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You’re invited to the Ward 1 Community Meeting with Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Bastardi hosted by the City’s ResiStat program.Please join us for the meeting on Thursday, May 16, 7-8:30 p.m., and don’t miss the Meet-and-Greet with refreshments fr…

SomerStreets events are fun street festivals, but there’s an ulterior motive as well. Each one is designed to make it easy for everyone to get outside and moving. By closing the roads to cars and opening them to you, we’re hoping to make it an active, healthy day for you and your friends or whole family. We spread events along the closed roadway so you can stroll, bike, skate, jog, or silly walk between entertainments. Or you can just come to make use of the open road and bike or skate in a car-free area all you want. 

So, why do this? In recent years, a significant shift has occurred in the thinking on how to promote active lifestyles. Instead of just reminding people that being active is good for health and well-being, cities like Somerville are changing their infrastructure and offerings to make being active and healthy easier and more fun for residents. We build better crosswalks to promote walking. We add bike lanes to promote cycling. We build and improve our parks to provide space for outdoor activities from baseball to gardening. SomerStreets is just one more piece of this overall effort to make the best, active use of our 4.1-mile-square city.

Starting this summer, join us for the Fourth Annual SomerStreets series and take advantage of car-free streets in your neighborhood.

All events run from noon to 4pm and are help rain or shine.

Carnaval
Sunday, June 2, 2013
East Broadway (McGrath Highway to Pennsylvania Avenue)
Activities will include:
•              Motion Parade with Mayor Joe Curtatone (meet at 11:45am at the Cross Street and Broadway)
•              Music on two stages – Cross Street and East Broadway Library

•              Farmers’ Market

•              Arts and Craft vendors

•              Free Family Fun Activities

•              Scavenger Hunt
                                    

Seize the Summer
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Highland Avenue (Walnut Street to Cedar Street)       


Shore Drive
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Shore Drive


Going Green on Route 16
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Route16 (Dilboy Field to Broadway)       


MonsterMashed Up
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Somerville Avenue

Watch the Somerville candlelight vigil for victims of the Boston Bombing on Channel 3 and on the Web.

On Thursday, April 18th, 2013 at 8 PM, SCATV filmed the Candlelight Vigil that was held…

Do you want to talk about transit, parlé about parks, or zero in on zoning? Then please join us at your neighborhood ResiStat meeting. Every meeting will be packed with information about City-wide and Ward issues, along with plenty of time for questions and answers.

Below is the schedule for this spring’s meetings. Please note, the Ward 7 meeting is currently being rescheduled and we will be updating the schedule soon. Hope to see you there.

Over lunch today, in discussing the Governor’s Budget and the House Speaker’s reservations, I was reminded of the NASA Site in Cambridge. Most people seem to have forgotten that the US Department of Transportation office…

SomerStat and ResiStat attract a lot of visitors to Somerville. Whether it is academics, local government leaders, reporters, or engaged citizens, they all have something in common: an interest in using data to improve how government works.In addition …

The effort to leverage development at Assembly Square that generates meaningful jobs and tax revenues for the city has been long and hard. Construction of a new Orange Line station is ongoing evidence of our progress. We should not squander that effort. It would be unfortunate if a big box supermarket were to occupy the 130,000 square feet right next to that station, taking the place of much more beneficial office development or R&D, and denying the city the jobs and tax dollars we so desperately need. But that is just what could happen if a zoning amendment under consideration by the BOA is passed as written. Please urge the BOA to oppose the amendment as written and modify it to preserve the higher density requirements that make Assembly Square Somerville’s most important source of future jobs and tax revenues.

For some, spring is a time of renewal and rebirth. For others, it marks the start of allergy season. At ResiStat, it means it’s time to plan another round of community meetings.

Right now we’re locking in dates and locations, so stay tuned to find out when ResiStat will be in your neighborhood. In the meantime, we want your help to plan the meetings. If you have a few minutes, please fill out our short survey about potential agenda items for this season’s meetings. Once you’ve done the serious stuff, check out the pizza survey below it. We’re going to use the data we get to place pizza orders this time around, so make your voice heard.

Please spread the word about the upcoming ResiStat meetings to friends and neighbors. We hope to see you there.

Somerville won the February challenge to sign up the most library patrons among four municipalities, and Arlington increased new card registrations that month by 183 percent compared to the preceding February.

Somerville’s prize for…

Another public meeting for Beacon Street Reconstruction meeting is coming on up on Tuesday, March 5th at 6:00pm in the Argenziano School cafetorium (290 Washington Street). I strongly urge all with an interest in the…

Last month the School Committee chose a replacement for their colleague, Maureen Bastardi, who had been appointed Ward 1 Alderman. They did so through an open process that involved soliciting interest from potential candidates and…

Hardworking members of the Somerville Fire Department have been shoveling out fire hydrants as fast as they can. But with more than 1,500 hydrants in the City, they need your help. If you are able, here’s a map of most (but not all) City hydrants. Seni…

View Somervillle City Snow Lots in a full screen mapAn astute resident asked us for this map. So, tada, here it is, the Lindsey Anne Hildebrand Honorary Where to Park in City Lots Map. During a snow emergency, parking will be allowed only on the odd-nu…

Villens, maybe you have seen this? If you feel passionately about violence against women, or have always wanted to be part of a flash mob, or both, you might be interested in…

The director of Arlington libraries has issued a challenge to neighboring communities, and three others are ready for a friendly fight.Ryan Livergood is betting that Arlington can get a higher-percentage increase in new library-card registrations…

When a sober, soft-spoken, octogenarian with a Scottish accent delivers a somber warning about a six-degree temperature increase on our planet the impact is immediately warmly felt. So it was in the ASEAN Auditorium at…

What a wonderful concert last night by our all-city middle school chorus, orchestra, band, and chamber music ensemble!

