Beaches:
Basically the DCR, the State Police, and the City of Boston Police have promised to enforce the rules on the beaches this year. They encouraged people to call the state police line 617-740-7710 & the DCR community line 617-626-4973 if they see any drinking or any dogs on the beaches at any time of the day or night. (There is also a DCR rangers' line but I didn't catch it. I will try to get it for you.) Many people complained about the large groups of kids drinking at M Street beach. They were also tons of complaints about the dogs on the beach and it being unsafe to take your kids there. Another major problem on the beaches is the underage drinking that is taking place at night. Neighbors were apalled that these problems were occuring and no one has been addressing them. State Police Lt. Maloney stressed that they would crack down on both of these issues but to be warned that there will be no leniency allowed, whether the offender is 16 years old or 46 years old. He will have one trooper specifically assigned for the area from Castle Island to Carson Beach at all shifts. He urged that people call to report any offenders.

M Street Park:
There were also major complaints about the dogs running off leash at M Street park. Dogs must be on leashes at all time in public places in the city, no exceptions. Councillor Linnehan urged people to call the Mayor's hotline every time they see dogs off leashes here, 617-635-4500. One neighbor explained an instance where an off-leash dog chased him and his daughter so ferociously that he had to hop over the fence at the Vietnam Memorial. People also complained about the state of the maintenance in the tot lot. Casey Hines said that she would look into having the sand in the tot lot replaced. Neighbors asked if this could be done every year. She said she would inquire about this park maintenance.

Castle Island:
I didn't follow this entirely because I was trying to keep the girls quiet, but some neighbors complained that the DCR was starting to use orange tinted bulbs in the street lights near Castle Island and some of the beaches. They, DCR, had made promises in the past to use only white tinted bulbs. The DCR director of maintenance agreed to investigate this. Another neighbor complained about the trash that Sullivan's produces and suggested that they should be required to have a dumpster here to avoid rats and state DCR workers having to pick up the trash ever day. Currently Sullivan's piles tons of trash bags at the side of the property. DCR agreed that this doesn't seem adequate any longer.

Mardi Gras Summers in Southie:
Many neighbors complained that there were a lot of parties on back decks and roof decks that seemed to be really out of control last summer and that they have started up again this summer. They referred to this as a Mardi Gras atmosphere. Capt. Evans explained the following: You must call the police when you have neighbors that disrupt the city noise ordinance after 10pm. Keep calling if the party starts back up after the first warning. He said that if they are called back to a property two times, they have the right under a city ordinance, to seize all electronic devices from that property if they don't stop the noise after the first warning. The police keep a list of problem properties and they will try to help neighbors stop these problems early this summer. He stressed that you have to be vigilant in calling. Captain Evans also offerd his number at Station Six, but again I didn't catch it. He also said it was okay to call 911 for this type of call.

Underage Drinking/Drugs in Southie:
Lots of parents were upset that it is so easy for their kids to get alcohol in this neighborhood. John Gavin of the Gavin Foundation explained that the average first time use of alcohol in Southie is 11 years old for kids that go on to use drugs and become part of his program. Parents explained that junkies wait outside the liquor stores and teenagers give them 5 bucks to buy for them. (Call the police if you see this happening!) People also explained that many teenagers have been stealing cases and kegs off of the back decks of the "party" houses. Parents were asking the police for help in stopping these things from happening. John Gavin also suggested that if you know someone that will benefit from his program, you can always bring them down to him. Capt. Evans explained that there was a major oxycontin arrest at Castle Island over the previous weekend and explained that the drug problem in the neighborhood for teens is very serious.