By William Tauro

Last week The Somerville News reported on a story about a Somerville disabled man, Mike Cote, confined to a wheelchair stuck in the snow at the Sunoco Station on McGrath Highway because of an unshoveled handicap ramp.

Sunoco station manger Javaid Butt along with Sunoco representatives from Sunoco Corporate immediately jumped into action to rectify the problem. They assure the public that this would never happen again.

Steve Blomquist. - Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Steve Blomquist of Medford makes his way through the streets of Somerville turning heads as he bounces by. After a string of snow storms that dumped several feet of snow on the area in recent weeks, he decided to take it to a higher level.

Blomquist travels around the city on stilts and is able to walk around deep puddles and over snow mounds with a single bound and never gets his feet cold or wet.

The hardships of a Brazilian immigrant family living in Boston illegally are the subject of Identidade, also known as ID, an independent film directed by Alex Ferro, which will be screened at the SCATV studio (90 Union Square) on Thursday, February 24 at 7 p.m.

By Ashley Taylor

You need an ID to drive, to drink, and to smoke. What those born in the U.S. can take for granted is that you also need an ID—be it a social security number, visa, or green card—to live and work here. The hardships of a Brazilian immigrant family living in Boston illegally are the subject of Identidade, also known as ID, an independent film directed by Alex Ferro, which will be screened at the SCATV studio (90 Union Square) on Thursday, February 24 at 7 p.m.

A Somerville man has been sentenced after being found guilty in connection with the January 17, 2009 murder of Romeo Murray, 17, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public.

Joseph Palmisano, 23, of Somerville, was found guilty yesterday by a Middlesex Superior Court jury on charges of murder in the second degree and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Howard Whitehead sentenced the defendant to life in prison with the eligibility of parole for the murder charge and 4 to 6 years in state prison for the assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charge.

Two Mamas Photography celebrates five years
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Two Mamas Photography is a flourishing Somerville moms business. - Photo courtesy of Two Mamas Photography

By Peta Jinnath Andersen

There are two things you need to know about the women behind Two Mamas Photography: they take gorgeous photos, and they love to laugh.

In early 2006, Renée Scott and Mandy DeBurro met on a Somerville sidewalk. The two new mothers–or mamas–were both new to the neighborhood, and eager to make friends. “Mandy and her husband were taking their newborn daughter on her first walk,” they tell me. As they rounded the corner by Scott’s house, Scott dashed out, “so happy to see another family with a baby!”

 A Somerville man has been ordered to stay away from two young women he allegedly verbally and physically assaulted based on their race and perceived sexual orientation under an injunction obtained by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office.  Suffolk Superior Court Judge John C. Cratsley ordered the injunction on February 9, against Joseph Balistreri, who is accused of a bias-motivated assault against two women, ages 18 and 19, on the Orange Line in November 2010. 

On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

I asked a bunch of my Somerville Facebook friends to share some of the songs that brought back memories of the “old days” in the city. The old days to me are the late 60’s and  70’s and early 80’s.

By Mike Rubin

With a tournament berth already clinched, Somerville boys basketball  has its sights set on even loftier goals. After cruising to a pair of wins over Medford (78-68) and Everett (71-65), the Highlanders improved to 12-2 and are 5-1 in the Greater Boston League. And with two games with first place Cambridge on the horizon, the Highlanders are in control to clinch their first GBL title on the horizon for the first time since 1988.

By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

Cynicism has its place. Without it people fail to plan for the worst-case scenario. Yet, to all the cynics out there who have questioned whether mass transit will return to the heart of Somerville, the MBTA answered with an emphatic “yes” on Monday.

Pristine Mei (left) finished with a personal best 12:42 time in the two-mile run in last week's State Coaches Meet.

By Mike Rubin

Led by several solid performances, the Somerville girls track team delivered impressive results in last weekend’s girls state coaches meet held at the Reggie Lewis Center.

Nicole Genard, who finished second in the 55-meter hurdles, achieved her personal best time of 8.20, good for second place and ninth overall in the nation.