Arrests:
*

Jose Fuentes, 27, of 20 Otis St., January 7, 10:33 a.m., arrested at 85 Glen St. on charges of drug possession to distribute, drug violation near a school or park, failure to stop or yield, and revoked license.

Alexis Gonzalez, 20, of 33 Carney Ct., Charlestown, January 7, 9:08 p.m., arrested at 74 Gilman St. on charges of discharging a firearm within 500 yards of a building, carrying a firearm without a license, and possession of ammunition without a FID card.

A colleague of mine on the English faculty at Bunker Hill Community College, Gila Rachel has written a very “contained” poem. Hopefully it will help you break out of your winter doldrums.

Candidates submit resumes for vacant Ward One seat

By Donald Norton

The School Committee met Tuesday night to start the interview process for the successor to Ward One School Committeewomen, now Ward One Alderman, Maureen Bastardi.

Somerville Cares About Prevention (SCAP) Program Director Lovelee Heller-Bottari announced that the results of their bi-annual Student Health Survey will be presented in a public forum on Thursday, January 17 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Cross Street Senior Center, located at 165 Broadway.  The results will be presented in the form of a game show, with attendees being divided into teams to discuss topics from the Student Health Survey.  Refreshments and prize drawings are included in the event, and attendees may enter to win a free pizza from Mama Gina’s, a 90-day membership to Boston Sports Club, or a $50 Gift Card to Redbones.

An Owl was spotted in a tree on Thurston Street in Somerville’s Winter Hill area yesterday.

– Photos by John Pratti

On Friday, Andrea Florence Koutis, age 30 of Arlington and Erick Guy Stout, age 35 of Somerville were arraigned in the Third District Court of Middlesex County for their involvement in the January 8, 2013 robbery of the East Cambridge Savings Bank in Arlington, Ma.

– Photo by Zoe Blickenderfer

The Somerville High School Chorus, under the direction of Ms. Beverly Mosby, will be performing at the WorldStrides Heritage Inaugural Music Festival on Saturday, January 19 in Washington D.C.  A group of 29 students will perform three selections that include a song in French, an acappella Spiritual piece, and a contemporary choral selection.  The group will attend the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, and is scheduled to visit numerous historic and cultural sites.  They will also be participating in an awards dinner/dance as part of the Inaugural Music Festival activities that weekend.

The fourth suspect in Monday night’s  police pursuit has been arrested. Patrick Farris, age 21, of Charlestown, was arrested yesterday. He turned himself in at Somerville District Court. He is charged with the same offenses as the other three suspects.

On The Silly Side 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.)

If you look around Somerville you will still see some grand old brick structures that used to be elementary schools. The Brown, on Willow Ave., which was built in 1900, is the last one still actually being used as a school. Some of them have been converted into condos, such as The Lowe School on Morrison Ave. and the Carr School on Atherton.

By Jim Clark

A Somerville police officer, working a paid detail at the Market Basket store on Somerville Ave. last Sunday morning, was alerted to the activities of a suspected shoplifter.

The store manager told the police officer that he had been watching a man in the store as he reportedly placed items into the knitted sleeves of a jacket that he was carrying.