By Sanjeev Selvarajah

Coming to a porch near you, the down-home atmosphere and eclectic stylings of PorchFest.

A map recently appeared on the Somerville Arts Council website. It’s not exactly a treasure map, but it does point to all the bands participating in PorchFest, a music festival which originated out of state that will begin in Somerville on Saturday May 21, noon time.

Bands and individuals will be singing and strumming away on their porches, a novelty once reserved for the days of yore and homes of the farmlands. The Somerville Arts Council will bring a little bit of the country to this city, thanks primarily to Nancy Goodman, who proposed the idea to the Council.

By Jim Clark

Police were summoned to 5 Linden Street last week as residents complained of an unwanted male occupying their backyard.

The residents of the building reportedly told police that the man, identified as Vanderlei Pereira, 38, had once lived on the first floor but no longer resided there. When asked to leave by the residents he allegedly refused and sat down in a chair in the backyard.

By William Tauro

Dozens of motorcycles of all shapes and sizes roared through the rain soaked streets of Somerville early  Thursday morning and assembled at 9 New Washington Street for “The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association’s 10th Annual Storm The Statehouse Legislative Lobbying Day.”

Congressman Mike Capuano keeps it real in the 'Ville. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

Calls labor unions healthcare amendment ‘un-American’

By Andrew Firestone

Congressman Mike Capuano is a world-traveled public figure in 2011, but he still remembers where he came from. Representing the eighth district of Massachusetts in U.S. Congress for twelve years, he continues to take an interest in his hometown of Somerville, where he was mayor for nine years during the booming ‘90s. Sitting down with the Somerville News, Capuano discussed his political philosophy, his plans for a possible Senate campaign, and his thoughts on current city policy.

By Andrew Firestone

Hathor the mighty, Egyptian goddess of war and wine. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

Skunk, real name unknown, of Somerville is a unique culture force in the ‘Ville. From his excursions on Saturday nights riding in his self-designed disco-ball  “Cloudbuster” bicycle, known as the leader of the “nerd biker gang” SCUL and his giant robot, which often startles individuals, perched atop his apartment. However, these brief instances of an individual only scratch the surface of Skunk’s artistic philosophical leanings, encouraging one and all to be “a superhero version of themselves.”

Skunk has been in the bike business for a while now, on hand to layout website and frame designs for custom bike-makers Seven Cycles of Watertown. As such, the graphic designer has taken some lessons from his peers in welding, and put his skills to use over the last eight years creating and developing his own style of robot art.

By Jim Clark

A patrolling Somerville police officer became suspicious of a man who attempted to crouch down and hide inside a vehicle he was occupying as the officer drove by at approximately 2:20 a.m. last Friday, the officer reported.

The vehicle, a gray Dodge Caravan, was parked at 105 Puritan Road. A radio dispatch confirmed that the vehicle had been stolen out of Chelsea the day before.

By Carrie Stanziola

Friends of the environment and participants alike were out in full force on May 15 to celebrate the 15^th Annual Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle.  New and seasoned participants took part, such as twelve-year-old Indira Romero, who finished #1 in category 11-14, to Roger Frymire, who volunteers as a water quality monitor, with a concentration in finding bacteria. He has been paddling for 15 years and sampling water for the past 12. Frymire, who lives close to Magazine Beach in Cambridge, started paddling heavily since retirement and was tired of smelling sewage.  Thanks in part to the efforts of Frymire and those like him, the Charles River grade is up to a “B something and maybe we’ll get there in the Mystic soon.”

This Sunday morning is the 27th Annual Scholarship Breakfast held by Gene Brune over at Anthony’s in Malden. Ticket price is $20.00 for a good cause. Time is 9 to 11a.m. Gene Brune does more for the city of Somerville than any other individual over the years. How can you not support this long time breakfast? It’s for a great guy, an excellent cause, and you can meet and greet a lot of old time friends who have never missed it in 27 years. We’re keeping our eyes open to see who’s there and who’s not.

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Friday night at Somerville High the annual SHS foundation will be having its annual drawing. Starting at 7p.m., refreshments will be served. The drawing will be at 8p.m. Several door prizes will be given for those who attend.

By Andrew Firestone

Aldermen met with Inspectional Services Division members and concerned citizens Monday, May 16, to draft a new ordinance to combat Somerville’s rodent problem, which has recently received wide media coverage. In this new ordinance, drafted by City lawyer Dave Shapiro and Alderman William White, chair of the committee for Public Health and Public Safety, residents and homeowners would have the burden turned upon them to stop the infestation, or risk fines.

The future of North Street Veterans Playground was examined and debated by residents and officials. - Photo by Ashley Taylor

By Ashley Taylor

The City of Somerville is planning to renovate the North Street Veterans Playground, the small play area, picnic area, and basketball court bordering on the North Street Housing Development.  At a community meeting Saturday morning, residents, city officials, and landscape architects discussed their hopes for the new playground. The meeting started at the West Somerville Community School, then moved to the playground.