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.

By Jim Clark

A police officer on patrol last Saturday spotted a vehicle driving the wrong way through the powder House Rotary and then proceed down Broadway.

The officer followed and stopped the car, then ran a check on the vehicle, which was reportedly found to have a suspended registration.

The officer then approached the vehicle and asked the driver, identified as Steverson Delucien, 26, of Dorchester, whose vehicle he was driving and where he was going.

This week, as city crews begin preparatory work for the city’s annual roadway improvement program and repaving schedule, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced Somerville’s commitment to an additional $1.38 million in the city’s Capital Investment Plan, more than doubling the existing $1.13 million already allocated through Chapter 90 funds in fiscal year 2014. The additional funding will supplement existing roadway improvement and repaving work, and increase preventive maintenance measures to protect and maintain the life of the city’s roadways. An additional $500,000 has been allocated for the installation of ADA ramps citywide. Locations will be determined after receiving public input at a public meeting on May 15. The city has renovated or reconstructed more than 35 miles of roadway since 2004.

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)

Federal transportation funding is on the brink of a crisis that could cripple our economy for years to come. The Highway Trust Fund faces insolvency as gas tax revenues, the primary source of replenishing the trust fund, continue to decline. Massachusetts could lose almost a billion dollars in funding next year, and the Greater Boston region alone could lose $335 million in transportation funding according to a report released last week by nonprofit Transportation for America. Congress has a number of options to choose from that could rescue the Highway Trust Fund and the projects that keep our economy growing, but our leaders in Washington must act quickly and decisively if our nation is to remain competitive in the 21st century global economy.

Kourtney-Shea Yurko and Saladin Islam sing and play for the highly receptive audience at this year’s Youth Peace Conference.

By Jack Adams

Every year for the past eight years, the Somerville Center for Teen Empowerment holds a Youth Peace Conference. The 2014 conference was hosted last Saturday evening at the East Somerville Community School, reopened this year after it burned down 10 years ago.

This year’s conference was called “Rising from the Ashes,” a nod to the rebuilding of the East Somerville Community School having risen from its former ashes. Stephanie Berkowitz, the director of external relations at the Center for Teen Empowerment, said it was also a reference to how all of Somerville has bounced back after setbacks over the years.