– Photos by Donald Norton

Hundreds of revelers turned out to an old fashioned St. Patrick’s Day party at the Armory for the Arts on Highland Avenue.
Ward Five Alderman Sean O’Donovan organized the event which featured traditional Irish music, dancing and good times.

By Ashley Taylor

Thursday night, the governing board for Somerville’s new tax increment district met to discuss the rules for its own proceedings and to hash out the financial details of the developments planned for Assembly Square that will be funded through District Improvement Financing.  No votes were cast Thursday night, but the decisions underway will shape the administration of the Assembly Row DIF and future DIF’s run by the same decision-making body.

Friday night at the Somerville Armory was a huge success, several hundred attendees (some say that throughout the evening about 500) showed up to help bring back the old traditional St. Patrick’s Day Party’s that were started by former Rep. Marie E. Howe back in the 1970’s and early 80’s.  Alderman Sean O’Donovan got one of the best Irish bands in the area to play to the crowd – the Old Brigade Irish Band.

Christine Barber

A neighborhood activist in Ward Four has declared her candidacy to succeed Alderman Walter Pero, who announced last week he would not seek reelection.
In a statement, Christine Barber said she recognized a need for stronger advocacy on behalf of the Winter Hill and Ten Hills neighborhoods. Barber, a Thurston Street resident, is a long-time health care advocate and has been active in local and state political campaigns.  A former leader of the Marshall Street Area Neighborhood Group, she currently serves on Ward 4’s Democratic Ward Committee.

By George P. Hassett

After decades of Tufts University students running naked, a nude tradition has ended after Tufts President Lawrence Bacow announced Monday he would end the decades long saga of the Naked Quad Run.

“Given that we can no longer manage the run, we cannot allow this ‘tradition’ to continue,” Bacow said in an opinion piece for the student newspaper Tufts Daily. “Even if I did not act now, NQR would end some day. The only question is whether a student has to die first. We cannot allow this to happen, and the Naked Quad Run will not continue.”

It's sombreros and delicious food from around the world at this year's multicultural fair.- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Hundreds of students and community members turned out for the 2011 Somerville High School Multicultural Fair that was held in the Eugene Brune Field house on Friday.

The annual event was made up of Somerville High School students that exhibited tables that represented 44 counties as well as food, music, costumes and dance from around the world.

By George  P. Hassett

Two men were arrested March 9 after police allegedly caught them in the midst of a drug deal on Tufts Street.

Drug unit cops were conducting routine surveillance in the lower Washington Street area of East Somerville, police said. They allegedly observed Jeff Paul Whalen, 34, of 204 Washington St., enter a motor vehicle driven by Luis Bedoya, 32, of 145 Ward St., Revere.

Saint Clement High School will be awarded the 2011 MIAA Division 4 Girls' Basketball Team Sportsmanship Award.

MIAA Division 4 Sportsmanship Award
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The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association has announced that Saint Clement High School will be awarded the 2011 MIAA Division 4 Girls’ Basketball Team Sportsmanship Award. The Lady Anchors were chosen from 61 Division IV schools across the state. “This achievement, not only the first of its kind in school history, but it is a true testament of what our sport programs are all about,” said Robert G. Chevrier, Principal, Saint Clement School. “I would like to congratulate Athletic Director and Girls Varsity Basketball coach Shawn Thornton for exemplifying the true meaning of sportsmanship not only in his coaching of the team but for all he does for the students of Saint Clement School,” said Bob.

A Somerville High School girls track star finished in the top five in a national competition in New York City this weekend. Taija Clark placed fifth in the high jump competition in the only national meet for high school track atheletes “Taija has great athletic composure for such a young athlete. This definitely helped her compete at this national championship meet,” said girls track coach Dan Dickerson.