By Jim Clark 

Police were called to the parking lot at 111 South St. last week on reports of fighting in progress at that location.

Upon arrival, officers were informed by the reporting party that he was chasing a man who had just physically assaulted him and vandalized his car. The man reportedly said that he and a friend had chased an individual to the nearby La Hacienda Restaurant.

– Photos by Bobbie Toner 

The 2012 version of Somerville’s historic Sunsetters held auditions Monday night.

The 2012 version of Somerville’s historic Sunsetters held auditions Monday night in the Somerville High School auditorium. A lot of seasoned Sunsetters showed up as well as some new faces. Back for his fourth year as director, Jimmy Del Ponte told us it was tougher this year because the bar has been raised. Jimmy said, “The Sunsetters have a reputation dating back to the 70’s of providing quality performances and we try to carry on that tradition. This year the songs are more difficult. The dances will also be more intricate this year. The rehearsals are the real deal and they promise to be quite grueling. Grueling but fun.”

The Center for Arts at the Armory hosted an incredible group of talented vocalists this past Thursday, May 10th as we kicked off the first night of live auditions for Reaching for the Stars, our singing competition.  Our three esteemed judges have a combined 60 years of on-stage and on-air musical experience and really brought an element of professionalism and style to our contest.  Jimmy Del Ponte, Holli Banks and Gordon Michaels presided over the evening, as hopeful singers threw their hats in the ring for the opportunity to land on the big stage in our Finals on June 22. Winners from May 10th include Jamaal-Clark Turpin, Tavonna Miller and Hillary Simpson. Following please find the event listing. Registration is still open for May 17, 24, and 31.

Poet Robert Echevarria, a student at the Harvard Divinity School, sent us this poem that uses Greek myth to explore child abuse.

The City of Somerville is seeking craft vendors, musicians, performance artists, dancers, visual artists, storytellers and other creative artists to participate in SomerStreets, one of the area’s largest public events where we close the streets to cars and open them to residents for walking, cycling, running, etc.   The 2012 SomerStreets series schedule is:

Arrests:
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Craig Stewart, 33, of 149 Windsor St., Cambridge, May 7, 9:06 a.m., arrested at 14 McGrath Hwy. on warrant charges of destruction of property over $250, operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, and assault and battery.

Jesse Robbins, 29, of 32 Baldpate Rd., Georgetown, May 7, 9:10 a.m., arrested at Blakeley Ave. on a warrant charge of operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Is your yarn stash, fabric pile, button collection getting a little out of control?  Here’s your chance to do a little spring cleaning, find some hidden crafty gems, and support the work of the Somerville Homeless Coalition.

Somerville residents in grades 7 – 12 sought for summer performance group

Auditions for the 2012 Somerville Sunsetters will be held on Monday, May 14, beginning at 6 p.m., at Somerville High School, 81 Highland Ave.  All Somerville residents in grades 7 – 12 are eligible to audition, including students entering the 7th grade and graduating high school seniors. Students wishing to audition must come prepared to sing a song of your choosing, either with music on CD or a capella.  A CD player will be available.  The Sunsetters is a traveling performance troupe which performs classic show tunes and modern musicals in Somerville neighborhoods throughout July and August.

Comcast shifting Boston Metro Gov’t Access channels in FCC-mandated realignment: Education and SCAT channels unchanged: RCN lineup unaffected 

Director of Communications and Cable Thomas P. Champion announced that the City of Somerville’s “City Cable” government access channel, currently broadcast at Ch16 on the Comcast cable system, will be moving to Ch22 effective June 5, 2012.  The move is a result of adjustments Comcast is making to accommodate the FCC-mandated relocation of a Massachusetts-based shopping channel, WWDP.  The city’s Education Channel (Ch15) and Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT, Ch3) are unaffected by the change. RCN subscribers will see no changes in the current locations of any of their public access channels, with City Cable remaining at Ch13, SCAT at Ch3 and the Education Channel at Ch15 on the RCN system.