(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 just received my new Water bill, it was ridiculous as usual. I was looking at the sewer charges and over the last two years they have increased $1.25 per 100 c.u. There has been an increase per 100 c.u. on every bill. Since I use about 700 c.u.’s a month this increase has cost me about $85 a bill, but with no end in sight. I was wondering if anyone knew who was setting these rates.

Skaters and volunteer staff

By Eric Saulnier
Somerville Fire Department

This past weekend, Lyric’s Champs Skating Club finished our second successful season of ice skating lessons. Lyric’s Champs provides one-on-one ice-skating instruction in a sensory friendly environment to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as well as other developmental disabilities.

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Denise Provost is a member of the Somerville literary group The Bagel Bards. She is an accomplished poet, State Representative, and has done an infinite amount of work for establishing a Poet Laureate for the State of Massachusetts. Oh … yes, she is a great book reviewer too, as evidenced by her article below:

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Wayne-Daniel Berard teaches English and Humanities at Nichols College in Dudley, MA. An adoptee and former Franciscan seminarian, his birth-search led him to find and embrace his Jewishness. Wayne-Daniel is a Peace Chaplain, an interfaith clergy person, and a member of B’nai Or of Boston. He has published widely in both poetry and prose, and is the co-founding editor of Soul-Lit, an online journal of spiritual poetry. He lives in Mansfield, MA with his wife, The Lovely Christine.

Trying to help a loved one struggling with addiction is no easy task and often involves difficult decisions. Join the  discussion  Thursday, April 14 for some of those tough choices like having someone committed, restraining orders, and remaining hopeful about recovery.

Two of the nation’s top political strategists, David Axelrod and Tufts University alumna Beth Myers, will discuss “How to Win an Election” at Tufts on Wednesday, April 13 as part of the Tisch College Distinguished Speaker Series. The series brings leaders from a range of fields and perspectives to campus to discuss pressing public issues.

Arrests:
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 Najoua Harb, of 9 Independence Dr., Methuen, April 4, 8:24 p.m., arrested at Canal St. on charges of larceny over $250 and removal of theft detection device.

On April 12, Brass Union will host a tribute evening in honor of Ken Kelly, notable Somerville restaurateur and business leader who passed after a long battle with cancer in December. In 2001, Kelly founded The Independent in Union Square and later opened sister restaurants Foundry on Elm, Saloon, Brass Union and River Bar in addition to the Davis Square Theatre.

MassDOT and the MBTA  will continue a series of Green Line Extension public meetings.

As part of a current re-evaluation of the extension, the public is invited to share their ideas about the project.

The GLX project is proposed to extend the MBTA Green Line from a relocated Lechmere Station in East Cambridge to Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford. The re-evaluation of the project was launched due to significant cost overruns, and the re-evaluation is expected to be completed and submitted to the T’s Fiscal & Management Control Board in May.

Indictments were handed down between February 18 and March 17, 2016. Defendants are listed by towns where alleged offenses occurred. Individuals without hometowns do not have a last known address available. These charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Somerville

Nelito Oliveria, 29, of Boston, was charged with possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance, subsequent offense, possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance, subsequent offense, possession with intent to distribute a Class E substance, subsequent offense, and violating the drug laws near a school zone or park. The Assistant District Attorney is Kevin Collins.