On Monday, Oct. 12 city and Somerville Public Schools offices will be closed for Columbus Day. Waste collection will be on a one-day delay all week and there will be no street sweeping. Parking meter enforcement will not be in effect on Monday.

Daisy, Dr.Sipperstein’s dog, with Melissa McCue-McGrath, who has just written a very useful book for dog owners who happen to live in the city.

By Amy Swain

Dog owners of Somerville, rejoice. There is finally a book dedicated to knowledge about the urban pup, and it was created by one of our own. Considerations for the City Dog was recently published by twelve-year resident of Somerville and CPDT-KA (certified professional dog trainer – knowledge assessed) Melissa McCue-McGrath.

Greg Davidian co-owns the Union Gulf service and repair station with his brother. It was opened by his father in 1947.

By Mariya Manzhos

While shopping at Market Basket, Charan Devereaux’s attention was continually drawn to the name tags worn by each worker that also indicate how many years they have worked at the store. This curiosity about the people behind the uniform gradually led Devereaux on a quest to document Union Square as a community of workers and business owners.

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)

The Spring 2015 MCAS results show that Somerville Public Schools are continuing to help all students realize their potential in the classroom. For three years running, Somerville has been the sole urban district in the top 15 percent of school districts across Massachusetts for student growth, as measured by MCAS Student Growth Percentile. This year, Somerville actually ranks among the top 12 percent for student growth, which measures a student’s change in academic performance compared to their peers from across the Commonwealth with similar test scores in previous years. These results show that our students’ performance is improving more than similar students; in short, they are learning more in the course of a year.

Andrew Howard of Better Block presented development ideas at the meeting attended by interested Winter Hill residents. — Photo by Josie Grove

By Josie Grove

Ten years ago, the narrow one-story building at 328 Broadway Ave. housed a local realty firm. Once that business closed, the building was home to a retailer of prepaid cell phones. Within a year, it will be transformed into Winter Hill Brewing, a coffee shop/brewpub that will serve experimental beers, small plates, and high-quality coffee. Patrons will look across the street to a new five-story residential building.

By Patrick McDonagh

Devin Bramhall remembers a morning tucked in her Charlestown apartment bed, contemplating plans discussed with girlfriends over Sunday’s Tremont 647 brunch and twelve-ounce vodka mimosas. At 25 she was seeking a new career. The commute from Charlestown to work at Boston-based tech startup Springpad left her unfulfilled. 1600 miles apart, Bramhall called mom for guidance.

Saturday, October 17 at the Holiday Inn, the SHS Scholarship Foundation will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary. Over the years, the foundation has been responsible for handing out thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving high school graduates. The Foundation idea was started by local publisher Robert J. L. Publicover, Tony Fedele, the headmaster at the high school, former Mayor Gene Brune and several other dedicated and committed community people. A Foundation that started with very little and has now grown to over $1M in scholarships. Call or go online to the Foundation’s Facebook site for reservations and cost of tickets.

(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)

To the Editor:

When we first moved to Boston, it took time to adjust to the driving culture here. Horn use is a part of the daily commute and an accepted form of communication. Rather than a warning of danger or call to attention, the horn—often accompanied by hand gestures and choice words—acts as the means of making a commentary on another’s driving. In order to drive here, awareness is paramount but you must develop a certain tolerance to the aggression of others.

With the rhetoric having been so hot and divisions among us so stark in the past year or so, getting an opportunity to engage in some serious and hopefully heartfelt discussions between people across racial, ethnic and economic lines can be viewed as a very useful thing.

For those of you who love broccoli, you will be happy to know the peak season is finally here! That means the nutritional value and flavor will be at its best. Always purchase broccoli that has a light green stem and tight, vibrant heads that are dark green and even purple in color for the freshest vegetable.