Results of the Somerville High School girls track meet held at Dilboy Stadium on Thursday, April 5, are as follows:

Nicole Genard set a new SHS record in the long jump of 18’5” – breaking her own record of 18’0 set when she was a freshman in 2009. Genard also placed first in the javelin throw with a distance of 121’0.

Dennis Daly has been many things in his eclectic life. He has been a union organizer, an English graduate student at Northeastern University, a mental health worker on the night shift on a back ward, a columnist for The Salem News, and  a world traveler–who chose to traverse the dangerous hinterlands of Afghanistan,and other hotspots around the world. Daly, who can be found at the ungodly hour of 8 a.m. every Saturday at the Au Bon Pain in Davis Square at the Bagel Bards literary group meeting, is also a poet and a translator. Daly, who has published poetry when he was a young man, has now come back to the fold and in a big way. Over the years he has been published in numerous magazines and small poetry journals such as The Sou’wester, Lyric, Boston Today Magazine, Soundings East, Tendril, Poetry &, Dark Horse, Green House, Lyrical Somerville, Wilderness House Literary Review and is included with two other poets in a chapbook entitled 10 X 3, published by Northeastern University Press. And now he has just completed a verse translation of Sophocles’ Ajax, which is published in the current issue of Wilderness House Literary Review.

Our guest poet is Timothy Gager. Timothy Gager is the author of nine books of poetry and fiction. His latest chapbook of poetry, Anti-Social Network will be released shortly from Red Neck Press. He lives at http://www.timothygager.com/

Upcoming “Let’s Grow!” Events and Proposed Ordinance Mark City Efforts to Promote Urban Farming, Increase Access to Fresh Produce; Ordinance to be submitted at 4/12 BOA Meeting

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced today that he is working with members of the Board of Aldermen, City staff, and several community partners to develop an urban agriculture initiative in Somerville.  As a first step, the Mayor and several aldermen will co-sponsor submission of a proposed ordinance at the regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen on Thursday, April 12.

Arrests:
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Jill Blanco, 36, of 56 Havre, East Boston, April 3, 7:09 p.m., arrested at 77 Middlesex Ave. on a charge of shoplifting by concealing merchandise.

Brian Aufiero, 27, of 240 Pearl St., April 4, 4:38 p.m., arrested at 120 School St. on a warrant charge of larceny over $250.

By Jim Clark 

Police were called to the Kmart store on Middlesex Ave. last Saturday to investigate a reported larceny.

Upon arrival, officers were briefed by the store’s loss prevention personnel, whereupon they were informed that one of the store’s cashier’s had been allegedly involved in a scheme to allow certain customers to leave the store with goods that were unpaid for.

On Wednesday, April 11  at 11 a.m, Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian will announce the new Middlesex Sheriff’s Office TRIAD Program at an event with Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone. The event will take place at the Winter Hill Yacht Club, 85 Foley Street and will feature a special Bingo event hosted by the Somerville Council on Aging.

Somerville Residents Ages 16 and Up Eligible to Apply for Summer Program; Job Placement in City Departments, Local Businesses

 Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Youth Programming Coordinator Nancy Bacci announced that applications are now available for the 2012 Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program.  Available through April 30th, applications can be found at the City of Somerville’s Personnel Department (City Hall) or on the City’s website (http://www.somervillema.gov/).  The Program provides opportunities for Somerville youth to gain employment and job training within the public and private sectors throughout the summer.  Eligible students must be Somerville residents, enrolled in high school, and at least 16 years of age.  All applications must be returned to the Personnel Department.

Somerville Resident Erin Daly, a 28-year old speech pathologist has dedicated the past few months of her life to raising money and awareness for cancer patients and their families, and training to run the Boston Marathon for the Joe Andruzzi Foundation. Erin’s inspiration comes from her experience working with sick and hospitalized patients who are undergoing the stress and financial burdens of medical treatments. Come April 16, she will put her training to the test and hit the grueling 26.4 mile race course to help support those in need. This is the 3rd Boston Marathon that Erin will run for charity and she would like to check in to see if you are interested in an interview to discuss her inspiration, drive and dedication to the race and cause.

By 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.)

The Fitness Challenge kickoff event last Saturday was a lot of fun and a great success. In a marked departure from 2011 – when a big crowd came early and left early – we had a steady stream of visitors throughout the three-hour program.  To be sure, there were lines at a few of the exhibits:  the free massages supplied by students from Lincoln Technical Institute were, as always, very popular; and the healthy recipes demonstration tables had plenty of hungry and appreciative fans.  (The “Silver Spoon” cooking challenge winner was a standout Caribbean squash soup – “tweaked” for healthy eating – from Chef Ernie Campbell of Belmont Day School.)  There were also demos and information booths on topics ranging from nutrition to boxing to Zumba to community rowing to martial arts to active senior living and much, much more.