Elephant is holding an album release show at Precinct on April 16. – Photo by Joe Renken

By Sanjeev Selvarajah

The band Elephants is having an album release show at Somerville’s Precinct on April 16 at 8 p.m. This fantastic four is made up of Lauren Garant on guitar and vocals, Ryan Young also on guitar, Meagan Day on bass, and Mike Cashin on drums. Under the disguise of an alternative band their medleys are delightfully new wave with a post-punk banner.

By Mimi Graney

(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.)

While Somerville never achieved the scale of industrial development that cities like Lowell, Lawrence and Waltham did, for a century and a half, its economic base was manufacturing.  In the nineteenth century, Somerville boasted major employers in meat packing, glass production, and brickmaking. In the twentieth century, printing and food production grew in prominence, two clusters that continue on a more modest scale today.  These manufacturers provided living wages for workers at a variety of skills levels, helping to establish Somerville as a community of diverse classes and enabling many people to live and work in the city.

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.)

With winter and snow seemingly behind us at last (if you’re superstitious, go ahead and knock on wood) we turn our attention to the spring and all that it entails: warmer weather; the reintroduction of Hubway stations throughout the city; green grass and flowering plants; and of course, the return of our ever-expanding annual events, beginning with the Citywide Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 27. All over the city, residents are going to be raking up debris, rooting out weeds, disposing of waste, and preparing our open spaces for the arrival of spring, all in the spirit of civic pride.

Anti-bullying initiatives are taking hold as greater awareness of the issue is gained by parents, teachers, and bystanders who witness bullying incidents.

By Harry Kane

Research shows that most students have been bullied or witnessed bullying at some time during their school years. This form of youth violence is more than simple intimidation; attacks often occur repeatedly between the same students with the intent to cause harm. While physical abuse and name-calling are common forms of bullying, electronic aggression is on the rise.

Sugar Man found. Rodriguez brings his timeless music to a Somerville audience this Friday evening.

By Blake Maddux

In his 1992 song Talking New Bob Dylan, singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III sings about how record labels sought with impatient greed to sign a worthy successor to rock and roll’s undisputed poet laureate in the 1970s.

Kennedy School students and teachers have much to celebrate after the great showing made at the Massachusetts National History Day competition. – Photo by Ellen Conte

On Saturday, April 6, twelve students from the Kennedy School took part in the Massachusetts National History Day competition, with over 300 students competing from 51 schools.

The Kennedy School had a successful day. Of the six projects that competed, four won awards. Three of the projects will be heading to the Nationals in June at University of Maryland.

Duvinson Norestant played host Dr. Duvy in Saturday night’s Late Night with Teen Empowerment show. Duvy’s main message to the audience was, “Every youth makes a mistake, but you have to have the desire to get back up, and it’s never too late to get back up.”

By Pamela Cyran

Late Night with Teen Empowerment, held April 6, 2013, was the kick-start to Peace Month, which will last throughout April. In the form of a late night talk show, Somerville youth addressed community issues through theater, music, and spoken words (poetry and speeches). Many shared personal stories.

Local students plant garden with First Lady
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Ariana Docanto (left) from Somerville’s Healey School planted wheat seats with First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House kitchen garden. – Photo by Susana Hernandez Morgan

By Elizabeth Sheeran

Not every fifth-grader can say they’ve shared some dirt with Michelle Obama. But five lucky kids from Somerville’s Arthur D. Healey School travelled to Washington, D.C. last week to help the First Lady plant the White House kitchen garden.

The cycle track proposed as part of the Beacon St. reconstruction has many enthusiastic advocates, as well as a number of concerned detractors. – Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Harry Kane

Planned reconstruction on Beacon Street has been under discussion since the late 1990’s, but the delays in funding kept pushing the project back on the city’s agenda. Now it looks like Beacon Street will be reconstructed with a cycle track included.

Don’t forget two events happening this weekend. The City of Somerville and Union Square Main Streets invite everyone to the 4th annual “Mayor’s Fitness Challenge,” which will kick off with a celebration and Fitness Fair on Saturday, April 13 at the Somerville High School Field House, 81 Highland Ave.  The Fitness Challenge encourages community members to pledge to embody the Shape Up Somerville motto, “Eat Smart, Play Hard, Move More,” by making smarter food choices and increasing daily physical activity. The kickoff event will be held at the Somerville High School Gymnasium from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. on April 13, and all members of the public are invited.