Lions, Tigers And COVID-19 Vaccines: The Hub

The HUB is a daily newsletter designed for what you want — to be caught up on the most interesting, important news in 5 minutes or less. It's a little bit of this, a little bit of that, but if there's something you want more or less of, email me at jimmy.bentley@patch.com.

Today is Thursday, September 23. Let's get started.

People aren't the only ones affected by COVID-19. Animals like lions, tigers, apes and ferrets are also at high risk for infection, according to officials at Franklin Park Zoo.

That's why Zoo New England said it started vaccinating certain animals against the virus at both its Boston and Stoneham zoos.

"While we have not had any cases of COVID-19 with the animals at Zoo New England’s Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo, this vaccine is an important preventative health measure to protect species that are susceptible to contracting the virus," Dr. Chris Bonar, the senior veterinarian at Zoo New England, told the Boston Globe.

Unlike people — who got either the Moderna vaccine, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson — animals have their own specific shot. Zoetis developed that vaccine. The global animal health company donated more than 11,000 doses to 70 zoos, and those shots helped protect more than 100 species of mammals, zoo officials said.

Read more from The Boston Globe.

Top stories

Boston city councilors are considering raising fines up to 10-fold for building owners not taking care of their properties. City Councilors Lydia Edwards, Kenzie Bok and Liz Breadon presented a proposal to increase the fine cap from $300 to $3,000. The three councilors said the $300 fines aren't high enough to encourage larger developers to fix their properties. Breadon said the current fine cap may encourage mom-and-pop property owners to make repairs, but it leaves "big-time chronic offenders undeterred." (Boston Herald)

Despite Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo railing against Boston city officials for wanting to bus dozens of homeless people living along "Methadone Mile" to a Revere hotel, Acting Mayor Kim Janey is doubling down on the plan. Janey said the opioid crisis near Mass. and Cass needs a regional solution. She accused Arrigo of "standing against 30 people having a place to call home." (Boston Globe)

The pandemic isn't over, and the Boston Marathon will reflect that in more ways than one. Not only is there a trimmed-down field for the 2021 version of the race, but there's going to be a significant amount of masks along the race route. Runners are not required to wear a mask while racing, but they will need to wear them on buses to and from the race. Masks will also be required and provided in all medical tents along the 26.2-mile route. (Boston Patch)

In case you missed it

Fans planning to head to TD Garden to watch the Bruins or Celtics this season — as well attend concerts — will need to pack a copy of their coronavirus vaccination proof or get a negative COVID-19 test. TD Garden officials said on Wednesday that starting Sept. 30 guests 12 years old and older will need to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative rapid or PCR coronavirus test. Self-administered or over-the-counter test results will not be accepted. (Boston Patch)

A new way to get around

A ferry serve between East Boston and South Boston will launch Monday with a one-year pilot program. The trial service is between Lewis Wharf Mall and Fan Pier. Employers in the Seaport are paying for the cost of the trial at the North Station ferry, while the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority will pay for the East Boston pilot for the year. Eventually, authority officials hope companies will subsidize the ferry rides when they see how many workers use them. (Commonwealth Magazine)

Elsewhere in Massachusetts

The 16-year-old high school football player who suffered a serious head injury over the weekend is recovering from surgery, his family said in a brief statement. Brandon Cooke, of Northwest Metro Tech in Wakefield, was hurt during a junior varsity game against Saugus. He had surgery at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. A GoFundMe to support Cooke's recovery has raised more than $24,000 of a $200,000 goal as of late Wednesday night. (Wakefield Patch)

Do you know?: What do "The Mothership," "I Care A lot" and "City on a Hill" all have in common? They all had scenes shot in Boston in them. It's really cool to see so many great films getting made in the Bay State. See a list of some other movies and TV shows filmed right in Massachusetts. (Boston Herald)

Weather:

The National Weather Service says mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Southeast wind, 7 to 11 mph.

– Jimmy Bentley

Jimmy Bentley is a Massachusetts and Rhode Island field editor for Patch covering Cape Cod, Braintree, Barrington, East Greenwich, East Providence and North Kingstown. He was a reporter at the Plympton-Halifax Express and interned for Patch while earning his master's at Emerson College. In his free time, Jimmy hits concerts (sometimes reviewing them for Patch), watches movies and plays ice hockey.