Newstalk for January 21

On January 21, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

We're
glad to see (from email sources) that the PDSers are letting their
membership know when and where the next meeting is – last year you had
to send and email to the Chairperson to get that information. If you
read the agenda they have, you'd have to laugh. One says "upcoming
campaign and candidate training" – are they training candidates?? Or
are they looking over the landscape to see whom they can defeat??
Another one is "endorsement discussion on the condo conversion
ordinance" well we can tell you what that's going to be…no big
surprise there, especially since their Princess Rebekah has spearheaded
this new or not so new ordinance, we bet they endorse it, anyone want
to bet otherwise?? We love this agenda – one that says "PDS campaign on
how Somerville will respond to the national and state financial
downturn!" We don't have to comment on this one, reading it is enough.

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

Speaking
of that Condo Conversion Ordinance, have you noticed there is a lot of
backtracking here?? They can't get their act together since we
disclosed that it's not true what Princess Rebekah has been saying all
over, the Greater Boston Real Estate Board doesn't support the
ordinance. As a matter of fact, none of the Board members that live,
work and do business here in Somerville were even aware that someone in
Boston was on the committee – that's probably because the committee
knew they wouldn't support the ordinance. Anyways, we hear that the
hearing that counts with the Alderman isn't scheduled till maybe March
now. The horse has left the barn on this dumb proposal, maybe someone
should let all those public employees know that up at City Hall – oh
yeah, they're not affected by the economy, are they?? How many condo
conversions have gone through recently as opposed to last year? It's a
dumb ordinance and a waste of time, but then again maybe some City Hall
employees have to look busy these days? We heard personally that
certain City Hall employees are not happy with the News for disclosing
the real truth about the condo committee members.

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

Well
nice to see that the yearly "golf trip" (wink wink) to the Bahamas is
on again with the Who's Who at the SHA and this year the Chairman of
the ZBA will be attending along with one of Somerville's finest
employees – we will keep you posted who the winner is! Good time to
head south – weather-wise but these guys are no fools – they know when
to get away!

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

What's going on with Verizon
these days?? Especially up off North Street, many residents without
phone services for days and days…and no response or apology. Maybe
the Alderman will ask why when they come to get a permit to do work in
the city! Or maybe Verizon should pay residents and business up there
for loss of phones?

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

Seems like the
Breakfast Wars in Ball Square might be over with, we hear that one of
the establishments might be out of business if they don't correct a
serious violation of the city ordinance and do it quickly – apparently
the city has given the owner until February to correct a violation.
We'll be nice on who it is – except to say they paid over a Million
Dollars for the place!

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

In most cities
we're all familiar with, when the city declares a snow emergency, the
meters are shut down – but not here in Somerville – our meters are on
and the Traffic and Parking people are out giving tickets. So don't
think you're in Cambridge or Boston and its ok to park at a meter
during a snow emergency! Hey we need to generate income from every
source!

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

We've heard through sources that
the crossing guard at the Winter Hill School (Medford Street &
Central Street) is getting lazy these days, keeping her hands in her
pockets these days when stopping traffic…Maybe she's not happy with
the pay they get for doing the job? But a lot of parents have said
something and hopefully something is done before an accident happens.
So some of us here at Newstalk were watching over a period of days and
yes its true, she uses her eyes to slow down traffic…it's maybe a new
method?

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

Have you noticed that certain
stores and/or businesses here in Somerville have some very ignorant
employees? With the economy the way it is and layoffs and people losing
their jobs, you'd think people who work directly with the public might
want to be a little more courteous and live by that old adage "the
customer is always right" and always say "Thank you" Well, not in some
stores here, especially Stop & Shop and some Dunkin' Donuts – maybe
classes in the basics of being courteous might help?

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

Couple
of things happening this year, first of all our own live TV show on
city cable 3 will air its first broadcast next Thursday the 29th in the
evening at 8pm. The show will be called The Somerville News Talk
Show…Various hosts and guests each week to discuss current events and
articles in the papers that week. Starting off as host will be Joe
Lynch and he will have a special guest each week. The first show will
obviously be on current events happening in the city, which will be
announced in the paper. So call in and be a part of it.

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

Condolences
go out to the family of Thomas Murphy Sr. of Murphy The Florist on
Highland Avenue. Tom sadly passed away on Friday after a lengthy battle
with cancer. He opened the florist shop after serving in the Korean War
and he just celebrated 55 years of doing business here in Somerville.
Tom made many friends along the way and was dedicated in helping others
as VP of the Somerville Lions Club, a nice guy who loved Somerville.

