Title: Clinton Hopes To Use Stimulus To Rebuild A Vital Bridge

" This is the WBUR news podcast for Monday April 13 the service of WBUR. Boston's NPR news station I'm Bob it -- coming up. The story of a world renowned Brookline pianist who isn't exactly a household name. And first today. Massachusetts is expected to award 153. Million dollars in contracts. For so called shovel ready road and bridge projects by July 1 the money from the federal stimulus package is meant to help generate jobs around the state. Among the projects vying for funds is one affects rickety bridge in the central mass town of Clinton. WBUR. Is Fred Tice visited to find out what's involved."

" The Nashua river is at the heart of Clinton it was key to the town's prosperity during the industrial revolution -- meals grew up alongside it. When what you sit there was still across the river waters of its reservoirs and flooded 40%. Of that -- are just making things. It wasn't. Driving by -- state representative Harold -- Describes how construction of the -- dramatically affected the history of the town. German engineers. And Italian skilled stone cutters and there's so many Italian Shanley -- went into construction started construction companies after that. Irish and polish -- words because in have steam shovels in the conflict three -- of these bricks and these -- The Nashua river cuts through this town streets negotiate the landscape of hills and retains its carved out. Now the town is looking for a little economic stimulus from the two -- water street bridge that has spam the river treaty years. The bridge was never meant to last so long. Three years ago it was designated as being in serious condition meaning it could collapse of the -- How's the town could be cut off would have to take much longer route. To come around in the downtown area clintons thrive during industrial revolution but because the town lies beyond -- for 95. In the decade since World War II it's stagnated. Not in hopes that by providing a better connection to the highway. A renovated bridge can revitalize the town sprawling and largely abandoned mills where eight miles from fortified here. Fascinating miles he's been like. Great while China. Because it's limited industry coming into the town. Trailer trucks etc. And hopefully this bridge restructuring might do something in this aspect to. So let's transportation companies via an industry that's. They could come back into the terror."

" Town officials say without the federal money -- bridge we'll have to be close. It's the parent's responsibility to rebuild the bridge but the town doesn't have the money. -- superintendent of public works Christmas down. Has been trying to figure out. How to save the bridge you can see that one sidewalk as close completely the other -- what we actually at steel plates because -- sections of the fact that there. Actually completely missing. Miguel points to a steel column. Anchored in concrete footing in the riverbed that holds up one of the beams underneath the about me they were afraid that -- seen the actual collapse. So instead of closing the bridge we did some temporary repairs. To keep it open because that's critical to us to keep this prevail. Critical for instance to Clinton's firefighters. Chief Richard -- worries that without the bridge it would take twice as long for fire trucks to get to the other side of the river reached."

" Feinstein he'd be significantly increased. Somewhere in the area. From. Three or four miles the president to us we up to eight and nine miles. To travel to get to the homes on the side of the --"

" Reconstruction of the bridge couldn't come soon enough to the parents picking up their children at the clintons elementary school. Parents such as -- great yet who uses the bridge every day."

" At least twenty times so I got three kids it travels so you know I'm constantly using average 20%. It's an experience -- day."

" Carol Martin speaking effort ransom."

" Says driving across the bridge makes for a harrowing ride you pray your rob we'll still -- flatter your tires rather. We'll lose -- here."

" The Massachusetts highway department has begun asking for bids for construction projects this month. Town officials and Clinton have been told the bridge will be among the first stimulus projects. But state officials say that secretary of transportation Jim -- we -- has yet to make the final decision. Clinton state representative Harold Naughton says legislators have influence in steering money to their towns we advocates."

" Statutorily. The stimulus legislation that came to congress doesn't doesn't give legislatures. Really any saved. So it's all advocates advocates of the governor and governor's administration look. The needs of my district it's more persuasive. Aren't in the governor's been very open and very accessible. To get in advocating his administration Clinton's town administrator Michael Ward compares the importance of the bridge."

" Project with those that were built during the Great Depression we have had some wonderful structures hearing Clinton. From the WPA days that is still standing structures they would never would be able to do what. And this -- Another example of that I think but this stimulus bill try to do is to try to get a lot of these. Major public works projects out there in the last. Nearly forever. That -- right."

