By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to the area of Pearl Street at Cross Street last week on reports of an accident involving a man who was passed out behind the wheel.

Upon arrival, the officers met with a witness to the incident. Also on scene, standing outside of his vehicle, was the driver of who allegedly struck a parked vehicle, identified as Gaetano Silvestri.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Stair lifts, hearing aids, reverse mortgages, and walk in tubs. Welcome to my world. My TV world. When you watch a lot of TV these are the ads you see. Being retired, I have a lot of time on my hands. A lot of that time is spent in front of my big TV. I don’t mind the senior citizens targeted advertisements, except the ones for final plan insurance. I’m too busy flicking around the channels.

Patricia R. (Manahan) Norton– Of Somerville October 2, 2019.

Beloved wife of Donald F. Norton.

Loving sister of Michael Manahan of Penn Yan, NY, Mary Ellen Avery and her husband Oates of Endicott, NY the late Carol Bellanger and her surviving husband Ralph of Syracuse, NY.

Mothers Out Front member Bonnie Cohen made an impassioned plea to the Somerville City Council last week asking for its support of legislation aimed at improving gas safety and promoting renewable energy.

By Jim Clark

The Somerville City Council, at its latest regular meeting last Thursday, voted on and approved two resolutions, one supporting House H.2848, an Act to Ensure Gas Safety and Consumer Fairness, and the other Supporting House H.2849 and Senate S.1940, an Act for Utility Transition to Using Renewable Energy (Future).

(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 State Rep. Mike Connolly

Over the past few weeks, my office has received numerous reports of intolerable, chaotic traffic conditions on weekday mornings at the intersections of Broadway and McGrath Highway, as well as Pearl and McGrath Highway and other nearby locations. In response, I reached out to the Massachusetts State Police and requested a police detail to help ensure drivers do not continue to block these major intersections.

The Somerville Historic Preservation Commission’s walking tour of historic sites throughout the Ball Square area brought dozens of participants out on Sunday. — Photos by Jeanine Farley

On Sunday, September 29, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) hosted Boulders, Bricks, and Brunch: Exploring Somerville’s Ball Square, a lively walking tour of Somerville’s Ball Square led by Ed Gordon, President of the New England Chapter of the Victorian Society in America, and HPC Executive Director Brandon Wilson.

The Somerville Museum and Faith in a City will be presenting Faith in a City: Showcasing Local Religious Music on Sunday, October 6, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. at Distler Performance Hall, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave, Medford. The concert will feature original music by Mina Cho, Contemporary Music Director, Somerville Community Baptist Church, featuring church member and drummer George Lernis, bassist Manos Stratis and the Gugak Jazz Society; musicians of Gurdwara Sikh Sangat Boston; and Wylsner Bastien, lead pianist, Sion Seventh Day Adventist Church. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

— Photos by Adam Parise

The second annual Gilman Square Block Party took place on Saturday, September 28. Hundreds of party people came down to enjoy food, beer, live music, crafts, and fun kid activities.

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One of my favorite things to do when I was a kid, was going candlepin bowling at Sacco’s Bowl Heaven. Often going with my grandmother on a Sunday morning before we went back home to have Sunday gravy, yes, gravy, if you want to call it sauce, that’s your prerogative, ha!

On Sunday, October 6, from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m., Somerville Poet Laureate Lloyd Schwartz will be joined by David Surette, author of Malden, and Linda Flaherty Haltmaier, poet laureate of Andover, to read selections of their poetry. A reception will follow. This event will take place at the Somerville Community Growing Center, a 1/4-acre urban garden oasis in Union Square located at 22 Vinal Avenue. They are happy to welcome these talented writers and hope you will join in for this free event.