— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Somerville celebrated Independence Day Thursday night at Trum Field. Hundreds filled the streets to enjoy a night of live entertainment which included performances by the Somerville Sunsetters, Moonlighters, Disco-Funk band Booty Vortex, USO Metropolitan New York Performers, and the U.S. Navy Band Northeast Pops Ensemble. The entertainment culminated in a 30-minute fireworks display.

US Army Veteran and Somerville resident Nick Starling celebrates a great swing at the Green Monster with Boston Red Sox Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez during a special CVS Caremark Baseball Camp held July 2 at the park. — Photos by Constance Brown Photography

To honor our nation’s heroes and recognize them for their service to our country, CVS Caremark and the Boston Red Sox today teamed up to provide veterans of all abilities from across New England with a once-in-a-lifetime experience – a batting practice and baseball skills camp at America’s most beloved ballpark, Fenway Park.

East Somerville Community School music teacher Adam N. Epstein is especially dedicated to bringing out the talents of his students.
— Photo by Claudia Ferro

By Cathleen Twardzik

Adam N. Epstein, M.M.Ed., K to 8 Music Teacher at the East Somerville Community School (ESCS), does so much good for the students at that school.

Epstein has been a music teacher at ESCS for three years for grades K to 8. However, his experience spans from teaching infants to college undergraduates.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Rosemary Ryan, Dining Room Manager at Somerville High’s Culinary Department celebrated her retirement with family friends and students past and present at the Dante Club in Somerville on June 19.

Summer movie festival to feature food-related films, Sunsetters to perform across the City through July, August.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announces the lineups for the 2014 SomerMovie FEAST and Somerville Sunsetters. Showings for the annual movie festival are scheduled every Thursday evening at dusk, beginning with a screening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971 version) on July 10 at Seven Hills Park in Davis Square. Movies are shown every Thursday night through August 28 at locations throughout the city, culminating with a Viewer’s Choice selection, voted by attendees throughout the summer, of one of the four following films: Supersize Me, Mystic Pizza, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, and No Reservations. The 2014 movie series will feature movies with a food theme, as follows:

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Originally printed November 3, 2007.

One of my favorite things to say to the gas station attendant when I give him $75 to fill up my truck is: “I used to pay less than this for a car!” Well, it’s true people. The year was 1970 and the very first car I bought was a 1962 Dodge. I’m pretty sure it was a Valiant. I paid $50 for it and it had push buttons for the transmission. I didn’t even have my license yet and there was a clunker parked in my father’s driveway. That car sat there for three months and never got registered. It was fun to sit in though.

Somerville on track to plant 2,000 new public trees by end of 2015

Over the next month, the City of Somerville will plant 575 new public trees—roughly the same amount planted over two years from 2010 to 2012—as it stays on schedule for its goal to plant 2,000 new trees by the end of 2015.

By William C. Shelton

(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)

As the American enterprise in Iraq collapses, those responsible point fingers at each other. Their specific criticisms may be accurate, but their aim is to distract attention from their own failures, continuing a 116-year-old pattern of arrogantly, ignorantly and violently interfering in other people’s business.

At their regular meeting on June 26, the City of Somerville’s Board of Aldermen unanimously approved a resolution urging individuals, colleges and universities, foundations, and governments to divest their funds from publicly-traded fossil fuel companies. The vote marks a major milestone for Fossil Free Somerville, the community group which organized a petition effort in support of an earlier version of the resolution, which directly addressed Somerville’s Retirement Board.

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)

A great Somerville tradition continues on Thursday, July 3, when we strike up the bands at Trum Field for the annual Fourth of July fireworks. Performances by the Somerville SunSetters, Booty Vortex, the USO Metropolitan New York Performers, and the U.S. Navy Band Northeast Pops Ensemble will entertain the crowd before the fireworks fill the sky. Ten years ago, we brought back this cherished celebration after a more than 20 year hiatus. Restoring this Somerville tradition is also part of a larger tradition—celebrating who we are.