TheSomervilleNews.com poll of the week

On January 7, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff


In
addition to breaking news, sports and opinion, TheSomervilleNews.com
also features a daily poll in which you, the reader, tell us where you
come down on local issues. This week's most popular polls concerned
your views on what square you thought was the best in Somerville and if
you thought Somerville would have the Green Line by 2014. If you don't
agree with the results, simply log onto TheSomervilleNews.com.

 

The 2009 mid-term address

On January 7, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Mayor Joseph Curtatone enters the Aldermanic Chambers for the 2009 mid-term address. ~Photo by Diane Amato

By Nick Vennochi

Serious
fiscal challenges lie ahead, but the city of Somerville will survive
and prosper, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone said Monday night.

"I
have no intention of sugarcoating our situation," said Curtatone in his
2009 State of the City address. "…State tax revenues are down, and
our leaders on Beacon Hill are looking at cuts in local aid of up to
ten percent. Here in Somerville, that would mean a loss of five million
dollars in the current fiscal year – or three percent of our operating
budget total."

But amidst the excitement and optimism of a new
year, Curtatone stressed the positive. Somerville achieved a lot in
2008, he said, and he promised the city will continue to build on those
accomplishments in 2009 "Despite the challenges that lie before us,
this will be a happy, productive and successful year for Somerville and
its people" he said.

Even with all of the economic problems, "As
we enter 2009, our city is in better fiscal shape, with better
infrastructure, better schools, better public safety capabilities and
more extensive public services than at any time in its recent history"
said Curtatone.

"As other communities saw their credit decline
in the current market crisis, Somerville finished the year with its
highest bond rating ever!" the mayor added.

Also, instead of
cutting public safety last year, the mayor hired fourteen new police
officers and twelve new firefighters. Other accomplishments, according
to Curtatone, include expanded open space and infrastructure
improvements.

He also said Somerville will see significant
progress on a number of projects, including the Assembly Square
development. In the fall, the state designated the parks, road, transit
and utility infrastructure at Assembly Square as eligible for priority
attention and funding under part of Gov. Deval Patrick's "Growth
District Initiative." In the near future, Curtatone believes there will
be an Assembly Square Orange line stop.

A crowd packed the Aldermanic Chambers in Somerville City Hall in anticipation of the mayor's speech.

"I know that optimism and confidence are not exactly fashionable these days," he began.

"After
all, we have faced hard times before – and we have prevailed." But, he
also acknowledged that "things may get worse before they get better."

Curtatone
pointed out that the city has faced hard times before and "taken them
in our stride." It will take sacrifice, but he is confident Somerville
is strong enough to overcome difficulties.

"Tonight, I can say
to you, that Somerville is worth every sacrifice and effort we make on
her behalf," he said to strong applause.

Curtatone said he has
faith in the resiliency of Somerville because he knows that the people
who live there will fight through these hard times. The people of
Somerville just don't settle for what they have: "Above all, I am
confident that now, more than ever, Somerville is a place in which
people expect that their future will be brighter than their past." he
said.

Before Curtatone spoke, Walter F. Pero of Ward 4 was
unanimously elected the new president of the Board of Alderman and John
M. Connolly at-large was elected as vice president. Maureen Bastardi of
Ward 1 was elected as chairwoman of the school committee and Mark
Niedergang of Ward 5 was tapped as vice-chair of the school committee.

"What
we accomplished in 2008 makes me confident that in 2009 we will be
successful and prepared for anything," said Bastardi. "… We will not
cut back on our goals."

 

A cold flag raising experience

On January 7, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

By Cathleen Twardzik

On
New Year's Day 2009, temperatures were among the coldest in recent
years. However, that did not stop the annual raising of the Grand Union
Flag. Somerville is, of course, the first location of the hoisting of
the American Flag, in what would become The United Sates.

This
year, despite the extreme cold, "We had very good attendance," said
Brandon Wilson, Executive Director of The Somerville Historic
Preservation Commission (SHPC). "About 125-150 people attended."

According
to Wilson, it is estimated that the Grand Union Flag raising ceremony
commenced in 1976 "when we were celebrating our bicentennial" under the
previous Historical Commission, of which, Isobel Cheney, a former
teacher, was involved – "we think that's what happened," said Wilson
"Isobel Cheney was involved with the Historical Commission until she
passed away 2 years ago."

The Historical Commission became part
of the current The Historic Preservation Commission. "[Cheney] was part
of the Historical Commission, [and thought] it would be the perfect way
to commemorate an event that had happened here," said Wilson. "We think
that's how it started."

Fredrick Lund, of the Historical
Preservation Commission, is in his late 80s, and is still involved in
the event. He provides the drawings and graphics for the program,
according to Wilson.

