The Somerville Times

125 Ginger enthusiasts spice up Union Square

On February 3, 2010, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Loic/Luke Garrec, 10, presents ginger macaroons to passers-by.

Bambara's gingerbread martinis, a concoction of rum, ginger and molasses, were popular with the crowd. ~Photos by Lauren C. Ostberg

Lauren C. Ostberg

Whether sweet, hot, or alcohol-infused, ginger is a powerful ingredient. This past Wednesday, January 27, it brought five local restaurants and an estimated 125 attendees to Somerville's first Ginger Explosion Festival, held at Grand on Somerville Avenue and co-produced by @eatBoston and the Somerville Arts Council (SAC).

"I'm here because ginger is the perfect spice," said Dwayne Martin, 34, of Cambridge. "It can be spicy, sweet, or soothing."

The five restaurants doling out samples — Ronnarong, of Union Square; Tupelo, of Inman Square; Picco, of the South End; Bambara, of Cambridge; and Petit Robert Bistro, of Kenmore Square — offered a ginger-based martini, stir-fry, gumbo, and veal stew alongside the expected desserts and tea.

"We were looking for a flavor that people could rally around," said Aaron Cohen, 31, founder of @eatBoston, a Twitter-based restaurant event group.

The Somerville Arts Council was on board – their extended ArtsUnion Project series focuses on stimulating the local economy. They also tied food to culture by distributing a fact sheet about gingers' use in ethnic cuisine in Union Square and around the world.

After sampling most of the items available, Martin favored Ron Todd's Thai Toddy, a seasonal, ginger-infused tea/sak√© drink available at Union Square's Ronnarong. Mike Reed, 35, an Union Squarer out to support Grand, enjoyed Bambara's gingerbread martini, while Katherine Bavoy, 28, preferred Petit's ginger macaroons.

Elderly Somerville woman killed by fire hose

On February 3, 2010, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

By Tom Nash

An 82-year-old Somerville resident died two days after being struck by a fire hose in Cambridge last week.

According to a police report, on Jan. 28 Gertrude King was waiting for a fire truck responding to a call to pass at Massachusetts Avenue and Western Avenue when a hose dragging from behind it struck her below the knees.

Community members gather for first civic engagement series workshop

On February 3, 2010, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Residents of Somerville gathered to engage in a workshop about the commissions that work in the city. ~Photo by Jeremy F. van der Heiden

By Jeremy F. van der Heiden

Several citizens of Somerville gathered last Saturday, January 30 to engage in a workshop about the commissions that work in the city. This workshop was the first of many in the city-sponsored series of civic engagement "how to…" workshops. About eighteen residents attended the informative meeting at the central branch of the Somerville Public Library.

The goal of this meeting was to educate residents about the functions of the various commissions operating in Somerville, as well as how to get involved with them, and how important it is to have resident involvement within them.

Somerville’s silver screen triumphs at annual board meeting

On February 3, 2010, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Andrew Firestone

Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT) chose to hold it's annual board meeting in the form of an extravaganza, with special guests, awards, and an all-you-can eat buffet. Hosting their top shows, such as Nesley "Bongoman" Lambert and Somerville's own Politico Joe Lynch, who competed for Best Hot Set Show, the board celebrated another year of dynamic new programming, and fostering new talent.

Fundraiser to be held February 4

On February 1, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Haitian
Film & Video" on Thursday, February 4th from 6:30 – 9:00pm. This
will be broadcast in Somerville on Somerville Community Access
Television (SCAT), as well as in Cambridge on CCTV.

Exploring
the role of media as it relates to Haiti and the local Haitian
community, we will screen excerpts from documentaries like The
Agronomist, Secondhand (Pepe) and Belo's Song of Peace, as well as
samples of video work relating to philanthropic causes and excerpts
from local Haitian TV shows. The following panel discussion will be led
by Charlot Lucien, founder/co-director of the Haitian Artists Assembly
of Massachusetts. Panelists are: Hanna Rose Shell, director of "Second
Hand Pepe" and M.I.T. Assistant Professor; Patrick Sylvain, writer and
educator; and Ronny Dorvil, SCAT producer.

