And the hits just keep on coming. Some say that the Mayor is milking the "All America City" award won last summer, but we think they might not understand what that distinction comes with. Without going over the origins of the award and the qualifications needed to be considered, it must be noted that this is an award that is supposed to instill a sense of community pride not just in the future, but at the very least, the time that elapses between receiving the recognition and the next year's award ceremony.

(L to R) President of the Board of Aldermen Jack Connolly, Governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Superintendent of Schools Anthony Pierantozzi praised Somerville for it’s progressive and prospering community. Governor Patrick arrived at the High School, where he was greeted by Headmaster Anthony Ciccariello.~Photos by Andrew Firestone

Andrew Firestone

It was a day of revelry and celebration at Somerville High on Monday morning, when in front of an audience including elected officials and students alike, Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Governor Deval Patrick declared "Somerville All America City Day" in Somerville, a culmination of Somerville's winning of the title of 2009 "All-America City" last June. Along with Superintendent of Schools Anthony Pierantozzi and President of the Board of Aldermen Jack Connolly, the officials praised Somerville for it's progressive and prospering community.

The sun was shining and it was warm on Monday morning as Governor Patrick arrived at the High School, where he was greeted by Headmaster Anthony Ciccariello and an African Drum Band outside the school. Despite the pomp and circumstance of the governor's arrival, emotional resonance was clearly evident, as one police Sergeant said "this for us, the people of Somerville" and as Superintendent Pierantozzi put it in his opening remarks, "All of our residents have earned this award."

More than 130 people crammed into the conference room at the Community Action Agency of Somerville to tell their stories of economic recovery to Governor Patrick Thursday morning. ~Photo by Ashley Taylor

By Ashley Taylor

All seats were taken, and still people came in the door. Then someone started forcing people out of their seats and stacking the chairs to free space as more than 130 people crammed into the conference room at the Community Action Agency of Somerville in Union Square to tell their stories of economic recovery to Governor Patrick Thursday morning.

The Massachusetts Recovery and Reinvestment Office organized the roundtable discussion as part of a series of events commemorating the first anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), otherwise known as the stimulus bill, which President Obama signed into law on February 17, 2009. According to www.recovery.gov, the website tracking how the stimulus funds are used, Massachusetts has received $4.6 Billion in stimulus awards, money which has been credited with creating 9.3 thousand jobs. Governor Patrick asked people to share stories of how the stimulus money has helped them, and people had many successes to recount.

According to statistics, Davis Square has four restaurants for every three retail establishments. ~Photo by Bobbie Toner

Lauren C. Ostberg

Davis Square has been through many changes in the past three decades. The Red Line added a T-stop in 1984; deregulation of rent control in the mid 70's affected the housing marketing; a national alternative press magazine declared it one of the fifteen "hippest places to live" in 1997.

The Mayor's Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD), accompanied by Ward 6 Aldermen Rebekah Gewirtz, invited the community to discuss their ideas about the region's future at a Davis Square Visioning meeting on March 3, 2010.

If the new plan is selected it would create a very large amount of space for better pedestrian and bike flow within the square. ~Photo by Tom Nash

By Ben Johnson

The third community meeting concerning the Union Square Transportation Plan took place on Monday, March 1st 2010. The meeting convened at 6:30pm at the Argenziano School, near Union Square, in order for the City of Somerville and consultants to present and discuss updated proposals for future roadway construction in the Union Square area.

About fifty residents showed up for the meeting, most of them residents from streets that could potentially be affected by the city's plans.