So far were correct on the re-election rally for Alderman At Large Mary Jo Rossetti on February 28 at Orleans Restaurant in Davis Square across from the parking lot on 65 Holland Street, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Alderman-Lady Mary Jo works very hard for the city, she is always thinking of us the residents. She’s running for re-election and is one of many of the present alderman that is dedicated and listens to the residents here in Somerville.

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Don’t forget Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang will be holding his re-election fundraiser on Wednesday, March 8. He will be having his re-election fundraiser from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Olde Magoun Salon, 518 Medford Street, in Magoun Square. Plenty of parking in the lot next door. Come celebrate Ward 5 and Somerville’s progress and challenges, and contribute to our future. Guest speaker: State Representative Christine Barber. MC: Alex the Jester. Complimentary food, cash bar. Suggested Donation: $500, $250, $100, $75. Please come and give what you can. Make checks payable to: Committee to Elect Mark Niedergang, 29 Conwell Street, Somerville, MA 02143.

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Happy birthday to a lot of our friends and fellow Villens here this week: Happy birthday this week to a great local lady who is always in good spirits, Donna Albrandi, together with her husband Tony making a wonderful, positive couple. We hope she has a great birthday celebration. Happy birthday to one of our favorite ladies here in the city, Celia Taylor, who is probably the most positive person in the city. Always with kind words and thoughts towards others. Happy birthday to another of Somerville’s finest and a great lady, Denise Racicot Kallis, an old friend with a funny story every time you see her. She is such a nice and generous person and has a lot of family and friends here in the city. Happy birthday to local real estate agent with The Norton Group and a popular lady as well, Sammy Alves. We hope she has a great birthday. Happy birthday to another lady, originally from Union Square, Roberta Reid-Powers. We hope she has a great day for herself as well. Happy birthday to an old time great guy, Sam Natale, who is celebrating this week as well. Happy birthday to a popular and nice guy, Rod Kreimeyer, who can be a “pest” to some but not us here. A great guy and generous to the community. We hope he has a great day. Happy birthday to a good guy, and a great friend to many here in the city, Eamon Fee, who is home in Ireland this week celebrating his birthday. We hope he has a great time over in Ireland. A good friend, Carol Caler Earle, although not from Somerville, she and her family have been here off and on for years. She is the wife of a very popular minister, Rev. Steve Earle of the Trinity Assembly of God church in Derry, NH. We hope she has a great day. Big happy birthday to Krista Marie who is celebrating this week. We wish her a great birthday and hope that Chris makes her a great dinner. To all others we may have missed we wish each and everyone a very happy birthday. If you know of someone or would like to be mentioned here in The Times, send an email to donnortonera@yahoo.com and put “Happy Birthday” in subject line.

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Update on our Publisher Ross Blouin: He’s back home, resting and has been seen in his office at Colony Real Estate working a few hours a day. We certainly wish him the very best. Charles Chisholm is at rehab after spending 60 days at MGH. He will remain at rehab for another couple of weeks and then back to MGH for more operations. He’s looking good but wants out, and who can blame him? Pat Reardon, who lives in the Magoun Square area and is past President of Rotary, has been out sick now for a couple of months. It sounds good but she will undergo an operation in the next couple of weeks. We hope she is and will be back up and about as well as back to Rotary here in the city.

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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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It’s 2017 and Demet’s Donuts over on Mystic Avenue is the best. We’re noticing more and more Somerville residents over there getting their coffee and donuts to start the day. The ladies working there are fantastic and always smiling. If you’re in the mood for a huge, great tasting donut drop over early since they disappear as the day gets on.

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It seems like the Ward 4 seat might be opening up. Current Alderman Tony Lafuente has decided for personal reason to not run this year. So far we’ve heard that three – maybe four – candidates will be running for the seat. Now, down in Ward 1 it is pretty sure that Alderman Matt McLaughlin will face opposition. It appears he’s in the habit of missing Board of Alderman meetings, including the last one. We heard someone is considering running for Alderman in Wards 2 and 3 as well. Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang might be busy this year as well. We hear that he might see opposition from at least one. And we hear that there will be four opponents on the At Large race. That will make eight running so far, including the incumbents. One more would make it nine and a primary would be held. So, plenty of time to jump in. We got word that even some of the School Committee seats may have challenges, especially in Wards 3 and 4 as of this week. With all the pay raises for the various politicians you’d think someone would consider a run against Mayor Joe, but it’s early in some circles yet. Watch all the fundraisers that all of a sudden start to happen. We have just over 50K registered voters here in the city, with a population of about 79K, a lot of new voters just in the past 5-7 years, and a whole new section of our city getting populated in Assembly Square. There could be some interesting election action this year. If anyone is considering it and wants to know what is needed to get a campaign together, call the Election Department at City Hall at 617-625-6600. They have the complete time frame and procedures.

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It seems as though the Somerville City Club across from the Holiday Inn on Innerbelt Road is about to be sold to the owners of Holiday Inn. We hear that when the construction begins they will move temporarily to Post 19 on Highland Avenue and use their quarters. By the way, has anyone noticed how the Holiday Inn no longer uses Somerville in its name? Holiday Inn Boston/Bunker Hill … not even a mention of Somerville. They are totally in Somerville too. Herb Chambers does that as well. Come on, people. Somerville has a good reputation and is a city that everyone wants to be in. We think Mayor Joe should say something to them before permits or construction begins at the new facility across from where the City Club is. Call it Somerville. At least have the name … just saying!

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The Somerville High School Scholarship Foundation will hold their Annual Meeting on Monday, March 13 in the Gallery 81 conference room at Somerville High School at 7:00 p.m. when they will elect directors to three-year terms, and have a report presented on Foundation finances. This meeting is for current officers, directors, and members. New members are welcome. For information, contact Noreen Santucci, correspondence secretary, at: NFSLEARN@aol.com or phone:617-448-0145.