It seems like the newly elected aldermen may be obstructing the development in Union Square with the designated developer US2. The BOA is grandstanding in not allowing the Somerville Redevelopment Authority to convey a small 7000 sq. ft. lot to US2. Our Revolution members, who hold a majority of the Union Square Neighborhood Council seats, want to disrupt the negotiations of the community benefits agreement. So the BOA is doing their bidding. The Our Revolution resistance group makes up 13 of the 15 members on the council. The problem is that even though US2 has a letter of intent from a commercial lab science tenant, now because of the vote there may be a risk that the science lab will go someplace else and leave US2 without a tenant in the first phase of the development.

This board of aldermen is trying to function like the Mayor’s Office, which is not their role. And yes, maybe the mayor needs to put his foot down and explain what they are doing to the project by delaying it. This could jeopardize the development of Union Square, which right now we need, especially with a new $280M high school, $50M for the Green Line Extension, and an estimated $70M infrastructure bill, as well as the city wanting to build a new safety building for the fire and police departments. It almost seems like the administration and the BOA just can’t stop spending money. The aldermen need to get their act together. The taxpayers of Somerville will revolt once again, as they did it in the 70’s and organize thousands of homeowners and taxpayers to let the aldermen know they can’t get away with this. One would wonder if there was an ulterior motive behind this vote on the BOA. Maybe it’s a great thing city elections are every two years. Wake up Somerville, they are spending your money. Watch the Board on TV, and register to vote!

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The Ball Square Café started last Friday – and now every Friday night – staying open until 9:00 p.m. We’re excited for Omar and Mike, who are the best. They promise a great menu and the same delicious food. Mention you saw it here.

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Speaking of Ball Square, we hear that the Ball Square bridge will be closed for a year, beginning in October, so that the state can restructure the bridge to accommodate the Green Line Extension. Question: why is the mayor, the aldermen and the state delegation allowing the state to close down a bridge that will affectively do a lot of damage to the many businesses in the Square. The immediate impact on some of the businesses will be long lasting, even after the bridge reopens. At the meetings they claim it’s about money, that it would cost more if they didn’t close it down altogether. Funny how politicians always want you to believe that it’s about money and saving it, but when they need it they just either raise your taxes or find fees to levy on the public. Bull, the private businesses will suffer. How do they recoup lost business? They can’t raise taxes, certainly can’t raise prices. Where is the outrage by the Chamber of Commerce and the politicians to keep the bridge open? They managed to do it in Medford in the Square, why not here?

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a Somerville somebody Rick Spinosa, yes, of the famous Spinosa family. A great guy, we hope he has a great birthday this week. Happy birthday to another Somerville somebody, Cheryl Chaille Horan, of Green Cab. We hope she has a great birthday as well this week. Happy birthday to local guy, Anthony Fedele. We hope he has a great birthday as well. Happy birthday to our good friend, a former Somerville guy, Professor Michael Stenger, who is celebrating this week. Birthday greetings to Judy Podymaitis, a lifelong resident who we wish a happy birthday. Sadly, she lost her mom this week. Our condolences to Judy. Happy birthday to Steve Soares who is celebrating this week. Happy birthday as well to all the others we may have missed and, yes, there are a few more out there. We sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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Demet’s Donuts in Medford is getting very busy, but those donuts and the large variety are like the old Day’s Donuts, huge and tasty. Almost a sin facing you when you come in for just coffee. It’s hard to not get that jelly or lemon, not to mention the coconut donuts. The Somerville Times is available every Wednesday at the donut shop. Stop in, get a coffee and few of those delicious donuts, or maybe the real – and we mean real – egg sandwiches, from real eggs.

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Somerville Arts Council’s Summer Song Series presents MUSICALS!: A Sing-Along on Thursday, July 19, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at the Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., Somerville. The Garden opens at 5:30 for picnicking. The event features Carrie Furniss on vocals and Liza Kitchell on piano. The sing along will include a wide variety of songs from favorite musicals ranging from current hit shows like Dear Evan Hansen to well-loved classics and everything in between. Lyrics sheets will be provided, and cold drinks as usual. For more information go to http://www.thegrowingcenter.org.

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News 25 Boston’s (local Fox affiliate) Zip Trip to Medford is this Friday, July 20, in the a.m. We’re sure Medford will turn out and show their pride.