Linda Gritz, also of the Commission, has
been involved for seven or eight years, and read research her about
history of flag. "The program and the text that was researched and
delivered by Linda Gritz, "a proud Somerville resident" as she often
refers to herself, as well as local history buff," Said Wilson.

"This
year and for the last couple of years, [the Commission has involved] a
'local militia,'" said Wilson. "We like recreate and appreciate the
lifestyles that occurred in those times — which would be colonial
times."

On an historical note, when the flag went up on
January 1, 1776, the British believed that "It was a sign of surrender
by the Continental Army," said Wilson.

At the head of the
procession was General George Washington on horseback, followed by
local dignitaries and youth, the Ancient and Honorable Artillery
Company, and the Charlestown Militia Company, according to a press
release.

Interestingly, The Grand Union Flag sported the British Union Jack in the exact position of the Stars on the American Flag.

The
Historical Commission strives to make [the annual raising of the Grand
Union Flag] a community-wide event, which includes Somerville
residents, as well as "visitors."

Families with young children participate. Therefore, "it becomes their tradition," said Wilson.

This
year, although it was freezing cold atop Prospect Hill with the wind
blowing, parents made the kids stay because this is what would happen
in that time. It added to the authenticity. Of course, now, the
difference is that participants could warm up inside after the event,
according to Wilson.

 

Newstalk for January 7

On January 7, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff


New
Year barely started and already a hotbed of activity underground about
who might be running for what office. First of all, we hear from
sources that the PDSers are looking at various Wards and individual
races for this year. The best one we heard from sources is that
although the PDSers overall might support their President/Leader 3-time
loser Marty Martinez running against Alderman Sean O'Donovan, some are
having reservations and feel that their fearless leader might not be
such a viable candidate anymore. Some other races they're looking at –
Ward 7 against Alderman Bob Trane, Ward 2 against Alderwomen Maryann
Heuston and probably the strangest one we heard (from more than one
source) that they were going to see if they could get someone to run
against their own candidate and popular ward alderman from Ward 4 –
Walter Pero, or for that matter against School Committee member from
Ward 4 – Jamie Norton. The PDSers are not interested in working with
anyone and will screw over their own to get in office, just look what
they did to Jack Connolly in Ward 6 years ago, but then again Jack had
the last laugh, didn't he!

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

We hear
through sources that the PDSers secret meetings have been happening,
including very recently, one of which was attended (we heard from one
person that it was at his house actually) by a certain school
committeeman – obviously a political novice to think that people
wouldn't find out about it. Speaking of that, we hear that a very
popular family in Ward 5, one that is very involved in the community,
has a family member that is seriously considering running against
School Committeeman Mark Niedergang.

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

The
Big Brother Big Sister Foundation will be in Somerville on Tuesday
January 13th, picking up donations of gently used clothing and
household items. If you would like to donate and have not yet arranged
a pickup, please call 888-335-3039. The Foundation uses these donations
to fund its mentoring programs; more than 6,500 children in the Boston
area alone receive the benefits of the program, including 120 "Littles"
from your town.

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

Remember The Police
Officer that we reported over a month ago that was suspended from duty
for falsifying time sheets down at the courthouse? And which City Hall
denies happened? Well, he has resigned his position as a Somerville
Police Officer this past as of last Friday – we hear all charges will
be dropped and he will be able to collect his pension though.

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

McKinnon's
Meat Market popular Chef Bobby is doing well after being struck by a
car a while back – he's up and around and his fans in Davis Square all
hope to see him back to work soon, get well fast Bob, a lot of people
are losing to much weight!

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

Supreme
Kitchen is going full force after finally reopening – now
affectionately known as not just another "hole in the wall" after an
SUV went through their front doors some months back.

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

The
realty of a soccer stadium in the 'Ville is getting closer and closer
every day – according to more than a few sources, members of Bob
Kraft's planning team (the owners of the New England Patriots and the
Revolution Soccer team) were having a sit down meeting with local
business owners that just may either be selling their properties to
Kraft or may become silent partners with the entrepreneurial giant.

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

Good to see our own Bob Publicover is back hosting the Mayor's Report on cable TV.

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

Happy
Birthday to Lola Riverias, famous artist and co-owner of Café Rossini
on Highland Avenue. Stop by for a great sandwich or a late day pizza.

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

While
recently on vacation to Rome, Alex and Sarita Capobianco and their two
boys stopped off at the Vatican and while in line to see the Pope, who
was walking by and blessing people, he stopped and personally blessed
their two boys, which was totally unexpected.

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

Seems
like a less then normal crowd at the Mid-Term speeches the other night
at City Hall, a quick look at the room and some department heads and
some other notable city employees were not present, guess they thought
it was another night.

