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)

Veterans Day is once again upon us, and it’s an important time for us to honor and appreciate all of the men and women of the Armed Forces who have served and are still serving our country. But this year as we recognize our veterans for all of their sacrifices, we must also recognize that for some of them the challenges they face do not end when they return home.

~Photos courtesy of East Somerville Main Streets

Last Saturday, East Somerville Main Streets Resident Engagement Committee and Board Members organized volunteers to clean up Broadway.

The citywide lowering of speed limits was among the many topics covered at the latest Ward 2 ResiStat meeting last week.

By Amy Swain

Ward 2 held its fall ResiStat meeting on Thursday of last week. Residents of the neighborhood gathered at the Argenziano School.

Brad Rawson, Director of Transportation and Infrastructure took to the microphone first to discuss some traffic and parking adjustments, one major project being Lincoln Park. “Parts of the park completed before the whole of the plan is complete will be available for use as they are finished,” Rawson reported. “However, fields with new grass must be given time to properly root, so we have to keep residents off these fields.” When a resident retorted that this is improbable, Mayor Curtatone stepped up to remind everyone that if any part of the project is disrupted the city will lose the warranty, and thus its investment in the project, so great lengths in preventing such occurrences can be expected.

Move seen as another positive step in the process
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Bluntly Speaking by Ross Blouin

The City’s Planning Board last Thursday voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Alderman approve the City’s Union Square Zoning Overlay District. The overlay as written will allow the City’s development partner, Union Square Station Associates (US2), to move forward with the redevelopment of 15.6 acres in Union Square. The development is expected to generate over $10 million annually in new tax revenue and create over 5,000 permanent jobs.

This Thursday evening, the 10th at 6:30 p.m., a public hearing on Union Square Community Benefits Agreement is scheduled, a discussion on the potential to address displacement and uphold community values. The administration’s proposal for new Union Square zoning has been under discussion by the BOA since a public hearing took place in mid-October. There are three more meetings scheduled in November. The new zoning proposal is designed to unlock the heart of Union Square, especially the area around the forthcoming GLX Union Square station for major development. This public hearing is being held as a result of an official request from 138 voters who are concerned that the development will cause displacement in Union Square. Only the BOA has the power to change zoning. A 2/3 vote of the BOA (8 of 11 Aldermen) is necessary to adopt new Union Square zoning (or any zoning change or proposal). On another, related topic, the Administration has announced it will introduce early in 2017 a second edition of the citywide zoning overhaul proposal.

By Donald Norton

The 116th Annual Banquet for the Middlesex County Bar Association was held last week in Stoneham at Montvale Plaza.

The event was attended by over 300 attorneys, judges, court officers and clerks as well as court employees throughout Middlesex County.

12th annual Scrapheap Showdown 1st Place winners “Team Take Dubs” (Qijiin Chau, Gabe K-G, Samuel Saron).

By Tom Bannister

On October 30, 39 high school students on 13 teams gathered in “The Cage” in Cousins Gym at Tufts University to compete in the 12th annual Scrapheap Showdown.

Along with the usual interesting “junk” in the center of the room when the students walked in, there was paper, lots of foam and foam core, plus of string and tape. There was also a wind tunnel built in the middle of the gym. The students were given their challenge: to build a wind powered craft to sail across the treacherous gym floor.

Mayor Curtatone, Ward 3 Alderman McWatters and other city officials updated Ward 3 residents on matters related to their ward.

By Donald Norton

Last week, Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters conducted the Ward 3 ResiStat meeting at Somerville High School.

About 50 to 60 residents attended and the discussion centered on the use of bicycles use in the city, development in the Ward 3 Union Square area, with a lot of talk about the proposed new high school.

Eagle Feathers #116 – Mr. Jones and His Time

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

The year 1868 was exciting for Florentine Ariosto Jones. He was born in 1841, the year before Somerville broke away from Charlestown, and the young twenty-seven year old was free to do his own bidding.