The changing of the Chief’s ceremony was held Monday night at the police station – Chief Robert Bradley was presented with some nice mementos, including a Hitchcock chair. Chief Bradley officially passed the badge over to the new Chief Anthony Holloway. A small group of police officers were in attendance and everyone had a good time. We wish Chief Bradley the best of luck in the future, as well as Chief Holloway – best of luck in his new role.

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Speaking of the new chief, we heard that the brand new car he was given has already been christened in Somerville traffic. Around noon on Thursday of last week, the chief’s new Ford Crown Victoria got side swiped by a white van on McGrath Highway. After a quick reconstruction investigation of the accident and the paperwork was exchanged, both parties went on their merry way. Can you image the look on the guy who owned the van – when he realized that he hit the police chief’s car?

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One more thing we heard about the new chief: he has no tolerance for silliness. We heard he had to call a couple of his high ranking commanders into his office last week for a dressing down after they wouldn’t stop their petty bickering.

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Our sympathy goes out to Jimmy Veneziano and his family for the loss this week of his father – he was a long-time Somerville resident who lived on Prescott Street. He was a nice guy and well known here in Somerville over the years.   

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Vinny DeCecca, founder and owner of the La Hacienda Restaurant on Medford Street, also lost his life to a long time battle with cancer. Many of us here in Somerville remember going into his restaurant with our families over the years for a pizza and some of the best home cooking styled meals around. Vinny would often be there going around to the various customers, especially the ones with kids – he would give them bags of candy after their meals. Vinny was a great guy and will be sadly missed!

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Congratulations to the Somerville Highlanders boy’s basketball team for their 80-53 victory over Medford last week – they’re hopefully on their way to grabbing the Greater Boston League
title!

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Somerville Adult Evening School is opening soon and this year, under the leadership of Mike Chiampa, the evening school is offering a larger selection of classes for everyone.  Registration is over the next few weeks at the SHS main office at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays & Wednesdays or call the Evening School for their brochure of classes being offered.

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If your household falls under the $60K income limit, you maybe qualify for VITA or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Trained student volunteers from Tufts will prepare basic tax returns for eligible working community members of Somerville. Call 617-591-9400 for information or go to smeangel@nsp–
net.org   

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Main Streets third birthday bash will held on February 27th at Machu Picchu – 307 Somerville Avenue – guest speaker will be Meri Jenkins and the donation is $30.00, which provides admission and individual membership in Union Square Main Streets.

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Congrats to Somerville for being awarded one of our nation’s ‚Äú100 Best Communities for Youth‚Äù by America’s Promise Alliance last week – the mayor and the school department have worked closely on the issues that stand in the forefront of such an honor and their
efforts have paid off.

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This Friday, February 8th from 6pm to 8pm, the Healey School PTA will be sponsoring a dance for Grades K-4 in the cafétorium.

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That fire at 492 Medford Street is a suspicious one. We’re curious to see what the investigation turns up. Our money is on arson. Quite a coincidence that some aldermen were ready to push the city to take legal action against the property owner and then a fire starts at the building after a week of people seen moving stuff out? Hmmmmmm.

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Mayor Joe is inviting the public on a community trip to our sister city in Italy-Gaeta. Offered at $2,299 for two or more individuals per room ($2,699 for singles), the price for the ten-day excursion to Rome and Gaeta includes round-trip air fare, hotel accommodations, bus transportation, and most meals. The mayor of Gaeta actually lived in Somerville as a boy and his parents came over to America on the same ship that Mayor Joe’s parents did. That’s something.