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

The new Somerville
Police Substation in Teele Square is now open for business with
Somerville Police Captain O'Connor at the helm – we wish him well with
his new command.

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

Ward 5 activist and
long time resident as well as popular guy Ralph Russo has been ill as
of late and we wish the best and a speedy recovery and hopefully soon
will be back to his usual self.

 

A Flood of Emotions

On January 7, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff
 

Jimmy Del Ponte
On The Silly Side

(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 ever want to see years of your life pass in front of you, clean up
a flooded basement. While I was away on vacation, I got a call from my
alert tenant saying that he heard water running. While I was still on
the phone in panic mode, he informed me that water was flowing down my
back stairway into the cellar. I called my ex-wife, who has a key, and
asked her to go check it out. I also called my best friend Chuckie and
he went over and shut off the water.

This fiasco all started
with the contractor who was supposed to insulate my back hall where the
washing machine is – the pipes run up from the cellar and through the
cold back hall. Man do I wish I could print that contractor's name here
– the bum never insulated the hall or the pipes, so I ran temperature
sensitive heated coil around the pipes. The only problem is that it has
to be plugged in! The story gets stupider. See, while I was trimming my
hedges last summer, I cut through the extension cord. I then borrowed
an extension cord from my outdoor Christmas decoration box. So here
comes Christmas and I am one extension cord short, so I borrow the cord
that is plugged into my pipe warmers. Here comes the clincher. I never
replaced the pipe warmer sensor's freaking extension cord. Told you it
was stupid.

I just completed the 4 hour clean up and toss out
session. The first thing I had to do was de-ice the back stairs since I
had been away. Then I had to go through all the saturated crap that was
in the back hall and in the front section of the cellar. There was tons
of stuff in the floods path that was now cold, smelly and dripping wet.

The
first thing I attacked was a plastic kitchen barrel full of old kids
toys. In particular, Po, the red Teletubby. It was my youngest son's
favorite toy for quite some time. It broke my heart, but it was
completely saturated, so I sadly dropped him in the plastic trash bag –
farewell P. Some other items were some old cassette tapes from my Kiss
108 radio days – they too were dripping so I also tossed those in the
rubbish. A whole bag of old (very small) roller blades had been
submerged for days in the dirty flood waters, so out they went with a
sigh. Wet, but not ruined, was one of a set of three very old steam
gauges that belonged to my father. He worked at Dewey and Almy's (WR
Grace) near Alewife for 38 years. When they demolished the building, he
went down and watched. He asked the wrecking crew if he could have some
of the gauges that he had monitored for 38 years. They should never
have been in the cellar. As soon as it is dry, it will have a new home
on top of the armoire – next to the photo of dad dressed in a kilt. He
had the picture taken during a trip to Scotland while serving in World
War II.

Here is a list of some of the other items that suffered
extensive water damage – a very small hockey stick, a bag of plastic
sand sculpting molds, a small refrigerator magnet that said Christine's
Kitchen (my sister), a sign from one of my old bands, several
notebooks, a set of bicycle training wheels, a 1969 Somerville
newspaper that had a photo of me in it, and some other vintage
photographs. You can't just scoop this stuff up and plop it right in
the trash. You pick it up, look at it, and suddenly a wave of memories
washes through your head. Some are drying out and some are in a Russell
Disposal truck.

Unharmed was my mother and father's gorgeous
framed wedding certificate, complete with their signatures and Father
Properzi's from St. Anthony's Church. The glass cracked but it is in
good shape.

So, moving on to my trip – on top of the flood at my
house – the travel agency screwed up royally. The shuttle service that
was to take us from the airport to the hotel had no information in
their computer about us, so we had to pay again (we will be reimbursed).

Then,
the hotel knew nothing of our reservations. If they had been all booked
up, we would have been "you know what" out of luck. I called the
"travel agency" and they fixed it after blaming everyone but
themselves. We got two small fruit baskets from them. Wow! Then on the
way home, our flight was delayed 3 hours and we got in very late. The
airline charged for everything and the attendants were rude. We did
however have a wonderful vacation despite all the drama.

So
let's review. I can't name the idiotic contractor, the moronic travel
agency, or the worst airline I have ever flown on in my life. But right
up there with the balloon heads is me, for not replacing the heating
coil extension cord. I just finished the last of the clean-up and Joe
the Plumber (that is really his name) is coming at 8am tomorrow.

When
I told my ex-wife about having to throw Po the Teletubby out, she got
very nostalgic. She said, that was little Jimmy's favorite toy and that
Uncle Chuckie bought it for him – so I picked through the trash until I
found him and brought him in the house, still dripping. I placed him in
the tub-by on a towel. As I laid him down, he started speaking! He has
several phrases and the first one I heard was "big hug" – yes, it
scared the hell out of me. How could it have been in the cellar for
years, get totally saturated, and still talk? When I was in the shower
the doll started talking again from the corner of the bathroom floor. I
actually told it to shut up several times. It's comforting to know that
I will continue losing my mind in the new year. By 2015 I should be
completely gone.

So far 2009 has been very eventful, to say the
least. Hopefully tomorrow the plumber won't soak me, again.
You can
email Jimmy directly at jimmydel@rcn.com.

 

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone’s 2009 Mid-Term Address

On January 5, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff
 
President Pero, Vice President Connolly, Chairperson Bastardi and Vice Chairperson Niedergang; Honorable Members of the Board of Aldermen and School Committee; Superintendent Pierantozzi;

Honored Guests, Friends, Family, and Fellow Residents:

Good Evening.

And, of course, Happy New Year – because I firmly believe that, despite the challenges that lie before us, this will be a happy, productive and successful year for Somerville and its people.

I know that optimism and confidence are not exactly fashionable these days, but I also know that the recent history of our city gives us every reason to embrace them.

After all, we have faced hard times before – and we have prevailed.

Just five years ago, on another chilly January 5th, I spoke these words in my First Inaugural Address: "We face a fundamental choice – a choice that will shape our city's destiny for decades to come.

"We can hunker down, lower our sights, and just scrape by until times change for the better.

"Or we can build on the tradition of pride and progress that have shaped this city's recent history, and we can act decisively to ensure a more vital and prosperous community for our children and ourselves."

Let the record show that, in 2004 – and in every year since – Somerville chose confident and decisive action. And look what happened:

We not only survived a fiscal crisis, but we emerged stronger than ever, with more resources, more energy and more promise than when we began.

But you don't have to take my word for it.

As other communities saw their credit decline in the current market crisis, Somerville finished the year with its highest bond rating ever!

That is why I can stand before you tonight, just as I did in 2004, to offer a message of confidence and resolve – of hope and of continued progress.

And I can tell you that despite our challenges, the state of our city is strong – because over the past five years, we have proven that, working together, we can meet and master any challenge we are given.

Over the past five years, we have built a record of shared accomplishment that makes us a stronger and better city.

As a result, we possess new assets and advantages that will help us succeed in the challenging times that lie ahead.

Tonight, I want to describe some of those advantages, and some of the ways that we will continue to move forward.

But let me begin by assuring you that I have no intention of sugarcoating our current situation.

Times are hard; businesses are hurting and we face a growing mortgage crisis and a declining job market.

State tax revenues are down, and our leaders on Beacon Hill are looking at cuts in local aid of up to ten percent.

Here in Somerville, that would mean a loss of five million dollars in the current fiscal year – or three percent of our operating budget total.

Healthcare costs continue to rise sharply.

And, while we have made substantial investments in our infrastructure, the need for additional improvements remains urgent.

Money, as always, is tight.

The consensus view of most economists and business leaders – here in Massachusetts and across the nation – is that things may get worse before they get better.

Yet there are also good reasons to remain optimistic.

At the national level, after eight years of appalling neglect and incompetence, we are about to welcome bold and responsible leadership that understands the positive role government can, and must, play in the lives of everyday working people.

President-elect Obama has already declared his intention to provide timely and substantial help to state and local governments through a recovery program that focuses on transportation and infrastructure.

At the state level, Governor Patrick has already signaled that he will work with us to keep our transit and economic development programs moving forward – and he has also shown his willingness to help Somerville and other cities work with the legislature to win greater freedom from the outmoded rules that even now limit our ability to adopt more efficient management practices – and deny us the opportunity to diversify our revenues and ease the crushing burden on our residential property taxpayers.

But the biggest and best reasons for confidence are right here in Somerville.

As we enter 2009, our city is in better fiscal shape, with better infrastructure, better schools, better public safety capabilities and more extensive public services than at any time in its recent history.

We no longer stand in the shadow of larger or richer communities: Somerville has become a model for innovation and best practices, not just in New England but across the nation.

Our shared vision for economic development is working – even in a tight credit market – and Assembly Square continues to fulfill its potential as the most exciting Smart Growth development on the eastern seaboard.

In short, the institutional improvements and infrastructural investments we have already made leave us better able to respond to our current challenges.

And, although the magnitude of the current crisis may be even greater than the one we faced in 2004, our city is greater still, with more and better resources – and a proven record of thriving in adversity.

In the past year alone, we have improved public safety by hiring fourteen new police officers, opening two new neighborhood substations and introducing a community policing model that puts more officers in the areas they are needed most. We have also hired 12 new firefighters and are committed to ordering a new, state-of-the-art rescue apparatus.

