CAPTION: Will Hamilton, operations manager for Super Duck Expeditions, is seen on board one of the tour vehicles.

A federal judge ruled against Super Duck Tours Friday, ordering the fledgling Charlestown-based operation to change its name and cartoon duck logo because of similarities to rival Boston Duck Tours.
The court decision handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton came in response to a trademark infringement suit filed by Boston Duck Tours on July 2 that alleged Super Duck Tours was “harassing” potential Boston Duck Tours customers by misrepresenting its ticket prices and availability. The civil action also stated that Boston Duck Tours has at least 30 documented cases of customers who confused the two companies since Super Duck Tours launched on May 21.
Despite differences between the two tours – Boston Duck Tours focuses on the Charles River and uses modified World Wear II amphibious vehicles, while Super Duck Tours navigates Boston Harbor in state-of-the-art Hydra Terra vehicles - Groton expressed skepticism with Super Duck Tour’s assertion that it didn’t knowingly model itself after the 13-year-old Boston Duck Tours.
“The Super Duck Tours’ intent is, at least, suspect,” Groton wrote. “It knowingly and intentionally entered the Boston market offering a service, mark and logo nearly identical to that of Boston Duck Tours, an established and successful enterprise.”
While Groton rejected the claim that Super Duck Tours should be shut down because it intentionally interfered with its competitor’s business, he ordered Super Duck Tours to stop using “duck tours” in its name. (Super Duck Tours unsuccessfully argued that “duck tours” is a generic term used by operations throughout the country). The new company has since changed its name to “Super Duck Expeditions” and replaced its duck logo with a cartoon sea captain.
Super Duck Expeditions consultant and spokesman Lanny Johnson said the name and logo change wouldn’t result in a major setback and that the company would continue to operate according to its original business plan.
“I’m pleased that the service will continue. From our perspective, the decision was affirmative of our right to operate,” Johnson said. “We have developed a wonderful concept in providing tours and education that did not exist in Boston before we began to operate.”
Johnson added, “We have a strong business plan, which goes far beyond last Friday and next year, and while we don’t agree with the decision, it will not impede with our ability to grow and offer a quality product.”
Cindi Brown, a general manager and part-owner of Boston Duck Tours, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, although she emphasized that her company wasn’t opposed to competition.
“We’re happy with the ruling, but allegations we were trying to put them out of business were never the case,” she said. “We were concerned with the similarity in the names. We’re hoping we can put this behind us and concentrate on business.”
Meanwhile, the attorney representing Super Duck Expeditions, Ralph C. Martin Jr., said the company would appeal the portion of the ruling that prohibited it from using the cartoon logo and “other descriptive language.’ Groton has also ordered Boston Duck Tours to post a $100,000 bond to compensate for costs and damages in the case that Super Duck Expeditions ultimately wins in court, although he rejected the company’s motion to stay his decision until the appeal is heard.

CAPTION: Rev. Christine Jaronski is seen at the pulpit in what she will one day become First Church's Harvard Chapel.

With the 375th Anniversary celebration of the First Church in Charlestown, United Church of Christ, on Green Street coming in November, its pastor Rev. Christine Jaronski hopes to raise awareness of John Harvard, who served as the third minister of the church from his arrival in the U.S. in 1637 until his death at age 31 the following year.
"Charlestown should claim John Harvard," Jaronski said. "Charlestown should be a John Harvard destination. This should be another reason for Charlestown to be proud."
As a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School, which, along with the university, was named after Harvard, Jaronski was drawn to First Church eight years ago in part because of its history. And while she was aware of Harvard's legacy beforehand, her affiliation with the church has set her forth on a quest to learn as much she could about a man whom so little is known that his very appearance remains a mystery. (The statue of him that stands in Harvard Yard is, in fact, modeled after an ordinary farmer).
Last summer while on sabbatical, Jaronski visited England in an effort to retrace Harvard's footsteps. Among her stops were his mother's house at Stratford-Upon-Avon; the Harvard Chapel at London's Southwark Cathedral, where he was baptized; and Emmanuel College in Cambridge - Harvard's alma mater. In Stratford-Upon-Avon, Jaronski made a particularly exciting discovery: Harvard himself had spoken "The Charlestown-Boston Covenant," which is still said at all First Church communion services and is recited by all new members when they join the church.
"This is one of the few things that we knew he said and believed in, and we're one of the only ones preserving the tradition," Jaronski said. "It's so powerful that we're still saying the same words that John Harvard said when he joined our church."
Upon Jaronski's return from her sabbatical, she gave several presentations to share her findings about Harvard with the Charlestown community, including a PowerPoint presentation of the Charlestown Branch Library and an exhibition of five panels she created with parishioner and graphic artist Kevin Papierski that tell the story of Harvard's life at a Charlestown Preservation Society meeting in May. Jaronski now hopes to display the panels at the Bunker Hill Museum, which opened last month.
Jaronski points out that Harvard's influence in the community wasn't limited to his work with First Church: He was also asked to serve on a committee formed to draw up Charlestown's body of laws.
"It's a sign that they respected him and felt that he had the knowledge necessary to contribute to the project," Jaronski said.
As far as preserving his legacy in Charlestown, Jaronski hopes to enlist the help of the city and Harvard University to restore a number of plaques that were dedicated to his life and the town's history at the John Harvard Mall.
Jaronski also would like to provide educational experience at First Church that would teach school children about its celebrated minister. "It would be nice if school groups could come and learn about John Harvard," she said.
But Jaronski said her "pie-in-the-sky dream" is to restore the First Church's
Chapel so it mirrors its counterpart in London, and then to name it "Harvard Chapel." "If the place where he was baptized merits commemoration, then so, too, does the place where he preached and served as minister, she said."
"Our chapel itself is fairly simple," she said of the small room that adjoins the main worship area. "But so is the chapel in London, and simplicity is exactly what a Puritan like Harvard would appreciate. We could do something like that fairly easily."
While Jaronski finds Harvard's connection to First Church a fascinating part of its past, she realizes the church can't rest on its laurels alone.
"We do have some kind of claim [to Harvard], but this church won't live by our history," she said. "It will live by what we're doing right now — how we live out our Christian faith."
Jaronski said that First Church currently partners with Boston Urban
Outreach, an organization that aims to raise social awareness in youth through inner city social service projects; and serves as a hostel for youth groups from churches from other parts of the state and country. Fist Church also collaborates with Charlestown MissionSAFE, a program for at-risk youth, by providing the use of its kitchen for their cooking classes.
More than anything, though, Jaronski wants to raise awareness of First Church, and its denomination, the United Church of Christ, throughout the community.
"I'd like people to get excited about the church. We have the potential to be a lively center for spiritual growth, social action and community support," Jaronski said. "I want to invite people to visit us and worship with us. I think the big lesson we learn from John Harvard is that each person has something to contribute, and even the smallest good deed, planted in faith, can grow and bear good fruit far into the future."

