~Photos by Claudia Ferro

East Somerville Community School performed its Winter Concert on January 15 at the ESCS Auditorium.

The concert featured performances by students at every grade, with students in K-6 performing as grade level groups.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston, and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) invite all interested community members to the Lincoln Park Design Open House with our team of landscape architects from Weston Sampson/Spurr Associates. City staff and the Spurr team will present the park plans and review the construction schedule.

Somerville

Martin Acosta-Rosario, 23, of Somerville, was charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license and carrying a firearm without a license. The Assistant District Attorney is Kevin Collins.

Henry Alvarez, 18, of Somerville, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and armed robbery. The Assistant District Attorney is Ceara Mahoney.

Poet Gloria Mindock will visit the COA’s Holland Street Center, Jan. 25 at 10 a.m.

Just because your age advances doesn’t mean your excitement for learning new skills and information stops suddenly. If anything, it seems to grow for many participants in Somerville Council on Aging programs. This curiosity has led to a number of new initiatives, including educational lectures and outings to Berklee College of Music to hear outstanding student and faculty concerts. Now, beginning in January, the Council on Aging and the Somerville Arts Council are partnering to offer a series of poetry workshops to Somerville’s seniors.

By Jim Clark

Police were called to Community Laundry on Bow St. last week on reports that a man was sleeping on the floor.

Upon arrival, officers located the man in question, later identified as Charles Cashman, lying face down on a blanket on the floor of the laundry.

Several customers of the laundry were present as the officers confronted Cashman, according to reports.

Update: We are VERY happy to report that Caesar and Cleopatra have been safely returned

Chief David Fallon and the Somerville Police Department are seeking the public’s help in locating two dogs that they believe were stolen from a residence earlier this week.

According to police, the dogs are believed to have been taken from an apartment on Summer Street on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at approximately 6:55 p.m.

By William C. Shelton

(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)

Some high-profile advocates argue that the Green Line Extension should be built because it will stimulate economic and housing development. The mayor is telling regional media and policy makers that the GLX will lead to 30,000 new Somerville jobs and 10,000 new homes. Yes, 10,000!

By Haley ED Houseman

According to some residents, rats are chewing their way into supposedly “rodent-proof” trash containers.

As construction projects move forward in expectation of the Green Line Extension project eventually coming to Somerville, neighbors in the Union Square neighborhood are purportedly engaged in a battle against rats.

Complaints of increased rodent activity have cropped up in the neighborhoods surrounding Union Square following the demolition of a series of buildings. The site of the former Boys and Girls Club on Washington Street, as well as long standing Cota Funeral Home, was demolished in order to make way for a planned mix of development as part of the plans for the Union Square area. The area will include affordable housing commercial spaces and market-rate condos.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration event, entitled, “Power to Impact Positive Change in our Community,” was held on Monday, Jan. 18, in observance of national Martin Luther King Jr Day.

Seeking to identify this individual who was involved in an incident at Joshua Tree in Davis square. Please call Detective Faria with any info you may have. 617-625-1600 x7232