Cheyanna Johnson at the net.

The Freshman Highlanders achieved a resounding victory over Everett on Friday, October 14, winning easily in two sets, 25-12, 25-13.

In the first set, Alba Haxhimali had a string of nine unanswered service points and Kathleen Almeida had 7 unanswered service points. The first set also included Oneda Lalaj, Jennifer Leone, Deidre Matthews, and Midardley Joseph.

Welcome to Café Armory, where the elite (and the rest of us) meet to eat.

By Andrew Firestone

Take a spin down to the new café at the armory, and take a bite out of some delicious sandwiches, cinnamon buns and cake. After years of licensing and permitting acquisition, the café at the armory is now set up for business, working out its menu, and inviting lecturers and poets for stage performances.

The St. Clement Lady Anchors will be advancing to the State Tournament thanks to a great team effort.

St. Clement Lady Anchors secured a spot in the State Tournament for the first time in 11 years, after a nail-biting 3-2 victory over the Trinity Catholic Falcons. Leading the victory was Junior Captain Kristina Ofoedu (Somerville) with 23 service points, 7 kills, 5 aces and 12 digs. Sophomore Megan Berg (Medford) had 20 service points and Junior Captain Allison Caloggero (Medford) with 19 service points, 8 aces, 4 kills and 11 digs. The victory boosts the Lady Anchors to a 10-3 overall record.

A Somerville man has been indicted and arraigned on charges alleging he robbed three convenience stores while armed, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public today.

By Jim Clark

Somerville police officers were dispatched to Pennsylvania Avenue last Thursday night in response to a 911 call from a woman reporting that a man who tried to rob her at knifepoint two nights before had been spotted and was now being chased by her boyfriend, according to police.

Mayor Curtatone, shown here participating in last year's Halloween festivities with his family, said reports that Somerville is against holiday celebrations are completely unfounded. - Photo by Elizabeth Sheeran

Officials say holiday controversy is much ado about nothing

By Elizabeth Sheeran

Nothing has changed.

That was the response from city officials to the media furor that rained down around the city last weekend, when what began as a two-paragraph email ended with Somerville cast in the role of the Grinch-who-stole-the-holidays.

The Alderman At Large debate went off well on Monday night at the Somerville Theatre. All seven candidates showed up and so far the overview is that it was a good debate but could have lasted a little longer. Even though it was intended to be a serious debate, the questions asked by one of the panelists was pretty lame, i.e., “What is your favorite Pizza here in Somerville?” Not the only lame question but surely the weirdest question of the night. Apparently that was more important to the person asking than the one being asked. Overall, outside of the opening remarks by a certain incumbent being so defensive over a rumor we were surprised, but then again this particular candidate thought he needed to say something. Just goes to show you, more than our fans read the paper out there! Again, we think it went well. Now you decide and watch it. SCATV is airing it many times over the next few weeks. Check The Somerville News for the SCATV programming (p.22) which The News has carried for free for about two years now. Our thanks to SCATV for allowing The News to be a part of it. It almost wasn’t. We want to thank the moderator Joe Lynch, who handled it very professionally.

Under current plans, M.S. Walker Wholesale Distribution, which employs over 180 people on Third Avenue, will be one of the businesses that will have to go to make way for the Green Line Extension transportation and maintenance facility. - Photo by Elizabeth Sheeran

MBTA unveils site plans for GLX train yard

By Elizabeth Sheeran

Seventy-six vehicles. 17,000 yards of track. 130 workers. The MBTA’s latest plans for a Green Line transportation and maintenance facility in Somerville encompass a mind-boggling array of statistics. But the number that concerns some residents is this: four parcels of privately owned property that the T will take by eminent domain.

As Americans we cherish and hold dear our rights to free speech and the ability we have to challenge and even criticize our government and other powerful institutions. Many have fought and lost their lives defending these rights that all of us now enjoy.

The celebrated historian, Niall Ferguson, captured the attention and admiration of the audience at last week’s lecture at Tufts.

Historian Niall Ferguson spoke at Tufts University on The Financial Crisis and the Descent of the West on Thursday, October 13. A weekly columnist for Newsweek and a contributing editor for Bloomberg Television, Ferguson is a prolific commentator on contemporary politics and economics and writes and reviews regularly for the British and American press. Named one of the world’s most influential people by Time Magazine, he was one of a handful of economic writers who accurately predicted the financial crisis that began in 2007.