In June, the City proudly announced that it would be posting lots of operational data in July online at data.somervillema.gov.  Well, it’s August 1st and that webpage hasn’t been set up yet. …

Clearly, Curtatone dodged his responsibility to properly ensure the event was accessible for persons with disabilities. We deserve better from our mayor!

From the agenda of the  upcoming meeting of the BOA Public Health and Public Safety Committee on Monday 5/21 in the 2nd floor Committee Room at City Hall:…

Given the City’s clear interest in having a functioning HRC to protect the civil and human rights of Somerville residents, and given the difficulty with growing our membership, it makes little sense to have an out-dated quorum rule so high that it prevents us from meeting.

My friend and Somerville hacktivist, Adam Friedman, recently alerted me to two new local transparency groups which both seem to have a strong Somerville focus and include another Somerville hacktivist Michael @Morisy (from the FOIA-made-easy site MuckRock).…

The City’s transparency initiative has again fallen into neglect.…

Last week, Mayor @JoeCurtatone retaliated against Somerville accessibility rights advocate Eileen Feldman after she blew the whistle on the City’s attempt to have the U.S. Surgeon General’s March 23rd health grant event held at the then-inaccessible Armory…

Here’s what I’ve learned so far via the following Twitter conversation (in chronological order):…

Mayor Curtatone will introduce Candidate for US Congress in the newly created 7th (yes seventh) Congressional District, Congressman Michael Capuano. Candidates for US Senate have been invited to address the meeting.

“We should not have to tell you we are doing well. We should be able to show we are doing well. And if we are falling short in some areas, then you should be able to see that too. ” – Mayor Curtatone, in his 7/15/2011 op-ed to the Somerville News announcing his new ACE program and stating a customer bill of rights.

The Young Democrats of Massachusetts (YDM) and Greater Boston Young Democrats (GBYD) have endorsed Katjana Ballantyne and Christine Barber in their races for Somerville Alderman seats.

Yesterday, the Somerville Journal announced (see quote below) it would not endorse in the race for Ward 7 Alderman.…

Hypocrisy. Negativity. Obsolescence.

As we launch on October 2, we will: take positions on public policies through a democratic process; organize members to directly contact elected officials to support these policies; and help elect and support progressive candidates for public office.

Saying, “the Community Preservation Act (CPA) could generate millions of dollars for affordable family housing, open space and historic preservation”, Ward 7 alderman candidate Joan Whitney Puglia has announced her support for a city-wide referendum seeking adoption of the Act.…

On Tues, Aug 9th, the Progressive Democrats of Somerville held a meeting at which they cast endorsement votes in the upcoming municipal races. Challenger Katjana Ballantyne received the group’s endorsement in the Ward 7 race. However, given what happened, that endorsement might be more of a liability for her ……

“There is no accountability in the existing zoning approval process…. I believe decisions about developments that could substantially impact our neighborhoods should be made by the aldermen, who must answer to the voters every two years.”

As the following examples indicate, the Curtatone administration routinely ignores, delays, or over-charges for data sought under the state’s public records law, in contrast to what the Mayor calls an “open, transparent and efficient government”.…

Inspired by SJ reporter Andy Metzger’s skeptical review of my investigative article Trends in Parking Ticket Appeals: Uncovered , I followed up about two months ago with the as-yet-unresolved email below to Traffic & Parking Director Matt Dias.…

City government should not misrepresent its hostile revenue-boosting scheme as a policy to improve parking conditions. For many residents it imposes greater hardship.

When Watertown, MA resident Mark Pickering received a parking citation during a visit to a friend in nearby Somerville, he figured a simple letter to the Office of the Parking Clerk would result in a scheduled hearing or a ticket dismissal. Instead, he received an anonymous note of rejection with an extra $5 fine. [See Mark's letter in the SJ : Parking ticket appeal system needs work]…

From local jobs, to development, to budget cuts … what are the issues facing Somerville? It’s a local election year and it’s time to talk about the issues candidates and elected officials need to address! Come to the PDS  Spring Potluck and join in the discussion!…

Saying “we need an alderman who represents us at least as effectively as the parking control officers ticket us,” Joan Whitney Puglia announced her candidacy for Ward Seven Alderman.

Joan Whitney Puglia

Following the last update on this story in late February, T&P Director Matt Dias offered and provided the requested data including a column indicating whether each ticket appeal was made online or not. Even better, the cost was $30 less than his original quote.…

Link to meeting announcement http://www.somervillema.gov/calendar/eventdtl.cfm?id=8180

The following email was just sent out to the mayor’s Young Somerville Advisory Group :

——————————

Hey Young Somerville –

A quick reminder that our next formal meeting will be this Wednesday…

The STA Annual Meeting
March 15, 2011 (3:15 PM)
Capuano School

As announced today by @somerteachers on www.SomervilleTeachers.com

The City Democratic Committee presents special guest, Representative Mike Moran (Brighton) House Chair of Elections to speak about the re-districting process and its implications.