We made our city more livable by completing work at Leathers Park, Capuano Field, the Lincoln Park soccer fields and the new Sloane Field House at Trum Field, while also moving ahead on renovations for Albion, Grimmons and Hodgkins-Curtin Parks.

We made major strides on the 23.5 million dollar Somerville Avenue project, which is now 75 percent complete and on-track for its scheduled completion in 2009.We repaved another 21 streets – with another 40 to come in 2009 – while continuing to add bike lanes wherever possible.

In the areas of customer service and civic engagement, we launched the ResiStat program, working with our Aldermen to bring data and policy discussions out of city hall and into the neighborhoods.

Over the course of 2008, we held 33 ResiStat community meetings and produced the City's first-ever Resident Report, with a ward-by-ward analysis of city needs and resources.

In May, we underscored our commitment to making city services more accessible and hassle-free by creating a City Hall Welcome desk staffed by 311 personnel.

We continued our expanded hours at the Central Library.

Throughout the year, we increased the number of children- and family-friendly programs offered by our Recreation and Youth Department.

And, just as 2008 drew to a close, we took major strides in building our case against sharply increased jet noise over Somerville.

We have engaged an experienced law firm to help us develop our legal case, and we are now working to line up neighboring communities to join us in seeking relief from this unacceptable environmental burden.

Of course, one of the hallmarks of our city's commitment to better quality-of-life is our investment in public education. Our School Committee and the entire Somerville Public Schools team have done magnificent work to improve the curriculum, performance and programming in every grade.

In 2008, their hard work was rewarded with an announcement that Somerville High School has been ranked by U.S. News
and World Report in the top six percent of high schools nationwide.

This recognition comes in the same year that Somerville also received a ranking from Colin and Alma Powell's America's Promise Alliance as one of the nation's 100 Best Communities for Young People, a coveted designation given to cities and towns nationwide that have made the well-being of children and youth a top priority.

But by far the most significant accomplishment of 2008 for our public school system came at the beginning of the year.

I am referring, of course, to the successful effort to keep the East Somerville Community School functioning as a separate and viable school community after its building was damaged by fire in December of 2007.

Just last month, we were able to announce the exciting news that we had reached an agreement in principle with the Liberty Mutual Group for a fire damage settlement of 12 million dollars.

That's an extremely favorable agreement – and it gives us the resources to make the East Somerville Community School a cost-effective target for state and federal recovery dollars – but it's only the beginning of the funding we will need to rebuild the school.

I make special mention of our response to the East Somerville Community School fire not only because it was an important achievement in 2008 but because it provides proof that our community understands how to take new challenges in stride.

Even as many other communities face Proposition 2-1/2 overrides or cuts in services and personnel, Somerville found a way to respond to unexpected fiscal pressures without panic or desperation.

Indeed, I think it's fair to say that our city enjoys a growing reputation for responsible stewardship of its fiscal resources – a reputation that was further enhanced in 2008.

As I mentioned earlier, this past year Somerville earned the highest credit rating in the city's history – and we continue to enjoy access to the credit markets on very favorable terms.

We also built up cash reserves that will allow us to create a rainy day fund to help cushion the blow of declining state aid.

As in past years, we showed we know how to find significant savings through better management and use of new technologies.

And nowhere has our success in cost management been more apparent than in the areas of energy policy and communications.

The adoption of a performance contract with the Honeywell Corporation has begun to yield significant savings in our energy costs and, of equal long-term value, a reduction in the size of our carbon footprint.

By 2012, we anticipate that our annual energy bill will be cut by over 20 percent.

The switch of our phone systems from traditional copper lines to a digital system has yielded even faster savings: we have already reduced our annual phone bill by 170 thousand dollars ≠- while improving reliability.

All of these changes have strengthened our bottom line, won the approval of regulatory and bond rating agencies, and earned the respect and attention of other cities and towns looking for better ways to manage their finances.

But it is not through fiscal management alone that we have strengthened our city's ability to move forward in times of austerity.

In the end, the single biggest factor in ensuring our future success – and providing continued property tax relief for struggling homeowners – is well-planned, sustainable economic development. And that is where our record shines brightest.

The Assembly Square project is moving forward with solid private-sector financing, steady progress on site preparation for IKEA and the full backing of the Governor's Growth District Initiative, which brings the promise of priority access to state and federal development dollars.

Work on the Green Line Extension and Assembly Square Orange Line Station remains on track ≠- and we will continue to work with Congressman Capuano, Governor Patrick, EOT Secretary Aloisi and our very supportive state legislative delegation to ensure that the siting and design of any future Green Line Maintenance Facility will not undermine either the future development potential or the livability of the Innerbelt and Brickbottom development districts.

