The night before Martin was assassinated he spoke of going to the mountain top and seeing The Promised Land. In a premonitory way, he wondered out loud if he would get there, but he seemed powerfully convinced WE would surely get there. You might well ask: ‘Are we there yet?’

The District is trying to improve the efficiency of our online calendars. In order to do this we need to make improvements to the calendar filters used online. …

Cross-posted from the SCAT website [link to source here]

Save the date: January 28 from 6:00 to 9:00pm for the SCAT Annual Meeting. This year, to celebrate the redesign of the HotSet, we will begin the evening at 6:00 with a live show hosted by Bill Barrell and Jessica Barnhouse, featuring the…

By Alix Roy, Town Correspondent, Boston Globe

A neighborhood group has filed a series of zoning ordinance proposals with the city clerk, motivated by its frustration with the city’s zoning review and approval process for development projects.…

Pizza Ring, the restaurant operated by the owner of 371 Beacon St. ~Photo by Tom Nash

By Tom Nash

City officials admitted this week a special permit application for a contentious hotel project nearing final approval is missing basic information about the developer’s identity and lacks any mention of the property’s lingering environmental issues.

Don’t miss the opportunity to give our HONK!  a vote in the New England Art Awards on-line poll. They’ll only count your vote if you vote before midnight today, Sunday, the 24th. There are some other locals or near locals who could use a vote as well. (There are links to the voting below…

Public Health and Public Safety Committee Meeting

Mon. Jan. 25 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the Somerville Public Health and Public Safety Committee. The agenda includes…

Housing and Community Development Committee Meeting

Mon. Jan. 25 7:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is a special meeting of the Somerville Housing and Community Development Committee. The agenda includes discussing the…

Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership Meeting

Mon. Jan. 25 7:00 PM

3rd Floor Community Room
Visiting Nurses Association
259 Lowell St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the STEP monthly meeting. at which will be discussed current developments on the Green Line Extension and the Assembly Square T-Stop.

This…

Your Walkable Community in Winter: Somerville

Sat. Jan. 30 2:30 PM

Somerville Library
79 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a workshop on walkability in Somerville during the winter. It includes information about snow clearance and ways to make your neighborhood more walkable.

This workshop…

A friend told me about this tv news story on Shape Up Somerville. The intro is annoying but the story is interesting.

So here’s a question for Somerville parents and kids: Is broccoli king of the cafeteria?…

School Improvement Councils at each of the Somerville public schools will present their annual School Improvement Plans to the School Committee beginning on January 27, 2010. Members of the public are invited to attend these presentations hosted at the District’s Central Offices (181 Washington Street) to learn more about the progress each school is making…

Right here in Somerville you can learn to paint with watercolors, improve the efficiency of your home energy systems, make handcrafted furniture, and enhance your ability to speak Spanish or Portuguese with your neighbors. These are only some of the courses available through Adult Evening School. Most courses meet weekly for 10 weeks and cost…

The goal of this meeting is to provide accurate information about Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which was granted last Friday to Haitians living in the United States in response to last week’s earthquake.

Somerville Home Energy Efficiency Team (SHEET)

Invites you to roll up your sleeves and join a weatherization party

Sunday, January 31st — Noon-3:30pm

SHEET and Somerville Climate Action are taking action. Join in!

¨    Help to weatherize the parsonage of a Somerville church

¨    Learn skills you can take…

Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office has reached an agreement with five Somerville waste disposal companies, collectively known as Russell, and its corporate officers… to pay $70,000 to 352 current and former employees as well as a $20,000 penalty to the Commonwealth to resolve allegations that the company violated the Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws. In addition, Russell has agreed to a two-year monitoring and compliance plan.

Fueled by a growing dissatisfaction with the city’s zoning review and approval process for development projects, a group of concerned residents have joined together to initiate what they are describing as “much-needed and long-overdue reforms of the zoning ordinance aimed at making the key decision-makers more responsible for their actions.”

Perversely (in both literal and political sense), the Shanley case shows that Brown may not have been as bad a choice as Coakley. And that gloating rarely makes up for lousy organizing on behalf of an arrogant and opportunistic candidate. Thanks Carl, Thanks Martha for the lesson. We will remember.

In this close race, your vote counts more than ever!

