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Boston E-Bikes Incentive Program to provide discount vouchers to qualifying residents – The Boston Globe

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Boston E-Bikes Incentive Program to provide discount vouchers to qualifying residents – The Boston Globe


The first round of applications for the Boston E-Bikes Incentive Program opened Monday, with the pilot initiative set to provide discount vouchers to residents who have a disability, are over age 60, or are low-income, the mayor’s office said.

The new program aims to address transportation access inequalities, increase mobility options, and improve sustainability, Mayor Michelle Wu’s office said in a statement.

“Boston is a city always on the move, and we want to ensure that all of our residents have transportation options that are convenient, affordable, and sustainable for their individual needs,” Wu said in the statement. “This e-bike voucher program will help reduce emissions and expand transportation options for traditionally vulnerable residents.”

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The program, which received $1.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, will provide about 1,000 vouchers for amounts ranging from $800 to $2,400 to eligible recipients. Recipients will also receive $150 for bicycle safety equipment, the statement said.

To be eligible, an applicant must be a Boston resident over age 18 who is at or below 40 percent of the area median income, is over 60 years of age, or has a chronic or permanent disability, according to the statement. Recipients will be randomly selected and then can use the vouchers within 90 days in person at a participating bike shop, the statement said.

“E-bikes and adaptive e-bikes make active mobility an option for older adults and some people with disabilities,” said Jascha Franklin-Hodge, the city’s chief of streets, in the statement.

E-bikes eligible for purchase through the program must include safety-certified rechargeable batteries and pedal assists, and the pilot program will also support the purchase of powered handcycle wheelchair attachments and e-bikes adapted for the needs of those with chronic disabilities, Wu’s office said.

“We are excited to see the City of Boston offer incentives to lower the costs for their residents to use electric bicycles to get around,” Alex Salcedo, e-bike program manager for MassBike, said in the statement, going on to cite a Worchester program in which MassBike has provided e-bikes to lower-income residents. “Riding bikes has improved participants’ health and mental wellness, lowered the costs of transportation, expanded connections to the community, and introduced the joy of bicycling to more people.”

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Eligible residents can try out bikes and get assistance filling out applications at “Try an E-Bike,” a free event hosted by the Boston Bikes team in August, the statement said.

Applications close Sept. 5 and will reopen in spring 2025. More information about applications and program details can be found at boston.gov/ebikes.


Kiera McDonald can be reached at kiera.mcdonald@globe.com.





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Boston, MA

Man stabbed 5 times as argument spills out of Boston concert hall, DA says

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Man stabbed 5 times as argument spills out of Boston concert hall, DA says


A man is facing charges for stabbing someone five times outside a Boston music venue this month, prosecutors said.

Witnesses told investigators the fight that led to the stabbing early Dec. 1 near the Roadrunner in Brighton began when Collin Hullum’s sister was confronted for cutting a line at the bar, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday. A TikTok video showing part of the ensuing incident depicts Hullum with a knife, they said.

On Tuesday, Hullum, 36, was ordered held without bail on charges of assault to kill and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, prosecutors said. He’s due back in court Thursday.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Hullum had an attorney who could speak to his arrest.

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The incident was reported about 2:34 a.m., where a 26-year-old man was being treated after being stabbed five times in the back, prosecutors said. Surveillance footage showed him and his friends arguing with three people inside the entrance to the neighboring Warrior Ice Arena.

One of the three people, later identified as Hullum, can be seen striking the man who was wounded in the back, prosecutors said. He was tracked down through eyewitness accounts and surveillance video showing him walking to his car and driving away.

Prosecutors said the man who was stabbed appeared to have been trying to break the fight up.

“What was supposed to be an evening out enjoying a show quickly turned into a violent altercation that resulted in one man facing serious injuries and another man facing serious charges. The victim here seemed to be attempting to stop the violence. I thank him for that and I wish him a full recovery,” District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.

Another person seen with a knife in the fight tried stabbing two people inside the Warrior Ice Arena’s foyer as well, and will face charges later, according to prosecutors.