As we look ahead to 2009, economic development and transportation projects will continue to take center stage. Construction will start on Assembly Square Drive in the spring, with IKEA starting foundation work later this coming summer.

In Davis Square, we have identified potential developers interested in building a new hotel on city-controlled property, and we intend to have an agreement in hand and preliminary work under way by the end of this year.

In Union Square, a successful planning and community outreach process has resulted in a broad-based consensus on a new set of zoning regulations.

We have asked the Board of Aldermen to review and approve those rules early in the new year, and then we will turn our attention to a more detailed examination of Union Square's multimodal transportation needs – and its aging water and sewer infrastructure.

As the Obama administration unveils its recovery plan, we will be ready – not only with the infrastructure and transportation elements of the Assembly Square project, but also with urgent, appropriate and well-planned public works projects in Magoun Square, along Broadway in East Somerville, and on Washington Street.

In fact, I met just this afternoon on this topic with Lt. Governor Murray, who has asked me to serve on a special panel charged with developing the state's list of priority recovery projects.

Through the success of this ambitious economic development agenda, we can broaden Somerville's tax base, and take some of the load off of the backs of our residential property taxpayers

At the same time, we will move ahead on a host of quality-of-life projects, large and small.We will continue our efforts to make Somerville greener and healthier; to make our roadways safer for pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists alike; to reduce childhood obesity through the next phase of our nationally acclaimed Shape Up Somerville program; to continue our joint efforts with our state delegation and the Department of Conservation and Recreation to improve our parks and recreational facilities.

But as important as all these programs and projects will be for every one of us, I do not wish to turn this address into yet another checklist of actions taken and actions planned.

Throughout the past five years, we have kept our residents informed about, and engaged in, the development of our goals and programs – and we have sought the guidance and approval of our distinguished Board of Aldermen at every turn.

We will continue do so in 2009 and, if the devil is in the details, we will be seeing a lot of him in the months to come as we discuss our financial, developmental, infrastructural, educational and environmental programs.

Tonight, however, my message is at once much simpler and far greater.

While our city, state and nation face serious economic challenges, we are more than equal to those challenges.

The work that we have already done – and the investments we have already made ≠- give us a sturdy shelter from the current fiscal storm.

And, just as our President-elect's incoming chief of staff observed last month, "This crisis provides the opportunity for us to do things that you could not do before."

That is why, as President of the Massachusetts Mayors Association in 2007 and 2008, I pushed for passage of Governor Patrick's proposals for modest local option taxes on restaurant meals and hotel stays – and why I will continue to work with my fellow municipal officials to help ease the burden on residential property taxpayers in every city and town.
And it is why I will work with the Governor and our supportive legislative delegation to close, once and for all, the 1913 telecommunications tax loophole that denies Somerville sorely needed commercial property tax revenue.

Finally, it is why I will urge the Legislature to give cities and towns the same authority as the State in designing health insurance plans for employees.

This one reform is the most effective way to bring immediate relief to all cities and towns.

I would like to close this evening by noting that these efforts ≠- and everything I do as mayor – are made possible by the love, support and understanding of my family.

My wife Nancy, and my sons Cosmo, Joseph, Patrick and James, provide me with a sense of joy and peace that is beyond the power of words to convey.

Of course, with four active and spirited boys bouncing around the house, I generally experience more joy than peace – but I wouldn't want it any other way.

My mother and grandmother, my sister Maria and her children, and all of my extended family keep me grounded and give me the caring support that lets me do my job.

They remind me every day of the true meaning of sharing, of inspiration, of hope and of love.

Tonight, I can say to them, and to you, that Somerville is worth every sacrifice and effort we make on her behalf – and that I am confident our city will continue to move forward in 2009.

I am confident because we have a clear vision of the city we can be, and because we have already made so much progress toward fulfilling that vision.

I am confident because I have seen our people put aside their differences to work toward a common goal.

I am confident because we have faced tough times before, and we have taken them in stride.

And above all, I am confident that now, more than ever, Somerville is a place where people expect that their future will be brighter than their past.

They see the ongoing work at Assembly Square, and they know that someday, they and their children will stroll by the waterfront, walk the streets and visit the shops of a whole new neighborhood.

They see the proud new Argenziano School, and watch our high school graduates succeed in greater numbers than ever before – and they know that this is a place where they can raise their children and plan their futures.

They attend the parades and the fireworks displays and the art festivals and the outdoor films and the libraries and the Sunsetters concerts and the Illuminations Tours – and they know that this community draws strength from its traditions.

They see their own future, and their children's future, reflected in Somerville's bright promise – and like me, they know that this is no time to slow down, let alone turn back.

On Election Night, President-elect Obama called on all of us to "summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other."

Here in Somerville, that same spirit has guided our actions for the past five years, and made us a stronger, better community.

