Summer is over so quickly, but this was a different kind of summer, with lots happening in our city and lots of good times. The doors are shutting closed real loud up in NH and down on the Cape with all the returning residents. We have a lot to be thankful for. But those in Texas and Louisiana will need our help. Join us at The Somerville Times in donating to the many charities that are set up and being set up: The Salvation Army, Red Cross and various clubs and organization as well a “gofundme” page that was set up to donate directly to residents that need our help and money. We send them our thoughts and prayers for a quick and speedy recovery to normal. We are all proud Americans and we are very generous to other countries with their disasters, but we all need to step up to the plate and donate – even $10 – to help out our fellow Americans. Imagine if everyone here in Somerville sent a check or donated online. Every $10 or more would be a great help to our fellow Americans who need us now. God Bless Texas and Louisiana and all those affected by this horrible nightmare.

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

The 17th Annual John T. Forcellese Memorial Fund Annual Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, September 9, at the Falmouth Country Club. Tee time is 8:30 a.m. Shotgun starts, all golfers meet and check in by 7:45 a.m. Format is a scramble scored by Foursome. This is a great event to raise money for scholarships, and to date they have given out 192 scholarships. You can contact John’s Team at PO Box 2462 Teaticket, MA 02536 and you can go online where you can get an application on either the website at www.johns-team.org or on Facebook. A great Somerville family that every year honors their son, John, and this has turned into a great local charity. If you want to call direct: 617-543-8152 or email at Forcellese@verizon.net.

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

The Somerville Police Department will be holding a golf tournament in memory of police officer William “Billy” Nolan, a great officer and wonderful family who is remembered by many here in the city. The tournament will be held on Friday, September 29, at 7:00 a.m. for coffee. 7:45 board golf carts and 8 Shotgun start. Golfers are $150 and Dinner only is $50, to be held at the Hillview Country Club, 149 North St., No. Reading. If you’d like to participate and want more information contact Somerville Police Relief Association c/o Captain Michael S. Cabral, at the Police Department, 22 Washington St., Somerville 02143. If you’d like to help out by sponsoring, the cost is $100, send to same.

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

Happy birthday this week: A lady who loves Somerville and proves it all the time with the many pictures she takes at a lot of events. Claudia Ferro, our own special photographer here at The Times, has her birthday this week. What a nice lady, always with a huge smile and good things to say. We hope she has a great day and weekend coming up on her birthday. Also, happy birthday to Leigh Harkins Gerow, formerly of the Berkeley Street Harkins, also a nice lady. Happy birthday to Rick Pye, who also grew up here and lived here many years in Spring Hill. We wish him the very best and a happy birthday. Happy birthday to lifelong resident and another good guy, Mike Podymaitis, who is celebrating. And we can’t forget about Ball Square’s nicest guy, Victor Moccia, who is celebrating his birthday this week. He’s the father of Nancy who, along with her husband Jason, run Victors Deli. Some of the best deli food for lunch around. He is also the father of Mike who everyone knows runs Ball Square Café. What can you say about that place other than the best breakfasts around? We go there and order early. Happy birthday, Victor!

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

Our deepest and sincere condolences to the family of a fantastic man who is well known here in Somerville, Harold “Harry” Vaughn has passed away. Harry, as many who know him, was a Board of Health Inspector here in the city. Always a good guy who knew his job and got along with everyone. A nice pleasant man with a sense of humor. He was also a good friend throughout the years to us here at The Times. He would often stop in and say “Hi” and remember the old days when he and Donald Norton started on the same day working in the Health Department. God rest his soul, he can now join his lovely wife Kathy, who passed away a few years ago. Together they were a great couple and good people to all.

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

Check out www.ocpf.us and plug in a name to find out who and how local politicians stand in fundraising. We’re looking it over and seeing who contributes to whom. Remember, it’s not illegal to accept money from special interests, including developers, lawyers or unions of any kind.

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

Fifty years ago this Friday, September 1, in Columbia, South Carolina, Patricia Manahan and Donald Norton married, and have now known each other for fifty-two years. It’s been a roller coaster ride these 50 years. Pat is the best wife a man could ask for. She’s always there to talk to and we have a great relationship, and we love and respect each other very much. We have some great and not so great memories. I still make her laugh and never regretted the trip. This will be a quite year for us both, and that’s what we want. We already have the dinner planned. Thanks to everyone out there in Somerville and beyond that have been good and loyal friends.

