Come celebrate Robyn Hitchcock’s 64th birthday this Friday at ONCE Ballroom, where he will perform a sold-out show with his personal and professional partner Emma Swift.

By Blake Maddux

Immersing oneself in the discography of English singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock is the aural equivalent looking through kaleidoscope eyes into a series of fun house mirrors.

It is a musical world is one populated by – among others – Antwoman, Balloon Man, Toadboy, Wafflehead, and Madonna of the Wasps.

By Jim Clark

Reports in the media have surfaced alleging that Somerville police officer Alex Capobianco is currently being investigated by authorities in Cambridge for paying a hotel bill with counterfeit money.

~Photos by Bobbie Toner

The new bfresh grocery store opened its doors at Davis Square, 244 Elm St., Somerville, Mass., on Friday, February 24 at 9:00 a.m. Mayor Joseph Curtatone toured the store on Monday morning.

At a Chamber-of-Commerce-sponsored forum on Tuesday evening, ninety attendees heard regional real estate and biotech leaders speak on Somerville’s potential as “the next innovation center.” As many of us have been saying, prospects are excellent. Our proximity to research centers and innovation clusters, local talent pool, outstanding culinary and cultural offerings, and imminent GLX arrival make Somerville a dream location for emerging tech-sector companies.

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Located in the heart of Davis Square, a unique oat café offering bowls of oatmeal with numerous toppings is now open. Oat Shop offers bowls with almond butter, berries, bananas, apples, maple syrup, and a list of other sweet treats. If you’re looking for more of a savory choice, they do not disappoint. A fried egg with bacon and a cheddar sauce or a fried egg with a Sriracha sauce kick, pesto with avocado, sweet potato coconut curry, even a sushi bowl with seaweed. Please go to the above website to see many other options available as add-ons.

A lot of public events come and go over the course of each year: road races, music festivals, family events…you name it. What is it though about the celebration of the sticky, sweet and gooey confection called Marshmallow Fluff that kindles a spot of warmth in so many of our hearts? Is it the generally whacky nature of the event itself? The overall tongue-in-cheek nature of each event within the event?

Arrests:

Roberto Ennis, of 9 Nightingale St., Boston, February 21, 9:53 a.m., arrested at Cedar St. on a charge of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Frank Chan, of 109 Glen St., February 22, 1:36 a.m., arrested at Washington St. on warrant charges of possession of a class D drug, attempt to commit a crime, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

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Poet Afaa Weaver was a long-time resident of Somerville, MA. until he defected to the hinterlands of Connecticut. I hear he is very happy in the said environs. He has a new collection of poetry out– and the noted critic Dennis Daly was on it like the proverbial hornet:

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Gary Rainford lives year-round on Swan’s Island with his wife and daughter. He is the author of the poetry collection, Salty Liquor, founder of Island Verse, a creative writing literacy enterprise, editor-in-chief for The Island Reader, and an adjunct Professor of English at Monroe Community College. Summer 2016 Gary’s suite of poems called We Are Here was an honorable mention selected by Betsy Sholl for The Gabriel Zimpritch Memorial Poetry Prize at the Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth, ME. Gary’s next collection of poetry, Liner Notes – 64 ekphrasic poems describing 64 musicians as artists making music – is forthcoming.

Residents may sign up for no-cost Mass Save Home Energy Assessment and a variety of energy upgrades

Both Somerville residents and the city stand to benefit if 1,500 Somerville households sign up for a no-cost Mass Save® Home Energy Assessment in 2017 as part of the city’s Be SEEN! program (Be Somerville Energy Efficient Now!). The home energy assessments help residents save on energy costs and include free energy saving equipment such as LED and CFL light bulbs, programmable thermostats, and smart power strips. Meanwhile, if 1,500 households complete assessments and a cumulative 743 energy upgrades, the City can receive up to $40,000 in grants from the National Grid Community Initiative.