An independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city.
Somerville Dog Festival – September 19, 10am to 3pm @ Conway Field
by pluppino today at 10:38 am
Welcome to DogFest 2010! It is sure to be a day of fun for your whole family, including your dog! Exciting demonstrations, educational opportunities and lots of fun are all here, rain or shine. Well-mannered dogs, current on vaccinations and on-leash, are welcome. All proceeds benefit Northeast Animal Shelter.Admission is free!…
OPENAIR Circus This Weekend!
by Pat Jehlen on Sat, Jul 24, 2010
Kids, Clowns, Talent, Crazy Fun.
OPENAIR Circus presents its 25th season Big Top performance
July 30 & 31, and August 1, 2010
Families from Greater Somerville will be amazing and amusing audiences under the big tent at Nunziato Field, at the corner of Vinal Ave. and Summer Street near
Civic/Community Engagement
by Joeb on Sat, Jul 24, 2010
Harvard and Tufts try to help solve Somerville organizing and calendar problems
Volunteer Hockey Assistant Coaches – 2010-2011 Season
by John Teves on Wed, Jul 21, 2010
Somerville Youth Hockey is seeking energetic men & women (ages 25 +) to be good teachers and be willing to develop, mentor and administer our growing program for our Mites, Squirts, Pee Wee, Bantams & Midgets. Coaches are unlimited, but hockey coaches who are truly professional, passionate, and can effectively communicate their knowledge are rare…
7/15/10 Planning Board Meeting — Beat Report
by David Dahlbacka on Tue, Jul 20, 2010
299 Broadway (Ocean State Job Lot): Case postponed. 90 Hudson Street: Granted unanimously. One Benton Road: Heard testimony of traffic study, hearing to be reopened, Executive Session to be scheduled to deal with litigation strategy. 67 Florence St.: 2/3 variances denied. 16 Browning Road: Variance allowed unanimously. Historic Group C Designation: Approved with understanding that a person who wants out should say so and BOA is to investigate the case and decide.
7/28/10 Boston Region MPO Certification Review Public Meeting
by David Dahlbacka on Sun, Jul 18, 2010
The Boston MPO must be certified by the federal government in order for the Boston area to receive federal funding for transportation improvements. Citizen input is an important part of this process.
9/9/10 Designing for Pedestrian Safety Part 4: Intersection Geometry
by David Dahlbacka on Sun, Jul 18, 2010
This is the fourth in the 8-part Free Webinar Series on Designing for Pedestrian Safety being given by the Federal Highway Administration and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Pedestrian and bicycle safety is essential to the success of the new Assembly Square roadways and Orange Line T-Stop and around the new Green Line stops.
8/17/10 Designing for Pedestrian Safety Part 3: Treatments at Unsignalized Pedestrian Crossings
by David Dahlbacka on Sun, Jul 18, 2010
This is the third in the 8-part Free Webinar Series on Designing for Pedestrian Safety being given by the Federal Highway Administration and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Pedestrian and bicycle safety is essential to the success of the new Assembly Square roadways and Orange Line T-Stop and around the new Green Line stops.
8/3/10 Designing for Pedestrian Safety Part 2: Sidewalk Design
by David Dahlbacka on Sun, Jul 18, 2010
This is the second in the 8-part Free Webinar Series on Designing for Pedestrian Safety being given by the Federal Highway Administration and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Pedestrian and bicycle safety is essential to the success of the new Assembly Square roadways and Orange Line T-Stop and around the new Green Line stops.
7/20/10 Designing for Pedestrian Safety Part 1: Introduction to Pedestrian Safety Design and Planning Principles
by David Dahlbacka on Sun, Jul 18, 2010
This is the first in the 8-part Free Webinar Series on Designing for Pedestrian Safety being given by the Federal Highway Administration and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. Safe pedestrian and bicycle access is essential to the success of the new Assembly Square Orange Line T-Stop and new Green Line stops.
Introducing the Beat Reporter Project
by David Dahlbacka on Sun, Jul 18, 2010
The Beat Reporter Project was begun in Spring 2010 to help Somerville residents keep up with what the city and state governments are doing. Government boards from the Board of Aldermen to the Metropolitan District Commission are covered by the Open Meeting Law, but no one has time to go to everything. Often important decisions are made with no one from the public present. We’ll start small and cover as much as we can, taking our inspiration from Jadwiga Forbes, a long-time Somerville activist who saw government as a participatory sport.
Good Fences Make a Bad Neighbor
by William Bennett on Sat, Jul 17, 2010
An invasive weed threatens the monarch butterflies.
6/21/10 School Committee Votes to Combine the Healey School’s Choice and Neighborhood Programs
by Alain Jehlen on Fri, Jul 2, 2010
The Somerville School Committee decided in a 5 to 3 vote on Monday, June 21, 2010 to unify the Healey School and charge the School Improvement Council with creating a school redesign plan. This plan will use the Choice program educational practices and governing document as a starting point for discussion. In a second action, the members of the School Committee voted 6 to 2 to define a set of guiding principles to help the School Improvement Council with their Fall 2010 planning work.
Go for the Enchilada
by Suzanne Bremer on Tue, Jun 22, 2010
“In budget-cutting season, politics can be brutal,” wrote the author of a recent View from Prospect Hill column in the Somerville News. With an $8.1 million budget gap, it is imperative that the city cut costs. However, the current, shortsighted approach, with its focus on outsourcing hourly jobs, will sow the seeds of discord for…
The Somerville, USA—Tiznit, Morocco, Sister City Project
by Alain Jehlen on Thu, Jun 3, 2010
This SCAT program grew out of a sister city link between Somerville and Tiznit, Morocco. Three people from Somerville tell about their trip to Morocco, and a Moroccan school teacher talks about his trip here…
Expand Choice Principles to All Kids at the Healey
by Greg Nadeau on Wed, Jun 2, 2010
All Spring debate has raged both within and outside of the A.D. Healey School about how to resolve the severe income gap between the two K-6 programs in the school, Choice (38% low income) and Neighborhood (90% low income). Last night the school committee heard the Superintendent’s long-awaiting recommendation on the future structure of the school and people were invited to speak. Over 60 parents, teachers, and community members spoke. My comments are below.…
privatization of school custodians
by truthsayer on Mon, May 31, 2010
On May 25, 2010 my union received a letter that stated that as of the new fiscal year the school custodians would be privatized out… The mayor mentions that he does not want to cut public safety or education but this mayor has packed the police and fire with all his friends…
Superintendent of Inspectional Services Misleads Architectural Access Board
by eila on Thu, May 20, 2010
The Architectural Access Board will hold a Hearing on 18 Architectural Access Code Violations for Arts at the Armory facility on Monday, May 24, at 1 p.m.
back story: On February 8, Building Inspector Eddie Nuzzo provided sworn testimony to the Architectural Access Board (AAB) at a Variance Hearing to support the owner…
Powder House School 2nd neighborhood meeting
by Barry Rafkind on Tue, May 11, 2010
Join your neighbors to learn how the City is moving forward with its plans for the disposition of the Powder House Community School property. Discuss how we can keep our concerns about the reuse of this property at the forefront of the decision making process.
Arts At The Armory Approved For Beer & Wine License!
by CKSOKEEFE on Wed, Apr 28, 2010
Despite verbal and written opposition by neighbors, the License Commission approved a transfer of a beer & wine license (donated) by Dali to the Arts at the Armory located at 191 Highland Avenue in Ward 5 on April 26th.…
