Present Alderman for Ward 5, Courtney O’Keefe, is having a campaign rally/kickoff tonight, Wednesday, June 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (the time changed to earlier than the original schedule because of the Bruins Game) at the Olde Magoun’s Salon, right in Magoun Square next to CVS on Medford Street. Courtney has been working very hard since her appointment, meeting with many of the residents in Ward 5. For more information, and if you’d like to help Courtney, you can call 617-224-8328 or go to www.courtneyokeefe.com.

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We wish the best for our good friend Celia Taylor who is retiring from her job at the Healey School. Celia loves her job and we know she will miss everyone involved. Celia is the wife of retiring Alderman from Ward 3, Tom Taylor. For those that didn’t know, Celia served as an elected School Board member from Ward 1 for several years, early on. We wish both Celia and Tom a very happy and long retirement together. We knew Celia, going back to the 70’s, as an activist here in the city. Lots of people like her and Tom. Both of them have helped to move Somerville forward over the years, through a lot of adversity. Good luck to them. We know they are going to be around. They both love Somerville.

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Our condolences go out to the Ciampa family on the recent passing of Anne “Nina” Ciampa, who passed away recently. She was married to Dr. Frank Ciampa and is the mother of former State Representative and Alderman here in Somerville, Vinnie Ciampa. The Ciampa family has been a huge part of Somerville life in the recent past. Everyone knew the family, a well respected part of the community. The Ciampa’s are originally out of East Somerville. We, like a lot of others here in Somerville, send our sincere sympathy to the entire family on their loss of Anne.

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Happy Birthday to some of the Villens both here and spread across the land: Big Happy Birthday this past Sunday to Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz. She’s going to be having another good election year. She’s unopposed. Also, this past Sunday was Mike Hastings big day. Steven Mirabella, another well known Villen and a good electrician as well, also celebrates. Senator Sal DiDomenico is celebrating this week. A nice guy as well. We wish him a HB.  Jack Nicas, who is a former Asst. Editor here at The News, and is now a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, is enjoying a birthday this week. We certainly hope he has a great day.  A Happy Birthday goes also to Michelle Lima of the Ville, as well as Diann Siracusa, who is also from the Ville and works at Remax. And finally – we kept this for last – we here at The News celebrate our own Ms. Cam Toner, who is celebrating her young birthday, we hear somewhere in the young years in the 80’s. She’s a true treasure here at The News.

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Mark your calendar. Candidate for Ward 3 Alderman, Robert “Rob” McWaters, is having his first fundraiser/campaign kickoff this coming Monday, June 24, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Precinct in Union Square. We hear that a lot of his friends from across the city and his family will be present, too. He is a great guy and has done more for the city than most, and he’s the only one of 4 candidates in Ward 3 that knows what’s going on here in the city, since he works as Asst. Clerk of Committees for the Board of Alderman.

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Union Square Main Streets is looking to have a Volunteer Orientation class for anyone interested in getting involved in the work that the USMS does. They are hosting an orientation for prospective volunteers. Meet the committee chairs seeking your talents for initiatives to enliven Union Square. Learn the background of the organization and see if there’s a match of your time and interests with current projects. Among the projects currently seeking volunteers: Planter Project, Fluff Festival, Farmers Market, and Business Ambassador Program. Orientation is Thursday, June 27, at 630 at Relish: Center for Urban Agriculture on Sanborn Court.

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A joint proposal for redevelopment of two parcels on Washington Street is coming before the Planning Board on Thursday, June 20 at 6 p.m. This proposal by the Somerville Community Corporation is very controversial in the neighborhood. The meeting with the Planning Board is at the VNA on 259 Lowell Street, up in the 3rd floor Community Room. It is expected that the Board will make a definitive ruling at this meeting. A huge controversy has been brewing here in Somerville. There is lots of opposition for the plan, so this meeting will be jam-packed with pros and cons. The meeting is public and all are welcome to attend.

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Somerville Teachers are working without a contract now, and it appears that we might be seeing several picket lines shoot up across the many schools here in the Ville. We also know that several other city employees are also working without a contract but haven’t heard about any possible strikes as of yet.

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The Somerville Kiwanis Club is proud to host Bike Safety Day, Saturday, June 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Winter Hill Community School Playground. There will be Free 12 point bike inspection, free helmets and reflectors, free gift bags for all children, bike registration by Somerville Police Face painting music and so much more. Registration is limited to the 1st 150 students contact David Blumsack with questions (617) 776-7645.

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Tonight June 19, at 7 p.m. Author George Hassett discusses his new book “Gangsters of Boston”  at the Book Shop in Ball Square, 694 Broadway.

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The City of Somerville’s annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration and Family Fun Day are set to kick off the city’s summer events schedule on Thursday, June 27 and Saturday, June 29, respectively. Drawing several thousand spectators each year, the Fireworks Celebration will include live entertainment by the Somerville Sunsetters, the Somerville Moonlighters, Bova Productions, the USO Metropolitan New York Performers and local disco-funk band Booty Vortex, culminating with a 30-minute fireworks display launched from Trum Field. Entertainment begins at 6 p.m. For more information and street closures go to the city’s web site  www.somervillema.gov.