~Photos by Claudia Ferro
West Somerville Neighborhood School just wrapped up the first ever Boosterthon Fun Run. Boosterthon is a school solutions provider that goes into elementary and middle schools all over the country and provides a two-week experience, including both character and wellness elements.

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Poet Dorinda Hale arrived at my table at the Bloc 11 Cafe with a frosted pastry of some kind and a rich, roasted coffee. Hale, who has lived in Somerville since 1974, was here to talk about her first book of poetry released by the Finishing Line Press, Disorientation and the Weather.

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Susan Tepper was a TWA stewardess during the Vietnam War years and flew with the troops on the charter flights into Vietnam. Today she is the author of seven published books of fiction and poetry. Her newest title, Monte Carlo Days & Nights, is set in the South of France and narrated by a stewardess of a later time period. www.susantepper.com.

Linda J. (Dunbar) O’Leary – 47, Of Somerville after a hard fought battle with cancer on January 19, 2019. Loving wife of Timothy D. O’Leary. Cherished mother of Khileigh and Anthony O’Leary both of Somerville.

Dear daughter of Janice T. (Monahan) Taranto of Maine and Gerry Daley of Somerville.

The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers.)

By Elizabeth Henehan, MPH

The MBTA has loosened their ban on alcohol ads despite the fact that research from the BU School of Public Health notes that alcohol ads in subway and streetcar stations reach the equivalence of every 5th through 12th grader in the city of Boston. More than just advertising affects underage alcohol consumption – peers, parents, income, gender to name a few. However, advertising has been shown to influence underage drinking behaviors particularly among adolescents who are susceptible to the appeals of certain advertising messages. Advertisements with animals, humor, and those with appeals to social benefits of drinking are particularly alluring for youth. The alcohol industry is subject to voluntary advertising guidelines that suggest best practices for advertising content and media placement requirements of alcohol ads. That being said, it is unclear why the MBTA is now allowing alcohol ads when the placements themselves may not be compliant with the current advertising guidelines.

Stay safe during today’s extreme cold. Take a few minutes to review Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)‘s extreme cold safety tips.

Also be careful when using space heaters. Make sure to keep them away from anything flammable and use appropriate outlets.

L to R: Chief of Operations Christopher Major, Rafael Flores, John Blake, John Driscoll, John Mucci, Dennis Moynihan and Chief Charles Breen. — Photo courtesy of Somerville F.D.

Last week, five new firefighters were appointed to the Somerville Fire Department . They were Dennis Moynihan, John Blake, John Driscoll, John Mucci and Rafael Flores. The new recruits will begin their training  Tuesday.

2018 recipients of Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund (TNSF) grants pose with Tufts University President Anthony Monaco and members of the TNSF board. (Anna Miller/Tufts University)

Non-profit organizations in Boston, Grafton, Medford and Somerville are invited to apply for individual grants from the Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund (TNSF) until March 1, 2019. Awards will be made in amounts ranging from $250 to $2,000 and will be announced by the end of March.

The Somerville Community Preservation Committee (CPC) invites residents to join a conservation about options for a dog park in West Somerville at their Wednesday, January 23 meeting. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Visiting Nurse Association 3^rd floor community room (259 Lowell St), and seeks to receive community feedback if and where there is space for a dog park in West Somerville, and how dog parks can be effectively managed in a densely populated urban community. At the meeting, the Civic Space Collaborative will present their results from the Community Preservation Act funded study exploring the feasibility of locating a new dog park in West Somerville. The consultants will then seek community input on the findings from their study.

By Bob Katzen

Gov. Baker did not sign a bill that would ban 11 toxic flame retardants from children’s products, bedding, carpeting and residential upholstered furniture sold or manufactured in Massachusetts, except for inventory already manufactured prior to January 1, 2019. He was unable to propose any amendments to it because the 2017-2018 session ended on January 1 and the Legislature would not be able to act on the amendments.