Dear Members and Friends:
Boston Election Results
Congratulations to Mayor Wu, the incumbent City Council members, and to our Fenway councilors Sharon Durkan in D8, and council-elect Miniard Culpepper in D7!
For the full city-wide results, check out Unofficial Election Results | Boston.gov.
By the numbers: As reported on the 2025 State Election Enrollment Statistics website, as of Feb. 1st, Boston had 421,932 registered voters; with 164,411 Democrats, 17,695 Republicans, and 236,323 unenrolled. Unofficial Election Results | Boston.gov reports as of Nov. 5th in Boston, 95,690 ballots were cast in the city-wide elections (approximately 22% of registered voters) with Mayor Wu receiving 78,384 votes and Write-Ins at 5,696, blanks 11,610, approx. 12%. The City Council basically stayed status quo, with District 7 being the only open seat: with 7,925 ballots cast; Miniard Culpepper received 3,874 to win, Said Coach Ahmed received 3,275, there were 109 write-ins, presumably leaving 667 blanks, approx 8%. In D8 Sharon Durkan ran unopposed: There were 6,736 total ballots cast with Sharon receiving 4,848 votes; Write-Ins at 200; leaving 1688 blanks, or 25%.
The government shutdown continues. Affecting everyone – including federal employees, federal benefit recipients, national transportation and governance.
Need help because of the Federal Govt shutdown?
Senator Elizabeth Warren: Help with a Federal Agency | Senator Warren
Senator Ed Markey: Help with Federal Agencies | Senator Markey
Rep Ayanna Pressley: Help with a Federal Agency – Ayanna Pressley
SNAP benefits froze on Nov 1 – need assistance? (1 in 12 Americans on SNAP)
City of Boston websites for information on the Snap Benefits Alert and available resources: Boston Resources in lieu of SNAP
Check this state website if you need coverage for SNAP benefits or wish to donate: https://www.mass.gov/president-trump-is-freezing-snap-benefits-on-november-1
Healthcare News:
Medicare open enrollment period is now through DEC 7. Age Strong is hosting over twenty Open Enrollment clinics across Boston to assist older adults in choosing the best healthcare and prescription drug plan to meet their needs. Trained SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) counselors will help residents find the best coverage for the least cost. Older adults are encouraged to schedule an appointment for these events or make an appointment for another time, by calling Age Strong at 617-635-4366. You can find Full info and multi-language flyers here. Fenway/Kenmore clinic on November 12th, 10:30am – 3:30pm, at the FCC.
Extended healthcare options from FENWAY CARES:
*!NEW!* Fenway Cares has a new offering: the FIT testing for colon cancer; and the clinic has flu and covid-19 vaccines. Please note: services are offered to all, not just those with insurance or identification.
The current offerings include:
-Blood pressure testing and hypertension management
-Blood glucose and A1C testing
-Diabetes management
-Flu and COVID-19 vaccines
-Colon cancer screening and navigation
-Resource referral (for social needs – food, housing, transportation, etc.)
See clinic dates and locations below in the ONGOING section.
THE WEEK AHEAD
City of Boston Holidays:
Tuesday, November 11 – Veterans Day
Website Veterans Day events in Boston
City of Boston services are on a holiday schedule.
History – Armistice Day 1918
On November 11, 1918, the guns finally fell silent. The “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” marked a global sigh of relief and a promise: War No More. Armistice Day was meant to remind future generations of the cost of empire and the necessity of peace. The Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation or exposure.
In the United States, the 1954 Congress renamed this Veterans Day, shifting the focus from ending war to honoring all those lost in war. Throughout Europe, the day is honored with moments of silence and remembrance. The Veterans for Peace organization feels the promise of peace lost its prominence and wants to Reclaim Armistice Day 2025 and its original promise: War No More. The MA chapter will have an event Take Action to Say No War on Our Cities This Veteran’s Day from 3-4pm at the Veteran’s Memorial Park – World War II Memorial, near 100 Park Dr in the Back Bay Fens.
Wednesday, November 12, 6-7:30 pm, Public (virtual) Meeting: MBTA Longwood Medical Area Bus Circulation Study Project Update
Join the MBTA virtually to learn about the latest updates on the Longwood Medical Area (LMA) Bus Circulation Study. The project team will share the project background, key findings from the Existing Conditions phase of the study—which focused on documenting how transportation currently works in the area—and plans for engagement on routing and infrastructure alternatives in early 2026. The full Existing Conditions report will be posted on the Longwood Medical Area Bus Circulation Study webpage closer to the meeting date. The LMA Bus Circulation Study will produce recommendations for new routing through the Longwood Medical Area. These recommendations could include changes to roadway designs and investing in infrastructure improvements along key corridors.
This meeting will be held online on Zoom. Please register here.
UPCOMING
Friday, Nov 21, 6-8pm FCC Neighborhood Social, see attached flyer
Wednesday, December 10, 6pm, FCA Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Event, at the Back Bay Fens. Come celebrate the season with the Fenway Community – there will be music, hot drinks, and a warm welcome from the FCA board and elected officials as we flick on the lights on our holiday tree. We look forward to seeing you all at this popular annual event. More details to come!
Fenway Civic Association 