The Somerville Times

Tufts speaker: Students defined by energy, curiosity, inability to stop

On May 25, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Professor and former provost Sol Gittleman ~Photo by Tufts University Photography

Ard Ardalan

Tufts professor Sol Gittleman is an expert on Yiddish culture and baseball history, not motivational speaking. On Sunday, Gittleman addressed more than 3,000 Tufts University students awaiting graduation, and he left out the pep talk.

"Students at Tufts don't need to hear much motivation; what characterizes them is their energy, their curiosity and their willingness to take on a lot of things they never seem to stop," said Gittleman, the day's commencement speaker. "They always seem to go to the library. There's a world out there that everybody's got to understand."

Homeless man asks woman “to get high,” punches her boyfriend in Somerville

On May 25, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

By George P. Hassett

A
39-year-old homeless man asked a woman if she wanted to "get together"
and "get high" on May 17 before fighting the woman's boyfriend on
Garfield Avenue, police said this week.

Somerville arrest log for the week of May 17-May 22

On May 25, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Monday, May 17

Shawn Trapp, 27, of 110 Walnut St., 9:39 a.m., arrested on warrant charges of assault and battery.

Greg
McAdams, 27, of 444 Harrison Ave., Boston, 12:34 p.m., arrested on
warrant charges of receiving stolen motor vehicle and shoplifting.

Matthew Douglas, 39, homeless, 10:08 p.m., arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and assault and battery.

Somerville officer working detail saves toddler’s life

On May 25, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Somerville Police Officer Albert Gee just after saving baby's life. ~Photos by William Tauro

2 year old was choking on drain plug

William Tauro and George P. Hassett

A police officer working a paid detail on Somerville Avenue saved the life of a choking two-year-old boy Tuesday morning, leaving a relieved Somerville dad to say, "Big up to the cops, I thank them a million times."

At 7:40 a.m., Somerville Police Officer Albert Gee was working on the MassHighway construction project when he heard a radio call reporting a baby not breathing at 15 Church St. He then saw the child's father running toward him screaming for help.

SomerStreets Kick Off Event in Somerville

On May 24, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Photos William Tauro

SomerStreets
will act as an extension of Shape Up Somerville, promoting active
living with programs for bicyclists, walkers, and pedestrians of all
ages. The May 22nd event will covered a three mile loop, kicking off
from Foss Park and continuing along the future Blueback Herring River
Route, Shore Drive, and the Mystic River Reservation. Similar programs
will be held each month throughout the summer, in different Somerville
neighborhoods.

Community Garden Breaks Ground in Clarendon Hill Housing Project

On May 23, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Ard Ardalan

Construction started last Saturday on the new Clarendon Hills community garden on the corner of Powderhouse Boulevard and North Street. The project was approved in January by the Somerville Housing Authority (SHA), which owns and operates the housing development.

Various members of the community of all age groups were on site helping out with construction.

Memoryville 02144?

On May 22, 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.)

It happened again last week. A neighbor's house was sold and the "re-modeling" has begun.

My family moved on the street in 1960, and these folks were already there back then. The sad, all too familiar scenario played out once again. The kids all get married and move out, dad passes away, and mom goes into assisted living. No one wants to keep the family home, so it goes on the market. It stays on the market for about ten minutes and sells for around $680,000.

Green Line just around the bend in Somerville

On May 21, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(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.)

Somerville
got to enjoy a little Christmas in May this week when the Massachusetts
Department of Transportation announced it chose the city's preferred
location for the new Green Line maintenance facility.

Heavy trucking damaging city crosswalks

On May 20, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

~Photo by William Tauro

By William Tauro

DPW Commissioner Stan Koty and Mayor Joseph Curtatone inspect and assess a crosswalk on Elm Street late Thursday afternoon.

The crosswalk is one of three damaged crosswalks within the city that were damaged by heavy trucks and MBTA buses.

The other two damaged crosswalks are located on College Avenue and Grove Street.

Somerville play exposes dangers for day laborers

On May 20, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Immigrants
who gather at Foss Park each morning as early as 5 am looking for work
as day laborers are the subject of a new play that will enjoy its
community premiere on Friday, May 21st , at the Black Box Theater at
the Elizabeth Peabody House, 277 Broadway. The program begins at 7:30
pm.

The new play, "They Don't Tell You Anything!" will be
performed as part of an evening of theater, stories and conversation
about the struggles and challenges that many Somerville residents face
after they are picked up by contractors each morning to paint or
perform demolition work. Written by playwright and English teacher
Meryl Becker, the play will be performed by student actors from the
Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences (SCALE).

Becker
wrote the play in consultation with day laborers, union organizers and
worker safety experts. SCALE student actors modified and finalized the
play based on their own work experiences. SCALE, The Welcome Project
and the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Health and Safety
(MassCOSH) are co-producing the event.