The following is a campaign press release sent to SV by Christine. In January, she attended an EmergeMA event meant “to boost the number of women holding elected office in Massachusetts”. Current Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero will not be seeking re-election , so Christine will be challenging former mayoral candidate Tony Lafuente for the seat.…

Ashraf spoke with Tom Ashbrook and guests twice recently.…

The monthly public meeting of the Human Rights Commission will be at 6:30pm at SCALE in the TAB at 167 Holland Street (basement level, room #103) The agenda is:

The recently released departmental review of the City’s Inspectional Services Division lists many problems and suggested solutions, but strangely neglects to mention that the department head, George Landers, was unqualified to hold that position.…

How are our tax dollars, fines, and fees being spent by City Hall?

Read more in the Boston Globe’s article The timely return of Bob Massie and check out his new campaign website Bobmassie.org

As part of Tom Nash’s investigation into the campaign finance reports of Somerville’s mayor and Aldermen, he has discovered that the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance referred Ward 7 Ald. Bob Trane to the Attorney General for failing to file a year-end 2009 report.…

On December 22nd, our web-hosting company performed server maintenance that briefly took this blog off-line. When it came back later that day, all of our Wordpress plug-ins were disabled, including the ones for the calendar, spam-filtering, and automatic moderator notifications for pending posts. We appreciate your patience as I work on gradually restoring these features in my spare time.

When Watertown, MA resident Mark Pickering received a parking citation during a visit to a friend in nearby Somerville, he figured a simple letter to the Office of the Parking Clerk would result in a scheduled hearing or a ticket dismissal. Instead, he received an anonymous note of rejection with an extra $5 fine.

As reported by Andy Metzger in the SJ and Tom Nash on Post Somerville, the Mayor has commissioned a report exposing problems in the City’s Inspectional Services Division (ISD). Below is the full report, as posted by Post Somerville.…

On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since then, December 10 is celebrated around the world as Human Rights Day.

This year’s theme is:  SPEAK UP STOP DISCRIMINATION.…

This is the true story of how the City of Somerville stonewalled my request for public records and then went out of its way to satisfy a very similar request by BU’s New England Center for Investigative Reporting (NECIR).…

See case summaries and read my update in Help discover the relationship between ICE and Somerville police

[11/23/2010]

Greater Somerville takes its show on the road to kickoff the holiday season,
encourage local shopping, taste some great wines and prove that reindogs can
host a TV talk show.…

Where: West Somerville Neighborhood School, 177 Powderhouse Boulevard

Mayor Curtatone says the SPD won’t “assume the role of federal authorities in terms of immigration enforcement”, but this would mark a departure from how local police have been operating.

Our Alder(wo)men and School Committee Members are elected to represent us. In order to do that, they need to hear from us and let us know what’s going on at City Hall.  This gets me wondering if there’s a good way to score / track / rate them on how well they communicate with constituents. Perhaps you and I can come up with a set of criteria and then collectively keep tabs on how they’re doing.…

In yesterday’s Time Trade Circle newsletter (I’m a member), I learned about the Somerville Trading Post that meets at the Somerville Community Growing Center on Vinal Ave. Have you…

Last night, I was the only member of the public to attend a City planning meeting for the renovation of the North Street Playground.

Following the unanimous approval by both the School Committee and Aldermen of resolutions supporting passage of the DREAM Act, comes this announcement yesterday from Tito Meza of the Somerville Community Corporation’s Voices of Immigrants of Somerville (SCC VIS):…

The following announcement was sent to the PDS membership yesterday:

Nov 5, 2010

PDS Members,

Besides the good news of keeping Massachusetts blue this week, the PDS leadership team wanted to send out an announcement that we hired a new Organizing and Communications intern to help us as an organization grow and thrive. We know this was a top priority coming out of the visioning work we did and we are so excited to bring on Andrew Bunyard!…

Some recent commenters on this blog have expressed an interest in running for an Alderman seat or for Mayor. Have you? For what office?  Why? What’s holding you back? Have  you been a candidate? Do you know someone whom you think would be a good candidate? Please share your thoughts with us.…

[11/2/2010] Click photo to watch.

Joe and KyAnn take a break from politics and talk with Bill Doncaster about his new…

A City of Somerville Public Announcement:

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 7 Alderman Robert Trane invited all interested community members to a community meeting to discuss renovation plans for the North…

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.

[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/

John Shea on Greater Somerville.

[Oct 19, 2010]

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

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

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

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

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.

Hosts Joe Lynch & KyAnn Anderson discuss the impact of budget cuts, casino gambling & the benefits of political competition during election season with Massachusetts State Senator & longtime Somerville resident, Pat Jehlen.

Watch

Now you can follow new posts and updates at our Twitter account @SomervilleVox . Due to some technical problems, this service stopped working in February. We’re glad to have…

As the City continues to move ahead with the focus group meetings, our community meetings are vital to ensure that our neighborhood works together so that the site of the Powderhouse Community School is reused in a way that is most beneficial to our neighborhood AND to our city.

The following is a letter that was submitted to the Board of Aldermen at last Thursday’s meeting by a group of concerned residents. Do you share these concerns?…

From www.Mass.gov/GreenLineExtension :
A public meeting on the FEIR will be held on Wednesday, June 30th at 6PM at the Somerville High School Auditorium.  The FEIR will be available on June 16 on the…

As a member of the Democratic City Committee, I received the following meeting announcement today:

Where : VNA, 259 Lowell St.

Agenda includes:

• Election of a new Female Vice Chair

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.

