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	<title>Somerville Voices &#187; Civic Action</title>
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	<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org</link>
	<description>An independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 20:58:36 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>City Silences the Human Rights Commission with Obsolete Quorum Rule Instead of Fixing It</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/17/civil-and-human-rights/city-silences-the-human-rights-commission-with-obsolete-quorum-rule-instead-of-fixing-it/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/17/civil-and-human-rights/city-silences-the-human-rights-commission-with-obsolete-quorum-rule-instead-of-fixing-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 20:58:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil and Human Rights]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11979</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Local Hacktivists Organize for Government Transparency</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/local-hacktivists-organize-for-government-transparency/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/local-hacktivists-organize-for-government-transparency/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2012 19:44:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11727</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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).
Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/SunlightFoundation/Boston-MA/

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/open_gov_boston

Personally, I&#8217;d like to see more transparency around city finances in terms of the city budget and how our [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/local-hacktivists-organize-for-government-transparency/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mayor Curtatone&#8217;s ACE Webpage for Responsiveness Data Late Again</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/mayor-curtatones-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-late-again/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/mayor-curtatones-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-late-again/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2012 19:15:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11730</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The City&#8217;s transparency initiative has again fallen into neglect. The last data was posted in January (that&#8217;s when I first noticed the site was neglected), but the six-week lag time requested in the site&#8217;s disclaimer (highlighted in red in the following screen shot) would indicate that data should have already been posted for February. Data for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/05/05/government-reform/mayor-curtatones-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-late-again/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>@SomervilleCity&#8217;s Retaliation Against Accessibility Whistleblower Casts Chilling Effect</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/arts-and-culture/somervillecitys-retaliation-against-accessibility-whistleblower-casts-chilling-effect/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/arts-and-culture/somervillecitys-retaliation-against-accessibility-whistleblower-casts-chilling-effect/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Apr 2012 01:09:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Accessibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arts and Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil and Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ward 5]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11558</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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 on Highland Ave. The mayor’s reprisal took the form of an op-ed by his Health Dept. Director, Paulette [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/04/06/arts-and-culture/somervillecitys-retaliation-against-accessibility-whistleblower-casts-chilling-effect/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>Why @311Somerville Does Not Track Loose Utility Wire Calls</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/25/government-reform/why-311somerville-does-not-track-loose-utility-wire-calls/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/25/government-reform/why-311somerville-does-not-track-loose-utility-wire-calls/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 03:24:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[311 Requests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Health & Safety]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11453</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve learned so far via the following Twitter conversation (in chronological order):

#bbpBox_180716719038402560 a { text-decoration:none; color:#0084B4; }#bbpBox_180716719038402560 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; }

@311Somerville I just called in a loose utility wire to 311 then was transferred to the fire dept w/o a 311 work order, so no way 2 track it
March 16, 2012 10:06 am [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/25/government-reform/why-311somerville-does-not-track-loose-utility-wire-calls/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Are City&#8217;s Senior Centers Fully Accessible?</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/05/politics/are-citys-senior-centers-fully-accessible/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/05/politics/are-citys-senior-centers-fully-accessible/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:36:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>intrepid</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[311 Requests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Accessibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[All Ages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil and Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seniors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[access]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ADA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disabilities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Meetings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senior Centers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11255</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The following letter was submitted to the resistat blog on 3/5/2012 after its writer read David Dahlbacka&#8217;s announcement of upcoming HUD Plan hearing:
&#8220;I read an announcement about the upcoming meeting &#8220;HUD Action Plan Public Hearing&#8221; on 3/22 at the Ralph &#38; Jenny Center. I scoured web pages and city websites to learn accessibility information for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/03/05/politics/are-citys-senior-centers-fully-accessible/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Current MaxPac Covenant Request via MuckRock.com</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/14/special/current-maxpac-covenant-request-via-muckrock-com/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/14/special/current-maxpac-covenant-request-via-muckrock-com/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:51:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>eila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Public Records / FOIA Requests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=11009</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A MuckRock.com public information request for a complete and current copy of the amended MaxPac covenant  between Developers and City of Somerville is submitted, effective January 17, 2012.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/14/special/current-maxpac-covenant-request-via-muckrock-com/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>City&#8217;s ACE Webpage for Responsiveness Data Now 3 Months Stale</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/04/government-reform/citys-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-now-3-months-stale/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/04/government-reform/citys-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-now-3-months-stale/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:02:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>@BarryRafkind</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Reform]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=10974</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;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. &#8221; &#8211; Mayor Curtatone, in his 7/15/2011 op-ed to the Somerville News announcing his new ACE program and stating a customer [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2012/01/04/government-reform/citys-ace-webpage-for-responsiveness-data-now-3-months-stale/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trader Joe&#8217;s has Social Justice Problems</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/12/08/events/trader-joes-has-social-justice-problems/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/12/08/events/trader-joes-has-social-justice-problems/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:31:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>intrepid</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[All Ages]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consumer Money Saving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Teens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Workers' Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[civil rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[youth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=10855</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Surely there are many Somervillians among the many patrons and fans of Traders Joe national (specialty) retail grocery stores. While of little comparison to the retail behemoth in the news these days, Trader Joe&#8217;s is not without its problems. The following notice may be of interest.
&#8221; ATTENTION: PATRONS OF TRADER JOE’S STORES IN NEIGHBORING CAMBRIDGE:
The [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/12/08/events/trader-joes-has-social-justice-problems/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Working Together to Improve Outcomes &#8211; My Comments on Charter</title>
		<link>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/12/06/schools-and-youth/working-together-to-improve-outcomes-my-comments-on-charter/</link>
		<comments>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/12/06/schools-and-youth/working-together-to-improve-outcomes-my-comments-on-charter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:16:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>shirsch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Finances]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civic Action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Schools and Youth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=10838</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Perspective on the proposed charter by Stephanie Hirsch, a Somerville parent and Director of SomerPromise, a joint effort of the City, Schools, on-profit providers, residents, Tufts, and the Somerville Housing Authority to increase coordination and to use data-informed decision-making to improve life outcomes for children in Somerville.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.somervillevoices.org/2011/12/06/schools-and-youth/working-together-to-improve-outcomes-my-comments-on-charter/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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