We don’t have a middle school, but we still have middle school music makers, over 150…

On Wednesday, Nov. 28, a television film crew rolled into Davis Square to shoot the ABC Family TV pilot Terminales starring Italia Ricci. They were not the first–or likely the last–crew to view our City as a good film location.According to the Massac…

You’re invited to the Ward 4 Community Meeting with Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Lafunete hosted by the City’s ResiStat program.Please join us for the meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 7-8:30 p.m., and don’t miss the Meet-and-Greet with refreshments f…

You’re invited to the Ward 1 Community Meeting with Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Roche hosted by the City’s ResiStat program.Please join us for the meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 7-8:30 p.m., and don’t miss the Meet-and-Greet with refreshments from 6…

This Tuesday, Nov. 27, there will be a screening of the documentary AUGUST TO JUNE, a documentary about a school that shows a better path to improving education than constant testing.

Supporters and opponents of the Somerville Progressive Charter School both loved this film.…

You’re invited to the Ward 6 Community Meeting with Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Gewirtz hosted by the City’s ResiStat program. Please join us for the meeting on Thursday, Nov. 15, 7-8:30 p.m., and don’t miss the Meet-and-Greet with refreshme…

You’re invited to the Ward 5 Community Meeting with Mayor Curtatone and Alderman O’Donovan hosted by the City’s ResiStat program. Please join us for the meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 7-8:30 p.m., and don’t miss the Meet-and-Greet w…

Calling all residents of Union Square South, the Lincoln and Perry Park areas, and the Somerville Ave. and Beacon St. corridors. You’re invited to the Ward 2 Community Meeting with Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Heuston hosted by Resi…

PONG is an adventurous documentary-style film by Nepali directors Shambhu Rayamajhi and Pradip Kumal that features the mysterious Chepang people of Nepal. Inhabiting the mountainous forest regions, the Chepang have little contact with modern civilization…

On October 15th, residents and local business owners gathered for the second public Beacon St. Reconstruction Meeting. We have all you need to catch up on what happened right here.You’ll find the minutes below (or for easier reading, view them HERE). T…

Calling all residents of Union Square North and the Prospect Hill, Spring Hill, and Central Hill areas. You’re invited to the Ward 3 Community Meeting with Mayor Curtatone and Alderman Taylor hosted by ResiStat. Please join us Wedne…

Channel 3 is the place to go for information about several of the ballot questions and the State Representative race in the 26th Middlesex District. Watch programs on the State ballot questions # 2 on…

Am I the only one who doesn’t know what all the initiatives and relevant offices are on the ballot? I know of 4 initiatives but I’ve heard there will be 7. I know how I…

We’re starting the Fall ResiStat meetings this Thursday, Oct. 18, in Ward 7, that’s the West Somerville and Teele Square area. Why should you come if you live in the area? Because this is your home and what the City does or doesn’t do can imp…

It’s that time again. We’ll be holding seven neighborhood meetings with the Mayor and your Aldermen in the coming weeks — and we need your input to help determine what topics we’ll discuss. So please take our Meeting Survey.Starting Thursday, Oct. 18t…

At the past few meetings of the Board of Aldermen, the agenda has included a request from Mayor Joe Curtatone to hold a closed-door meeting about the city's billboards and their owner, Clear Channel. At each meeting, the Journal …

Somerville Community Access Television is starting a 10-session Next Generation Producers afterschool media club for Somerville middle school students.  The club will meet on Wednesdays, beginning on October 3, from 3:30 to 5:30 at 90…

This summer, the City has received an unusually high number of reports of rat sightings in Somerville—and it appears that we are not alone. Other cities that experienced a similarly mild winter are also noticing this trend, as has been reported by the press. Our SomerStat analysts took a look at the 311 call data from other cities including Chicago, New York City, and Baltimore to examine the underlying numbers.

In the following graph of 311 data from Chicago, you’ll find one example of what we found. A dip in the number of rodent calls can be seen during both January 2011 and January 2012. This is normal. Rats do not hibernate, but they do tend to die off during the winter months when it is more difficult to find food. The usual moderate increase in rat sightings from April to September 2011 can also be seen. In 2012, however, a rather dramatic increase occurs during the same time period.