City looking for volunteers for health risk study

On January 31, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Project looks at air quality along the I93 corridor

By Julia Fairclough

If you are over the age of 40 and live in either Ten Hills, East Somerville, or the Mystic River Apartments, researchers want to talk to you about whether living by the highway is a health risk.

Tufts University is working with Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP) on the "Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health" study, of which the first part entails asking eligible participants to have their weight and blood pressure taken, as well as answer specific questions about health issues. Data from interviews in Somerville will be taken through this summer. The study will then move on to South Boston, Dorchester, and then Chinatown, said Doug Brugge, a Tufts Medical School professor who is directing the project.

Cambridge Health Alliance expands sports-related medical services

On January 31, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Lee Durocher

The CHA expansion into professional level sports is a reflection of the growth of its sports medicine program. Local up-and-coming sports franchises benefit from the services of the Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA). The Boston Blazers (National Lacrosse League), Boston Breakers (Women's Professional Soccer) and the Boston Militia (Women's Professional Football) are amongst the CHA's clients. The organization has long been involved with local high school athletics especially Somerville High School and Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School. Much of the work that the CHA does with students and athletes is done at its sports medicine facility in Assembly Square, Somerville.

Someone’s getting old!

On January 30, 2010, in Uncategorized, by The News Staff

Jimmy Del Ponte
On The Silly Side

(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.)

My son turned 14 this past Saturday – it seems like only yesterday I was pushing that stroller down to Davis Square and stopping at the playground across from Osco, Brooks, Rite-Aid. Next year he will be starting high school and soon he will be asking for the car keys. I know it sounds clich√©, but where did the years go?

Somervillians experience first cultural exchange in Tiznit, Morocco

On January 29, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Somerville
artists take a moment to talk to local children while touring Tiznit
artist studios. ~Photo courtesy of Cynthia Maurice

Mayor Joseph Curtatone tours the local schools in Tiznit. ~Photo courtesy of UME

By Julia Fairclough

Somerville
artist Pauline Lim learned while in Tiznit, Morocco, that making a
collaborative mural with children-an activity that the painter had
always avoided-can be fulfilling, entertaining and educational.

"The
other artists chided me for trying to control the outcome of the
project too much," she said, "But it was true, because I always think
collaborative murals end up looking like a chaotic mess. This one did
too, but (Cynthia Maurice, a fellow Brickbottom artist) taught me to
see the beauty and energy in it."

Lim is among a dozen city
officials, artists, and other community members who came back from last
month's week-long professional development trip in Tiznit, who looks at
life a bit differently.

The Sister Cities Civic Participation
and Leadership Initiative was created by the University of the Middle
East (UME), a program based in the Armory building on Highland Ave. UME
promotes educational leadership and civic engagement through
cross-cultural understanding. This week-long trip was the first
official meeting of the two communities as part of the partnership,
which UME Executive Director Ray Matsumiya hopes will expand to a
multi-year relationship.

"This partnership exposes us to all of
the ways that the city (of Tiznit) works, from the transportation to
the artist community," Matsumiya said.

Galia Shokry, UME's
senior program manager, added that people abroad are always so
impressed by Somerville's diversity. It's powerful what this city can
offer to others for partnership ideas.

CPCU Credit Union collects and donates much needed toiletry items and canned goods to the Somerville Homeless Coalition.

On January 28, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

CPCU Credit Union set up collection boxes at both of their Somerville and Cambridge branches to collect much needed toiletry items and canned goods for the Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) after an email communication was sent out outlining their disparity for donations. For three weeks before the holidays, CPCU collected in conjunction with their membership, shampoo, conditioner, and soaps as well as non-perishables to donate to SHC. In addition to the collection, CPCU donated many necessities such as baby wipes, toothpaste, soups, etc. in bulk packages to help those in need during the holiday season.