After reading an article about the crisis in Haiti due to Hurricane Mathew, students at Next Wave and Full Circle decided to find a way to lend their support. They were aware that Wadson Michel, one of the NW/FC counselors, had gone to Haiti in November to help with recovery efforts, and decided they wanted to help too. Students researched three aid organizations that had been mentioned in the article and voted on which one to support. Then they got to work planning a Silly String fundraiser where students and staff could pay $3 to spray staff and other students who agreed to be part of the fun.

By Jim Clark

Somerville police officers were alerted to reports last week of an erratic driver who had nearly struck several vehicles, last seen on Broadway.

Officers soon located the vehicle at the intersection of Broadway and Mt. Vernon St. and approached the driver, Alicia Scanlon, of Peabody, for questioning. According to reports, the officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on her breath.

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

If the nation’s roads, bridges, and other infrastructure were a student in the Somerville Public Schools, you can bet our staff would be working overtime to find a way to intervene and help it do a little better. That’s because once again in 2017, our nation’s infrastructure barely eked out a passing grade of D+ on the annual American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) report card. In this case though, it’s the City and the Commonwealth that are springing into action as we methodically tackle our most pressing road, sidewalk, park, water, sewer, building, and other infrastructure needs as we strive to get Somerville ahead of the curve. This week, I’ll update you on some of this spring’s projects (below), but I also want to offer a little context.

Somerville Police Department officer Alex Capobianco was arraigned in Cambridge District court last week on charges relating to counterfeiting and fraud.

By Charles Lane

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

On Saturday, April 8, more than 300 youth and adults attended the 11th annual Somerville Youth Peace Conference at the East Somerville Community School.

The Federal Transit Administration has given an all but certain thumbs up to approval of funding for completion of the Green Line Extension Project.

By Jim Clark

Last week’s news that federal funding for the heretofore beleaguered Green Line Extension project would be approved was welcome relief for proponents of the project as well as for those who simply yearned for a conclusive decision on the matter.

Popular Ward Two Alderman Maryann Heuston is having a campaign fundraiser. Join in to kick off her campaign to continue serving as your Ward Two Alderman. With special guest, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone. The kick-off will be held at the Kirkland Tap and Trotter on Wednesday, April 19, starting at 5:30 p.m. She looks forward to seeing you there. Just in case you didn’t know, we’ll tell you, Maryann has not missed a hearing or vote on any issue in her ward. That’s more than couple of other ward aldermen can say. Maryann is considered a constituent’s alderman. always looking to make Ward Two better, just saying!

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All of a sudden you find yourself with an abundance of hard boiled eggs. Now you’re wondering what to do with them. There’s no need to put all those eggs in one basket. You can chop a couple up and add to a green salad. Perhaps just take the shell off and add a sprinkle of truffle salt for a snack. Or you can make an egg salad.

After years of holding our collective breath, it now seems as though we can let out a shared sigh of relief that the on-again/off-again status of the Green Line Extension project is once and for all set for on-again for good.

Last week’s news that the Federal Transit Administration has tentatively agreed to approve the funding required to sustain the project through to completion represents the fruits of years of effort to hammer and forge together a workable plan that could be supported by the feds.

From left to right: Washington Post Columnist Tamar Haspel, Global Alliance for the Future of Food’s Lauren Baker, Tufts University Researcher at the Global Development and Environment Institute Tim Wise, Johns Hopkins University Professor of Global Food and Agriculture Jess Fanzo, Oxfam America’s Senior Campaign Strategist Oliver Gottfried, Stonyfield’s Mission Director Nichole Cirillo.

By Margaux Maxwell

“Nutritious food is a human right,” said Danielle Nierenberg, President of Food Tank, at the opening of last Saturday’s Food Tank Summit at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, a conference that brought together food policymakers, chefs, farmers, and researchers to tackle questions surrounding the future of food security.