A heated debate has developed recently in the op-ed pages of The Somerville News between columnist Bill Shelton and Somerville’s Fire Chief Kevin Kelleher over the City’s use of a Reserve Fire Force/List.…

Personally, I was very impressed with the quality and civility of the conversation we had and the enthusiasm we developed around our idea for organizing a community-wide event.

We’re going to get together and find strategies to fix our democracy, and then we’re going to put them into action. Bring your ideas and your energy. Join us.

On Tuesday evening, State Sen. Pat Jehlen sat down with Joe Lynch for his show “Greater Somerville” on SCAT to discuss the pending driving bill, the shrinking state budget, health care reform, and casino gambling. I just watched the show and took some notes from their conversation.…

Please join me at Carl’s campaign kick-off party, Today, April 11, 3-5 pm, at Sabur Restaurant, 212 Holland Street

We’ll be joined by Acting Somerville Police Chief Michael Cabral for a discussion to include the following topics: * the 2008 Romelus Police Beating Case * Private security contractors in Somerville * DHS Surveillance Cameras * The idea of creating a public oversight board for the SPD

Through a public records request, I recently obtained scanned copies of the City’s trash contracts with the FW Russell company. The fine print challenges the claim made at the March 2nd BOA Legislative Matters Committee meeting by former City Solicitor, John Gannon, that only the Mayor has the power to break a contract.…

Residents have a right to know whether the FW Russell Company voided its contract with the City when it was found to have intentionally violated state wage and hours laws by AG Coakley’s office.

Through a question to the ResiStat blog, I recently learned this fact which makes one wonder why Mayor Curtatone has been pushing so hard for a new Senior Housing Ordinance

What’s Next For the Powder House Community School?

WHY :       The City is moving ahead with plans to rezone and sell the Powder House School property.

WHAT :    Join your neighbors to…

The New England Center for Investigative Reporting at Boston University has taken an interest in our (Somerville Voices) proposed investigation of parking fines and has offered to analyze the ticket data for the amount of $500.…

After six years as an organization, PDS is spending some time assessing our work and visioning about our efforts moving forward.

Approximately fifteen people crowded around two small tables this afternoon at the Danish Pastry House in Medford to share their concerns and questions in a wide-ranging conversation with State Representative Carl Sciortino at his first district coffee hour of the year.  …

According to this post on the ResiStat blog in answer to my question, the Mystic Children’s Zone will use college enrollment as the final measurement of its success.  Perhaps this, and not high school graduation, should be used to measure the performance of our school system over all.…

Having only lived in Somerville for about three and a half years, I have much to learn about the city’s past. Here are some historical articles that may be of wider interest. I hope others will share other stories that can inform the newer residents of what life was like in the good/bad old days.…

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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?’

Registered Democrats in Somerville will be holding a caucus at the Capuano School, 150 Glen St. on Monday, February 8 at 7:20 PM to elect 8 delegates and 3 alternates to the 2010 Massachusetts Democratic Convention to be held on Fri June 4th and Sat, June 5th at the DCU Center in Worcester. At that time, Democrats from across the state will gather to endorse statewide candidates.

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…

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

Thursday, February 4, 6:30-9; afterparty to follow
SCATV, 90 Union Square, Somerville
6:30pm: doors and prescreening activities; 7:00pm sharp: screening followed by panel…

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 .…

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

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.…

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…

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…

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?…

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…

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…

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

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…

To have an effective democratically-elected Government, the People must trust that their elected officials are acting as good stewards of public resources. This trust is hindered when people can not verify the integrity of candidates and office-holders.…

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…

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

The Internet has…

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…

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…

Cambridge Somerville for Change

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

Are you concerned about your opioid drug use, or that of a loved one? The holiday season is often a time of strain and stress, especially for individuals who are struggling with addiction. Yet, the advent of a new year is a time when many people make efforts toward change. The Opioid Addiction and Family Project may be able to help.

This Sunday, Dec 13th, many of my Davis Square neighbors and I will be unable to get in or out of our neighborhood by car between the hours of 9am and 1pm due to the 3rd Annual Jingle Bell Run.  This 4-hour restriction will be my birthday present from the City of Somerville, a headache I didn’t ask for nor was ever consulted about it.…

According to a Globe article published earlier this evening [Coakley picks up endorsements from Capuano's hometown] endorsements from current and former Somerville pols break down like this:…

Last week, the Board of Aldermen extended the City’s contract with FW Russell for another year plus 5 more under a new contract despite concerns stemming from a 2-year-old investigation by AG Coakley’s office into the waste disposal company’s labor practices. The company was selected for offering the lowest price among 4 bids procured by the City this past year.…

From Ward 6 Ald. Gewirtz’s Winter ’09 newsletter :
There is a proposal being made by the owners of the Citizens Bank building on Elm Street on the corner or Bowers Ave. to…

PSA: The following message was sent to the City’s Parents ResiStat email list [link to original message]

———————————————–

Mayor Curtatone and the City of Somerville Health Department are pleased to…

It looks like the climate crisis is taking a back seat to the economic crisis as Mayor Curtatone and the Somerville Arts Council promote the annual Illuminations Holiday Tour,  “the annual trolley tour of holiday light displays” around the city.  Certainly, keeping the holiday lights off is the least we could do to help reduce our carbon footprint.…

The Somerville Democratic City Committee is hosting a Debate Watch Party. What: Candidates for US Senate televised debate. Where: The Precinct Bar in Union Square. When: 6:30 pm Tues December 1st

Permit parking changes are coming. The City has officially set Monday January 4th as the enforcement date for citywide resident permit parking. + SPARCs Push for Tweaks to Permit Parking- Wins to Report + Summary from Nov 4th Parking Solutions Task Force meeting.

