1.5 million needles in city trash each year, most from diabetics

By Kim Geronimo

One and a half million used hypodermic needles find their way into Somerville’s trash each year. Most are thrown into household trash – a few take a more unconventional route down the toilet. But recently, more and more hypodermic needles have found their way onto city streets, particularly in the Ten Hills and Winter Hill neighborhoods, according to residents and officials.

On Tuesday, Oct. 2, residents, aldermen and other officials gathered in City Hall for a public hearing to discuss the possible installation of a needle disposal kiosk in a public location such as a pharmacy, hospital, or local health center. No decision was reached, however, and the meeting was recessed and scheduled to re-adjourn on Oct. 16.

Gov. Deval Patrick will be in Gilman Square tomorrow at noon to speak about his plans for a  Green Line extension through Somerville and into Medford. Patrick has proposed delaying the project for two years in order to seek federal funding and cut costs in half. Tomorrow he will be joined by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Congressman Michael E. Capuano, D-Somerville.

By George P. Hassett

For Brian Liberatore‚Äôs friends, lining up around Doherty Funeral Home last Friday night  was nothing new. Except this time he was the one they said goodbye to. Brian Liberatore died Wednesday, Oct. 3, when he fell out of the passenger door of his best friend‚Äôs car.

His brother, Scott Liberatore, sitting in the backseat on the fatal night, said his brother is the latest in a long-line of Somerville-raised young men to die young. He said he has lost nearly 20 friends in the last four years alone. Although many of the deaths were related to drugs and violence, Scott said his brother was not the first to die in a freak accident.

The battle of the political signs rages on with each side blaming the other in Ward 5. In Ward 6 the opponent to the incumbent is playing it smarter – he‚Äôs not trying to out sign Rebekah (again we‚Äôd say ‚ÄúPrincess‚Äù but her legions/minions/followers get so upset with us) of the Progressives. Speaking of which, next time the pledge of allegiance is on and the prayer is being said at the Board of Aldermen meeting, watch and see if the camera is on the Ward 6 Alderwoman.    

 
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By the way, someone should tell Rick Scirocco that the primary is over and he can take down his signs – it would make the city look much better. Speaking of the mayors race, we‚Äôve heard nothing from the opponent – Ms. Bremer – has anyone else? We did hear about her reason for getting into the race ‚Äî- she was mad because of the way Marty Martinez was treated in the last special election against Jack Connolly – which by the way is an awesome reason to run for mayor. We have heard that Mayor Joe is having a fundraiser down in Union Square at The Independent tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. – he has virtually no opponent, yet he‚Äôs out there knocking on doors every day – he‚Äôs not taking any chances of getting below the 77 percent vote he got in the primary – we think the number could be close to 80 percent in the final.      

By Amy Tennery

Twenty-five years ago, Fred Berman made a career change. 

A mathematician in the healthcare industry, he said he began ‚Äúto see people as more than check marks on the sheets measuring whether they could or couldn‚Äôt get help.‚Äù  Berman saw a flawed healthcare system, one in which people could suddenly lose their insurance and have no social program to help them. Twenty-five years ago, Berman decided to become an activist. 

Today, Berman takes on his “biggest volunteer project” to date, running for alderman-at-large in Somerville.

At the Sept. 28 Somerville News contributors meeting, Berman said his experience of growing up in public housing in the Bronx, New York gave him an appreciation of affordable housing. Now as a candidate in his new home, Berman is stressing the issue.

DPW gets biodiesel fuel as part of a citywide effort to reduce emissions

By George P. Hassett

City officials visited the Department of Public Works (DPW) yard on Thursday, Sept. 27 to watch Burke Fuels deliver the first biodiesel fuel for the DPW vehicle fleet this year. 

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone said the switch to biodiesel fuel for all DPW vehicles is an important step in his administration‚Äôs effort to make the city more eco-friendly. 

By Doug Holder

This is the fifth season of the Somerville News Writer’s Festival. When Tim Gager and I started it in November 2003 we thought it would be a one shot affair. But much to our surprise it has become an annual tradition. With the support of The Somerville News and the Norton and Tauro families, we have presented an impressive roster of local and national poets and writers to the folks of Somerville and beyond. Over the years we hosted such readers as Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Franz Wright, head of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop Lan Samantha Chang, Boston Globe columnist and author Alex Beam, Andre Dubus III, Sue Miller, Hallie Ephron, Pulitzer Prize- winning novelist Robert Olen Butler," Plum Flower Dance" author Afaa Michael Weaver, and many others.

We have also founded an Ibbetson Street Press Poetry award. The first winner last year was Newburyport poet Michael Alpert. We have had quite a few submissions this year, and are pleased with the interest that has been stirred up.

By William C. Shelton

(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.)

Few, if any, topics evoke as much heated commentary on the Somerville News Web site as that of illegal immigration. Regardless of which “side” of the issue one comes down on, most Americans, and most Somervillians, have a sense that the system is broken. Most intuitively understand what Confucius observed 2,500 years ago: rulers who pass laws that they cannot or will not enforce undermine their own authority and weaken the society’s moral fiber.

By Ethan Backer

Ninety years after Archibald Query mixed up his tasty marshmallow concotion for the first time (and in Union Square no less), the fluff faithful came out in droves to pay tribute to his sugary creation. Aside from all the great fluffernutter sandwiches to be had, artists, musical and theatrical performers, humorists and the general public indulged in a madcap festival last Saturday celebrating the culinary invention and nostalgic genius of fluff.

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.)

I always thought that it was kind of weird that inanimate objects outlast and outlive the people that owned them. The other day I grabbed the shoeshine box that has been in my family forever to give my shoes a quick once-over before work. As I dug into the box, with its well-worn brush, pieces of torn facecloth applicators and an assortment of polish colors, I stopped to ponder about it. My dad bought this box back in the early 60’s Рthe box is still here and he’s gone.

The shine box is just one of the “things” that has lasted longer than the people who bought and used them. We all have stuff around the house that belonged to loved ones that are long gone. As a matter of fact, the tin of brown shoe polish still had the old faded price sticker on it Рit was from Bradlees! So in this case, not only is the person who bought it gone, but the store is gone as well!