Was nice to see a bigger and more enthusiastic crowd at Monday’s Patriots Day ceremony, everyone waited anxiously for Paul Revere and his horse. Great work put on by  Brandan Wilson of the Historical committee, everyone did a fine job. Old friend Bob “Monty” Doherty was also present to help with the preparations.

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Speaking of the Foss Park ceremony, this year several politicians showed up as usual. We were surprised to see Alderman At Large Bill White there since we hear that he’s just tired and sick of the political game and since he’s got his house up for sale, we keep hearing he’s not running for re-election. Maybe if someone keeps saying they’re tired of it, then they should retire, shouldn’t they? Still noticeably absent was our Senator Pat Jehlen, she just keeps giving the impression that she’s so anti anything patriotic. We know she’s not a fan of small businesses here, she’s proposing a bill right now in the Senate that will require all small businesses to give seven paid sick days no matter how small the company. Imagine you are running a small company with five employees and you have to by law give them seven paid sick days a year, that would be 35 paid days and who pays the owner of the small company? Another example of someone who has never had a “private sector” job in her life, since the early 70’s she’s been a political hack.

- Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

Mayor Joe Curtatone laid out his plan for the business community Wednesday, and answered questions from several dozen members of the  business community.

“What, if anything, can the city do to help businesses generate jobs?” was the first question, posed to Curtatone.

By George P. Hassett

A Cambridge man was charged with selling cocaine and heroin in East Somerville April 13 after he parked his Cadillac in a handicapped spot, police said.

Drug unit detectives allegedly watched as Tawan Dottin, 28, pulled into a handicap parking space at 167 Broadway outside Kentucky Fried Chicken and met Francis Palazzi, 47, and Tracy Dattilio, 32, of 103 Lowell Rd., North Reading.

Come May 13th and 14th, 2011 the Mass. Poetry Festival will arrive at its new home in Salem, Mass. This should be of great interest to Somerville poets, and all others, as there will be a plethora of readings, workshops, musical events, book fairs, etc… to satiate the hungriest Somerville Bard. I talked with the founder of the festival Mike Ansara, and his right hand woman, the accomplished poet and organizer January O’Neil on my Somerville Community Access TV show “Poet to Poet Writer to Writer.”

A fellow poet and faculty member at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston sent me a poem, and I decided to share it with you.  It is a cautionary tale for all you TYPE A types. Cynthia Duda, a native Tennessean, has lived and worked in the Boston area since 1976.  Her work has appeared in The Atlanta Review, Poetpourri, and The Comstock Review among others.

By William Tauro

The Elderfair Health and Wellness fair was back in full swing this year. The event took place on Tuesday at the Healey Elementary School in Somerville.  Hundreds of Somerville and Cambridge elders arrived and enjoyed a fun filled day of medical and elder service exhibits, health information gathering, entertainment and a hardy lunch.

Arrests:
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Stephen Remick, 51, of 410 Highland Ave., April 11, 12:55 a.m., arrested at 0 Davis Square on a warrant charge.

Carolina Ortega-Vijil, 35, of 86 Wheatland St., April 11, 2:03 p.m., arrested on Broadway and charged with assault and battery.

Larry Mynatt, 54, of 922 Broadway, April 12, 4:30 p.m., arrested at 85 Washington St. on a warrant charge.

Nathan Moore, 27, of 70 Adamson St., Allston, April 13, 6:41 a.m., arrested at 48 Fellsway West and charged with failure to file a state parole or pardon.

– Photos by Donald Norton and Max W Lauf