" The state estimates that public transportation and road and bridge projects will create more than 2000 jobs this. He projects that. Three point four million dollars it would stand to rebuild the bridge in Clinton. Would create 47 jobs -- adds that there are no guarantees as to how many jobs each project will create. Secretary of economic development Greg violate -- explains that how many people you think you'll put to work depends on what kind of work you count."

" You can either count the number of people were literally working on the bridge. Or you can count. And number of people who will be put to work including the folks who are working at the supply -- for the materials for the bridge."

" Town officials don't think that many people actually end up working on the bridge Clinton superintendent of public works is not counting the people who make the steel and mix the concrete. But he predicts that by the time construction begins but it won't be more than five to twenty people working on the bridge. For WBUR I'm Fred -- report. It's part of our ongoing economic coverage you can keep up with all of our stories on the bottom law analogue which is on our website WBUR. Got to work."

" Yeah."

" At 74 years old pianist ran Blake is a music legend known worldwide for his in Prague style. The Brookline based musician and teacher has just released his 36 album. It's called. --"

" This track is Blake spare interpretation. Of strange fruit. Classic made famous by Billie Holiday and one of his favorite singers all of Blake's music is inspired by another passion film. WUBUR's. Andrea -- found when she met this low key musician."

" As soon as I got to mentally -- basement apartment for crying he said I just have to watch the spiral staircase. To understand is music need to understand his obsession with film noir. He -- this one thousands of times and his quick to distinguish it as gothic memoir."

" It's not -- always drenched city streets. Would -- some sorts with the blonde. Regarding the ring co."

" The spiral staircase had to some harm with the creepy murderer shadows and storms in a country mansion circa 1915. Blake's first sought as a kid in Springfield in the 1940."

" I've never seen anything in this oops. And the unknown behind the curtain."

" And then there was the music. Sitting at his last grand piano. Blake plays his interpretation of the soundtrack. With his eyes closed as it sees the spiral staircase. On the insides of his I. Making music is a cinematic experience for him filled with images he -- memories montage of news flash -- Teens from films from the news and from his own life."

" is in many ways a kind of an outsider."

" That's Ben Ratliff jazz critic in the New York Times. He says outsider or not he emotional purity of Blake's music has resonated with musicians for five decades."

" He has a way of extracting. Them most and only. Melancholy. And in perspective. For and song."

" But while musicians connect with the soloist record since there's a reason why he hasn't gone mainstream."

" His music exudes you know solitude. The I think it. Music like that is very hard for people to cozy up to a large scale."

" And as a kid -- did. -- So are there used to -- you'll."

" And playing his own way. -- musical -- tasted every. Classical jazz gospel. In 1960 Lleyton from Massachusetts to New York. He swept floors Atlantic records hoping to meet his musical heroes and he did composed and consumer might lead to and a claim. At that time soon was notorious for merging classical and jazz into a new genre called the third stream. Shuler took -- on as a student and in 1967 -- to Boston and started the third -- department in New England Conservatory. Where leaks still teaches. What else. A semester long class on his favorite -- more film this spiral staircase."

" Now here Roy -- music it's terrific."

" Pretty derivative of the beginning. Blake who loves to hear his passion for music and films he uses the spiral staircase to teach jazz and classical musicians he had an improvised there. Soundtracks. And."

" When he one year old he immediately classical violinist trained to always rely on sheet music. She says she never improvised anything before she took -- class."

" And to actually get good feedback in grand acts of joining us on the beautiful parts of it. And Mimi you know so happy -- I was ecstatic that I went around telling all my friends because. You know it's a grand -- are some law. And it's not even my John."

" This is one year old student randomly. On dad's time. Is really did. There's also this kind of -- in figure and just which is incredible. To. Lopez says he took this class to learn about ran Blake as a person and to see how he operates. Blake does that under the radar. After class or a concert. He heads home to his Brookline apartment dimmed the lights and communes with the new alarm movies that inspired him his whole life. For WBUR and -- information."

" Ramblings new CD is called reports to see pictures of his film noir classic and watch a video of blatant improvising on the piano. Visit our website WB you are not a war."

" This podcast is a free service of WBUR Boston. To make a contribution to support the news go to our website wbur.org."