By Mia Lamar

The Somerville Local First coalition officially set up shop last Thursday, hosting a launch party at Johnny D’s Uptown Restaurant and Music Club in Davis Square attended by dozens of enthusiastic business owners, residents and city officials.

Somerville Local First joins more than 60 ‘Local First’ campaigns formed around the United States and Canada and united under the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies network (BALLE), according to Steven Jones-D’agostino, Executive Director for the Sustainable Business Network of Boston (SBN).

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.)

Over the past four-and-a- half years, Somerville residents have seen their government become more open, more accountable and more participatory. Through 311, through the ResiStat program, through the mystery shopper program, through service on appointed boards and commissions and through participation in project advisory committees on a wide range of development proposals, Somerville residents are steadily becoming more engaged in their government.

One of the best features of this increased level of civic engagement is that it hasn’t come solely from the same old sources: many recent arrivals (or folks who had just never been interested in the past) are now making their voices heard and pitching in to help improve the performance and the management of our city and its government.

Gold Star Road by Richard Hoffman. (Barrow Street  PO BOX 1831  Murray Hill Station  NY 10156) $25.

Review by Doug Holder

There damn well should be a poem for a doorman, a poem that celebrates in-your-face blue-collar wisdom, and a poem that sings for the many unsung Gold Star Roads.

(designated roads where soldiers killed in the line of duty lived and are memorialized), in far flung communities across the country.

By George P. Hassett

When Tony Masci increased the price of a loaf of bread by 24 cents at Maria’s Cold Cuts on Broadway, he heard about it from his customers.

“There were a lot of complaints in broken English and Italian lingo” from the older customers, he said.

By Mia Lamar

Somerville artists opened their studios once again this year for the Somerville Open Studios, an annual citywide showcase of artists that celebrated its 10th anniversary last weekend.

Formed 10 years ago as a non-profit organization dedicated to "broadening public exposure" to Somerville’s dense artistic community, the first Somerville Open Studios showed less than 100 artists. Ten years later, that number has more than tripled, and visitors tour personal studios, gallery centers and local businesses to view art of all mediums. Open studios stretched from Teele Square to the Brickbottom Artists buildings on Fitchburg Street. Everywhere in between, orange balloons twirled in the wind, marking homes with an open door and open studio.

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.)

Having the Red Line extend to Davis Square was a great achievement – the stop has become a huge asset to commuters as well as businesses. Too bad it wasn’t there when I was going to Emerson College – taking a bus to Harvard Square and then changing to the train at Charles Street.

Anyway, Somerville recently received approval and funding to build that new “Orange Line” stop at Assembly Square Рwhich is soon to be multi-developed Рbut what I am really excited about is that Somerville has recently secured the addition of six new “Green Line” passenger train stops through the city Рall the way into Medford.

There is always, always two sides to every story – in just about any circumstance in life, be it personal or business or whatever – the only exception being when it comes to the health and safety of our children – there’s little room for error and no allowance for risk.

There has been quite the controversy and finger pointing over the City of Somerville and the School Department’s involvement in the decision to not issue a permit for the ‚ÄúHip Hop Concert for Justice‚Äù organized by Centro Presente this past week. The finger pointing indirectly insinuates that the decision was made arbitrarily by a community that just didn’t want them in their city and that we influenced Cambridge to do the same thing.

By George P. Hassett

With the roar of passing trains in the background, officials from the city and Tufts University came together inside the Davis Square T station on Tuesday morning to celebrate the unveiling of nine original works of art on the train platform.

The previously displayed art pieces were generic and gloomy with no connection to the community surrounding the station, said Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz who led the replacement efforts.

“In my view this is a historic day for Davis Square and Somerville,” she said in between the rumbling sounds of arriving and departing trains. “We now have a new gateway to our city that 10,00 people will see everyday.”

By George P. Hassett

Brian Joyce was at a comedy show in Dublin but he was thinking of Davis Square. Joyce, who grew up on Pearson Avenue and went to St. Clement’s elementary school in the city, said the ‚Äúindependent, boutique-style comedy festivals‚Äù he performed at and attended in Ireland inspired him to put on this weekend’s Alternative Comedy Festival at the Somerville Theater.

‚ÄúThe festivals overseas are in small towns and villages and I always thought a Davis Square venue would fit perfectly [for such a festival]. It’s a more intimate setting, there is less to separate the performer from the audience,‚Äù he said.

By George P. Hassett

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone is “taking a harder look at the contract” of a sewer and water company that has been working with the city for more than 70 years, according to a city spokeswoman.

Lesley Delaney Hawkins said PT Kelly was the only bidder to handle Somerville’s water and sewer work but Curtatone has not yet agreed to hire them for another year.