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Why is Friday the 13th unlucky? At dawn on Friday, October 13, 1307 (a date sometimes linked with the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition), King Philip IV of France ordered GM Jaques deMolay and scores of other French Templars to be simultaneously arrested and burned at the stake, and their properties and assets confiscated. The Templars were charged with numerous other offences such as financial corruption, fraud, and secrecy.

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Miss watching the Board of Alderman meetings on TV? You can view them in their entirety on Comcast channel 22, as well as on YouTube. Watch your city at work and see how these dedicated members of our community are serving you, the public. We can’t say this enough, watch the meetings on either cable broadcast live, or go online to YouTube to watch them. You will find some pretty hysterical information there about what’s happening in the city. This should be required viewing for everyone who cares about what is happening here. Even the committee meetings are online. After all, the Board of Aldermen is voting to spend your money. Wow, the raises some department heads are getting. Of course, those friendly with the mayor are the ones that are getting huge ones.

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Best wishes to a good guy and one of Somerville’s  finest, the Honorable Robert McWatters, who is retiring from his job as a Cambridge Probation Officer. He is the guest of honor this coming Friday night at Davio’s in Lynnfield. Many of his co-workers, family and friends will be present to salute a job well done.

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The Somerville City Club is looking to increase its membership. For the time being membership is open to any resident here in the city It’s a great organization that has been around a long time, with lots of activities that support local charitable groups here. Contact the club on Innerbelt Road across from Holiday Inn for more details.

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Our condolences to the family of Thelma Anne Carriger, who passed away this past weekend. She was a great lady, a lifelong resident of Somerville and active in several organizations here. We extend our prayers to the entire Carriger family. They all played a big part in our city over the years. The wake will be at Doherty’s Funeral Home Wednesday night with services Thursday at Doherty’s at 10:00 a.m.

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Have you driven around the city lately? Do the streets and squares seem dirtier, with lots of litter, not to mention the public median grass not being cut? Maybe the DPW Commissioner Stan Koty isn’t answering his phone from the constituent aldermen. Maybe they aren’t calling him. Oh, wait, didn’t we lose the constituent alderman in the last election, in favor of other issues that might be better left to our state delegation? Guess that’s what we get when we elect a socialist majority Board of Aldermen. To soon? To harsh? You watch them one night on TV, tell us what you think.

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We here at Newstalk were walking around Assembly Square, in particular by the Winter Hill Yacht Club this past weekend and couldn’t stop thinking how much the city of Somerville would be to have this valuable piece of real estate returned to the city, and actually used by the residents. There’s a beautiful building that could be used by residents, docks to park their boats or to rent a boat and cruise up and down the Mystic. The vision of what could be is endless. Right there on prime land in Assembly Square, a nice marina for the public to use for free. How does that sound? We hear their membership of Somerville residents is extremely low compared to the total number of those who are in the club presently. Word has it less than 20% live in Somerville. We think the city’s aldermen should move on a proposal to take over the so-called club. It would make a great addition to the city if our state legislators got the state to give back the land. Aren’t elitist yacht clubs outdated? Wonder how they serve the community by having that huge gate closed and locked for private club members and their cars. Sort of reminder us of a wall of protection. After all, it is on public owned property, leased with certain conditions by the state DCR at a very low annual fee. Maybe the state should pressure the club to turn over the membership list and addresses (of course, real addresses)? Bet it would read more like Winchester, Weston, Reading, Stoneham, Melrose residents, rather than Somerville residents. A movement to “take back the Mystic” could help to mount a petition to the state.

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Have you thought you’d like to do some writing, a little story about Somerville as either a newbie or Villen? We have about 80K people and we would love to hear about your adventures here in the city. Maybe you want to write about a particular subject like our Bob Doherty and Dorothy DiMarzio, or like when Jimmy Del Ponte wrote his stories about the city (hey, that’s an idea – maybe we can talk him into doing a little writing again). Or maybe you’d like to express your opinion like Bill Shelton, as many others have over the years. Not just the politicians, but those from our community. Give us a call at 617-666-4010 or email news@thesomervilletimes.com and tell us about your idea. We would love to tell it to the rest of Somerville.