honestly. I I I worked in Boston for six years.
I worked in the back bay. I worked, you know,
on Boiliston Street, right across from where the bombings took twice.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Yep.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Yeah, so I know it well and they're just not
But I think it's I think it's you know, whenever
you get cities are digested. I mean everyone always talks about,
you know, cities being congested and people on top of
people on top of people. And I think that is,
(33:26):
you know, the number one problem on top of and
you know, these bike lanes. It's just too many people
on top of each other.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I agree with you more. Couldn't agree with you more.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
One.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
I want to get one more in here before the break.
Thanks so much, as always for calling and listening to
night Side. Thank you, thank you very much. Let me
get I lean in Wealthy under the wire. I leen
gonna get you in here, go.
Speaker 6 (33:47):
Right ahead, real quick.
Speaker 7 (33:49):
We do deliveries in Boston, Okay, I do deliveries in
Boston a few years ago it was twenty four fifty. Yeah,
it's forty nine to fifty. Question to do a delivery
to Boston.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
In terms of in terms of money, you mean in terms.
Speaker 7 (34:03):
In terms of in terms of charges for deliveries.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Really, a delivery of anything you mean cost you fifty.
Speaker 7 (34:09):
Bucks, It costs me fifty bucks.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Who does that go to the city? Delivery that goes
to that goes to the city.
Speaker 7 (34:16):
To me, it goes to us. This is a company,
and we deliver balloons in Boston.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Okay, okay, So so what you're saying it's more. Okay,
so you make more money. But the reason you're charging
more is there's more aggravation.
Speaker 7 (34:30):
No, it's cost me more. It takes longer. The person
in the truck gets paid. It ties up the truck.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
No, No, I get that. No, that's what I'm saying.
I'm agreeing with you. I'm trying to er what you're
saying is that you make deliveries.
Speaker 7 (34:42):
I figure out what it costs me. Yeah, I got it,
because those people in the truck get paid well because
of the aggravation they go through. Literally the other day,
we did a delivery in the South and the seaports.
It's almost five o'clock when we get done for thirty.
Are you even trying to get back to the office.
We all went out to do the.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Maybe that's how they get people in Boston. They hold you,
they kidnap you, and hold you captive in Boston because
the traffic is.
Speaker 7 (35:12):
So bad doing deliveries. I mean, the food just everybody's
complaining and they getting tickets like crazy because they have
to double pop. I mean, you're going to create a
food desert. Who's going to deliver food to Boston.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Well, that's an aspect of it. I'm so glad you
brought it to our attention.
Speaker 7 (35:33):
I had not thought of that crazy, huge question I have.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
All right, I mean, let's see we have some answers
after the eleventh. Okay, thank you much, thanks e great.
Here comes the eleven o'clock news. If you're on the line,
stayed there, if not lighted up six one, seven, two, five, four, ten, thirty, six,
one seven ninety, let's talk about it on the other
side of the eleven o'clock News. On night side
With Dan Ray, I'm tell you Boston.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Thanks very much, Kyle. I want to thank my guest
last hour, John McDonough, professor at the Harvard chan School
of Public Health, who really kind of gave us some
perspective on how we get to this point with this
Stewart Hospital healthcare crisis, and maybe a hint and suggestion
that some of these hospitals might be saved not as
(00:29):
a group, but on an individual basis. We'll have to
see if what John was alluding to, and obviously he
said he was someone limited in what he could say,
but we're going to continue on with this story. We
take at least a couple of calls here. I'll also
tell you that tomorrow night we will be joined at
the nine o'clock hour. I told you last night we
(00:50):
would stay with this topic because I think it's an
important topic. We'll be joined tomorrow night by Congresswoman Laurie Trahan,
who is from the north Northeast and north central part
of the Commonwealth, and she's particularly interested in the Soba
Valley Medical Center and air that, along with Connie Hospital,
(01:11):
expected to close by the end of August, which would
be a great loss for those two communities. Now, if
you want to continue to talk about the Steward healthcare crisis,
I'll be happy to do that, But if not, we're
going to move on to a different topic. Let me
start off with Dawn, who is holding over from last hour. Dawn,
thank you for calling. I understand that you like to
(01:31):
talk about the Stewart situation.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Go right ahead, don Well, I have to be a
good fortune that I worked at Quincy Hospital. Yep, I
worked at Cardinal Cushion Hospital, and I happen to have
worked at Department of Public Health.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
My question is is there anything that Brockton, being the
community the hospital not a city hospital, is that in
the wind to take over the Good Samaritan in the.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I kin'd answered that question. My guest is has has
has left for the for the evening. So I kind
of answered that question, Dawn, because I'm not an expert
in that area. Maybe John McDonald, if you had got
in earlier, could have could have handled that question for you.
