Pounding The Door Into Gray
By James DeCrescentis

Richard Wilhelm, a resident of Ball Square, writes a review of local poet James De Crescentis’ recently published collection of poetry. Richard is an art consultant for Ibbetson Street magazine, and has been published in a number of small press literary journals. I had the pleasure to work with him for many years at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA.

Poet Philip Burnham, Jr. writes: “This poem Gardenias from my new book, Winter Dreams (Ibbetson Street Press), is about so many things. When I was asked by a neighbor to take care of her gardenia, it reminded me of my mother’s preference for them and of my own purchase of gardenias when, as an adolescent, I would buy a corsage of gardenia to give to the young lady I was escorting to a dance. The poem, like so many of my poems, is about love and memory and loss. I had not thought of Shirley Kay Morse in years; the woman who asked me to care for her plant has since died and my own efforts to keep it and others have not been successful. Not all of that is contained in this poem, but echoes of those events are and that is what created the poem in the first place.

Tomorrow, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone will join the mayors of Boston, Braintree, and Quincy and the city managers of Cambridge and Chelsea to make an announcement regarding regional economic development and cooperation in metro Boston.

Arrests:
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Ketra Tatum, of 15 Crescent St., Unit B, Medford, November 30, 1:37 p.m., arrested at McGrath Hwy. on a charge of shoplifting over $100 by concealing merchandise.

Jeremy Gillis, November 30, 6:33 p.m., arrested at Middlesex Ave. on a warrant charge of attempt to commit a crime.

All are invited to a Public Hearing before the Board of Aldermen on Thursday, December 10, at 7 p.m., in the Aldermanic Chambers, 2^nd Floor, City Hall, 93 Highland Ave. to provide public input on the issue of economic inequality. Please come share your concerns, suggestions, requests and ideas on how to address economic inequality in Somerville. This hearing is in response to a request for a public hearing on the subject submitted by 195 registered voters to the Board of Aldermen on October 22, 2015 (#200177).

As part of the Winter Hill neighborhood planning process, neighborhood residents and business owners are invited to join the City of Somerville’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development for the unveiling of the recent “tactical urbanism” strategies with Team Better Block.

This week on Somerville Neighborhood News, we feature the story on “197 Washington Street Project Reaches First Building Goal.” Construction at 197 Washington Street is moving along. A topping off ceremony was held recently to commemorate the progress of the project. Once the building is complete, it will house thirty new condominiums. A state-of-the-art fitness center and a roof top solar lounge with incredible skyline views are also included in the construction plans. Luxury amenities come with a price. The one to two bedroom units have an asking price between $449,000 and $660,000.

Secretary Peyser, Mayor Curtatone, Superintendent Skipper help kick off week-long Somerville Hour of Code 2015 with special event at East Somerville Community School

On Monday morning, December 7, students, educators, and volunteers across the world will be launching into a week-long exploration into the world of computer science when the annual Hour of Code event kicks off. In Somerville, Massachusetts Secretary of Education Jim Peyser, Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Somerville Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper, and representatives from the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council Education Foundation (MassTLC EF) will be joining students at the East Somerville Community School at 9:45 a.m. to help kick off the district’s second consecutive district-wide Somerville Hour of Code event.

By Marian Berkowitz

19 Campbell Park owner in front of her restored porch and garden.

On the periphery of Davis Square between Mass. Avenue and the Community Path, is a closely settled, lovely neighborhood with a mix of single- and multi-family homes. Many of them are part of the Campbell Park-Meacham Road Local Historic District (LHD) designated by the City in 1989.

58 Columbus Ave. frontal view.

By Marian Berkowitz

It’s Preservation Month and time to start interviewing homeowners who received awards this year from the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission for their outstanding restoration work on the exterior of their properties. What a great time to walk through the neighborhoods as everything is in bloom.