Kenneth Gloss holds a picture of himself as a child with his father, working together in the book store.

By Shirley Kawa-Jump

Kenneth Gloss is a rarity: he loves to go to work each day. Handling leather-bound volumes of Shakespeare and first editions of Charles Dickens are part of what fuels his passion for books. Gloss, owner of the Brattle Book Shop in Boston, fills his days weeding through old volumes and texts, looking for pieces of buried treasure.

Right Now!, a benefit event organized by We Are Music, is holding a one-night festival of events from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Feb. 1, at Brooklyn Boulders, 12A Tyler St., with 100 percent of ticket proceeds being donated to benefit rebuilding efforts in the Philippines post-Typhoon Haiyan via Architecture for Humanity.

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)

If you grew up in the ‘60s and ‘70s in West Somerville and delivered newspapers, you probably worked for Mr. Abe Learner. Abe was the boss. “Better get going” was one of Abe’s favorite sayings as he tried to get us out to start delivering our papers.

Franchot Tone. – Photo by Ben Moon

By Max Sullivan

It’s been a little more than five years since South Hamilton native Franchot Tone started down the road to becoming a lead singer. Now, with one solo album under his belt and another in the works, the reggae/surf/pop singer is on tour with Nick Hexum, lead singer of 311. The tour includes one show at the Sinclair in Cambridge this Sunday night.

Tone has played with plenty of high-profile musicians. He plays lead guitar in the California-based Culver City Dub Collective, a group that has opened for artists like Jack Johnson and Toots and the Maytals. Johnson even recorded with the group on one of their albums.

What’s different with the Hexum shows is that Tone gets to open as a solo artist, something that is still relatively new to him. He did not release a solo album until 2012.

Massachusetts College Goal Sunday program now in its 10^th Year

College Goal Sunday provides students and their families with important information and resources for acquiring financial aid. – Photo by Harry Kane

Somerville High School will host FAFSA Day Massachusetts, a College Goal Sunday program this Sunday, January 26, 2014 from 1-3 p.m. All high school seniors and other adult students considering attending college during the 2014-2015 academic year are encouraged to participate in this free event.  Financial Aid counselors from area colleges will be on hand to help seniors, parents and guardians complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are asked to register for FAFSA Day online at www.FAFSAday.org, or by telephone at (877) 424-7627.

By Jim Clark

While on route to the Somerville Police Station last Thursday evening, police officers took notice of couple crossing a McGrath Hwy. intersection against a red light.

The officers in the vehicle reported that they had to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting the man and woman.

Deputy Chief Jim Lucia directs operations at a Second Alarm fire at 81 Mt. Vernon Street on January 23rd. – Courtesy of Somerville Fire Department.

A two-alarm fire heavily damaged a two-family home at 81 Mt. Vernon St. Thursday, Jan. 23, leaving it uninhabitable for its seven occupants.

The fire was reported by a tenant on  the third floor of the two-and-a-half-story home who heard the fire alarms go off and then  saw smoke. He was able to safely exit the building. The first alarm was sounded  at 9:26 a.m. followed soon after by a second alarm. Firefighters arrived to find  heavy fire conditions issuing from several first-floor windows.

Lt. Tom Tierney opens up the roof at 81 Mt. Vernon Street to get ahead of fire spreading in the roof area.

All Somerville  apparatus responded along with additional companies from Boston and Cambridge Damage is estimated to be in excess of $100,000. The fire is presently  under investigation but is not deemed to be suspicious.

By Mike Browne

(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)

My passion for history and nostalgia began over 20 years ago while I was dating (my now wife) AnnMarie.

Her family home (The Carey’s) was one of the warmest most inviting homes I had ever been invited into. Her mom always seemed to have something baking in the oven and the family dog (Snuggles) was always waiting for you at the door with her tail wagging.

The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers’ Somerville office is located at 92 Union Square.

The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) has expanded its operating hours and services at its newly remodeled Somerville office at 92 Union Square.  The new hours are noon to 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, and noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays.