By William C. Shelton

(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.)

The best social program is a job. Jobs bring income, self-esteem and opportunity to workers. They bring revenue rather than expenses to government. They stimulate a community’s economy when workers purchase goods and services.

But Somerville is poor in jobs. We have two workers for every Somerville job, as opposed to Boston and Cambridge that have two jobs for every worker, a four-fold difference.

- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Nearly three months after Somerville News staff assisted and reported on a story about a disabled man in a wheelchair who got stuck in the snow two days after a snowfall due to a unshoveled walkway and handicap ramp, the station has closed.

Somerville resident Mike Cote of Brady Towers was stuck in the snow of the handicap ramp at the Sunoco Gas Station on McGrath Highway.

The Reverend Molly Baskette's emotional return to the pulpit was an inspiring and gratifying event for both herself and her congregation. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

Easter is a holiday of rebirth and jubilation, when the spirit of life that has been lost comes once again renewed upon the world. The celebration was even more special in Somerville’s United Church of Christ, Sunday, April 25, when Reverend Molly Baskette was reinvigorated upon the pulpit, returning to lead her congregation in an Easter sermon for the first time since taking a leave of absence following her diagnosis with Ewing sarcoma.

“What an amazing thing it is to have what we went through as a church and then what we went through in our family in the rear-view mirror,” said Rev. Baskette who returns to full duties in June, “to be able to mark this day putting death behind us and having life before us.”

By Andrew Firestone

Mayor Joseph Curtatone came out April 26 in his unequivocal support for the State budget plan, which would allow the city to enter into a newer, cheaper healthcare plan. By having all city employees and retirees join onto the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), the City projects a budget saving of around $8 million dollars for the fiscal year, going a long way towards bridging the City’s 7 million dollar budget gap.

“As you saw in this fiscal year that’s about to end, in the [City] budget presentations, that you have a crossroads where you have local aid on the decline and you have healthcare costs that are going up. That’s the first time in history, so every new tax dollar is going to pay for healthcare,” said Curtatone.

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.”