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

Another
recent passing and also from cancer was Claire Olsen – long-time
Somerville resident and founder of the Walnut Street Center in 1970,
she led the Center as Executive Director for about 30 years. Claire is
leaving behind many devoted family and friends whom she has touched
with her kindness and her enthusiasm and energy over these many years.
She was a great lady who did a lot and never sought public recognition.
Our deepest condolences to her family, some of us here at Newstalk knew
her personally.

 

The View From Prospect Hill

On January 21, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff


Inauguration
days in years past have always held up to a certain level of pomp and
circumstance – today was no different. When you brushed away the
formality of the events leading up to and then of course immediately
afterward, what lay at the heart of the matter was President Obama's
speech that sets the tone for the next four years and beyond.

He
did a great job at projecting a message of choosing hope over fear –
and he did it with a serious and somber tone. People were screaming and
chanting and rejoicing in the moment; however, Pres. Obama talked about
the "gathering storms" and the need for us as a nation to pull together
and do our part.

There was passion in his serious tone when he
spoke to the nations of the world by announcing that "We reject as
false the choice between our safety and our ideals" and "…we are
ready to lead once more." His message seems clear enough: that we as a
nation will not bully you around to get you to come to the table and
talk rationally.

There was a healthy dose of history grounded in
the speech where rhetoric is almost expected – the part where every
true blooded American uses examples of sacrifices our forefathers made
to create this union, these United States. It was the part of the
speech that soared above the rest, because for a moment, you forgot
about our nation's troubles and felt proud to be an American.

Overall,
it was a very sensible and responsible speech. President Obama laid the
groundwork for the harder times ahead for this nation and its people,
but with a steady look to the past and a keen sense of where we need to
go as a nation, there is hope, there is reason to be proud, there is a
new birth of freedom and it sounds a wonderful change.

Related Stories:
‚Ä¢ President Obama's Inaugural Speech

 

President Obama’s Inaugural Speech

On January 20, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff

 
Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, as prepared for delivery and released by the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers … our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can
meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world … that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Related Stories:
‚Ä¢ The View From Prospect Hill

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Today we remember Martin Luther King Jr.

On January 19, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff
 
Today, Realizing the Dream–Dr. King's Legacy of Community Service will be held at Somerville High School from 10 a.m. – noon.

There will be a keynote address, 2009 MLK awards and musical Performances.

This event is free and open to the public.

Free Refreshments will be served,generously provided by the Somerville Public School.

Accessible at main entrance on Highland Avenue. Interpretation services (ASL, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish) provided.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a United States holiday marking the birthdate of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., observed on the third Monday of January each year, around the time of King's birthday, January 15. It is one of three United States federal holidays to commemorate an individual person.

 

No snow emergency for Somerville today

On January 18, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff
Unless conditions radically alter, the City of Somerville will NOT be declaring a snow emergency for Sunday, January 18, 2009. Residents should, however, be sure that their cars are not parked within 20 feet of an intersection, because this impedes access for snow plows and other emergency vehicles. Whether or not a snow emergency has been declared, cars in violation of the statewide ban on parking within twenty feet of an intersection may be subject to ticketing and towing.

Residents are also urged to take special care in parking as close to the curb as possible, despite the snow. Residents, landlords and business owners are also reminded that they are required by city regulations to shovel their sidewalks within two hours of the end of the snowfall, but that they may not shovel snow into the street.

Late this morning, federal and state emergency management officials acknowledged an abrupt escalation of today's snow accumulation forecasts by issuing winter storm alerts for the Boston metro area. As late as 10 a.m. on Sunday, most forecasts predicted snow accumulations in Somerville of between 1-3 and 2-4 inches. The same forecasts predicted that the snow would fall steadily but slowly all day long. On the basis of these forecasts, city officials decided not to declare a snow emergency, but begin systematic plowing and salting operations early on Sunday morning.

By the time the National Weather Service and other forecasters had revised their snow accumulation predictions sharply upwards to between 8 and 10 inches, officials concluded that declaring a snow emergency (which includes a four-hour window for residents to move their vehicles) would not allow the city to begin tagging and towing vehicles after the snowstorm had begun to wind down.

With these factors in mind, city officials have concluded that, unless forecasts are abruptly revised again this afternoon, the declaration of a snow emergency will not significantly improve the city's ongoing snow management operations.