As part of ‘Our Voices, Our Vote,’ a civic participation campaign, Centro Presente would like to invite you to an Electoral Forum (Oct 7, 6pm) to hear from local candidates on the issues of concern to the community of Somerville, to talk about how to increase civic participation in the city, and to educate ourselves about the next electoral process.

My wife and I are fortunate enough to have kept our jobs through this Great Recession, but the news is filled with reports of massive layoffs, furloughs, and benefit reductions. Are you still employed? Do…

The Somerville Health Foundation (SHF) is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s community funding.

A new online tool exists to plot crimes on a searchable map. This would empower residents to know how safe their neighborhood is and where and what to watch to deter crime. It would probably catalyze neighborhood crime watches and make our streets safer.

Here is the agenda for our meeting this coming Tuesday.

Somerville Human Rights Commission
Tuesday, Sep 15th Monthly Public Meeting
6:30pm-8:30pm
Super Stop & Shop
2nd Floor Conference Room
775 McGrath Hwy, Somerville…

About a month ago, on Aug 16th, I submitted a 311 service request through the new SeeClickFix tool to repair a loose utility wire tied to the fence at Hodgkins-Curtin Park along Simpson Ave (see photo below). After an initial flurry of promises from a Somerville 311 rep to have the issue fixed asap, it was ignored. Today the wire is still there, menacing passers-by and testifying to the failure of the 311 system.…

Almost half of the Aug 27th BOA mtg agenda (pdf) basically consists of 311 service requests like orders to fix potholes and sidewalks. The other half contains some interesting items including these highlights (emphasis added by me):

Note that Ward 7 Alderman Bob Trane was the only member to not have sponsored any items. The Aldermen each earn a salary of $24,521.03 in FY2010.…

From item # 79. of the Aug 27th BOA mtg agenda (pdf) :
Mayor’s Comm.
Proclaiming Monday, September 28, 2009, as Family Day, a day to eat dinner with your children.
Our baby daughter is usually in bed by the time we eat dinner, so I hope that’s ok.

How often does your family eat dinner together?

Why do you think the mayor would make this proclamation?…

On Aug 27th, the Board of Aldermen raised taxes on meals by 0.75% and on hotels by 2% effective Oct 1st, according to Danielle Dreilinger’s report today on Boston.com. These taxes will generate an estimated $620,715 in revenue. One wonders why this item did not appear on the meeting agenda (pdf) and also how the extra money will be spent?…

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>,
John Gannon <JGannon(at)somervillema.gov>
date Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 9:16 AM
subject Public Records Request : 311 Service Requests

Dear Public Information Officer Jackie Rossetti, (cc…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

—————–

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

—————–

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

——————

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the City:

——————

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

In preparation for the parking tickets story, I have submitted the following request for public records to the city:

——————

to Jaclyn Rossetti <JRossetti(at)somervillema.gov>
cc Thomas Champion <TChampion(at)somervillema.gov>
date Tue, Aug…

Celebrating at:

The Center for Arts at the Armory

191 Highland Ave, Somerville

Visit the Somerville Community Corporation online at SomervilleCDC.org

From the Tufts website:
All are invited to a day of education, art, and family entertainment. All activities, including lunch, are free of charge.

Residents, neighbors and friends are invited to celebrate the seventh annual Community day at Tufts University from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 27. The event will take place on the academic quad at Tufts’ Medford and Somerville campus and is cosponsored by the two cities.…

How do you know that I, Barry Rafkind, am a real person who is authoring this blog post? Maybe this name is just a pseudonym for somebody else? Until now, you’ve had to trust that I am who I say I am. But, now there is a brand new online service called Validize which allows anyone to authenticate him or herself and then display a “badge” on blogs to prove their identity.…

The SeeClickFix tool on the Globe’s local Somerville website allows anyone to report and track 311 service requests on a map of the city.  You can even include a photo of the problem. All reported requests are visible to everyone, so it’s easy to view what others have submitted and add your support to those that you care about.…

I just submitted the following query through ResiStat’s public Q/A tool called SomerBlog:
What types of information are stored with each 311 request? (e.g. request, date + time of request / resolution, service…

As Wig Zamore and others explain, adding a second entrance to the future T Stop at Assembly Square would expand public transportation ridership there and improve air quality in East Somerville, an environmental justice neighborhood.…

Although parking tickets are meant to punish violators and provide maximum street access to those who live, work, or visit here, the city depends on this revenue to shore up its budget. We intend to find out whether all residential neighborhoods and business districts pay an equitable share of parking fines. If not, why? We will analyze the ticket data to see who is paying or not and for which types of tickets.…

Today, Somerville became the 4th community in the “North of Boston” region to have its own Your Town portal on Boston.com. Your Town websites are local hubs for real estate, events, sports, news, schools, and…

2nd Floor Conference Room
Super Stop & Shop
775 Mcgrath Hwy

Agenda:

• Director’s Report
• Immigrant Police Dialogues
• Snow Removal Committee
• Other activities
• Recruitment
• Evaluate

Over 60 people filled a lecture hall at the Fletcher School of Diplomacy at Tufts University on Thursday (Aug 6) to hear a panel of Honduran social movement leaders speak about the growing resistance movement against the recent coup d’etat in their country.

