The Walking School Bus is a fun way to spend some quality time with your kids while getting in shape at the same time.

By Emmanuel Vincent

Shape up Somerville along with Somerville Public Schools hosted the “The Walking School Bus” last week at two elementary schools. On Tuesday, the event was led to Capuano School and The Kennedy School on Friday.

By Jim Clark

Police responded to a report of an alleged shoplifting incident last week at the Stop & Shop at 775 McGrath Hwy.

Upon arrival, officers were told by store employees that a man, identified as Sidney Robinson, 41, of Lynn, had been observed concealing two packages of scallops and a package of chicken wings on his person, concealed in his clothing.

On the evening of Thursday June 20, the Somerville Planning Board will hold a public hearing to discuss the proposed development by the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) and Boston-based Cathartes Private Investments (CPI) at 181 & 197 Washington Street in Union Square, Somerville. The hearing will begin at 6:00 pm at the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA),  259 Lowell Street in Somerville. A rally will be held by SCC supporters outside the building beginning at 5:15 pm. Many of these supporters will be holding signs, wearing stickers, and participating in short skits that demonstrate the importance of providing housing opportunities affordable to people of all incomes and ensuring that the pending Green Line Extension is not a ticket out of town for Somerville families.

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.)

In Somerville, and in Massachusetts, we believe in investing in our residents and our local economy. To see the stark contrast between this approach and the slash-and-burn approach elsewhere you need only compare the proposed cuts to the federal nutrition assistance program to a bill on Beacon Hill that would raise the minimum wage. The former stunts a still fragile economic recovery and hurts families and children, while the latter puts money back into the economy by putting in the pockets of those who need a little more.

City urges move to ‘grandfather’ previous food truck vendors. – Photo by Harry Kane.

By Jim Clark

At last week’s general meeting of The Board of Alderman, a proposal was made to have the City Solicitor draft language to amend Article XV of Chapter 8 of the city’s Code of Ordinances to grandfather vendors who operated as food truck vendors under hawker and peddler licenses prior to the effective date of the most recent changes of the ordinance.

The brainchild of Mayor Joe Curtatone, who played trumpet in the Somerville High School Jazz Band, Joe’s Jazz and Blues Festival is back this year.  Starting up the week, the festival make its way through local music venues. Check out the four dates and clubs below. Then on June 22 join us an all-day free concert at Powderhouse Park from noon to 6 p.m.

A graduating class of nine Full Circle High School students took the first step toward their next journey last week at the 2013 Full Circle Graduation Ceremony held at the Dante Club. Congratulations to the 2013 Full Circle Graduates: Delmy Chacon, Katelyn Egan, Nathalie Eloi, Melinda Haley, Katelyn Kenneally, Bridget Millikin, Conor Scarry, Micalo Simon, and Mark Vasconcelos.

– Photos by Bobbie Toner

By Jim Clark

The streets of Somerville rang out in harmonious fashion as The Nave Gallery and the Somerville Arts Council presented the 2nd Somerville Squeezebox Slam on Saturday, June 15.

Cindy Hickey and Rob King were sworn in last week as new members of Commission for Persons with Disabilities. – Photo by Douglas Yu

By Douglas Yu

In Somerville, disabled people have a long history of fighting for full accessibility to the facilities, non-discriminatory treatments in all walks of life and equality of human rights.

Present Alderman for Ward 5, Courtney O’Keefe, is having a campaign rally/kickoff tonight, Wednesday, June 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (the time changed to earlier than the original schedule because of the Bruins Game) at the Olde Magoun’s Salon, right in Magoun Square next to CVS on Medford Street. Courtney has been working very hard since her appointment, meeting with many of the residents in Ward 5. For more information, and if you’d like to help Courtney, you can call 617-224-8328 or go to www.courtneyokeefe.com.