(The above from the City of Somerville website)

 
 
~Photo by Pam Rosenblatt

A city rich in arts enriches its people

By Julia Fairclough

We all (in the arts community) have heard that there are more artists per square foot in Somerville than any other city in New England.

And although the cold hard stats to support that statement don't necessarily exist, it's safe to say that this city is pretty darned artistic. Somerville is well above the national census of 1.4 percent of the U.S. population, with 4.9 percent of residents claiming they work in a creative occupation.

The city in 2005 and 2007-via the Somerville Arts Council-urged those who work in a creative profession to identify themselves by checking off their occupation in the Somerville census.

In 2005, of the 53,298 residents who returned the census form, 1,759 (or approximately 3.3%) were involved in the creative sector. In 2007, of the 52,243 residents who filled the census form, 2,563 identified themselves as artists, or 4.9% of the population.

"What is interesting to me is that the number is going up," said Greg Jenkins, executive director of the Somerville Arts Council. "It could be due to more people moving in, or more utilizing the census to self select. Of note, however, is that this also coincides with all of the cultural economic development work we are doing in Union Square."

A study of census data released in June 2008 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) found that nearly 2 million people earn a living as artists, compared with 1.7 million who listed artist as an occupation in 1990.

Artists now represent 1.4 percent of the U.S. labor force, according to the NEA. In 2000 the census counted 1.93 million working artists. Follow-up studies from 2003 to 2005 raised that number to 1.99 million.

In Somerville, the highest numbered categories that people selected were artists and "related workers" (263), writers and authors (246), editors (240), architects (excluding landscape and naval) (220), graphic designers (212) and musicians and singers (206). Visit the Somerville Arts Council Web site as www.somervilleartscouncil.org to read the report.

The city of Somerville has for many years enjoyed the reputation of being a haven for artists. It's a livable city, comprised of neighborhoods that have been affordable for a long time. For example, twenty years ago, the Brickbottom Artists Building by the McGrath Highway was the largest live/work artists space in the country ever to be developed, noted Meri Jenkins, program director for the Adams Art Program for the Creative Economy at the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

"For that to happen, you must have the climate where artists are recognized as an important part of urban life," Meri Jenkins said, adding that this indeed rings true for Somerville. "You can see that in an area like Davis Square, where you see sculptures in the square and each year there are festivals."

Over the past couple years the cultural focus has shifted to Union Square, in an area of the city has long been overlooked. Programs are springing up across venues, that include street scape elements and public art (i.e, new benches, funky trash cans adorn the heart of the square).

"When you do things like that, you are asking residents to rethink where they live," Meri Jenkins said. "You are engaging people in art. There are elements of whimsy to it (the public art), but if you improve the climate, you improve the perception."

And does that change the way business can be done? Meri Jenkins believes so. It helps create a renewed interest in an area, and with that comes potential business development; new and creative sorts of business and retail.

What comes to mind are the Fluff Festival, which celebrated more publicity and excitement in its second year this past summer. The dancing under the McGrath Highway night (sponsored by ArtsUnion) was also a big hit. Both events brought people from other parts of the state.

"I remember Greg (Jenkins) talking to me about those events," Meri Jenkins said. "I had never thought of doing anything like that, where there are these unique events with an arts presence. It helps to improve the quality of life. It provides a bridge between different aspects of the city, which is an important role to play."

Nationwide, the number of artists more than doubled between 1970 and 1990, two decades that saw growth in museums, theaters, small symphonies and dance companies in many regions of the country, according to the NEA.


The top creative professions in Somerville

Artists and related workers – 263

Writers and authors – 246

Editors – 240

Architects (excluding landscape and naval) – 220

Graphic Designers – 212

Musicians and singers – 206

Designers, all others – 167

Painting, coating and decorating workers – 103

Media and Communications – 89

Photographers – 60

Producers and directors – 58

Public Relations Managers – 43

Advertising – 30

Interior designers – 29

Technical writers – 26

Dancers – 23

Actors – 21

Landscape architects – 18

Art directors – 18

Source: Somerville's Design Industry: Fostering the Creative Economy, Department of Sociology, Northeastern Univer

 

Cold Weather Alert

On January 15, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff
 
(City of Somerville has issued the following Cold Weather Alert)

