A Holiday Toy Drive at the Big Kmart located in the Assembly Square Mall in Somerville occurred on Saturday during Black Friday Weekend. Santa, along with his elves, asked shoppers to kindly drop off their unwrapped toys into the rear of the ambulance. The good people at Cataldo Ambulance, Kmart, the Somerville Housing Authority and, of course, Santa sponsored the drive this year, hoping that shoppers would fill that ambulance up to the top for the kids.

Arrests:
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Kelvin Lewis, 22, of 105 Draper, Dorchester, November 21, 7:36 p.m., arrested at 388 Somerville Ave. on charges of assault and battery and disorderly conduct.

Howard John, 29, of 21 Carlton St., November 22, 2:02 a.m., arrested at 21 Sewall St. on a charge of disorderly conduct.

MBTA bus shelters like this one must follow court ordered guidelines when it comes to the types of advertising they display. – Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Jim Clark

When Somerville resident Renée Scott spotted an over sized poster advertising the video game Assassin’s Creed III prominently displayed at an MBTA bus shelter in Union Square she was more than a bit taken aback by the graphic imagery utilized in the ad.

Nine artists from Vernon Street Studios have created new mural panels recently installed on the Central Street-facing side of the Rogers Foam building in Somerville.

By Jim Clark

During the Somerville Board of Alderman meeting of November 20, a resolution was put forward that the City of Somerville’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development consider alternative plans to deal with the public safety and traffic concerns of pedestrians, business owners, residents and cyclists regarding the Beacon Street reconstruction project, specific to the proposed “cycletrak” installation detailed at the November 13, 2012 community meeting.

Spike’s Junkyard Dogs, Davis Square location will be closing this Friday, November 30.  Anyone looking for their Spike’s Junkyard Dogs fix should stop in by midnight on Friday.  For those customers that visit between now and Saturday, they will be given a coupon for a Free Hot Dog or Veggie Dog that may be redeemed at one of two other locations: 108 Brighton Ave., Allston or 1076 Boylston St. (corner Mass. Ave.), Boston. They thank everyone for their patronage in Davis Square and look forward to seeing everyone in Allston or the Back Bay.

Somerville honored Gene Brune by naming him Mayor Emeritus last week. – Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

At their Tuesday meeting on November 20, The Somerville Board of Aldermen presented retiring Register of Deeds Gene Brune a special honor for his ten years serving as the mayor of Somerville. Mayor Curtatone, Alderman Jack Connolly and Alderman Maryann Heuston spoke of the progress that was made during the ten years of the Brune Administration.

SHS Quarterback Phoenix Huertas, flanked by Running Back Troy Martini, calls out signals in the Thanksgiving Day game against Cambridge Rindge and Latin.

By Terence Clarey

If last Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day high school football match up between Somerville and Cambridge Rindge and Latin is going to be a new tradition, Somerville hopes that last Thursday’s outcome does not repeat itself as they dropped the first game to new Turkey Day rival Cambridge 34-30.

Eagle Feathers #14 – Day of Infamy

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

On December 7, 1941, the Empire of Japan attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, launching America into World War II, the most devastatingly destructive conflict in our planet’s history. The next day, the American Congress declared war upon Japan, immediately followed by an additional declaration of war upon Germany on December 9.

Isn’t it obvious? Somerville is a geographically small but densely populated city that has little room for frivolity in how it uses its space.