By George P. Hassett

A teenage boy was shot in the arm at the intersection of Cross and Pearl streets at 5:30 tonight in what witnesses and neighborhood residents say may have been an act of gang violence.

"It’s like a little turf thing," said a man who lives on the street and would not give his name. He said the shooting was the result of a feud between teenagers claiming affiliations with the street gangs MS-13 and the bloods.

Witnesses said the victim, a 16 year old Somerville boy, was shot once in the arm as he stood outside Cross Street Market and Deli. The boy then ran into the store bleeding and fell on the ground while pleading for help, they said.

By George P. Hassett

At community meetings in his neighborhood, Ward 5 Alderman Sean O’Donovan has pushed developers for more open space, less density and improved traffic patterns. But in Ward 3, O’Donovan is reversing roles – on Craigie Street he is the developer squeezing in condo units at the expense, residents say, of neighborhood character and open space.

O’Donovan is trying to convert a three family home at 42 Craigie St. to condos while adding a second building on the 15,400 square foot lot. In all, the buildings would hold eight condos.

To do so, O’Donovan must receive a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals. His colleague, Ward 3 Alderman Tom Taylor said he is opposed to the development because it will encroach on neighboring backyards and knock down nearby trees.

Advocate for increased wages, benefits

By Jack Nicas

In 2001, a student-driven movement to increase the wages of Harvard University janitors made national headlines and inspired significant changes in the school’s policy towards its workers. Now, seven years later, Tufts University students are attempting to replicate that success.

The Jumbo Janitor Alliance, a university-recognized student group at Tufts, is fighting to raise awareness for the custodial staff through student-led rallies and a petition to the president with over 1,300 student signatures.

Wasn‚Äôt Carl‚Äôs claim on the court documents that he was being denied access on the ballot? Apparently there is a petition filed against Bob Trane‚Äôs signature at the Secretary of State‚Äôs Office challenging Bob‚Äôs signatures – by Carl‚Äôs neighbor and campaign supporter who just happens to be represented by the same attorney as Carl in the courts. So is Carl trying to deny access to Bob Trane – is he hiding behind the challenge? 

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Apparently the word ‚Äútransparency‚Äù doesn‚Äôt mean anything to the beleaguered PDSers of Somerville – their own Chairperson Marty Martinez sent out an email to the membership stating he was calling for a steering committee meeting last night to discuss the following  ‚Äúendorsements processes the upcoming monthly meeting and several other things‚Äù ‚Äì but here is the funny part – NO ADDRESS of the meeting‚Ķit clearly states in the email ‚Äúplease email me and I will give you the location.‚Äù The email was sent out only to the Progressive Democrats of Somerville‚Äôs yahoo group. Nice, now they‚Äôre holding secret meetings at undisclosed locations – from their own members? So do you call and say the secret word and then depending on the type of membership you have you get the address of the meeting or what? Also, if the shoe was on the other foot, what would they say? 

By Melanie Cordova

Days are usually quiet in the used and out-of-print bookstore, Three Geese in Flight Books. It is typical to find only manager, Genevieve Robinson, inside packaging books for internet customers who have preferred to purchase their Arthurian and Celtic literature online rather than come into the store. 

‚ÄúMost of our sales come from internet buyers,‚Äù Robinson said, ‚ÄúI don’t see people who come in who live nearby often.‚Äù

Located on Elm Street, Three Geese in Flight Books has become one of the last bookstores in Somerville. Never a big business in the area, with usually three or four at the most, Somerville’s bookstores have been left behind in the trend according to the American Booksellers Association, which reports an overall growing number of independent bookstore openings in 2007.

By George P. Hassett

The hail is the size of softballs. Debris flies everywhere. The aftermath devastates chicken farms and “slaps down” entire communities.

Those are the scenes Kerri Connolly, a 2002 Somerville High graduate, witnessed in the Midwest this Spring as a production assistant for the Discovery Channel show Storm Chasers.

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(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.)

Remembering Memorial Day

On May 25, I had the privilege of walking in the Memorial Day Parade. It was our largest ever, the weather was ideal, and the city looked terrific. I also participated in the solemn commemorative ceremonies before and after the parade, and even in the middle of the bands, the crowds, the happy kids, and the blaring fire engines, I didn’t have any trouble remembering what our parade is all about.  For generations, thousands of Somerville residents, and millions of men and women from across the nation, have given everything they have and everything they are to makes these celebrations possible – to give us the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  When we enjoy a beautiful holiday in our beautiful city, we are enjoying a gift from all those who served.

Cervena Barva releases two new collections

Off The Shelf by Doug Holder

Almost every time I see Gloria Mindock at our Bagel Bards literary group in Davis Square, she lays yet another published collection from her prolific Cervena Barva Press on me. And more often than not the collections are first rate and make for compelling reads. Her latest two releases are by local poet Chad Parenteau and New York City poet Larissa Shmailo, who also happens to be the public coordinator for the acclaimed poetry journal “Fulcrum,” based in Cambridge.

By Matthew McLaughlin

About 70 cyclists rode through the streets last Saturday for the seventh annual Historic Somerville Bike Tour on Saturday.  The tour was sponsored by the Somerville Bicycle Committee and the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission.

The bike tour was one of the last events for Historic Preservation month in Somerville. The theme of this year’s tour was ‚ÄúRails of the past: Guiding the Green Line of the future.‚Äù 

On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

(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.)

Here is a little Somerville history for you newcomers – some of it is a review from former columns and supplemented with reader comments. It concentrates mostly on the Davis Square, Powder House Park and Ball Square area – because that’s where I have lived for the last 54 years.

There used to be three Junior High Schools in Somerville – the Western on Holland Street (now owned by Tufts University), the Southern on Summer Street (now a dog park), and the Northeastern on Marshall Street (now townhouses).