Eagle Feathers #113 –Beansprouts

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

“And here is good old Boston, the home of the bean and the cod, where the Lowells speak only to the Cabots, and the Cabots speak only to god.” So went the famous toast given by Dr. John Collins Bossidy at the1907 Holy Cross Alumni Dinner in Boston. The toast referenced not only the Boston Brahman elite, but also one of the most important staples that nourished early immigrant settlers … the bean.

— Photos by Donald Norton

On Thursday, Sept 22, Somerville Overcoming Addiction held a vigil at Somerville High School Field House. The intent of the vigil is to recognize, to remember and to celebrate loved ones all of who were lost to addiction.

So-called “traffic calming” has become a recent topic of discussion between those concerned with the declining quality of safety on our neighborhood streets and residents who question how best to address and remedy the situation.

Advocates of “streetscaping” and similar measures designed to slow down vehicular traffic by means of placing visually unobtrusive obstacles in the streets – such as landscaping and small structural elements – feel that this is the preferred way to go.

The Fourth Annual Somerville Moms Diaper Drive launched on Saturday, September 24, and runs through Sunday, October 9. All diapers will be donated to the Somerville/Cambridge WIC office, which serves Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Watertown, Lexington, and Belmont. There are a variety of ways to donate including dropping diapers off at one of the many businesses and organizations hosting boxes in the area or purchasing diapers from the Amazon registry and having them sent directly to the WIC office.

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Recently I interviewed poet Kevin Carey on my Somerville Community Access TV show Poet to Poet/Writer to Writer. And here is my review of his latest poetry collection.

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Ed Meek is the author of three books of poetry and a collection of short stories coming out soon. He also writes articles, reviews and commentary. His work has appeared in many magazines, journals and newspapers including The Paris Review, The North American Review, Cream City Review, The Boston Review, The Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe and The Boston Herald. He taught composition, creative writing and literature at Austin Prep School. At Curry College he directed the First Year Seminar Program and taught in the English Department. He is a Writing Coach for College Solutions. He lives in Somerville with his wife Elizabeth.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang, and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) invite all interested community members to a community meeting to review design plans for the renovation of Hoyt-Sullivan Playground. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 29, from 6 to 8 p.m., in the Community Room of the VNA at 259 Lowell St. City staff will present a plan for the new playground design that is based on community feedback, and will seek final input to be sure the design reflects the needs of the community. For more information, please contact Arn Franzen at 617-625-6600 ext. 2545, orAFranzen@somervillema.gov.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Board of Aldermen invite residents to the Fall 2016 ResiStat Community Meetings, a twice-yearly effort to share the latest City news, data, and neighborhood updates directly with residents and gather their feedback. ResiStat is more than a great way to get an overview of what’s happening specifically in your neighborhood as well as citywide. The social time before and after the meetings also offer an easy opportunity to talk one-on-one to the Mayor, your Aldermen, and city staff and police—and to connect with your neighbors (we serve pizza and kid-friendly, healthy snacks to make it more fun to come and chat).

The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites.

Elevated risk from WNV in 13 communities; some risk persists everywhere

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced the fourth and fifth human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) in the state this year. One resident, in Norfolk County, is in her 40s and developed a milder form of the disease. She was never hospitalized. The other resident, from Middlesex County, is in his 80’s and was hospitalized but has been discharged. Both individuals were diagnosed with WNV by testing completed today by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory.

Arrests:
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James McKenna, of 14 Tennyson St., September 21, 1:42 p.m., arrested at Broadway on warrant charges of operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license and operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs fourth offense.

Steve Alphonse, of 130 Harvard, Cambridge, September 21, 5:59 p.m., arrested at Bolton St. on multiple charges of violation of city ordinance possession of a dangerous weapon.