Grant serves up more healthy options for Somerville students

By Vanessa Smith

  Tammy Potter took her second-grade son out of the John F. Kennedy Elementary school breakfast program because he was gaining weight. ‚ÄúThey had bagels and cream cheese every day,‚Äù Potter said. ‚ÄúThe lunches were about the same.‚Äù
   Those unhealthy meals are becoming more nutritional thanks to the Shape Up Somerville program. The program was made possible by the Physical Education for Progress (PEP) Grant from Tufts University. In 2004 the grant awarded Somerville 1.3 million dollars over three years.
   The PEP Grant aims to fight obesity and physical inactivity in children, particularly those in grades 4-8. ‚ÄúIt‚Äôs intended to be spent on broadening PE education and activities during school and after school,‚Äù said Bob Snow, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

History obscured by snow, time

By Catherine Rogers

    The recent snowstorm that blanketed Somerville under a foot of snow caused one resident to view the precipitation as a symbol more profound than winter‚Äôs coldest months.
    To An Sokolovska the snow that fell around her home on Holts Avenue, a private lane off Oak Street, represented the modernization of the city‚Äôs many historic sites, both official and unofficial.

Senate candidate accused of driving drunk

By George P. Hassett

The Cambridge city councilor running for a vacant state Senate seat representing part of Somerville has been accused of causing a car crash while driving drunk, reported NewsCenter 5’s Janet Wu Wednesday.

Anthony Galluccio, a former mayor of Cambridge, seven-term city councilor and currently the only candidate vying to replace Sen. Jarrett T. Barrios, D-Cambridge, admitted to NewsCenter 5 that he caused the accident but vehemently denied being intoxicated at the time.

The seat Gallucio aspires to hold represents parts of Cambridge, Boston, Everett, Somerville, Saugus, Revere and Chelsea.   

Eat your heart out Einstein

By Catherine Rogers

     Can my snake predict the weather?
     Does a person‚Äôs eye color affect their vision?
     How long will it take me to vomit after eating a mealworm and a cricket?
     These are just some of the creative questions school-aged scientists at the West Somerville Neighborhood School asked and answered at this year‚Äôs science fair Feb. 17.

News talk for the week of Feb. 22

Is it three strikes and you’re out at the ‚ÄúHighway / Lights & Lines Department‚Äù??   First it was Tom Vitello, then Joe Votour, both of whom resigned, and now Mike Buckley all in the span of little more then 2 years. The question to ask is, was Joe forced out and if so by who and why?  We heard through the ‚ÄòVille grapevine that Joe Votour submitted a nasty resignation. Mike Buckley has been Mayor Joe‚Äôs bad news guy to a lot of people, guess he wanted to do more then just make more money, he wanted out of the hot seat.    Another question is did Mike take the job just for the money or to keep an eye on anyone? We‚Äôll let the bloggers handle this one, maybe the ‚ÄúMole‚Äù knows!

Mayor defends Assembly Square development, revenue shortage
By George P. Hassett

     Tax revenue from the mall at Assembly Square is half of what it was projected to be and construction of a new Main St. is not expected to begin on time. But Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone this week said his plan for the re-development of Assembly Square remains on the right track and is moving forward at an exciting pace.
     The area designated as home to the ‚Äúnew Main Street‚Äù is owned by Federal Realty Investment Trust and is expected to include retail, residential, and office space to begin the area‚Äôs transition into a new neighborhood.  James G. Kostaras, director of housing and community development, said this week that Federal Realty is unlikely to meet its Jan. 1 construction deadline on the new neighborhood.
     The delay in the Main St. construction runs in opposition to how the mayor‚Äôs plan  was sold to the Board of Aldermen in April of 2004, said Alderman-At-Large Denise Provost at a Feb. 8 housing and community development sub-committee meeting.

The View From Prospect Hill

   Every city has its police department. No city would be complete without one. It would be sheer madness to try operating Somerville without the heat, the fuzz, the man. Somervillians are too far gone, or else they haven‚Äôt yet arrived. Take away the cops and there would be a free for all from Foss Park to Davis Square.
   There are of course, a few citizens who carry their morals with them, built into their own souls. But there is robbery in the land, and larceny, murder, rape, burglary, theft, swindles, all brands of crime — profit, rent, interest.

Man shot on Charlestown Street
By George P. Hassett

   Police are looking for the man responsible for shooting another man in the leg Friday night on Charlestown St.
   While waiting for a friend to return with a $20 bottle of rum, the victim was shot from behind in the back of the leg with a 9mm pistol, according to Sgt. Ross O‚ÄôMeara‚Äôs report.
    The victim did not turn and see the shooter, he stated he heard a bang and fell. A nearby witness and friend of the victim was bent over and retrieving something from her car when she heard a gunshot go off. She turned and observed a black male fleeing the scene, according to O‚ÄôMeara‚Äôs report.
   The victim said he could not think of anyone who would want to shoot him. Police continue to look for the shooter.   

Mayor’s personnel shuffles in response to Votour resignation

By Catherine Rogers

In an internal e-mail announcement to city hall employees, Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone unveiled a series of staff changes Wednesday, Feb. 15 that went into effect yesterday.
Michael Buckley, administrative aide to the mayor, will step down from his position and into the role of acting superintendent of highways, electric lines and lights. He will replace Joseph Voutour, who submitted his resignation to Curtatone Feb. 13.
Voutour could not be reached for comment.