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Caleb Lomu’s wife predicted his path to the Patriots, then his uncle flew him there

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Caleb Lomu’s wife predicted his path to the Patriots, then his uncle flew him there


New England Patriots

Lomu’s uncle, an American Airlines pilot, flew the Patriots first rounder’s red-eye flight to Boston Thursday morning.

Caleb Lomu at the NFL Scouting Combine. AP Photo/Michael Conroy

  • 5 things to know about Patriots first-round pick Caleb Lomu


  • Here’s the audio of the Patriots’ phone call to Caleb Lomu telling him he would be drafted

FOXBOROUGH – When Caleb Lomu boarded his flight to Boston Thursday morning, he knew he was in for a friendly dose of embarrassment.

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His uncle, Curtis Tanner, is an American Airlines pilot. Tanner texted Lomu’s mother a day or two before asking what flight the Patriots first-round pick had booked for his introductory press conference at Gillette Stadium.

It happened to be the same red-eye flight that Tanner had been switched to.

“He’s the type of uncle to where he’s going to embarrass you a little bit,” Lomu said. “I knew it was coming, so my family told me to film it.”

“I got on the plane and I was kind of waiting, and then of course he got on the intercom and started talking. I thought he was just going to be talking about me, but he brought me up to the front. Proud uncle, is what he was saying.”

Getting a ride to the airport from a family member is one thing. Having an uncle fly you from Massachusetts for the beginning of a lifelong NFL dream is another.

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But, that’s just how Lomu’s luck worked out on this sunny Thursday. He began the day in Arizona and found himself shaking hands with Robert Kraft in Foxborough a few hours later.

“How great is that karma?” Kraft asked.

Lomu’s wife, Kitty, predicted the Patriots would be the team to draft him.

She printed out a US map with the locations of all 32 NFL franchises ahead of the NFL draft.

“We just hung that up, put it on the wall, and then everyone in the family could just get a little sticky note and put their guesses of where I was going to go,” Lomu said. “It’s a funny story, actually, my wife actually chose New England.”

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“She was the only one who put her name on the Patriots, so that was a sign right there where I was going to go,” he added. “I’m LDS and when you get your mission call, you do the same thing, you have the whole map and you choose where you think the person is going to go. So, it’s kind of the same thought process behind that.”

Kitty was the first one to recognize the Massachusetts number when Lomu got the call from the Patriots on draft night.

The Patriots traded up to pick Lomu, a 6-foot-6, 304-pound offensive tackle, with the 28th overall pick in the first-round of last month’s NFL Draft. He primarily played left tackle at Utah, but has experience on both sides of the line.

“I just think of myself as a tackle in general, left or right side, just happened to play left in college and that’s where I got comfortable playing two out of those three years at Utah. My first year there, I was kind of a swing tackle so now I feel comfortable at left but have also been working at right these last couple of months. I feel just as good on the right side as well, so either tackle position I’m happy to play.”

The Patriots took left-tackle Will Campbell in the first round last year. Campbell had an up-and-down year featuring a strong start and a difficult finish after he came back from an MCL sprain that sidelined him for a few weeks.

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Morgan Moses started every single game for the Patriots at right-tackle last season. He turned 35 in March, and the Patriots will want to get younger at that position eventually.

Lomu played with another first-round tackle, Browns rookie Specncer Fano, at Utah and the Utes kept Lomu on the left side.

The Patriots could use depth at both tackle spots, and the Patriots have praised Lomu for his versatility. He has the size, athleticism, and upside to play anywhere on the line, Patriots executive vice resident of player personnel Eliot Wolf said the night New England made the pick.

Protecting Drake Maye continues to be a priority for the Patriots, and it remains to be seen exactly where Lomu fits into that plan.

Two weeks after the draft, Lomu is in Massachusetts and ready to get to work. The time just flew by, he said.

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“As soon as I got that call, the whole surreal feeling of draft night and all that, it didn’t really sink in until the next morning when I woke up and really processed it” Lomu said. “That whole night was kind of a blur. Had all the excitement and emotions of that night and then woke up the next morning and it really settled in that I was a Patriot.

