By William C. Shelton

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

If you had an urgent need to get to Denver, would you begin by sailing east? Probably not. Most of us don’t pursue important goals by heading in the opposite direction.

Storyteller Aparna from Navarasa.

Grandparent’s Week is always special at the Council on Aging. For Grandparent’s Day they were fortunate to have Navarasa Dance Theater come to the Holland Street Center.

– Photo by Somerville Boxing Club

Tom Leyne from American Legion Post 19 generously presented a check recently to the Somerville Boxing Club.

The Bleachery, which produced finished goods made of cotton and stood where the Conway Rink now stands, was one of Somerville’s largest businesses that benefited from the labor of slaves.

By Terence Clarey

The event was almost canceled due to the unpredictability of New England weather but because of heavy interest, the Somerville Museum decided to go ahead with a scaled down version of a lecture celebrating Black History Month entitled The Somerville I Didn’t Know: The Influence of Africans, West Indians and African Americans on Somerville, 1630-1860. The event was introduced by Cambridge African American Heritage Trail Committee member Kathleen Walcott, and featured Somerville native, poet, and storyteller, Alice Mack.

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

Like most people in America, I hope that the federal government does not do something painful and senseless this Friday by allowing $85 million in arbitrary budget cuts (“the sequester”). It would cut education funding for children with disabilities, eliminate vital Head Start programs for disadvantaged children, curtail meat inspections, slash hazardous waste cleanup funds, compromise our national air defense, eliminate summer jobs programs for teens, make us more vulnerable to public health threats, snarl national air travel, slash money for substance abuse treatment (which is also an anti-crime program), cut money to help victims of domestic violence, eliminate meals for seniors, and leave tens of thousands of children without vaccinations.

By Jim Clark

Police were called to Wally’s Barber Shop on Broadway last Thursday on reports of a man behaving violently and threatening customers.

Upon arrival, officers were waved into the shop by the owner of the business, who then led them to the man who was reportedly causing a disturbance.

By Senator Patricia Jehlen and Kristina Egan

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff  or publishers.)

Transportation is key to Massachusetts’ economic future, but it is currently at risk.

Public transportation’s power to grow our economy and create great communities can be seen in the growth of places like Davis Square, which flourished with the extension of the Red Line in 1985. Today, with development at Assembly Square and construction on the Green Line extension, we are creating jobs in Somerville and making it one of the most well-connected regions of the commonwealth.

Steven Roix was sworn in Tuesday as the new School Committee member representing Ward 1.
– Photo by Alderman Maureen Cuff-Bastardi

By Jim Clark and Donald Norton

The City of Somerville School Committee has a new member representing Ward 1 as of Tuesday afternoon of this week.

The new member, however, is not Benjamin Echevarria, who was selected by the sitting Committee members after a lengthy review process ran its course. Instead, runner up Steven Roix – former Committee member Maureen Cuff-Bastardi’s original recommendation for her replacement – was sworn in to the position at City Hall on Tuesday.

Left to right: Mayor Joseph Curtatone, David Pignone and Sal Querusio work to open a time capsule removed from the cornerstone of the former Saint Polycarp School. Looking on are Ursula Salerno, Meridith Levy and Camille Long. – Photo by Elizabeth Sheeran

Somerville opens St. Polycarp time capsule
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By Elizabeth Sheeran

Camille Amato Long remembers the day in third grade when all the students lined up to sign their names. It was 1951. Harry Truman was in the White House. Ted Williams was playing for the Red Sox. And at Saint Polycarp Catholic School in Somerville, Long and her fellow classmates were committing their names to posterity, in a time capsule placed in the cornerstone of the newly opened school.

The Mass DOT is having an informational meeting for the residents and abutters of the proposed Green line MBTA extension along Ball Square up to Tufts, The meeting is this coming Monday night, March 4 at 7 p.m., to be held in the St. Clements School cafeteria, 579 Boston Avenue, Medford.