Happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers out there in the Ville. We hope that everyone is both on the giving and receiving end of a Valentine’s Day gift.

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Lots of snow fell this past weekend. The city did a great job considering how the other cities and towns look. Just take a ride through Medford, Cambridge, Arlington and you’ll see that our own Mayor Joe Curtatone, along with DPW Commissioner Stan Koty, did a great job as well as all the men and women of the DPW who spent long hours going up and down the many miles of streets and roads here in the Ville. Some challenges, for sure, but a good job well done by all. And you’ll be seeing more and more work still being done.

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Happy Birthday this week to some of our fans: To Anelise Paduch Tubinis, who works here for the school department. Joe Hart is celebrating this week. He lives on the west coast but was raised in Winter Hill. To a good friend of us here at The News, we salute Boston Police officer Tommy Yung. Happy Birthday to our good friend Krissi Dunne Ali. Also, Happy Birthday to Brooke Metivier who is celebrating her fifteenth birthday in the Ville this week. Joan Rajchel is also celebrating this week.

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Be sure not to miss out on the Somerville Council on Aging’s (COA) Annual Senior’s Valentine Party taking place on Valentine’s Day this coming Thursday. This years’ party promises to be another good event for our seniors and its taking place again at the Winter Hill Yacht Club located on Foley Street in Somerville. The good people of the WHYC have been sponsoring many COA events for our seniors throughout the years and we thank them for being such great hosts and friends to our seniors.

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The Un-Valentine’s Day Karaoke & Dance Singles Mixer at the Rosebud Bar and Grill in Somerville takes place this Friday night. It sounds like a great time for all those who have special valentines or are looking. It starts at 9 p.m. No cover and lots of karaoke for that person out there who thinks they are the next Elvis or Adele.

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We would like to recognize and thank John Baldasaro and our many good friends at Asphalt Services Inc. (ASI) who stepped up to the plate and volunteered to plow out the tons of snow that buried the entrance as well as the parking area to the King Solomon’s Masonic Lodge on Highland Avenue after the lodge’s snow removal efforts so were overwhelmed by Nemo. When asked, they came, they dug them out, and all with a smile. Good deeds in these times are always well appreciated.

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Alderman Bastardi from Ward 1 was seen riding around in a snow plow during the height of the storm making sure the streets in her ward were plowed properly and later was seen in the neighborhoods helping clear fire hydrants to make them accessible.

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Amore at the Armory! A community fundraiser for the arts, this Saturday, February 16, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Join local artists, performers, foodies and lovers of the arts for a very special fundraiser for Arts at the Armory. Jimmy Tingle serves as emcee for a night of performances, tastings and celebration. Whole Foods and Olde Magoun’s Saloon will provide both sweet and savory noshes for your enjoyment. Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project, Spindler Confections and City Chicks will be on hand providing tastings to all you Very Important People ($40 VIP tastings).

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So far this year, for the city elections we have the following races that will happen: In Ward 1 Alderman seat, Ward 5 Alderman seat, and Ward 7 Alderman seat all three incumbents are being challenged. As for the Ward 1 School Committee member, nothing official, but we hear there is going to be a race. Ward 5 School Committee member is a race, but one possible challenger, we hear, might run for At large. For the At Large, we hear, the four incumbents (maybe one will be leaving because he might be getting a job), but there are two challengers so far. The one we hear that’s not official is for Ward 3 Alderman. We hear that maybe, just maybe, there might be a new candidate. Now, we also hear that should Congressman Markey get elected as Senator our own Rep. Carl Sciortino might be running for the seat.

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Our condolences to the family and friends of long time resident here in the Ville Timothy L. Moore who recently passed away. He was a quiet man and a nice man who will be missed.

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Another lifelong resident passed away recently and we give our condolences to the family and friends of Mrs. Diane Marie (McIntyre) Trant, who passed away recently from cancer. She was a nice lady who will be missed by a lot of people here. Mrs. Trant was also an employee of the city and shop steward for AFSCME union.

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Now, a personal note. A very special Valentine’s Day greeting to Patti Norton, the wife of Donald Norton, 45 years and counting being married, through sickness and health. Both loving and supporting each other since that memorable day, September 1, 1967, in sunny Columbia, South Carolina. In the early years, Donald was sick with a bone disease and was taken care of by Pat. Now Pat going through some heavy stuff and Donald is making sure she’s being taken care of. Pat, I love you always no matter what!

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Happy Valentine’s Day to wonderful lady, Cam Toner who runs Ms. Cam’s Olio and the legals here at The News. She’s a wonderful lady and a young 80’s. God Bless and thank you from The News. To Bobbie Toner, the one that keeps it together and knows all that’s going on. She’s one hard worker and we are again blessed here at The News. And finally, to Jim Clark and his lovely wife Chrissie. We wish them many more years of happiness and health and thank them for an awesome job that Jim always does.

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The Somerville Rotary is also excited to participate in an annual Polio Plunge, which was scheduled for February 9 at Long Beach in Gloucester has been postponed until Saturday February 23. So there is still time to donate and support Kara Dardeno Mathieu and Frank Scarpa who will plunge to help Rotary International to eradicate polio in the world.  This has been a major goal of Rotary’s international work for years and, while there are only three countries left that still have a few cases, Rotary seeks everyone’s help to finish the job. To support the plunge please go to the Somerville Club’s plunge page:  https://www.fundraise.com/activity/the-rotary-foundation-of-rotary-international/rotary7930-polar-plunge/team?show=somerville. For any questions please call Mark Alston-Follansbee, Club President, at 617-623-6111.

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Call for short films and videos for screening during Somerville Open Studios on Thursday, May 2. Somerville Open Cinema is a mini film and video festival that is held during Somerville Open Studios. Submissions are now being accepted for the 2013 festival taking place on Thursday, May 2 at Somerville Community Access TV in Somerville, MA. They seek any moving image works under 10 minutes. It’s free to enter. Email membership@access-scat.org for questions. Mailing address for submissions: SOC Festival c/o SCATV, 90 Union Square, Somerville, MA 02130.