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

For those that might be interested in obtaining certification for firearms should look up the Lawrence Rod & Gun Club, they give an extensive class 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 web site 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. 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.

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

Remember, the 175th birthday of our city is this year. Celebratory events are scheduled throughout the coming year. Go to http://www.somervillema.gov/somerville175 for more information about events you might be interested in.

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

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. We’ve noticed more and more Somerville residents over at the store on Mystic. They are finding out like we have that their coffee is better then you know.

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

Interesting column in the DigBoston on Somerville: www.digboston.com.

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

WARNING: Now the latest celebrity on Facebook is a person named Theo Sullivan (check him out and friend him, read and enjoy). look him up, and although some would say he’s not real or he’s someone else, those that are saying anything should be concerned with the word “indirect” – look it up. Especially on a criminal complaint, in particular a “Harassment Prevention Order G.L. 258E,” that was issued two years ago, now on the third year, against one of the publishers of that lesser known fake newspaper has a court order against him. Some of them over there should worry that criminal harassment complaints can and will be taken out on others as well. Be very careful. Don’t be fooled by the boss over there who attempts to extort those that he believes he has something against. Just ask the mayor, who won’t submit to his inappropriate demands and remarks. Again, check him out and friend Theo Sullivan on Facebook. He has some pretty interesting things about the publishers of that fake paper.

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

And remember, when you’re reading gossip – even in our paper sometimes (Newstalk is a gossip column) – think of what your reading and consider this: all the erroneous allegations and unsubstantiated charges of wrong doing, and only in a partially read so-called paper – but really a rag that attacks everyone – all of a sudden you have to wonder why. Better yet, ask yourself this question: is it in The Globe? In The Herald? On Channels 4, 5, 7, 10 or 25? If it was for real would the FBI tell a known convicted felon they were investigating anything in Somerville? Somerville is smarter than this person and his associate’s thing. We know how to read and although we might or might not agree with the mayor here and there, we have to say to “where’s the beef?” There is no beef. This sandwich is a nothingburger, but those that are reaping all this havoc will find that karma is a bitch and eventually lies and made up stories are proven to be false, because they are.

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

Every day we go up and down Broadway here in Winter Hill. We’re sorry but that building on Temple and Broadway, that fake building, fake bricks thin walls and – God forbid – someone should step out on that balcony on a windy day their going to end up on the Church steeple at Central and Broadway! The building is horrible. We understand they told the Planning Department or someone they were going to use real bricks. You can see that they were placed on the building like it was a Lego toy. And the rents, we hear, are going to be outrageous – in the vicinity of 2K to 3K for residential and way more for commercial/retail space on the first floor.

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

The “Winter Hill Yacht Club for Criminals” still has convicted felons as members. We can’t understand why the club, who rents from the STATE that beautiful piece of land which has a huge fence around it, not to mention a gate to keep out residents we guess, can still occupy the premises. We understood that the lease to DCR states that no criminals can be members, or is that the club rules? We get confused sometimes! We also understood that over 90% of the membership doesn’t even live here in the city, and we know that many from the city have applied, but they must “wait their turn.” Maybe they don’t have criminal records. That might be why the club won’t open its membership? Just saying. There needs to be an investigation by someone on their membership list and their applications. We raised this question before. We will keep raising it until the club cleans up its act. Don’t forget, some of us here used to be “Life Members” until the E board changed the rules. It seems like they always want to change the rules when it suits them.

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

The Somerville High School Class of 1982 welcomes classmates to join them for their 35th reunion on November 25, 7:00 p.m., at Pearl Street Station, 53 Summer St., Malden. Appetizers. No Cost. Cash bar.

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

On September 23, ONCE will be hosting the Third Annual Balkan Soul Fest. After two consecutively sold out years, they are continuing this new tradition of bringing you an immersive cultural experience. The evening will be a celebration of Eastern European Culture, including traditional Balkan and modern music inspired by the Balkans and neighboring cultures. ONCE will be serving up a special menu featuring their take on Balkan Soul Food. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of pierogis. The night will feature the Balkan inspired sounds of The West Philadelphia Orchestra, Somerville Symphony Orkestar, Cocek! Brass Band, and Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band. Dinner will be served from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and the music starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $22 in advance and $28 at the door and can be purchased at http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1542436/. The ONCE Lounge is located on 156 Highland Ave., Somerville.