Why do we have such deep and passionate opinions about our roadways? What is it about our transportation experiences that brings out so much frustration and unhappiness?

News from The Welcome Project: After weeks of testimony, advocacy and hard work, the youth of the Welcome Project and Centro Presente took a breath to celebrate Thursday night after the Board of Aldermen voted…

SCATV will cablecast live, national election coverage from Free Speech TV on Channel 3, beginning at 9:00pm…

Join Alderman Roche and the Mayor.

We plan to screen an exciting new documentary, produced locally, called “Somerville: on the Right Track.” This film features archival footage of Somerville from the 1960s, and never-before-seen…

By law, public officials in Massachusetts have to disclose a lot of information regarding where they receive their campaign funding from, and what they spend it on. These reports paint a vivid picture of who scratches whose back, and can help map political connections and motivations. Unfortunately, many of these reports are relatively inaccessible to the general public.

I ran down the street to photograph this huge happening on College Ave. on Sunday morning. …

The Capacity to Live a Full & Creative Life: this is what we want for our children, our youth, and ourselves! Come to a community-created art exhibit featuring art created by Somerville artists ages 8 to 88.

[10/26/2010]

Join hosts Joe Lynch and KyAnn Anderson as they talk with Somerville resident, Lesley University professor and author Nancy Carlsson-Paige.  Carlsson-Paige is the author or co-author of five books on childhood learning.  Tonight she discusses her latest, “Taking Back Childhood: A Proven Roadmap for Raising Confident, Creative, Compassionate Kids”.

Visit: http://www.nancycarlssonpaige.org/

Kenilworth Park, Washington, D.C., October 22, 2010—

In response to an urgent call to action by environmental groups and federal agencies that have prioritized efforts to clean-up the Anacostia River, on…

It was confirmed yesterday that Bill Galvin would rather hide away from the voters, and hope they blindly follow him again, than actually face questions from the people he is charged to serve.  GALVIN IS

Davis Area Resident/Business Initiative (DARBI) will kick off its monthly cocktail hour this Thursday, October 28th from 5:30-7:30 pm at Foundry on Elm, 255 Elm Street.

Whether you are a business owner…

Over coming generations, ocean acidification may cause massive die-offs of fish species. Our descendants may inherit a world without fish.

The Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan of the Somerville Public Schools, due to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on 12/31, is open for public comment online at www.somerville.k12.ma.us/no_bullying.

We invite…

Dear Somerville Voters:

This Wednesday, Jim Henderson, the independent candidate for Secretary of the Commonwealth,  may have his one and only opportunity to debate the incumbent, Mr. Galvin, and he needs your support and…

Somerville residents: Bring a 5 minute story and get in free! Johnny D’s Story Slam 10/26 7:30 pm.

This project will close McGrath Highway or reduce the number of lanes available for several months. Detours and traffic congestion will result. Mitigation should be discussed at this meeting.

Community Energy Fair to Showcase City of Somerville’s New Sustainability Program
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 28, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Somerville High School, between City Hall and the school library
The City of Somerville will launch its…

John Shea on Greater Somerville.

[Oct 19, 2010]

Somerville playwright John Shea, talks with Joe Lynch about his newest…

Please join us for The SOS Kick-Off Event and Planning Meeting at Brickbottom Studios Gallery, 1 Fitchburg St., Somerville, on November 3, 2010, 7pm to 9pm.
Enjoy a little food and wine while mingling with…

Friends of the Somerville Public Library huge annual book sale.  Not to be missed.

Central Library, 79 Highland Ave.

Friday is members only…

Come bring your ideas for improving our blog!

Sunday, Oct. 24, 6 to 8 pm at the Visiting Nurses assisted living community, 259 Lowell St…

Preparing our children for college and more!