This public hearing will be convened by the Traffic Board in the Aldemanic Chamber at City Hall. I initially noticed this in Deb Filcman’s Aug 7 SJ blog post.  For background about the parking changes, visit the SPARC blog , check out the just-posted video of the 7/27 interview on SCAT’s Progressive Voices of SPARC-co-founder Courtney Koslow,  or see the recent articles on Somerville Voices/Journal/News.…

Thanks to the Socialite plugin, you can now follow Somerville Voices on Facebook as well as Twitter. Befriend the blog and help spread the word to all your friends!…

I am excited to see that the City has launched SomerBlog: “the open community forum associated with the Somerville ResiStat program.”. Started on July 14th and managed by ResiStat’s Stephanie Hirsch, the blog adds to the City’s growing array of online communications with residents which started with CTY emails and Google email groups targeted by ward and demographics. …

All are invited to our next semi-biweekly blog meeting where we will discuss story ideas for our new journalism initiative, fundraising campaigns, and anything else related to the Somerville Voices blog.

Where : VNA…

Do you have any used or unwanted gadgets at home that you’d like to recycle? Would you also like to help support a great cause at the same time?! We at Somerville Voices are hosting an online gadget recycling drive through Gazelle to raise money for the blog and would love your support!…

Thanks to the TwitterBot plugin, you can now follow Somerville Voices blog posts on our Twitter account @SomervilleVox. Followers will receive short Tweets with the blog title and a link back to the post. This will help connect us with readers wherever they are using their mobile devices.…

Many questions remain unanswered from George Hassett’s July 16th Somerville Journal article “Somerville vet awarded $225K after police beating“.

Here are my questions. Feel free to add your own!…

The Somerville’s Human Rights Commission invites the public to its monthly meeting to discuss: * Recruitment (we currently only have 4 serving commissioners out of a possible 12) * Director’s Update
* Complaints before the commission * Any other business

This new partnership will enable SV to collect and use tax-deductible donations from you so we can focus on producing high quality local stories that matter to you while SCAT (Somerville Community Access TV) gets to handle our filings to the IRS and also take a small cut for their help.…

Please join us for a team meeting this Friday, June 19th, 6:30-8:30pm to discuss the blog and plans for community-funded reporting.…

Public meeting of the Somerville Human Rights Commission
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
6:30pm-8:30pm
2nd Floor social hall, Tufts Administration Bldg, 167 Holland St., Somerville

Agenda:

• Introductions (10 min)
• Discussion on DHS

According to a recent report (pdf) by the city of Somerville, health care costs currently account for about 15% of the municipal budget and are out-pacing growth in revenues. A single payer plan would lift this burden, allowing cities like Somerville to maintain threatened services such as education, police, fire and libraries.…

How many Somerville residents blog or tweet regularly about life in Somerville? Which blogs or Twitter accounts do you check regularly? I’m not into the Twitter scene yet, but here are some of the local blogs I’d recommend.…

The Welcome Project has helped produce Digital Storytelling Videos of inspirational immigrant stories including one that seemed especially moving to me entitled “My Mom” by Rocky Man :

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/1ZSU-EtOYKU”…

From a flyer of The Welcome Project:

Join us at the Welcome Project for our Graduation Celebration!

Show your support for our Youth Interpreters and Adult English Language Learners!

The event will…

From the SPS homepage, entitled “A message from Tony Pierantozzi, Superintendent of Schools”
… The extent of the impact of the current financial crisis on fiscal year 2010 remains unclear. We do know…

Come on out to our next PDS meeting. There is a lot going on so come on out and get involved in one of the most exciting organizations in the city!

When: Tuesday, May…

Somerville by the numbers, our community’s carbon foot-print, and collecting resident immigration stories are just a few of the story ideas generated at last Sunday’s Brainstorming Session. Read on for more suggestions and please leave your ideas and feedback below in the comments. Some of these stories will soon be pitched (in more detail) for funding on the blog!…

As announced in the Somerville Journal : What should happen with the former Powder House Community School?

According to the Somerville Journal:
Somerville Democrats will meet Tuesday, May 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the community room at the Visiting Nurses Association at 259 Lowell St.

Mayor Joe Curtatone will…

Please join us!

Spring Reception to Support

Rebekah Gewirtz

Ward 6 Alderman

Where: Sagra Restaurant, 400 Highland

[kml_flashembed movie="http://blip.tv/play/AYGBoEmD4zE" width="320" height="270" wmode="transparent" /]

The following was posted by Ward 5 School Committee member Mark Niedergang to the list of the Progressive Democrats of Somerville (PDS) on Apr 24th.

How do you think Somerville should respond to the…

From Mark Niedergang… The Board of Aldermen and School Committee together will be holding a public forum on the FY 2010 budget this Tuesday, April 28th, at 7 PM in the Aldermen’s Chambers in City Hall. This is an opportunity to get an update from the Mayor and the Superintendent of Schools on the City and School budgets for next year and to share your concerns, ideas, and suggestions about priorities and ways to make the FY 2010 budget stretch further.

