The View From Prospect Hill for the week of June 28

   The great fluff fiasco of 2006 brings to mind another recent political dust-up of this year ‚Äì the great stickball saga.
    In February, Rebekah Gewirtz stirred up controversy when she proposed that a sign reading ”NO STICK BALL PLAYING AGAINST HOUSE OR FENCE‚Äù be hung in the yard of the Benjamin Brown Elementary School. Gewirtz had received a call from a constituent complaining of home run balls banging against her vinyl siding and rattling the house.

News Talk for the week of June 28

News Talk hears former Ward 6 Alderman Jack Connolly is pondering a return to politics. Alderman-at-Large and state Rep. Denise Provost has said she’s not going to seek re-election to the board in the 2007 municipal elections. The progressives are reportedly clearing the way for Marty Martinez to be the heir apparent, but Jack has expressed interest in the seat and we’d like to see him give it a shot.

Lowell Street bridge opens

The Lowell Street bridge is open for traffic today for the first time in over six years.

Dangerous molds found at police headquarters
By George P. Hassett

Molds causing brain damage and various respiratory illnesses are thriving in the nooks and crannies of the Somerville Police station, according to tests conducted last winter.
   In December, five local unions representing the employees working in the Public Safety building at 220 Washington St. paid for tests of the building to search for air pollution and molds in the heating and air conditioning units.

Central St. man convicted for Sullivan murder
By George P. Hassett

  Ryan Sullivan should be graduating from Somerville High School this month. Instead, a Central Street man charged with Sullivan‚Äôs murder is preparing to begin a life sentence in prison after being convicted of first degree murder Thursday.

Off the Shelf by Doug Holder for the week of June 28

Laughing out loud at “Laughing Liberally”

   No matter if it is on Broadway in New York City or Off Broadway in Davis Square, there is always a lot of positive energy popping around with a sold out house. And this was the case at ‚ÄúJimmy Tingle‚Äôs Off Broadway Theatre,‚Äù where a packed and animated house viewed the comic showcase ‚ÄúLaughing Liberally:  Saving Democracy One Laugh At A Time.‚Äù I was fortunate to take in the last of a series of eight shows Saturday evening. ‚ÄúLaughing Liberally,‚Äù the brainchild of David Alpert, Katie Halper, and Justin Krebs, began as auditions for local political comedians to appear in venues in New York City. It has been performed nationally, and Davis Square, a bastion of unabashed, organic liberalism, was a stop on the tour.

The View From Prospect Hill for the week of June 21

Sheriff DiPaola, thank you for the offer, but Somerville does not want your jail.
We do not want your jail because caging hundreds of yet-to-be convicted prisoners is not the way to build a better police station. Just ask the police, they’ll tell you.

Molds found inside public safety building

By George P. Hassett

Molds causing various respiratory illnesses have been found at the Somerville Police headquarters, said Patrolmen’s Union President Jack Leutcher today.