And whatever challenges we face in the years to come, that same spirit will ensure our continued success.

Thank you.

 

Two kids missing – now found – at Winter Hill Community School

On January 5, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Winter Hill Community School

According
to school officials, two young students at the Winter Hill Community
School wandered out of an after school program room late this
afternoon. The Somerville Police, along with the students parents were
informed of the disappearance immediately and a search was made of the
neighborhood.

The students were found a few blocks away on
School Street by the Animal Control Officer for the City of Somerville
and returned to the school, where their parents were waiting with
school officials. An investigation into the circumstances of the
incident are being investigated at this time.

 

I Gave Richard Yates A Call One Day….

On January 4, 2009, in Community/Arts, by The News Staff
 
   

By Doug Holder
Off The Shelf

An editor of a new literary magazine invited me to write an essay on the role of the "Post- Modern" Poet. Well, I am not sure what "Post – Modern" means, but I am a poet, however minor, and hell, for what it's worth I should know what my own small role is and even the role of the much bigger fish in the poetry sea. But I think I want to expand that question. What is the role of the writer?

Now I am not known for the intellectual heft of my writing, be it community journalism or in my straightforward poetry. But I always have prided myself on tapping into my instincts, bringing my rather provincial personal experience to the universal. So as it happens I was thinking of the late novelist Richard Yates. I was reading Yates long before he became tremendously famous from the movie with Kate Winslet, etc… "Revolutionary Road." (Based on the novel of the same title.) That book for me, was electric, as thrilling as Kerouac's "On the Road", but in a very different way. Both Yates and Kerouac made me go out and hungrily acquire and read everything they ever penned. They made me think outside my self-made box, made me realize the power of language and literature, and they spurred me on to read even more. From Yates, I found other chroniclers of the broad lawns and narrow minds of the suburbs in post World War ll America, like John Cheever and John Updike. And later I moved through the whole canon of contemporary American authors like Philip Roth, Saul Bellow, James Baldwin, Henry Roth, and Norman Mailer to name a few.

Some people say a great poem can make you cut yourself while shaving, or make you miss your subway stop. Well, I say it makes you want to call the author on the phone.

You see, years ago I lived in a rooming house in the Back Bay of Boston, right near where Yates lived. I used to see him shamble down Mass. Ave. He looked like a homeless guy; stooped over, disheveled-a man in serious disrepair. I heard he drank at the "Crossroads', a bar a few blocks from the hole-in-the-wall I lived in. I went in a few times but I missed him. I probably wouldn't have had enough gumption to speak to him anyway. So I tried to call him on the phone several times, but I got no answer. But the point is that his writing affected me so much I wanted to call him; I wanted to connect, in a tangible way.

He was a man of my father's generation. And since I am a Baby Boomer, and lived in the suburbs of New York City (as did the characters in Revolutionary Road), I knew the milieu he wrote about. My old man was a regular "Dashing Dan," a guy who hopped the Long Island Railroad everyday to the advertising canyons of Madison Ave. So in this novel "Revolutionary Road" I had a window into the mind of a guy trapped in this "Rat Race." I had lived on a "Revolutionary Road" in Rockville Center, NY with my parents' requisite barbecues and the tipsy cocktail parties that my brother and I witnessed at the top of the living room stairs.

Here was a writer who was doing an exegesis of this milieu, the one I grew up in and did not question (at least when I was in the thick of it). This regimented existence, from birth, death and infinity, was tightly choreographed, and I thought that it was the only game in town.

And since, during this specific time, when I was living in the Back Bay, I happened to be a denizen of a down-at-the–heels rooming house-a bathroom down the hall affair, with other gone- to- seed residents, and playing at being an artist—well, I thought Yates really spoke to me.

I often read his books, and at times they left me reeling, even crying. Even though I never actually spoke to Yates, Yates spoke loudly to me. So what do I think is the role of the "Post Modern" Poet? I think I told you, pal.


Lyrical Somerville edited by Doug Holder
Have you ever been verbally assaulted on a bus, subway, or the street? Poet Leah Angstman, (founder of the Propaganda Press) has and she reports back to us with her poem: "i don't respond to hey baby." To have your work considered for the Lyrical send it to: Doug Holder 25 School St. Somerville, Mass. 02143 dougholder@post.harvard.edu

i don't respond to hey baby

how

can

you

think

hey baby

would

work

on

me

i'm wearing a turtleneck

and pearls

i don't look like a hey baby

i twist on and off the cap of my diet pepsi

not even hey baby regular

the sign that you are making me

a breeding of angry and uncomfortable

there is nothing under my cap

no codes

no free downloads

no go to this website and claim your free prize

for a minute i forget you

and am a little disappointed

at my cap's nakedness

and a glance upward at the driver's face

in the mirror when the light of the opening door

streaks his jaw and eyes

is the carnival glow

like a peeping box

or a pay-a-nickel-see-the-show box

maybe one with an old-fashioned viewfinder

for a minute i feel like a

kid who had paid my nickel

and from behind me your stupid mouth opens again

with a hey baby do you live around here

and i forget the carnival with a solid no

and stare through the placid riders

who may have heard it

and twist my cap again as though

unknowing that it contains no downloads

pretending it might be a

prize this time

as apparently

i am

— Leah Angst man (From her collection: "an alien here")

