What’s going on up at Magoun Square? The city just spent millions doing over the entire square. New sidewalks, streets, and when it was done it looked really good – until the company that did the work did it wrong. We hear that Alderman Sean O’Donovan has been so upset over this being done to the residents and business owners he’s asked the administration to sue the company. The streets are a mess and the cost is more than just tearing things up and repaving. What about the five police officers standing there getting paid, the loss to businesses, and the pain of driving through? Hopefully, that company will pick up that bill. But when all is said and done what a huge stupid mistake for the residents of Somerville to go through. One wonders if this was Newton would they allow this to happen? There should be a penalty for these companies that do this. If they made a mistake then not only should they pick up the cost of doing it over but a fine by the city for the inconvenience to the businesses should be levied, and those funds should be given to the local businesses as compensation.

By June of 2018, all Greenline stations will be completed through College Ave.

By Emmanuel Vincent

This past Thursday, June 7, a Ward 7 community meeting was the held at the Tufts Administration Building.  It was the first of two meetings that will take place this year. Approximately 100 people were in attendance. They had a chance to get feedback and also were able to ask questions if they needed answers. The speakers at the meeting included members of the police force and Mayor Curtatone.

The Magoun Sq. area awaits repaving. – Photos by Bobbie Toner

Magoun Square had to be torn up again because back in February the contractors ended up paving the roads on a very cold night, causing it to settle incorrectly.  Mayor Joe Curtatone walked the area and noticed problems with the paving. He insisted the entire area be torn up and done over correctly and that the costs should be passed on to the contractor.

It appears as though the City of Somerville will be spared public employee layoffs if Mayor Curtatone’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 is accepted and implemented according to plan. Many who depend on these jobs are breathing a collective sigh of relief as this news is disseminated throughout the city grapevine.

RESPOND, Inc. was this year’s grateful beneficiary of the Taste of Somerville event. – Photo by Bill Rogers

By Tatiana Kombo

On June 5, over 30 restaurants from the Somerville area gathered for the 14th annual Taste of Somerville event at the Holiday Inn. Participating eateries included Highland Kitchen, the infamous Redbones- which celebrated its 25th birthday this year- and Kickass Cupcakes.

The Somerville News Person of the Week, Bert Gay

Meet Bert Gay, husband of Dorothy Kelly Gay, a nice guy who has had some health setbacks of late, but he doesn’t show it. He was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and had a long stay at Mt. Auburn Hospital. The bad news, according to Bert, was a setback. But he’s turning that around and making positive strides to get better and enjoy a long life with his wife Dorothy. Born in England about 70 years ago, he later met Dot his wife-to-be as she served as a nurse in England. They both immigrated here to Somerville in 1968.

Rosie Rosenzweig.

Rosie Rosenzweig is a woman who has studied the creative mind for years and has found that creativity is a meditative process that often leads to compassion. She is a Jewish woman with a ravenous appetite for all things Buddhist, and speaks with a rapid fire cadence about many subjects with intelligence and authority.

Somerville Girl Scout Troop 1318 in Washington D.C. for the 100th Anniversary Sing Along. – Photo by Nicole Estey

On Saturday, June 9, over 250,000 Girl Scouts, families and friends gathered in Washington D.C. at the National Mall for a sing along to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts of the USA. Hot temperatures did not dampen the spirit of hundreds of thousands of Girl Scouts there to celebrate the anniversary. Juliette Gordon Low founded the first Girl Scout troop on  March 12, 1912 with 18 girls. Today there is reported to be a total of 3.6 million girls and adults.

JEAN MONAHAN is the author of three books of poetry: Hands (chosen by Donald Hall to win the 1991 Anhinga Prize); and Believe It or Not and Mauled Illusionist, both published by Orchises Press (1999 and 2006). She has received several awards and an artist residency at Yaddo. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals and magazines, including Poetry, The New Republic, Atlantic Monthly, and Salamander, as well as in several anthologies. Her MFA in Creative Writing is from Columbia University’s School of the Arts.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Office of Strategic Planning of Community Development (OSPCD) invite all interested community members to a series of meetings to discuss upcoming Davis Square Streetscape improvements. Through this process, the City will evaluate existing and future transportation needs in Davis Square – including public transit, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and vehicular traffic patterns – beginning this summer. While a needs assessment is currently underway, under the direction of the City’s Director of Transportation and Infrastructure, Hayes Morrison, the City will look to improve multi-modal transportation in the square, including bus and traffic operations as well as potential traffic calming measures. Additionally, the project would include an updated streetscape, including renovated sidewalks, lighting, trees, benches, trash receptacles, wayfinding signs and public art.