More and more, it seems, Boston is going to the dogs. No matter where you look these days — sidewalks, brunch spots, the hallways of your office — you’re likely to find yourself surrounded by K-9s. “It’s a pretty different landscape,’’ said Mike Valencius, a realtor in Boston and Brookline. “You get out of work 5, 6 o’clock, and everyone is out walking their dog.’’ Dog ownership has jumped nationally — with nearly 40 percent of households owning one, based on one report — but the bump has been particularly stark in Boston. According to city data, the number of registered dogs has more than doubled in the past few years, from around 2,700 in 2012 to more than 7,000 this year. The reason? There’s never been a better time, perhaps, to be a dog owner in the city. “As a dog owner, for sure it’s easier, because your dog is welcome so many more places,’’ said Jenifer Vickery, longtime … [Read more...] about There’s never been a better time to be a dog owner in Boston
Brookline dog walkers
George H.W. Bush remembered at dog-walk gathering in Kennebunk
KENNEBUNK — About 200 people gathered Sunday afternoon at Gooch’s Beach to walk their dogs and tell stories of close encounters with the 41st president, who spent his summers at the Bush family compound at Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport. While attendees at a similar gathering in April held after the death of former first lady Barbara Bush donned pearls as a nod to her signature neckwear, many of those gathered Sunday wore colorful socks in recognition of George Bush’s affinity for eye-popping hose.Confined to a wheelchair by a form of Parkinson’s disease later in life, Bush, who died Nov. 30 at the age of 94, knew his ankles were frequently on view and enjoyed wearing interesting socks. He was buried Thursday in a pair of socks with an image of squadron planes, in acknowledgment of his Navy pilot days during World War II. The spring gathering included a collection of children’s books – Mrs. Bush was a children’s literacy advocate – … [Read more...] about George H.W. Bush remembered at dog-walk gathering in Kennebunk
A smart speaker leads to a scare
Visit The Boston Globe Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Comment on this Scroll to top of page Emily Sweeney Globe Staff December 07, 2018 Every day, police officers respond to reports of all sorts of events and non-events, most of which never make the news. Here is a sampling of lesser-known — but no less noteworthy — incidents from police log books (a.k.a. blotters) in our suburbs. ALEXA . . . IS THAT YOU? As smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Apple HomePod become more prevalent in homes, voice assistants like Alexa and Siri have become more intertwined in our lives than ever before — and in ways you might not expect. Case in point: Shortly after midnight on Oct. 31, a woman in Marblehead called police when she returned home and found her front door open and heard music playing in her house. Fearing the worst, she asked for an officer to walk through her home to make sure no one was inside. She also told police it “could … [Read more...] about A smart speaker leads to a scare
Dodgers’ 2018 World Series quest starts today: Live updates from Fenway, photos, stories, matchups and more
By James H. Williams | [email protected] | PUBLISHED: October 23, 2018 at 9:41 am | UPDATED: October 23, 2018 at 9:55 am BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 22: Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes batting practice during a team workout prior to the start of Major League Baseball’s World Series at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on October 22, 2018. (Staff photo by Christopher Evans, Boston Herald) BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 22: Yasiel Puig #66 of the Los Angeles Dodgers waves during a team workout prior to the start of Major League Baseball’s World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on October 22, 2018. (Staff photo by Christopher Evans, Boston Herald) SoundThe gallery will resume insecondsBOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 22: Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes batting practice during a team workout prior to the start of Major League Baseball’s World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Fenway Park … [Read more...] about Dodgers’ 2018 World Series quest starts today: Live updates from Fenway, photos, stories, matchups and more
Want change? Start locally
Visit The Boston Globe Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Comment on this Scroll to top of page By Jennifer Fenn Lefferts Globe Correspondent September 28, 2018 From banning plastic bags in Topsfield, to changing the name of a school in Brookline that honored a town benefactor and former slave owner, to protecting the shoreline in Scituate, citizens have stepped up to initiate change in their communities. Working through the citizen petition process at town meeting, residents have spearheaded proposals related to zoning, government operations, and social causes such as the environment. As the fall town meeting season gets underway, several communities will be voting on new citizens’ petitions, including proposals to limit dog kennels in residential areas of Natick, reduce the tax levy in Walpole, designing a rail trail in Sudbury, and changing the time of town meetings in Billerica. Advertisement “Generally, people create these petitions to … [Read more...] about Want change? Start locally