The City of Somerville is planning to improve Davis Square for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists alike–but we need your input.The fifth Davis Sq. Streetscape Meeting is this Monday, September 24, starting at 6 p.m. at the Tufts Administration Bui…

• Get to know Somerville’s wetlands, water bodies, open space and community gardens;

• Familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations (Wetlands Protection Act, MGL Chapter 131, §40) under which the Commission works and their supporting science;

• Attend monthly meetings (typically the fourth Tuesday of every month) and site visits when necessary;

• Foster good relations with other city departments, boards and residents;

• Always act professionally, and

• Use fairness and objectivity when making decisions.

http://www.somervillema.gov/departments/concom

• Tuesday, September 18
• Wednesday, September 19
• Thursday, September 20
• Tuesday, September 25
• Wednesday, September 26
• Thursday, September 27

Attention residents, We have reached open data. Please feel free to roam about the data portal. It’s live, folks. Today, Mayor Curtatone unveiled New England’s first Socrata-powered Open Data Portal, adding Somerville to a select group of Open Dat…

The ideas that have come out of recent community discussions over how to improve Davis Square cover a lot of ground from traffic and safety to visual appeal.Removal of the “slip lane” that allows a left-turn in front of Mike’s Restaurant to create a la…

Agenda likely includes a Special Permit for parking lots in Assembly Square blocks 5 and 6 to serve retail in blocks 1, 3, 4.

The blog Colorlines recently posted an interview with environmental journalist Tim De Chant highlighting his use of aerial imagery to show the stark difference between the number of trees found in wealthier and lower-income neighborhoods. In …

Tonight, Mayor Joe Curtatone is asking the Board of Aldermen to meet in private to discuss a lawsuit that for nearly three decades has been the final word in where billboards can be placed in the city.

The City is working to improve the Davis Square streetscape and wants your ideas for upgrades that will provide safer, easier travel through the area—whether driving, walking, or cycling—as well as enhance the visual appeal of the square. With…

Millstone Coop is 11 people in 3-story home in Davis Square, Somerville. We share food, 3 vegetarian dinners/wk, & host monthly community potluck brunch. We share chores, buy food in bulk, get CSA produce, grow…

City data will soon be at your fingertips–and you might even find it fun (and not just informative) to look through. Mayor Curtatone announced Thursday that the City of Somerville has partnered with Socrata, Inc to use the Seattle-based company’s…

The next ResiStat meeting is the Ward 7 meeting for residents of West Somerville and Teele Square. This Thursday, June 7, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., please join Mayor Curtatone, Alderman Trane, Chief of Police Thomas Pasquarello, Captain Paul Trant, and City…

The next ResiStat meeting is the Ward 2 meeting for residents of Union Square, Lincoln Park, Perry Park, and the Somerville Ave. and Beacon St. areas. Tonight, Wednesday, May 30th, 6:30-8 p.m., please join Mayor Curtatone, Alderman Heuston, Chief …

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) presents an integrated volunteer opportunity for residents to represent very important ongoing civil rights issues in Somerville while serving city government.

View Somerville Parks: Water Play Features, Sprinklers & Pools in a larger mapGood news: The Department of Public Works is out today, Thursday, May, 24, turning on the water features at Somerville Parks. They expect all working water features to b…

      The next ResiStat meeting is the Ward 6 meeting for residents of greater Davis Square and the Ball Square area. On Tuesday, May 29, 6:30-8 p.m., please join Mayor Curtatone, Alderman Gewirtz, Chief of Police Thomas Pasquarello…

      The next ResiStat meeting is the Ward 3 meeting for residents of the upper Union Square, Prospect Hill, Central Hill, and Spring Hill areas. On Thursday, May 17, 6:30-8 p.m., please join Mayor Curtatone, Alderman Taylor, Chief of P…

View Somerville City Parks Map in a larger mapCheck out this great, new interactive map of Somerville parks and community gardens. For better viewing, use the “+” and “-” buttons on the map to zoom in. Then click a tree for more information on and phot…

·        The next ResiStat meeting is the WARD 5 meeting for residents of greater Magoun Square, east Ball Square, the Cedar and Lowell St. areas, and northeast Porter Square. On Monday, May 14, 6:30-8 p.m., please join Mayor Curta…

The Green Line Extension took an important step forward last month. At its April 19 meeting, the Boston Meteropolitan Planning Organization voted to approve $8.1M in funding for the design of the Route 16 Green Line station.“This station may be in Me…

SomerStreets events are more than just fun street festivals. Each one is designed to make it easy for everyone to get outside and moving. By closing the roads to cars and opening them to you, we’re hoping to make it an active, healthy day for you …

Hi everyone!

I’m working on a new community art project– and I hope you’ll decide to participate!

