Somerville locals Eben Bein (left) and Gregory Boyce (right) are among the top 10 contenders in the “Danvers Idol” finals taking place on June 28 at the Danvers High School Auditorium.

Tonight local performers Eben Bein and Gregory Boyce will sing to win the 7th annual Danvers Family Festival Danvers Idol. The winner receives large cash prizes, professional recording time, and the chance to sing before 25,000 people at the Danvers Family Festival Fireworks on July 3.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

(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)

This article originally ran Feb. 4, 2009.

I went exploring and found a copy of that other Somerville newspaper from August 14, 1969. There was a photo of some of us Project Star performers in a scene from Oliver, the musical we were presenting that summer (I played The Artful Dodger). I started flipping through the yellowed pages of the old newspaper and decided to use this week’s column to pass on some of the interesting and fun facts I discovered from 45 years ago. I had just turned 16 years old. Yikes!

Agreement ratifies three-year contract for Firemen and Oilers SEIU Local 3 and SEIU 888

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone (left) and SEIU Local 3 Business Agent Edmund ‘Ike’ Gabriel.

Firemen and Oilers SEIU Local 3, representing the City of Somerville’s custodians, and SEIU 888, representing the City’s crossing guards, have each signed new collective bargaining agreements with the city that ratify three-year contracts for members of both unions through fiscal 2017, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced yesterday.

The City of Somerville will be hosting the Annual Family Fun Day for all those who are young at heart on Saturday, June 28 from noon-5 p.m. at Trum Field.  The celebration includes a free BBQ, children’s activities, face painting, Curious Creatures, Pony Rides and much much more!

Veteran Somerville High School Track & Field Coach Dave Dickerson was recently inducted into the Massachusetts Track Coaches Hall of Fame.

A 1970 graduate of Somerville High, Coach Dickerson began coaching in 1983.

Next steps: 100-day plan for community outreach, development of community process to shape community benefits and standards for redevelopment

Union Square Station Associates (US2) was unanimously selected by the Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA) as the master developer for the Union Square revitalization plan at the SRA’s meeting on Thursday, June 26.

Encourages open stakeholder engagement process for determining land uses and negotiating community benefits for Union Square

Press release from  USN Steering Committee,

Union Square Neighbors (USN), a grassroots, independent neighborhood association comprised of residents and stakeholders in Union Square commended the unanimous decision of the Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA) in choosing US2 as the master developer for Union Square and Boynton Yards.

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)

Last week, I attended the first-ever White House Maker Faire, where President Barack Obama announced a number of efforts to support the next industrial revolution that is happening right now in Somerville, across the region and the nation. As the President said, what better place than the United States for the maker movement to flourish? “This is a place where we know how to invent, and we know how to dream, and we know how to take risks,” he said, “and this is a place where people who work hard have always been able to make it. We want to make sure that continues.” President Obama’s words encapsulate the spirit of The Innovation City that is Somerville and the work we are doing to ensure that the maker movement can continue to flourish in our city.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Joe’s Jazz and Blues Festival took place on Saturday at Powderhouse Park.

Somerville residents were among the hundreds of demonstrators who headed to Boston on June 12 to demand for a $15 an hour minimum wage.