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Boston's Morning Newsletter
After two-week delay, Walgreens officially closes another Roxbury location
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Congratulations, we’ve made it to the 10,005th and final day of January — and the first pre-7 a.m. sunrise of the year. (Just a few more days until we get post-5 p.m. sunsets back, too.) Now, to the news:
Closing time: Walgreens is permanently shuttering its location on Warren Street in Roxbury today, despite outcry from local residents and top Massachusetts lawmakers. The closure, which the pharmacy chain postponed for two weeks, exacerbates what some already described as a “pharmacy desert” in the neighborhood. (From Nubian Square, the next nearest Walgreens or CVS is at least a 25-minute walk.) Click here to listen to The Common‘s interview with Boston Globe reporter Tiana Woodard on how the closure affects local residents.
- Now what? A Walgreens spokesperson says the pharmacy will automatically transfer Warren Street customers’ prescriptions to the nearest store at 1890 Columbus Ave. They’ll also offer free same-day delivery of prescriptions and other products for 90 days.
- Is this a trend? It’s the fourth Walgreens branch to close in Boston since November 2022 — all of which have been in mostly Black and Latino neighborhoods. (The three others were in Hyde Park, Mattapan and Roxbury.) U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley spoke out against the spate of closures yesterday on the House floor, calling the them “life-threatening acts of racial and economic discrimination.”
- The big picture: The recent closures aren’t just a Boston problem. NPR’s 1A took a closer look at the reasons behind retail pharmacies’ nationwide struggles and widespread closures.
Day 9 in Newton: School is closed again today in Newton, as the city’s teacher strike goes on. The union and city did make progress on teachers’ annual raises during yesterday’s contract talks, but both sides are also publicly airing frustrations.
- On one hand: Newton School Committee chair Chris Brezski told reporters yesterday that the union’s response to their latest offer was “incremental at best.” “It makes me question whether the union really wants a deal,” Brezski said. “It makes me question what this strike is really about. Is it about students, kids and teachers? Is it about money? Or is it about some other bigger agenda, one where our kids are being used as pawns?”
- On the other: Newton South High School teacher and negotiator Ryan Normandin called the annual cost-of-living adjustments “important,” but said they remain at odds over funding for teacher aids, parental leave and student mental health support. “These are the things that we’re really fighting for and they tie those cost of living adjustment increases to rejecting all of these other proposals,” Normandin said. “We can’t accept that.”
Doors open: The Healey administration plans to open the Melnea Cass Recreation Center in Roxbury today to immigrants in need of shelter. It’s a controversial move in the neighborhood, which uses the complex for a variety of exercise and sports programs. But the venue can host up to 100 families who’ve been sleeping at Logan airport.
- It looks like a busy opening day, with both Gov. Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu (among other elected officials) scheduled to tour the facility and hold a press conference.
Digging deep: A public housing development in Dorchester is getting Boston’s first “networked geothermal system.” As WBUR’s Simón Rios reports, the Boston Housing Authority is teaming up with National Grid to replace the Franklin Field complex’s aging gas boiler with a geothermal system that will power clean electric heating and (for the first time) cooling for 129 units across seven buildings. During a press event last week, BHA deputy administrator Joel Wool told Simón the pilot could be a model for other Boston housing projects.
- Why geothermal? Well, there’s a lot to like. For starters, it’s among the most clean and cost effective ways to heat and cool buildings (though the upfront costs and logistics of drilling and retrofitting existing homes can often be a challenge).
- What’s next: Construction at Franklin Field is slated to start in 2025, with “minimal disruption.” Wu’s office says residents will be temporarily relocated for “no more than a few days.”
- Zoom out: Outside of Boston, another National Grid geothermal project is in the planning stages at UMass Lowell, while Eversource is nearing completion on another in Framingham.
P.S.— February school vacation week in Massachusetts is quickly approaching. And for families looking to fill the time off, the Boston Parks and Recreation department is hosting free baseball/softball clinics, along with their annual winter festival. Check out the details online or email parks@boston.gov for more information.
