Today the mayors of Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Somerville, and Braintree announced the formation of the Life Sciences Corridor. The partnership, created by Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Cambridge Mayor David Maher, Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, and Braintree Mayor Joseph C. Sullivan, will focus on promoting the robust life sciences sector along the MBTA red line in the Greater Boston region. An event for the announcement was held at the Museum of Science, a middle point between the five partnering cities.

Assembly Row, the area’s newest shopping, dining and entertainment destination, today announced that 32 outlets, restaurants and attractions will be opening as part of its “Grand Opening Season,” which runs from May through September. Additional outlets and restaurants will open during the fall, with more than 10 new tenants expected to open by Black Friday in November.

Arrests:
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Jerry Lamarque, 51, of 32 Summer St., May 5, 3:54 p.m., arrested at home on a charge of abuse prevention order violation.

Anna Nikitenko, 29, of 10 Winter Hill Circle, May 5, 9:43 p.m., arrested at home on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Somerville’s first annual “Somerville Weekend of Play” is scheduled for May 17 & 18, 2014, throughout the city courtesy of the City of Somerville, the Somerville Arts Council, Somerville Recreation and Knucklebones. Whether you associate “play” with musical instruments, theater, physical activity or any other form, Somerville’s goal is to support play in all its various forms on this weekend-long celebration of having fun! All weekend, residents are invited to join the city and Knucklebones for a wide variety of “play,” including the city’s 4th annual PorchFest, and family-friendly activities in parks and open spaces sponsored by the Somerville Recreation Department and Knucklebones, a Somerville-based organization dedicated to providing residents of all ages with fun and unique athletic opportunities.

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)

I can’t believe I have never written an entire article about my mother, Gerry Del Ponte. After all, today IS Mother’s Day, so here goes.

My mom, Geraldine Del Ponte, graduated from Somerville High School in 1944. Now, I am going to try to reconstruct her life the best I can because I am running out of people who were there to ask. Her maiden name was Artone, and she had four brothers: Bernardino, (Bunny) Mike, Joe and Carl. There were also three sisters: Bea, Madeline (Molly) and baby sister Anna, the only living sibling. Their mother died when Anna and my mom were very young, so Bea and Molly actually raised their two sisters.

As the city prepares for the long-awaited Beacon Street reconstruction project, a public meeting to discuss upcoming work and overall improvements to the corridor will be held on Tuesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. at the Argenziano School, 290 Washington St. Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston, and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) invite members of the community to the meeting to hear about updates to the project’s design since the 25% design submission and timeline for construction.

By Jim Clark

Police investigated a reported case of assault of a student at Somerville High School last week.

The investigating officer met with the alleged victim in the school’s Nurse’s Office and gathered facts pertaining to the case, including taking the victim’s statement as to what had occurred.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone invites residents to the Spring 2014 ResiStat Community Meetings, a twice-yearly effort to share the latest City news and data directly with residents and gather their feedback.

Seven neighborhood meetings, one in each ward, will be held in the coming weeks starting Monday, May 12, with the Ward 6 (Davis Square area) meeting. Mayor Curtatone, ward and at-large aldermen, members of the Somerville Police Department, and city staff will discuss issues important to residents and take their questions. Topics will range from crime and safety reports, rodent control, and neighborhood improvements such as road, park, and library projects to a look at citywide initiatives including Green Line station area planning, Union Square and Assembly Square development updates, the city budgeting process, and a word from the Mayor on how the city is using data and a systems approach to improve services and tackle new issues.

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)

Last month Mayor Curtatone filed a proposed ethics ordinance amendment. Its stated goal is that “Non-elected City employees are to work in an effective, efficient, and professional manner, unfettered by political influence by elected officials…”

This purpose is worthy of broad support. But having carefully read the amendment, I have to wonder whether its intended goal is increasing the probity with which elected officials conduct the people’s business, or shifting the balance of power among those officials.

The U.S. Department of Education announced recently that Somerville Public Schools (SPS) is one of 67 agencies nationwide to be awarded a Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant to improve physical activity and nutrition education opportunities for students. Awarded $613,554 for the first of a 3-year project, SPS was one of only two applicants in Massachusetts to be awarded PEP grant funding this year. The total 36-month award was for $1,399,006. Funding amounts of $454,826 and $330,626 for Years 2 and 3, respectively, are contingent upon the availability of future funding, and demonstration of substantial progress toward meeting annual project goals and objectives.