“It hit me all at once. From that moment to now, it’s all been excitement. I’m just ready to get here, finally be here, and meet all the great people, coaches, and players.”

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Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

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A look inside Joan Bennett Kennedy’s Back Bay condo, listed for $2.6m

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A look inside Joan Bennett Kennedy’s Back Bay condo, listed for .6m


On the Market

Ted Kennedy Jr. speaks on the importance of his late mother’s Boston home, now for sale.

250 Beacon St. #10 is on the market for $2.59 million. Surette Media Group

At first glance, Joan Bennett Kennedy’s Back Bay home may not appear all that unusual, but the endless stories held within its walls illustrate how a sacred space became one woman’s shelter from the storm.

After divorcing Ted Kennedy in 1982, Bennett Kennedy returned to Boston and moved into 250 Beacon St. #10, and remained there for more than four decades until her death at age 89 in October. Now, her three-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which measures 2,075 square feet, is on the market at $2.59 million.

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“Her home really played an important part in the transformation of her life,” her son, Ted Kennedy Jr., told the Globe. “She was a newly divorced woman coming back, trying to reestablish her roots in Boston, and she had her music, which was part of her unique identity, apart from being married to my father. She was seeking to reinvent herself and live on her own terms.”

A hallway inside the 2,075-square-foot condo. – Surette Media Group

It was there at 250 Beacon where Bennett Kennedy restarted her life. She earned a master’s degree in music education at 44, and became a staple on the Boston classical music scene, thanks to her lifelong dedication to the piano. But it was also where she faced significant struggles, ranging from depression to alcoholism. She didn’t hide her battles at a time when they weren’t commonly discussed.

“She paved the way for many other women who were suffering in silence,” said Kennedy Jr. “The Boston community just took her in and provided her with friendship and support.”

The circa-1925 building features an elegant lobby that leads to the elevators. Inside the fifth-floor unit, a foyer flows into a hallway and into the spacious living room, where hardwood floors run throughout and a wood-burning fireplace sits under a unique carved mantel surrounded by marble. But it’s the windows that capture the eyes, with views of the treetops and the Charles River in the distance.

Large windows bring in natural light and look out to the city. – Surette Media Group
Joan Bennett Kennedy was an avid pianist. – Surette Media Group
The living room fireplace has a marble surround. – Surette Media Group

“She would sit at her piano in the condo every afternoon for hours,” said Kennedy, who noted that the home later served as the spot where his mother penned “The Joy of Classical Music,” a guide for introducing classical music to families. Prominent musical figures, including John Williams, Seiji Ozawa, and Arthur Fiedler, were frequent guests.

The open floor plan continues in the dining area and library, filled with built-in bookcases and oversized windows.

The space has built-in storage and shelving throughout. – Surette Media Group

The living room fireplace is two-sided; on its opposite side is the primary bedroom suite, with built-in bookshelves and a massive bay window with beautiful views. The primary suite features an en-suite bathroom with a pink vanity.

The primary bathroom with its pink vanity. – Surette Media Group

“These front rooms, all three of them, the amount of glass and the size of these windows are just magnificent,” said Linda Barrett of Douglas Elliman, who has the listing and knew Kennedy for years. “Being on the fifth floor, she sat right at the tree line, looking at the Charles River.”

A second of three full bathrooms has elegant marble tiles and a step-in shower. Across the hallway are two closets for storage and the galley kitchen with green/blue cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.

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The kitchen is galley style. – Surette Media Group
One of three bedrooms. – Surette Media Group

There are three bedrooms, one with teal carpeting and ample built-in storage.

The home has central air, and the building has a live-in superintendent. The fee is $1,725.39 per month. The piano is not included as part of the sale.


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Megan Johnson

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Megan Johnson is a Boston-based writer and reporter whose work appears in People, Architectural Digest, The Boston Globe, and more.





