As families struggle to make ends meet, businesses scratch and paw to stay afloat, and protesters occupy Wall Street, we here in the ‘Ville face our own share of challenges in this seemingly stalled economy.

Somerville cares about stopping domestic violence and demonstrated its resolve with a candlelight vigil. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

The people of Somerville spoke out against domestic violence this last Wednesday, October 5, holding a candlelight vigil and marching the circumference of Union Square. Joined by Chief Thomas Pasquarello of the SPD, Alderman John Connelly, and Rep. Denise Provost, the group assembled at the East Somerville Public Safety building afterwards, and shared their perspective on the problem of domestic violence.

By Andrew Firestone

The long-toiled over East Somerville Community School (ESCS) rebuilding process seems to finally be taking shape. In a joint Board of Aldermen-School Committee meeting last Wednesday, October 5, the Mayor detailed how he and the team assigned to managing the project had used value-engineering to save $3 million of their $8.1 million gap, enough to set out the first phase of construction beginning on in the first week on November.

Arrests:
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Harold Barnett, 29, of 16 Crowninshield St., Peabody, October 3, 12:41 p.m., arrested at 15 Edmands St. on warrant charges of resisting arrest, assault and battery, miscelaneous municipal ordinance violation, and shoplifying by concealing merchandise.

Laura Durette, 30, of 133 Broadway St., Everett, October 3, 4:50 p.m., arrested at 220 Washington St. on a warrant charge of shoplifting by asportation.

Naticha Lewis, Nichole Lewis, and Kathlyn Almeida deliver strong serves for the Somerville High School Girls Freshman Volleyball team.

The Somerville High School Girls Freshman Volleyball team tied in a tough match with Methuen last week. The Highlanders won the first set and dropped the second, leaving the team with a tie.

Sonja Darai fields questions about the city’s various Commissions and the roles that they play in enhancing the quality of life in Somerville. - Photo by Hary Kane

By Harry Kane

A workshop designed to educate the public on the city’s commission programming met on Thursday, October 6.

In Somerville there are five Commissions: The Somerville Commission for Women, Multi-Cultural Affairs Commission, Commission for People with Disabilities, Fair Housing Commission, and Human Rights Commission.

DeWitt Henry is an acclaimed essayist, and fiction writer. He is the founding editor of Ploughshares literary magazine, perhaps the most influential literary magazine in the country. Henry has a new memoir out, Sweet Dreams, that covers his youth, his time at Harvard, the formation of Ploughshares, and his coming of age as a writer and a man. I spoke to him on my Somerville Community Access TV show Poet to Poet to Writer to Writer.

Some say the eyes are the windows of the soul, but I say it is the hands…hands down.  And evidently poet Stephanie Prechter does too. Prechter, a visitor to our area, works at the University of Michigan in the Depression Center. She pursues art in her spare time.

What’s so funny about Somerville?  Tony V knows
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When supporters of Somerville’s anti-poverty agency, the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), gather to celebrate another year of working to end poverty where we live, Somerville native and nationally-known comedian Tony V will add humor to the proceedings.  The CAAS Annual Meeting and Celebration is Tuesday, October 25, beginning at 7:00 p.m., at the Somerville City Club, 20 Innerbelt Road in Somerville.  It is free and open to the public.  To RSVP, email LSeiger@caasomerville.org or call 617-623-1392 x165.

$100 grand prize for best mashup of the Halloween classic ‘Monster Mash’
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Calling all DJs. In honor of Somerville native Bobby “Boris” Pickett and his world-famous song “Monster Mash,” the City will be holding a Monster Mashed Up DJ competition on Saturday, October 23, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Somerville Avenue in Union Square.