Celebrate East Somerville at Carnaval @ Somerstreets! This Saturday, June 11 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Broadway will be closed off to cars for the celebration. Music and entertainment on three stages. Performances from A Nova Brazil, Los Nitidos, Nuz, Federator Number 1, Mariachi los Viajeros de Mexico, Banda Bahia, Banda de la Paz, El Sistema Somerville, On Stage Dance Company, Teen Empowerment and more. Craft Fair. Food and activities from Around the World Arts, Crafts, Games and more. Motion Parade starts at 2:00 p.m. from the Cross St. Senior Center. For more info visit www.somervillema.gov or www.eastsomervillemainstreets.org/carnaval.

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So for the umpteenth time, let’s make it clear once more: Newstalk has been around forever with the paper. It’s all about the news locally here in the city, what’s happening, what might happen and, frankly, it’s a gossip column. Politicians are public figures and therefore are subject to scrutiny, more so than the private citizens on the street. For one thing, they are or represent our elected officials. Last week at a political function, while conversing with a few people, I was interrupted and found out rather quickly and by surprise that the Alderman from Ward 1, Matthew McLaughlin, wasn’t happy with me. It seems that the current Alderman from Ward 1 has a beef with what was reported last week regarding him not being present at the Memorial Day Parade. He chose not to be present. For whatever reason, he wasn’t there. We made the comment that he wasn’t there. I couldn’t tell if he was upset over the fact his name WASN’T mentioned in Newstalk (you know how some politicians like to hear their names) or that we reported that the Alderman from Ward 1 wasn’t in the parade. In any event, his verbal assault about how much of a coward we are went on, all the time never saying why he was upset. He came over and rudely interrupted a conversation that a few other people and I were having, repeatedly making sure I understood his displeasure with us. I didn’t say much and walked away, but then thought about some of the words he used, which were not about his not being there but rather about me and my personal life. Maybe he was having a bad day and saw me and wanted to take it out on me, which wouldn’t be the first time, I guess. But again, I was thinking of his comments, especially when he informed me that he served in the military and what did I do? I simply told him I didn’t. I had bone cancer and he made the statement in front of people that “that was great, good for me, and that he was glad” and then made a comment about one of my family members, which actually was over the top. In this case we reported what we saw, said nothing that would evoke such anger and disgusting comments from him. He simply wasn’t at the parade and we told you he wasn’t. You can read it in last week’s edition of Newstalk. Now, if he’s upset we mention that or we’re mentioning it now. He should realize once and for all he’s a public official, a figure representing our city. If he doesn’t want to be in the local gossip column maybe he should get out of politics? Now, funny he would be upset with us, over a year and half ago he was quoted in another blog online about “Freedom of the Press” “they can print anything” – if he wants we can show him and remind him what he said. Then there is the issue of his temperament. This guy not only represents the residents of Ward 1 but now he’s campaign manager for Senator Pat Jehlen’s re-election. Maybe both he and the good senator might want to have a talk about freedom of the press? Guess the only good thing about it is we weren’t as nasty as others representing so-called media outlets here in Somerville would have been.

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On another note, an apology to the other alderman we mentioned regarding the Memorial Day Parade who was in front of his house, and not marching like most. We were told this week by another person he had a very serious knee operation. We didn’t know that last week, so we apologize to Alderman Lance Davis of Ward 6 and wish him a speedy recovery.

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We heard but can’t verify that at the recent State Democratic convention in Lowell, candidate Leland Cheung, who is running for the Democratic nomination for State Senator, was rebuked by the Democrats because he’s running against another Democrat, current Senator Pat Jehlen. We made some calls to confirm this, but as of press time we haven’t heard back. If that is true, what does that say about our current Democratic progressive left wing on diversity and inclusion? Not just chastising a fellow Democrat, but a progressive Democrat, for exercising his right to run for any office. In fact, what does that say about Senator Jehlen’s campaign if that was allowed? Again, we hope it’s not true. We will let you know once we can confirm.

