Portnoy's Complaint, Or Checking In With El Presidente | 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! It's Friday, May 6. Today we're mourning "Boston George." We're also wondering why housing starts slowed in greater Boston even with the sky-high demand, and we're trying to get reservations for Mother's Day at three of the best brunch spots in America.

But First...

Swampscott-bred digital media mogul David Portnoy thrives on controversy, so Nantucket Magazine's apology to readers for running a cover story on the Barstool Sports founder played right to his base.

"While the story was intended to highlight Mr. Portnoy’s work in support of small businesses, a number of people in the community have taken issue with offensive remarks and actions he has made in the past," publisher Bruce Percelay and editor Robert Cocuzzo said in a note to readers. "We never want to hurt, offend or disappoint any of our readers with the stories we publish. Accordingly, we formally apologize for any pain caused to those who have objected to this May cover."

Boston.com notes Portnoy "has a long history of brash behavior that has at times included bullying, misogyny, and racist language, including using the N-word," but more recently he has used his platform to help raise money for small businesses struggling to survive the coronavirus pandemic.

Portnoy responded in his usual fashion:

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Check It Out

Drug smuggler, MA native George Jung dead at 78: "Boston George," who was portrayed by Johnny Depp in the 2001 film "Blow," died Wednesday in his hometown of Weymouth. He was 78. TMZ says Jung was in hospice care and may have died from liver and kidney failure. Jung spent two decades in prison for smuggling cocaine in the 1980s.

Housing starts slowed in greater Boston: You've likely heard about the red-hot housing market, but greater Boston still saw a decline in housing starts last year, according to the Boston Business Journal. The slowdown comes years after staying flat, and even as housing prices rose 14 percent because realtors had too few listings.

Best brunch in Boston? Three Massachusetts restaurants — The Aviary Restaurant & Bar in Swansea, Buttermilk & Bourbon in Back Bay and Ledger Restaurant & Bar in Salem — made Open Table's list of 100 best brunch spots in the U.S. The online restaurant reservation services looked at diner reviews published between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 to compile its list.

Is it that simple? Worcester Polytechnic Institute biology professor Pamela Weathers and other researchers have found evidence that a 2,000-year-old herbal remedy to treat fevers could also be used to treat COVID-19 patients. The Boston Herald reports the researchers found extracts from the leaves of the Artemisia annua plant block the replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and two of its variants. The plant has been used for centuries to treat fevers, and is especially effective in treating malaria.

Learn more about getting a COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts at Patch's information hub.

Weather

Look for times of clouds and sun and a high of 56 today, followed by a high of 52 and a chance of afternoon showers tomorrow. For Mother's Day, we can expect warmer weather and some sun followed by increasing clouds. The high will be 61.

Dave Copeland is Patch's regional editor for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island and is filling in for Mike Carraggi as curator of the HUB today. Mike will be back Monday.