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Ruthzee Louijeune announces she will be Boston City Council president without informing colleagues

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Ruthzee Louijeune announces she will be Boston City Council president without informing colleagues


Two days after topping the ticket in the election, Ruthzee Louijeune announced that she has the votes to become the Boston City Council’s next president, but didn’t tell at least five of her colleagues first, leaving at least two questioning her professionalism.

Louijeune, an attorney who worked as senior counsel for Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign, would assume her new role in January if her colleagues’ vote ultimately swings in her favor, in just her second term as an at-large councilor.  She needs seven votes from the 13-member body.

“I am humbled that my colleagues believe in me to lead the Boston City Council in the next term,” Louijeune said in a Thursday statement. “We have a lot of work to do when it comes to meeting the basic needs of residents and it’s clear that is what our communities want us to focus on.

“I look forward to strengthening relationships and building relationships with my colleagues joining in January,” she added.

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District 4 Councilor Brian Worrell, who according to multiple sources was also seeking the City Council presidency in past weeks, said in a statement that he would instead become vice president.

“I’m proud to support our new Council President Ruthzee Louijeune as not only an amazing colleague, but an incredible friend,” Worrell said in a statement included in a press release distributed by Louijeune’s office.

The announcement hit the media before Louijeune told at least five of her colleagues that she had secured the seven votes needed to become the body’s next president. After the story was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Louijeune then began calling those colleagues, said two city councilors who agreed to speak on background.

Council President Ed Flynn, Councilors Tania Fernandes Anderson, Julia Mejia and Erin Murphy, and Councilor-elect John FitzGerald were left in the dark, the councilors said, noting that the decision pointed to arrogance on Louijeune’s part.

“I’m disappointed to learn about it in the media,” one councilor said. “A lot of us learned about it in the media once she got her seven votes. She went public with it. She didn’t bother engaging the other colleagues.”

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The councilor said the decision to exclude certain colleagues was a “lousy way to do business” and start off her presidency.

‘Yes’ votes were attained through committee assignment promises, which is typical of the process of seeking the council presidency, a councilor said, noting that Louijeune likely has the votes of the three new Mayor Wu-backed councilors elected Tuesday, Henry Santana, Enrique Pepén and Benjamin Weber.

Louijeune did not respond to a request for comment on her colleagues’ remarks.

The way this particular announcement was made was atypical, however, particularly in not informing the outgoing Council president, a councilor said.

“It’s unprofessional of Ruthzee to do that, but I guess that’s what we’re going to expect from her, just the ongoing arrogance of her conduct,” one councilor said, while another added that it demonstrated “poor leadership” and kept the Council “divided.”

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The blowback is in direct contrast with statements of support Louijeune solicited from two of her other colleagues, who were both quoted in her press release, and remarks she made about her desire to bring a divided City Council together.

“Ruthzee is the steady and competent leader ready to take the gavel as Council president,” Councilor Gabriela Coletta said. “She’s demonstrated the decisiveness to lead this body through difficult and complex situations.”

“I’m confident in her abilities, intelligence, and more importantly, her heart,” Coletta added.

Worrell said, “I’m honored to serve as vice president of the Council and I look forward to working closely with her and the Council to best serve our city. The diversity of our leadership team is a great sign of the progress and potential of our city.”

The Council president holds the responsibility to make key decisions on committee assignments, lead Council proceedings, and set a culture for the body as a whole, a press release from Louijeune’s office states.

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Council rules dictate that the presidency be limited to a 2-year term.

Louijeune noted that her experience, “as the second Black woman to top the ticket and the third Black person to lead the Council,” and “deep love” for the city will prove beneficial to her new role.

She narrowly edged Murphy, by half a percentage point, to top the ticket.

“We are a city of diverse people and diverse needs,” Louijeune said. “We will not always agree, but we can come together to move this city forward and meet the pressing issues we are facing with joy, collegiality, and an unwavering work ethic on behalf of those who are often excluded.”



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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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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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