Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente will be hosting his Fourth Annual Cinco De Mayo celebration plus fundraiser next week on Wednesday, May 11. Tony’s choices are always good. This year it will be held at the newly opened Winter Hill Brewing Company, 329 Broadway in Winter Hill. The event will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tony knows how to throw an event and if you haven’t been to the new Winter Hill Brewing Co. then check it out.

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A good guy and friend to many here in the city, Alderman at Large Bill White, has told us he’s going to have a fundraiser coming up on June 2 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Cantina La Mexicana. As soon as he sets it in motion, we will let you know. We’re very lucky to have Bill on the Board of Alderman. He’s one of the smartest and most forward thinking aldermen we have. He is currently in his fourth year as President of the Board of Alderman. You know you’re good when your colleagues on the Board keep voting for you every year for the office of President. Not in our lifetime has that accomplishment ever been made.

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The good Alderman from Ward 7, Katjana Ballantyne, who is also Vice President of the Board, will be hosting a fundraiser herself on Monday, May 23, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at 212 Holland Street. Alderman Katjana is a new face on the scene here in Somerville. She’s doing a great job up there in Ward 7, as we’re told by many who live there.

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We hear that the committee on pay raises for non-union employees will be submitting their recommendations very shortly. We also hear that they are recommending a substantial pay raise for the aldermen. The aldermen are also looking to hire assistants, especially for those who don’t have full time jobs. As we all know, they do work hard but it’s a part-time position under the City Charter. We will be following very closely the report when it’s finished and presented to both the administration and then to the aldermen. Remember, budget time is coming up and there’s a lot on the city’s agenda: the new high school, City Hall and library, and pay raises. It looks like taxes will be going up substantially.

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It’s interesting that we hear there are a lot of new jobs being handed out at City Hall, with some interesting relationships involving some of them. A couple of large families members are already employed and maybe a couple of others are rumored to be hired as well. One family has over five members on the payroll, and we hear another family – which currently has three – is looking to put another on the payroll as well. That personnel department is working hard, but we wonder if they are doing wide enough searches.

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Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan, who is originally from Somerville, is having a fundraiser on June 15 over at Restaurant Dante, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Her campaign coordinator here in the city, Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters, has let us know he is looking for a good showing from Somerville.   Marian Ryan is doing a great job as District Attorney working hard here in both Somerville as well as Middlesex County.    We supported her in her very first election bid for the seat back couple of years ago and see that she has done a great job representing us.

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Hurry up and get your ticket for the drawing for The Somerville High Scholarship Foundation that is once again having its huge drawing coming up in May 13 at the Highlander Café at Somerville High School. Refreshments will be served beginning at 7:00 p.m. Drawing at 8:00 p.m. Several door prizes will be given out during the drawing for the $10,000 grand prize. Tickets for the drawing are $100 each. You can purchase one or share the cost of one with many in your home/office or with friends. It’s a great fundraiser for the kids. Over the years the SHS Foundation has benefitted many students. Make your check out to S.H.S. Raffle and send it to SHS Raffle c/o Joseph Favaloro, P.O. Box 440275 Somerville 02144. It’s been a great organization here in the city since 1990 and has grown over the years, serving many Somerville graduates to further their education. See you at the drawing. It’s a lot of fun and a great night out.

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Our good friend, not to mention great criminal lawyer, Attorney Damien Gillietti, is very busy this year as the newly elected President of the Middlesex Bar Association. What a nice guy and very popular as well. Plan on hearing a lot from Attorney Gillietti regarding Somerville and Middlesex County over this next coming year as he serves as President. By the way, he’s a loyal fan of The Somerville Times, as are all the clerks, court officers, probation department personnel and judges at Somerville District Court. We thank them all for a job well done.

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Our good friend Alderman Bob McWatters is planning on a fundraiser in June. We don’t have a date yet but you can bet it’s going to be at his favorite place, Sally O’Brien’s. He doesn’t have large developers or property owners sponsoring or throwing fundraisers for him. He packs the place every time on his own. He’s that popular.

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Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston is being thrown a fundraiser as well at the Mt. Vernon Restaurant on lower Broadway, hosted by her good friends the Tauro family. We’re sure a lot of the regulars will be present and we hope she raises a lot of money for her campaign war chest. Maybe she’s running for something other than Alderman?