You're in Abington, which is obviously close to Brockton.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I'm one mile from Brockton Hospital, okay, and I worked
at the Good Samaritan.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Right well, the medical center, the Good Samaritan Medical Center
in Brockton is one of the hospitals that potentially could close, right, okay,
so that's one of them now, the Brockton Hospital, as
I understand that it's still operating, correct.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Right, that one on that one in businesses today.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, so this so, yeah, you're kind of the tale
of two cities here. You've got some good news and
some bad news. But we're going to continue. We're going
to continue down. What you got to do is you
got to try to get in a little earlier because
we generally use a guest, have a guest with us
for about an hour and unfortunately, yeah, the person who
could answer that question, let's hope that the answer is positive.
(03:25):
Fair enough.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Way, good luck to all of them.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Absolutely all right, don thank you very much for your call.
I appreciate you. A great night. Let me go to
Rita in Boston. Rita, you are next on night side.
Go right ahead.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Hi, I'm sorry I missed mister McDonald, but I did
have a couple of points on to ask who is
overseeing Matt the Cochley.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well, Martha Cokeley was the Attorney General at the time.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
I know that, but when when somebody I'm not knocking
on the door to take a look at these hospitals,
to want to take care of them and turn them over.
She the first one they approached her. Is it the governor?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Well, my understanding, and again I'm not an expert here.
I'm going to be very honest with you, and so
therefore you're not looking for my opinion. You're looking for
the facts as I know them. As I understand that
Martha Cockley in twenty ten is the Attorney General. Her
office's responsibility was to make sure that the sale of
the Cowardice Christie chain of hospitals to Cerebus, this company
(04:30):
out of New York, met all the appropriate requirements. And
apparently it did, and there also was a five year
period was going to be substrict oversight. But under the
terms of that sale, according to John McDonough, the oversight
ended in twenty fifteen. Now by time twenty fifteen came around,
(04:53):
I believe that the attorney general is now the governor. Well,
Cokeley was gone, but now so the current governor, Mari Healey.
Governor Heally was the attorney general, so she is the
attorney general should have had some interest in this situation.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
I'm just wondering if Secretary of State Galvin didn't have
some oversight overall this.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I don't know that he, as the Secretary of State,
would have responsibilities here. Okay most of the yeah, let
me try to answer the question. Okay, if you asked
the question, give me a shot at answering it. Most
of the things over which he has control deals with
(05:37):
paperwork filings, whether it's election filings, corporate filings, all of that.
In terms of the oversight of how hospitals are run,
it falls much more under the Bailey work of the
governor's office, specifically the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
and as John McDonough indicated during our interview in the
(06:02):
last hour, Governor Baker was elected in twenty fourteen, took
office in January of twenty fifteen, and his Secretary of
Health and Human Services, Mary Luce Sutters, if you remember,
the Baker administration had problems with the Holyoake Veterans Hospital
and whether or not that was run properly, and there
(06:24):
was all sorts of legal wrangling there. So whether or
not Mary lou Sutter's her office dropped the ball. We
didn't get to that part of the story with John mcdonno.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
And okay, this one other thing, this is about the
Carney Hospital. It was also a part of the carneye
that was nursing school, library, nursing school. Is that still
there or was that closed before? I'm from that area.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
That's why I don't have an answer to that. Maybe
someone out there who's more familiar with the Karnie Hospital.