CAPTION: Ground F/X is seen performing at Family Night at Eden Street Park last month.

Rock group Ground F/X can trace its members’ musical partnership back to the time they spent at the Charlestown Boys Club as children in the mid to late ‘60s.
Three of the four current band members, including lead vocalist and guitarist Jimmy Honohan, keyboardist and vocalist Steve Coyne, bass player and backup vocalist Kevin Kelly and drummer Barry Baker, participated in the Bunker Hillbillies, a children’s group that wore cowboy attire and performed throughout the region under the direction of the Boys Club’s Bob Munstedt from 1941 through the mid 1980s. (Jimmy Duffy, also a Hillbillies alumnus, retired as a full-time member of Ground F/X last year).
While the former Hillbillies went their separate ways after childhood, they first reunited in honor of Munstedt’s retirement. To mark the occasion, Munstedt and his wife appeared driving in a convertible in the 1986 Bunker Hill Day Parade, with 30 former Hillbillies performing atop a flatbed truck behind them. Just as Munstedt had done with the original Hillbillies, he played keyboards and led the other musicians in song.
Soon afterwards, the reunited Hillbillies performed alongside current members of the Boys & Girls Club at a special post-parade concert at the Monument. The Hillbillies reunited once more in 1991 for to commemorate the group’s 50th anniversary.
In the early ‘90s, Coyne assembled a Hillbillies-inspired children’s group St. Augustine’s Country Bunkers at St. Augustine’s School in Andover, where his daughter Kaitlyn, then 6, was attending school. Like Munstedt before him, Coyne served as musical director of the ensemble and played keyboards. The band, which performed current country songs and old favorites, got its biggest break when it performed both the American and Canadian national anthems before a Lowell Lock Monsters hockey game at the Tsongas Arena.
After Coyne disbanded the children’s group when his daughter graduated from St. Augustine’s, he still wanted to perform and soon found himself joining other former Hillbillies for impromptu jam sessions at Old Sully’s where they performed their old songs.
“We still had the music itch, so we got together with the guys every now and again,” Coyne said.
As Honohan recalls, it was Ground F/X drummer Baker who said they should take it step further, and soon, eight former Hillbillies began convening at his house every Saturday night to practice. Over time, several members dropped out of the group due to other commitments.
Ground F/X made its official debut at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Feb. 12, 2000, at the 80th birthday party for the mother of former Hillbilly Eddie Blake. Today, the band has performed close to 170 shows. “We’re just having fun and playing because we want to play,” Honohan said.
The group has departed from the Bunker Hillbillies’ country roots to perform rock songs spanning four decades, including selections by Elvis Presley, Bruce
Springsteen, The Beatles, Johnny Rivers, John Mellencamp, Bob Seger and more.
“We found that we like to play songs from the ‘50s through the ‘8os that everyone knows, and we try to stay true to the original songs,” Coyne said. “The reason so many people like us is because we cover so much ground.”
Ground F/X plays Big Lou’s Rib House, 338 Squire Road in Revere, on Saturday, July 21. For more upcoming performances and information about the band, visit www.groundfxband.com.

