Conclusion: Reassembling the elephant
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By William C. Shelton

(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)

I began this series with the parable of the blind people describing the elephant. Each has experienced one part of the elephant—leg, torso, tail, tusk, ear—and forcefully argues that the others have it wrong. An elephant is really like, respectively, a tree, wall, snake, stake, or blanket.

The City of Somerville is seeking community members to serve on a new community advisory committee to assist in the review and recommendation of capital improvement projects for upcoming fiscal years. The committee, which will comprise five community members, will work with city staff to review and provide feedback and recommendations, on behalf of the entire community, on project prioritization. NOTE: the deadline to apply for this committee has been extended to Tuesday, January 17, by 5:00 p.m.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to Assembly Row last Sunday on reports that a Home Depot employee was pursuing a suspected shoplifter who was attempting to leave the area.

Upon arrival, the officers caught up with the Home Depot employee who reportedly told them that a man, later identified as Christopher McBride, of Marshfield, had taken a laser level from the store and that he was presently fleeing the scene, heading towards the AMC Theatre.

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)

During Mayor Joseph Curtatone’s State of the City address on Monday, January 9, 2017, he discussed many of the successes and challenges Somerville faced in 2016 – as well as some of the work the City is prioritizing this year. The excerpts below offer a glimpse into just a few of the upcoming initiatives the City is tackling. To read the entirety of Mayor Curtatone’s speech, visit www.SomervilleMA.gov. 

In a major step toward divesting from the fossil fuel industry, the Somerville Retirement Board (SRB) filed a unanimously adopted updated Statement of Investment Objectives that specifically considers investment funds that do not include fossil-fuel securities with the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC).

Somerville High School Girls Basketball thank the Somerville Fire Department for their generous donation to the program. Pictured above: the SHS Junior Varsity and Varsity teams.

Mayor Curtatone addressed public and city official Monday night, weighing in on the state of the city while looking forward to the issues to be faced in the years to come.

By Joe Ruvido

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone gave his annual State of the City address on Monday night at City Hall. In attendance were the Board of Aldermen, various public officials, and members of the public who came to hear the mayor summarize past accomplishments and lay out priorities for the 2017 legislative season.

By Joseph A. Curtatone

Good evening President White, Vice President Ballantyne, Chair Pitone and Vice Chair Green; honorable members of the Board of Aldermen, School Committee, and Somerville Delegation, Superintendent Skipper; honored guests, friends, family, and staff. And above all, welcome, Somerville residents.

I want to wish you a Happy New Year. Each year I stand before you at this time to talk about what we have accomplished together over the past year and what we will take on in the new year.

The City of Somerville is turning 175 years old and the occasion was celebrated Monday night with a special birthday party held at City Hall.

By Jessica Kenney

2017 marks Somerville’s 175th anniversary. This city has developed greatly over the years, and it is indeed a place that deserves celebrating. With its emphasis on community, education, arts, and more, Somerville has proved that the main focus of the city is on its residents; supporting each other and growing the city to be the best it can be.

Villens United by Chris Haskell

(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)

Do you really know what’s going on in the world today? Well, that depends on where you get your news.

This past year our society has been under siege by fake news. The CIA, NSA, and FBI have now concluded that Russia interfered with our presidential elections and one of their methods of interference was to flood our internet with false news.