12-Hour Period of Sustained High Winds (50 MHP+) Forecast to Begin Late Monday Morning. Somerville Public Schools Cancelled for Monday. Residents Urged to “Shelter in Place.” Monday Trash Pickup Begins at 5 a.m.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced today that, in conjunction with Governor Deval Patrick’s Saturday declaration of a weather-related  State of Emergency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Somerville has declared a public State of Emergency effective 1 a.m. on the morning of Monday, October 29, 2012.  Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi announced that he has cancelled Monday classes and activities for all Somerville Public Schools.  Additionally, Monday morning trash pickup will begin earlier than normal, 5:00 a.m., in order to minimize additional debris caused by unusually high winds.

Update:

Based on current predictions for the track of Hurricane Sandy (currently a Category 1 Hurricane), Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has ordered storm preparations and is reminding all residents of necessary precautions in advance of the storm, which is packing unusually powerful winds and heavy downpours.

Picture yourself with a set of great books on photography and the artists who bring the world into our homes and libraries.

By Kenneth Gloss

As popular as coffee-table books are today, showcasing everything from royal weddings to horses to Adirondack style furniture, it’s hard to imagine that at one time photographs in books were rare. Photographs first appeared in books in the 1840s. At that time, there was no such thing as mass printing of photographs, so each one had to be pasted into the individual books by hand. Of course, these books would have been very expensive, so it was quite rare for a book to contain photographs until technology automated the task and brought down the cost.

It’s never to late to get and stay in shape, especially when the Somerville Council on Aging offers so many opportunities to do so.

Committing to a fitness regime is no easy task at any age. There’s always the challenge of making time in a busy schedule. Add to that the expense that may be involved for gym memberships or some classes. For many, even getting to and from the class location and finding a place to park can be enough to discourage a regular routine.

On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

This article originally appeared in The Somerville News on October 24, 2007.

(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.)

Remember your first job? My first job was delivering newspapers. I used to pick them up at Abe’s office (Davis Square News Agency) on Highland Avenue where the new cupcake place is. I had the “Francesca” route, which included my own street.

With the possible threat of Hurricane Sandy following a track that could have a major impact on New England early next week, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) recommends actions that people can take to minimize the potential damage from this storm.

By Jim Clark

Police were dispatched to an apartment on Canal Lane for a report of a mother wanting her son removed from the residence last week.

As officers arrived at the residence, Kwesi George, 21, son of the woman residing at the home in question, reportedly met them at the door and began walking towards them, whereupon he was advised that he was in violation of a restraining order and that he should place his hands behind his back to be handcuffed, police said.

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.)

No municipal offices are at stake on November 6: Somerville’s next local election will be held in 2013. This is, nonetheless, an extremely important election cycle for our community right down to the neighborhood level. No one should sit this one out. That’s why I have been giving as much of my time as I can spare to three very different campaigns at the national, state and local levels.

Let the music play. Joe’s Jazz & Blues Fest hits Somerville beginning this Saturday with a free open-air concert at Powderhouse Park.

By Jim Clark

The Fourth Annual Joe’s Jazz and Blues Festival, presented by the Somerville Arts Council, is back for another round of great music and community camaraderie. The festival kicks off with a free outdoor concert on Saturday, October 27, from noon to 6 p.m. at Powderhouse Park. Additional performances will be given at various venues during the following week through November 3.

By Jim Clark

A reported case of an unwanted man at Little Sisters of the Poor on Highland Ave. brought police to the facility last Wednesday.

As responding officers arrived, a man, later identified as Shawn Byron, 45, was reportedly observed chasing a nun in a wheelchair towards the front entrance of the building. As the nun reached the main entrance, officers said they observed Byron kick her on her leg and the wheelchair as well.