Wednesday, May 27th, Cross Street Elderly Center. From Dave Ficociello’s post on the Somerville Parking Problems group:
Regarding parking and other city policies, I encourage you all to
attend Somerville’s spring “ResiStat” meetings…

Tuesday, May 26th, 7:00 p.m., VNA Community Room, 259 Lowell Street. From Dave Ficociello’s post on the Somerville Parking Problems group:
Regarding parking and other city policies, I encourage you all to
attend…

Wednesday, May 20th, 7:00 p.m., First Congregational Church of Somerville, 89 College Avenue . From Dave Ficociello’s post on the Somerville Parking Problems group:
Regarding parking and other city policies, I encourage you…

Tuesday, May 12th, 7:00 p.m., Senior Center, TAB building, 167 Holland Street. From Dave Ficociello’s post on the Somerville Parking Problems group:
Regarding parking and other city policies, I encourage you all to…

Monday, May 11th, 7:00 p.m., Central Library Meeting Room, 79 Highland Avenue. From Dave Ficociello’s post on the Somerville Parking Problems group:
Regarding parking and other city policies, I encourage you all to…

Tuesday, May 5th, 7:00 p.m., Healey School, 5 Meacham Street. From Dave Ficociello’s post on the Somerville Parking Problems group:
Regarding parking and other city policies, I encourage you all to
attend Somerville’s…

Last night, I attended a presentation about Transition Towns, a grassroots movement to catalyze community visioning processes with an aim towards local, sustainable, and environmentally friendly economies.  The presenters admitted this was not meant as a panacea for the impending triangle emergency of peak oil, global climate change, and our economic crisis, but it was at least something concrete that people can do together with their neighbors.…

Following up on my 4/10 article “Ald. Roche wants to keep public business “privileged and confidential”” is my email exchange with him below from last weekend. Since he intended this to be a public conversation (“I do this openly and not behind closed doors.”), I felt it was appropriate to share it with the community and hopefully provide some insight into his thinking. …

Public meeting of the Somerville Human Rights Commission
Thursday, April 16th, 2009
6:30pm-8:30pm
2nd Floor social hall, Tufts Administration Bldg, 167 Holland St., Somerville

Agenda:

• Introductions (10 min)
• Director’s Report (10

A member of Eighth District Rep. Mike Capuano’s staff will hold office hours Thursday, April 23, from 4 to…

As the following pie chart shows, nearly 60% of Rep. Capuano’s 2010 earmark requests (totaling almost $80 million of tax-payer money) are for military research programs out of a total of close to $136 million in pet projects. He claims he didn’t know about the political contributions he received from the PMA Group lobbying firm, but he should have checked into it before earmarking millions of dollars for its members! We need to send Capuano a strong signal that we’re watching him and we won’t tolerate his earmarks!

It sounds like the reason he was upset was not that his email was leaked early, but that there was organized opposition to his idea. The only rational conclusion is that he hoped his motion would come to a vote without much public scrutiny. When a legislator wants to keep the public out of the legislative process, that should be grounds for impeachment!

Home Energy Savings for Renters to learn hands-on ways you can reduce home energy use and expenses. Refreshments provided.

April 14, 2009
6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.
Alderman’s Chambers, Somerville City Hall
93 Highland…

Our community is not being served adequately by the level of investigative reporting provided by our two local newspapers: The Somerville Journal and The Somerville News. There is a plethora of local blogs offering opinions…

Dear Chairperson Bill White and distinguished aldermen, I strongly object to the installation of surveillance cameras in public spaces around our city and urge you to request their immediate removal. I believe this surveillance program, which was roundly rejected in Cambridge, MA, violates American ideals of freedom and liberty and the Constitutional right to privacy…

This past January, when my wife was 31 weeks pregnant with our baby, she slipped on an icy patch of sidewalk in Somerville, did a belly-flop, and ended up in the hospital with pre-term contractions as a result.  A group of residents is organizing to advocate for more effective snow removal policies and stronger enforcement.…

Maria Landaverde says:

yes, the meeting is from 5 to 6:30 pm our organization is The Welcome Project and it is located at 530 Mystic Ave Somerville, MA you can invite other…

My neighbor, Dave, got so fed up with the unfairness of Somerville’s parking regulations, he started an online discussion group to collect stories of similarly aggrieved residents.

So far the stories touch upon a variety of issues, including:…

Answer President Barack Obama’s call to action and get involved in your community by preparing for the next election cycle! You are invited to our training to learn the basics of how to run and…

Answer President Barack Obama’s call to action and get involved in your community by preparing for the next election cycle! You are invited to our training to learn the basics of how to run and win a local campaign.

While Somerville stands to lose up to $5 million in state aid over the next 17 months , it has requested hundreds of millions of federal stimulus dollars through Gov. Patrick’s economic recovery infrastructure program. Mayor Curtatone sits on the program’s Municipal Facilities Task Force.

So far, all we’ve been told by the city about the people appointed by Mayor Curtatone to serve on Somerville’s new Financial Advisory Committee is their names and titles. But, the residents of this city deserve to know more about these advisors who will have such big influence on how we cope with massive budget cuts.