City to provide cold weather centers

Current forecasts call for dangerously cold temperatures and hazardous wind chill conditions through Saturday, January 16th. Residents should try to minimize outside activities, and be especially alert to the safety of the elderly and the very young. Hypothermia is a genuine hazard in these conditions. For those with heating emergencies or no access to shelter, the city will be operating warming centers at the following locations: the Holland Street Center at 167 Holland Street; the Ralph & Jenny Center at 9 New Washington Street and the Cross Street Center at 165 Broadway. All warming centers will be open on Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the city will extend the hours if needed. Please be alert to anyone who may be suffering distress as a result of the cold weather – and be especially conscious of the needs of elderly neighbors. Please also be conscious of the fire risks associated with electric space heaters. If you see anyone in your neighborhood, or on the streets, who may need assistance, don't hesitate to call the Somerville Police at 617-625-1212. For additional information, please call 311. Thank you.

Here are additional precautions from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

Continue to be aware of the weather conditions by monitoring media reports.

Minimize outside activities, particularly the elderly and very young. Also, consider your pets.

Dress in several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, rather than a single layer of heavy clothing. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear a hat, mittens and sturdy waterproof boots, protecting your extremities. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

Excessive exposure can lead to frostbite, which is damaging to body tissue that is frozen. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, seek medical help immediately. Slowly rewarm the affected areas as you await medical assistance.

Hypothermia can occur in extreme cases. The warning signs are uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If the person's temperature drops below 95 degrees, seek immediate medical care. If medical assistance is not available, slowly warm up the person, body core first, wrapping them in a blanket or using your own body heat. Do not warm the extremities first, for this drives the cold blood towards the heart and can lead to heart failure. Do not give the person alcohol, coffee, tea or any hot food or beverage. Warm liquids are best.

Ensure you have sufficient heating fuel, as well as emergency heating equipment in case you lose electricity.

When utilizing alternate heating sources, such as your fireplace, wood stove or space heater, take the necessary safety precautions. Keep a fire extinguisher handy; ensuring everyone knows how to use it properly. Test smoke alarms and Carbon Monoxide detectors.

If you lose your heat, seal off unused rooms by stuffing towels in the cracks under the doors. At night, cover windows with extra blankets or sheets. Food provides the body with energy for producing its own heat.

Be a good neighbor. Check with elderly or disabled relatives and friends to ensure their safety.

To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of newspapers, covering the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture. Allow a trickle of warm water to run from a faucet that is farthest from your water meter or one that has frozen in the past. This will keep the water moving so that it cannot freeze. Learn how to shut off your water if a pipe bursts.

 

Somerville High School scoffs up bronze

On January 15, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff


SHS is in the top 6% best schools nationwide. ~Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Cathleen Twardzik

Somerville
High School, along with 1,320 other high schools across the nation,
received a bronze medal in U.S. News and World Report's "100 Best High
Schools" of 2009, according to a press release. Gretchen Kinder,
Coordinator of Research and Development, Information and Grants,
elaborates on the school's initial notification, due to its scholastic
excellence.

"We were invited to generate a questionnaire. I
don't know how they selected us [to enter into the competition]," said
Kinder. In all, approximately 22,000 high schools were chosen
nationwide.

However, the school received a letter, citing
"high academic achievement," as the essential factor for Somerville
High School's ranking in the top six percent of all of the high schools
in the country. That level of quality was not contingent on the
personal background of students, according to Kinder.

A separate competition for elementary and middle schools is not held through U.S. News and World Report.

Kinder
foresees that Somerville High will be ranked in an even higher
percentage by U.S. News and World Report next year because "the school
survey also asks about college prep, which was not available at the
time, so it was not reported."

At Somerville High,
standardized test preparation mimics the techniques utilized for other
exams. "We prepare students the same way we prepare them for regular
tests."

Yet, what if a student seems to be struggling in
school? Kinder outlines the available assistance, which is available to
the student body at Somerville High.

"We have a rigorous program
for providing students with the best education possible," said Kinder.
"We have tutoring in all academic subjects."

The high school's
tutoring program, comprehensive in nature, ranges from ninth grade
English to 11th grade Geometry. Therefore, if a student displays
difficulty in a particular subject area, he or she can count on solid
assistance to explain problematic subject areas.

Although MCAS
has proven problematic in the past for many students throughout the
state, now, there is a solution. "We also offer MCAS Preparation
Tutoring, for students who have not passed the MCAS on the first try,"
said Kinder. "I want to reinforce [that] passing the MCAS is one of
several things a student has to do in order to earn her high school
diploma. They also have to get a certain number of course credits."

"The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts allocates funds to provide MCAS tutoring
to students who have not attained a score of 'proficient' on the
state-mandated standardized test."

