On Tuesday, January 31, the Somerville Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Breakfast will be held at Mount Vernon Restaurant, 14 Broadway, Somerville. Special guest speaker Congressman Michael E. Capuano will address issues facing the current Congress and will look to hear from Chamber members and guests on issues of importance to the business community. Member cost is $25 and non-members will be charged $30. There is limited seating so make your reservations fast by calling Stephen Mackey at 617-776-4100 or email smackey@somervillechamber.org.    

By Savath Yong

Somerville Food and Nutrition Services is currently accepting submissions for its recipe contest to improve Somerville Public School lunches. The winners will be awarded gift cards, their recipes served on the lunch line and recognition on the menu.

Residents and would-be developers are searching for a resolution to the situation on Summer St.

Neighbors file lawsuit

By Andrew Firestone

After a year and a half in turmoil, it appears that the VFW land swap is headed to Middlesex Superior Court. On December 7, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved the Strategic Capital Group proposal for 29 condominium units on the site of the VFW post. Later that month, a group of neighbors who have adamantly opposed the development on the grounds of unsuitability for the location and alleged underhanded tactics of the developer filed a lawsuit to overturn their decision.

This past Monday, January 16, we once again came together in the spirit of community fellowship to honor the memory and enduring legacy of civil rights champion Martin Luther King, Jr.

AMC Theaters will be placing a state-of-the-art facility at Assembly Row.

AMC to replace the abandoned Loews

By Andrew Firestone

Federal Realty has announced its first tenant to Assembly Row, and the stage is sure to be dazzling. AMC Theaters, the giant movie cinema chain, will be setting up shop with a 60,000 sq. ft. theater, complete with 12 screens (one of them being a vaunted IMAX auditorium), 2,250 seats, and a concession area complete with a full bar and lounge.

– Photo by Stu Rosner

Janet Mendelsohn is a passionate writer who writes about other people’s passions. This Davis Square resident has the ability to hone in on her subject like some predatory literary bird, and peck out what makes them tick—to strain an analogy. I met Mendelsohn on a warm October morning in one of my favorite haunts in Union Square, the Sherman Cafe.

What better place for a memorable kiss than in Union Square across the street from the Sherman Café? Poet/Performer Marc Zegans captures this moment—and I can feel the steam rising.

Open flames landing on rooftops create significant risks, especially in densely populated areas
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Chief Fire Engineer Kevin Kelleher announced  that the Somerville Fire Department had issued a citywide prohibition on the use of  aerial “sky lanterns” or  “wish lanterns.”  The paper or cloth illumination devices are born aloft by the hot air generated from a candle, fuel cell or other open flame.

– Photo by Donald Norton

The winter temperatures were finally here this weekend. It was so cold the seagulls were on land trying to stay warm.

Arrests:
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Jamal Crews-Williams, 20, of 118 North St., January 11, 1:10 a.m., arrested at 180 Somerville Ave. on charges of larceny over $250 and shoplifting by concealing merchandise.

Veranio Monteiro, 32, of 217 Western Ave., Cambridge, January 11, 11:22 a.m., arrested at Mystic Ave. on charges of speeding and operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license.