By George P. Hassett

A pair of crooks known to police for breaking into local homes were busted last week as they tried to sell their stolen goods at a Broadway barbershop, police said.

Graziano Mellone, 32, of 67 Jaques St., and Manuel Leal, 31, homeless, were arrested at the Broadway barbershop Goodfellas trying to sell a stolen camera to customers, police said.

Denise Provost says local businesses can spur economic growth if they're locally focused. ~Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

Bringing business closer to local communities may be a way to get out of the current economic slump, according to local officials and activists.

On Monday, March 28, state Rep. Denise Provost hosted a free screening of the documentary “The Economics of Happiness,” together with Professor Julie Matthaei of Wellesley College and Joe Grafton of Somerville Local First.

Police are cracking down on local smoke shops. ~Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Andrew Firestone

Somerville police have recently sent investigators from the Drug Control Unit into local stores warning owners they can not sell glass pipes and smoking devices.

Two Union Square  stores were visited by Sgt. John Gobiel in order to educate the owners of the prevention of selling glass pipes and bongs in the state.

By George P. Hassett

A Central Street man who drove into a tree was charged with drunk driving after he told officers he’d had “four or five beers in Chinatown” that night, police said.

Thongrob Mangklaratana, 32, of 154 Central St., was arrested at 103 Prospect St. and charged with drunk driving March 30.

By  Blaire Sieber

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone’s Second Annual Shape Up Somerville Fitness Challenge kicked off at the high school gymnasium Saturday. Somerville Recreation ran a boot camp, including jump roping and push-ups, for volunteer attendees shortly after.

A Farmer’s Market provided local residents with healthy food choices: Vegetables from Enterprise Farm, baked goods from Great Cape, seafood from Jordan Bros. and home-made hot sauce from Burnin’ Love Sauces.

Tuesday April 5 marks  the six-year anniversary of Senator Charlie Shannon’s passing, hard to believe he’s been gone that long, he was a good guy to all those who both he knew and didn’t know, he liked everyone.  Unlike the present senator who only likes those that agree with her leftist liberal thinking, would be nice to have someone like Charlie again back in office.

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Speaking of Charlie Shannon, today Wednesday marks the anniversary of the bill that passed called The Shannon Grant, again this fiscal year funded, it’s an “anti gang grant” named in Charles honor for his years as State Senator and before that as a Police Officer.

Mayor Joe Curtatone met with a wide cross section of Somerville residents March 29 at his office hours in Ball Square coffee shop True Grounds. ~Photo by Andrew Firestone

Residents call for cleaner streets, better business

By Andrew Firestone

Mayor Joe Curtatone met with a wide cross section of Somerville residents March 29 at his office hours in Ball Square coffee shop True Grounds, fielding questions about education and flicking cigarette butts in the street.

“Are you an attorney, Mr. Mayor?” asked C. Bill Best.

Police Detective Mario Oliveira returned to work the way many members of the department do their job each day: quietly.

The decorated detective was shot five times in November, almost dying on Gibbens Street as he served an arrest warrant on a gun dealing suspect. During his recovery Oliveira said he learned a lot: about himself, his colleagues in law enforcement and his community.

By Ashley Taylor

A consultants claim that Assembly Square can be developed without adding any extra police or city services to the area was met with disbelief by one alderman last week.

“I can’t even begin to believe that we wouldn’t need one more firefighter?” Ward Six Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz commented after Paik’s presentation.  “We wouldn’t need one more police officer?”

Sixteen poets took part in one of the oldest grudge matches around, Boston versus New York, last week. ~Photo by Max W. Lauf

By Max W. Lauf

Sixteen poets took part in one of the oldest grudge matches around, Boston versus New York, last week.

The evening opened with music from The Whiskey Boys and Ruby Rose Fox, and a comedic monologue from Aimee Rose Ranger. Following the introduction of the judges (among whom were included Regie Gibson, Meg Taintor, and Richard Cambridge), Kevin Spak and Megan Thoma, both from Boston, were sacrificed to them as warm-up poets.