Early Morning, Union Square. I walk down Bow Street—Goodyear’s lights are on– and a slow stream of people with tired treads, dirty transmission fluid, in need of change—of oil, in need of alignment, enlightenment—make their way into the office. I hear the jocular good morning from the Hispanic crossing guard—we are all her children, as she guides us through the gridlocked traffic of the Square. In the post office—I exchange gossip with the clerk—she told me a SWAT team was here earlier, “Well—I figured I would tell my journalist—thought you would like to know…” She tells me she is going to retire next year… “Maybe I will work the election booths with the other old ladies,” she laughed. At the Community Laundromat on Bow Street—a gaggle of homeless men are in semi-coherent chatter: “Hey you are a weird dude—stop touching me,” one tells the other. There is an argument about which liquor store opens the earliest—vodka nips are in vogue for them. Bloc 11 is open—and there are the usual. A tall man with a reddish beard engrossed in his book, and the handsome woman I have seen for years, with a helmet of stylish gray hair– (me thinks she works at Harvard), props a book up for her before work read. Hip baristas croon at me “The usual?” Honey grain bagel –tomatoes– dry– I add my hummus and fish in the back room. Outside the parade starts– mothers with their strollers, the tight spandex of the bicyclists.

Gilmore Tamny is a writer, musician and artist living in Somerville, MA. She is a committed artist, feminist, rawker, lover of paintings and audiobook junkie. She may have also made the very first infomercial for a book of poetry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUNcvKI0hLc&feature=youtu.be&spfreload=10. Here is a sampling of Haiku … for you.

~Photos by Donald Norton

The 240th annual “Grand Union” flag-raising ceremony at Prospect Hill Park took place on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, at 12 p.m. A processional led by a re-enactor portraying General George Washington on horseback left from the City Hall Concourse at 11:30 a.m. Members of the public were invited to participate, and were encouraged to wear traditional colonial clothing. The annual ceremony commemorates the raising of the nation’s first official flag, featuring thirteen red and white horizontal stripes, atop Prospect Hill on New Year’s Day, 1776. At the time, Prospect Hill was a key site in a string of fortifications created by Washington and the Continental Army in their siege of British troops in Boston during the first year of the American Revolution.

Mayor Joseph Curtatone is sworn in for his seventh term as Mayor of Somerville. — Photo by Donald Norton

Good evening and Happy New Year!

I’d like to welcome the members of our State delegation as well as President White, Vice President Ballantyne, Chairperson Normand and Vice Chairperson Bockelman; Honorable Members of the Board of Aldermen and School Committee; Superintendent Skipper; and all our Honored Guests, Friends, and Family, as well as my fellow public servants and my fellow residents of Somerville.

Arrests:
*

James Huguley, of 102 Exchange Ave., Medford, December 28, 5:13 p.m., arrested at Broadway on charges of threat to commit a crime, felony nighttime breaking and entering, and assault and battery.

Michael Byrne, of 78 Woodland Ave., Revere, December 29, 2:17 a.m., arrested at James St. on charges of speeding and operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, and on warrant charges of operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, felony daytime breaking and entering, use of a motor vehicle without authority, leaving the scene of property damage, failure to stop or yield, receiving stolen property over $250, defacing property, carrying a dangerous weapon, and failure to stop for police.

Attorney General Maura Healey has issued a bulletin to remind the public and employers about the increase in the minimum wage that went into effect on Jan. 1.

“Employers must be aware of their obligations under the new minimum wage law that will go into effect this week,” AG Healey said. “This increase in the minimum wage provides some additional security for our lowest paid workers, but there is still much more work to be done to fight poverty and advance economic security for Massachusetts families.”

Somerville Neighborhood News looks back at the top stories of 2015 and ahead at what they mean for the ‘Ville in the coming years. The Green Line Extension has lost momentum, can the MBTA and the Department of Transportation get it back on track? Plans for Union Square are moving forward, how will Green Line delays affect the progress? As Assembly Square development continues, just across the river Wynn resorts continues to gain approvals for its resort casino. But that doesn’t mean Somerville isn’t fighting back.

By Jim Clark

Police were dispatched to a College Ave. location on Christmas Day in response to reports of a dispute in progress.

Upon arrival, officers observed a cab parked at the location with the driver sitting in the front seat. A woman who was reportedly sitting in the back seat with her door open was throwing her belongings from the cab to the sidewalk.