Are you up to the challenge? Better eat your Wheaties and get signed up for the activities to come.

Spring is here and the Fourth Annual Mayor’s Fitness Challenge kicks into high gear in April 2013.  The Mayors Fitness Challenge is a program of the city’s Shape Up Somerville initiative, designed to encourage active living, healthy eating, and overall wellness among community members of all ages.

Director of Economic Development and Disability Coordinator Join City as of April 

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced today the addition of two new city employees, Mr. Ed O’Donnell and Ms. Betsy Allen filling the positions of Director of Economic Development and Disability Coordinator, respectively.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

(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.)

Lots of onions? No hot stuff? Whatever you wanted you could get at one of the many sub shops that deliciously dotted the Ville.

Somerville Community Access Television launched a new website that streams Channel 3 over the Internet to the world. www.scatvsomerville.org allows users to watch the live stream and select individual programs for on-demand viewing. Users will also find up to date news about events, the SCATV Facebook feed, classes, featured programs, art gallery exhibits, and more. Members can now post crew calls on the site and pay on line for classes and to renew their memberships.

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.)

For decades Somerville’s underused industrial buildings have provided super cheap spaces for musicians, dancers, theatrical and circus performers, sculptors, painters, tinkerers and every manner of casually creative folk to practice, network and grow their craft in the urban landscape.

David Tonnesen recently photographed the comet Pan_STARRS from the vantage point of Prospect Hill. The circular inset (above) shows an enlarged view of the comet.

March 31 will be the last day the Somerville Stock Exchange (SSE) community art project will be open. Until then, people are welcome to participate, but as of April 1st, the project will be over.

By Jim Clark

Police were called to 74 Walnut St. late Sunday night on a reported street fight in progress.

Upon arrival, officers noted that a group of men were fighting in the middle of the street and that traffic was gradually backing up.

By Joseph A. Curtatone

I want to talk this week about seizing opportunities.

During the past decade, Somerville has become a model city. We have no shortage of other communities asking about how we did it. They want to become healthier places to live. They want thriving local business districts. They want to deliver a higher quality of life to their residents.  In short, they like what they see when they look at Somerville, and they want to imitate many of the things we do. I tell them you really need to rally your entire community behind a shared vision. I also tell them it is critical to seize your opportunities.

Students from Kennedy, Healey, West Somerville and Argenziano schools recently gathered together along with family members, teacher, and volunteers for the annual π Night Celebration.