City of Everett is Next Step for Bluebikes Expansion

Last month, the City of Everett announced it was joining the Bluebikes regional bike share. This was welcome news for commuters, especially Everett residents who travel into Somerville, Cambridge and Boston. Everett will become the first Massachusetts community to offer both the Bluebikes and dockless bikes.

Everett is also the first community to join the metro-Boston bike share in at least five years. The City of Boston first brought the program – then called Hubway – to the region in July 2011. It began with a fleet of 600 bikes parked at 60 stations within the city of Boston.

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Construction Workers are Dying in Boston’s Building Boom

Boston is in the middle of a mighty building boom, with no sign of a slowdown ahead. As new condos, college dorms and office buildings go up, the companies making a financial profit must protect construction workers.

Workers are not always protected. As ribbons are cut on new buildings, the number of workers killed on the job stands at a 10-year high in Massachusetts, according to MassCOSH. During the past month, construction accidents have injured two workers and killed one in the Boston area.

A 56-year-old Seekonk man was found dead last week at the Wynn Boston Harbor resort in Everett. According to WBZ, the worker was in the cab of an excavator, taking apart a trench box when he was struck. The cause of the impact was not reported and the accident remains under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The man worked for J. Derenzo Companies of Brockton. The company is a subcontractor of Suffolk Construction of Boston, which is building the casino.

The Boston Globe reported that OSHA has conducted previous inspections at the Wynn construction site. One involved an employee who was hit by an excavator bucket. Another worker was injured when he fell down a shaft. A third employee was injured by a scissor lift.

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Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates 100 Children’s Bicycle Helmets to Everett Police Department

Attorney David White delivered 100 children’s bicycle helmets to the Everett Police Department earlier this week. He got a warm welcome from Everett Police Captain Richard Basteri, Lt. Mark Zielinski, Officer Joe Gaff, Officer Jeff Gilmore and Detective Jason Leonard. Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the helmets as part of our Project KidSafe campaign to keep children safe while riding their bicycles. Now in our fourth year, we have proudly donated more than 10,000 bicycle helmets to children in the Boston and Worcester areas. This is our first year partnering with the Everett Police Department.

We are excited about this donation because Everett Police have already started giving out helmets to children who need one. The department has very strong community policing programs for youth. Every July, Everett Police run a very popular Junior Police Academy for middle school students. This was the 15th year of the one-week program, which teaches its cadets about training situations through classroom training, hands-on police tactics and daily fitness and marching drills. This year, the cadets also got to visit the Coast Guard station in Boston, Breakheart Reservation and participate in diving operations. The academy is fun for the cadets and they get to consider police work as a career. During the school year, officers have a “Cops Corner” initiative and join high school students for lunch.

Attorney David White with Everett Police Captain Richard Basteri.

Attorney David White delivering new bicycle helmets to Everett Police Captain Richard Basteri on August 24th

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Attorney David White with Everett Police Captain Richard Basteri, Lt. Mark Zielinski, Officer Joe Gaff, Officer Jeff Gilmore and Detective Jason Leonard

Through the academy and other efforts, Everett Police have developed strong relationships with the community. We know officers will be able to put bicycle helmets in the hands of children who need them as we approach Back-to-School.

Video on How to Fit a Bicycle Helmet

If you are a cyclist or are the parent of a cyclist, visit our bicycle safety page. There is a video on the bottom, “Fitting a Bicycle Helmet,” by the National highway Traffic Safety Administration. With Back-to-School coming, now is a good time to check to make sure you have a helmet which properly fits and review the rules of safe bike riding with your family.

Wearing a bicycle helmet is required by law for cyclists under age 16 in Massachusetts. But it makes good sense for all cyclists and if you are a parent, your kids are more likely to wear one if you do as well.

It really is important. According to the bhsi.org website, almost three-quarters of fatal bike crashes involve a head injury. Study after study has shown helmets are the most effective way to prevent brain injuries if children fall or are involved in an bike accident. Through our Project KidSafe campaign, we have worked to prevent these injuries and are thankful for the support of Everett Police.

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