Fatal Chestnut Manor fire ruled 'accidental'

Report released six months after records request.

UPDATED July 28: The Chestnut Manor fire continues to be a smoldering issue for the Arlington Housing Authority long after the embers from that early morning January blaze were extinguished.  

The fire in the third-floor corner apartment of the seven-story 100-unit building claimed the life of resident Bridget Doyle, 88, and injured her neighbor Margaret Sheehan, 72, in whose unit the fire started.

Sheehan was able to exit her burning bedroom and call 9-1-1 from her outdoor porch in 13-degree weather at 4:09 a.m.

In June, the state's Department of Fire Services released its findings more than six months after YourArlington submitted a public-records request for the information.

The heavily redacted report stated that the cause of the “fire is being ruled unintentional/accidental, likely a malfunction of the baseboard heater or combustible materials located too close to the baseboard heating,” which corresponds to the initial on-site findings.

In a post-fire interview conducted with Sheehan, the report notes that “she has resided at the apartment for over 10 years. She stated that she put the bedroom heat on (electric baseboard) at approximately 9:30 p.m. She stated it was the first time she had put the heat on in her bedroom this cold season. The bedroom heat was on a separate switch located on a small circuit breaker panel behind the main apartment door.”

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'Tiger Wizard,' an AHS grad, drums up a future

Julian Carpenter, Berklee drummer. / Liam Garcia photo

Musician Julian Carpenter, a 2019 Arlington High School grad, aims to feel the beat of the big time as he is among the performers at the Lollapalooza Festival, four days of sounds in Chicago that runs from rap to electro pop and indie to pop-punk.  

The Berklee School of Music senior on Friday, July 29, will be the drummer backing up AIIDA, a pop/R&B artist and singer-songwriter from Norway.

INSIDE ARLINGTON:
Among our many-faceted residents

 The appearance at Lollapalooza is part of the Berklee Popular Music Institute, an innovative class at the college that brings students and Berklee-affiliated acts to major North American music festivals. 

Asked about his local musical influences, Carpenter spread the credit broadly:

“The springboard for my musical success was the devoted educators within Arlington’s vibrant music program,” he wrote in response to a series of questions.

First was Paula Demitrio, when he attended Ottoson and played in the middle school jazz band.

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Board OKs updated AHS-DPW environmental report

The Select Board unanimously approved at its July 18 meeting an updated status report about the environmental investigation and remediation efforts affecting Arlington High School. The vote was 3-0 (Diane Mahon absent; Steve DeCourcey recused because of a client conflict).

Thomas G. Fiore, special counsel for environmental matters from the Boston law firm Frank Flaherty, wrote in a July 13 email that the release of gasoline at the DPW yard was first reported in 1992. Further contamination discovered at the site dates to the unsuccessful 1995 attempt by Stop & Shop to expand.

At the meeting, Fiore said that subsequent contamination relates to a former manufactured gas plant, a former saw-blade chroming operation and some of the Department of Public Works’ historical operations. All are centered at 51 Grove St., the DPW’s current location, but also extend onto AHS and some adjacent properties. 

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Local delegation helps pass state budget with benefits for Arlington

Friedman

RogersGarballey

The Massachusetts Legislature unanimously passed a $52.7 billion budget for fiscal 2023. The budget, passed July 18, upholds fiscal responsibility and makes targeted investments to strengthen the state’s economic foundation, protect the most vulnerable residents and support the everyday needs of communities and families in the Commonwealth.

The budget went to Gov. Baker for his signature.

“The FY23 budget invests significantly in the Commonwealth, funding services and programs that will benefit all residents,” said Sen. Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) in a July 25 release. “I’m especially proud of the historic investments we make in early education and care, and the work we’ve done to improve community-based mental health and substance use disorder services in our state. This budget reaffirms our commitment to supporting working families across Massachusetts, and includes funding for education, health care, food insecurity, and programs for our most vulnerable neighbors.”

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Governor visits Minuteman, awards $1.2m in grants

Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and several members of the governor’s cabinet visited Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School on July 22 and awarded more than $32 million in grants statewide to modernize equipment at career technical schools and programs.

As part of the award, Minuteman received $1,254,000 in grants from the governor’s Workforce Skills Cabinet. Minuteman received $354,000 from the Skills Capital Grant to support equipment for metal fabrication and welding for Minuteman High School and the Minuteman Technical Institute adult evening program. Additionally, Minuteman Technical Institute received $900,000 from the Career Technical Initiative Grant to support programming in carpentry, CNC (computer numeric control) machine operation, plumbing and welding.

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Town warns community of algae bloom at Menotomy Rocks Park

The Arlington Board of Health on July 21 issued a public health advisory for Hill’s Pond at Menotomy Rocks Park because of a visible algal bloom.

The board strongly advises residents not to swim or stand in the water and especially urges residents to keep pets away from the water because of the risk associated with a visible algal bloom.

A harmful algal bloom is an overgrowth of algae in a water body that could affect water quality and aquatic life. Some blooms produced by bacteria can create toxins that may also harm people, animals and the local environment. Contact with high levels of a algal blooms has been found to contribute to eye, ear and skin irritation, the board said.

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No Black Lives Matter banner on Town Hall, board recommends

'... façade of the Town Hall building is not to be used for the display of any banners ....'

Revived policy discussion awaits vote, as some object

Board members revived at its July 18 meeting the discussion dating back two years about whether town-owned property can be used for publicity and promotion, recommending that no banners be displayed outside Town Hall.

In the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis in May 2020, a Black Lives Matter banner hung in front of Town Hall from June 8 to Sept. 30 that year.

After many in town wanted to see it returned, Town Meeting discussed an article about the matter in December 2020. An amended motion was adopted, 166-34, with 38 abstaining. YourArlington reported at the time that the “meeting voted to support a motion that expects to lead to a request to the Select Board to return the Black Lives Matter banner to Town Hall.” 

In January 2021, the Select Board agreed to keep discussing the issue. 

That discussion resumed July 18 as the board has recommended adding the following statement to the town’s Select Board policy:

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Double-pole numbers drop; Select Board seeks further reductions

UPDATED July 21: Are you tired of seeing double poles lining the streets of Arlington? Good news . . . .

The number of double poles in Arlington decreased from 113 last Nov. 1 to 86 on April 30, according to Verizon’s most recent report. To view the report, click here >>

At the Monday, July 18, Select Board meeting, member Steve DeCourcey said, “Our desire is to see them reduced as quickly as possible.” 

“However, I question the list, because behind the summary is a detailed list of all the double-pole locations. Some have been a constant problem and safety hazard, so I’d like to see this work continue and with better communication.

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