By Dennis Fischman

It’s quite a feat to write a historically accurate novel set in ancient times and make it as much fun as this one.

Marcus Didius Falco is an “informant,” or private investigator, working in first century Rome. He’s been described as “Roman Emperor Vespasian’s smart-aleck PI.” To keep body and soul together, Falco moves around Rome’s empire, working for hire, even in savage places like Roman Britain.

Long time Somerville resident and The Somerville Times photographer, Claudia Ferro, celebrated her 80th birthday on Monday of this week. All of her family and extended family came out to celebrate her special day. We wish her many more happy years to come.

Senator Patricia Jehlen with Sean Ellis, Exoneree and Director of Exoneree Network.

On September 12 at City Winery Boston, as the New England Innocence Project commemorates 20 years of fighting for freedom at their annual storytelling event, Voices of the Innocent, the social justice nonprofit will honor Senator Patricia Jehlen for her more than 20 years of dedicated service in support of wrongfully convicted people and their families.

Femino to retire this fall

On behalf of the City of Somerville, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is extending her deepest gratitude to interim Police Chief Charles Femino for his exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication to the Somerville Police Department. 

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Remember the dancing and singing popcorn box and soda cups inviting us to buy refreshments at the movies? Sure you do. Do you remember the first movie you saw at a Somerville movie theater? Some of us do. My parents took us to the drive-in when we were really young where we saw The Blob in 1958. My first movie theater shows were Ben Hur in 1959 and 101 Dalmatians in 1961 at Davis Square. We also saw The Shaggy Dog with Fred MacMurray in 1959. In 1965 my mother took us to see The Sound Of Music.

Somerville resident Daniel Lancaster graduated from YouthBuild Just A Start on Thursday, August 29, at the Cambridge Public Library. Next, he will go on to working an apprenticeship with YourthBuild.

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, YouthBuild Just A Start celebrated the accomplishments of its 2024 graduating class at the Cambridge Public Library. Seventeen students successfully completed three or more HiSET exams (in math, science, writing, social studies, or reading) and earned credentials in Home Builders Institute Pre-apprenticeship Certification Training (HBIPACT) or Retail Industry Fundamentals (RIF).

In March, Somerville Media Center secured a lease with Rafi Properties for approximately 5000 sqft of space at 29 Properzi Way in Somerville.  The new facility will be located in the Somernova campus among a number of buildings that are part of a proposed future development project.  SMC contracted with architectural firm Studio Troika to design and oversee construction and have chosen Menemsha Solutions as a general contractor.  Both groups have been excellent partners to SMC through this process and have been very responsive to the community and technology-oriented needs of our organization.  Permit applications have been filed with the City of Somerville and hammers are anticipated to swing shortly after September 9.

— Photo by Fred Bernardin

By Fred Bernardin

On Sunday September 1, the 10th and 4th British regiments marched from Trum Field down Broadway to the Powder House at Nathan Tufts Park to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Powder Alarm, which resulted when British troops removed gunpowder for safekeeping in Boston’s Castle William (since renamed Fort Independence) in the Boston Harbor.

ACO Haley Lamonte (3 years service) and Rachel Taylor (15 years service) received recognition after achieving no-kill status at shelter for the first time ever.

By Harry Kane

Somerville Animal Control department received a national award from an organization called Best Friends Animal Society earlier this year for reaching a benchmark goal in 2023 with a 90 percent no-kill rate of dogs and cats.