Open, honest dialogue between youth and law enforcement officers is helping to create more trust and understanding between the two groups.

By Tom Bannister

Seven police officers met with thirteen young people last week at the Somerville Police Department, the purpose of which was to speak one-on-one together, break through stereotypes and find some common ground as fellow Somerville citizens.

Eagle Feathers #66 – The Thanksgiving Miracle

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

If you look at the official city symbol of Worcester, Massachusetts, you will see that it is heart shaped. This image is symbolic because the city is located in the very center of Massachusetts, or the heart of the state.

(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)

Spring Hill Development Watch serves to channel community opposition to the ongoing McMansionization of Spring Hill, most recently at 139 Summer Street. Our members include many of the same people who resisted the gutting and subdivision of 3 Benton Road. In October, we submitted a zoning amendment that would penalize developers for destroying trees during condo conversions. A public hearing will be held on this amendment, December 11 at 6pm at the VNA on Lowell Street.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Assembly Square Marketplace on Middlesex Ave. Sunday evening on reports of a female shoplifter being detained by loss prevention personnel.

This was written for my late friend Jim Resnick. Jim passed away last week at the age of 54. Jim was instrumental in helping me put out the first issue of the literary magazine Ibbetson Street in 1998.

Ah … love … loss and gain – and all that pain. Poet Julian Gallitano gives us his take on “the same old story.”

This is no ordinary website overhaul. In the spirit of the open source movement, which makes code available for free to others, the City of Somerville is partnering with Code for Boston, the local volunteer branch of Code for America, to work with vendors on a full, user-centered redesign of SomervilleMA.gov that other cities will be able to borrow for free from—and in turn improve on. Community members or others with web design and development skills are also being sought for the Somerville Website Inspiration & Feedback Team (SWIFT).

Arrests:
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Gary Smith, November 17, 8:44 a.m., arrested at 82 Mt. Vernon St. on a warrant charge of fugitive from justice.

David Smith, of 49 Marshall St., November 18, 9:31 p.m., arrested at 96 Wheatland St. on a warrant charge of assault and battery.

Assessor to provide update on Fiscal Year 2015 Property Assessments; Aldermen to vote on  allocation of the tax levy, exemptions and other provisions; Public invited to speak

Each year in November, the Chief Assessor for the city presents an update to the Board of Aldermen on the new property valuations and the anticipated tax rate for the coming fiscal year (FY). This annual Classification Hearing is open to members of the public, who are invited to speak. This year’s Hearing is on Tuesday, November 25, at 7 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall, 2^nd Floor, 93 Highland Ave.

Fans of Vernon Street Studios attended the opening of their 40th anniversary celebration at the Somerville Museum.

By Mariya Manzhos

In 1974, the Rogers Foam Factory on Vernon Street made the sixth and seventh floor of their building space available to new tenants. However, the conditions were not exactly inviting. “When we first came there it was filthy dirty, there were no walls, it was just an empty space with pigeons everywhere,” recalls Karen Moss, an original member of the small group of artists to rent the space.