Meet Margie McKenzie, a lifelong resident here in Somerville. She’s 87 years young, a graduate of Somerville High, and married 63 years to her lifelong best friend and husband John McKenzie. Right up to when John passed away a couple of years ago they served this community together for many years. In particular, cooking and serving at the local community church, which was open to anyone who just came by and dropped in. You can find Margie most every day down at the Florist shop Nellie’s Wild Flowers on Holland Street, which is run by Joyce her daughter.

Additional SYSO tryouts will be held on Tuesday, April 2, from 6-7 p.m. at Trum Field.

After an overwhelming response to the Somerville Youth Softball registration and tryouts this past weekend at Trum Field, the SYSO is adding one last tryout/registration date at Trum Field on Monday, April 2, from 6-7 p.m.

Arrests:
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Ashley Barberian, 20, of 5 Hamilton Rd., March 19, 6:59 p.m., arrested at North St. on warrant charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Ibbetson Street Press poet Linda Larson.

For a number of years I have nominated poets and writers for The St. Botolph Emerging Artist Award. This award presented by the St. Botolph Club in the Back Bay of Boston is given to talented, emerging artists, or artists who have not received wide spread acclaim as of yet. This year I have nominated Ibbetson Street Press poet Linda Larson. We have published a fine collection of her poetry, and she has been in the magazine Ibbetson Street a number of times. She has survived many hardships and has become a superb poet.

B.Z. Niditch is a well-known poet in the small press. He dedicates his poem ” No April Blues” to poet Ed Galing, who at 95 is still publishing his work in a variety of literary journals. The poem reeks with jazz… and I dig it.

By Harry Kane

Marc Strathmeyer, 26, has overcome adversity through years of encouragement from the staff at a Somerville nonprofit developmental disability center.

Sponsored by Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, unanimously passes Somerville Board of Aldermen

At their meeting on Thursday, March 22, the Somerville Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a resolution offered by Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz in support of state legislation pertaining to supporting unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. Aldermen Maryann Heuston, Tony Lafuente, William Roche, Thomas Taylor, and Dennis Sullivan co-sponsored the resolution.

Memorial service honoring George Dilboy. – Photos by Donald Norton

By Donald Norton

Mayor Joseph Curtatone, city officials, about 100 Greek residents and members of the community joined together Saturday to celebrate Greek Independence Day, March 24, 1821. The ceremony took place outside City Hall at the memorial of Somerville’s hero George Dilboy, the first American Greek to receive the Medal of Honor during World War I. Mayor Curtatone and Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston welcomed everyone.  At the ceremony, The George Dilboy Humanitarian Award was presented by Somerville Fire Fighter Michael Marino to Somerville Police Officer, Mario Oliviera. The Lifetime Achievement  Award was presented by Theodore Menounos to Frank Senesi, who recently retired as City of Somerville’s Veterans Services Director.

Left to right (back); Rui Domingos, Joseph Cerqueira, Maria Santos, Isaac Machado and Paul Ferreira. Left to right (front); Leandra Furtado, Michaela Clare Peterson, Jacqueline Homsi and Kevin Ngan

CPCU Credit Union awards $4,000 in scholarships to recipients of the Carlos Faria and Victor Da Silva Memorial Scholarship.

CPCU Credit Union Scholarship’s Committee awarded four scholarships of $1,000 each to college-bound Credit Union members during their annual meeting held on March 8, 2012. Scholarship recipients for the 2012-2013 school year are Leandra Furtado of Peabody, Jacqueline Homsi of Somerville, Kevin Ngan of Natick and Michaela Clare Peterson of Cambridge. Scholarship recipients are selected based on financial need, scholastic merit as well as their level of community and school involvement. “The Credit Union is proud of the academic scholarship and achievements of all our applicants, especially our scholarship recipients.  We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors,” commented Isaac Machado, Scholarship Committee Chair.

Area au pairs recently experienced the sweetness of maple syrup production at the Belmont Habitat.

Bettina Velona, counselor for Au Pair in America in Somerville, recently offered a Maple Sugaring Tour at the Belmont Habitat for her Somerville area au pairs and to au pairs who live in the Boston area. In addition to Bettina’s monthly meetings with her group, monthly regional events like this give these young women from all over the world a chance to participate in culturally relevant activities.