A Level 3 sex offender with a record that includes other violent crimes was arrested last week on charges he pummeled another man in the head badly enough on May 23 that passing motorists called 911 about a person covered in blood, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports. Read more.

DCR last week unveiled designs for the Gronk Playground it will be installing on the Esplanade - centered around a slide meant to immortalize the way Rob Gronkowski used to spike a football after a touchdown. Read more.

A disgusted citizen filed a 311 complaint this morning about the fresh "White Power" and swastika painted on the pathway near the Frances Appleton footbridge - the one near the Longfellow. The swastika was painted backwards.

The Charles River Conservancy has announced its canceled tomorrow's City Splash swim event at the Esplanade due to forecast "heavy rain and potential thunderstorms" that would make swimming unsafe.

The group had set Sunday as its rain date, but it's been forced to cancel that as well, because all the rain Saturday could mean unsafe levels of potentially harmful microorganisms via pipes that still drain into the river.

The Charles River Conservancy has set June 17 for this year's City Splash and One-Mile Swim, during which you'll be able to jump into the Charles from the Fiedler Dock on the Esplanade. Because the event and race have proven so popular, pre-registration for time slots or to enter the race will be required, although the group has yet to set up online pages to do so.

WCVB reports.

Chris in 02134 reports people were grooving to the sunset along the Charles River Esplanade this evening: Read more.

The Esplanade Association reports she died last night, and that a Boston animal-control officer was able to remove her body "while the father swan sat at the nest with their cygnets tucked under his wings."

Paddy G reports the two were forced to raise their young amidst man-made filth along the riverbank.

DCR is aiming for a fall start of a pilot program to test various methods for restoring the banks of the Charles River Basin and reducing the amount of invasive trees and other plants along the banks that it says crowd out native species and reduce the vistas of the scenic waterway. Read more.

Liz the roving UHub photographer came upon a white duck having a grand old time hanging with a gaggle of geese on the Esplanade this afternoon.