Somerville Recreation will be holding a road race in conjunction with the Mayor’s Shape-Up Somerville Initiative. The race to be held on Sunday, April 24, with the kids race at 10:30 a.m., while the adults 5K race starts at 11:00 a.m. The proceeds will go to the Somerville Youth and Recreation Foundation (SYRF). This non-profit foundation was formed exclusively for charitable purposes. For more information go to www.SomervilleYouthRecF.org.

********************

Tonight the 4th annual Highland Masonic Building Association will hold their Giggles Comedy night with special guest comedian and local celebrity Jimmy Del Ponte will be with us for the 4th Annual Highland Masonic Building Association “Giggles Comedy Nite” on Wednesday April 20, at the Prince of Pizza on Rte. 1 Saugus. The public is welcome. A private room with some of Boston’s finest comedians, great pizza included for $25 and a silent auction with many donated items will be available afterwards. Everyone wins. Contact Donald Norton at 617-623-6600 x 11 for information. Tickets at the door – or you can reserve – are again only $25 donation to the HMTA insurance fund, which is not a tax deduction. Last year well over 100 attended a great night of laughs, food and good friends.

********************

Happy 54th Wedding Anniversary to Tony and Donna Alibrandi, two of the city’s nicest people you’d ever want to meet. A great couple and very generous to a lot of non-profits here in the city. They set an example for a lot of us to give back to the community as they do. Tony and Donna are big supporters of the Alibrandi League, a group of champions, and why not with a name like Alibrandi? Tony is also one of the longest working barbers here in the city, right there on Holland Street next to Renee’s, together with Paul. Two great barbers in a nice friendly shop that features the current gossip about what’s going on around Somerville. A lot of people don’t know it, but Tony has and is serving the city as one of the three election commissioners appointed a long time ago by a few mayors. Walk in or call the barbershop and wish him a happy anniversary and ask what’s the trick to being married to a nice lady like Donna. We wish them both a happy week and many more anniversaries to come.

********************

Hurry up and get your ticket for the drawing for The Somerville High Scholarship Foundation that is once again having its huge drawing coming up in May 13 at the Highlander Café at Somerville High School. Refreshments will be served beginning at 7:00 p.m. Drawing at 8:00 p.m. Several door prizes will be given out during the drawing for the $10,000 grand prize. Tickets for the drawing are $100 each. You can purchase one or share the cost of one with many in your home/office or with friends. It’s a great fundraiser for the kids. Over the years the SHS Foundation has benefitted many students. Make your check out to S.H.S. Raffle and send it to SHS Raffle c/o Joseph Favaloro, P.O. Box 440275 Somerville 02144. It’s been a great organization here in the city since 1990 and has grown over the years, serving many Somerville graduates to further their education. See you at the drawing. It’s a lot of fun and a great night out.

********************

Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston is being thrown a fundraiser at the Mt. Vernon Restaurant on lower Broadway. We’re sure a lot of the regulars will be present, and we hope she raises a lot of money for her campaign war chest. Maybe she’s running for something other than alderman? Speaking of fundraisers, the mayor recently had a fundraiser thrown for him over at the Liberty Hotel in Boston (formerly the Charles Street Jail), with lots of developers and some interesting city board members in attendance. Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang is having his own fundraiser at the Somerville Armory on Wednesday, May 11, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Come celebrate Ward 5 and Somerville’s progress and challenges, and contribute to its future. Guest speaker: Senator Pat Jehlen. Music by Country Hits. Complimentary food and cash bar. The suggested minimum contribution is $50 per person, but please come and give what you can.

********************

All of these fundraisers while we’re over a year and half away from local elections here in the city. You think maybe it’s because of the recent revelation that there is now just about 50K registered voters, and very shortly there will be open voting here? Funny, if you think about it. Something like 50k registered voters and in the last city election barely 10K voted. Maybe with the open voting process some of these politicians feel that maybe – just maybe – they can easily be unseated?

********************

State Representative Denise Provost will be hosting a fundraiser for re-election this year at Orleans Restaurant on Holland Street this coming Sunday. Join the popular and great Attorney General Maura Healey and Representative Provost’s Host Committee as they kickoff her re-election campaign 2016. All are welcome. Appetizers and cash bar.

********************

After all this talk lately of renovating the High School, it appears that renovations are out and a new school is to be proposed, as well as a new wing for the renovated City Hall up on the hill. This is going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money. It sounds like we’re going to be faced with a huge tax bill, which means an override on Proposition 2.5 will be on the ballot next year. Maybe some of those 50,000 registered voters are also property owners and might want to call their aldermen and voice their concerns?