Right now, the Cornie Hospital is is going to close,
which is a huge loss for the Dorchester community. And
I know you're calling from Boston. I suspect that you
might be calling from the Dorchester area and my incorrection. Okay,
(07:13):
well you're calling from Boston tonight. And of course Dorchester
is part of Boston. I wish the.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Downtown it is just it's a mess.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
It's a mess. And if you go back to when
all this happened, Deval Patrick was the governor and Martha
Cookley was the Attorney general. Uh and they apparently were
the ones who oversaw the deal, and the deal was prompted.
The sale of Caratas Christie was prompted in some part
(07:47):
by the Archdiocese of Boston need for cash for money
to settle the pedophile priest abuse scandal and of course,
we also know that there were a lot of Catholic
parishes which had functioned for many years uh in communities.
Those properties were also sold to settle the pedophile priest scandals.
(08:09):
So it's interesting that the pedophile pre scandal has had
tremendous impact.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
That's where it began. That's pressed the beginning.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Of the tremendous impact not only in terms of the
reputation of the Catholic Church, the attendants at church, the
number of churches in the archdiocese, et cetera, but also
the pressure that was brought upon the church to find
some sources of money to settle claims and potential lawsuits,
which resulted in the sale of characters Christie, the Catholic hospitals.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
And they closed, and the condos.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
You got it, you got it, you got it, you
got it. Thank you read, thank you, appreciate you call,
appreciate you listening. And I side and I wish you
had been calling and could have asked the same questions
of better source of information than I am under this.
I make no pretense to be an expert here. That's
why I had John McDonald on tonight. Thank you so much, Da.
(09:06):
I appreciate it, okay, If you'd like to continue to
talk about this, ask questions, comment on it. We will
have congress Woman Laurie Trehan on with us tomorrow night.
Her district covers much of the Lowell Lawrence area and
also has an impact is impacted by the potential closing
(09:28):
of that facility, that hospital in Air, Massachusetts, which is
called the Neshoba Valley Medical Center, So we'll focus on that.
That is one of the two hospitals expected to close
by the end of August, that in Carnie Hospital, which
in of themselves is a tremendous impact. Look, medical care,
we had Obamacare that doesn't seem to have have simplified
(09:51):
things here in Massachusetts. We have the Massachusetts Health Connector,
we have all of this, but we also have a
tremendous influx of people who in need of medical care.
We are messed up as a state right now. I
think there's more demions upon Massachusetts now than ever before,
and this hospital crisis does nothing to simplify that situation.
(10:13):
If you want to continue to talk about it, six
one seven, two, five, four ten thirty or six one seven,
nine three one ten thirty. If not, I'm going to
go to a commentary that was in the Boston Globe
yesterday that I found particularly interesting, and it is about
it's about bike lanes in Boston, a subject that we
are very familiar with here, in which I don't want
(10:34):
to consider myself an expert on anything, but if I
could claim some expertise, I would claim it on this.
And former editor of The Boston Globe, Brian McGrory wrote
a commentary, is the Boylston Street bike lane really necessary?
We'll get to that unless you want to continue to
talk about the Steward Hospital crisis, which we will get
(10:56):
back to tomorrow night at nine o'clock with Congresswoman re
tra Hand back on night Side after this.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Now back to Dan Ray Mine from the Window World.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Night Side Studios on w b Z the News Radio.
Go to my friend Gregory in Dorchester. I suspect it'd
like to talk about the Curry Hospital. Gregory. Welcome, How
are you, sir?
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Yeah, thank you, Dan, thank you for taking my call.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Welcome.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
You know Elizabeth Warren, our singer senator. She said, godamn disgrace.
She didn't even show her face there tonight. She should
be suppoking the people at Dorchester. The people of Boston, Gregor, I.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Think what you're referring to is there was a there
was a community meeting in Dorchester tonight earlier, correct, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
And sore In Hall was crowded. The only guy that
was there was Eddie Flynn, and he did a great job.
