Plus, a student who paddled across the Charles in a pumpkin
 
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Today’s Forecast

37º | Sunny | 6% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:12 a.m. | Sunset 4:28 p.m.
 

Now arriving: a colorful T story

How the MBTA got its colors
A Green Line train approaching Coolidge Corner.
The Green Line has four above ground branches. | Photo by @adnerstrainsandairplanepics
It’s been a bumpy ride for Boston commuters lately. From the Orange Line fire last year to the current Red Line shutdown, there’s a lot going on that makes you want to slow down and take a deeper look at our city’s public transit options. While we we’re looking at the T — have you ever wondered how the MBTA got the colors for its four main lines?

Here are the theories:
  • The Blue Line was selected because it takes riders under the Boston Harbor and to destinations along the coast.
  • The Red Line is more about the destination — ending up in Cambridge, the home of the Ivy League campus whose school color is crimson.
  • The Green Line route passes through the Emerald Necklace parks system. The Emerald Necklace is made up of 1,100 acres linked by parkways and waterways. Bonus: The Green Line uses above-ground trollies for its four branches: B to Boston College, C to Coolidge Corner, D to Riverside, and E to Heath Street.
  • Rumor has it the Orange Line was named as such because the route covers part of historic Orange Street, known today as Washington Street. Others believe it was a branding decision by the design firm CambridgeSeven. They were focused on brightening up the look and feel of the oldest public transit system in the US and were considering primary colors. The seven-member team tested samples using orange vs. yellow and decided to use orange.
Let us know if you have other fun T facts to share.
 
Events
Tuesday, Oct. 17
  • A Taste of Harvest: Chef Spotlight Dinner | Tuesday, Oct. 17 | 6:30 p.m. | Harvest Restaurant, 44 Brattle St., Cambridge | $140 | Tickets include an elevated six-course tasting menu paired with historic vintages and rare pours from the wine cellar.
  • BIA: The Really Her Tour | Tuesday, Oct. 17 | 7 p.m. | Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave., Boston | $30 | Boston’s breakout rap star returns home with her red-hot new EP “Really Her.”
Wednesday, Oct. 18
  • Java with Jimmy — Breast Cancer Awareness Month | Wednesday, Oct. 18 | 12-1 p.m. | GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St., Boston | Free | Join Jimmy in the Newsfeed Cafe for a conversation about breast cancer’s impact + honor those affected by breast cancer, salute the survivors, and learn how we can provide support.
Thursday, Oct. 19
  • Learn to Crochet a Ghost | Thursday, Oct. 19 | 6-8 p.m. | Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 338 Newbury St., Boston | $45 | Create your very own three-dimensional ghoulish friend at this class for all skill levels.
Friday, Oct. 20
  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show 48th Anniversary Spectacular Tour | Friday, Oct. 20 | 8 p.m. | Emerson Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St., Boston | $39-$59 | The antici-pation is over — see the original Magenta, aka Patricia Quinn, for a screening of the unedited movie.
  • Converse: Sephora Perk Events | Friday, Oct. 20-Sunday, Oct. 29 | Times vary | The Current, 100 Seaport Blvd., Boston | Price of purchase | Buy or customize your Converse shoes and the Converse team will book a lip perk treatment for you at the Seaport Sephora.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Development
  • Northeastern University held a grand opening for EXP, the new 350,000-sqft state-of-the-art research center. This is the second science building for Northeastern’s campus + EXP is located between the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex and Ruggles Station.
Transit
  • Vermont startup Beta Technologies has debuted the first aircraft charging station in Massachusetts at Marshfield Municipal Airport. The goal is to build a network of 60+ fast-charging stations at airports across the the East Coast and Gulf Coast. (Boston Globe)
Civic
  • The City of Boston invites residents to host Halloween block parties this month. Community groups and residents interested in celebrating fall festivities outdoors can apply for a Halloween block party by Wednesday, Oct. 18.
Edu
  • In the Bay State, 14 colleges exceed $80,000 in tuition, fees, and other costs like housing + meal plans. This is more than double the number from last year’s analysis at just six schools. Northeastern is in the top spot at $86,821 for the 2023-2024 year. (Boston Business Journal)
Community
  • In an effort to help preserve Indigenous languages, the city of Cambridge is working on new street signs that translate the street names. The first phase of the plan will include ~80 signs between First and Eighth streets in East Cambridge to be installed by next summer. (WBUR)
Number
  • 80,000. That’s the number of humpback whales around the world today. The Healey administration has withdrawn its proposal to remove the humpback whale from the state’s endangered species list. The whales remain threatened by entanglement with fishing gear and pollution, plus accidents with boats. (Boston Globe)
Outdoors
  • The Snowbound Expo (think: the biggest snow sports meet up) is happening Nov. 3-5 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Readers can redeem free tickets using code BOSTODAY to check out 170+ brands and resorts, a huge lineup of speakers (including Shaun White, Lindsey Jacobellis, and more).*
Real Estate

City

More discounts for the ONE+Boston Program
An image of the skyline from the Boston Common.
Funding assistance through the ONE+Boston Program may not exceed $75,000 per borrower. | Photo by @cmarino78
If mortgage rates are scarier than usual, this program will help home ownership seem less daunting.

The City of Boston, Massachusetts Housing Partnership, and the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance will provide an increase in discounts for the ONE+Boston Program — an initiative created to enhance homeownership opportunities for income-eligible first-time buyers.

ONE+Boston will offer discounts on interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loans through the Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s ONE Mortgage Program. This initiative will empower low- and moderate-income first-time buyers to purchase market-rate + deed-restricted properties. The discounts will come from funding via the Community Preservation Act + the American Rescue Plan Act.

To be eligible, borrowers must qualify for the ONE Mortgage Program, be current Boston residents, and be purchasing property within the City of Boston. See if you qualify and learn about other resources available for Bostonians.
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The Wrap
 
Jess Burton in a blue shirt and gold necklace

Today’s edition by:
Jessica
From the editor
Take it from this Harvard student — chase your wildest dreams, no matter how big.

For Benjamin Chang the dream was pretty big — 1,500 pounds, if we want to get specific. He achieved his dream of rowing across the Charles River in a pumpkin when he picked up a large pumpkin from a farm in New Hampshire and paddled from the Cambridge side of the river to the Boston side.
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