Ex-cop sentenced to life in prison for child rape

By George P. Hassett

A former Somerville police officer convicted of raping a 23-month-old child last month was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday.

A jury found that Keith Winfield, 31, used a hot object to rape his wife’s niece on Oct. 13, 2005 while he babysat the girl and his own infant daughter. On Tuesday, the child’s mother submitted a victim impact statement read by Assistant District Attorney Beth Merachnik. In it, she said her daughter still talks about the attack.

By Elizabeth Bernardi

On Broadway’s median, just across from Foss Park, sits a green-and-red sign advertising the Somerville Public Schools Christmas Tree Sale. Each day for the last two weeks, Somerville teens from the city’s alternative schools have cut, carried and sold trees to residents in need of some holiday atmosphere.

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.)

The National Conference of Mayors has just come out with a fairly gloomy study of the consequences of unregulated sub-prime lending and the steady deflation of the housing bubble. The decline in home values, the rise in foreclosures and the tightening of consumer credit will, according to this study, all hit hard at local property taxes, as businesses cut back on expansion, the demand for new homes declines, and the value of our property tax base suffers accordingly.

Off  The  Shelf  by  Doug Holder

Somerville writer Nick Mamatas is a novelist, short story writer, and essayist. His work has appeared in the Village Voice, the Mississippi Review, and numerous anthologies. His most recent novel is “Under My Roof” (Soft Skull Press). In an article about Mamatas the book is described as: “… a short novel told from the point of view of a young telepath who lives on Long Island. His father has declared his independence from the United States and planted a nuclear device in a garden gnome on the front lawn.” I spoke with Mamatas on my Somerville Community Access TV show “Poet to Poet: Writer to Writer.”

By George P. Hassett

The East Somerville Community School suffered extensive damage from a fire this morning at 4:40 a.m. and will be closed to students and teachers for at least a week.

Deputy Fire Chief James Hodnett said arson investigators and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone are on the scene now to determine what caused the fire and what to do next.

By Elizabeth Bernardi

The Somerville Museum hosted the final event for its “Immigrant City: Then and Now” exhibit last Thursday. “Just Off the Boat” was a free-spirited, multi-generational conversation about the experience of being an immigrant to Somerville and the child of non-English speaking parents.

Six panelists joined several dozen attendees in a roundtable set-up for the event, moderated by Alex Pirie of the Welcome Project, which initiated the current exhibit.

On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

(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.)

Hooray, it’s the Christmas Season! Remember when you could do all your Christmas shopping in Davis Square? Go to Gorin’s for a nice sweater for mom, then pop over to Mickey Finn’s for a smart shirt for dad РI always made sure it was one that I liked because I always ended up borrowing his clothes. One year I bought one of those loud print two-toned jobs for him because I knew he wouldn’t wear it and he’d give it to me. But guess what? He loved it! I picked up gift boxes at Marks or Sparks or whatever the heck it was Рmaybe it was both Рmy memory fails me about the details sometimes.

Compared to Watertown’s recount late last week, which was apparently a crazy scene and very disorganized, the recount at City Hall this past Saturday was very orderly and professional. It is a testament to the candidates, their supporters, the Election Department and the efficient voting system we have.

There are some of us here who remember some wild and crazy recounts in years past and while we miss the action and the excitement they brought, the professionalism is a breath of fresh air. Sure, it took hours and hours and ate up a whole Saturday, but it’s part of the process.

A fire at 9-11 Harvard Place last night destroyed the building and sent three people, including one police officer, to the hospital.

Fire Lt. Tom Salemme said the fire broke out at 11:00 p.m. last night. Elaine Thibeault and Bryan Thibeault were seriously injured in the fire and brought to the hospital. Five firefighters also sustained minor injuries.

Salemme said the State Fire Marshal’s Office is on the scene and investigating what caused the fire.