By Jim Clark

Based on information provided by a concerned citizen, Somerville Police Department and Somerville Housing Authority officers responded to reports of suspected drug trafficking activity in the Sturtevant St./New Rd. area.
A vehicle matching the informant’s description was stopped and its passengers were searched and questioned by police. In spite of what investigating officers described as furtive attempts at hiding something, small, individually wrapped amounts of what appeared to be crack cocaine were found, along with what seemed to be a crack pipe, police said.

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.)

On Monday night, this city did something big.

When the Board of Aldermen voted for the $25.75 million bond to fund infrastructure improvements in Assembly Square, it culminated almost two decades of work. All it took was the efforts of everyone who has served on the Board during that time, three past mayors, our Congressman Michael Capuano (who was also one of those past mayors) , Senator John Kerry, the late Senator Ted Kennedy, all of our state representatives during that time, all of the Somerville residents who have spoken up about Assembly Square over the years, Governor Deval Patrick and a list too long to mention from his administration, the people at Federal Realty Investment Trust, all of the city business leaders who have been staunch supporters of redeveloping Assembly Square, federal officials who approved key funding for portions of the project, and the tireless efforts of the staff here at City Hall (past and present).

- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Somerville emergency crews treat and prepare to transport a male accident victim to the hospital late Thursday afternoon. The accident took place at the intersection of Medford and Norwood street.

Although controversial, John Shea’s The Painter has passed inspection by the Somerville Human Rights Commission and others. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

While the controversy surrounding Somerville resident John Shea’s new play The Painter appeared to reach fever pitch, those who sat and watched the performance came away with a very different attitude. Members of the Somerville Human Rights Commission attended a recent performance of the one-act, starring Jered Wright and Michael Nurse, and came away without complaint.

“I thought it was very interesting in terms of talking about subject matter that, frankly, we don’t really talk in terms of race relations,” said Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, LGBT liaison for the City, who is of Dominican descent. “I don’t think it was problematic; I think it was very “in-your-face” in a way, and that sometimes makes people uncomfortable, but for me it wasn’t as much.”

By Jim Clark

Somerville police responded to witness reports that a man was jumping up and down on a car, causing it damage, at the corner of School and Montrose Streets last Thursday. Police said that he had managed to smash the vehicle’s windshield and broke a side view mirror.
Julio Dejesus, 31, was detained and handcuffed by officers on the scene. While seated on the ground, police said that he threw a lighter at an approaching officer and then attempted to escape. The officer gave chase and, while attempting to subdue the man, took a punch to the mouth by him, as reported by the officer on the scene.

A greiving mother comes one step nearer to closure following the sentencing of her son’s murderer. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

It has been two years since Denise Cosby heard the devastating news about her son Justin’s death. Found shot and bleeding on Dunster Street, May 18, 2009, Justin died a few days later, the victim of a marijuana trade gone bad. At the April 22 sentencing, Denise Cosby stood up and delivered a speech of indignation and grief towards her son’s murderer, Jabrai Copney of New York City.

“I hope you think about what you did to Justin each and every day for the rest of your life, as I do,” said Cosby. “May the rest of your life be a continuous hell on earth.”

Six Somerville police officers were recognized at the Irish American Police Officer’s Association, Twelfth Annual Awards Dinner, which was held Saturday evening, April 23, in Newton. 

By Jim Clark

A police officer was summoned into On The Hill Tavern, 499 Broadway, Saturday night when a customer reported that a fight was underway inside.
Upon entering the officer found that the altercation had been broken up, but a number of female patrons singled out a woman, Colleen Beattie, 27, of Medford, stating that she had smashed another woman in the mouth with a bottle. The alleged victim complained of a chipped tooth, and a broken bottle was found on the floor where the attack was said to have taken place.

By William Tauro

Somerville resident and student at the West Somerville Neighborhood School Brooke Metivier is shown here with The Matty in the Morning Crew, from Kiss 108 at the annual Walk for Hunger on Sunday May 1st. Pictured left to right: Lisa Matty, Bill Costa, Brooke Metivier and her cousin Michael Metivier. Brooke won the Heart and Soul Walkers title because she collected over $500.00 for Project Bread.

The vote to post bonds for the DIF was nine to one at the full Board of Aldermen vote.- Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Ashley Taylor and Andrew Firestone

In what one alderman called a “historic vote,” the Board of Aldermen voted at a special meeting on Monday, May 2, to post $25,750,000 in bonds for the Assembly Row District Improvement Financing (DIF) project, allowing the City to proceed with infrastructure improvements in Assembly Square. This development will be crowned by the Assembly Square Orange Line stop, provided by State and private funds, which depended directly on the City’s approval of the DIF project.