Arrests:
*

Thomas O’Shea, 29, of 187 Lincoln Ave., Saugus, October 21, 9:01 p.m., arrested on a warrant charge of possession of a class C drug.

Adam Scott, 25, of 52 Wellington Ave., Everett, October 21, 10:28 p.m., arrested at 12 Maine Ave. on a warrant charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

In celebration of Family Literacy Month, Somerville early education and care schools, programs, providers and other local community agencies will participate in the 2013 Somerville Early Childhood Literacy Fair on Saturday, November 16, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Arthur D. Healey School. This free event, now in its third year, offers Somerville families an opportunity to gather information about the numerous resources available to families with young children in Somerville.  Families are invited to stop by to learn about a wide range of community resources for families, explore books with their children, partake in a variety of family literacy activities, and meet other parents and friends in the neighborhood.

The City of Somerville has earned the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), which demonstrated a spirit of full disclosure and motivated people to read the report, according to awarding nonprofit Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

Removal of Transfer Station to Unlock Brickbottom for Redevelopment; Wrecking Celebrities Including “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Mario,” and “Miley Cyrus” to Attend Demolition Launch Event

On Monday, the demolition of Somerville’s hulking, long-out-of-place waste transfer station will begin, and a gaggle of wrecking celebrities will join Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston for a “Wallbreaking” Ceremony to celebrate. Wreck-It Ralph, Mario of Nintendo fame, and some kids (because kids love to wreck stuff), as well as the wrecking field’s latest hanger on, “Miley Cyrus,”* will all join in on Monday, October 28, at 4:15 p.m., to give the structure a few good sledgehammer whacks. Demolition company S&R Corporation of Lowell will then knock down part of the structure. (Think of it as a groundbreaking ceremony, but in reverse.)

Somerville School Committee Chair Mary Jo Rossetti and her School Committee colleague Dr. Adam Sweeting testified before a capacity audience at the October 22 Board of Education meeting. Members and other state education leaders listened intently as Rossetti, who is also President of the MA Association of School Committees (MASC) and Sweeting raised valid concerns about the Department’s rush to implement the PARCC (Performance Assessment for Readiness for College and Career) assessment trials at the same time as districts are adjusting to the new educator evaluation requirements, adapting to the new Common Core curriculum and continuing to prepare students for the traditional MCAS testing program.   Rossetti reported on recent conversations with school leaders from New York State where the Common Core testing is already underway, noting that the costs associated with implementation have already topped $2 billion of state and federal dollars (using paper and no technology vs. Massachusetts plan to implement the full use of technology).

As cell phone use increases, phone booths have lost their purpose, but many still remain forgotten on urban streets. So what’s a city to do with abandoned phone boxes on sidewalks and building walls? The City of Somerville’s answer is: Turn them into public art—then hold a roving citywide art opening to celebrate the creative works made for The Phone Art Box Project.

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)

Soon the city will be offering Illumination tours for Halloween decorations. What a racket it’s turned into. There are now specialized stores that pop up a month before the 31st selling all things ghoulish and gory. Costumes and masks can cost upwards of a hundred bucks.

Students from Somerville’s Albert F. Argenziano School running club will be dressing up for the 5^th Annual Super Heroes 5K Run/Walk in Cambridge Sunday that benefits local non-profit organizations.

Special emcee and guests at event on Saturday, Oct. 26; Legendary BU Ice Hockey Coach Jack Parker to speak at ceremony

Five Somerville veterans who founded Somerville Youth Hockey and exemplify service to country and community will be honored when the new ice rink at 570 Somerville Ave., next to the Veterans Memorial Rink, is officially dedicated as the Founders Rink at a special event on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m.

By Jim Clark

While serving as the Street Commander at the SomerStreets event last Sunday, a uniformed officer observed a taxi pass through a road barrier that was clearly marked “ROAD CLOSED” in the middle of School St.