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The mayor submitted his fiscal budget 2017 to the Board of Alderman this week. It’s on TV. Over the next few weeks various departments’ heads will appear before the Board to answer questions. It’s been told to us that the mayor’s budget has about a 5% increase over last year. We’re wondering when was the last time a budget was submitted that was less than the year before? Watch those meetings and make your voices heard. The taxpayers will be asked to accept a huge tax increase, not to mention a proposition 2.5 override will be on the ballot next year as well. One thing we think is good about the budget: regardless of what you think about Mayor Joe Curtatone, we think he deserves a huge raise for the job he has done and how he’s fundamentally changed the city to what it is today. Mayor Joe Curtatone, more so than the other elected officials, has a lot more responsibility with his job. In case you didn’t know, the mayor under our charter is head of everything. The Board of Alderman is part time, not full time.

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Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters will be having a fundraiser on Wednesday, June 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the ever-popular Sally O’Brien’s on Somerville Avenue, Union Square. No one packs them in like Bob does. Last time hardly anyone could move around. He’s very popular on his own, doesn’t need anyone especially property owners and developers and whatever to throw him a sellout time. He’s popular because he is truly a constituent Alderman and reaches out to all the residents of Ward 3, not just the special interest of a few. He’s got support from all sides, and yes, he’s a great guy.

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Happy birthday to a lot of our friends and fellow Villens here this week: Happy birthday to Rosa Luciana, a Somerville resident and although we don’t know her, we heard about her. We hope she has a great birthday. Big happy birthday our good friend and former resident from a well-known Somerville family, Raymond Trant. We hope he has a great day. Happy birthday to another good friend, Muriel White, formerly Muriel Berry. We wish her the very best and a great day. Former State Senator and Cambridge City Councilor Anthony Galluccio is celebrating this week. We wish him a great day. A relative newbie to Somerville, Brendan Mansfield, a great guy, good sense of humor is celebrating his birthday this week. We wish him the very best. Also, happy birthday to Richard Maggio, who is celebrating this week as well. We forgot to wish a happy birthday to Nancy Wollenburg, who celebrated last week. We just bet her husband Rod treated her to a great birthday dinner.

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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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Special happy birthday to baby Gianni Fucile, who celebrates his first birthday. Hard to believe it’s been a year. His mom is Nancy Moccia-Fucile and dad is Jason Fucile of Victor’s Deli fame. Drop in and give your greetings and mention you saw it here.

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The Somerville Times is in the process of putting out some more boxes, approximately 12 more in strategic places to make it more accessible. There will be some new boxes at Assembly Square as well. A list of boxes will be out with a map showing where you can get the paper, even outside the boxes. If you would like to see the paper at some location near you, call us at 617-666-4010.

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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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We’re still pushing Demet’s Donuts over on Mystic Avenue. Trust us, better coffee – much better coffee – awesome donuts and the best “real” egg sandwiches. You can’t find any better. We love the place. The staff behind the counter is friendly too.

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The East Somerville Community School is having a spring concert this month, entitled (by their students) Music from Around the World. The concert will take place on June 14 at 8:45 a.m. at ESCS, 50 Cross Street, in the Auditorium.

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Join the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission and East Somerville Main Streets on Sunday, June 12, from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m., for a walking tour entitled Evolving Face of East Somerville: From Horse Drawn Trolleys to Transit Stations. Ed Gordon, President of the New England Chapter of the Victorian Society in America, will lead a lively walking tour exploring changes in the historic buildings and landscape of this area. Meet at the East Branch Library, 115 Broadway, and end at Assembly Row with complimentary refreshments. Rain or shine. For more information, contact SHPC Executive Director Brandon Wilson at 617-625-6600 x2532, bwilson@somervillema.gov, or visit www.somervillema.gov/historicpreservation.

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Due to forecasts of thunderstorms, Taste of Somerville will be postponed until Wednesday, June 15. All other details remain the same.

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Alderman at Large Dennis Sullivan will bring his mobile neighborhood office hours across the city starting this Saturday for the next three Saturdays. He’s held nearly 150 office stops since being elected to the board to meet and learn from residents and share ideas. Sullivan will make the following stops as part of his spring office hours: Saturday, June 11 outside the East Branch library on lower Broadway at 9am, followed by the Union Square Dunkin’ Donuts at 10:00 a.m.; Saturday, June 18 outside Dunkin’ Donuts at the corner of Highland Ave. and Central Street at 9:00 a.m., followed by the Winter Hill Post Office at 10:00 a.m. and Ball Square at 11:00 a.m.; Saturday, June 25 at Statue Park in Davis Square at 10:00 a.m, followed by Teele Square at 11:00 a.m.