On Friday, April 20, the Dave Martini and Nick Peters Scholarship Fund is having A Night with Jim Plunkett. The event is being held at the Dante Club, 5 Dante Terrace off Craigie Street here in Somerville. It’s a great time and lots of fun. Tickets are $40, and include well-known local singer Jim Plunkett, plus a 50/50 auction, lots of raffles, and a buffet dinner. For tickets, please contact: Janet7345@yahoo.com or you can purchase tickets at the Eventbrite page, www.eventbrite.com/e/dave-nicvk-scholarship-fundraiser-with-jim-plunkett-tickes-44716590526

**************************

The 16th Annual Sports Scholarship Benefit in loving memory of Edmund J. Medeiros will be held Saturday, April 21, 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., at the Dante Club, 3 Dante Terrace (off Craigie St.) in Somerville. Call Judy at 617-599-8088 or email Judy.Medeiros1957@yahoo.com. Cost is $25, over 21 only. Checks to be made out to The Medeiros Family Fund c/o Nancy Medeiros, 87 Wheatland St. Somerville 02145.

**************************

Where is the transparency with our Board of Aldermen who might be considering a $6M bond this week? Another bond (you know, get the money now and pay later – kick the can down the road), and put it in the City of Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Which, by the way has, according to our sources, not been audited in 10 – yes you heard it right – 10 years. So, where has the money gone to? How much was collected over the years? Who got it and for what reason? How did they spend the money and for what? How many Somerville residents did it help? This is supposed to be posted on the city website, but it’s not. Before they vote this new tax on those selling their property here in Somerville – with the money going into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund – maybe a full and disclosed audit of the funds for the last 10 years should conducted before any more money is handed out. You know, one word we hear a lot lately is “TRANSPARENCY” – by various members of the Board of Aldermen in a lot of different contexts. Maybe the Board should want to find out where 10 years of funds went to – and do it now! At least be transparent, both the Board and whoever it is who is supposed to audit the funds. Transparency is the word of the day. The aldermen need to do their job and ask questions and get answers: “Where’s the money?”

**************************

The Somerville High School Scholarship Foundation presents its 2018 drawing to help our students that are graduating. The drawing is for the chance to win $10K plus by selling $100 tickets. If you have done this in the past you know how it’s done. Make out a check payable to the S.H.S. Scholarship Foundation and mail it to SHS Raffle c/o Joesph Favaloro PO Box 440275, Somerville 02145. Or you can call Joe at 617-666-8473 or Gene Brune at 617-628-5835. As soon as they receive your check they will mail out the ticket(s) to you. Only a certain number of tickets are being sold, so hurry up. Help a student and get the chance to win $10K. The drawing is set for May 18, 7:00 p.m., at the Highlander Café, Somerville High School. Refreshments will be served.

**************************

The public hearing last Wednesday was extremely interesting. More than one observer noticed that many of the “FOR THE TAX” people who spoke were somehow aligned with Somerville Community Corp., either as employees and/or past or present board members. Actually, if you go online to review the hearing you’ll notice that there was overwhelming opposition to the TAX … except from the Somerville Community Corp., which will be the major benefactor for the new TAX through that unaudited Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund. You didn’t hear about that, did you? Funny how they didn’t disclose that fact, neither the youth organizers nor the Board members or the director who spoke ever mentioned that they were going to get the money. We heard, as of Monday, that one young tenant who was for it is actually a trust fund recipient and only has lived here a couple of years. SCC will benefit from the funds raised from the tax, but nowhere did you hear that. Is that transparent? Remember, even though the members of the pubic that showed up were overwhelmingly against this tax, it looks like the aldermen had made up their minds on which way to vote, without saying anything. These are the same members of the Board who said it was too expensive to notify property owners of the proposed tax, either by mail or, as one speaker pointed out, via a 311 call or in the water bill or tax bill. View the tape and listen to how so many people were saying the same thing over and over for the proposed tax, as if the talking points were given to them. We found it very interesting. We think maybe this issue will raise a lot of people’s interest, and they may have awakened a sleeping giant. View the tape from Monday night as well. Some very interesting comments were made by various aldermen who didn’t disclosed their current or past affiliation with Somerville Community Corporation. Did they?

**************************

Happy birthday this week to several locals: Big happy birthday to Steve Mac of the DPW. We hope Steve had a good day. Happy birthday to Bruce Rollins II, who celebrated this week. We hope he enjoyed his day as well. Happy birthday to Sissy McWatters-Ankenbauer, also celebrating this week. We hope she had a great day too. Happy birthday to our good friend Ida Fasano, who is a RE agent with The Norton Group. We’re wishing her a great day as well. Happy birthday to our very good friend Chris Pedersen, a well-known celebrity in East Somerville. A nice guy and lots of laughs. Happy birthday to Linda Rock Coutoumas, who is celebrating this week. Happy birthday to Cheryl Constantine Leatham, who is also celebrating. We hope she is having a great day. Happy birthday to Talt Gregory Shackelford IV, who is celebrating as well. We wish him the very best of birthdays. And finally, to Winslan George, a local RE broker. We wish him a very happy birthday. To all the others we may have missed – and yes, we must admit there are a few more out there – we sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

**************************

Definition of a developer: one who buys property and renovates or constructs. Real estate broker or agency: one who lists and sells property. FYI, for those who may be concerned, The Norton Group is not a developer nor is anyone affiliated with the company. We are a real estate company, a local business listing, and selling property – which is legally licensed to do so as a business here in Somerville and throughout Massachusetts, and have done so for 41 years without a lawsuit, discrimination complaint or ethics violation – period. It is listed and noted as one of four real estate companies in the USA as one of the most diverse companies. We heard some people were making comments, so we thought we would set the record straight.

**************************

Another Giggles Comedy Night is coming up, this time for the Masonic Lodge on Highland Avenue. Specifically, the Building Association is having its 6th Annual Giggles Comedy Night at Giggles on Rte. 1 in Saugus on Wednesday April 25 at 6:30 p.m. Lots of laughs with 3-4 professional comedians, over 23 gift baskets specially made for the event, and a great time for all. Only $25 per ticket for all the pizza you can eat and all the laughs you can stand. It’s not a tax deductible night but a funable night. Tickets at the door or email Donald Norton at donaldfnorton@gmail.com.

**************************

Calling all Somerville local singers and Acapella groups! The Sound of Music Sing Off at Assembly Row takes place on Saturday, April 28, 3:00-5:00 p.m. (rain date: Sunday, April 29) at Baxter Riverfront Park at Assembly Row. This is your chance to take part in The Sound of Music. Join in on the fun as they search for a modern Von Trapp family. The first place winner receives tickets to see The Sound of Music live at the Wang Theatre, the opportunity to sing at the theatre before the show, a cast meet and greet and a retail package from Assembly Row. To register visit: http://www.bochcenter.org/soundofmusiccontest. For more information go to https://www.facebook.com/events/127364914774426/.