The new Construction Advisory Group held its first meeting on Tuesday, October 8.

By Katherine Davis

On October 8, the new Construction Advisory Group (CAG), as requested by Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, held its first meeting to address the continued displacement of PK-8 grade students from the Winter Hill Community Innovation School (WHCIS). After the school temporarily closed in June 2023 after a chunk of concrete fell in a stairwell, and then indefinitely closed after the discovery of asbestos in August 2023, Winter Hill students have been attending the Edgerly Education Center and the Capuano School for over a year.

The Somerville Police Department would like to warn residents of a new spyware sextortion scam that is targeting users via email. It involves the emailing of Google Maps Street View photos of addresses to blackmail victims by saying their computer has been recording them and to send money via QR code to keep the information private. Recipients should not click any links or scan the QR code and instead file a police report. This article explains the new scam: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/09/sextortion-scams-now-include-photos-of-your-home/

— Somerville Police Department

All interested community members are invited to attend and speak at a Public Hearing before the Somerville City Council’s Land Use Committee and the Somerville Planning Board on Thursday, October 17, at 6:30 p.m.  

Community members will have the opportunity to provide input on a proposed amendment to the City’s Zoning Ordinance to remove requirements that developers create new parking spaces when constructing new buildings.  

While Jimmy is on hiatus, please enjoy this reprint of an article from September 11, 2010 that you may have missed or forgotten about.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Cabot Farms sits on Broadway just before the block of stores that includes an Asian restaurant, a caterer’s headquarters, and the convenience store and Dunkin Donuts.

Outside is the rusty skeletal remains of what was once a colorful awning and entrance way. The facade of the building boasts of an era gone by, with colors very faded and fixtures in advanced decay. It sits beneath what looks like at least six rental units, as the building is huge. In real estate terms it is known as a gold mine. The family that has owned it for decades still owns it as far as I know. A couple of  years ago when I spoke to the owner’s son, (a well known local musician back in the 70’s who is around my age), they still owned it.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Arts Council (SAC) are inviting the community to join the final SomerStreets festival of the year, the spooky and fun “Monster Mash” on Sunday, October 20, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. (rain date October 27) on Somerville Ave. between School St. and Warren Ave. 

The Ghost of City Hall haunted the City Council meeting on October 10 to ask permission for a public event license for the annual Truck O’ Treat event that will take place on October 24.  The item was approved. The Ghost of City Hall also mentioned that SomerStreets Monster Mash will take place on October 20.

Concerns over safety issues in the Davis Square and Seven Hills Park areas prompted a community meeting where city officials and residents reviewed the situation. ~Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Fred Bernardin

On Wednesday, October 9, the Somerville Community Baptist Church hosted a community meeting to discuss the safety situation in Davis Square and the adjoining Seven Hills Park area.

The meeting was attended by several city officials including Mayor Katyana Ballantyne, recently appointed Police Chief Shumeane Benford, Deputy Police Chief James Donnovan, 311 Constituent Services Director Steve Craig, and Health and Human Services director Karin Carroll.

Reducing the length of commercial vacancies is but one of the goals of the city’s Anti-Displacement Small Business Committee.

By Jeffrey Shwom

It has been almost 18 months since the City of Somerville originally began seeking community members to join one of three Displacement Committees as part of the Anti-Displacement Task Force. While information concerning residential displacement, including rent stabilization listening sessions and consideration of a State Legislature petition, has been shared and efforts have been tracked more formally on the Task Forces website, information concerning the Small Business/Enterprise Displacement Committee’s specific recommendations have yet to be updated publicly since May.

The Green Line car derailment on Tuesday, October 1, caused a temporary shut-down of part of the line until Thursday of that week.  ~Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Harry Kane

City Councilors upset by the Green Line’s recent trolley derailment voiced their concerns at their bi-weekly meeting on October 10, calling on MBTA officials to implement revised safety protocols during responses to accidents.