By Jim Clark

While making a random auto registration query, a Somerville Police unit discovered that the car in question’s registered owner had a suspended license.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Public Library Director, Maria Carpenter, announced  that the City of Somerville has accepted a “Library Card Sign-Up Challenge” from the Town of Arlington and Arlington Public. The Challenge, which will take place through the month of February and also includes the Towns of Belmont and Lexington, proposes to reward the library system that sees the greatest percentage increase in residents signing up for library cards.  Prizes will be issued for new cardholders, culminating in a Grand Prize of an e-book reader to one of the new registrants.

Somerville High School’s trivia team was recently taped on WGBH’s “High School Quiz Show.” The team was one of the top 16 in Massachusetts. Pictured from Left to Right: Graham Lessard-Brandt, RJ Bingham, Zoe Iacovino, John Iacovino, Celine Lessard-Brandt and Miles Bain.

By Cathleen Twardzik

Somerville High School’s trivia team recently made a comeback at WGBH’s High School Quiz Show. The team was one of the top 16 in Massachusetts.

The show was taped on January 26, and will air on March 3 at 6:30 p.m.

Part 1:  The facts
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By William C. Shelton

(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 December, long-time Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche resigned from the Board and was replaced by the Ward’s School Committee Member Maureen Bastardi. The process that the School Committee conducted in selecting her replacement reveals much about how our city’s long-term demographic changes are beginning to affect its political culture.

By Jim Clark

Police were called to a Canal Lane apartment last week, responding to a request to assist in the removal of personal property from the residence.

– Photos by  Charles Daniels

The Nave Gallery Annex celebrated its first event at its Davis Sq. location last Friday with the opening reception for the PICNIC exhibit, now showing through Feb. 8.

By Jim Clark

A police unit was dispatched to a Norfolk Street residence last week after complaints were made about a man damaging the building while attempting to remove copper gutters from it.

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.)

This month, President Obama, and more recently, Senator Diane Feinstein of California, began the difficult debate about gun control. Let me be frank: I am a former gun owner, and a supporter of the rights we are granted as American citizens under the Second Amendment. I am also strongly in support of the plan set in motion by President Obama and Senator Feinstein.

O.N.C.E. in Valhalla, always in Somerville, is a one-of-a-kind Viking-style bacchanal of gastronomic adventure and making merry. – Photo by William Collins

By William Collins

Last Friday night, at the Arts at the Armory on Highland Avenue in Somerville, a journey into the Viking afterlife, Valhalla, replete with Odin, oysters, mead, song, dance, and delightful food took place. Put on by the local restaurant Cuisine en Locale, O.N.C.E. (One Night Culinary Events) in Valhalla was rife with good spirits as a ten course meal was served amid general Nordic frivolity to the sold-out and hungry crowd.

– Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

A good cause was celebrated last Thursday night as former mayor and recently retired South Middlesex County Register of Deeds Gene Brune and members of the Somerville Lions Club honored 85-year-old Murray Kusmin, the sole surviving charter member of Milford Lions. For the past 60 years he has been a member, beginning the quest to help find the cure for blindness. The historic evening was made even more memorable and an extra honor to Kusmin when his grandson, David Kusmin, was installed as a Lion that same night. This makes him a third generation family Lion member. Kusmin’s son Steven, David’s dad, is also a Lion.