Apparently things are better now between Alderman Bob Trane and Mayor Joe – both were seen recently at The Independent having a bite to eat and it appeared to be a nice conversation. While we’re on Alderman Trane – he has also been seen over in Medford as well – with several of the elected Medford Council members having coffee. We think Bob is leaning towards giving the ‚ÄúPrince of the Progressives‚Äù Carl a run for his money.

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Speaking of the Progressives and especially our own far out left guard, last week The Somerville News published the Beacon Hill Roll Call and will be doing it every week, so you can see what our legislative delegation has voted on in detail. The Somerville News has committed to doing this weekly – unedited the way it came to us – so you can draw your own conclusions, left or right. The Somerville News has some more surprises coming very soon – so keep an eye out.

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Here’s a good one – Alderwoman Maryann Heuston wants the city to spend $44,255 on a new diesel truck for the mechanic who fixes the Somerville Fire Trucks so that he doesn’t have to use his own personal truck for service calls to fire stations within the city!  We realize the importance of preventive maintenance programs and mechanically well-kept fire apparatus’, but we’re sure that there has to be a truck that he could use that the city already owns and won’t miss somewhere?

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Tuesday, February 26th is now going to be known as “Spay Day” Рthe Board of Aldermen have recently passed a resolution so that citizens can recognize the urgency of an existing problem here in the city as well as to build public awareness about spaying and neutering dogs and cats.

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Congratulations to Somerville Police Officer Derrick Dottin for being the recipient of an award presented by the Board of Aldermen in recognition of his decision that he had made a few months ago when he ran into a burning building that belonged to Elaine Thibault and saved lives without a second thought in his mind as the house was engulfed in flames.

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Congratulations goes to the Somerville High School Cheerleaders who are the new title winners of Greater Boston League Cheerleading – for dominating the competition with outstanding championship ability.

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Good news for our good friend Nikey Toubokis, owner of the Pizza Palace Restaurant on Somerville Avenue – he’s going home this week and on the road to recovery after being airlifted from NH a few months ago to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston after suffering a heart attack – best of luck Nickey from all in the ‘Ville.

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There are a number of BC Alumni here in Somerville – The Mayor, Jack Connolly, and Charles Chisholm – to name just a few. Seems like Former Governor Mike Dukakis’ Transportation Secretary – Fred Salvucci – is trying to stop the BC expansion of their campus, citing traffic problems. Yet, he stopped the innerbelt in the 70s – choking traffic here and around to Brighton and Newton – and poisoning the air and raising cancer rates. Just look at the traffic on College Avenue in the mornings and all the CO pollution from idling cars – no wonder kids have such a high rate of asthma here – thanks to Fred Salvucci – he created the problem and he’s now blaming the school that has produced some fine local graduates.

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Last year’s Somerville Youth Peace Conference was one of the more inspiring (and sobering) events of the year. More than 600 participants packed the high school auditorium to hear some great performances and speeches on what it is to be a teen in Somerville these days. The date for this year’s conference has been set for April 12, a long way off still, but it’s worth remembering and going to. We hear this year will be even better than last year’s. Teen Empowerment organizers promise us that Somerville teens will run dialogue sessions, providing opportunities for youth and adults of different races, backgrounds, socio-economic groups and neighborhoods to build relationships and brainstorm solutions to violence, educational equity, and other pressing social issues. This is the type of event everyone should be at.

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Did anyone notice that Sean O’Donovan quoted Joe Lynch at last week’s Board of Aldermen meeting? Shades of Barack and Deval don’t you think?

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We hear Home Depot is finally paying the money they owe to the Somerville Police Department for the paid details they need there. We hear that Home Depot’s debt was close to six figures at one point, but now they are paying it off in $5,000 increments. Not a bad rate for a store that makes tens of thousands every hour, huh? No offense Home Depot but you have something to learn about being a good corporate citizen, you never sponsor a little league team, community events or contribute to fundraisers. Come on you can do better.