Two weeks can seem like an eternity, but not for Somerville politics. We wrote on September 26th that it seemed as though the snooze fest election cycle would resume across the city, especially with one particular candidate for public office not having made the final election.

Such is not the case in Ward 5 – where there have been rumors swirling about an owner of an establishment in Magoun Square making a veiled threat against a store owner in the same square in order to get that person to remove a political sign from his window. You would think some people would be smarter than that, especially ones who depend on the local crowd to frequent their establishments in order to make money to keep their doors open. Not smart.

By George P. Hassett

Gov. Deval Patrick visited Gilman Square today to announce steps he has taken to extend the Green Line through Somerville and into Medford. He said his administration would try to beat the 2014 completion date required by law.

Over the summer, Patrick  proposed the completion date be pushed back to 2016 while his administration went after federal funds that he said could save state taxpayers $300 million. City officials and residents quickly voiced their displeasure with the proposal and today Patrick said the plans are back on track.

1.5 million needles in city trash each year, most from diabetics

By Kim Geronimo

One and a half million used hypodermic needles find their way into Somerville’s trash each year. Most are thrown into household trash – a few take a more unconventional route down the toilet. But recently, more and more hypodermic needles have found their way onto city streets, particularly in the Ten Hills and Winter Hill neighborhoods, according to residents and officials.

On Tuesday, Oct. 2, residents, aldermen and other officials gathered in City Hall for a public hearing to discuss the possible installation of a needle disposal kiosk in a public location such as a pharmacy, hospital, or local health center. No decision was reached, however, and the meeting was recessed and scheduled to re-adjourn on Oct. 16.

Gov. Deval Patrick will be in Gilman Square tomorrow at noon to speak about his plans for a  Green Line extension through Somerville and into Medford. Patrick has proposed delaying the project for two years in order to seek federal funding and cut costs in half. Tomorrow he will be joined by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Congressman Michael E. Capuano, D-Somerville.

By George P. Hassett

For Brian Liberatore‚Äôs friends, lining up around Doherty Funeral Home last Friday night  was nothing new. Except this time he was the one they said goodbye to. Brian Liberatore died Wednesday, Oct. 3, when he fell out of the passenger door of his best friend‚Äôs car.

His brother, Scott Liberatore, sitting in the backseat on the fatal night, said his brother is the latest in a long-line of Somerville-raised young men to die young. He said he has lost nearly 20 friends in the last four years alone. Although many of the deaths were related to drugs and violence, Scott said his brother was not the first to die in a freak accident.

The battle of the political signs rages on with each side blaming the other in Ward 5. In Ward 6 the opponent to the incumbent is playing it smarter – he‚Äôs not trying to out sign Rebekah (again we‚Äôd say ‚ÄúPrincess‚Äù but her legions/minions/followers get so upset with us) of the Progressives. Speaking of which, next time the pledge of allegiance is on and the prayer is being said at the Board of Aldermen meeting, watch and see if the camera is on the Ward 6 Alderwoman.    

 
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By the way, someone should tell Rick Scirocco that the primary is over and he can take down his signs – it would make the city look much better. Speaking of the mayors race, we‚Äôve heard nothing from the opponent – Ms. Bremer – has anyone else? We did hear about her reason for getting into the race ‚Äî- she was mad because of the way Marty Martinez was treated in the last special election against Jack Connolly – which by the way is an awesome reason to run for mayor. We have heard that Mayor Joe is having a fundraiser down in Union Square at The Independent tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. – he has virtually no opponent, yet he‚Äôs out there knocking on doors every day – he‚Äôs not taking any chances of getting below the 77 percent vote he got in the primary – we think the number could be close to 80 percent in the final.      

By Amy Tennery

Twenty-five years ago, Fred Berman made a career change. 

A mathematician in the healthcare industry, he said he began ‚Äúto see people as more than check marks on the sheets measuring whether they could or couldn‚Äôt get help.‚Äù  Berman saw a flawed healthcare system, one in which people could suddenly lose their insurance and have no social program to help them. Twenty-five years ago, Berman decided to become an activist. 

Today, Berman takes on his “biggest volunteer project” to date, running for alderman-at-large in Somerville.

At the Sept. 28 Somerville News contributors meeting, Berman said his experience of growing up in public housing in the Bronx, New York gave him an appreciation of affordable housing. Now as a candidate in his new home, Berman is stressing the issue.

DPW gets biodiesel fuel as part of a citywide effort to reduce emissions

By George P. Hassett

City officials visited the Department of Public Works (DPW) yard on Thursday, Sept. 27 to watch Burke Fuels deliver the first biodiesel fuel for the DPW vehicle fleet this year. 

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone said the switch to biodiesel fuel for all DPW vehicles is an important step in his administration‚Äôs effort to make the city more eco-friendly. 

By Doug Holder

This is the fifth season of the Somerville News Writer’s Festival. When Tim Gager and I started it in November 2003 we thought it would be a one shot affair. But much to our surprise it has become an annual tradition. With the support of The Somerville News and the Norton and Tauro families, we have presented an impressive roster of local and national poets and writers to the folks of Somerville and beyond. Over the years we hosted such readers as Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Franz Wright, head of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop Lan Samantha Chang, Boston Globe columnist and author Alex Beam, Andre Dubus III, Sue Miller, Hallie Ephron, Pulitzer Prize- winning novelist Robert Olen Butler," Plum Flower Dance" author Afaa Michael Weaver, and many others.

We have also founded an Ibbetson Street Press Poetry award. The first winner last year was Newburyport poet Michael Alpert. We have had quite a few submissions this year, and are pleased with the interest that has been stirred up.

By William C. Shelton

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

Few, if any, topics evoke as much heated commentary on the Somerville News Web site as that of illegal immigration. Regardless of which “side” of the issue one comes down on, most Americans, and most Somervillians, have a sense that the system is broken. Most intuitively understand what Confucius observed 2,500 years ago: rulers who pass laws that they cannot or will not enforce undermine their own authority and weaken the society’s moral fiber.