By Keith Howard

Somerville is home to many budding artists that pepper the city with a fresh flavor, but only one performer is the director of the short film with EgoArt, a Boston-based dance and theater company, entitled “Peckers Restaurant.”

East Somerville artist Nicole Pierce was the guest at the Feb. 1 Somerville News contributor’s meeting and spoke of her unique work and the meaning of her dance company’s name.

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.)

My grandpa was a proud Italian-American citizen and a World War I veteran. He was also a custodian at the old Bingham School. His name was Giuseppe, and he was my dad’s father. A lot of people just called him Joe. He started a long tradition of ‚ÄúJoes‚Äù in my family. There’s my Uncle Joe, the fireman and glass guy, and his son Joe. There’s also my brother Joe, the Harvard grad, and my son Joe – oh, and my cousin’s son Joe (my uncle Joe’s grandson).

We were looking forward to an open discussion from the School Committee on the issue of charter change. Instead we got comments like “my blood pressure is ready to burst,” no discussion of any merit and a resounding “Shut up!” from elected officials who should know better.

The resolution put forth was a gentle one encouraging elected officials to examine changes to a 108-year-old set of laws and regulations that mandates city government positions for a fence viewer, wood and bark measurer and grain weigher. And six of our ever so wise School Committee members shot it down in a burst of anger that seemed to have little relation to reality.

By George P. Hassett

Five males, three from Somerville, one from Everett and one from Dorchester, all between the ages of 15 and 21, were spray painting on the ground at the Winter Hill Community School while carrying knives and marijuana on Tuesday, Feb. 5, according to police.

Police were first called to the neighborhood by a citizen reporting a group of eight to nine black males fighting in front of his residence. Police could not locate them but, knowing the playground at the Winter Hill Community School is a local hangout, went there to check it out.

School Committee rejected first measure to explore changes

By George P. Hassett

What is a fence viewer? Wood and bark measurer? A grain weigher? For some, these leftover jobs from Somerville’s 1899 city charter are proof that the city’s political culture needs reform.

In his inaugural address last month Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone promised to convene a charter reform commission this year to examine possible changes to the structure of city departments, elected bodies and government procedures.

By George P. Hassett

One is from Egypt, the other Brazil. Neither has the proper documentation to be in the country but both, like millions of Americans, will be filing their income taxes with the IRS in the next few weeks.

The two illegal immigrants pay their taxes with Tax ID numbers instead of social security numbers and get them prepared at Carminati Tax on lower Broadway, where Charles Carminati said about 70 percent of his more than 1,000 clients pay their taxes despite being in the country illegally. 

The question Carminati has is, since illegal immigrants can not get refunds for the social security or Medicare taxes they pay, where is that money going?

This evening (Wednesday Feb. 13), Alderman Walter Pero is holding a meeting at the Mystic Activity Center at 5:30 p.m to discuss the updates on Assembly Sq. traffic planning, the wetlands along Shore Drive and the Winter Hill Market closing Рas well as other issues concerning Ward 4, along with Alderman Pero will be the new Police Chief РAnthony Holloway – they will both be there to answer any questions.

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The same evening (from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) at the Cross Street Senior Center, Alderman Bill Roche will be hosting a “Community Meeting” to discuss the proposed new designs for lower Broadway in East Somerville – again, all residents are invited.

In New England’s densest city a coyote ran loose in the streets today. The prairie wolf eluded police and animal control officers as he ran through the Max Pak site, Highland Road and Boston Avenue. Their pursuit was fruitless as the coyote escaped capture and disappeared at the top of Powder House Park.

Photos by Donald F. Norton

By Keith Howard

Schoolyard bullies have graduated-to the internet. And unlike most playground scuffles, these rotten-apples can inflict permanent scars.

‚ÄúSome kids carry weapons to school after being victimized online because they’re scared or worried. It’s a tough issue and everyone is grappling with it,‚Äù said Brian Cavanaugh, deputy director of Middlesex Partnerships for Youth Inc.

Washington Street Art Center opens ‘Inappropriate Touching’

By Kimberly Geronimo

Artistic renderings of the most private of body parts and other sexual tidbits were strewn across the walls of the Washington Street Art Center on Friday as the gallery opened its newest exhibit “Inappropriate Touching.”