Picture a drowning man at the beach. A mysterious stranger extends a hand to save him. "No thanks, I'm good,'' the victim says as the water line gurgles up to his nostrils. "I think I'll wait for the lifeguard. He's more reputable and more qualified.'' This is what is being expected of Springfield by the group known as Repeal the Casino Deal. The organization has already succeeded in winning a State Judicial Court ruling that puts casino gambling on the November state referendum ballot. Representatives of the repeal group met with The Republican and Masslive.com this week to state their case. Continue reading >>>

The skies are brightening after three days of downpours and unsettled weather. The past three days have seen numerous weather alerts, including tornado watches and flood warnings. Some parts of Massachusetts saw the worst of it on Monday and Tuesday, while areas closer to Boston got hit hard on Wednesday afternoon. Roadways flooded throughout Greater Boston as a line of severe storms moved through the area. Which community got hit hardest on Wednesday? According to the National Weather Service, which compiled a list of unofficial totals from spotters, observers, media and highways Continue reading >>>

[Colonnade rooftop; photo by Mike Diskin] Dear god, the humidity! To help you beat that and the heat, we've mapped 30 different swimming spots around the region, all part of our ongoing Outdoors Week 2014. These spots include public beaches right off the T as well as public wading pools for the kids in Brighton, Somerville and Mattapan; there are also posher, private digs that you may need to know somebody to use. But, hey, a dip on the Colonnade's rooftop or in the Four Seasons' enclosed 44-footer might be worth the hassle. · Our Outdoors Week 2014 Continue reading >>>

Owned by the state and the City of Boston, Spectacle Island is open to the public from May to Columbus Day in October. It's accessible by ferry and is about 15 minutes from downtown Boston. Lifeguards staff the beaches the whole summer, too, and there are places to nosh. As for that garbage dump, according to the National Parks Service, it "is being returned to the public for recreation as a park is constructed over the landfill." This way to a map of other Greater Boston parks in the meantime. · Website: Spectacle Island [Harbor Islands Partnership] · 25 of the Best Off-the-Beaten-Path Continue reading >>>

Boston Z Realty, a Back Bay real estate brokerage, hires real estate agents with the ability to speak many different languages in an effort to assist buyers, sellers, and renters of all nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Boston, MA (PRWEB) July 15, 2014 Boston, a vibrant city with many different nationalities, is home to people that speak a number of different languages. To assist all clients in finding their perfect home in and around Boston, Boston Z Realty has hired two new agents, both being multilingual. Buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords in the Greater Boston Area have had Continue reading >>>

Boston Z Realty Expands Variety of Languages Spoken by Agents PRWEB.COM Newswire PRWEB.COM NewswireBoston, MA (PRWEB) July 15, 2014 Boston, a vibrant city with many different nationalities, is home to people that speak a number of different languages. To assist all clients in finding their perfect home in and around Boston, Boston Z Realty has hired two new agents, both being multilingual. Buyers, sellers, renters, and landlords in the Greater Boston Area have had the ability to choose an agent that speaks their native language for a while, but now there is a wider variety Continue reading >>>

Few college presidents are as tied into Boston’s business community as Gloria Larson, the president at Bentley University. So she was a natural choice when John Fish looked to build a bridge to the bigger universities in the area, home to most of the region’s athletic venues. Jon Chesto Managing Editor, Continue reading >>>

The shuttered Friendly's ice cream shops are serving up something new. Thomas Grillo Real Estate Editor- Boston Business Journal Email  |  Twitter Greater Boston is Continue reading >>>

One of the biggest selling points for Deer Island is its wastewater treatment plant, which services 43 communities in the region. It's no joke: Learn the nuts and bolts and god knows what else of dealing with your detritus (actually pretty cool if you're into urban planning and such). Below is a how-it's-done diagram from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, which manages the island. If you find this disgusting, Deer Island has a much nastier history: It was an internment camp for Native Americans and then, several decades later, a holding pen for Irish immigrants. That's all history, Continue reading >>>

[Photo by GConservancy via Wikimedia] 'Tis Curbed Boston's first-ever Outdoors Week as of... right now! And to kick things off we offer our complete-est guide yet of where to log on for free throughout Boston, Cambridge and environs. Mind you, this is free free—none of that for a price of a cup of coffee crap. These 23 spots, from the Rose Kennedy Greenway to Harvard Yard, offer you wireless without charge. More spots can be found through this handy map from the City of Boston of its Wicked Free WiFi program, which launched in April. Get outdoors and get to surfing! Also, for Hub hotels Continue reading >>>