According to “Latest News” on the website of the Somerville Democratic City Committee www.SomDems.org :
The Ward Caucuses to elect delegates to the 2009 State Convention in Springfield will be held on…

This sounds like a proactive and timely step on the part of the mayor, but is this “outside” panel of “experts” truly a good source of guidance for our city in these dire times?

Do you see the effects of the economic down-turn here in Somerville? Have you seen for-sale and foreclosure signs in your neighborhood? Have you or your neighbors lost jobs? Do you see businesses closing or reducing hours? Have you noticed higher prices at the supermarket and in your energy bills? How are you affected?…

Following Gov. Patrick’s announcement today of $128 million in local aid cuts, Mayor Joe Curtatone told CBS radio station affiliate WBZ that Somerville could lose “close to $3 million in this fiscal year”. How much pain will that mean for jobs and services in our city?

[Note, I am the Endorsements Chair of PDS - Barry]

Come out to the first meeting of the new year!

What: PDS January Meeting

When: Tuesday

On my way down to the train at Davis Station around 8:30am this morning, I was about to pass through the gate when a transit officer asked me to submit to a bag inspection. There was a group of about 4 or 5 officers wearing yellow and black jackets standing next to a small folding table with a machine on top.

10 A.M. – Noon, Monday, January 19, 2009

Somerville High School auditorium, 81 Highland Ave

• Keynote address
• 2009 MLK awards
• Musical Performances

This event is free and open to…

The following message was sent by Stephanie Hirsch to some ResiStat groups today. This is the park bounded by Holland Street, Simpson St., and Paulina St..

Hello ResiStat groups –

Please see below…

A new exhibition, cosponsored by the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and the Chinese Historical Society of New England features material from the Chinese American Women Oral History…

And now, a meeting announcement from the Chair of the Progressive Democrats of Somerville…
HEY PDSers…

Come to our November meeting at the VNA at 259 Lowell Street on Tuesday, November 25th from 6:30 to…

Two days ago, the City of Somerville announced it would start enforcing regulations prohibiting the use of bicycles on sidewalks with fines between $20 and $50… Given the city’s budget problems, I wonder whether this policy change is motivated more by a need to find new sources of revenue rather than by public safety concerns.

[Posted on behalf of Alisa Wind]

Dear friends at Somerville Voices,

We would like you to join us at a special “What’s Next?” event with Noam Chomsky next Wednesday, Nov 19th. We would…

Nearly a third of Somerville residents were born outside of the United States. Who are we in this immigrant city? What dreams and aspirations brought us here? How did we cope in a new community and in a new country? What brings us together – what pulls us apart – across generations of immigrants?

Saturday, November 22 at the Cambridge Senior Center in Central Square, United for Justice with Peace is holding a

This announcement appeared on the smujp(at)yahoogroups.com list on Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM

Wednesday, November 19, 7:30-9:30 PM

at the Middle School

The following message was sent by Jackie Rossetti to the ResiStatYoungSomerville Google group on Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Hi All,

If you live in the Grimmons Park area, you…

I just received this invitation in the mail from the Somerville Community Corporation:

The Somerville Community Corporation

Cordially invites you to attend our

39th Annual Dinner and Meeting

“PATHWAYS TO PROGRESS”…

On November 1st, I submitted a grant proposal for $390,000 on behalf of the Somerville Voices team to the 2009 Knight News Challenge titled Transforming the News and Each Other. Please take a look. Your comments would be appreciated. We should find out if we make it past the first round on Nov 15th, so stay tuned for more details.

Do you want to learn more about schools in Somerville? Did you miss the last forum, or want another opportunity to ask questions? Many of us have babies or toddlers and haven’t

From an Oct 12th article on Boston.com: Romulo Santos of Somerville headed off to work Sept. 9 at a Wal-Mart in Walpole as usual. But that day he was electrocuted on the job. Some might consider the 47-year-old Brazilian native’s death a freak accident, but local advocates say that for many immigrant workers, the risk of injury is all too real. Tufts University, Cambridge Health Alliance, and five Somerville community groups have come together to raise awareness of occupational health risks and to teach people their rights.

Somerville Ward 5 Alderman Sean O’Donovan was defeated in last night’s Democratic Caucus for Register of Probate of Middlesex County despite his supporters’ attempts to deceive other delegates into believing that he had been endorsed by third-place candidate Maria Sheehy. O’Donovan finished in second place to Medford attorney Tara DeChristofaro…

From the homepage of the Somerville Democratic City Committee www.SomDems.org :
Our first annual Somerville Democratic City Committee Picnic has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 4th, from noon to 4:00 p.m. at…

Come hoist a pint of whatever beverage catches your fancy at a casual after-work hang-out with the folks from Open Media Boston – at Johnny D’s, right across from the Holland St. entrance of the Davis Square Red Line T stop. If you want to talk about the OMB website or pitch content ideas that’s fine with us. If you just want to drink and chat about anything that comes to mind, that’s also good. Brought to you by your pals at Open Media Boston

The Mayor has called a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen to create two new Deputy Chief of Police positions that he then wants to take out of civil service. Without any community input or community process on the impact of creating two new politically appointed positions in the leadership of the police department, the Mayor is pushing the Board of Aldermen to agree to their removal from the civil service process.

