Save this Thursday evening, May 10, for “The IBall: Keeping It Surreal” – a fundraiser for the Center for Arts at the Armory located at 191 Highland Avenue here in the ‘Ville. VIP reception 6 p.m. to 7p.m. General admission is $25. The VIP reception is $75. Good friends Danny Kallis and former Mayor Gene Brune, will be there along with a special guest speaker for the evening.

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Don’t forget one of Somerville’s finest charities is the Somerville High Scholarship Foundation annual fundraiser. Friday evening, May 18, at the High School Highlander Café. Tickets are $100 each for a $10K drawing along with about 24 other prizes. You can buy tickets there starting at 7 p.m. or mail your check for $100 to SHS Raffle, c/o Eugene C. Brune, PO Box 440275, Somerville 02144. Otherwise, see you at the drawing. It’s a lot of fun.

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Happy Birthdays this week to the following fans of The News and good ‘Villens: Mike Murphy, a former Somerville Police Officer who moved over to the State Police, is celebrating this week. Walter Pero, the popular former Ward 4 Alderman, is having his birthday this week. To Mary Hart, who many know from the schools and as a nurse. She’s celebrating this week. Also to a good friend who is from Somerville, her family is here, Aida Sousa-Braga. Charlie Lacombe is celebrating this week. We would like to wish long-time Somerville resident, Eddie Abate, a very Happy Birthday!  Eddie celebrated his 81st Birthday in April.  Here’s to celebrating many more!

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A get well to Patricia (Patti) Norton, wife of the Publisher Donald, who suffered a severe heart attack last Friday and is in the cardiac unit over at MGH. She will be there awhile. We wish her good health soon and a quick return back home. Also, get well to Dellio Susi who was in MGH last week and is now home recuperating after surgery himself. We wish a speedy recovery for both.

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Will someone please buy the Somerville Inspectional Service Director Ed a calendar and let him know that it’s the month of May and that its OK if he takes his Christmas lights down, along with the Christmas decorations on Rhode Island Avenue. Eddy is a nice guy and has a great sense of humor.

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We heard that the Latta Memorial Pool, located in Foss Park, is getting ready for a facelift with a new makeover. Many members of the Latta family are hoping that the long time dedicated good name of “Latta” remains on the memorial pool after its renovations are completed. We know that Mayor Curtatone, as well as Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente, are aware of the family’s concern.

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We understand that former Alderman and Registrar of Probate John Buonomo, who was sentenced to jail back a few years ago and who is now out, has had it ruled by the courts that he can keep the pension that he earned prior to the problems he experienced as Registrar. He will earn a pension from the City of Somerville from serving on the Board of Alderman, School Committee and as Human Services Director.

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Congratulations to Marty Martinez who was appointed recently as President and  Chief Executive Officer of the Mass Mentoring Partnership.

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One of the super heroes in the new hit movie The Avengers that is playing in cinemas right now has a Somerville connection. Congressman Mike Capuano’s nephew, Chris Evans,  plays Captain America. He also once played the “Human Torch” in the other hit movie The Fantastic Four.

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There is a persistent rumor that has been secretly floating around the Assembly Square project that there is a two-three car underground vault that was constructed during the days of the old Assembly Square Ford Plant in an unknown location buried somewhere on the property. The word is that construction crews have been quietly searching by digging in various locations and at different depths on the property hoping to find the hidden vault.   The vault is believed to be housing 2-3 brand new vehicles that rolled fresh off the plant line here in the city. Of course, it would be Edsels since that is what the plant was tooled for when it closed. Some of us still remember going over there and seeing the last Edsels run off the line when plant closed. The rear yard was filled with Edsels, a car for the future when it was built. A future that no one wanted to buy at the time. Somerville was home to one of five Edsel plants in the US. Ford had high hopes for Edsel, but the public never bought into it.

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The entire Tauro Family are deeply gratified and honored for everything that many had done for their family in giving their father, Pat Tauro, a square dedication this past Saturday at the corner of McGrath and Linwood down at Brickbottom. The dedication is in honor of Sgt Pasquale “Patrick” Tauro, 67th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion of the United States Army. It was an extreme honor to have such a tribute bestowed in memory of their dad’s contribution as a veteran in WWII. All this was done by the Veterans Service Department here in the city, Mayor Joe Curtatone, and Alderwoman Maryanne Heuston and  former Veterans Service Director Frank Senesi.

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There was a great turnout for Gene Brune’s last breakfast and last year as Middlesex County Registrar of Deeds. The hall was filled with hundreds of family and friends wishing him the best and thanking him for another job well done. Gene serves this city more than any other former mayor in his relentless and tireless efforts for all the various charities here in Somerville. A true Somerville person if there ever was one.

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Ball Square’s Mike Dwyer was seen over in Israel recently. We hear he was on a religious retreat. We doubt it, but you never know. We heard he had a great time, and he’s back now and ready for work.