But you know, the people were there that worked, the
employees were there, and now that the people that they
feel we all feel bad because it was so convenient
and it was a great hospital.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Yeah. Other than other than counselor ed Flynn, who I know,
I believe he released a letter late this afternoon which
I might be able to get access to here in
a second. What other political luminaries You said that Elizabeth
Warren was a no show?
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Yeah? No, the only I got it in child seven.
They able to go down there myself. Yeah, okay, Eddie
Flynn I saw and there was a representative from the
Seed Hospitals there two and he said that they wouldn't
get no servants pay or anything else or something like
that anyway, you know, But there's Elizabeth Warren that was
(12:38):
all over Dorchester and I didn't I never voted for her.
I was going around, but the ambassador of Flynn, he
was with Brown, and they voted for Brown. I would
never vote for her because I knew she was a
faker from day one. And I don't mean to be
mean to her or anything else.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
But were you ever you ever write to your opinion?
Trust me on that. Yeah, and particularly.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
The Kennedy woke him up. He finally woke up. But
I saw him the other day, but in Turtles out
only Cape Turtles in the water. Instead of worrying about
the people in darkness or Boston, there something else better
to do them do that. You know, it's awful the
representation we have, it's terrible.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Well, you know, you get the representation that you unfortunately
that that that you vote for, you know, one way,
one way or the other.
Speaker 5 (13:30):
She doesn't go in again. Let's name of the guy
that's running against her again? He sounds very good.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, Well, there's there are three Republicans who are vying
for the Republican nomination.
Speaker 5 (13:41):
One of them is a Philla named John Dear.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
John Deaton is one of them.
Speaker 5 (13:46):
I hope he gets it.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Well, there's there's a there's at least a couple of
others as well. One of them will emerge as the nominee.
The letter that Ed Flynn wrote that you're referring to
is a letter to Commissioner Robert Goldstein, who's with the
Massachusetts Department. He's the commission of the Massachuset Department of
Public Health. And since you refer to the letter, let
(14:08):
me just make sure the audience understands what we're talking about.
He writes, the represented a rather Council of Flynn rights
a right to express my concerns regarding the closure of
the Charnee Hospital. On July twenty sixth, Stewart Healthcare System
revealed in its bankruptcy court filings that is planning to
close Corney Hospital in the Shoba Valley Medical Center in
(14:29):
airby August thirty first, citing a lack of qualified bids
for these two hospitals. The August thirty first closure date,
two and a half weeks from today, is three months
earlier than the state required one hundred and twenty day
notice for closing hospitals, leaving patients and hospital staff little
time to prepare and transfer their care. He goes on
and talk about Corney Hospital, with a long history of
(14:50):
serving patients in Boston, including Dorchester, South Boston, Mattapan. The
loss of Karnie would post significant risk to the health
and wellbeing of the community served by these facilities. A
significant population of communities of color and economically disadvantage residents
would be disproportionally impacted by the service closures. In addition
to the loss of Cornee Hospital will also compromise and
(15:11):
further strain and delay access to healthcare for all communities
in Greater Boston, as already overcrowded facilities will be forced
to absorb this population of patients. The closure would also
impact around eight hundred jobs, many of whom have families
to support. It's critical for our city and state to
do all we can to ensure that we keep the
(15:32):
doors to the Cornee Hospital open. I urge your office
take the calls for Connie to remain open and concerns
of our healthcare workers, patients and impacted communities seriously at
the public hearing tonight and do everything that you can
to prevent the catastrophe catastrophic loss of this critical and
life saving institution of our residents. If you have any questions,
(15:54):
please please feel reach out to him. Understand well, that's
the letter that you're.
Speaker 5 (16:03):
That sounds great.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Whither or not will have an impact. I think that
a lot of these decisions, unfortunately, have have have been made.
They're baked in unfortunately in my and my humble opinion.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
But the governor to threw so that the boss do
so well.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
She's saying that that that she has basically washed her
hands of it, which I don't understand.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
That's what she is.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Well, I don't know about that one, but that's your opinion.
