New exhibit on display at Diesel Cafe

By Peta Jinnath Andersen

Last week saw the opening of Rifrakt: an artist collective at the Diesel Cafe. The show features work by 11 members of the Rifrakt artist collective, a staple of the Somerville arts scene since 2009.

Although the funky and eclectic Diesel has hosted many local artists, none have seemed quite as at home in the space as the current Rifrakt show. Up front, near the Diesel counter, a collective wall gives patrons a taste of what to expect, inviting them into the space to explore the individual member walls. Particularly arresting are Erich Roehre’s Clarity, an 18×24” spray paint on canvas work, and Leah Cunningham’s Me & You, a mixed media piece using heart-shaped buttons creatively-and eerily.

- Photo by Siobhan Murray

The Somerville High School girls track team competed at the Division 1 state meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.

Nicole Genard finished in second place in the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 8.33 to advance to the State Finals on Saturday.

“Nicole’s performance was particularly impressive because she has not been able to hurdle for two weeks since injuring her heel at the Elite Meet that was held on February 6,” said girls track coach Charlie O’Rourke. “She was on crutches the first week and has not been able to practice. Her trainer Michelle Kelly did a great job of rehabbing Nicole and getting her ready to compete. Not only did Nicole hurdle well, but she ran the last leg of the 4x200m relay and helped her teammates to a seventh place finish and possibly a spot in the state finals.”

By George P. Hassett

Police are investigating extortion allegations on Marshall Street.

The incident was reported to police on Feb. 20 but police Sgt. Neil Brennan said few details can be released.

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.)

One of the challenges city government faces in the modern world is to evolve as quickly as its customers. Many of our residents use social media like Facebook and Twitter to connect with the rest of the world, both as part of their personal lives and as part of their jobs. Our businesses interface with other businesses in the online world as much as they do face-to-face.

If we truly wish to serve the people who live and work in Somerville, then we need to embrace technological innovation so that we are consistently in line with what you are doing online. We have to do that in order to stay relevant, just like we had to pave the roads once large numbers of people started buying cars.

A Somerville man has been arraigned on charges in connection with a motor vehicle crash that resulted in the death of Sinead Lovett, 29, of Braintree, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public last week.
Richard Migliacci, 37, of Somerville, was arraigned today in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn on charges of felony motor vehicle homicide and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license. Middlesex Superior Court Clerk Magistrate Matthew Day ordered Migliacci held on $10,000 cash bail with the conditions that he undergo a substance abuse evaluation, refrain from the use of drugs and alcohol, and submit to random alcohol tests. Migliacci was then held without bail on a probation detainer issued out of Cambridge District Court.

Bill Cosby and child psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint will be at Tufts University this week.

By Cathleen Twardzik

Bill Cosby is coming to Somerville. The comedian who has strengthened family ties through laughter in his stand-up routines, comedy albums and hit television show will be honored Feb. 25 at Tufts University.

Cosby’s contributions will be remembered alongside renowned psychiatrist, educator and social commentator Alvin F. Poussaint of Harvard University at the Distler Performance Hall at the Granoff Music Center on Tufts University’s Somerville campus at 10 a.m.

The free event is open to the public.

By George P.  Hassett

A crowd of 40 schoolchildren and teenagers watched a pre-arranged fight between three girls and one boy Feb. 15, police said.

The fight had been pre-arranged and publicized to attract a crowd of onlookers, mostly from Somerville High School and the Full Circle School, police said.

By William Tauro

Eight members of the Somerville Fire Department are scheduled to be promoted this Thursday (February 24th) at 7pm during the Alderman’s meeting at City Hall.

Patrick Sullivan III will be promoted to Deputy Chief of Operations

William Hallinan will be promoted to Deputy Chief

An investigation by Middlesex District Attorney's office this week cleared officers for the Nov. 2 fatal shooting of Matthew Krister.

DA: Krister sold guns to gang members before fatal shooting

By George P. Hassett

An investigation by the Middlesex District Attorney’s office into the Nov. 2 shootout that left a 21-year-old man dead and a decorated police officer fighting for his life has revealed new details about the incident and officially cleared the officers involved.

On Nov. 2 as officers from the Somerville Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to serve an arrest warrant to Matthew Krister on Gibbens Street, Detective Mario Oliveira was shot five times and Krister was killed in a shootout.

Green Line advocates and opponents huddle to discuss issues surrounding the extension in Medford. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

Public forum discusses hopes, concerns

By Andrew Firestone

While Somerville has lobbied near unanimously for the extension of the Green Line past Lechmere station, Medford residents have been slower to embrace the project.

In the first of several public meetings, the MBTA, the Office of Public Collaboration of UMass and the City of Somerville teamed up to address concerns the citizens of neighboring Medford had of bringing the Green line to their city.

While Medford has largely been on edge about the extension of the Green Line, the program was designed to properly gauge public concerns about the green line and debate their various options.