It’s called “The Somerville Stock Exchange,” or SSE for short. Unlike our New…

The next ResiStat meeting is the WARD 4 meeting for residents of Winter Hill, Ten Hills, Mystic View, and States Ave. On Tuesday, May 1, 6:30-8 p.m., please join Mayor Curtatone, Alderman Lafuente, City Police, City Staff and your neighbors for updates…

The City’s annual Rain Barrel Event is a great way to get a big discount (save $47.25) on a rain barrel that you can place under your downspout. Then you keep saving when you use the rainwater you collect to water your garden and save on water bills.&n…

On April 11, Somerville Police began ticketing cyclists for traffic violations (full story HERE). Here are a few quick numbers and updates on the matter just in from the Somerville Police:So far, since ticketing of cyclists for traffic violations began…

The spring 2012 ResiStat Community Meetings with Mayor Curtatone and the City’s Aldermen are here. Seven neighborhood meetings, one in each ward, will be held in the coming weeks starting Tuesday, April 24th. Mayor Curtatone, Ward and At-large Ald…

Resident Question:  Not sure if it’s a trick of the parking trade, but I’m wondering why the email alerts I’ve been getting for two years since buying a home in Somerville didn’t come through yesterday for street cleaning on Partridge Ave. Do…

Yesterday, Somerville Police Chief Thomas Pasquarello announced that starting today, April 11, the Somerville Police will increase enforcement of bicycle traffic regulations under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 85, which was recently revised an…

Forget personal trainers. Nothing will boost your fitness routine like having your Mayor personally invite you (and your eight teammates) to zumba, fitness boot camp, or an after-work power walk. That’s why ResiStat is holding three spots on Mayor…

Have your say about public art in Somerville. As part of an effort to engage residents in decision-making around art in public spaces, the City is hosting an Open Art Forum at Morse-Kelley park this Saturday, Mar. 17, 10am-12 noon. Come meet Somerville…

On Tuesday, Mayor Curtatone announced the creation of a new advisory group to assist the City in the development and implementation of programs designed to encourage and support efforts by area employers to hire local residents. The new, 11-member Some…

Resident Question: I’m curious as to whether or not there’s ever been an effort to create a sound/air barrier between 93 and the Ten Hills/East Somerville neighborhoods it goes so close to. It seems like many far-flung suburbs have walls like that, so …

Resident Question: I have a street lamp which shines directly into my 2nd floor bedroom window. I have “blackout” blinds, but it’s still bright enough to read by in my room while I’m sleeping. Is it possible to request a modification (or removal!) of a…

Question: I read an announcement about the upcoming meeting “HUD Action Plan Public Hearing” on 3/22 at the Ralph & Jenny Center. I scoured web pages and city websites to learn accessibility information for the center before I plan to attend. I COU…

Question: What happened to the trees in the median of Broadway just west of Magoun Square? Are there plans to replace them?Answer: The trees were damaged in a traffic incident (with no known injuries to the driver). The City’s Department of Public Work…

The City of Somerville is seeking volunteers to provide customer feedback on their experiences using City services. If you’re planning on conducting a transaction with a city department, such as paying your water bill, getting a dog licence, or re…

Massachusetts Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester today announced that he will not recommend that the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education grant a new charter to a proposed charter school in Somerville.Whil…

The Somerville Human Rights Commission and the Somerville Women’s Commission are both seeking new members. Come to their meetings this week to learn about the important work that they do. For meeting details, please see the images to the left.For more …

Good news on two fronts: Recycling is up by 46% since the start of Zero-Sort recycling AND yesterday,Mayor Curtatone presented the winners of the “It’s the Love Tote” photo contest with certificates of “Exemplary Zero-Sortness” as well a…

Complaints that Somerville cyclists are ignoring the rules of the road were made at every ResiStat meeting this fall. Likewise, local cyclists are equally concerned about motorists who do not safely share the roads with bicycles. The good news is that the City will launch a citywide bicycle safety campaign in March to help educate everyone—motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians—on how to safely (

Kara Dardeno, a local lawyer and a member of the Somerville Rotary Club, will plunge into the ocean February 11th to help Rotary raise money to eradicate polio in the world. The Plunge, from Gloucester’s…

Update Feb. 28: Recently, residents chose between two designs for New Harris Park. On Wednesday, Feb. 29, City planners will reveal the updated design at a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Cross Street Senior Center, 165 Broadway. Come give your feedback on Somerville’s newest park.
———

On Wednesday, more than 60 people, including many youths, gathered to review two design proposals for

Every last bench, ADA compliant crosswalk, bike rack, and gleaming trash can planned for the new East Broadway streetscape can now be seen in the final plans released this week. On January 24, the completed drawings were submitted for bid. Constrution is expected to begin this spring or early summer.

The detailed, 84-page plan, which can be viewed HERE, is fairly technical. But scanning it and

On Wednesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Somerville and Arlington $2,237,821 in funding for homeless assistance programs. The funding for the Somerville-Arlington Continuum has steadily increased in the last several years, with $2,235,913 awarded in 2010, $2,233,788 in 2009, and $1.9 million in 2008. Overall this year, the Obama Administration has awarded nearly

At 5 p.m. today, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Firefighters Local 76 signed a memorandum of agreement on a new 8-year labor accord. Both sides made concessions. No layoffs and no closures of facilities, including the West Branch Library, will result. The official press release follows: 

City Agrees to Same Salary Percentage Increases Called for in JLMC Award Plus 3 More Years of

Help us go from this…

to this…

Lt. Gov. Murray announced Tuesday that Somerville will recieve a $500,000 state grant to develop the new Harris Park. Residents can help shape the park at a community meeting on Wed., Jan. 25, 7 p.m., at the Cross Street Senior Center, 165 Broadway. Water features? Better lighting? Community garden plots? Your suggestions on how to apply

At a recent community meeting, Somerville planning staff shared a draft of new guidelines for defining possible future uses of the former Powder House Community School in West Somerville. Residents are being encouraged to read the guidelines (posted below) and offer any feedback or suggested edits.