Find your polling place here and then go vote while you can before 8pm…

As the City prepares to sell the closed Powder House School building to private developers, the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) just posted an Aug 24, 2009 real estate analysis report (pdf) to its website .…

The Brown School (201 Willow Ave.) will have an informational coffee on Monday, January 25th from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. upstairs in the Brown School Library.  Teachers, staff, current parents and former students will be available to answer questions…

MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Meeting

Mon. Jan. 25 5:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rms. 1, 2, 3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee, which collects information on the experiences of MBTA riders and provides recommendations to…

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Visioning Meeting

Tues., Jan. 26, 6:30 PM

Upper Hall
Greek Orthodox Church
29 Central St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the last Visioning meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. At this meeting, the group will finish the vision statement.

The goal of…

Mystic River Watershed Association Lower Mystic Initiative Presentation

Wed., Jan. 27, 6:30 PM

Chelsea City Public Library
500 Broadway
Chelsea MA (map)

Flier (PDF)

This presentation will describe MyWRA’s ongoing program of water sampling from the Mystic River and Chelsea Creek.

This presentation…

Why Commissions Can Improve Our Community

Sat. Jan. 30 1:30 PM

Somerville Library
79 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a workshop from the “How to” Series for Civic Engagement by the Office of Somerville Commissions. It discusses how commissions, such as the Human Rights Commission…

MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Meeting

Wed. Jan. 21 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rm. 4
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is the regular meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning and Programming Committee. This group makes decisions to support or not support new transportation…

MPO Open House with Clean Air and Mobility Program Briefing

Tues. Jan. 20
Afternoon: 12:00 – 2:00 PM
Evening: 5:00 – 7:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf. Rm. Suite 2150
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This is a special open house for the Metropolitan Planning Organization. There…

On Tuesday, January 26 at 7pm at the Central Square Library, Councillor Henrietta Davis will discuss her experience as a delegate to the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. Hosted by Cambridge-Somerville for Change’s Energy and Climate Committee and Green Decade Cambridge.

Thinking about which school is right for your child? Or just interested in learning more about Somerville’s public schools?…

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Executive Director of the Haitian Coalition Franklin Dalembert announced that they will host a community vigil and healing ceremony in remembrance of the tragic earthquake that struck Haiti on Monday, January 18th at 7p.m., at Somerville High School’s Centennial Auditorium, 81 Highland Avenue…

Ceremony to Honor Local Individual, Organization for Community Service; Program Begins at 10am at SHS

The Haitian Coalition of Somerville is organizing a medical relief trip to Haiti. Members of the Haitian community with medical and organizational skills including five Haitian nurses will be traveling to Haiti as soon as arrangements can be made. Haitians and others with medical skills would also be welcome. This effort will be providing medical…

OneVille.org just launched today with a message that begins:
We’re writing to introduce a new community project in Somerville called OneVille. OneVille is working to unite people in our vibrant, diverse city around one goal: pursuing the success of every young person in Somerville.…

The Somerville Community Partnerships for Children and the Parent Information Center have put together a list of agencies that work in Haiti, as well as advice on responding to the needs of children and families affected by the devastation of the earthquake, that Superintendent Pierantozzi has disseminated to Somerville Public School employees.  I’m forwarding them…

I attended the BRA public hearing on the Sully Square project at the Shraffts Center. Overall, I am impressed with the design work that has been delivered so far. I asked the BRA to keep the following considerations in mind as they embark on the next design phase: (1) more detail should be provided on…

The sixth annual Massachusetts College Goal Sunday will provide information on college financial aid and free on-site help to complete the FAFSA. At 26 locations across Massachusetts, College Goal Sunday’s team of volunteer financial aid and higher education experts will offer information on the many viable post-high school options. Locations are listed at www.MassCollegeGoalSunday.org.

The Somerville Haitian Coalition, in an effort to mobilize care and support for the Haitian community, will hold a community-wide meeting on Friday January 15 at 6:00 at the Healey School, located at 2 Meacham St.

My wife saw this message on the Somerville Moms Yahoo list.

Barry

——————————–

Information Night for the Choice Program will be held next Thursday, January 21, at the Healey School (5 Meacham Street.)

The meeting will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Teachers, students and parents will offer their perspectives…

My wife saw this on the Somerville Moms group:

Barry

——————————

Learn about the Argenziano School from other Parents!

As you explore your options for public schools in Somerville, make sure you check out the Argenziano School at Lincoln Park. I looked extensively at schools for my daughter last year and…

The House version of the education bill that’s headed for conference committee could open the door to a second charter school in Somerville.…

Join the Somerville Community Chorus for our 25th anniversary year!
Auditions are not required. All voices are welcome.

