On behalf of Middlesex Federal Savings, Peter Bazzinotti, Senior Vice President, Senior Loan Officer presented a $1,000 check to Kathryn Benjamin, Director of Development, Somerville Homeless Coalition. Middlesex Federal Savings was awarded funds at the 2016 Bankers Bank Northeast Annual Charity Golf Tournament to donate to the charity or charities of their choice. The Bank chose the Somerville Homeless Coalition, as well as the Boys & Girls Club of Middlesex County to receive these proceeds.

Friday, November 11 is Veterans Day and City offices will be closed for the holiday. Trash, recycling, and yard waste normally collected on Fridays will be picked up Saturday. There will be no street sweeping on Friday and enforcement of parking meters and resident parking permits will not be in effect.

Each year for the past four, members associated with Historic Somerville, the Somerville Museum, and the City’s Historic Preservation Commission have organized a brief event to help honor some of Somerville’s oldest veterans, from the American Revolution and the War of 1812 who are buried in the City’s historic Milk Row Cemetery on Somerville Avenue. For those who may not be aware, the much newer Cemetery on Broadway, on Clarendon Hill, is the home of the 69 soldiers who proudly served in World War II and beyond, and were killed in action.

By Jim Clark

Somerville Police received a call from Assembly Mall security last week reporting that they had received a complaint from the staff at the Express store of a man who was behaving erratically, and appeared to be on drugs.

Recipient of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship’s Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism award for 2016, Ralph Fuccillo.

By Katie Leonard

Somerville native Ralph Fuccillo was honored last week as this year’s recipient of the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism. The award is given annually to an individual or organization whose work has positively impacted health for those in need, both here and abroad, as well as whose commitment to service influences and inspires others.

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.