I'm not going to try to change your mind. Greg
is always You're always welcome to calling.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Especially thanks Gregor.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Okay, uh As I said, we will get back to
this tomorrow night when we talk with Congresswoman Laurie Trahan
of the Lowell area, with specific emphasis not only on Carnie,
but in a hospital in her district, the Nishova Valley
Medical Center in Air. When we get back, I'm going
to open up a conversation about bike lanes in Boston.
(17:02):
I think you know how I feel about bike lanes
in Boston. I think that they are proliferated at a
well they and absolutely absurd situation. Bike lanes everywhere. There
was an interesting commentary in Yesterday's Boston Globe, written by
someone who I know and who has been a friend
(17:25):
over the years Brian McGrory, former editor of The Globe.
He writes, Boylston Street is a place to spread out
and think big, to feel what brings us together and
know as what Boston sets us apart. It is, or
was a place of wide lanes and broadside walks that
flow from the grittiness of Mass Avenue to the cosmic
beauty of the Boston Public Garden. But that has now
(17:48):
changed too much of it since our city leaders thought
it was absolutely imperative that they crowbar bike lanes onto
a street that was thriving without them. We will share
with you all of his comments. Is not an anti
bike activist by any stretch of the imagination, but the
the bike activists, the pro byte activists, know no end
(18:10):
to the dreams of having bike lanes on every street
in the city of Boston. And we haven't talked about
this in a while. It impacts all of us, and
it impacts all of us advoicely. I will explain if
you'd like to jump on board now and either defend
the proliferation of bike lanes or agree with me that
(18:31):
we have gone way overboard to accommodate the bike community.
In Boston six one seven, two four ten thirty or
six one seven nine three one ten thirty changing topics.
Back on Nightside right after the news at the bottom
of the hour.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
It's night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
All right, So yesterday's Globe, Now, the Globe has been
a big supporter of bike lanes editorially. Okay, uh, the
Globe traditionally has supported bike lanes. So when I see
this commentary above the fold on B one in yesterday's Globe,
it caught my eye. Now, as I mentioned, Brian McGrory,
(19:14):
from an editor the Globe is now a commentator and
he has a very prominent position yesterday again on the
B one of the Metro section. So he talks about,
you know, Boss Boylston Street and the beauty of Boylston
Street and what an important location that it is. And
(19:34):
he talks about how that city leaders thought it was
absolutely imperative that they here's an nice word for a
crowbar bike lanes onto a street that was thriving without them.
He said, the whole thing now feels like a crowded, unkempt,
chaotic mess. Gone is the broad shouldered appeal of a
(19:54):
proud urban thoroughfare replaced by something decidedly hunched. Let's stop
here and understand what this isn't. And he writes somewhat defensively,
but I understand why he writes. It's not a screen
against bicycles, because more and more good everyday people are
cycling in Boston, which is truly a great development in
(20:15):
his opinion. It's not even another complaint about bike lanes
and a season full of them. We have bike lanes
on nearby Cumwoalth Avenue, the most majestic residential street. Those
of us in Boston are very, very proud of Colnwouth
Avenue in town that work magnificent. We have bike lanes
on Stuart Street just to the south that apparently really
(20:37):
get used. And this is not a shot at our
mayor or hera's They're trying to make Boston more forward looking,
of a more forward looking city with better and cleaner
transportation for all. But but let's know our limits. You
can be pro bike and advocate for bike lanes without
feeling compelled to cram them into every imaginable thoroughfare. You
(20:58):
can pursue a better future while still balancing the realities
of the present. Sense and right now where a city
filled with Uber drivers and riders, with Amazon Prime vans,
with door dash workers, and regular old delivery trucks on
a place like Boylston, specifically on Boyleston, they cause outsized
(21:19):
havoc wherever they park, and they're not going away. When
used to be three through lanes on Boylston Street through
a hole through the whole of back Bay has been
reduced to a maximum of two, and in some key places,
with the addition of a bus lane, just one. When
used to be the city's grand boulevard, can feel like
(21:39):
a narrow path. Meg Mainster Cohen has run the Back
Bay Association with a boil Street office for the past
twenty four years and runs it very well. But it's
only been this summer that the chaos, in the form
of constantly beeping horns has caused her to shut windows,
mute calls, and even work more from home. It's completely
(21:59):
dis functional, she said. It goes on and on and on.