Open rehearsals are Tues. Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, 7:15-9:30pm (attend one
or both). …

This meeting is important because the Green Line Extension and the Assembly Square Orange Line T-Stop both need to be handicapped accessible according to ADA guidelines. The MBTA is now under court order to improve accessibility system-wide.

BOA Committee on Parks and Open Space

Tues. Jan. 12, 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is an official replacement for the Jan. 6 meeting, which began after 7:30 PM, too late to go on the record. Instead…

Urban Ring Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting

Mon. Jan. 11, 5:00 PM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rms 2-3
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

This meeting of the Urban Ring Citizens Advisory Committee will focus on the status of the project, and on MassDOT’s pending letter to the Executive…

Following an armed robbery in the Market Basket parking lot last October, store representatives promised the Aldermen to address safety issues by installing surveillance cameras and better lighting in the parking lot. They also promised to undertake a parking study to address concerns about overcrowding and parked cars in fire lanes.  I wonder how much progress they’ve made so far?…

Come share your ideas for our blog.

Sunday, Jan. 10, 6 to 8 pm.

Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, 259 Lowell St…

Paul Mackey, the Deputy Director of the Somerville Housing Authority, stands with Clarendon Hill Garden Committee members Cliff Pitts, Jocelyn Scott, and Bing Wei, on the land designated for the resident community garden…

Labeled Disabled Screening at the Kennedy School cafetorium on January 19, 2010

[This film is by Maggie Doben and was funded by Cambridge Commission for People With Disabilities and The Dody Waring Faculty Development Fund]
Please join us.

Sponsored by the Kennedy School PTA

Debby Higgins
SPED PAC Coordinator
Somerville Public Schools…

This is a public hearing on updates to the Sullivan Square Orange Line T-Stop and the surrounding area, including the Rutherford Avenue overpass. This meeting is important because the area of Somerville near Sullivan Square uses the T-Stop and is inconvenienced by the overpass.

This is the first 2010 meeting of the Somerville Bicycle Committee. They may be discussing the contamination issue on the bike path.

This is the second Visioning meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. At this meeting, the group will review the citizen inputs from the earlier SomerVision meetings and pull them together into the beginning of a vision statement.

Mystic River Watershed Association “DoughRaiser” Event

Thurs. Jan. 21, All Day

Porter Square Pizzeria Uno
820 Somerville Avenue
Cambridge MA (map)

Print and Bring Coupons (PDF)

This event is a fundraiser for the Mystic River Watershed Association. Upon presentation of a coupon, up to 20%…

BOA Committee on Finance

Wed. Jan. 13, 7:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the first 2010 meeting of the Finance Committee.

Finance Committee meetings are always important, because this is where decisions are made about city…

Somerville Cares About Prevention (SCAP) is going to be hosting a Presentation of the Student Health Survey Results.  It will be held Thursday January 21st, 2010 from 6PM – 8PM.  The Presentation will be held in the Auditorium at Somerville High School.

There will be refreshments provided before hand and a door prize will…

Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing

Wed. Jan. 6, 6:00 PM

Aldermanic Chamber
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Meeting Agenda (PDF)

This is a regular hearing of the Zoning Board of Appeals. Among other business, the Board will hear the case of…

MassDOT Public Hearing for Somerville’s Washington Street Project

Thurs. Jan. 7, 7:00 PM

Ralph and Jenny Senior Center
9 New Washington St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is a public hearing on road improvements to Washington Street from New Washington Street to the Boston city line. These improvements are…

MPO Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Meeting

Thurs. Jan. 7, 10:00 AM

State Transportation Building
Conf Rm 4
10 Park Plaza
Boston MA (map)

Public Notice (PDF)
Amended Table (PDF)

This is the regular meeting of the MPO Transportation Planning and…

EPA Mystic River Water Quality Science Subcommittee Meeting

Thurs. Jan. 7, 9:00 AM

R15-006 Conf Room.
15th Fl. Court of Appeals
5 Post Office Square
Boston MA (map)

Draft Agenda (PDF)

This is a meeting of the EPA-convened subcommittee on water quality in the Mystic…

End of Comment Period on Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on Green Line Extension

Comments End: 1/8/10

Submit written comments at the project’s Share Your Opinion e-mail site.

The Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) has posted the Draft EIR on the Green Line Extension into Somerville and…

Assembly Square Public Advisory Committee Meeting

Tues. Jan. 5, 6:00 PM

Federal Realty Investment Trust
5 Middlesex Ave. Suite 401
Somerville MA (map)

This important event is sponsored by Federal Realty, the chief developer of the new Assembly Square mixed use development.

