— Photos by Bobbie Toner

The 12th Ras na hEireann U.S.A. 5K road race sponsored by Marathon Sports & Mizuno was held Sunday, March 16, in Somerville.

The 25th anniversary for the Somerville Commission for Women is tonight (Wednesday, March 19) from 6-8 at the East Somerville Community School (50 Cross St.). Join the commissioners of past and present to look at the past, present, and future of women’s priorities, initiatives and programming for Somerville. The event is hosted by Nancy Gaudet-Bacci.

Patsy’s Pastry Shop and the house next to it are slated for removal, making way for a new mixed-use residential and retail presence on the site. — Photo courtesy of Somerville Assessing Department

By David R. Smith

The Planning Board approved two projects, one in East Somerville and one in Union Square, at its most recent meeting, each of which had raised concerns – and in one case a lawsuit – from neighbors and abutters.

Somerville Pride played at Mass Premier Courts in Foxboro against King Philip and won with the final score of 21-19. Pictured: Back row — Coach Dale Estey, Kenzi Ramadam, Vedrana Stantic, Elizabeth McEwen, Jada West, Kimberly Toner, Corinne McKellar, Madisson Powell, Josphine Rizzo, Coach Jay Rizzo. Front row — Ava Cannisharo, Bridget Frazier, Jill Hutchinson, Chloe Wilson, Katie Ziko,  Missing from picture is Audrey Bocage and Coach Nicole Estey.

— Photo by Courtney Rizzo

God bless all of you bicyclists.

And you walkers and bus waiters and T riders.

Maybe you can’t afford a car, or maybe you could but don’t want to spend the money. Or maybe you are just really committed in a hardcore way to not having any sort of carbon footprint. Whatever your reasons and beliefs, you’ve been out there through this long, cold winter, day and night (the smarter among you with bike lights and reflective clothing), pedaling your butts off and making those off us in our salt-covered (though well-heated) cars feel both thankful and guilty for opting to choose the desire for creature comforts over concerns about climate change.

Former Ward 5 Alderman and long-time community advocate, Courtney O’Keefe.

By Courtney O’Keefe

Over 30 residents took to the West Somerville Neighborhood School Tuesday, March 11, to brainstorm ideas on how Somerville can best utilize its green spaces and community places with a concentration on playgrounds, community gardens, fields, plazas and streetscapes.

Eagle Feathers #48 –Seven Hills to Seven Seas

By Bob (Monty)

“From the seven hills to the seven seas” would be an appropriate description of the lives of thousands of Somerville men and women throughout the years. Long ago, the city’s location was a high-tide island called “Charlestown Beyond the Neck.” Its watery perimeter was made up of the Mystic River to the north, the Alewife Brook to the west, Tannery Brook and Miller’s River to the south, and the Charles River with its millponds, to the east.

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Somerville Bagel Bard Dennis Daly has a new collection of poetry out, Night Walking with Nathaniel, poems of Salem. This week I have Michael Todd Steffen, poet, critic, and author of the new poetry collection Partner, Orchard, Day Moon (Cervena Barva Press) as guest columnist and reviewer.

Ben Potrykus plays in the band Bent Shapes and puts out a zine called Cake Time. His writing has appeared in The Boston Counter Cultural Compass, and on Vice.com. By day, he works at a local non-profit, focusing on homelessness prevention.

Arrests:
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Michael Anderson, 58, of 4525 S. Trask St., Tampa, FL, March 7, 5:39 p.m., arrested at 15 Elm St. on a charge of operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor.

Bachir Ouchene, 50, March 8, 3:04 p.m., arrested at 239 Elm St. on warrant charges of possession of a burglarious instrument, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.