City Developing New Rat Control Strategy
The speakers repeatedly emphasized that the best way to combat rats is better trash storage. Residents, however, were particularly curious about rat birth control. Earlier this year, a pilot program in Jamaica Plain, in which residents fed rats fertility blockers instead of rodenticide, showed an apparent decline in rats of up to 60 percent.

Police Change District Heads
Captain Richard Driscoll took command last week. He was previously head of the area that includes Jamaica Plain..

1st Night to Miss Back Bay Again
The event was moved last year due to that same $17 million construction project, which began in July 2023, to update Copley Square Park. While the project was originally expected to finish in autumn, the city’s most recent update expects 75% of the park to be open by the end of the year with several aspects to be finalized in the spring.

Nick Collins Is a Man of Courage
Progressive Bostonians should look at themselves in a mirror and appreciate the courage that State Senator Nick Collins is manifesting by standing up to Mayor Michelle Wu, The Boston Globe,.

Hatchlings Winter Lights Returns to the Greenway
“We really loved the challenge of creating an experience specific to Boston’s identity,” said Vanessa Till Hooper, founder and creative director of Studio HHH..

Flour Bakery Gets Common Concession
With nine existing locations across the city, Flour Bakery will open its tenth at the pavilion, offering its signature pastries, sandwiches and beverages to the thousands of daily visitors to Boston Common. Renovations are expected to begin this winter, with the pavilion’s reopening slated for spring 2025.

When Christmas Was Banned in Boston
“The day after Christmas in England found the jails filled with rioters, wassailers and brawlers,” wrote 19th century historian George E. Ellis.

Bell Ringers Celebrate 100 Years of Christmas
This year, the Beacon Hill Bell Ringers will celebrate a 100th anniversary performance, continuing a beloved tradition that began in 1924 with a women’s suffragist, Margaret Shurcliff. The event has become a cherished part of the neighborhood’s holiday season, drawing crowds from across Boston and beyond.

Northeastern to Replace Historic Matthews Arena
The focus of a December 10 Boston Planning Department (BPD) meeting, the University detailed plans to demolish the arena and begin construction of a state-ofthe-art multipurpose athletics facility by the end of 2025. The project stirs up both excitement and reservation, as residents weigh the loss of a cherished piece of Boston’s sports history.

Oil Spills into Muddy River
The oil was concentrated in Leverett Pond in Olmstead Park, near the Longwood MBTA station, but had also flowed downstream into the river. MassDEP set up a boom and sorbent system to contain and absorb residual oil, and have continued clean-up efforts, according to a spokesperson.

TOYS FOR A GREAT CAUSE
State Representative Aaron Mickiewicz held his annual holiday gathering to collect toys for children in need. The event at Cósmica on December 10 attracted residents and such elected officials as Governor Maura Healy and State Treasurer Deb Goldberg..

Mass/Cass Drug Czar Is Missing-in-Action
Steve Fox, chair of the South End Forum said that there was a time when the CRT would often attend meetings of the Working Group on Addiction Recovery and Homelessness, of which Fox is also the chair. He added that he worked closely with former CRT director Tania Del Rio on issues at Mass and Cass.

PLAYING SANTA
The staff at Boston Community Pediatrics, a nonprofit health provider on Albany Street, turned its facility into a free Holiday Shop last weekend for over 330 families..

OUR YEAR IN REVIEW
Rather than rehashing old stories, here are cartoons from the internet that encapsulate our cultural trends in 2024..