Somerville’s happiness quotient has been quantified, and it seems to be fairly happy. - Photo courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt

By Andrew Firestone

After months of data collection, and 6500 surveys completed through mail, Internet and phone, the city presented their findings on the “happiness survey” or well-being study that the city administration has undertaken. The mean life happiness score proved to be 7.5 out of 10, with the following demographics reporting. Mean life satisfaction, a different and more prescient form of happiness was placed at 7.7, and satisfaction for the city of Somerville was also at 7.7.

By Cathleen Twardzik

The Seventh Annual Massachusetts Motorcycle Ride for Recovery started its engines at the Somerville City Hall from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for people in recovery, families, friends and policymakers.

While hurricane Irene gradually leveled down to tropical storm status over the past weekend, all of the North East held its collective breath in dire anticipation of what would actually come.

Thankfully, there were no serious casualties here and property damage was relatively light. Still, between the fallen trees and downed power lines, many felt a somewhat significant impact nonetheless.

The Somerville Alibrandis pour it on in game one of the championship series. - Photos by Harry Kane

By Harry Kane

Somerville triumphed in game one of the Yawkey League’s 2011 championship finals Monday evening in a 7-3 victory over the Malden Bulldogs. The game began with a leadoff single from Mike Maguire. He stole second base right away and didn’t have to wait too long before Ted Dzuiba hit a stand up double to left field, bringing in Maguire and putting one on the scoreboard for the Alibrandis early in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Babb and Matt Deeb both hit back-to-back singles and the bases were loaded for Marc DesRoches. Moments later DesRoches hammered the ball into left center clearing the basses and breaking the game wide open. “It was just a fastball upstairs and I ended up catching up to it,” DesRoches admitted. Pitcher, Sean Sullivan was in the catbird seat with a 4-0 lead on the bulldogs.

Scintillating Swamp, 2011 - oil, glitter, beads, graphite, and acrylic on cut-edge panel, 39h x 59w inches.

This year I taught the once controversial book Black Spring by Henry Miller in my college writing courses. This work deals with the mean streets of Miller’s Brooklyn youth: the sweaty press of the flesh, the cast of ner-do-wells, the street urchins, the duplicity of the swells and the hucksters and all that ugliness that Miller found beauty in. This is similar to the work of Somerville artist Resa Blatman. She sees beauty and ugliness and they live next door to each other. In fact much of her work is informed with the duality of the world.

The red hot Somerville Storm U14 wrapped the season with an impressive six game winning streak.

The Somerville Storm U14 ended the season on a roll winning their last six games to finish the season 10-4 tied for sixth in their division.

In the final week of the season, the Storm defeated the Wellesley Raiders 20-15 and the Everett Raiders 14-3.

By Jim Clark

A Belmont man ran into some trouble as he was jogging in Somerville last week.

As the man passed through Davis Square and onto Medford Street he was reportedly approached by a group of three young men and one of them asked for some change. He ignored the request and proceeded into a restaurant, but he was followed inside the establishment by the individual who had asked for the money and was again pressed for a handout, police said.

We may age, our body’s infirmities mount up – but still in our mind we harbor that picture of our youth, with all its promise. Poet Julie Carlson captures a feverish night and in turn captures the reader.

Arrests:
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Luis Santos, 26, of 7 Everett Ave., August 22, 8:35 p.m., arrested at McGrath Hwy. on a charge of violation of city ordinance possession of a dangerous weapon.

Niall Vallega, 19, of 140 Boylston Ave., Malden, August 22, 9:34 p.m., arrested at 513 Medford St. on a charge of unarmed robbery.

Greg Klyma sings and plays it from the heart, and will be releasing his Live Belt DVD on September 2 at the Armory Center for the Arts in Somerville.

By Michelle Cooper

Greg Klyma has been playing the guitar since he was an early teenager around 13 years old.

It was something that just came natural to him. His mother had a friend whose daughters took guitar lessons and she saw the talent in her son to do the same.