It's a great article. He finishes his last paragraph says,
even amid the cacophony of Boylston Street, especially amid the
cacophony of Boylston Street, one thing still rings clear. That's
got to be a better, more thoughtful way. Brian McGrory. Now,
(22:22):
we invited Brian to join us tonight. Brian, as I say,
as a friend, he and I kind of grew up
in the business, and he writes to my producer, thanks, Marita.
I'm a fan of Dan and his show, but much
prefer to write columns rather than speak about them. I
appreciate the invitation, very gracious, denial, whatever, So I just
(22:44):
want to open up. We haven't talked about bike lanes,
but specifically bike lanes in Boston. It is now a
miserable experience to drive into Boston, in my opinion, particularly
as you get into the heart of the city from
ken Moore Square all the way to Beacon Hill. It's
(23:04):
bike lanes, bike lanes and bike lanes. And what has
happened is the bike lean lobby has been very effective
at convincing politicians that they vote, and they do and
those politicians better pay attention. But they will lead, in
my opinion, to problems in Boston, just as they have
in other cities. At some point in West Roxbury on
(23:26):
Center Street, bike lanes are unnecessary and they are complicating matters.
You go down Center street in West Roxbury. You can't
find a parking space. People are going up and down
side streets in West Roxbury and that is lack of
political leadership. Lack of political leadership in West Roxby. The
mayor wants bike lanes and bike lanes everywhere. Okay, that's
(23:47):
her philosophy. She's been pretty clear about it. She's never
lived in West Roxbury to the best of my knowledge.
But West Roxby has no political leadership at this point.
No one is going to stand up to Mayor WU
from West Roxbury and as a result, people in West
Roxbury are going to be rolled over. Well, let's go
to the calls. If you have an opinion of bike lanes,
(24:08):
bring it on. Let me go to Harriet in Ruburt. Harry,
thanks very much for checking in tonight. I make reference
to Brian mcgrory's peace in the Globe yesterday. You can
make reference to that or just to the question in general.
Go right ahead, Harry.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Sure, Dan, I read the article. It's tremendous. You're one
hundred percent correct about bike lanes. I've spoken to you before.
I am a tour guide downtown. Actually my main area
where I am is on Boylston Street between Tremont and
Charles Street. And I got to tell you, it is
unbelievable what's happened in the last three or four years.
Traffic is so much worse. So many of my clients
(24:43):
come late. I mean me and myself. I live in Uburn.
It takes me twenty minutes to go eight miles and
it takes me twenty five minutes to go three quarters
of a mile. It is unbelievable. But what do we do, Dan,
This mayor doesn't care at all about business. She has
no concern about busines. This, and if you live in
the suburbs, like many most people downtown do not live there,
(25:05):
we can't vote. I call the mayor's office complain she
doesn't care. What do we do well?
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I think that she's basically making a calculation, and that
is that she can be re elected by people in
Boston who are either anti automobile or they're agnostic in
terms of automobile. They're people who live downtown and they
do not have a car. They don't need a car.
They walk to wherever they have to go to. And
(25:33):
of course many of the people who who live that way,
they're pretty wealthy people. I mean to live in Boston
not have to worry about a car. You have to
be a successful doctor, a lawyer, or some sort of
a business person. In terms of the mayor, she's making
that judgment. But I don't understand why people in West
(25:54):
Roxbury are not revolting against the bike lanes on Sentis Street.
Do you ever get out to West Roxbury.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Oh, it's hard, it's gonna kill business. They're gonna go
to They're gonna go elsewhere. It's insane. It's just like,
I don't know if you've seen Milk Street now now
she completed that, this just happened the last week. That
looks like a white picket fence in the middle of
the street. And also on Washington Street, the corner of
Washington between School and Milk. They keep putting them up everywhere.