I share Melissa McWhinney’s concerns about the impact of the Mayor’s new commission staffing reorganization on the quality of the city’s human services. The HRC and other commissions should not have to compete with each other for staff services as they now do under the new arrangement.

Please join us for a wonderful evening of folk, rock, pop, and jazz music to benefit Veterans For Peace and Iraq Veterans Against The War. The benefit will be on Tuesday, July 29 at 8:30 PM at Johnny D’s, 17 Holland St. Davis Square Somerville. Performers include Celia Slattery, Deb Pasternak, Porch Party Mamas, Media Made, and Katrina Degel Jazz Quartet. Admission is $15.

The misuse of cost-benefit analysis is impeding efforts to protect and clean up our environment, especially in the case of toxic chemicals. However, there is an alternative, precautionary approach to making decisions under uncertainty.

Just passing this along:
The city will be holding a meeting about Albion Park Monday, July 14th at 7:00 p.m. at the VNA Building, 259 Lowell Street.

SOS members will be at the event to support keeping activities for young adults and teenagers. There have been several parks such as Perry Park and the Kemp Nuts site…

PDS has endorsed Rep. Carl Sciortino for re-election in the 34th Middlesex District (Somerville/Medford) House race. PDS members were impressed by Rep. Sciortino’s hard work on behalf of the district on a variety of issues including working for increased local aid for education, advocating for the extension of the Green Line and his continued efforts on behalf of all the residents of the district.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone will hold Community Office Hours on Wednesday, July 9th from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Diesel Café in Davis Square. Residents can…

East Somerville residents deserve the dream of a better community. Let’s talk together about what costs and benefits the new development will bring to our community and to East Somerville residents.

SEIU 615 26 West St Boston MA 02111

For Immediate Release:

Media Contact:
Max Goldman                                  Roxana Rivera
Maxwell.Goldman@tufts.edu Rrivera@seiu615.org

Phone
W: 617-878-7559 C: 860-917-1742    W: 617-878-7458 C: 401-965-3555

Tufts Janitors and the Somerville Community Stand United

Who:     Contracted Janitors at Tufts University…

Conguero Vicente Lebron has been a cornerstone of the Latin and jazz scenes in Boston for over 30 years. He is currently being held in a Homeland Security prison and threatened with deportation.

From the ArtBeat Festival webpage:

“During the heat of summer (held on the third weekend in July), artists and festival goers converge on Davis Square, transforming it into one of the area’s largest and most innovative arts festivals. ArtBeat includes music, performance art, craft vendors, dance, theater, food, and a whole more…

Come out to the next PDS Meeting:

Tuesday, June 24th at 7:30pm at the College Avenue United Methodist Church on Chapel Street.

PLEASE NOTE: We have moved our meeting to start a little later so interested people can attend the Union Square Zoning Meeting that starts at 6pm.

Check out our June meeting which will…

Somerville Democratic City Committee Public Meeting, all are welcome!

Please join us for this important AHOC meeting as we discuss our leadership, prepare for the Union Square meeting Zoning on June 24th, plan for a busy summer in the green line corridor and get updates on the Condo ordinance!

This community meeting on the Mystic River Reservation Master Plan will include a presentation of the Draft Master Plan, followed by smaller group discussions on specific topics, including: Open Space and Recreation Programming, Conservation Plans, Pathways, and River and Riverfront Access.

The Progressive Democrats of Somerville (PDS) invites you for a night of trivia, food and good company.

TRIVIA NIGHT at Johnny D’s – 17 Holland Street in Davis Square
Monday, June 9th
8:00pm – Trivia Night with Free Pizza
Come on down and join a PDS team in the ever so popular Trivia Night!

If you have…

The city is holding a Community Meeting on the latest proposal for Zoning in Union Square on Tuesday, June 24th, at 6 PM at the Somerville High School auditorium.

This week, the Progressive Democrats of Somerville officially launched their endorsement process for the upcoming round of state elections. Invitations were emailed to candidates in local contested races: Rep. Carl Sciortino and Ald. Bob Trane in the 34th Middlesex (Somerville/Medford) House race and Patrick McCabe, Jim Caralis, and Rep. Paul Donato in the 35th Middlesex…

If you listen to a local NPR radio station like me, you’ve probably heard segments of Living on Earth with Steve Curwood, a program on the environment and environmental policy. After listening to this week’s show, I picked up on the fact that they broadcast from a studio in Davis Square, right down the hall from the office of the Somerville Journal, at 20 Holland Street Suite 408 to be exact.

I’m due to get some of this incentive money from the federal government. Perhaps some of you are too. Since it isn’t in my budget, I’d be happy to pool it with others for some good community cause.

This would be a great way for the public to engage in a process that could impact Somerville in a big way. There are five resident seats on this committee, so I encourage you to apply and invite others who might be interested.

The following letter was released by Centro Presente yesterday regarding the cancellation of their hip-hop concert scheduled for Friday of last week at the Somerville High School.

The recent raids at the Pilgrim Pride poultry plants that garnered nationwide media attention only underscore the fact that future ICE raids are imminent.

Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan will feature testimony from U.S. veterans who served in those occupations, giving an accurate account of what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground.…