"Every student who has not
received a 'proficient' score has something called an Educational
Proficiency Plan (EPP)," said Kinder. The EPP determines the optimal
blend of "personal, tutoring and classroom support to help them acquire
the knowledge and skills they need to not only pass MCAS, but also to
succeed in their classes."

Currently, in Somerville, seventh and
eighth grade MCAS results have been scrutinized, according to Kinder.
Academic and social support services are available for rising ninth
graders, who have been identified as being, potentially, at risk for
struggling with the 10th grade test. The aim of the system is to ensure
that a student is equipped with the tools to prevent failing MCAS on
his or her first attempt.

On the other hand, almost half of the
Somerville High School student body is enrolled in at least one of the
11 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Three AP courses have proven
extremely popular among students: AP Psychology, AP U.S. History, and
AP Government & Politics, according to Kinder.

 

Sully gets a jump on his namesake Inauguration Plate

On January 14, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff
 

Michael Sullivan stopped into The Somerville News office just after the first of the year to show us his newly issued inauguration plates.

 

Do these names and places ring a bell?

On January 14, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff


by Robert J.L. Publicover
Bluntly Speaking

(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.)

If you're a real long-time Somervillian, they should!

Paul
Haley, Father Hogan, Davis Square Star Market, Belden Snow, Gorins,
Gilman Square, Cutter Square, Cholerton School, Proctor School, Chief
O'Brien, Harold Wellls, Bill Donovan, B&M, Squires, Hostess,
Brickbottom, John McKenna, Denis McKenna, Michael McKenna, McKenna
Funeral Home, Porter Estate, Reilly, Brickley.

The memories are many if you're an old timer. Most of them are good ones.

Al
Collins, Red Babin, The Observer, Times, Post, Press, Jim Hall, Dr.
Burns, Isobel Cheney. Al Giroux, John Joyce, HK Porter, Jim Scanlon,
Cobble Hill, Lana Sumner, Pal Palmer, Mother Palmer, Kevin Palmer,
Kermit Marsh, Re Line Task Force, Trolley 88, Bretta, Larry &
Father Jim.

C'mon now, how many do you know?

Rent
control, no 4th term, buy those Journals, Tim Creedon, Peter Piro,
Minister Mayor, Prospect Hill flag, Vinny Piro, Blarney Stone Pub,
Woodbridge Inne, Barney Go Home, Pat Carney, Engine 4, Billy Joyce, Mom
Brune, John's Restaurant, Kennedy's Butter and Egg, WT Grant. WJHS,
SJHS, NJHS,

ob Hilliard, Paul Foster, Maureen Amaral, Maris
Vinovskis, Chief Pino, Fodera, Dr. Card, Dr. Moy, Dr. Cheverie, Dr.
Kacoyanis, Dr. Ivy, Guy Wayne, John P. Sousa, Bob Pye, Dick Bridge, Stu
Matheson, Cumberland Farms, A&P, Mr. Sy, Western Union, Mr. Rose,
Woolworths, Kresge's, Steve Dowd, John Shoppet, Joe Omeara, Teresa
Lamb, John Yee, Cornerstone Baptist, Larry French, The Friend, The
Gleaner, Walter Whitney, Joe Marino, Harold Drew, Kay & Chips,
Person Davis.

Martha Perry Lowe, Sam Walter Foss, Rose Grillone,
Dr Marks, Sam Perlman, Sunnyside Hospital, Gil Foster, Butch Foster,
College Ave. Variety, Harold Mollahan, Elmer Colcord, Louise Muzzey,
Harold Corbett, Chuck Salvo, Linda Prime, Jimmy Ryan, Harry Ellis
Dickson, Ira Stephanian, John Henry, FDG, DPB, JL, Harry Freeto, Dave
Stryker, Joe Corish, Dr. Freeman, Leo C Donahue, Gino's Clothes, Peter
Bart, Al Dente.

And just a few more to finish you off;

Belcastro,
Qualitz, Howe, Gino Binari, Ray MacDonald, Gene Scott, Car Barns, Stone
train stations, Lucy's, Lucia's,. Henry the Jeweler, Mrs. Barber's
Penny Candy, Davis Square Wallpaper, Paramount Liquors, the blizzard,
the Squires Fire, the water main flood and the great blackout.

That's your Somerville 101 for today. PS – this is my 350th column.


You can email comments to Bob directly at: bobpublicover@aol.com