By Mike Rubin

Bruins legends Rick Middleton and Terry O'Reilly lead the Boston Bruins Alumni team. - Photo Andrew Firestone

For one night, all eyes were turned on the newly renovated Veterans Memorial Rink, as the Boston Bruins Hockey Alumni battled the Somerville Police Hockey squad in.

Led by veteran Rick Middleton, the alumni team featured greats Terry O’Reilly, Ken Hodge, Ken Linseman, Bob Sweeney, Don Marcotte, Bruins broadcaster Andy Brickley, and Brad Park.

The city’s annual Christmas Tree lighting is postponed  tonight to tomorrow night: Thursday December 2  at City Hall at 5:30 p.m., all are welcome to come and enjoy and we hear Santa might show up for a visit to help celebrate the season of Christmas.

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The Concord Avenue Traffic meeting is tonight, Wednesday Dec. 1, (not Thursday) at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. in the Aldermen’s Chambers. Ward Two Alderman Maryann Heuston is inviting all those concerned to be there.

We may never know the exact circumstances surrounding Sheriff James DiPaola’s death Saturday in Maine.

However, we can be sure that DiPaola spent decades working to help people: first for 18 years as a Malden police officer then for 14 as Middlesex County sheriff.

His sense of duty and obligation to help those in need was felt from Somerville to Louisiana.

By Ashley Taylor

About 30 residents attended the Ward 7 ResiStat meeting on Monday night at the West Somerville Community School, where residents and city officials discussed the future of the Powder House Community School, Somerville’s impermeable surfaces, and crime at Tufts University, among other topics.

ResiStat is, in the words of its website, “the the City of Somerville’s effort to bring data-driven discussions and decision-making to residents.”  Daniel Hadley, the ResiStat manager, chaired the meeting.  Ward Seven Alderman Bob Trane, Police Captain Paul Trant, Rob May, from the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, and Matt Dias, Director of the Department of Traffic and Parking, attended the meeting and answered questions.

The suicide of Middlesex Sheriff James DiPaola has puzzled political allies including Mayor Joe Curtatone. - Photo by Bobbie Toner

Mayor: Sheriff ‘good friend’ to Somerville

By George P. Hassett

The death of embattled Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola from an apparent suicide Saturday continued this week to shock those who knew the former Malden cop, including in Somerville where DiPaola worked closely with officials on clean-up projects and large scale initiatives.

Mayor Joe Curtatone said DiPaola was “a very good friend to the city of Somerville.”

By George P. Hassett

A 41-year-old homeless woman tried to blame her nephew after she stole a smart phone from a man who was allowing her to stay with him, police said.

Kim Casey was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property over $250. Police said when the man realized his phone was missing, he called it and Casey answered.

Former Somerville High School boys' basketball star Franklin Salvador has already made an impression at Thomas College in Waterville, Maine, earning rookie of the week honors.

By Mike Rubin

Not long ago, Franklin Salvador emerged as one of the elite perimeter shooters in the history of Somerville High boys basketball.

Now as Salvador takes his game to the next level, Salvador continues to light up the net for the Thomas College Terriers in Waterville, Maine.

Despite the team’s 0-2 mark, Salvador was named as the school’s rookie of the week. In a loss to UMass-Dartmouth, Salvador registered a game high 28 points. He also scored 17 points in a tough defeat to Baruch College. In the loss, Salvador added five rebounds and four steals.

For his efforts he won the league’s rookie of the week honors.

Somerville poet Patric Sylvain paints a less than pretty picture of his native Haiti in his poem “Boulevard Jean Jacques Dessalines.” Sylvain is included in the anthology  “Poets for Haiti” edited by Kim Triedman.

Dear Editor,

We want to thank all the participants in our October book sale; the book donors, the book purchasers all the volunteers, library staff and DPW. We want to specifically thank the students at Prospect Hill Academy for their efforts and Flagraphics for the banner. As you know the proceeds are used to support cultural and educational programs at the library and to buy museum passes.

Michael Knoblach met me at my usual table at the Bloc 11 Cafe in Union Square. He is a big man, with thinning shoulder length hair, and a deep but somewhat hushed voice. He is what I would call a renaissance man, a man with an eclectic range of interests and sensibilities.
A graduate of Tufts University, the former Somerville resident still conducts much of his business in the ‘ville. Among other things Knoblach is an antiques dealer and used to do a lot of business with “Poor Little Rich Girl” when it was still in Somerville.