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Happy Birthday to a lot of our friends and fellow Villens here this week: Happy Birthday to Linda Norton-Beebe. We wish her many more to come. Happy birthday to a great lady, Florence Lewis, who is well known down in East Somerville. What a great lady. We hope she has a great birthday. Former Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero is celebrating this week as well. We wish him the very best. Another well-known Villen, Antony Fraser, is celebrating this week as well. Happy birthday to Leo Saltman, a nice guy who is celebrating as well. To a lady we also think highly of, Ms. Aida Sousa-Braga, an amazing person. We wish her the very best. Someone we know very well is going to be surprised, with a surprise birthday party thrown by her family and friends. We here at The Times are going and, of course, we will report on the festivities.

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Giant Yard Sale/Book Sale at Unity Somerville, 6 William St.  (corner of College Ave., 3 blocks from Davis Sq.).  Rain or shine! Saturday, May 14,  10 a.m.  to 4 p.m.

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Talk about a crowd up in Ward 7. Alderman Katjana Ballantyne had a huge crowd gathered at last Saturday’s Spring Cleanup. She and lots of residents were at Dilboy Field with a large contingency, including from one of Tufts fraternities. It’s that charm she has with her big smile, not to mention they must have heard Rick won a brand new outdoor grill last week at the Comedy Club in Saugus. We know we’re looking for a well-done burger with cheese sometime this summer.

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A special Happy Anniversary to lifelong residents and great couple Phil Ercolini and his lovely wife Ann Cassesso-Ercolini. They are celebrating their 37 years together. Both are lifelong residents. We hope they had a great anniversary celebration and enjoy many more to come.

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There’s a new website in town. Check it out at www.somervillema.com. The Somerville Times is on the site. Also check out www.medfordma.com. Someone asked online why we keep these two websites in Newstalk. We guess it’s because we like them.

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For those that might be interested in obtaining certification for firearms should look up the Lawrence Rod & Gun Club. They provide an extensive program at the end of which you receive certification for Massachusetts/NRA Certified Firearm Safety Classes. They run a class once a month, which is limited to 10 people and we hear that this is the place to go to learn safety when handling guns. Email gunclub@earthlink.net for more information and or go to their website at www.lawrencerodandgunclub.org and read up about the course. We’ve been told that the course has seen a major increase in people applying for it, especially women. We can tell you first hand here that it’s a great course and quite thorough. The same goes for this in Newstalk. The club has informed us that many residents of Somerville have called or gone to the club to find out about certification.

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Remember, for the best footwear and other name brand clothing go online to www.shoebuy.com, compliments of local resident and SVP Zach Zasloff.

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If there were a bar in Somerville that would be considered the “Cheers” bar – you know, “Where everyone knows your name” – Sally O’Brien’s is the place. Want a great lunch in particular great sandwiches and Burgers 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.? Mention you saw it here and get ½ off sandwiches and burgers. Liam, the friendliest of bar owners here in Somerville, tells us he has different entertainment every single night with many bands as well as other entertainment. Some nights the place is packed. Check it out for yourself and when you drop in make sure you introduce yourself. You will usually find Liam there in person and on many nights various local politicians, including some popular alderman just might be sitting and enjoying the bands and great food. You should too.

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Another great place here in the city is Vinny’s on Lower Broadway. It has one of the best Italian food menus around, if not the very best anywhere. Great lunches and the best sauce around. Mention you saw it here.

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A short commentary: Something to think about, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Somerville High graduating class of 1966. Did you know that the class graduating ceremony was held on June 6 at Dilboy Field? That’s the 6th month/6th day /at 6:00 p.m. In 1966. Is that too many 6’s for one event? A memorable day for many of us who were growing up here in Somerville. A year back in those days when it seemed like the nation was on the verge of something bad happening. We were involved in the Vietnam War, which was very unpopular. There were many anti-war demonstrations and race riots – and not just countrywide, but right here in the Boston area. Two short years later in Chicago we all witnessed the Democratic convention riots, with the brutality in the streets that shocked the country. Fifty years later and we see what is going on politically and how far we have come – in many ways for the good – and how far we have to go as well. Demonstrating for what we believe in is good, but when it gets violent and we try and stop others from exercising their right to free speech, then it becomes dangerous. Everyone has a right to their opinions without being threatened or harassed. Thankfully, we all live in a country where different opinions exist. Just a thought.