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Arthur the Aardvark lookalike contest coming to Boston

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Arthur the Aardvark lookalike contest coming to Boston


Neighborhoods

Dust off your yellow sweater, blue jeans, and wide circle glasses. Oh, don’t forget your ears.

Beloved (and locally produced) cartoon aardvark Arthur Read celebrated his 20th birthday in 2018. Produced by WGBH, the series holds the title of TV’s longest-running children’s animated series. PBS Kids

Missed the viral Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest in New York? Couldn’t make it to the Tom Holland lookalike contest on Boston Common? GBH Kids and Boston Children’s Museum has the event for you.

The two groups are joining forces to host an Arthur the Aardvark lookalike contest on Dec. 20 in honor of the longtime PBS Kids show produced by GBH. The contest is set to take place at noon, rain or shine, in front of the Hood Milk Bottle, a representative from GBH said. 

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The representative said fans of  “all ages” are encouraged to dress up as Arthur to compete in the contest. Participants may win prizes like Boston Children’s Museum tickets and the opportunity to have a photo of them dressed as the aardvark featured as Arthur’s official TikTok and Instagram profile picture.

GBH said attendees will have the chance to pick up some Arthur-themed swag at the event, and Arthur himself may even be around to snap some selfies.

Why a lookalike contest? Why Arthur?

The show, aptly named Arthur, was created in Boston for GBH in 1996 based on books by author Mike Brown. The anthropomorphic aardvark is known for his “signature look,” GBH said, which consists of a yellow sweater, blue jeans, and big, round glasses. 

The Boston’s Children’s Museum even has an exhibit dedicated to the cartoon called “Arthur and Friends,” intended to encourage skills like “reading, understanding feelings, creative problem solving, and connecting with friends and family,” the museum’s website said. According to the GBH spokesperson, their “longstanding partnership” with the museum, and the exhibit, made the perfect recipe for a lookalike contest.

Doppelganger face-offs have had their share of viral moments lately, starting off with the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest in November. Since then, multiple similar contests have sprung up around the country, including a Jeremy Allen White lookalike contest in Chicago, and yes, even a JFK lookalike contest here in Boston.

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Eva Levin is a general assignment co-op for Boston.com. She covers breaking and local news in Boston and beyond.





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Boston, MA

Red Sox Blockbuster Trade Idea Brings $19 Million Astros 2-Time All-Star To Boston

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Red Sox Blockbuster Trade Idea Brings  Million Astros 2-Time All-Star To Boston


The Boston Red Sox still have a long way to go before they can consider themselves World Series contenders.

It may be a harsh dose of reality, but it needs to be said. The Red Sox made a big-time trade last week, bringing in Garrett Crochet to be their new ace, but behind Crochet, the rest of the rotation still looks a bit iffy.

Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Lucas Giolito could all give the Red Sox strong seasons if things break right. But in today’s game, things almost never break right, especially with the constant injury risks pitchers are facing.

Should the Red Sox, then, make one more blockbuster trade?

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Drew Koch of FanSided recently named the Red Sox as a possible trade destination for Houston Astros two-time All-Star Framber Valdez, who is entering his walk year at age 31. Houston already traded Kyle Tucker this winter, signaling that Valdez is likely available.

“The Boston Red Sox already emptied the farm system to land Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox, but the cupboard is not bare,” Koch said.

“Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are probably off limits, but a young shortstop prospect like Franklin Arias —ranked in the top 100 according to MLB Pipeline— could be the headliner of a trade package heading back to Houston. The Astros need to beef up their farm system, and Boston could help facilitate that.”

Valdez is projected to make $18.8 million in arbitration this season (via Spotrac) thanks to his excellent career to this point. He’ll likely command even more than that in free agency for several years to come, so this will be the cheapest opportunity Boston has to get him, even for one year.

This could be Boston’s opportunity to go all-in on the 2025 season. If Houston commands a reasonable price, which they should, considering there’s only one year of control left on Valdez’s deal, they should look at this situation as a true rental.

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Sure, there’s potential for an extension if Valdez truly loves pitching in Boston. But why not put some chips on the table for the short term in a wide-open American League?

More MLB: Why Red Sox Insider ‘Would Be Shocked’ If Boston Doesn’t Sign Another Star Free Agent



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