 

Elderly man hit by unlicensed/uninsured driver on Winter Hill

On January 3, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff


At
approximately 5:30pm Friday evening, a 74 year old man was struck by a
vehicle as he was crossing in front of 284 Broadway. The man is in
critical condition at Massachusetts General Hospital as of Saturday at
noon.

The driver of the vehicle, Adriana Dalpra, of Everett, was
arrested at the scene and charged with operating a motor vehicle after
suspension of license, operating a motor vehicle after revocation of
registration for no insurance, operating a motor vehicle that failed to
meet safety standards.

Broadway was shut down from Marshall
Street to Walnut Street while the SPD Crash Reconstruction Unit was
analyzing the scene, causing traffic to be backed up for blocks in
every direction. The incident is still under investigation – if anyone
saw the accident they are urged to call SPD at 617 625-1212.

 

An Alternative To Graduate School

On January 2, 2009, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

By Andrew Benjamin

Mark
Twain reportedly wrote, "Never let your schooling interfere with your
education." Alison Cole and Song Anh Nguyen are taking that saying to
heart. Cole, 24, of Somerville, and Anh Nguyen, 24, of Cambridge, are
both planning their own avenue of education instead of taking the route
of graduate school. Their education will bring them to an ecovillage in
Auroville, India and apply their educational knowledge to help the
community they will stay in.

"We've started to form an opinion
about the merits of graduate school versus the costs," said Cole. "The
biggest point being that it is wasteful. You spend a few years doing
work and you're paying an arm and leg for that work. Even if you are
lucky to not be paying that much, you are working so hard that you
can't save money or pay the bills."

Nguyen emphasized the hardships of attaining scholarships.

"I
think it's the plight of the middle class," said Nguyen. "We're not
quite poor enough to satisfy criteria for grants and scholarships.
There are good aspects of the American education system, we just don't
find ourselves in the spectrum that can get there."

Currently,
the two students are taking courses relative to their goals on MIT
OpenCourseWare, which allows them to view video lectures, lecture
notes, and take exams for free. Nguyen, who majored in social thought
and political economy at UMass Amherst, is focusing on building solar
panels for alternative energy use. Cole, who majored in marine biology
at Plymouth State University, wants to use her knowledge of plants, not
for human ailments, but for cleaning wastewater.

The idea of traveling to Auroville came about after Cole heard so much about this self-sustaining village.

"In
my travels to ecovillages in the U.K., Iceland and the U.S., people
were always talking about it," said Cole. "If you're a hipster, it's
the cool bar in town."

One day while shopping in a Goodwill store, she came across an old movie poster that said "See India."

"After I saw that poster, I said 'Yes poster, I will go see India,'" said Cole.

A few days later, she asked Nguyen if she wanted to go to India. Without hesitation, she said "yes."

"Going
on this trip will be getting me back on the path that I was on after I
graduated school," said Nguyen. "I feel my brain is lonely and dying at
work. What's better than to do work on actual projects?"

Living arrangements have been made for the two students at a great discount.

"We will be living in Sadhana Forest, located just outside the city," said Nguyen.

The
two students will also be paying daily $3 for food, shelter, and a
bicycle. In return, they will be planting trees in the forest.

One aspect of the trip that hasn't been finalized is travel, which will be by boat.

The two prospective students are funding this trip through donations through their website, www.alternativegradschool.org.

Cole
and Nguyen will be doing this trip in conjunction with Reach the World,
a non-profit educational organization that focuses on bringing cultural
knowledge to inner-city schools. The two students will be speaking
about their before and after to trip to these students in the New York
public school system.

"The children we work with are
socio-economically disadvantaged," said Heather Halstead, the executive
director and founder of the organization. "It will give the students an
opportunity to connect and learn about these exotic places."

Reach the World will also help in soliciting contributions for the trip with the organization's name.

Halstead is fully supportive of this trip.

"I
think it's great," she said. "I think traveling is one of the best ways
to learn about environments and cultures. I think they'll do a great
job.

This endeavor, predicts Cole, won't just stop with this trip.

"The best thing about this trip is it's just the beginning," said Cole. "It's going to get so much bigger."