By Joseph A. Curtatone

(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)

On Monday this week, State Auditor Suzanne Bump chose Somerville as the place where she announced the findings of her office’s audit of Massachusetts’s programs and initiatives that address childhood obesity. Auditor Bump wanted to announce the findings here because some of the recommendations—from SNAP sales at farmers’ markets to getting kids active before, during and after school—are initiatives that we’ve already undertaken as part of Shape Up Somerville. The success of Shape Up Somerville’s pilot program in 2002 and our accomplishments since have taught us an important lesson that is echoed in the now-released state audit: Combating childhood obesity is an adaptive challenge, not a technical challenge.

Buyer considering hybrid arts venue and café/restaurant space; Access to New Deal-era mural to be preserved

The City of Somerville has been informed that the U.S. Postal Service has completed the sale of the former Union Square Post Office at 237 Washington St. to Union Square Partners LLC, a Cambridge-based investor group associated with arts and entertainment promoter Don Law. Representatives of the buyer have informed the city that there is no formal proposal for the re-use of the building at this time and that they will be looking into the feasibility of a number of different uses, including the possibility of locating an arts venue with a possible additional café or restaurant use in the space.

 As work continues at the Medford St. Rail Bridge for the Green Line Extension project (GLX), Phase 1 work will require the complete closure of Medford St., between South St. and Somerville Ave., on Saturday, October 4, and Sunday October 5. Vehicle detours are as follows:

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to Holland St. last Thursday morning in response to reports of suspicious activity by a man in the vicinity.

Upon arrival, the officers were met by the reporting party and told that a suspicious looking man had placed a bag behind some bushes then walked away from the area.

CARAFOTES, Mary C. (Dalaklis) – 83, Of Somerville, passed away at her home on September 27, 2014. Beloved wife the of the late Charles. Loving mother of James and his wife Paula of Sutton, Sophia and Demetrios Hatzipanagos of Medford, Paul of CA, Victoria Macrokanis and her husband Chris of Somerville, Stephanie Serpa and her husband Roy of Wenham, the late Margo Popken and her surviving husband William of Reading. Sister of Mel Dalaklis and his wife Tanya, the late Frank Dalaklis and his surviving wife Elaine all of Belmont. Dear grandmother of Charles, Alexandra, Adam, Christina, Julia, Anastasia, James, Nicolas, Philip, Arianna, Jonathan, and Charles. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Calling Hours at the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 29 Central St. Somerville on Friday, October 3 from  4-8 pm. A Funeral Mass will be held in the church on Saturday morning at 10:00 am followed by interment at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge.

Committee Chairman, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann M. Heuston, summarized the report for members of the Board of Alderman at their general meeting last week.

By Jim Clark

The Special Committee on Rodent Issues delivered a report to the Board of Alderman at their regular meeting last week.

In the report, Superintendent of Inspectional Services Goran Smiljic outlined steps that have been taken in the effort to bring the rodent population down to acceptable levels.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 1 Alderman Matthew McLaughlin invite all residents to the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Symphony Park on Thursday, October 2 at 3:30 p.m. Located at the corner of Pearl and Florence Streets in East Somerville, the design of the park is the result of a series of community meetings during which residents expressed a desire for amenities for multigenerational users. The currently vacant lot will be transformed into a quiet neighborhood space with seating in a garden setting, a small water feature, accessible community gardens and a small community performance space. The park is funded in part by a Massachusetts PARC grant granted by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

By Douglas Yu

If there is a festival that makes Somerville sticky and fluffy, it’s going to be “What the Fluff?” The ninth annual festival ran from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Union Square on Saturday.

Each week prior to the November election The Somerville Times will present the Statewide ballot questions, along with pro and con arguments, one at a time for examination and further consideration. We begin the series this week with Question 1: Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing.
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QUESTION 1: Law Proposed by Initiative Petition Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing
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Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 6, 2014?