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Boston, MA

East Boston couple accused in alleged racist attack on restaurant patio after calling in noise complaint

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East Boston couple accused in alleged racist attack on restaurant patio after calling in noise complaint


A husband and wife have been arrested after police claim they assaulted and violated the civil rights of people dining at a Colombian restaurant in East Boston.

Authorities arrested Arielle Raso, 37, and her husband Gregory Raso, 39, on Monday evening. Police said the couple called 911 with a noise complaint for the back patio of Tertulias Cafe just before 7 p.m. Officers asked the couple to call back around 11 p.m. if the noise continued, per the city’s ordinance.

Instead, police said the couple took matters into their own hands. Within two hours authorities were called back to the Porter Street address for an assault in progress.

Nearly a dozen people were eating on the back patio which shares a fence with the Raso’s house. Video shows water being sprayed from a hose to the patrons on the other side of the fence. In their police report, authorities said Arielle Raso admitted to doing it. Additionally, prosecutors claim the Raso’s broke a piece of a shared wooden fence and threw it at the victims. One piece hit a 12-year-old.

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Police also report that during her arrest, Arielle yelled at the victims, “Get out of this country.” “I will kill you. I don’t give a [expletive].”

Gildardo Preciado has owned Tertulias Cafe for roughly a dozen years. He said he just attained a permit for the outdoor patio last year when he officially purchased the property his restaurant resides in. But he said this aggressive, and in the prosecutor’s view, racist behavior has been going on for years.

“They don’t like Spanish people,” said Preciado. “That’s what they said. But this is a neighborhood full of Latin people. I don’t want to give them a hard time, that is where they live. I understand. It has been almost impossible [to do business] going like this.”

WBZ-TV knocked on the door listed in the police report for the Raso’s. A family member approached and said, “There are two sides to every story,” but would not elaborate.

The Suffolk County District Attorney called the incident, “appalling.” The Raso’s are facing a number of assault and civil rights violation charges. They are due back in court on July 28.

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Beloved MA Bakery Lands At Boston Logan Airport

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Beloved MA Bakery Lands At Boston Logan Airport


BOSTON, MA — An iconic Massachusetts bakery is opening inside Boston Logan Airport later this year.

Mike’s Pastry, the longtime North End bakery known for its cannoli, cookies and other Italian desserts, will open a new location in Terminal C at Boston Logan International Airport later this year, according to MarketPlace Development and Massport.

The new shop will offer signature Mike’s Pastry items along with travel-ready selections, including filled-to-order cannoli in multiple flavors, cheesecake slices, lobster tails and a full espresso bar.

Mike’s Pastry was founded in Boston’s North End in 1946 and has grown into one of the city’s best-known bakeries, with several locations across Greater Boston. The new location is expected to be open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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Renderings of the Mike’s Pastry’s new location in Terminal C at Boston Logan International Airport, which will open later this year. (Rendering Credit: Air Ventures)

“We’re thrilled to bring iconic North End favorite Mike’s Pastry to Boston Logan, giving visitors even more variety of Boston flavors,” Massport CEO Rich Davey said in the announcement. “This addition reflects our continued commitment to elevating the passenger experience by bringing local culture to the terminals through live entertainment, classic culinary favorites and more.”

Mike’s Pastry owner Angelo Papa said the airport opening will give travelers a chance to pick up a familiar Boston staple before departure or after landing.

“Mike’s Pastry has always been about sharing a piece of Boston with everyone who walks through our doors,” Papa said. “Bringing that experience to Boston Logan is special for us.”

The Terminal C shop will pair Mike’s Pastry’s North End identity with a more modern airport design, featuring the bakery’s gold tones along with blue and white accents, solid-surface countertops and illuminated pastry display cases.

Latest Arrivals At Logan Airport

This is just one of several new food and beverage outlets expected to open at Boston Logan Airport this year.

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Earlier this year, a modern-day fish shack with counter service and seating, Roger’s Fish Co. , officially opened in Terminal A at the airport.

Meanwhile, CAVA and Berkshire Farm to Flight were some othere new arrivals in the airport’s Terminal B.

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