Dan Hadley, City employee of Somerville who worked on the happiness survey. ~Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

One thing that TEDx Somerville did well, perhaps better than any other conceivable circumstance, was that it really allowed Somerville’s hidden jewels to shine. These are all members of the community and all of them, all of them, were moved by the idealist streak embedded in twenty-first century techniques.

Collier Clegg gives her best for the Tufts University Jumbos, who were edged out of finals competition by St. Thomas. – Photo courtesy of Tufts

The Tufts University women’s basketball dropped its third round game of the NCAA Tournament, 50-47, to #12 St. Thomas (Minn.) on Friday evening on the campus of the University of Chicago.

Somerville well represented at the Annual Benevolent Jade Society Banquet in Boston

Close to four hundred law enforcement officers and their guest attended the 2012 Benevolent Jade Society Banquet in Boston’s Chinatown District.The city of Somerville was well represented this year at the annual event.

Pictured (L to R): Peter Messina, Master Sergent William Boyden, Mayor Joseph Curtatone, Donald Norton, Rick Willette, Alderman Maryann Heuston, Jeff Harrington, Police Chief Thomas Pasquarello, Marissa Tauro and  Billy Tauro.

Ed Tauro – Photo by Donald Norton

Meet Ed Tauro, manager of Pat’s Auto Body shop, 161 Linwood Street, here in the ‘Ville. Eddie is a great guy and knows his business. He personally takes an interest in all his customers. When you first go in, he’s the guy with a huge smile with the “can I help you” attitude. Pat’s Auto Body always has a great repeat business and welcomes new business all the time. He does a great job on every car that leaves the shop. Call Ed anytime at 617-628-7500 for a job that looks like new and meet a great guy.

The Wearing of the Green is upon us once again, and we are as ready as ever to do it in style.

Whatever one’s ethnic heritage, for one day out of the year, March 17, it’s extra cool to be Irish, and everyone is invited to the party.

“Wicked Girls or Wicked Women? Salem Village 1692” – (L to R) Kaleigh Conte and Emily O’Regan.

Congratulations to Emily O’Regan and Kaleigh Conte of the Kennedy School on their winning entry in the Massachusetts History Day District Competition held March 3 at Winchester High. The entry Wicked Girls or Wicked Women? Salem Village 1692 was a paper group performance entry in the junior division.

My friend, the first Boston Poet Laureate Sam Cornish, sent me this poem for the LYRICAL. We ( Ibbetson Street Press) published his collection of poetry ” Dead Beats” last year and it can be purchased by sending $15 (check or money order) to Ibbetson Street Press  25 School St. Somerville, Mass. 02143 or it can be ordered online at  http://lulu.com/ibbetsonpress.

MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey and MBTA Acting General Manager Jonathan Davis issued  ‘Open Letter to Our Customers’

An Open Letter to Our Customers,

Over the last nine weeks we have engaged in a public process to allow our riders to weigh in on recommendations for closing a $159 million budget gap next year. As we conclude that process this week, we want to take a minute to thank you for the unprecedented level of engagement you demonstrated over this period.

The Mayor’s Young Somerville Advisory Group (YSAG) invites all interested Somerville residents to attend a networking event during their monthly meeting on Wednesday, March 21.

I have known these two dynamic poets for a number of years now and have seen them branch out into the poetry community—starting their own series, releasing new books, winning awards—and now these talented women are instrumental players for the Mass. Poetry Festival to be held April 20 to 22 in Salem, Mass. Jennifer Jean has been on the English faculty at Salem State University for awhile now and January O’Neil left a plum post at Babson College to join the faculty as an Assistant Professor of English at Salem, in addition to being appointed the Executive Director of the Festival. Jennifer Jean has recently released her third collection of the “Archivist,” and O’Neil will be releasing a new collection of poetry “Misery Island” (Kavan Kerry Press) in the coming months. I talked with them on Poet to Poet: Writer to Writer on Somerville Community Access TV.