– Photos by Bobbie Toner

75K over next three years for Somerville youth prevention initiatives, with a special focus on females
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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Cares About Prevention (SCAP) are pleased to announce a $25,000 grant, renewable for three years, awarded to SCAP to fund youth-focused prevention initiatives in Somerville.  Awarded by The Community Health Network – Area 17 and supported by the City of Somerville, the Somerville Health Department, and the Somerville Office of Prevention, the grant will provide funds to support projects that address a variety of identified health priorities including substance abuse, bullying, mental health and youth access to services through the promotion of social norms and utilizing social marketing strategies promoted through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Nine veteran Head Start teachers at the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) received awards for 20 or more years of service from the Cambridge Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education at a reception at Cambridge City Hall.

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.)
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While doing one of my favorite activities, which is reminiscing, I asked a few of my friends to share some favorite old time Somerville Christmas memories. We have already talked about the old stores such as Grants, Woolworths, Gorins and Parke Snow, so let’s delve further and deeper.

Bartlett Street. – Photo by Rachel Strutt

The annual Illuminations Trolley Tour of East and Central Somerville is scheduled for Saturday, December 17th, with 27 tours departing from the City Hall Concourse beginning at 4:30pm.  The 45-minute tours visit Somerville neighborhoods with holiday lights displays.  Tours leave from (and return to) Somerville City Hall where coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies are served. Entertainment at City Hall includes choral music, courtesy of the Somerville Community Chorus and craft activities for children.

(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 want to thank you, the Ward 3 constituents who voted for me in the recent municipal election, showing your overwhelming support for my continued representation of you on the Board of Alderman. Many of my constituents are also my friends and my family and I have always been, and continue to be, grateful for the outpouring of support we have received during this challenging time. My family and I wish you a wonderful holiday season with friends and family.

– Photos by William Tauro

By William Tauro

The Somerville Kiwanis Club, their President Patricia Ng and their members held their annual “Christmas Marines Toys for Tots Tri-meeting” event on Thursday.  The event took place at the Mount Vernon Restaurant in Somerville with invited Somerville Rotary and Somerville Lions Club members in attendance as well.

By Mayor Joseph 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.)

For many of us, this is the time of year we think most about giving to others. (To be fair, there are also those – especially the youngsters – who think a lot about receiving, too.) But for a very special group of our fellow residents, generous giving – of time, of energy, of creativity – is a year-round activity.

Painter Juliana Gamble focuses on the big picture.

By Charles E. Kane

Oil painter Juliana Gamble learned from her boyfriend, a Harvard educated neuroscientist, that the human brain does not need all of the information in order to formulate a whole. In other words, provide it with some of the dots and it will connect the rest.