Happy April Fool’s Day to everyone out there. We hope the only fools are those fools that think they are fooling everyone but they aren’t. They’re just bullies and wanabees.

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

This Thursday, April 2 please join the Somerville Chamber of Commerce for its monthly business networking social from 5-7 p.m. This one is at the Burren in Davis Square. Bring your business cards. It’s a great source of business networking.

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

We confirmed with several sources that the Ward 4 School Committee position being vacated by Christine Rafal just might have four or more running for her seat. We know that Bobby Potaris is running, Jamie O’Leary is seriously considering it, Craig Rourke has been around making inquiries and Andre Green is also considering the run. We also heard an interesting rumor – or is it? – that retiring Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz is leaving to spend more time with her family and new baby. It was rumored that Paul Bockelman, the school committee member from Ward 6, would step up to run for the seat, but now we hear that just might not be true. We heard that an unnamed woman who is expecting a child in August wants the seat and is quietly going around seeking commitments. Now that Paul isn’t moving up and word is getting around, maybe others will seek the Ward 6 seat. We’ll keep you posted over the next few weeks. Could a well known political figure be considering the seat? It will be fun to see a race in Ward 6. Not since Jack Connolly got defeated for that seat when Gewirtz ran against him have we seen a fight in Ward 6. Maybe again this year?

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

School year calendar changes to make up the 9 missed school days due to snow-related issues have been set. Go to www.somerville.k12.ma.us to find the make up dates and for any additional relevant information.

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

This past weekend marked the 20th anniversary of the murder of Deanna Cremin, which is still unsolved. The family and friends keep hoping there is closure soon and the murderer is found or comes forward. The reward now being offered for any information is up to $70K.

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

We heard from several sources telling us that the new zoning proposals just might not have enough votes to pass. Several aldermen have made critical comments. Who will be blamed for it if it doesn’t move forward, the mayor or his planning department?

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

With all the different groups popping up in Union Square, it’s fun to see if there is a connection. A connection to SCC maybe? Maybe the entire city should be concerned about Union Square and what the developers are going to do. Maybe the formation of a citywide citizens group would be good? We notice that the local cable access news station is fixed on giving the current developer who won the project a hard time. Are some people associated with the neighborhood group or groups part of SCATV?

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

If you haven’t already marked your calendar please do so for Sunday, April 28 at the City Club, across from Holiday Inn. Family and friends of former Alderman Tom Taylor, who recently passed away, will be having a celebration of his life, to remember Tom and all the good he did here in the city he loved so much. The event will be starting at 4 p.m.

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

The yearly SHS Raffle is here again with the $10K first prize winners and many other prizes to be given away. This hard working Scholarship Foundation is selling tickets at $100 apiece. Send $100 to Joseph Favaloro, P.O. Box 440275, Somerville MA 02145. The drawing will be held May 8 at the Highlander Café at Somerville High at 7 p.m.

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

The very nice Alderman in Ward 7, Katjana Ballantyne, is having a fundraiser/campaign kickoff April 28 at the ever-popular Ward 7 place to meet, PJ Ryan’s in Teele Square. Katjana was elected Vice President of the Board of Alderman and we hear she’s doing a great job. We’ll see everyone at PJ’s on the 28th from 6-8 p.m.

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

Happy Birthday this week to several Villens here and elsewhere who are still Villens: We send happy birthday greetings to one of our own past Assistant Editor, Andrea Gregory, whom we wish many happy returns and always our best. Happy birthday to a guy well known, especially in East Somerville, Jeffrey Lewis is celebrating this week. We wish him the very best. Andrew Lafuente a great guy and very popular in his own right, notwithstanding his father’s name. We wish Andrew the very best this week. To our old friend Sue Pye, we wish her very many happy returns of the day as well. And finally, to another Hart family member whom we have known a long time, we wish Tyler Hart the very best as well. To the many others we didn’t mention, we wish the very best this week on their birthdays.

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

Coming up on Saturday, April 11 at 6 p.m., “Under the Roof Benefit 2015” for the Somerville Homeless Shelter’s 30th Anniversary. The Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) will host the dinner at the Center for Arts at the Armory in Somerville. To mark this milestone, a number of founding members of the SHC will be in attendance and honored for their initiative, vision, and compassion. While they are still “working to put themselves out of business,” they are committed to helping those in need for as long as there are homeless and hungry people in our community. Visit www.shcinc.org to learn more about the SHC or this event. For questions, please contact Kathryn at 617-623-6111 or kbenjamin@shcinc.org. They hope you will participate in this terrific event.

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

Also coming up on Saturday, the 11th, it’s Masonic Open House here in Somerville as well as around the Commonwealth. All lodge buildings will be open from 9 to 3 p.m. King Solomon’s Lodge AF & AM, which was chartered in 1783, is located at 125 Highland Avenue (rear). The Lodge officers will be on hand to welcome and give a tour of the property and explain the historical pieces that the lodge has in its possession. Free parking. Come up the driveway to the main entrance across from the Veterans Post.

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

The Tufts University Department of Music presents A Sense of Place, a performance by the Tufts Wind Ensemble under the direction of John McCann, in the Distler Performance Hall at the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center on Monday, April 6, 2015 at 8 p.m. Join Tufts Wind Ensemble as they explore music that evokes specific times and places, including scenes of nature, culture, and history. The program includes Franz von Suppe’s “Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna”, arranged by Henry Fillmore; Swiss composer Frank Martin’s “From the Rhone to the Rhine”, and Darius Milhaud’s “Suite Francaise” that celebrates the sections of the country liberated by the Allied forces and French Underground during World War II.