Come join the party this Saturday night at Winter Hill Brewery and wish local brewer and musician Jeff Rowe safe travels as he kicks off his European Tour right at home. Log onto bostonfreeradio.com at 9:00 p.m. to listen to a live broadcast of The Villens Den from the show hosted by Chris Haskell and watch the livestream on the Boston Free Radio Facebook page.

Eagle Feathers #135 – Middlesex

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Twenty years ago, on July 11, 1997, the Massachusetts State Legislature abolished Middlesex County as a government entity with the exception of the Registry of Deeds and the Sheriff’s Office. Between then and 2000 during cost-cutting measures, seven other counties were similarly affected. Today, historic Middlesex continues but is primarily distinguished by its boundaries.

We have to be fair and admit that upgrades and maintenance of our city’s infrastructure is important – even more important than our own temporary comfort might wish to allow for.

An obvious case in point the recent Union Square traffic pattern change at Prospect St. and Webster Ave., which was converted to accommodate two-way vehicle and bicycle traffic as a key component of the city’s Union Square Early Action project.

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I sent this small piece to the Somerville 175th Birthday History Project and it will be on display with many others at the Somerville Public Library, and possibly on their website…

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Paul Marion has been a writer and community activist since the 1970s. He is the author of several collections of poetry as well as the editor of the early writings of Jack Kerouac, Atop an Underwood, and other titles. His recent book, Mill Power, tells the story of the innovative national park in Lowell, Massachusetts, and the city’s acclaimed revival, a model for small industrial cities everywhere. His work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals such as Alaska Quarterly Review and The Massachusetts Review. In 1978 he created Loom Press, a small publishing company that promotes writing from the Merrimack River Valley. Among other accomplishments on the community front, he co-founded the Lowell Folk Festival and Lowell Heritage Partnership, an alliance of people and organizations whose mission is to care for architecture, nature, and culture. His latest collection of poetry is Union River. I interviewed Paul on my show Poet to Poet/Writer to Writer at the Somerville Media Center studios.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro
The 37th Annual Mayor’s Senior Picnic was held Wednesday, August 3 at Powderhouse Park. It was a great day filled with dancing, music, food, entertainment and prizes.

HeatSmart/CoolSmart program includes discounts on climate-friendly alternative that can lower utility costs

A new City of Somerville program will offer homeowners and local businesses discounts on an alternative heating and cooling technology that can operate more cheaply and efficiently than some traditional systems. For a limited time (through Dec. 15), the HeatSmart/CoolSmart program will provide discounts on the installation of what are known as “air source heat pumps,” which can both heat and cool homes at lower usage costs than oil and electric heating systems and window air conditioning units.

Up to $5,000 Reward Offered for Information Leading to Identification & Arrest of Serial Bank Robber

The FBI Boston Division’s Violent Crimes Task Force, the Boston Police Department, the Cambridge Police Department, and the Somerville Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a serial bank robber allegedly responsible for robbing 10 banks in the Greater Boston area.

Arrests:
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Felicia Henebury, of 33 Carney Ct., Charlestown, August 1, 7:16 p.m., arrested at Middlesex Ave. on a warrant charge of shoplifting over $100 by concealing merchandise.

James McKenna, of 101 Highland Ave., August 4, 5:00 p.m., arrested at Franey Rd. on warrant charges of operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, unregistered motor vehicle, and alcohol from an open container in a motor vehicle.

Colleen Morrissey is a Resource Specialist at the Aging Information Center of Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES)

By Colleen Morrissey

If you’re feeling the heat in recent weeks, you’re not alone. The Greater Boston area has experienced three heat waves this summer, where temperatures reached at least 90 degrees for three or more consecutive days.

Warm weather is nice, but extreme heat can pose health risks, especially for older adults and people with chronic diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DCD) cautions that extreme heat can overwhelm the body’s natural cooling systems, leading to heat exhaustion or heat stroke—which in turn can damage the brain and other vital organs.