News Talk for the week of July 5

Congratulations to Mayor Joe for three years in a row of some great fireworks. Most people we spoke to thought it was just  spectular last Thursday evening ‚Äì a huge crowd and everyone had a great time. Family day on Saturday was well attended; both these events are great for Somerville Pride and we here at the Somerville News are happy Mayor Joe started this up again.    
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But whose bright idea is it to rope off Broadway from the Ball Square Bridge to the top of Winter Hill at 6 p.m. at rush hour for fireworks that didn‚Äôt begin till 9 p.m.? Who thinks of this stuff, ‚Äúhey lets screw up the city and close down the main thoroughfare for three hours right in the middle of rush hour.‚Äù The Police? The Mayor‚Äôs Office?  Or was it the DPW Commissioner himself? Whoever it was, that was a very dumb move and it disrupted everyone‚Äôs travel home without warning.   

The missing $31K from the police department was mentioned on National TV again recently. There was a discussion of the fiasco on Regis and Kelley and Jay Leno also mentioned it. This isn’t good for us is it?
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Last week members of the Somerville Police Anti-Gang Unit made some progress with the investigation of a few vandals who may have had some involvement in much of the graffiti painting that was done by culprits on some sections of Ward 2’s buildings and bridges. One of the gangs who calls themselves “bloods” has been credited with a majority of the charges.
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Speaking of police, what is up with Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaola bringing a team of uniformed officers to patrol the area around the Lowell Street Bridge? How come all of a sudden we’re being policed by the Middlesex County Sheriff’s office? We already have a police force. Rumor has it that the sheriff’s office is trying to gain control of the right to police the entire Broadway area by amending some jurisdiction laws with loopholes.
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The Traffic And Parking Department officials are at it again. Why doesn‚Äôt anybody use common sense in this city? How do you pay your tickets (or get a Resident Sticker) if the Parking Department computers are down?  That doesn‚Äôt slow down this overzealous and rambunctious department though. Resident Permit stickers ran out on Wednesday, May 31, but bright and early on Thursday June 1st the CPO‚Äôs (we have another name for them but) were sent out tagging cars in violation. Not even a one day warning to everyone who pays rent or taxes in this city to give them a break. Are they trying to recoup lost monies from last December‚Äôs theft when they left the safe open and rear door unlocked?    
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Despite several applications (and a promise by the Mayor), the GLBT liaison spot has yet to be filled and this after 3 years in office for Mayor Joe. The little guy (and girl) thing again? Does Joe have any idea of how important GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) issues are to a percentage of this city? Putting up the Pride Flag at City Hall solves nothing.
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Water bills are going up and the color of the water is brown. Taxes in general are going up, and rubbish collection fees are going up, Assembly Square may not be the tax savior once thought.
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So there is a lot of noise out there about Mr. Tony LaFuente getting a mayoral run ready, Alderman-at-Large Billy White as well. But we also hear that there is another well known person considering running and shortly after the first of the year, they will take a poll to see where they stand with the voters. No names mentioned, but it won‚Äôt take long to leak out (it never does), we think that Joe is going to be hard to beat even with all the negative stuff. Lets just hope no more departments give him headaches like Traffic & Parking, the Police Department and of course our crack attorney‚Äôs at the solicitors office, who continue to lose case after case.       
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Have you noticed all the new bus stop shelters being installed around the city?    They‚Äôre popping up everywhere. It‚Äôs about time.      
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This is a special message to the fellow in a suit seen going to our distribution boxes last week and throwing away copies of The Somerville News, we have a pretty good description of you and we know you‚Äôve been doing this at various places around the city. So be careful. Very careful.