The Boston Globe - 02.09.2019

B2 Metro The Boston Globe MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2019

By Sofia Saric

GLOBE CORRESPONDENT

Amid the bustle of vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables at the

North Andover Farmers Market, something was miss-

ing: the men and women from town who served in the

military but couldn’t afford to buy produce from local

farms.

So this year the market sprouted a program to pro-

vide low-income veterans $10 worth of vouchers to

spend each week at the market.

“At the veteran’s office, we noticed there were fami-

lies who weren’t able to enjoy the farmers market in

the same way as the rest of the community,” said Crys-

tal Clunie, the administrative assistant in the office.

The Veterans Food Security Program is funded en-

tirely by donations from people in the community,

businesses, nonprofits, and some of the vendors who

participate in the market, which is held on Sundays.

“We missed many of our veterans at the market every Sunday. We want-

ed them there,” Clunie said.

So far, about $8,700 has been raised, most of it from a silent auction in

June at Wine Connextion, a local business.

“I believe this country doesn’t do enough for the people that serve and

protect us,” said Tina Messina, a Wine Connextion co-owner who serves on

the farmers market committee. “I was taken aback when I learned there

were veterans in our town that couldn’t afford to purchase food at the

farmers market.”

The silent auction raised $5,600, enough to fund the program this sum-

mer and part of next year, said Joseph LeBlanc, the

town’s director of veterans services.

“This program gives community members the op-

portunity to get some fresh food that they otherwise

might not have access to,” said LeBlanc, whose office

administers the vouchers.

About 30 veterans and their families have taken

part in the program.

Carolyn Grieco, a vendor from Haverhill, said local

residents of all ages and backgrounds volunteer or

shop at the market.

“I feel the veterans program is an extension of this,

widening the circle for even more of the community to

enjoy the market,” said Grieco, owner of Carolyn’s

Farm Kitchen. “I’ve had some folks use the coupons to

purchase my products, and I think the program is fantastic!”

The market is every Sunday through Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at

First and Main streets. To support the program, visit

https://northandoverfarmersmarket.org/supporting-veterans/.

Sofia Saric can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter

@sofia_saric.

Forveterans,afreshopportunity

PHOTOS BY GARY HIGGINS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE

Carolyn Grieco, serving customers at the North Andover Farmers Market, lauds a program that provides vouchers for low-income vets.

AROUND THE REGION

CHICOPEE

Mass.GreenBeret

killedinAfghanistan

cominghomeforburial

A Green Beret from Massachusetts killed during

combat operations in Afghanistan last month is

coming home. The body of Master Sergeant Luis

Deleon-Figueroa is scheduled to arrive at West-

over Air Reserve Base in Chicopee on Monday.

Calling hours are scheduled for the Curran-Jones

Funeral Home in West Springfield on Monday af-

ternoon. The funeral service will be Tuesday at

the Bethany Assembly of God Church in

Agawam. Burial with full military honors will fol-

low at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial

Cemetery in Agawam. The 31-year-old native of

Puerto Rico and Chicopee resident was one of

two Green Berets killed Aug. 21 as a result of

small arms fire in Faryab Province. Area resi-

dents are being asked to line the procession

route from the base to the funeral home on Mon-

day to pay their respects. (AP)

BOSTON

Billswouldguarantee

recessforyoungpupils

As the new school year begins around Massachu-

setts, some lawmakers want to assure that chil-

dren don’t miss out on recess. Legislation sched-

uled to be heard on Wednesday by the Legisla-

ture’s Education Committee would require all

public school students in kindergarten through

fifth grade to receive at least 20 consecutive min-

utes of ‘‘supervised, safe and unstructured free-

play recess’’ during each school day. The bill, co-

sponsored by Democratic Representative Marjo-

rie Decker, of Cambridge, and Democratic

Senator Michael Rush, of Boston, would also

prohibit the state from increasing total elemen-

tary school time to provide for required recess

periods. Backers say children benefit socially and

physically from unstructured recess and there

appears to be at least some bipartisan agree-

ment: Republican Representatives Paul Frost, of

Auburn, and Bradford Hill, of Ipswich, intro-

duced similar proposals. (AP)

PROVIDENCE, R.I.

Hookahloungeclosed

afterpatronstabbed

innearbyparkinglot

The Providence Board of Licenses has

temporarily closed another city nightspot after a

weekend stabbing pending a show case hearing

later this week. The board held an emergency

meeting Saturday and closed the Jamra Hookah

Lounge after a 19-year-old man was found

stabbed in the chest in a nearby parking lot at

about 12:15 a.m. Saturday. Authorities say the

victim had been involved in an altercation

involving eight to 10 people inside the hookah

lounge before the stabbing. He was taken to the

hospital and stabilized. Police charged 31-year-

old Mark Daniel with simple assault and

disorderly conduct in connection with the

stabbing. It’s not clear if he has an attorney.

There have been several instances of violence in

or near city nightclubs this summer, including

one homicide. (AP)

POLICE BLOTTER

RVICTIM IDENTIFIEDState Police have identi-

fied a 62-year-old man who was struck and killed

on Route 16 in Everett Friday night. Francis

Stamegna, of Melrose, and an unidentified wom-

an were running across Revere Beach Parkway

when he was struck by a 2012 Dodge Charger at

about 9:30 p.m., State Police said in a statement.

The woman was not hit. Stamegna was taken to

Whidden Hospital in Everett, where he was later

pronounced dead, police said. The driver of the

Charger, a 24-year-old man from South Weber,

Utah, stayed at the scene, police said. He was

driving in the westbound lane approaching a

green light at the intersection at Vine Street at

the time of the crash, according to the statement.

