- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

The Somerville Fire Department responded to an incident at the Mayer Campus Center at Tufts University. The center was shut down  Wednesday evening around 5:30pm after smoke spread throughout the building caused by an elevator machinery malfunction. The campus center elevator’s hydraulic oil overheated and smoked filled the area, creating a pungent smell throughout the building, according to the Tufts University Police Department  no injuries were reported. The building is scheduled to reopen today.

Kelsey Garrity, a three sport athlete and also a two sport captain in basketball and football was named this year's Homecoming queen on Friday night. In Friday night's contest, the Highlanders romped to a 35-8 win over Medford.

By Mike Rubin

On a night where there was a homecoming king and queen, the Somerville High School football team was king on the gridiron.

Skerby Odivin rushed for a pair of touchdowns and Joshua Scarry also rushed for a score as the Highlanders cruised to a 35 to 8 win over the Medford Mustangs in Friday night’s windswept contest at Dilboy Field. With the win, the Highlanders improved to 2-3 overall.

Recovered e-mail may show city wrongly skipped over disabled vet

By George P. Hassett

Sean O’Brien says he wants to be a Somerville firefighter for the same reason he joined the U.S. Marines: “I want to do my part to help.”

O’Brien, a disabled veteran who served in Iraq between 2005 and 2009, has been denied the opportunity to help despite being number one on a civil service hiring list since last year. He and his supporters say his effort to get on the Somerville Fire Department has been blocked by political cronyism and back door dealing.

- Photo by Diane McCormick/McCardinal Photo

By Ashley Troutman

Somerville received the “Healthiest City in Massachusetts” award at the Massachusetts Health Council’s 90^th Anniversary Celebration on October 12. The award was presented to Somerville for its active promotion of healthy living, and general wellness throughout the community.

When incoming police chief Tom Pasquarello met with aldermen this week, there were no serious concerns on his credentials or qualifications.
The only dissatisfaction most aldermen seemed to have (aside from Tom Taylor’s concern that the $185,000 starting salary was too high) was Pasquarello’s hesitance to commit to living in Somerville.
Pasquarello owns a home in Cambridge’s Porter Square and he will move his family 6,000 miles from his old DEA post in Bangkok, Thailand to live there with his elderly mother.
He cited concerns about disrupting his family with another move and said he wasn’t keen on selling a home in the current real estate market. Both are valid reasons why Pasquarello should take his time in moving to Somerville.

Somerville has a hero. Hats off and much applauds to local guy Ray Snow Jr. of Somerville Plumbing Co., for his quick thinking that helped save a fellow boater’s life Sunday. Ray, a member of the Winter Hill Yacht Club, was out on the Boston Harbor aboard his boat the “Mi Di” when he noticed a boat on fire in the distance and the boat’s occupant in the water. Ray steamed full speed ahead over to the boater that was in distress and with the help of his own passenger Lewis Bacon, plucked the cold, wet 74-year-old Lexington man from the frigid harbor waters onto his boat until the police arrived.

By George P. Hassett

A three-time shoplifter stole a bottle of grape vodka from a Davis Square liquor store Oct. 14 and gave officers a wrong name after they cuffed him, police said.

Bruce Quick, 23, of 12 Harvard Ave., was arrested and charged with shoplifting after Somerville police officer James McNally saw him scrape a price tag off the bottle after exiting Downtown Liquors, police said.

By George P. Hassett

Aldermen grilled incoming police chief Tom Pasquarello last week on where he plans to live before approving his appointment.

Aldermen voted 8 to 1 to appoint Tom Pasquarello as the city’s police chief. Pasquarello is expected to start in early December. Ward Three Alderman Tom Taylor voted against the approval due to Pasquarello’s starting salary of $185,000.

By Jimmy Del Ponte

Dapper Dan’s Restaurant, which graced The Assembly Square  Mall from around 1981 to 1996, held a gala reunion at Night Games in the Somerville Holiday Inn on Saturday October 16. The place was packed  with familiar faces who hadn’t seen each other in quite a while.  Many of the original bar and wait staff, and throngs of former patrons attended the party put together by “Dapper” Danny Kallis, his wife Denise, Carol Bedford, Maureen from the Holiday Inn, Michele Mobilia, Terry Daly, Lois Slattery, Greta Slattery Covino, Shelia Costa,Yvonne Racicot, and Ray Zhongetti.

(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.)

Mystic Ave. playground has dangerous materials

I would like to bring to your attention a potentially dangerous and hazardous environment at the Mystic Housing complex, here in Somerville . The Mystic Housing complex has renovated two playground areas on Canal Lane and River Road .  Both of these playgrounds are opposite each other in the complex.