By George P. Hassett

A week after a former Somerville building inspector was fined for ethics violations,the city is beginning an effort to overhaul the troubled Inspectional Services Department.

The city paid San Diego-based Zucker Systems $44,000 for the study which included 101 recommendations.

The city’s planning director, Monica Lamboy, said the report is the “first step toward understanding the situation.”

By Andrew Firestone

Images and ideas have funny relationships.

How best to describe what the animation of Somerville artist Karen Aqua? Surrealism? Perhaps a little. Postmodern mythology? A little simplified. Magic? Certainly.

The Somerville Arts Council is once again hosting the Illuminations tour this year. We were looking over the flyer they put out and we were surprised at not one mention of Christmas. Private advertising  for a restaurant is there but not one word of Christmas. Looks like just some more PC crap to us. It’s Christmas get over it, celebrating the birth of Christ. Although lights, like Santa, are not religious it’s still part of the celebration of Christmas. Probably 99 percent of the people who are putting lights up for decorations are doing it in celebration of Christmas not Festivus.

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Congratulations to our good friends Tara DeCristofaro and her husband Eric on the recent birth of their first child born boy named Nathan weighing in at 8lbs 1oz. Tara is the Registrar of Probate here in Middlesex County; an extremely nice couple will make fantastic parents we wish them the best. 

This Christmas season, Somerville residents will be treated to the shining, elaborate light displays of their neighbors. These neighbors sacrifice their time and money (how much could some of these electric bills be?) to put up and maintain folk art we can all enjoy.

It’s just too bad the politically correct police have to interfere. This year’s Illuminations Tour, sponsored and organized by the Somerville Arts Council, will be as exciting as ever, but why refer to these displays as anything other than what they are?

By George P. Hassett

New board president

Ward Six Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz will be president of the Board of Aldermen next year, it was announced at Thursday’s meeting. Ward Three Alderman Tom Taylor will be vice president. 

By George P. Hassett

A Curtis Street man opened his door at 3:27 a.m. Sunday to see a man standing in the doorway with a knife raised over his head, police said.

The man with the knife, later identified as Murtagh MacKenna, 19, of 420 South Main St., Nashua, NH, said, “Thank god you opened the door, they’re trying to kill me,” according to police. Police said he asked if someone named Cullen was in the apartment. The victim did not know MacKenna or anyone named Cullen, police said. He asked MacKenna to get rid of the knife and MacKenna complied, police said.

By Mike Rubin

With an abundance of athletes returning, the Somerville High School boys track team has its sights set on a league championship.

Leading the way is sophomore speedster Andre Rolim, who claimed the Eastern Mass Division 1 State Championship in the 600 meters. Also providing some solid depth are senior tri-captains John Thomas in the hurdles and high jump followed by Ed Chen in the 100-yard dash and middle distance and Tim Sullivan in both the 1,000 meters and mile.

Well, Christmas will soon be here.  My old pal and poet Tomas O’Leary has a poem for the season. Tomas was born and raised in Somerville but then defected to the Republic of Cambridge. Tomas is a beloved member of the Somerville Bagel Bards, where he shares his Irish wit and sometimes breaks out into song.  

The Kiwanis Club of Somerville recently hosted more that sixty children at its Annual Somerville Kiwanis Head Start Holiday Party at the City Club.  Kiwanian Jim Bowdring of Superior Promotions, Medford, organized the well-attended event.  “Santa” Scott Moss greeted the crowd while children of Kiwanians members distributed candy canes to the kids.  Santa took his place and invited each family to come up with their sponsoring Kiwanian to have their photo taken and receive a special holiday gift.  Somerville Kiwanians purchased gifts for the children of each family.  Pizza was served from Mama Gina’s of Union Square. www.somervillekiwanis.org