Mark your calendar for Friday, July 26. Right here in Somerville, Fox 25 will be broadcasting their Friday morning ZIP TRIP to Somerville from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. from Union Square. The entire morning show will be broadcasting from the Ville. If you haven’t seen ZIP TRIPS watch it this Friday and acquaint yourself. They have all sorts of things they are going to be talking about here in Somerville, restaurants, historic places, groups and sports organizations. This is your opportunity to welcome them to Somerville and show off what we here in Somerville love about the city. The reasons why more and more people are realizing what we have. Look here online and in the paper next week for details on what will take place. If you have a group or organization you want to show off, this is a good time.

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This year’s ArtBeat will be held this weekend starting Friday evening, July 19, 6 – 10 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, July 20, around Davis Square. This year’s theme is micro – which will be represented throughout the festival from the tiny performers of the flea circus to micro crafts and food. For the schedule and longer descriptions of performers go to http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/artbeat/2013.

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Happy Birthday this week to some local Villens and to our Villen fans who are located in foreign territories. Happy Birthday to our good friend Ricky Spinosa, who recently opened up, with his GF, a new real estate office here in Somerville, Realty Direct. We wish them both the best of luck. Ricky is a real nice guy from a great Somerville family. Another good friend and a good guy is Kenny Manzi. We wish him all the best. Also to Delio Susi Sr., owner of Amelia’s in Teele Square, we wish him the very best. Although he’s not from here, he’s lived here and is now in the North Shore. We salute our good friend Mike Stenger, who moved from the Ville back home to Sycacuse and then ran back here. Happy Birthday Mike!

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Help support the Somerville Cheerleaders here locally at the Ninety Nine Restaurant over near Assembly Square at 20 Cummings Street, July 25 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dine at the 99, and when paying your bill make sure you TELL your server you are there to support the Somerville Cheerleaders. A percentage of your bill will go directly to the cheerleaders. For more information email Somervillecheerleading@gmail.com.

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The Committee to Elect William (Willy) Medeiros for Alderman At Large is having a campaign kickoff Wednesday, July 31 at the Somerville City Club from 6 to 8 p.m., 20 Inner Belt Road, Somerville. Donations begin at $25. Medeiros is one of seven candidates running for the At Large seats. You can vote for up to 4 candidates but not until November. There is no primary.

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At the Planning Board meeting last week at the Argenziano School regarding development proposals here in the city – the ones over the old Boys/Girls Club at 181 Washington Street being proposed by Somerville Community Corp. – the board members made their feelings known. It was three for it and three against, but no actual vote was taken, so that the developer can have one week trying to “win over that fourth vote.”  On July 18, according to the Chairman, a vote will be taken up or down. We’re predicting an up vote. The Planning Board against the neighbors, what do you think?

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On another issue regarding the large mixed use complex on Winter Hill at the corner of Temple And Broadway, the developers want to put a 58 unit mixed there, to the objection of Ward 4 Alderman Tony LaFaunte, who asked the Planning Board to vote it down and to deny it. He was going to propose a zoning change so this development won’t go. It’s too big and a lot of the neighbors are opposed to it. Watch for a continuance of the Planning Board, hopefully to deny the developers a permit. But this Planning Board, along with the ZBA, has denied very little to developers here. A lot of people across the city are talking about how much development is taking place and a lot of people don’t like it. How do you feel about it?

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Who’s running for Governor from Somerville? There has been a lot of talk and whispers going around here in the city regarding two very prominent politicians. Word has it that Congressman Mike Capuano wants to run but word is also out that Mayor Joe Curtatone wants to run. Can the both of them run from the same city and nominate? Both men are very popular here in Somerville. It would be interesting, to say the least, to see what will happen. We might expect some answers within the next few weeks, maybe in two weeks, from both.

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On the local front, even though it’s summer and the heat is blaring, we see that candidates running in Ward One are out there and not taking any chances. Both the apparent front runner, Elio, and Marueen are knocking on doors, not taking anything for granted. We hear from our sources in Ward One that both are working hard. In Ward Three, Suzanne Bremer had her kickoff last night and one source said it was a respectable crowd she had. But you do have to give the edge to Bob McWatters, who’s just beating down the bushes we hear in Ward Three, as well as Matt Desmond. Now, in Ward Five, Courtney has already worn out one pair of running shoes, we hear, and she’s well on her way wearing out the next pair. She’s young, intelligent, gracious and, we heard from one Ward Five resident, she’s been out there in the heat. Don’t count Mark out. He’s relentless, we all know that. He’s worn out several pairs of shoes in Ward five. He had a head start, but our sources in Ward Five say he’s knows it’s a GOTV and all about ID-ing those numbers.

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Cavalia, Inc. has agreed to give preference to Somerville residents during interviews for jobs at the northeast U.S. premiere of Cavalia’s equestrian ballet, Odysseo, coming to Assembly Row this summer. Cavalia will hold interview days for job applicants at its big top at 101 Grand Union Boulevard in Somerville, behind Home Depot, on Monday, July 29 and Tuesday, July 30. Employees with experience in customer service are sought, such as those who have worked front of the house for events and businesses, in hospitality, restaurants and bars or similar positions. Cavalia also seeks employees who can work long and flexible hours. Cavalia Inc. is applying for a permit that would allow up to a 12-week run at Assembly Row with a target opening night of August 7 and an initial target run of eight weeks, which could be extended to the full 12 weeks based on ticket sales.