The draft is the culmination of more than 70 hours of discussions at community meetings held since

The Alderman At Large Debate, held at the Somerville Theatre on October 17, was sponsored by SCATV and “Greater Somerville.” It will be cablecast numerous times leading up to the election on November 8 and…

6:00 PM, Monday, Oct. 24, 2011
Meet at South Station
Speak Our About
– Jobs
– Homes
– Accountability

Unite Us!
Sponsored by Save Our Somerville
Questions? Contact Danny McLaughlin at 857-253-1594…

Universities and Comcast redline Somerville!

Yesterday I went to the farmer’s market in Davis Square.  I bought 5 peaches, 2 tomatoes, and a pint of cherries.  The total cost was $11.80, which was kind of a shock, but I went…

Reverse Mortgages are not an end, but a means. In Somerville, their cap of $625,000 targets a lot of seniors with tenants and other income.

To evaluate city services, the city is asking for volunteers to sign up as “mystery customers” through ResiStat. City workers beware! Find out more from Somerville Patch at: http://somerville.patch.com/articles/wanted-undercover-agents-to-evaluate-city-services?ncid=M255…

Come check out the new mobile market that is opening tomorrow at the Mystic Housing Development. You can find details on our Facebook page…

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mystic-Market/112095808882083…

These notes are partly for myself, since I’ll have another child graduating from Somerville High in a few years…

As seen on SomervillePatch:
Last October, the city introduced a pilot recycling program in a section of Ward 5 to see if residents would recycle more if they could put all their paper, cardboard, glass…

Bob The Magic Guy is performing Saturday May 21 at the Somerville Theater, Davis Sq., at 2:30 and 7:30 PM. An engaging, funny show for ages 8 and up. …

The deadline for our “This happened in Somerville” true story contest for high school students has been postponed one week, to May 8, because we hear some students want to enter but need a little…

I was just walking in Union Square and noticed the newly planted area at the confluence of Somerville Ave and Bow St (the center of the square).  In my opinion, the landscape selection, and in…

Somerville is a tight-knit community, and when one succeeds, all succeed.  A great example of this happened back in 2008, and it happened to the Somerville High School girl’s Varsity Soccer team.

Boy’s soccer…

Help the city re-live Paul Revere’s historic ride from Boston through Somerville and onto Lexington and Concord. Adults and high school students are needed to volunteer at the City’s annual Patriots Day Colonial Fair at…

While the elementary schools hassle with data walls, the high school creates a whole new kind of e-portfolio.

“History of Somerville, 2010-2100″ book reading and talk at the library on February 23.

On Saturday, December 4th, Somerville comes alive with a bounty of holiday shopping.  An array craft markets and retail events all taking place this day makes Somerville the place to find something for everyone on…

Press Release                                       Contact:  Meridith Levy

Somerville Community Corporation

617 776 5931×242

Somerville, MA—participants of Community Corridor Planning (CCP) will be presenting a Community Action Agenda on December 2nd, 2010 at the Capuano…

The OPENAIR Circus is holding a deliciousraiser… no… fundraiser at
Flatbread Pizza in Davis Sq. on November 23.

The OAC is a non-profit volunteer-run Somerville-based organization which
teaches 200 students each summer a variety…

There’s an average of 17,000 people living within each square mile of Somerville. When I hear this fact, I ask myself: How could I ever be lonely with so many potential relationships available in such close proximity? In this density and diversity, how could I ever not find what I need?

Somerville’s disability culture should also be celebrated as part of our rich multicultural diversity. But as we see, even voting is still not routinely made accessible and integrated for voters with physical disAbilities. How can we reverse Segregation in Somerville?

Info from Linda Conte, pix from Michael Conte: Senior dress-up day at SHS this year featured Pacman, pizza, and sushi!…

Flatbread Restaurant holds a benefit for the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) Tuesday evening, November 16. Eat at the restaurant (45 Day Street in Davis Square) any time from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. and Flatbread will donate a portion of the cost of dinner to CAAS, Somerville’s anti-poverty agency.

Somehow, like magic, the tax cut will only cut funding for things we don’t like. We have been hearing this message since 1979, when Ronald Reagan was running for office. I was a lie thirty years ago, and it remains a lie today. Cutting taxes does not create more effective government.

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

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…

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

Truthsayer gives gratitude to Villens on Lady Liberty’s Day

At the end of the school year, it seems, people find themselves inclined to reflect on what they like about their kid’s school.  You might suspect that the following five cheerleaders were paid for their…

All citizens of Somerville and Medford should evaluate this document and give feedback, because this is one of the final steps before the project begins implementation. There will be a public meeting on June 30. Written comments will be accepted until July 23 at holly.s.johnson@state.ma.us.

