The Alibrandis keep racking up the victories, thanks largely to superior pitching, according to team coach Cam Lynch. – Photo by Harry Kane.

By Mike Stoller

It was an especially stunning week for the Somerville Alibrandis baseball team, which played its 700th regular season game in franchise history, while racking up four more wins to improve its Yawkey League leading record to 18-2.

Ross Joyner takes the reins at Assembly Row, Federal Realty Trust.

By Donald Norton

Mr. Ross Joyner has been appointed VP and General Manager of Assembly Row, Federal Realty Investment Trust earlier this month.

(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.

Dear Editor,

Last week’s letter by Mr Plymesser missed some salient issues. The proposed 181-197 Washington St redevelopment is typical with the developer mind set of cramming the maximum number of housing units into a given space, without regard for the community or sensible urban design.  Obviously, maximizing profit is the motive, not community regard. The proposed plan includes the demolition of the historic Cota Funeral Home, a landmark in the area, to make way for a parking lot.

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My Perspective of the Ever Changing Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene
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Doug Holder

I remember coming to Boston to go to college in 1973. Back then you basically had (according to my recollection) the academic poetry crowd, fed by the plethora of universities and colleges in the area, and the alternative crowd of non-academic barbarians  in the Stone Soup Poetry group founded by the late Jack Powers. Before 1998, at least for me and many others I knew in the world of the small press, you made poetry chapbooks the old fashioned way. This was a xeroxed affair, with actual cutting and pasting the text on the page. You would take your primitive booklet to the old Copy Cop on Boylston Street in Boston and hand your baby to the clerk. You hoped for the best. Our first issue of Ibbetson Street  was handled by a friend of mine Jim Resnick—an employee of Copy Cop.  Also during the 70’s and 80’s poets were generally unplugged, not hooked up, for the most part low-tech creatures. They were not adorned by earphones, Google Glasses–their fingers did not expressively dance out text messages. A poet would walk down the street—taking it all in—a regular Walker in the City—as Alfred Kazin aptly put it.

Arrests:
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Christopher Marshall, 28, of 22 Minnesota Ave., July 8, 4:40 p.m., arrested at 775 McGrath Hwy. on a charge of larceny over $250 and on a warrant charge of operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Kelly Smith, 35, July 9, 7:04 p.m., arrested at 115 Alewife Brook Pkwy. on charges of trespassing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.

Do Blondes have more fun?  Poet Tiffany McDonnel ponders this question. She wrote to the LYRICAL:  “Poetry was my focus as an undergrad in creative writing; my BA is in English. I did a lot of readings up in Vermont and hosted the WBTN poetry hour; a local radio station for the colleges in the area.”

With temperatures in the 90s predicted for the rest of the week, the City of Somerville has opened two cooling stations.

A cooling station is open at the Ralph and Jenny Center, 9 New Washington Street, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. A second cooling station is open at the Holland Street Center, 167 Holland Street, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

Quality of life issues addressed efficiently, better service over the counter and on the phone

In a move to provide enhanced customer service, City of Somerville Inspectional Services is introducing several new improvements this month that should benefit residents, businesses and contractors alike. New Inspectional Services office hours were introduced on July 1 that align better with both contractors’ work schedules and resident needs, and a new permitting process will make it easier to submit applications for permits and receive approval.

Ceremonial Groundbreaking for East Broadway Reconstruction Project, Ribbon Cutting to officially re-open Chuckie Harris Park

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 1 Alderman Maureen Bastardi announce two events to celebrate the ongoing renovation along East Broadway. On Monday, July 15 the City of Somerville will partner with East Somerville Main Streets (ESMS) for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the East Broadway Reconstruction Project that began in Fall 2012. The city will also officially re-open the recently renovated Chuckie Harris Park on Cross Street East. The events will begin at 6 p.m. at Chuckie Harris Park, followed by a short walking tour of East Broadway led by the Mayor. A reception will follow the tour, and light refreshments will be served at Harris Park prior to the speaking agenda.

The City of Somerville’s “Somerville by Design” community planning series continues this month with Visioning Sessions for the East Somerville and Davis Square neighborhoods. The Visioning sessions will be the second of four events in each process to help the city create a roadmap for future development based on community needs and wishes in these areas. Somerville by Design series were conducted for Station Area Planning surrounding the proposed Green Line Extension in 2012. Upcoming meetings in each neighborhood are as follows: