It's As Bad As We Feared: The HUB

The HUB is a rundown of the stories people in Boston are talking about. Patch publishes the HUB every weekday.

Good morning, Boston! Today is Wednesday, April 21. We're talking protests planned in Boston following the Chauvin verdict, an earlier election this fall and where to eat out(side) in the city.

But first...

There's a harrowing scene in "Spotlight" where an exasperated Mark Ruffalo (playing Boston Globe investigative reporter Mike Rezendes) shouts, "They knew! And they let it happen! To kids!"

That was about the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal. But his line was the first thing to go through my head upon reading the records released yesterday in the stomach-turning Patrick Rose case.

Here's the short of it: Boston Police Commissioner Paul Evans knew his internal affairs investigators believed Rose sexually abused a 12-year-old boy, but Rose was still allowed to patrol the streets and even work with vulnerable children following pressure from the union, according to internal records released by Acting Mayor Kim Janey.

Rose, who would go on to lead the all-powerful patrolmen's union, now faces charges of sexually abusing five other children.

The records weren't exhaustive — officials said most pages were held back to protect victim identities. You can read more about what was and wasn't in the records in Michael Jonas's story on CommonWealth. The Boston Herald's Sean Philip Cotter has Janey's reaction to the files. Adrian Walker had a column in The Boston Globe last week in which he asks what it takes to get fired from the Boston Police Department.

All in all, the abdication of leadership from those in the police department at the time is disturbing. This story is just beginning, and it appears to be as bad as we feared.

Check it out

A jury in Minneapolis confirmed what everyone knew after watching some of the most haunting 9 minutes 29 seconds of our lives: Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. WBUR's Ally Jarmanning is reporting two rallies are still planned in Boston today — one at the State House and one in Nubian Square. You can read local lawmakers' reactions to the verdict at NBC Boston.

The city's preliminary election this fall could be moved up a week. The current election date is Sept. 21, but election officials are asking the City Council to reschedule to Sept. 14. The reason is sort of complicated, but essentially the potential expansion of mail-in voting could make the certification process too long and threaten a smooth general election process. Read an actual intelligent explanation from Chris Van Buskirk at State House News Service via WHDH.

'Tis the season to stuff your face outdoors. I happened to enjoy a lobster roll at Finz in Salem last night, but I'll be in Boston plenty. There are more comprehensive guides to dining in the city this summer (you'll find them in this space,) but I wanted to give Eater a look since they just updated their al fresco list for Boston.

What I'm reading today: You know how reading the news can be exhausting? Writing the news might be more exhausting. You can find me taking a mental break in Vulture's piece about the same fights we've been having over the Oscars for 70 years now.

Weather

The National Weather Service says: During the day — A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 68. South wind 8 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. At night — Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers between 11pm and 1am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 35. South wind 10 to 17 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Have a swell Wednesday.

You can email me at mike.carraggi@patch.com and follow me @PatchCarraggi.