Steve Clift is one of the most successful community media advocates in the nation. His e-Democracy is both a standard and a clarion call for more participatory journalism. In part this is a response to…

Somerville, MA May 3rd 2010 – Somerville “mompreneur” Kerri Friedlander and husband Lucas today announced their intention to hold a Grand Opening sale at the Upland Road location of “TwinkleStar Boutique” in Porter Square on…

The Somerville Public Schools are OPEN all day tomorrow, May 3rd – and expect to be open throughout the water emergency. Students and staff are asked, if able, to bring their own safe, packaged beverages…

Shake Up Shakespeare with Theatre@First! Auditions May 10-12 for performances July 16-18 and July 22-24.

Tuesday’s Special Democratic Primary for the State Senate race was a clear-cut example of the need for Instant Runoff. Unofficial results put Sal DiDomenico about 135 votes above the runner-up, Tim Flaherty. The Massachusetts Election 2010 blog has the rough percentage breakdown:…

Excited to get your own vegetable garden growing this spring, but don’t know where/when to start??

In May/June this year, MOVE (the Massachusetts Outdoor Volunteer Experience) and SCA (Somerville Climate Action) will team up…

Susan McLucas, longtime Somerville resident and social change activist, hosts the Boston premiere of “Secret of the Dawn,” a film about the movement to end female excision (FGM, aka female genital mutilation) in the Muslim…

Well, she doesn’t scare this citizen and I doubt she scares you, dear reader, but her sojourn into the birthplace of this here nation sure calls for a strong non-violent response.

We’re looking for musicians, performance artists, dancers, visual artists, storytellers and all creative people to participate in one of the area’s largest public arts festivals.

ArtBeat 2010
Dates: July 16 (evening) and 17 (day)…

From Mass. Jobs with Justice:

Shaw Workers at the Metuen Warehouse went out on strike on March 7th.  They need your support!  Please join their facebook

Representative Denise Provost, Somerville Climate Action, the Initiating Committee of Transition Somerville and Somerville-Medford United for Justice with Peace invite you to a showing of

Escape from Suburbia
Monday, March 8
6:30 to 8:30pm…

I need intense help figuring out which oil heating company to pick. Some give discounts and then free service and insurance. Some give no discounts but come up with a good price, but I’m not…

Aldermen will hear from City Solicitor John Gannon tonight (Tuesday, March 2 at 8pm in City Hall) about the City’s options for terminating the new five year contract with Russell Disposal, in the wake of the Attorney General’s announced settlement agreement “… to resolve allegations that the company violated the Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws.”

The Somerville Public Schools invites you to tell your stories about learning and teaching in Somerville in our Spring 2010 Digital Photography contest. Complete submissions received by April 5th will have the chance to win…

Our neighbors are being evicted and our communities destabilized by the foreclosure crisis.

The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) in collaboration with Cambridge & Somerville Legal Services (CASLS) is initiating a post-foreclosure outreach…

Somebody took the picture of my house from the car early in the morning today, is there anything for me to worry about? What should I do? I am a new somerville resident…

The City of Somerville, with it’s clear mandates and civil rights obligations from Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, continues to be really , truly, obviously unskilled at inclusive community-building.

Why does the city census office send to “current resident” a form that includes personal information about whoever lived at an address a year ago? Are there other alternatives?

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

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

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

GET YOUR BEARD ON
STOP SHAVING AND START GROWING
ALL AMERICA CITY BEARD AND MOUSTACHE CONTEST
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH, 2010, 3pm
PRECINCT, 70 UNION SQUARE, SOMERVILLE

A contest sure to tickle your chin. We…

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)

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…

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…

You are cordially invited to our Christmas Eve service tonight at First Church Somerville. The service begins at 7. Our children will be with us in the service. Your children are entirely welcome. Your moms…

NEWS STORIES:
•Students at Somerville’s John F. Kennedy School are raising $5,000 to build a library at their Ethiopian Sister School, the Gordama School, and fill it with books. Students have already raised over $450…

Sitting in my Inbox right now is an e-mail from a woman who works with the Somerville/Medford branch of United for Justice with Peace (UJP), an organization officially dedicated to “peace and justice” in…

This idea of the whole city reading the same book is interesting.  What book would you recommend?  The Glass Castle?  The Audacity of Hope?
This spring Somerville will launch its first “one city, one book”…

2 changes in Somerville Climate Action’s Calendar:

> Tonight’s (Nov. 18th) Forum on Green Roofs in Somerville has been postponed due to expected low-attendance resulting from the concurrent Green Line Extension community meeting.  We…

From Bill Barrell at SCAT: In an effort to cut through all the media hype the “Somerville Producers Group” created a show about the facts of H1N1 and the seasonal flu.

Groundwork Somerville is holding its first “Doughraiser” at Pizzeria Uno’s in Porter Square on Friday November 6th.  Uno’s will donate 20% of the check to Groundwork, if you write “Groundwork” on your check!

Groundwork…

Our neighbors are being evicted and our community destabilized by the foreclosure crisis.

