Thank goodness that the Somerville Chamber of Commerce and its director Steve Mackey saw that the meeting on the closing of the Ball Square Bridge last week was not what the 150 residents and businesses were hoping for. The Chamber is having a Green Line Extension buffet breakfast at the Holiday Inn on Tuesday, September 11, 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. It is very important for the businesses from Ball Square and any of the residents as well to attend. Hopefully, the community can work out something else instead of closing out the entire bridge for 12-14 months. Political figures should be answering to the community for what they are allowing to happen. Think about how you vote for these people to represent you to be your voice. That is not happening here. Let’s hope the paid help at City Hall won’t be up there again lecturing us on the impact and why it’s happening. Working out another solution is what they should be doing. What’s wrong with our Senator and State Representatives, never mind the local Board of Aldermen, who are busy wasting time banning T-shirts. We thank the Chamber of Commerce and Winter Hill Bank for sponsoring this. Be there and make your voice heard. If Medford and other communities can close half a bridge at a time, then Somerville should be no different.

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The public hearing last week on the closing of the Ball Square Bridge was a dog and pony show, run by the City Hall staff. It was clear to many in attendance that as the hour approached, it was just all baloney. In the old days your elected officials would answer legitimate questions, not have City Hall staff there to offer stats and reasons why it’s being closed for a year and what will the impact be, etc., etc. It’s BS, and they ought to be ashamed of themselves. This decision was made a long time ago, without public input and the city just went along with it. It’s our opinion that our elected officials were useless in their defending not just the businesses but the residents that this will have an impact on. It used to be that your elected officials, both local and state, would step in and make sure that minimum damage to the community would be the end results. Alderman Niedergang, Alderman Davis along with the At-Large Aldermen and the state delegation should have been more vocal in not letting one of the busiest bridges in the city get closed for over a year. There will be great impact to businesses that will never recoup, residents that will have cars up and down their streets night and day being detoured. The spokesman for the Mayor’s Office spoke of painting the curbs to help divert traffic. You’re not supposed to run over the painted corners.

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On Sunday, September 9, starting at 11:00 a.m., the 2018 Somerville Dog Festival takes place at Trum Field. The Festival is organized by the Somerville Foundation for Animals, which works to make sure no one ever has to choose between feeding themselves and their pets. Through your donations and their sponsors’ generosity, the Festival raises money for the Foundation’s Somerville Pet Food Bank, providing pet food to food banks and outreach programs throughout Eastern Massachusetts. The Foundation also purchases one K9 protective vest for local law enforcement K9 officers each year through Massachusetts Vest-a-Dog. SomDogFest is a day full of fun activities to do with your family (including your dog!), contests, demonstrations, vendors and food for people and pets alike.

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Congratulations and a job well done to Janet Ciccariello, who retired as Administrative Assistant at the Somerville Fire Department. She has worked hard over these past 20 years and the Department appreciates her. A nice lady who enjoyed a great send off on her retirement party!

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a real local favorite, Patty Oppedisano, a good friend of us here at The Times. We found out recently she’s back in Ball Square on Sundays at Sound Bites, so stop in and wish her a happy birthday. Happy birthday to the sister of our former publisher, Marilyn Publicover, who is celebrating this week. We wish her the very best. Happy birthday to hard working city employee, Nancy Gaudet Bacci. We wish her the very best. Happy birthday to local TV celebrity Daniel Hurley. We wish him a very happy birthday and wonder why we haven’t been invited on his cable show! Happy birthday to local realtor and successful developer, Stephen Bremis, of the famous Bremis Real Estate. Happy birthday to another local realtor, Pat Roberto, originally from Somerville, who owns the ERA Real Estate office in Everett. Finally, we have a big happy birthday for Judith Medeiros. We wish her very happy day for herself. To all others here in the city who are celebrating their birthdays this week and we missed you here, we wish a happy birthday to you.

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On Saturday, September 15, it’s the 7th Annual Ryan Harrington Corn Toss at Trum Field. Registration starts at 10:00 a.m. Games will start at 11:30 a.m. Registration fee is $50 per team. 2 players per team. There is a men’s and a women’s division. A cash prize goes to the winners of each division. They will be selling T-shirts, hoodies, food and drinks at the field as well as having raffle items and a 50/50. There will also be kids’ activities. All monies raised will go to youth organizations in the city. It will be a great day for the whole family, as it is a great event every year to benefit the Ryan Harrington Foundation. For information on the foundation and what it does, go to their web site: www.ryanharringtonfoundation.org.

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Coming in September on Sunday, the 30th, the very first “A Ball for Squares” block party in Ball Square. Join all the merchants of Ball Square in celebrating Somerville’s bounciest square for a beer garden from The Pub, food from all of Ball Square’s wonderful restaurants, crafts, activities, bands, and more. Sponsored by the Ball Square Business Association and Mayor Joe Curtatone. More information to come as time goes by. It’s going to be a great day here in the square and city.

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The Somerville Garden Club is having their yearly plant sale on Saturday, Sept 15, in Davis Square, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. Discover the perfect plant to enliven your garden or windowsill at this popular yearly sale. High quality perennials, house plants, herbs, shrubs, and groundcovers will be available for sale. Choose from hundreds of plants donated by both Somerville Garden Club members and community friends of the Club. Visit the Connoisseur Table for that unique specimen, or find a tried-and-true favorite among the many sun and shade perennials. Experienced gardeners will be available to answer questions and assist with plant selections. Proceeds benefit the educational programs and public plantings of the all-volunteer, non-profit Somerville Garden Club.