(26:21):
It's what happens. Also in the winter time, do they
how do they plow? I just it's just it's it's
just overwhelming. It's absolutely horrible.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, I gotta tell you, we've had a succession of mayors,
going back to John Collins, Kevin White, Ray Flynn, obviously
Tom Menino, Boston's great mayor of twenty years, Marty Walsh.
But the current mayor has just gone overboard with bike
lanes to accommodate bike the bike lobby, and that's where
(26:52):
she wants to put her political capital. So be it.
But at some point people in Boston are going to say,
wait a second, you are gonna she she's fought with
the restaurant owners in the North End unnecessarily in my opinion,
they were treated badly. I don't know why. It sounds
to me like this mayor likes to hold grudges against
(27:12):
people with whom she disagrees. The last time we had
Mayor will in this program was in April of last year,
not April of this year, and that was a time
when there were people picketing her house in Rossendale. And
one of the people who picketed the house actually called
(27:32):
in that night and asked a pretty straightforward question, was
very polite to the mayor. The next day, her press
flack called me, and the press flat was just, I
don't know if he has any idea about what a
radio talk show is. He said, why would you let
that person get on who you knew did not like
(27:52):
the mayor. Well, first of all, I explained to the
press flack and he is a press flack. I explained
to the press flag that a talk show, I explained
very patiently. I said, we give out the phone number
six one, seven, four, ten, thirty people dial that number.
My producer answers the phone and ask them what their
(28:16):
name and at you know, where they located, and what
would they like to ask the mayor. And at that
point we put the person on the air. And it
was if they expected me to call out people who
might call with a challenging question of the mayor. Well,
that's not what we do here. You may go to
another talk show where they will make sure that there
(28:39):
are no tough questions asked of the mayor or whomever.
That's not the way it works on night side. We
think everybody has an opportunity to call in, and as
long as they're polite. I always caution people treat my
guests as if they're a guest in my home. And
I probably said that that night as well. And the
person who called in was very polite to the mayor,
and the mayor had a good answer and actually had
(29:01):
the better part of the conversation in my opinion. But
she surrounds herself with these you know, these young press
flats who have never worked in the media, And at
this point, I don't care if the mayor ever comes
on Night Side again. If she wants to, the door
is always open. Right at the same time, she's got
to walk through the door to come on the program
and talk to her constituents. So she's up for reelection
(29:24):
a year from now. You see how it works out.
Maybe maybe she'll be just fine.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Okay, yeah, Dan, you're doing a great job. Keep this
issue up. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Well, I'll tell you something again. If you want to
be disrespectful to me and to my callers, you can
do that. But I'm not going to go out of
my way to invite you back. And if you want
to come back and talk to me my callers, you're
going to have to ask our permission to come back.
It's as simple as that. Or apologize for having a
(29:54):
press flat who doesn't have the common sense to treat
people respectfully and understand that when you do a talk
show and you open it to the public, the public
has a right to talk to their elected officials. That's
one of the things about Nightside that I think has
always been great. We'll have Congressman Laurie Trehan on Tomorrow Night.
She's been on many times before. Steve Lynch has been
(30:14):
on many times before. We had Governor Patrick on before,
We've had Governor Baker on before, Mayor Flynn, certainly Mayor Menino,
Mayor Walsh. But if if Mayor Wu wants to just
basically surround herself with people who are going to tell
her never never to ask her a question, that's a
(30:35):
tough question. Yeah, well stay away from Nightside, Mayor Wu.
Simply is that right? Hey? Thanks Jerry, Dan, thank you
my pleasure. Appreciate your call. Six one seven two fat
four ten thirty six one seven nine three one ten
thirty just telling you the truth back on Nightside right
after this.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World,
Nightside host on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
He go gonna go to Warren and Fall River, Warren
next on Nightside.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
Welcome, Hey Dan, buddy. How is the trip?
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Wait? A great trip? We saw it. We did a lot.
We saw a lot in Rome and the Mouthey Coast.
Wish you'd been with us, Warren?
