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A28 u.s. news
Diaranson 17 november 2021

Michelle Wu sworn in as Boston’s first woman elected mayor

immigrant family tried to economy, address climate even for a brief period.
steer clear of such spaces. change and help those who
take the bus or subway to “I know that Boston is in
But she said her family’s school or work. good hands and I am so
struggles eventually brought proud to call you Madam
her to an internship with for- Like the rent control pledge, mayor,” Janey said to Wu.
mer Mayor Thomas Menino Wu can’t unilaterally do away
and ultimately a seat on the with fares on the public tran- Janey had been president
Boston City Council where, sit system. Wu has said she of the Boston City Council
she said, she learned the would try to work with part- before taking over as mayor,
ropes of city government and ners in state government to the second of the city’s three
politics. make each proposal a reality. mayors this year.

“Today I know City Hall’s In her comments Tuesday, She rose to the top post on
passageways and stairwells Wu said it’s critical to tackle an acting basis when the
like my own home,” she said. the big challenges she has city’s previous elected may-
(AP) — Michelle Wu was “After all, Boston was found- promised while not losing or, Democrat Marty Walsh,
sworn in Tuesday as Bos- ed on a revolutionary prom- The swearing-in means Wu sight of the nitty-gritty of city stepped down this year to be-
ton’s first woman and first ise: that things don’t have to will now face the daunting government. come U.S. Secretary of Labor
person of color elected be as they always have been. task of trying to make good under President Joe Biden.
mayor in the city’s long That we can chart a new path on a slew of ambitious policy “Not only is it possible for Janey was sworn in March
history. for families now, and for gen- proposals that were the back- Boston to deliver basic city 24.
erations to come, grounded bone of her campaign. services and generational
The swearing-in of the city’s in justice and opportunity,” change — it is absolutely Janey attempted to use the
first Asian American mayor she said. To push back against soar- necessary in this moment,” status of the office in her
came two weeks after Wu ing housing costs that have she said. “We’ll tackle our run to replace Walsh, but
won the city’s mayoral elec- Wu, 36, takes over for a fel- forced some former residents biggest challenges by getting she failed to garner enough
tion. Before Wu, Boston had low Democrat — former act- out of the city, Wu has prom- the small things right.” votes to make it past the pre-
elected only white men as ing Mayor Kim Janey — who ised to pursue rent stabiliza- liminary mayoral election
mayor. was Boston’s first woman and tion or rent control. The big- Wu, whose parents immi- that whittled the field down
first Black resident to serve gest hurdle to that proposal grated to the U.S. from Tai- to two candidates — City
“City government is special. in, but who was not elected is the fact that Massachusetts wan, grew up in Chicago and Councilors Wu and Annissa
We are the level closest to to, the top post. voters narrowly approved a moved to Boston to attend Essaibi George.
the people, so we must do 1994 ballot question banning Harvard University and Har-
the big and the small. Every Wu said when she first set rent control statewide. vard Law School. She has two Republican Gov. Char-
streetlight, every pothole, ev- foot inside the cavernous small children. lie Baker, Democratic U.S.
ery park and classroom, lays Boston City Hall, she felt Another of Wu’s top cam- Sens. Elizabeth Warren and
the foundation for greater swallowed up by the maze paign promises is to create a Janey made brief comments Edward Markey and U.S.
change,” Wu said after taking of concrete hallways, check- “fare-free” public transit sys- before Wu was sworn in, Rep. Ayanna Pressley attend-
the oath of office. points and looming counters tem. Wu has said the proposal thanking the city for the ed the swearing-in.
-- all reminders of why her would strengthen the city’s chance to serve as mayor,

6 teens injured in drive-by shooting near Denver area school

(AP) — Six teenagers someone on foot, she said. students away from the di-
were wounded Monday rection of the crime scene.
in a drive-by shooting in Police officers assigned to Others shouted “Stay safe” as
a park near a suburban the school were the first to they parted ways.
Denver high school, but respond to the shooting and
all were expected to sur- saved the life of one victim by Student Aariah McClain, 15,
vive, police said. applying a tourniquet, Wil- said she heard gunfire as she
son said. That student later was walking near the school’s
The victims, who range in underwent emergency sur- football field during lunch.
age from 14 to 18, are all stu- gery, she said. She heard four shots at first,
dents at Aurora Central High so she started walking toward
School in Aurora, a diverse Wilson said she’s relieved the the school. Then she said she
city east of Denver, said po- students are expected to sur- heard “a whole lot more,” she
lice chief Vanessa Wilson. She vive but said gun violence is a said.
said she needed everyone to public health crisis.
be “outraged” by what hap- “I was shocked,” she said of
pened and come forward “There is a violence crisis the shooting, as she waited school but students and staff because another shooting in-
with any information they across the nation right now, outside the school with her are able to move freely within volving three teens happened
might have to help police and so I think we all need to father, Harold McClain, for the building. near the school on a recent
find those responsible. pay attention,” she said. her 14-year-old sister to be weekend. Mitchell added
dismissed. Evette Mitchell, 47, rushed parents get blamed for youth
Wilson asked neighbors and Three patients from the to the school to get her son, violence, but there are no af-
other bystanders to share any shooting were taken to Chil- “I work and we pay taxes for Trevell, 15. He was in gym fordable activities offered for
videos or photos from phones dren’s Hospital Colorado. these police to be here. I don’t class when he heard the gun- students in the area.
or house surveillance systems They were in stable condi- see how this is even happen- shots, and the teacher escort-
that might help detectives tion and have all been re- ing,” Harold McClain said. ed them to the smaller gym. “Everything costs. We’re all
identify the suspects, who united with their families, “They need more security.” low-income families so it’s
haven’t been apprehended. spokesperson Caitlin Jenney “I did 90 (mph) on the high- hard for us to find some-
said. The school was put on a way,” she said, “because I thing for these kids to do,”
Multiple rounds fired from “secure perimeter” because didn’t know if it was my kid said Mitchell, who said her
different guns were found at Several students hugged one of the shooting, police said. or not.” son was going to be in online
the scene, and it is possible another outside the school That typically means no classes for the rest of the week
some rounds were fired by as staff and police ushered one is allowed in or out of a Mitchell said she is frustrated because of the shooting.