Tonight, Wednesday, August 22, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Sally O’Brien’s on Somerville Avenue, Union Square, Mayor Joe Curtatone and former Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay invite all to a reception for Jimmy Tingle, who is a candidate for Lt. Governor. Suggested contributions from $50, $100, $250 & $500. For more information, contact the Tingle committee at 617-441-0522.

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This Sunday at the VNA on Alewife Brook Parkway, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., the Democratic Committee will be hosting a meeting with Congressman Mike Capuano. To those newer residents of the city, Mike has been our congressman for 18 years or so now, and prior to that he served as mayor of Somerville. He was an outstanding mayor, and when he said something it was so, not like some of these political figures of today.

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Every now and then we like to upgrade our paper, give it a new look, and stay abreast of new online technologies. We will soon be offering an online subscription of the paper. Plus, we will be putting out some new boxes, adding to our present locations right here in Somerville and over in Medford. A new look for the print addition is also coming soon.

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How many residents in the city have been ticketed by the city for overgrown weeds? We were driving down Walnut St. to the intersection of Broadway, when on the left at the firehouse, we spotted a huge run of overgrown weeds running along the fence of the next door driveway. Apparently, the city’s property is exempt from cleaning up. Where is that DPW commissioner Stan Koty? Is he on vacation again? Why doesn’t the city set an example and clean it up? Does Inspectional Services exempt city owned property?

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Our international mayor, Joe Curtatone, is back from El Salvador where he was checking out the landscape or whatever. We’re not sure. Some are saying – we know it can’t be true – that maybe he’s getting new voters? Anyway, he’s upset lately with the owner of Sam Adams Brewery of Boston, who employs a few hundred people, for thanking the president for the new lowered taxes on corporations. Mayor Joe is so upset he asked for a ban on Sam Adams beer, But Mayor Walsh isn’t going along with our mayor. But a current a worker at Sam Adams says that sales are way up these past few weeks. The source also tells us that there are more than a few workers at Sam Adams that live here in the city and are not happy with our Mayor Joe!

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Last week we told you about the show Worst Cooks in America and a local lady, Linda Martin, who was on the show. This past Sunday night was the second show and Martin was knocked off. We thought she should have stayed on, but unfortunately the judges didn’t think so. We congratulate her in her efforts. We enjoyed watching her on the show.

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Bob McWatters, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan’s Somerville coordinator, is having a meet and greet at Sally O’Brien’s in Union Square on Wednesday of next week, on August 29, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Elderly residents are free. Marian grew up here in Union Square, and her family is well known. This event is co-sponsored by former Mayor Eugene Brune, Jack Connolly, Dennis Sullivan and Bob McWatters.

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Nice to see the ever popular Secretary of State Bill Galvin busy campaigning here in Somerville, nice guy has many friends here in Somerville. He recently had a large turnout at a meeting with private residents and is expected to be escorted around by several local officials for the rest of the next couple of weeks. Some of us go way back to the late 70’s and early 80’s. Bill Galvin has been a tremendous Secretary of State for Massachusetts.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday local good guy and popular barber at Albraindi’s, Paul does a great job. Stop in and give him your best wishes. Happy birthday to another well-known guy, Gary Gartland. We wish him the very best. Popular East Somerville guy Kenny Salvato is also celebrating this week. Happy birthday to Cliff Clark, who is also a great guy, a family man and a good friend over the years. We wish him the very best. Happy birthday to another friend and 1000% percent union guy, Kevin Molineaux, of the Electrical Brotherhood Union. Happy birthday to one of Somerville’s newest, most generous residents, Jenny Bonham Carter. Along with her husband John, they’re a great couple. We wish Jenny a great day and week. And finally, a long time realtor who started out in Somerville, David Lilley, is celebrating this week as well. To all others here in the cities who are celebrating their birthdays this week and we missed you here, we wish a happy birthday to you.

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Last week, we missed a couple of Somerville’s finest in wishing them a happy birthday, so this week we will correct that. Happy belated birthday to our good friend Sal Ferro, who is married to our lovely photographer, Claudia. We know Sal had a great birthday. Happy belated birthday over in Medford to City Councilor Adam Knight, who celebrates this week. Happy birthday to Courtney O’Keefe, who is a former alderman and currently very active in what’s going on here in the city. We hope she has a great birthday. A happy birthday to Bonnie Lambert, who grew up here in Winter Hill and married her high school boy friend. We hope Bonnie (Thompson) Lambert has a great birthday. Also, a big happy belated birthday to Bob Massie. Bob is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor on September 4. We, of course, wish him well. Happy birthday to Maureen Hart-Maguire and Mary Hart Drouin, of the famous Hart family.

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Once again, The John T. Forcellese Memorial Fund golf tournament will once again be held in Falmouth, this time on Saturday, September 8, at the Falmouth Country Club. Registration closes Saturday, August 11. Applications are available on their website at www.johns-team.org or on their Facebook page.

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Join city staff Thursday, September 27, at 6:00 p.m. in the Academy Room at the Somerville Public Safety Building, 220 Washington St., for the third in a series of public quarterly meetings to discuss updates to parking changes on Central Hill Campus. This meeting was rescheduled from Wednesday, September 19, due to Yom Kippur. All interested persons are encouraged to come including residents and local business owners, as well as city and school staff. The final 2018 meeting will be held Wednesday, December 12, and the 2019 quarterly meeting dates will be announced soon. Questions? Contact Mike Tremblay in the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, at mtremblay@somervillema.gov.