By the time you’re reading this, The Somerville Chamber of Commerce will have had a meeting to discuss the closing of the Ball Square/Broadway Bridge in early 2019. Thanks to the Winter Hill Bank for sponsoring it.

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

On Saturday, September 15, it’s the 7th Annual Ryan Harrington Corn Toss at Trum Field. Registration starts at 10:00 a.m. Games will start at 11:30 a.m. Registration fee is $50 per team. 2 players per team. There is a men’s and a women’s division. A cash prize goes to the winners of each division. They will be selling T-shirts, hoodies, food and drinks at the field as well as having raffle items and a 50/50. There will also be kids’ activities. All monies raised will go to youth organizations in the city. It will be a great day for the whole family, as it is a great event every year to benefit the Ryan Harrington Foundation. For information on the foundation and what it does, go to their website: www.ryanharringtonfoundation.org.

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

The city has announced that it will have a second meeting regarding the closing of the Broadway/Ball Square Bridge. This time it will be Monday, September 24, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at St. Clements Parish Hall. The city is claiming it has a couple of updates on the bridge. We are wondering why all the panic now after the GLX has already made the decisions to do what they want to do. Why didn’t they have public hearing on it before these decisions were made. If this meeting is anything like the last dog and pony show run by the hired help at City Hall, while the aldermen sit on the sidelines showing phony outrage. The aldermen and mayor should, along with the state delegation, have been on top of this and forced the GLX project to make it so that the business community doesn’t go bankrupt and the residents go nuts over the traffic. This is a disgrace. We elected the aldermen and the mayor, not the decision makers of GLX to sit and make the decisions that will impact our community. Let’s hope that the meeting isn’t going to waste our time explaining how we are going to have businesses and residents alike interrupted for 14 months. Instead what can be done to keep part of the bridge open, like other communities have done? It’s obvious that the 70 or so businesses – that’s right 70 businesses –located in Ball Square, not to mention hundreds if not thousands of residents, will be seriously impacted. We long for the days when the aldermen and mayor listened to the community instead of placating the community by making promises of how they are trying to minimize the disruption. Baloney. Find a way to keep a part of the bridge opened and tell the GLX that’s how it’s going to be. If not, everyone in the Ball Square area will remember this next year when it’s city election time again! The Ball Square/Broadway bridge was built in 1992. This closing will make a major impact on businesses that will never recoup, and residents that will have cars up and down their streets night and day being detoured. The spokesman for the Mayor’s Office spoke of painting the curbs to help divert traffic. You’re not supposed to not run over the painted corners.

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

Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to local realtor Stephen Bremis. We wish him the very best for his birthday. Happy birthday to a good friend of ours, Sergios Deassis. Well known in the community and a great guy. We wish him the very best on this his birthday. Happy birthday to another great guy, former Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente. We wish him the very best of birthdays. Happy birthday to an old friend, Bob Trane (former Alderman for Ward 7), and another great guy. We wish him the very best. Happy birthday to Jodi Gallo, who is married to Jimmy. A great lady and fun to listen to with her stories. We wish her the very best of birthdays. Happy birthday to another local historian and a guy that loves Somerville, Matt Hoey. We wish him the very best of birthdays as well. Happy birthday to Gary DiZoglio, who also is a bit of a local historian. We wish him the very best. A big happy birthday to a great guy, family man and one of the best restaurateurs here in Somerville, Marty Henry, one of the famous Henry’s of the Mt. Vernon Restaurant on lower Broadway. A great guy and family. We wish him the very best of birthdays this week. To all others here in the city who are celebrating their birthdays this week and we missed you here, we wish a happy birthday to you.

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

Coming in September on Sunday, the 30th, the very first “A Ball for Squares” block party in Ball Square. Join all the merchants of Ball Square in celebrating Somerville’s bounciest square for a beer garden from The Pub, food from all of Ball Square’s wonderful restaurants, crafts, activities, bands, and more. Sponsored by the Ball Square Business Association and Mayor Joe Curtatone. More information to come as time goes by. It’s going to be a great day here in the square and city.

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

Every now and then we like to upgrade our paper, give it a new look, and stay abreast of new online technologies. We are now offering an online subscription of the paper. Plus, we’ll be putting out some new boxes, adding to our present locations right here in Somerville and over in Medford. A new look for the print addition is also coming soon. When it does, let us know what you think of it.

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

We will soon be welcoming a new column here at The Somerville Times, written by a former alderman. The name of the column will be a surprise. It will focus on the political goings on here in the city with the various public officials. It should be a lot of fun. Later on we will let it out who will be penning the article. We only hope they will leave enough gossip and rumor for this column. We, of course, welcome anyone who wants to write a column in The Times. Just give us a call.

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

Retired and looking for part time work, and you’re experienced in sales? Give us a call here at The Somerville Times at 617-666-4010. We are looking for advertising telemarketers.

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

The Growing Center Renovation Project Neighborhood Meeting will take place on September 13, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at the Somerville Library, 79 Highland Ave., conference room. Come learn the latest updates on the CPA funded Renovation/Restoration Project at the Growing Center at 22 Vinal Avenue. Plans will be available for review. The renovations will help the space grow for another 25 years. More info: thegrowingcenter.org/redesign.

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

If you know a young person (age 10-14) interested in photography, make sure to sign them up for Somerville Media Center’s Digital Photography Workshop Wednesdays class, starting on October 3. This 4-session class will cover the basics of digital photography and how to shoot landscapes, cityscapes, portraits, and more. They will create an online portfolio of their work and display their photographs in the SMC Art Gallery for the month of November. Sign up at: https://www.somervillemedia.org/workshopwednesdays201819/. Spots are limited!

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

The Somerville Garden Club is having their yearly plant sale on Saturday, September 15, in Davis Square, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. Discover the perfect plant to enliven your garden or windowsill at this popular yearly sale. High quality perennials, house plants, herbs, shrubs, and groundcovers will be available for sale. Choose from hundreds of plants donated by both Somerville Garden Club members and community friends of the Club. Visit the Connoisseur Table for that unique specimen, or find a tried-and-true favorite among the many sun and shade perennials. There’s something for everyone. Horticultural books, decorative containers, and garden tools will also be for sale. And the littlest gardener in the family will enjoy the Children’s Table. Experienced gardeners will be available to answer questions and assist with plant selections. Proceeds benefit the educational programs and public plantings of the all-volunteer, non-profit Somerville Garden Club.