By Doug Holder

On June 23, the “Bagel Bards,” that iconoclastic group of bagel-munching literati, will come to the Somerville Museum (1 Westwood Road) as part of the “Imagining Somerville” project. The Bards, a group of poets and writers, have met at the Au Bon Pain in Davis Square every Saturday Morning for over two years now. The Bards meet at 9 a.m., but passerby can join in the literary chitchat at any time of day. The writers’ fame and experience levels are varied, ranging from much published to emerging.

By George P. Hassett

The process of choosing Somerville’s next top cop is coming to a close and pretty soon local residents will be able to cross examine the final candidates for the job. In May, city officials announced they had received 45 applicants for the job from states as far away as Texas, Florida and Arizona. By May 23, the pool was narrowed to 16 semi-finalists and on June 26 the selection panel will announce its final three to five final candidates.

However, this new schedule follows an old one that was marked mostly by delays and missed deadlines. After the state legislature approved removing the selection process for the chief from civil service in August 2006, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone said he expected the position to be filled by the end of that calendar year. It wasn’t. In November 2006, the city’s director of personnel Richard Tranfaglia said the city planned to start the interview process in February and make a decision by March. That deadline was not met either.

Ward 7 Alderman Robert C. Trane could have an opponent in November. Rachel Heller, a Senate aide for Massachusetts State Senator Susan
Tucker, announced today she pulled nomination papers to run for Ward 7
alderman.

Reality Bites by James Norton

Rocco J. Antonelli, Sr., a born and raised Somerville native may now live in Andover, but his heart   never left here.  The acclaimed businessman sat at our contributors meeting two weeks ago and shared some of his life story with us.  Some of us who knew him before that morning had no idea of the accomplishments the young at heart 84 year old had achieved in his personal and professional life.

“I loved playing basketball” he said, which seemed an understatement considering he graduated from Somerville High with honors with an “Outstanding Scholar Athlete Award” and went on to Tufts University briefly until World War II.

"As a Naval Officer, he was highly decorated for bravery with four Bronze Stars.  When asked of his experience being present at the surrender of the Japanese on September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay, he stated, ‚Äúit was truly an honor to be there to witness such an important event in world history."

By George P. Hassett

Unit A members of the Somerville Municipal Employees Association (SMEA) have ratified a new 3-year contract that calls for retroactive, cumulative salary increases of 2 percent for last year and this year, and a 3 percent raise for the fiscal year that begins July 1, according to city officials.

SMEA workers also agreed to pay a greater share of their health insurance costs. The new contract states,  ‚ÄúThe City‚Äôs share in healthcare premiums shall not be less than 80 percent.  Any increase in existing employee contributions shall note be more than 5% in any fiscal year.‚Äù  Under past agreements, the city had paid 90 percent the cost of most union employees‚Äô health insurance.  SMEA now joins seven other collective bargaining units and the city‚Äôs non-union workforce in shouldering a larger share of the city‚Äôs soaring healthcare costs, said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. Curtatone called the rising health care costs a ‚Äúbudget buster,‚Äù last week.

The 2nd Annual “On the Hill Tavern” 4-mile road race will be held this Sunday, June 24th starting 11am at 499 Broadway Рthe race benefits the Somerville Youth & Recreation Foundation. For more information call 617-629-5302

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Mayor Joe’s kickoff party last Wednesday evening at the Holiday Inn was probably the largest single gathering in Somerville’s history for a campaign rally…the unofficial count by the front table was just over 600 attendees in total for the night, and it certainly looked it. To one Newstalker that has attended all the Mayoral election campaign parties over the past 40 years Рgoing back to S. Lester Рthis was definitely the largest and most diverse crowd ever seen. Gov. Deval Patrick gave a fine endorsement of the mayor and in the audience was none other then Bob Kraft, owner of the Patriots Рmaybe he was scouting for local football talent, we’re not sure.

By George P. Hassett

Every morning for a week Saeed used the new triple action toothpaste. It tasted funny, but he thought it was just a new flavor strengthened to help whiten his teeth. But what Saeed, who declined to give his last name, was really putting in his mouth may have been a toxic, counterfeit toothpaste that is part of a botched batch being recalled nationwide. And Saeed wasn‚Äôt just consuming the toothpaste, he was also selling it at his QF Mart, a convenience store at 152 Highland Ave. 

By George P. Hassett

The state Senate has released its $26.7 billion budget proposal that included $5 million in funding to increase the personal needs allowance (PNA) for residents of the Somerville Home and other nursing and rest homes throughout the state. The funding restores the Personal Needs Allowance from $60 per month to its previous 1991 level of $72.80 per month. Restoring the PNA and passing the corresponding legislation are top priorities for Senator Patricia D. Jehlen in her role as chair of the Committee on Elder Affairs, she said.

After hearing Somerville Home residents testify in support of increasing the Personal Needs Allowance at an Elder Affairs hearing, Jehlen and the committee moved the bill forward favorably and advocated for its inclusion in the Senate budget. 

By Chloe Lutts

A group of concerned citizens took their lives in their hands – and feet – to judge the sidewalks and crosswalks of East Somerville Wednesday, June 13.

The group of residents, business owners and pedestrians attended a workshop at the city’s Senior Center at 165 Broadway to address problems facing East Somerville pedestrians and include the community in the process of remedying them. East Somerville Main Streets, a non-profit community revitalization organization, hosted the workshop. Carrie Dancy, executive director of the organization, said the goals of the workshop included “putting pedestrian rights on people’s minds (and) raising consciousness.”

Making an area easier and more pleasant to walk in, Dancy said, increases pedestrian traffic, which in turn offers social, commercial and health benefits to the community. “In order to have a thriving community center you need to have people bumping into each other,” she said. Increasing pedestrian traffic would be a great way to “create vibrancy in this area,” she said.

By Franklin W. Liu
   
Father‚Äôs Day may be known today for bad gifts from children to their dads, but its origins are more serious and inspiring than an awful tie. 

It started in 1901 at a farm in Spokane, Washington during a time when single-parenting was usually due to the death of a parent. William Smart was widowed when his wife died from complications of childbirth. Full of grief, Smart took on the formidable challenge of raising a newborn and five children alone.