These meetings are important because they provide…

BOA Committee on Parks and Open Space

Wed. Jan. 6, 7:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

Agenda (PDF)

This is the first 2010 meeting of the new Committee on Parks and Open Space. On the…

BOA Committee on Housing and Community Development

Wed. Jan 6, 6:00 PM

2nd Floor Comm. Room
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the first meeting of the new Committee on Housing and Community Development. Among other business, this meeting will deal with the…

From http://justicewithpeace.org/node/819 :

Redirecting Military Spending to Meet Human Needs

The 25% Solution Task Force of UJP is conducting an interactive workshop on military spending and the campaign to redirect it to meet human needs at home. With the U.S. facing devastating economic…

We all know that the city has enacted onerous and unpopular parking regulations because it’s desperate for funds.

What if the city were as aggressive about clean, i.e. non-icy, sidewalks as it is about parking?…

This was posted to the Somerville-4-Schools list on Monday by Consuelo Perez:

—————————————

Would you like a weekly Drop-in Playgroup for your child, aged 0-3?

Come to the next Somerville Family Network Parents Advisory Council meeting and talk about how we can provide one and best serve the needs of…

By way of Abby Yanow of Somerville/Medford United for Justice with Peace:

These events come to us by way of Transition Somerville and Somerville Climate Action.  SMUJP is exploring ways to support other progressive group’s activities

——————–

Please join us on Monday January 11
for the FIRST-EVER SOMERVILLE FARM…

By way of Abby Yanow with Somerville/Medford United for Justice with Peace:

Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela is a just-released documentary filmed in Caracas in November 2008, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of Hugo Chavez’s controversial presidency.

According to journalist John Pilger, “This is a rare…

Assembly Square Orange Line Station 30% Progress Design Meeting

Tues. Jan. 12 7:00 PM

Cafeteria
Capuano Early Childhood Center
150 Glen St.
Somerville MA (map)

This is the progress report meeting by the MBTA on the design for the Assembly Square Orange Line T-Stop. Present from the MBTA…

This post came today from Cambridge-Somerville for Change:
The Elections Team held their first meeting Monday night, and we’re working on a bunch of initiatives. We’ll be holding our first phone bank on January 3rd. In addition, we’ll also be working on GOTV (Get Out The Vote) locally and state-wide. And, finally, we’re…

From http://www.openinternet.gov/workshops/innovation-investment-and-the-open-internet.html

The Internet has become an unprecedented, global platform for commerce, unleashing the power of American innovators and driving economic growth and job creation…

PSA from the City website:
Important Influenza (FLU) Update

Updated December 21, 2009

The Somerville Health Department has begun to receive more doses of H1N1 vaccine, and anticipates receiving regular shipments in the coming weeks. With this increase in supply, we are pleased to offer flu…

OFFERED BY THE SOMERVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SOMERVILLE PTA
For
SOMERVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FAMILIES and COMMUNITY MEMBERS

• Youth Alcohol and Drug Use/Social Host Liability*
Wednesday, January 13th – 6:30p.m. – 8:00 PM in the Healey School Cafetorium, 5 Meacham Street
Featuring experts from Middlesex Partnerships for Youth
• Grant Writing 101
Thursday, February 11th-…

Last year’s flag raising event at Prospect Hill was kind of thrilling.  We’d had one of our many snowstorms of last winter and the day, the first day of the year, was clear and bright as a bell.  The Prospect Hill Tower was open to the public and I dashed up for a look-see.  They…

Cambridge Somerville for Change presents:

• Next meeting: Jan. 20th 6:30 pm
• 359 Cambridge St. #8 East Cambridge
• Email Pamela: immigration@cambridgesomervilleforchange.com

We need your help and ideas to help to get CSfC’s energy and climate effort going. So please come to our meeting on January 12th, at 7pm, at 154 Auburn Street in Cambridge. We will be planning our kick-off action forum, currently set for February.

And if you have any questions or…

Cambridge Somerville for Change

• Next meeting: Jan. 5th 7:00 pm
• 175 Harvey St. Cambridge
• Email Karly: health.reform@cambridgesomervilleforchange.com

The Somerville Green Roof Forum has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 7th 2010.   It will take place at the Visiting Nurses’ Association, 259 Lowell Street, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

Please Join Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, Somerville Climate Action and Transition Somerville …

We need to hear from you to help develop a Vision for the future of Somerville. …