– Photos by Camilla Finlay

By Cathleen Twardzik

The Somerville Municipal Employees Association recently urged the Somerville Retirement Board to pass a three percent cost of living increase, in a letter to municipal leaders and members of the board.

“Our retirees are the backbone of our community, and their hard work has helped to make Somerville what it is today,” said Ed Halloran, president of the employees association.

Unfortunately at times Somerville loses its many talented artists and writers to the allure of New York City. Poet MRB Chelko is one of them. I interviewed her shortly after she left Union Square to the “City that never sleeps.” She has a recent collection of poetry out “What to Tell Sleeping Babies” published by the sunnyoutside press; a press that also left Somerville for Buffalo, NY.

MRB Chelko is a recent graduate of The University of New Hampshire’s MFA program and Editorial Assistant of the unbound poetry journal, Tuesday; An Art Project. Her poems have appeared in AGNI Online, Contrary, Fourteen Hills, Portland Review, and other fine journals. She lives with her husband, Nick and dog, Chuck in Central Harlem. Her chapbook is What to Tell the Sleeping Babies (sunnyoutside, 2010).

Roz Puleo, a Somerville resident, competed in the Timberman Ironman Triathlon this past weekend at Guilford, New Hampshire, just three months after she donated a kidney to her father Andrew.

By Mike Rubin

For years, Roz Puleo challenged herself on the track, on bike paths and on the ocean. Now for the first time in her life, she faced a tougher obstacle – the operating table.

As Puleo prepared for Sunday’s Timberman Half Iron Man Triathlon at Guilford, New Hampshire, she is still only three months removed from donating her kidney to her father Andrew Puleo.

Andrew, who was suffering from renal failure back in January, was on the verge of dialysis before Roz offered to donate her kidney. After several months of the match process, Puleo donated her kidney to her father on May 11.

By Mike Rubin

While the Malden Bulldogs may have captured the regular season division title, it’s the Somerville Alibrandis who are enjoying an early playoff lead.

With a pair of victories over the Bulldogs, the Alibrandis are in the driver’s seat and are on the verge of advancing to the semifinal round. After coasting to a 13-3 win over the Bulldogs in last Thursday’s series opener, Alibrandis delivered a 2-0 victory in Friday night’s match-up.

By George P. Hassett

Two juveniles tried to rob a man at knife point in Lincoln Park Aug. 19 before a Traffic and Parking employee chased them away, police said.

One of the juveniles was able to flee while the other was caught, police said. Officers searched the area with a police dog but couldn’t come up with the second suspect, police said.

Cynthia Staples is a Somerville-based writer and photographer.  It may have been coincidence, but moving to Somerville a few years ago lit a creative fire that she hopes will burn a long time.  Her writing can be found online and in print publications including African Voices, Creativity Portal, Dead Mule, the Seattle Times and Terrain.org.  She’s appreciated the opportunities to share her photography at the Nave Gallery and through Somerville Open Studios.  You can follow both her words and images at http://www.wordsandimagesbycynthia.wordpress.com/.

Arrests
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Farkhanda Shah, 59, of 13 Abby Ellen Lane, Peabody, Aug. 16, 10:23 a.m., arrested on warrant charges of larceny over $250 and embezzlement by a broker.

A juvenile, of Somerville, Aug. 16, 6:58 p.m., arrested on Heath Street and charged with breaking and entering in the daytime for a felony.

A juvenile, of Somerville, Aug. 17, 10:57 a.m., arrested on Lincoln Street on warrant charges.

- Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

Early Tuesday morning, Assembly Square project’s contractors are moving their way up to the Middlesex Avenue area to complete crucial underground tie-ins to the city’s main infrastructure.