Please join School Committee members Christine Rafal

and Adam Sweeting along with Mr. DeFalco and the Healey

staff/students and Mr. Ciccariello (SHS headmaster) and the…

The agenda includes the following:

* Change to the zoning ordinance to allow self-storage in Assembly Square
* Changes to the zoning ordinance to revise the procedures for reviewing Special Permits, Special Permits with Site Plan Approval, and variances
* Changes to the zoning ordinance to revise the parking requirements for large scale retail
* Change to the zoning ordinance to allow Historic Carriage House as a use in certain districts
* Special permit to allow Federal Realty to exceed signage size requirements in Assembly Square.

What do you think about using over 40,000 acres of farm land, 20-24 inches of rain/irrigation water, and countless barrels of fuel to plant, cultivate, harvest, and ship a fruit that is primarily purchased for the purpose of being decorated, displayed in the front yard until it’s smashed in the street or overcome with rot and mold, and then thrown unceremoniously in the trash?

Submitted a Public Information request regarding the City’s Municipal Needs Analysis and the Municipal Master facilities Plan again this month (This is the 3rd request since August, 2009.).  Per M. Tintocalis, Principal Planner, Economic Development…

A Sale of Affordable Handmade Woolen Goods to Benefit the Somerville
Homeless Coalition
As we all face another cold and wet winter, help keep others warm. Wrap your
arms around your community!

*November 12-14…

Welcome to the Milk Row Cemetery!
Warm cider, donuts,homemade goodies will be offered
for sale, and entry to the Cemetery will be by donation, to help support
its continuing restoration and enhancements.
Come visit the…

One all-expenses paid volunteer weekend to make history and win IRV in Portland.

This is the November meeting of the Green Line Extension design working group.

The Design Working Group is a key means for addressing neighborhood concerns relating to the Green Line stops in Somerville and Medford.

This is STEP’s regular monthly meeting. At this meeting STEP is likely to discuss:

* Current status of the Green Line Extension
* Current efforts to extend the Green Line to Route 16
* Current status of funding for the Assembly Square Orange Line T-Stop

According to the paper agenda, this meeting will be devoted to Zoning Board of Appeals matters. The Self-Storage change of use ordinance, along with others, will be dealt with at the November 4 public hearing.

The e-mailed agenda includes the following:

* MBTA Green Line Maintenance Facility, including air rights and a possible stadium.
* Support for Green Line Extension to Route 16
* Impacts of Green Line track layout around Brickbottom
* Traffic redesign for Union Square

On Monday, October 18, the Somerville School Committee will consider a resolution supporting the DREAM Act. Somerville youth leaders from Centro Presente and The Welcome Project will present their testimony to the School Committee, asking…

Have you seen the new report card?  If you’re a parent of a child in grade 1 to 5 in Somerville Public Schools you won’t see it till the end of the first quarter, or…

A few volunteers are needed to help us evaluate a new pedestrian safety option for crosswalks in Somerville called a pedestrian-head-start.…

Somerville Climate Action and co-sponsors Groundwork Somerville, Mystic River Watershed Association, Students for a Just and Stable Future, and Ocean River Institute held a successful de-paving event on Monday, taking up asphalt in 2 yards…

The Somerville Homeless Coalition is hosting the 2nd Annual Tina DeLellis Luncheon on October 29 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., at The Highland Kitchen. The luncheon is held in memory of Tina DeLellis…

Somerville Community Access Television is proud to announce the third annual live, three-hour showcase of Somerville music, dance, poetry and more. The program begins at  7:00pm on Thursday, October 21, and will be cablecast on Channel 3.…

“WELCOME TO SOMERVILLE, Permit Parking Only,” a new play by John Shea

 A mother drinks, a daughter, “cuts.”  Two young men think violence is the answer to what they see as an immigration problem. …

Last week I was riding through Union Square with my daughter on the back of our tandem bicycle. As I pulled up to stop at the red light, a woman rolled down the window on her mini-van/SUV and screamed at us: “Do NOT ride on this road with that kid!” Her tone and facial expression overflowed with anger and hostility as she whipped around the corner staring daggers.…

Somerville schools would like your questions, comments and ideas about how we can all say “no” to bullying so every student can be excited about coming to school to learn.

