This week, the Somerville Rotary club is having its annual “Comedy Nite” at Giggles Comedy Club, Rte. 1 in Saugus, on Thursday, October 1. Tickets are only $25 per person and there will be lots of fun and door prizes, along with baskets of good stuff to bid on. But the night is at its best with the various comedians that show up and give a great performance, as always at Giggles. Join the club and your neighbors here in the city for a great night by contacting any of the members. Email Gilda Nogueira at gnogueira@ecsb.com.

High profile climate leaders and Mayor Curtatone join forces with Fossil Free MIT to call for a climate action plan at the institute

By Eben Eliot Bolte Bein

This Friday, across the street from the annual meeting of the MIT board of trustees, Fossil Free MIT and several other student organizations are hosting a community-wide Rally for Climate Action. “After 2 years of negotiations, the time for talk is over and the time for MIT climate action is now,” says graduate student and Fossil Free MIT co-founder Geoffrey Supran.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By Kristen Lucas and Van Hardy, on behalf of Union United

At the end of the summer, MassDOT announced that the projected costs for the Green Line Extension are nearly $1 billion more than previously anticipated, putting the future of the project in question. One way to address this shortfall is known as “value capture,” a phrase that was used frequently at the September meeting of the MassDOT board. This could mean that Union Square master developer US2 would contribute to the costs of the Union Square GLX station. This model was used in Assembly Square, with FRIT contributing $25 million to a new Orange Line station through the Infrastructure Investment Incentive Program, or I-Cubed.

— Photos by Donald Norton

The Board of Aldermen commended two outstanding individuals for their contributions to the City of Somerville at the Regular Meeting of the Board on Thursday, September 24. A citation was presented by Alderman White Jr., and the entire Board and the mayor commending Wendy Blom (pictured above), who is leaving SCATV after 11 years of outstanding leadership as Executive Director. Additionally, a citation was presented by Alderman Lafuente, and the entire Board and the mayor commending Tony Matarazzo (pictured below), who is celebrating 67 years of cutting hair and being an irreplaceable part of the Somerville community.

Mayor Curtatone’s public statement calling for leniency for the so-called “Somerville 18” protesters last week took many people by surprise, to say the least.

Some were outraged by the statement. Many consider the protester’s actions last January – blocking traffic on Interstate 93 – a criminal act. Others are more forgiving, citing the importance of such instances of civil disobedience as a means to inform and persuade the public and legal authorities when an issue is perceived to be important enough to do so.

Eagle Feathers #88 – Our Connecticut Cousins

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

The historic Bunker Hill Monument has four entrances or gates. These honor each colony that contributed troops in that famous battle. They were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The most memorable quote from the battle was credited to Connecticut’s General Israel Putnam who was in command at the battle on Bunker Hill. He bellowed out to his men, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”

Our guest columnist this week is Somerville resident William Falcetano. He chimes in on the new film “Black Mass” that concerns the notorious Whitey Bulger.

   Tianisha Torres is a student at Endicott College. She asks some very poignant questions about identity.

The Somerville Fire Department responded to a fire at 9 Greenville Street at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, September 24. Firefighters arrived to find a fire involving the contents of a construction dumpster located in the driveway. Heat from the fire resulted in considerable damage to the exterior of the three family home.

Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary to lifelong Somerville residents Margaret and James Burgholzer! Married on October 1st 1955 at Saint Polycarp’s Church, Peg and Jim have shared a wonderful life and are the loving parents of Paula Dabenigno, James Burgholzer, and Ellen and her husband Mark de Lellis, and grandparents of DJ and Michelle Dabenigno and John de Lellis. Peg and Jim are also blessed with two adorable granddogs, Brady and Bailey. Jim was the owner of Frank and Ed’s Service Station on Somerville Avenue and his bride was the bookkeeper for the business. Many of their customers became lifelong friends. After their retirement, they became members of the Winter Hill Yacht Club, where they spent many happy days. They have always been proud to call Somerville their home. Congratulations!