Speaker 6 (31:16):
Yeah, I mean I wish I had, I wish I
had the funds by day. I just don't right now.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Next time, next time. So what do you think about
bike lanes? Tell me about that.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
Oh, yeah, I think they're horrible. I mean I think
that bike lanes should only be in certain parts of
the community, like like around parks and this and that
where be recreational.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Now, how much time do you how much time do
you get into question? How much time do you get
into Boston? Number one? And how would the bike lanes
situation down? And you're part of the state down in
the southeast corner of the Southeast coast, in Fall River,
in Fall.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
River, there are certain parts where it gets pretty bad,
like in around the in and around like the schools
and in the colleges, it gets pretty bad. But overall
it's not it's not you know, it's not horrible. It's
not Boston. I mean I get into Boston once in
a blue moon, and I know exactly what you're talking about,
(32:19):
Like like if I go in to see a concert. Yeah,
it's amazing that. You know, you could be driving on
Boylston and next thing you know, you you have you know,
you have to be squeezed over because there's only so
much room you know, taken up by a by a
b you know by a fight, lan, I'm sorry, Well.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
It's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt the city economically. People
are gonna stop coming.
Speaker 6 (32:46):
And oh yeah, I mean I don't like going into
Boston honestly. I I I worked in Boston for six years.
I worked in the back bay. I worked, you know,
on Boiliston Street, right across from where the bombings took twice.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Yep.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Yeah, so I know it well and they're just not
But I think it's I think it's you know, whenever
you get cities are digested. I mean everyone always talks about,
you know, cities being congested and people on top of
people on top of people. And I think that is,
(33:26):
you know, the number one problem on top of and
you know, these bike lanes. It's just too many people
on top of each other.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I agree with you more. Couldn't agree with you more.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
One.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
I want to get one more in here before the break.
Thanks so much, as always for calling and listening to
night Side. Thank you, thank you very much. Let me
get I lean in Wealthy under the wire. I leen
gonna get you in here, go.
Speaker 6 (33:47):
Right ahead, real quick.
Speaker 7 (33:49):
We do deliveries in Boston, Okay, I do deliveries in
Boston a few years ago it was twenty four fifty. Yeah,
it's forty nine to fifty. Question to do a delivery
to Boston.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
In terms of in terms of money, you mean in terms.
Speaker 7 (34:03):
In terms of in terms of charges for deliveries.
Speaker 2 (34:06):
Really, a delivery of anything you mean cost you fifty.
Speaker 7 (34:09):
Bucks, It costs me fifty bucks.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Who does that go to the city? Delivery that goes
to that goes to the city.
Speaker 7 (34:16):
To me, it goes to us. This is a company,
and we deliver balloons in Boston.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Okay, okay, So so what you're saying it's more. Okay,
so you make more money. But the reason you're charging
more is there's more aggravation.
Speaker 7 (34:30):
No, it's cost me more. It takes longer. The person
in the truck gets paid. It ties up the truck.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
No, No, I get that. No, that's what I'm saying.
I'm agreeing with you. I'm trying to er what you're
saying is that you make deliveries.
Speaker 7 (34:42):
I figure out what it costs me. Yeah, I got it,
because those people in the truck get paid well because
of the aggravation they go through. Literally the other day,
we did a delivery in the South and the seaports.
It's almost five o'clock when we get done for thirty.
Are you even trying to get back to the office.
We all went out to do the.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Maybe that's how they get people in Boston. They hold you,
they kidnap you, and hold you captive in Boston because
the traffic is.
Speaker 7 (35:12):
So bad doing deliveries. I mean, the food just everybody's
complaining and they getting tickets like crazy because they have
to double pop. I mean, you're going to create a
food desert. Who's going to deliver food to Boston.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Well, that's an aspect of it. I'm so glad you
brought it to our attention.
Speaker 7 (35:33):
I had not thought of that crazy, huge question I have.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
All right, I mean, let's see we have some answers
after the eleventh. Okay, thank you much, thanks e great.
Here comes the eleven o'clock news. If you're on the line,
stayed there, if not lighted up six one, seven, two, five, four, ten, thirty, six,
one seven ninety, let's talk about it on the other
side of the eleven o'clock News. On night side
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