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.

We all carry baggage–especially poets. Kim Triedman, a member of Somerville’s Bagel Bards writes of the rites of many bards.

Arrests:
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Donna Owens, 49, of 49 Marshall St., March 7, 12:24 a.m., arrested at home and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Daniel Ryan, 45, homeless, March 7, 3:18 p.m., arrested at 14 McGrath Highway and charged with disorderly conduct and trespass.

Benjamin Thal, 27, of 385 Somerville Ave., March 7, 5:31 p.m., arrested at home and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery.

“On the River”: The Cambridge Community Poem.” By the People of Cambridge. Edited by Peter Payack.

Well, I guess since Somerville doesn’t have a Poet Laureate, Somerville poets have to go elsewhere, and indeed a number of them have been included in the innovative new poetry anthology “On the River” edited by the first Poet Populist of Cambridge Peter Payack. Since Somerville and Cambridge adjoin each other,there are exchanges of vital poetry fluids between the two promiscuous citizen bodies. In his introduction to the collection Payack writes:

Saint Clement School announced today that the students,  faculty and staff are pinching in to help the soldiers in Afghanistan. On Thursday, March 17, at 9:30 a.m., Taylor Laffey and her sister, Christine, will be at Saint Clement School to talk to Saint  Clement Students, faculty and staff and to leave sock drop-off boxes to collect socks for soldiers in Afghanistan.

- Photos by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Dozens of Somerville seniors enjoyed a fun filled day of dancing, singing and fine Irish dining at this years Council of Aging St. Patrick’s Day Party.

The well attended event was held Monday at the Somerville Holiday Inn where the ballroom overflowed in green.