Although she's nearly 15 years old now, I've really only known Bertha for the past 16 months. But to say she has quickly become a devoted and beloved member of my family would certainly be an understatement.
When I first heard of her, I was told she had been living alone and unattended for more than a year and that nobody cared for her, nor about her. I remember quite vividly that morning of May 1983 when first we met. She was unkept and badly in need of a good bath. I noticed, too, that her shoes were worn nearly through. She was pathetic and unresponsive, but there was something about her that intrigued me, something that made me want to take her home, to live with my family and I.
The decision, of course, could not be mine alone, even though I was certain we could be good for each other. I was sure that with a large dosage of tender loving care she would gain trust in me and I in her.
I brought her home that warm morning for the others to see. My wife at first was totally unreceptive, but when I spoke of how Bertha would be a great help to us, she warmed a bit. I was convinced that my wife would develop kind, and perhaps loving, feelings toward Bertha with the passing of time.
My older daughter seemed to look upon her as a novelty of sorts, and because the difference in their ages would probably keep them away from each other on most occasions, she agreed she would not be a burdensome addition to our family.
Thinking back, now, I think it was my younger daughter's reaction to seeing Bertha that convinced us all that it would be right to take her in. It was apparent that she saw something in this ragamuffin that the rest of us were unable to see. Hers was the deciding vote, and it kept Bertha with us. During the first few weeks, she seemed to have an uncaring attitude toward anybody who showed even the least bit of interest in her. Her nature could probably best be termed rebellious.
One of my first efforts toward establishing a healthy relationship with her was to buy her a pair of shoes. From the moment they were first place on her feet, she seemed to take on a totally different personality, though it emerged very slowly in the beginning.
I don't know what sort of nourishment she had been taking since she had been abandoned, but the well balanced diet we provided for her brought her new energy and it was apparent in her daily performances that she relished it. She had more vitality, more stamina and more endurance, and what we had given her, she returned 100 times over.
From May of 1983 until September of 1984, only minor setbacks punctuated Bertha's relationship with me and my family. And all were readily rectified. During that time she traveled many places with me. Together, we went to movies, to fine restaurants, to the beach and even to the golf course. She was doing things and going places she had never done, nor seen before. It was with my younger daughter, however, that she enjoyed her best times. High school dances and football games were regular weekend activities during the fall of 1983. There were very few times, indeed, that my daughter left home without Bertha. Theirs was a very special relationship, and it spread to her circle of friends. It was highly unusual for any plans to be made by the entire group without including Bertha and that their affection for her was real, was vividly apparent.
We may have been good to her, but she was better to us. I was never quite certain whether it was gratefulness or love, but I always hoped beyond hope it was the latter. It was understandable, then, that when she developed a cough during the final days of the summer of 1984. We were all very concerned.
We all knew immediately that it was no ordinary cough, and each day it grew worse. She became listless and showed none of her previous spunk. Finally, it became apparent that she was in need of a checkup.
After several routine examinations had been made we waited for the results, and our worst fears were realized: Bertha had been diagnosed as “terminal.” It came as a great shock to all of us, and the few days that followed are but shadowy images in my memories.
We were told to take her home, to let her live out her final days. For nothing could be done.
As those days became a week, Bertha did not get any better, but neither did she get any worse. This act, in itself, encouraged me to seek a second opinion. I was referred to a specialist and waited more than a week for an appointment.
After a morning of several different tests, our prayers of the previous two weeks were answered. Bertha had been misdiagnosed! She was not “terminal.” She would not die. Proper medication brought her back to a state of health that surpassed even those pre-illness days.
Yes. Bertha, my daughter's constant companion, my 1970 Dodge Dart, will live!

This was first printed in the Sept. 27, 1984, edition of the Charlestown Patriot.

CAPTION: Ladder 1 responds to One Thompson Square Monday.

Shortly before 4 p.m. Monday, an underground NStar transformer malfunctioned near One Thomson Square that led to an evacuation of Patriot-Bridge staff and other occupants of the building by the Boston Fire Department.
Moments after a temporarily power outage at the location, occupants smelled a burning odor inside the building. Engine 50 responded to the scene, followed by Engines 32 and 8, Ladders 1 and 9 and the District 3 Fire Chief. The building was evacuated as firefighters entered the basement to investigate the smoke condition.
According to the property owner, Jim Devellis, an NStar power transformer failed and, as a result, One Thompson Square experienced a power surge that overheated a circulating motor for the building’s air condition system and a compressor for a refrigerated flower case at Bunker Hill Florist, one of the building’s first-floor tenants.
Devellis said the building had experienced a similar power outage several months ago and the generator was replaced. This time, however, NStar planned to upgrade from a 480-volt generator to a 750-volt generator to avoid any future electrical malfunctions.
“I think it turns out be a positive result for us because NStar has agreed to upgrade that transformer,” Devellis said, adding that NStar workers that he encountered were extremely helpful and cooperative.
NStar spokesman Mike Durand confirmed that a failed underground transformer was the cause of the surge that left 46 customers temporarily without power. He also said that NStar had put a temporary generator in place until the installation of the new, larger generator, which was expected by Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, Bunker Hill Florist employee Tom Cobb applauded firefighters for their quick response.
“I was amazed at how fast they set up the two hook and ladders,” Cobb said. “They should be applauded for their effort. Their response was superior, and I thought they treated us very well.”