********************

Happy Birthday last week to Mr. Marshall Sloane, founder of Century Bank. He’s a Somerville guy from way back when they had Sloane Furniture in Magoun Square. We wish him a very happy birthday. He’s another Somerville success story and a nice guy. He started his bank right here in Somerville in a trailer across from Foss Park in 1968, on the spot of the present building corner of Mystic Ave. and Fellsway West. Some of us here worked there briefly. A great bank that has grown to be one of the only family-owned and operated banks in the state.

********************

Happy birthday to a lot of our friends and fellow Villens here this week: Happy birthday this week to a good guy Alderman at Large and lifelong resident and business owner Jack Connolly. He’s been dedicated to the city his entire life. We wish him a very special birthday. Also celebrating this week is our good friend Janet Potts, who is a realtor out past Framingham, working for ERA Keys Realty. We wish her a happy birthday this week. Another local realtor from Remax, Andrew is celebrating this week. We wish Sory DeOliveira a happy birthday as well.

********************

There seems to be a rush by some aldermen to push through a 20% rule on all future developments, which increases the amount of units developers must set aside for low to moderate income residents. But if you look at some recent developments done by one particular nonprofit you will notice not one former Somerville resident took occupancy, and already someone has mowed down the fence on the Temple Street side. The term “moderate income” should be used as much as “low income.” It seems like the city has forced many of the lifelong residents out because of the rush on development and renovating to the highest bidder. It’s very sad to see the city turn over like it has.

********************

There’s a new website in town. Check it out at www.somervillema.com. The Somerville Times is on the site. Also check out www.medfordma.com. Someone asked online why we keep these two websites in Newstalk. We guess it’s because we like them.

********************

For those that might be interested in obtaining certification for firearms should look up the Lawrence Rod & Gun Club. They provide an extensive program at the end of which you receive certification for Massachusetts/NRA Certified Firearm Safety Classes. They run a class once a month, which is limited to 10 people and we hear that this is the place to go to learn safety when handling guns. Email gunclub@earthlink.net for more information and or go to their website at www.lawrencerodandgunclub.org and read up about the course. We’ve been told that the course has seen a major increase in people applying for it, especially women. We can tell you first hand here that it’s a great course and quite thorough. The same goes for this in Newstalk. The club has informed us that many residents of Somerville have called or gone to the club to find out about certification.

********************

Another resident who grew up here in East Somerville and who has Somerville roots passed away this past weekend. Fred “Ricky” Beebe suffered a severe heart attack. Our condolences to his family and friends. We know nothing as of now regarding funeral arrangements. He is from Somerville and lived in Hull. His family still lives in the family home on Crescent Street.

********************

A large crowd of about 200 residents were in attendance at the annual Paul Revere Ride ceremony at Foss Park this past Patriot’s Day. The mayor was there to greet all, along with Ward 3 Alderman McWatters, Alderman at Large White and Ward 2 Alderman Heuston. We guess the other aldermen couldn’t attend or wanted to make it a long weekend. The City of Somerville historical group runs a smooth operation every year and deserves a good round of applause.

********************

It’s sad to hear that the city School Department will no longer have an “Adult Evening School.” It’s not from a lack of teachers or a dedicated Principal and Asst. Principal of the night school, but from a lack of interest. Very sad, and a lot of people over the years took advantage of the various classes, but not lately. Special thank you to Sophia Carafotes for doing an outstanding job. She went above and beyond the call of duty trying to get people interested. She was creative and was always smiling and helpful. Maybe there will be a call again and the Superintendent of Schools, along with the School Board, will ask her to step in and give it another try. Best of luck from us here at The Times to Sophia and team.

********************

The St. Clement School Comedy Night Fundraiser takes place on Saturday, April 30, 5:30–11:00 p.m. It’s a night of comedy and cheer for a great cause. Silent auction, D.J. and raffles. Comedian Johnny Pizzi, with friends Sal Votano and Paul Nardizzi. Meet and get an autograph from the latest Survivor winner and Cambridge firefighter Jeremy Collins. Great food and beverages. All proceeds to benefit the students of Saint Clement School. $25 per ticket. $200 for table of 10. ePay: www.gofundme.com/friendsofStClement or send a check to: Attn. Mr. Ryan Murphy, 579 Boston Ave., Medford, MA 02155.