Another reminder about Sunday, April 26, 4-8 p.m. at the Somerville City Club, when the family and friends of former Ward 3 Alderman Tom Taylor, who passed away recently, holds a “celebration of life” for Tom. It will also be Tom and Celia’s 25th anniversary on May 12. The invitations went out on Facebook, but if the family missed anyone please feel free to add yourself to this event. The family will need some help with food, drinks, and desserts. This is open to all of Tom’s friends who he knew over the many years.

***********************

The very nice Alderman in Ward 7 Katjana Ballantyne is having a fundraiser/campaign kickoff April 28 at the ever popular Ward 7 place to meet, PJ Ryan’s in Teele Square. Katjana was elected Vice President of the Board of Alderman and we hear she’s doing a great job. We’ll see everyone at PJ’s on the 28th from 6-8 p.m.

***********************

Next Tuesday, April 28 from 8 to 9:30 a.m., join The Somerville Chamber of Commerce for their Government Affairs Breakfast at the Holiday Inn, with special guest speaker the President of the Board of Alderman William White. Cost is $25 pp and you can make reservations with the Chamber by contacting Stephen V. Mackey, President/CEO Somerville Chamber of Commerce 2 Alpine Street, P.O. Box 440343 Somerville, MA 02144 or at smackey@somervillechamber.org. You can also call 617-776-4100 or go online at www.somervillechamber.org. The breakfast series is sponsored by The Winter Hill Bank.

***********************

Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang will be hosting campaign kickoff/fundraiser on Wednesday, April 29 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Olde Magoun Saloon in Magoun Square, next to CVS. Please join Mark to eat, drink, and make new friends and kick off his reelection campaign. The special guest speaker will be Alderman At-Large Bill White with a short program starting around 6:30 p.m. Complimentary food. Cash bar. The suggested minimum contribution is $50 per person, but please come and give what you can.

***********************

Another family owned business is closing its doors after 63 years of great service to our community. Murphy the Florist has decided that after working 7 days a week for 63 years it’s time for retirement. The field of family owned businesses locally has now lost a great florist to add to the books. We wish Tom Murphy Jr. and his family the very best and thank them for their dedication to the city and its residents over the many years.

***********************

Patsy’s Pastry has sure raised the bar: many comments have come in, including over 19,000 Facebook hits by people from Somerville to way out west in CA, sending their goodbyes to Sal, Maria, Vito and Rose, along with all the others. Closing day is May 4, so hurry up and get your favorite dessert. We ordered ours!

***********************

On a very sad note, our own Ms. Carmilla Toner passed away last week and Somerville lost a great person. Cam was very well known and loved by many throughout the years as an awesome woman who told some of the best stories ever. She made everyone laugh and smile. Her memories of yesteryear in the city were right on, particularly in working with various political campaigns and how politics is different today. She leaves 9 children, 21 grandchildren and 1-greatgrandchild, along with thousands of good friends that she has touched over the years. We’ve decided to keep Ms. Cam’s Olio going with her name attached in memory of her for the next few weeks or so, and then we’ll continue it with her name attached with new trivia. For now, the best of Ms. Cam’s Olio will appear in the paper. She loved doing Ms. Cam’s Olio every week. It was fun for her to get people stumped over the years, and we know it was a popular item in the paper every week.

***********************

The yearly SHS Raffle is here again with the $10K first prize winners and many other prizes given away, this hard working Scholarship Foundation is selling tickets at $100 apiece. Send $100 to Joseph Favaloro, P.O. Box 440275, Somerville 02145.   The drawing will be held May 8 at the Highlander Café at Somerville High School, 7 p.m.

***********************

Last week when we mentioned that various Alderman were at the meeting to deny the petition to build parking under the property located on Springhill Road. We forgot to mention that Alderman at Large Jack Connolly was also present and we said Spring Street, not Spring Hill Terrace. We heard from Ward 3Alderman Bob McWatters’ constituents on Springhill Road who opposed it were very pleased at the denial. That, my friend, is another alderman who proves once again he’s the “constituent alderman,” doing what he’s suppose to do – work his ward every day.

***********************

Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente is having his third annual Cinco de Mayo fundraiser Party on May 6, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Cantina La Mexicana in Union Square. Tony sure is popular. It seems like no one is going to run against him again this year. Many of us here at The Times reside in Ward 4 and we think he’s doing a great job. Join him, his family and friends in helping to kickoff his campaign.

***********************

The Somerville Community Chorus, under the direction of David Giessow, presents its spring concert on Saturday, May 2, 4 pm at the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powder House Blvd. A Concert of Muses: Music of Spirit, Nature, and Love – some sources of inspiration for artistic creativity. Tickets are $15. Community reception follows the concert. The program is supported in part by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council, and introduces the chorus’ new accompanist, Michael Lui.

***********************

The Brown School Spring Concert takes place Tuesday, May 19, 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Somerville High School Auditorium. The concert will feature performances by the Kindergarten-grade 3 general music classes, grade 3-6 string students, grade 5-6 band students, Junior Chorus, and Senior Chorus. Students will share what they have learned this year in their music classes. Then on Friday, June 5, 9:15-10:00 a.m., the Capuano Kindergarten Spring Concert will be held at the Capuano School, 150 Glen Street. The concert will celebrate the musical growth of students at the Capuano Early Childhood Center and will feature performances by all eight of the kindergarten classes.

***********************

The Cambridge/Somerville Alzheimer’s Partnership will host a screening of The Genius of Marian on Tuesday, April 28, from 6-7:30 p.m., at CHA Cambridge Hospital’s Macht Auditorium, with a panel discussion immediately following. The event, which is free and open to the public, offers a chance to view the film, described as an intimate family portrait that explores the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease, the power of art, and the meaning of family.