Speaking to a packed house of Tufts students, Robert Woodward delivered a masterful performance for the Richard E. Snyder President’s Lecture Series - Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

Robert Woodward took time this last Monday, April 25, to reflect on his long career as a journalist and writer. He recalled sitting in a Washington courtroom, waiting for the burglars to be arraigned.

“Five men walk in to be arraigned in business suits and they had hundred dollar bills in their pockets, not your average burglars,” he said.  The judge asked the lead burglar before him, James McCord, ‘where did you work, McCord,” after hearing he was unemployed.

Last week we mentioned and thanked the Somerville DPW for a job well done for repairing the lights at the “Hank” Hanson Memorial Park on Medford Street.   Then we got another phone call from a concerned citizen who asked us, who do you call and talk to at the federal level to have that huge eye sore of a “Federal Construction Project” sign removed that’s attached to the park fence that looks very tacky and is covering up the park?   Talk about disrespect!  After a brief phone call to city hall – before you knew it the sign was down!  Another job well done and now no more eye sore.

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We hear that movie star Mark Walberg is going to be filming the movie “Ted” about a talking teddy bear in and around the Ville on May 18th! Originally the filming locations were to be shot in Boston but then later they decided that Somerville was a better choice. We heard that the Burren and the Somerville Theater were two of the chosen locations to start filming at.   It is still going before the Board of Alderman for approval and permits which shouldn’t pose a potential concern for problems. Just a few traffic jams but should be fun to watch.

The challenge has been issued and the responses have thundered forth. Mayor Curtatone’s adamant and eloquent rebuke of Cambridge City Councillor Ken Reeves’ assertion that his town is more “interesting” than Somerville has sparked a considerable amount of civic pride and community solidarity here in the ‘Ville.

We may be biased, but we think the mayor has ably accomplished what many would consider an absolute dismantling of Mr. Reeves’ position, citing several points that should convince any dispassionate outside observer of Somerville’s superiority in the category of “interesting” townships. Impartiality may not be easy to come by in these matters, but we should feel no shame in sticking up for our community. This sort of rivalry can actually bring out the best in all of us.

Thursday’s meeting of the Finance Committee of the Board of Aldermen. - Photo by Ashley Taylor

By Ashley Taylor

At Thursday’s meeting of the Finance Committee of the Board of Aldermen (BOA), city legislators clamored for more guarantees from Assembly Square developers, Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT), to offset the risk of posting $25 million in bonds to fund the square’s infrastructure.

The board is now considering whether or not to authorize bonds for the Assembly Square District Improvement Financing (DIF) project, as the Mayor has requested.  The considerations are many.

- Photo by Carrie Stanziola

By Carrie Stanziola

On April 22nd, Tufts students gathered to display their commitment to and curiosity about green living.  Against the backdrop of a university band, students learned about, among other things, Tufts’ community garden and posed with cardboard signs demanding clean energy.  Pictures were then taken of the students, and will be sent to government officials.

Kim Moss spoke, grief-stricken, to reporters. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

Tragedy struck Somerville in the early morning hours last Friday, April 22, when a 2001 Chevy Malibu driven by Kenneth Belew, of 11 Fiske Ave., barreled into a concrete barrier with five passengers in the car. While three escaped with only minor injuries, one girl, a 16 year old Everett High School student, died at the scene. Another girl from Somerville, age 17, died over the weekend.

At a Monday, April 25, arraignment hearing at Somerville Courthouse, the Assistant District Attorney said that Belew was found covered in blood and in a state of grief, saying, “I killed her. I was driving and I was drunk. I’m responsible for her death. Take me to jail. That’s what I deserve.”

Daniel Bussy is being assisted by Melissa (25 yards freestyle and 15 yards freestyle both gold medal)

Qualifying trials for the upcoming Special Olympics swimming competition was held at the J. F. Kennedy Elementary School pool in Somerville on Saturday, April 23. This was the 2nd year that the annual event was held there.

Assisted and unassisted events were arranged for swimmers hoping to take part in the Special Olympics to be held at Harvard University Blogette Pool June 18-19.

The GBL freshman-sophmore girls track meet held on Thursday, April 21, at Cambridge, saw freshman Melissa Baptista having a great day with three first places in the high jump, 400m hurdles, and relay.

Alison Kaba took first in the 100m, while Meghan Lynch led in the mile.

What is this thing called  love?  Poet Julian Gallitano has the answer, at least for him.

Lisa D. Kaufman is a visual artist whose works have been presented at the Kali Aso Studio in Boston and at the Cambridge Center of Adult Education. She is a Yoga teacher-in-training and an emerging poet. Her poetry has appeared in The Somerville News, Bagel Bards Anthology, and the Wilderness House Literary Review. She has performed her poetry at open micas in the Boston area including the Lizard Lounge, Dire Literary Series, The Cantab Lounge, Atomic Bean Café, and The Tapestry of Voices Poetry Series. She has a B.S. in Occupational Therapy with a minor in Studio Art from the University of New Hampshire and a M.S. in O.T. from Boston University.

Somerville residents Yani Batteau and Olga Solomita started a poetry and music series at the Precinct Bar in Union Square, Somerville for the month of April (2011)–every Monday night. Such Spoken Word Artists as Angela Counts, Betraz Alba Del Rio, Lisa Kaufman, Judah LeBlang and others have or will read in this new venue. This series will also include musicians of various genres. They hope it will continue at the Precinct or in some form at another venue in the near future. I have interviewed Batteau before, and found she is a multi-talented artist, and musician. Recently I connected with her partner in this venture:

Doug Holder: What was the germ of the idea for the series?
Olga Solomita: Yani Batteau has been working with her band, ‘The Styles’, for just about one year. Within this year she has worked very hard to establish herself, specifically, as a professional musician. I have been along side her throughout this process. During this process, as Yani has found her voice, I, in turn, after a long hiatus, have begun to find mine again, and in more ways than one. Hence, without knowing exactly what I was looking for, I was searching through Craigslist looking for opportunities for myself as well as Yani.