Here is a link to my pictures from the 5th annual Honk! festival.  Many of the pictures show members of the Red Bandana Brigade marching in the Honk! parade from Davis Sq. to Harvard Sq…

Just click the translate link at the top or bottom of the page. Translations powered by Google…

Visit our calendar, www.somerville.k12.ma.us/events, for details on any of these events.…

The Somerville Bicycle Committee will hold the 18th annual Tour de Somerville on Saturday, October 16. This year’s theme is “Paths, Present and Future: A Mystic River Ramble”.

This bike tour will explore current…

Please come to a Sleeping Bag Rally (bring your sleeping bag & pillows to show that everyone needs a place to sleep)

Thurs, Oct 14, 6-7:30 PM

Outside City Hall

On Sept…

THE KENNEDY POOL IS CELEBRATING OUR 10TH BIRTHDAY BY GIVING AWAY SWIMMING LESSONS!

Jimmy Tingle will appear at Somerville anti-poverty agency’s celebration.

Come share your ideas for improving our community blog. Sunday, Oct. 10, 6 to 8, at the Visiting Nurses assisted living community at 259 Lowell Street…

First, James Madden with the Campaign to Protect Affordable Housing discusses campaign initiatives, November’s ballot Question 2 concerning 40B affordable housing, and whether or not it should be repealed. In the previous episode, Joe and KyAnn interview Jed Lippard, Head of School at Prospect Hill Academy Charter School. Only on Greater Somerville

Somerville is 78% covered by impervious surface! This spring and summer brought flooding, extreme heat, and poor air quality, all of which are projected to get worse as the planet heats up. One effective way to mitigate these impacts is by de-paving and creating new green space.

Hello fellow Somervillians,

I am a local choreographer looking for some online voting support for a very exciting project in the arts called Dance Core. I hope you will join Weber Dance to bring…

This is the regular planning meeting of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. At this meeting, the group will finish reviewing the policies and actions.

Somerville’s citywide development for the next twenty years will be shaped by the comprehensive plan. This is a public meeting; any citizen is entitled to observe.

Are you making efforts to trim your budget? Your waistline? Your cholesterol count? If so, you may be getting more intimate with the aisle in the supermarket where one finds neatly stacked bags of beautifully colored dried beans and legumes.

Board elections will take place at three locations daily, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. during the week of October 18-22.

This meeting will present details of the Craigie Drawbridge Rehabilitation project, which will block the Bridge and divert traffic. Traffic that would otherwise go along Memorial Drive may end up going to Route 28 instead and thereby into Somerville.

According to a recent Boston Herald article, a Somerville-based group, Centro Presente, wants to stop the BPD practice of running immigration background checks on those that have been arrested…

This meeting will likely deal with the proposed change of zoning to allow self-storage in the Assembly Square Planned Unit Development. There may be a public hearing in joint session with the Land Use Committee.

Post Somerville launched around mid-August. Somerville Patch just hatched on Sep 28th. I say, the more journalism, the better! What do you think?…

A Public Hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 6th at 7pm at the Aldermanic Chambers to discuss the District Improvement Financing (DIF) Program covering Union Square, Boynton Yards, Inner Belt, and Somerville Avenue. This is displayed prominently on the City’s homepage.

This program will affect Somerville financing for the next 30 years and could result, in the future, in property takings by the city.

Weather Advisory

Due to the projected weather forecast the following changes have occurred in the Highlander Athletic schedule on Friday, 10/1:…

This meeting will present details of the Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation project, which will block the Bridge and divert traffic.

Traffic that would otherwise go along Memorial Drive may end up going to Route 28 instead and thereby into Somerville.

From School Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi:

It is my hope that every school in Somerville is a place where students feel a sense of belonging, where students are excited to come to school because they…

…elementary auditions for the role of oompa loompa in the February 2011 Somerville High School production of Willy Wonka: The…

This is the sixth 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.