Happy Thanksgiving to all of Somerville’s many diverse families and friends. May we all have a peaceful and familial time this year.

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

Join Somerville Local First and over 40 local vendors at Arts at the Armory on Sunday, November 27 for a day of local holiday shopping at the 2016 “Holiday Marketplace” from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Maker’s Marketplace offers a wide selection of handcrafted goods, confections, jewelry, home decor, apparel, textiles, accessories and art. You will be sure to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Shift your holiday shopping this year and support local artists, designers and makers in the Boston area.

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

Don’t forget to park on the EVEN side of the street this winter during snow emergencies. The Board of Aldermen voted to alternate every year, and this year it is the EVEN side. So scramble to get your spot as soon as they declare. Hopefully, the city won’t be calling any false alarms. Commissioner Stan Koty will give the signal when it’s about to snow.

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

We just learned that Everett “Red” Knowles passed away back in September in his new hometown of Wellesley where he was living for the past ten years. For those that don’t recognize the name, it was back in November of 1962 when he had his arm severed from an accident. His surgery at MGH was the first of its kind in the world, re-attaching his arm. Back then he and many others from Northeastern Junior High would after school run up Marshall St into Gilman Square and catch the (we called it the 2:15) train heading East, for a shortcut home. The train would slow down heading past Tufts Street where Washington Street meets, and all the kids would jump off and head home. One day Everett, being behind everyone, went to hop the train and fell and the train cut his arm clear through. He got up and carried it until some people noticed and he was taken directly to MGH. Many of the East Somerville kids who hopped the train and many who just knew Red were glued to TV sets that night when all the news locally and nationally would be about his accident. Red went through a lot over the next few years. He became famous because of his accident, and he had a sense of humor about it. He would be seen riding a bike a year or so afterwards, all over East Somerville. In The Somerville Times edition published on April 7, 2013, a short story about him and his accident was written by Paul Maisano, to be found here: http://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/36886. The Wellesley Report – popularly known as The Swellesley Report – did a story on him and his passing this past October 25, to be found here: http://theswellesleyreport.com/2016/10/wellesley-loses-everett-eddie-knowles-rdf-volunteer-medical-miracle/. May he rest in peace. By all accounts he was a good guy to the end.

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

Happy birthday to a lot of our friends and fellow Villens here this week: Happy birthday to our good friend and nice lady Diane Johansen, who celebrates this week. Happy birthday to good guy, John Hight, another former East Somerville man who is celebrating with his new grandchild. A long time friend and someone who is a hard worker, wishing Malitta Knault a special Happy birthday. She manages a lot of residential properties here in the city and does a great job. Happy birthday to another former East Somerville local, Karen MacLeod-Fraser. We hope she has a great day for herself and family. Lifelong Somerville resident and nice lady Joan Puglia is celebrating this week as well. We wish her a very happy birthday. A local realtor and someone whose name is all over Medford/Somerville, Dan Fabbri is celebrating this week too. We wish him a happy birthday. Happy birthday to a newly arrived guy who is owner of Julia’s in Union Square, Josh Levin is celebrating this week. Go in to his restaurant and wish him a HB and try out one of the many items on the menu.

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

Somerville Rotary is looking for some new members. Rotary is a service club for businesses and local non-profits. Somerville Rotary meets at 12:15 p.m. every Tuesday at the Holiday Inn. If you’d like to find out more about Rotary and what it does here both in the city and internationally, go to the their website at www.somervillerotary.org.

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

Real Estate Answers Show is on mainly Friday evenings at 6:00 p.m. and various other times. The latest episode concerns the use of solar energy here in the city. Christine Andrews, City of Somerville Housing and Environment Programs Coordinator, answers questions and explains how it would benefit property owners here in the city, even multi property owners. It’s a great program. Watch the show and go online to the City of Somerville website, www.somervillema.gov and right there on the front page is the program link. Call 617-625-6600 x 2567 to find out if your home qualifies now.

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

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.

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

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.

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

It’s that time of year again, when we’re thinking of shoes and boots and much more. Head online to www.shoebuy.com for the best prices and fastest delivery right here in Somerville. We think Shoebuy is great. You go online to order, and within the next couple of days you get them delivered. Go see for yourself the vast inventory they have online for sale.

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

Get well again to our good friend Irving Johansen, who is still recuperating from a fall some weeks back. We hope he is coming along well and will be back to his usual pace. Also recuperating from an operation is his lovely daughter Diane. She is celebrating her birthday this week, so we’re hoping all her many friends call her and wish her the very best of birthdays. Sometimes you can catch her on Facebook.

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

When you’re home and looking for a place to go out to that is sort of like the Cheers of Somerville, head down to Sally O’Brien’s on Somerville Avenue. Different entertainment every single night, from Open Mic to Texas holdem. Don’t forget to order up a cheeseburger. We like Open Mic night – we like watching not participating – but for those hams out there, maybe you’d like to try out your talent.

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

FYI, if we could have we would have named Demet’s Donuts over in Medford on Mystic Avenue the best donuts and best breakfast sandwiches, but we can’t because they are in Medford. If we could we would encourage people to give them a try. For the best donuts in Somerville we have to go with Lyndell’s homemade bakery donuts.

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

More than 100 crafters from around New England will be selling their wares at the Somerville High School Track PAC’s 25th Annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday, November 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the SHS Field House. The SHS Track PAC supports and encourages track and cross-country athletes of Somerville High School, and provides more than $6,000 in annual scholarships to graduating SHS seniors who are continuing their education. Donations can also be made directly to the SHS Track PAC at 81 Highland Avenue (Somerville High School), Somerville MA 02143 or by contacting Craft Fair Director, Dimitra Tsourianis Murphy at Somervillecraftfair@gmail.com.

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

This Thursday and Friday city offices will be closed for Thanksgiving. On Thursday and Friday trash, recycling, and yard waste collection will be on a one-day delay. There will be no street sweeping on Thursday and parking meters will not be enforced Thursday and Friday.