The American Red Cross Blood Drive is taking place at Somerville High School,  Monday, January 9, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund (TNSF) committee recently awarded grants to 10 organizations in Somerville. TNSF collects donations from university employees throughout the year and then awards grants to community-based, charitable organizations that serve Tufts host communities (Somerville, Medford, Grafton, and Boston’s Chinatown) and that actively engage Tufts volunteers in their work.

A Creative Writing student in my class at Endicott College Taryn Moore wrote a poem titled “existing.”  And baby—sometimes it’s just good to get by with whatever gets you through the dark night of the soul.  

Somerville Chamber of Commerce to Hold MBTA Ad Discount Workshop on January 13
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The Somerville Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Mayor Joseph Curtatone and the Somerville Board of Aldermen, led by Rebekah Gerwitz and Bruce Desmond, has announced that the MBTA will be offering an exclusive ad discount for Somerville businesses to aid in the economic recovery due to the impact of weekend T station closures. The MBTA, through its ad contractor Titan 360, is offering discounted 12, 24 and 40 week ad packages. The program will kick off with a workshop on January 13th at Saloon in Davis Square.   The Chamber and the city are now working with the MBTA to aid in economic recovery of lost business activity during the shut down and to promote Somerville as a destination.

City marks 236th anniversary of ‘Grand Union’ flag raised on January 1, 1776 by George Washington on Prospect Hill
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~Photos by Donald Norton

Municipal trash and recycling pickup for the week of January 2, 2012 will follow a holiday schedule, with pickups occurring one day later than normal across the city. Residents should put out their trash one day after their regular day, as is usual in a week with an official Monday holiday.  Because New Year’s Day, a national holiday, falls on a Sunday this year, the official observance of the holiday will occur on Monday, January 2.

On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte 

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

When I think of New Year’s, the first thing that comes to mind is resolutions. This year, I am not making any. Instead, I will put a few things on the “suggestion list” and try to improve myself on several fronts. The obvious ones are more exercise, less junk food, and more patience. I always forget to count to ten. That just about covers me. New Year’s Eve is a time for having fun with family and friends.

By  Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

I’m very, very happy to live in Ten Hills but – especially at this time of year – I always find myself thinking about Prospect Hill.

It’s the neighborhood where I grew up and went to grade school (in the building that until recently housed the Boys and Girls Club), and it’s the neighborhood where Nancy and I first settled down and began our family.  During the week between Christmas and New Year’s, it’s only natural to think about where you spent your traditional family holidays.  For me, Prospect Hill was the backdrop for all those memories: the kitchens; the Christmas trees; the lit-up houses; the caroling; the snowball fights; the parties; the midnight masses, the giving and receiving of presents – and, years later, the births of my four sons.

The funk hits the fan this New Year’s Eve, as Booty Vortex rocks Johnny D’s as only they can do.

By Max Sullivan

New Year’s Eve is a time for everyone to celebrate, and local funk and soul band Booty Vortex will be laying down the groove at Johnny D’s in Davis Square this Saturday night for those in need of an old school alternative to the more common thud of modern club music.

Following are the results of the Holiday Classic on Tuesday at the Reggie Lewis Center. This was a meet that featured schools from over New England.