No charges have been filed, police said. The inci-

dent remains under investigation.

RFISHERMAN RESCUEDA fisherman who had

climbed into Dorchester Bay to unhook his fish-

ing line Sunday morning was caught in a current

and had to cling to a pier until Boston Fire De-

partment divers rescued him, a spokesman said.

The man, who is in his mid-50s, was in 8 to 10

feet of water, clutching the piling of Beads Bridge

when other fishermen alerted authorities at

about 6:45 a.m., Brian Alkins said in a brief

phone interview. “The current started dragging

him into the water, so his last attempt was to

grab onto the piling,” Alkins said. The man sus-

tained minor injuries but was not taken to a hos-

pital, officials said. “He was exhausted when they

reached him,” Atkins said.

RFATAL CRASHA Lawrence man, 22, was

killed and his passenger seriously hurt in a sin-

gle-car crash on Interstate 495 in Chelmsford

Sunday, according to State Police. The man,

whom police have not identified, was driving a

2012 Chevrolet Captiva when it drifted from the

southbound side between exits 33 and 32 and

crashed at about 1:30 a.m., State Police said. He

was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger,

whom police identified only as female, was flown

to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she

was in stable condition, State Police said.

RROAD RAGEA Virginia man was allegedly

driving drunk Saturday night when police said

he pointed a gun at a woman while they were

stopped at a traffic light in Dartmouth. Authori-

ties received a call from a woman who reported a

man driving a dark-colored truck with Virginia

license plates had flashed a gun at her near

Shaw’s market on State Road at about 8:10 p.m.,

Dartmouth police said in a statement. An officer

found a truck matching the description on

Faunce Corner Road and arrested 56-year-old

Michael Couture of Hampton, Va. “Couture

admitted that he had been involved in a road-

rage incident,” the statement said. Police found a

9mm handgun, an open bottle of alcohol, and

several empty bottles of alcohol inside Couture’s

truck, police said. Couture faces several charges,

including assault with a dangerous weapon,

carrying a loaded firearm without a license and

carrying a firearm while intoxicated.

RWILDLIFE THREATA man was arrested

Saturday in Falmouth on animal cruelty charges

after he allegedly stuck razor blades into a tree in

Goodwill Park and spread peanut butter over the

area, officials said. Brian McGrath, 65, of

Falmouth was arrested following a joint

investigation by the town’s Marine and

Environmental Services department and the

Massachusetts Environmental Police. In late

August, officials received a tip that a man was

using peanut butter to bait animals to the razors,

said Major Patrick Moran of the environmental

police. McGrath was due to be arraigned Tuesday

in Falmouth.

GET SMART

By Emily Sweeney
GLOBE STAFF
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced
recently that the city is going to reactivate its
Human Rights Commission after more than a
decade of dormancy, pledging the panel will
pay special attention to immigrant communi-
ties amid the fraught national political cli-
mate.
Here is a snapshot of the commission and
its responsibilities.

What does the Human Rights Commission
do?
The commission, which was established in
1984 to “guarantee that all residents are given
fair and equal treatment under the law,” has
not been active since 1996, according to a
statement from the mayor’s office. The seven-
member body was appointed by the mayor. It
was originally created to receive and investi-
gate complaints regarding discrimination re-
lated to the workplace, housing, credit, educa-
tion, public accommodations, and other ar-
eas, according to Walsh’s office. Now, a focus
will be immigrant issues at a time when the
Trump administration has made a priority of
restricting immigration.

What authority does the commission
have?
The commission has the power to conduct
hearings and call witnesses, and can issue re-
ports and the results of investigations. It also
has the power to adopt rules and regulations
and recommend legislation to the City Coun-
cil and the mayor, Walsh’s office said.

Who will lead the commission?
Evandro Carvalho will serve as its execu-
tive director. Carvalho is an attorney who
served for five years as a state representative.
Born in Cabo Verde, Carvalho emigrated to
Dorchester at the age of 15 and attended the
Boston Public Schools.
After graduating from the top of his class
at Madison Park High, he went to earn de-
grees from the University of Massachusetts
Amherst and Howard University School of
Law.
“I’m honored to be chosen by Mayor Walsh
to lead the Human Rights Commission,” Car-
valho said in the statement. “At this time in
our country, I’m proud Boston has doubled
down on our commitment to protect and ad-
vance the rights of all people. I look forward
to continuing to serve the people of our beau-
tiful City in this new capacity. I thank Mayor
Walsh for this opportunity.”

Walsh weighs in.
“As attacks on human rights continue from
the highest levels of our country, here in Bos-
ton, we’re committed to preserving and ad-
vancing human rights, including in our immi-
grant communities,” the mayor said. “I’m
proud to activate this crucial commission, and
look forward to Evandro’s strong leadership
and track record of helping people guide this
Commission.”

Emily Sweeney can be reached at
[email protected]. Follow her on Twitter
@emilysweeney.

Paneltosupport

immigrantrights

Sept. 2, 1988:Occasionally distracted by
pro-Dukakis chants, GOP presidential nomi-
nee George H. W. Bush cruised across Boston
Harbor and, in a sweeping indictment,
blamed Governor Michael S. Dukakis’ delays
for making the harbor one of the dirtiest in
America.

The MetroMinute

TIME MACHINE

WENDY MAEDA/GLOBE STAFF/FILE 1988

George H.W. Bush pointed to pollution in
Boston Harbor in his 1988 campaign,

JONATHAN WIGGS/GLOBE STAFF

Evandro Carvalho will serve as executive
director of the reactivated commission.