The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) in collaboration with Cambridge & Somerville Legal Services (CASLS) is initiating…

On October 24th Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians will gather around the Dead Sea to form giant human numbers: Israelis will form a 3, Palestinians a 5, and Jordanians a 0.  An aerial photograph will link…

Hi Gang,

My hat is off to all the Alderman and School Committee Candidates for giving their time to appear on our Somerville Community Access Television “Candidate Forums 2009″.  Every Candidate in all the…

Saturday October 24, 3:00-5:50 PM Somerville Climate Action has joined with 350.org, Greenpeace, Mass Council of Churches and others to create the Boston Under Water Festival. The bicyclists among us may participate in Somerville’s contingent…

Here’s an issue to unite all the factions of our diverse city–double-pole utility poles! The Globe says we have 192 of them in Somerville. And there may be something we can do about it. In fact, two things.…

The debate on expanded gambling in Massachusetts is heating up, with hearings scheduled this month, and a vote likely early next year.  One of the first public discussions this session will be held on Thursday…

State Rep. Denise Provost provides constituents with an informative e-newsletter from time to time.  In case you’re not on her mailing list, here’s what she wrote recently about the Green Line project:

What’s Up…

Approximately a third of Somerville High School students could not meet MCAS English test standards in 2008. Cuba, which has the highest literacy rate in the world according to the United Nations, might have some lessons to teach us about how to model our educational system.

I don’t have a personal story on how Senator Kennedy’s office helped me but I’ve heard quite a few astonishing stories over the years that gave me an impression of a truly compassionate public servant. …

The clerk in the health inspection office/trash pick-up just told me that they had access to the system to abate citations up until a few months ago, but it was taken away from them…

Traffic Board Meeting and Hearing

Thurs. Aug. 13, 6 PM

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

Agenda (PDF)

This is…

The message below was sent by Richard Saunders, Director of Music for the Somerville Public Schools. He is rightfully outraged by a bill currently being considered by the House of Representatives, (Bill H111)which would require school music department to sterilize instruments. Here’s a Globe article about it. …

I thought it was strange that Boston was closing schools. I hadn’t heard of any cases in Somerville since that first lady that got it a couple of months ago. So, then when I heard…

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.…

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…

Twitter is a magnificent social website  where one can let people know what they are doing.  Many famous people have twitter and post on twitter. Twitter is a great place to show that famous people…

Apropos of Barry’s belief that Somerville needs more and better investigative reporting, you can learn to do it yourself!  Northeastern University School of Journalism and the New England First Amendment Center are offering a May…

Come out to the Progressive Democrats of Somerville (PDS) Annual Meeting. See what exciting things are happening with PDS as it celebrates the start of its 6th year.

This Sunday at 9a the West Somerville area churches invite y’all to our olde, olde tradition of recalling Jesus’ paradoxically humble entry into Roman-occupied Jerusalem amidst the poor and disenfranchised, the People! The original grassroots…

Thanks for Barry and Dave for setting up this blog and the Google group on this issue, and who ever got the Globe to provide some coverage of this issue on Sunday – good stuff!…

On Friday I was a guest at the high school’s Multicultural Fair. It was the most dramatic and most successful cultural event I’ve ever seen – beating everything from Lincoln Center to the MFA…

March 6, 2009:  Today, President  Obama and Attorney General Holder announced funding allocations for state and local law enforcement assistance.  MA is allocated State joint funding, plus 148 MA cities will also receive local government individual…

Perhaps a SomervilleVoices.org blogger can be the next Elizabeth Neuffer Fellow?

The International Women’s Media Foundation announces the Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship for  full-time, part time or freelance journalists working (for at least 3 years)…

Students learn concepts in their classes and learn from practicing the concepts in their communities. The concepts guide and inform the practice; the practice illuminates and tests the concepts.

The Jesus fish kissing the Darwin fish? Why not? Our church is celebrating the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the…

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?

Rep. Denise Provost and I invite people to join us in a celebratory inauguration lunch at Orleans Restaurant in Davis Square on Jan. 20 at 11:30. There will be a large-screen TV tuned to the…

I was looking for some general information about Portland, OR and went to their city website and there, right in full view(!), was a link labled “Request Public Records.” The link leads to…

ECIP is an integrated early childhood program with a mix of standard and special education children ages three and four. Classes meet four days per week for 5.25 hours per day. There is one teacher and one paraprofessional in each class for a maximum of 15 children.…

The Somerville Public Schools is looking for businesses, non-profit partners, volunteers and community experts to work with us planning and running afterschool activity clubs from 4:00-5:30 PM for students in Grades K-8 across the City. We know you have great experience helping students learn in innovative ways, enthusiasm for afterschool learning, and a desire to help students develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to be successful throughout their lives.

This winter, the Somerville Homeless Coalition will serve hundreds of men, women, and children who would otherwise have no place to call home or enough food to feed their families. Jump to their website to learn how to donate, or read on.

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?

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.

As promised here is the latest and greatest from Somerville Community Access Television. Check out the footage from the Community Arts Festival and from a Nepali Community Event. See a separate posting for the interview with Bill Shelton about Charter Reform on Fred Berman and Bill Bumpus’ Monday evening show, Progressive Voices.

