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

By Alderman at Large Bill White

(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.)

Last week, The Somerville News incorrectly reported that the Board of Aldermen had voted to fund Assembly Square development and take out a $25 million bond to be paid by future property tax revenues on three parcels at Assembly Square.  Because this is an important financial issue for all Somerville residents, I would like to take this opportunity to explain what actually happened.  Since the City began comprehensive planning for Assembly Square in 1999, everyone has recognized that an Orange Line T Stop is vital to develop Assembly Square to its fullest, which would create good paying jobs and substantial property tax revenue for the City.

Arrests
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Tevon Ngomba, 17, of 25 Canal Lane, Dec. 6, 1:14 p.m., arrested at his home on a warrant charge of armed robbery.

Richard Abernathy, 23, of 30 Churchill Ave., Cambridge, Dec. 6, 6:18 p.m., arrested on Broadway on warrant charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Ricardo Collazo, 37, of 794 Mass Ave., Boston, arrested in Boston on a warrant charge of armed and masked robbery.

- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

The Somerville fire department conducted exercises for fire safety maneuvers this week with a “Flashover Trailer Unit”.  The trailer was provided to the Somerville fire department by the Department of Fire Services of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy to simulate emergency fire situations.

The unit was set up and the exercises were carried out in the parking lot of Somerville’s Winter Hill Yacht Club, who generously donated the space to the department for the week.