~Photos by Jackie Rossetti 

The 3rd Annual  Mayor’s Fitness Challenge Kick Off  took  place on Saturday, March 31 in the Somerville High Gymnasium. The day featured complimentary fitness bags, exercise demonstrations, healthy snacks and other family-friendly activities and exhibits by Somerville-based organizations promoting a healthy lifestyle. It was also a day for Fitness Challenge participants to weigh in and get revved up to win.

Paul Duhamel's grandson Nick flipping pancakes with Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi. ~Photo by Amanda Rhodes

By Amanda Rhodes

It may have been cold and raining outside, but inside the First Congregational Church on College Ave, adults and children were enjoying the 16th Annual Pancake fundraiser for the Duhamel Education Initiative last Saturday.

The Somerville Police Department is the latest beneficiary of Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian’s Community Work Program, whereby inmates from the Middlesex House of Correction in Billerica contribute to the clean up and restoration of public institutions such as the police station, City Hall, and Department of Public Works building.

Tony Alibrandi, The Somerville News Person of the Week. ~Photo by Donald Norton

Meet Tony Alibrandi, if you don’t already know him! He’s a lifelong resident and in business in Somerville as a barber, taking over the shop his father had started many decades ago. Tony is more than just your friendly neighborhood barber. He’s the man who knows where the bodies are, so to speak. He knows more about Somerville than most, he could be the one to go to if you’ve just moved here and want to find out what Somerville is about. But Tony is probably one of the top five most generous people here in the ‘Ville. He’s sponsored a local softball team for many years, and it’s not unheard of to see that Tony has contributed to just about every sport here in Somerville that is geared towards young people, even to the young-at-heart adults.

Sportswriter John Powers met with Somerville Library patrons in support of the release of his and co-author Ron Driscoll’s Fenway Park: A Salute to the Coolest, Cruelest, Longest-Running Major League Baseball Stadium in America.~Photo by Harry Kane

By Harry Kane

Sportswriter John Powers co-wrote the quintessential Red Sox book, Fenway Park: A Salute to the Coolest, Cruelest, Longest-Running Major League Baseball Stadium in America, in reaction to the ballpark’s 100-year anniversary.

Jessie Vogel’s Strawberry-Blonde from 2010.

Jeremy F. van der Heiden

This past Wednesday, March 28, the Somerville Arts Council held the latest event of the Salon Series at the Arts at the Armory on Highland Avenue. This month’s edition, titled Fiber, was curated by Alexis Kochka, who focused on the art of two contemporary artists, Jessie Vogel and Joetta Maue.

Endicott College Creative Writing student Maxwell Snelling is a dreamer. And dreamers make fine poets. Case in point: “Below the Spider Trees.”

Arrests:
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Melvin Fowlkes, 46, of 23A Mill St., Woburn, March 27, 6:22 p.m., arrested at 90 Washington St. on a charge of assault and battery.

Robert Coleman, 32, of 21 Wentworth Ct., Malden, March 28, 2:56 p.m., arrested at Broadway on charges of possession of a class A drug and possession of a class B drug.

Humanitarian, Author and Navy SEAL to Receive Honorary Degree; Will Be Joined by Distinguished Educator, Biologist, Humanitarian, Social Entrepreneur

Eric Greitens, humanitarian, award-winning author, and decorated Navy SEAL officer, will deliver Tufts University’s commencement address on Sunday, May 20, 2012.

A Somerville man has been found guilty of murder in the first degree for the October 2, 2009 stabbing death of Sheila Dos Santos, 26, of Everett, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public.