This week’s Somerville Journal includes an Op-Ed regarding our rights as voters. Voting is a fun community activity, and no voters should be steered to vote absentee-unless they prefer it that way (or will be out of town on the 4th). Here are 2 photos showing a polling site that was entirely inaccessible (right at the entrance), for wheelchair using voters of Ward 7, Precinct 2, during the Primary, September 16, 2008:

Has anyone heard when Somerville Avenue, affectionately known to neighbors as The Little Dig, is supposed to be finished? It seems to be a really big job so I’m not complaining, but it would be good to know.

At 7:30 this evening I was out knocking on doors in Medford, although at that point I had to stop under street lights to read the list of Sciortino supporters that I was supposed to…

Come to a FREE screening of the award-winning documentary:
A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash

Learn more about the film at www.oilcrashmovie.com

We are now reaching the end of the era of cheap, abundant oil,
but what will happen when oil production begins to decrease?

The last thing you expect to encounter is a lilting Southern accent when you walk into the Director’s office at the Central Branch of the Somerville Public Library. But that’s part of the package you get with the new Director Nancy Milnor. Milnor is a native of Tennessee and has run libraries in Galveston, Texas, St. Louis Missouri, to name just a few locales. Milnor’s last job was the relatively “genteel” position of director of the Connecticut Historical Library. She left those tony environs to work in the milieu that is her first love: the public library system.

This is an announcement to all Somerville residents about Somerville’s fifth annual National Night Out (NNO) against crime and drugs. Please pass on the message about this important community and crime prevention event.

Come see the power of words and the power of girls join forces at Teen Voices’ annual Pens of Power Conference! Join over 100 Boston teens for a Saturday devoted to the power of the written word. Local female poets, novelists and journalists will lead exciting workshops and talk about what motivates them to write. Enjoy free lunch, prizes and beats from DJ D’hana.

Tired of getting ever higher energy bills? There are many ways you can reduce your energy consumption, save money and reduce your impact on the planet. Check out Somerville Climate Action for practical energy saving information and videos. Somerville Climate Action (SCA) is a group of volunteers working to reduce energy use and resulting global warming gases in Somerville homes and businesses.

Sustainable Somerville — a nascent network of community organizations working to make/keep Somerville a great place to live, work, and play — is sponsoring a Sustainability Scavenger Hunt at ArtBeat (Saturday, July 19th in Davis Square), to show how the common thread of sustainability connects the work of the

Another of the city’s popular family events, Family Fun Day includes a variety of activities for residents of all ages. Obstacle courses, games, watermelon eating contests, dancing, and a dunk tank are only a few examples of the day’s events! Dunk the Mayor! Dunk your Alderman! Eat your weight in watermelon! Bring your children, your parents, and your friends.

When can I drop off hazardous household waste? When does school start? Now you can find out on Somerville Voices.…

Just a heads up: the Somerville Garden Club is presenting a self guided garden tour  “Urban Gardens  Revealed,” TOMORROW June 21, from noon to five.  Be aware that tickets ($12) have been selling out, indicating more interest than the Garden Club may have anticipated.  As I write this they are still available at Pemberton and…

What would you like to know that could help you live better in Somerville?

So far, we’ve put together on this web site information about summer activities for kids, and property tax breaks available to many residents.

We’d like to do more along those lines—offering useful information in an easy-to-use format. What shall we work on…

Here’s an idea for formulating one’s beneficial worth to a community:

If you have a job serving the public, and you’re not doing it, then take the number of people you are not serving adequately, divide it by 10, and place those zeros to the left of one. Then put a decimal point at…

Even though today I feel like words are ultimately meaningless, I’m gonna start a little idea train here, asking what makes a community:

I would like to invite you to the East Coast Theatrical Premiere of SOUR, which is screening with the upcoming Boston International Film Festival series mid-day on June 14th. Filmed in 2006 during the Second Lebanese War, SOUR presents a new look at the grassroots peace process begun by 9 young skaters from Israel and…

All are welcome to join our open meeting tomorrow, Sunday, June 1st, 6-8pm in the 3rd Floor Community Room at the VNA at 259 Lowell Street. We’ll be brainstorming stories for the blog and discussing ways to improve the website.  Please RSVP to info(at)SomervilleVoices.org if you plan to attend. If you’re not able to come…

Take a look at the strong article by Somerville veteran Matt McLaughlin in the Somerville News. It’s about the controversy over Sen. James Webb’s bill to restore the GI Bill to what it was when FDR signed it during World War II: a ticket to college for American veterans.…

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.

We have been waiting for years to have a double pole — two utilitiy poles lashed together — turned back into a single pole in front of our house. The extra pole blocks visibility, obstructs strollers and impedes snow removal. Recently we stumbled upon someone who actually seems to know how the process works! …

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.…

The mayor of Somerville, Joseph Curtatone, has courageously and accurately called casino revenues “fool’s gold,” while other mayors, such as Michael Bissonnette of Chicopee, are shilling for the casino industry—along with Governor Patrick and Senate President Therese Murray. The reality for Somervillians is that bringing a casino into the Greater Boston area will cost them money, eventually quite a bit of money.…

Save Our Somerville would like to welcome home Sargent Matthew McLaughlin…