By Andrew Firestone

The Boston Globe came under fire last week when Mayor Joseph Curtatone blasted a recent article, which he said levied unwarranted criticism to the Somerville Education System. “This was a prejudicial article,” he said at a School Committee meeting on May 16. “There were undertones to this article that would be offensive to anyone who has any decent set of values.”

The article, entitled  “Should they stay or should they go?” was written by longtime Somerville correspondent Danielle Dreilinger, and released on May 5 in the Globe North, and told the story of three prospective families who had to contend with the Somerville school system and its negative perception when deciding on schools for their youth. The article included a family that moved to Belmont, and faced increased property taxes and a lack of community that Somerville provides, all due to their refusal to submit their children to the Somerville education system. Reasons included poor test MCAS scores and a high dropout rate.

Monday, May 23, was the first day to pull nomination papers for any of the local elections post. - Photo by Donald Norton

By Donald Norton

The City of Somerville local elections are to be held this year and this past Monday, May 23, was the first day to pull nomination papers for any of the local elections post. For Mayor you will need 250 registered voters to sign your petition, Alderman at Large 150, and Ward Alderman and School Committee only 100 signatures.

The time frame to pull nomination papers is from Monday May 23 to June 27. The primary election is to be held on September 13 if more than 2 certify in each ward and more then 8 certify for Alderman at large. The election department staff is prepared to answer any questions you might have. Just call 617 625-6600 or visit them on the lower floor at City Hall.

By Jim Clark

The Somerville Police Department Drug Control Unit, as part of a narcotic investigation, engaged in a series of phone conversations with a Malden man last Thursday, setting in motion steps which would later lead to his arrest on various drug violations, police said.

During the initial telephone conversation the suspect, Richard Maher, 44, of Malden, allegedly indicated that he had a quantity of pills for sale.

The famed poet, Rock musician and memoirist Patti Smith told a graduating class at Pace University in New York City that if she had to tell students one thing about the creative life it would be to get good dental care. She said in her day ( She is 64), artist were pretty poor and they let their teeth go. She went on to say that you want to pace back and forth in your garret because you are in close contact with your muse, not because you need a root canal.

I can feel summer’s breath upon us. So I decided to use a poem by a local visiting poet Younseop Ko in this week’s LYRICAL. Ko is here on sabbatical from Dongguk University in Korea where he teaches the history of Korean Buddhism and Korean Buddhist Philosophy.  He is studying the History of Korean Thought through the Korea Institute at Harvard.  On the side he teaches the History of Korean Thought at Munsusa in Wakefield.  Ko has published four collections of his poetry in Korean and is at work on a fifth.

Arrests:
*

Yolanda Rosa, 45, of 124 Walnut St., May 17, 12:55 a.m., arrested at home on a charge of assault and battery.

Kimberly Harris, 31, of 804 E. 5th St., Boston, May 17, 1:41 a.m., arrested at Prospect St. on a charge of operating under the influence.

Rhiannon Riley, 33, of 20 Gilman Terr., May 17, 2:36 a.m., arrested at home on a  charge of assault and battery and various warrant charges.

A graduating senior hugs family members after the Tufts Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 22, 2011. (Alonso Nichols/Tufts University)

Tufts University’s Class of 2011 commencement ceremonies took place this past Sunday, where proud parents, educators, and students enjoyed the day thoroughly.

Charles Vest, president of the National Academy of Engineering and president emeritus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, received an honorary doctorate of science and delivered Tufts commencement address.

- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Somerville police traffic units are out in full force this week pulling over and towing unregistered and uninsured motor vehicles.

Much of the success of locating many of the illegal vehicles is credited to the department’s “License Plate Recognition Readers” that are mounted on many of the city’s police cruisers.

(L to R) Middlesex Register of Deeds Gene Brune, scholarship recipient Enxhi Popa and Massachusetts State Treasurer Steve Grossman. - Photo By William Tauro

By William Tauro

A standing room only crowd packed Anthony’s Function Hall in Malden Sunday morning for Middlesex Register of Deeds Gene Brune’s 27th Annual Scholarship Breakfast.

Many local and state elected officials, supporters, family and friends were in attendance including Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin and Massachusetts State Treasurer Steve Grossman who were the guest Speakers at the former Somerville mayor’s event.