Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Katie McDaid, a great lady. We hope she gets her dream back. Happy birthday Katie. Happy birthday to a wonderful lady, retired high school teacher Marion Joyce. We remember her first class, when a lot of boys signed up for typing. She was a great teacher. Happy birthday to Bill Rogers of Winter Hill, a nice guy and we wish him the very best of birthdays. Happy birthday to one of the hardest workers down at the City Club, Don Johnson. To our good friend, James Ribeiro, we wish him a great birthday. Big time happy birthday to Julie Tarpey DiPasquale, who has given many years of service to our community and did it with pride, just like anyone from Somerville would. Happy birthday Julie! Happy birthday to one who grew up here, joined the service and now lives in Texas, Phil Forsyth, a nice guy. He has high standards and his service is well received back here at home. Happy birthday to Donna Desrescente. We wish her her the very best. Big time birthday greetings to our good friend Ken Kotch, who moved to Colorado for his wife’s health and it appears that did the trick. We wish him and his lovely wife – and now getting older daughter – the very best. Happy birthday Kenny! Happy birthday to everyone here and from the city who is celebrating this week. We wish every one of them a very happy birthday.

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Book it on Facebook. A third East Somerville Reunion is set for this year. Dan Rogovich has let us know he is once again planning for it. Lots of people who grew up in East Somerville have missed the last two but wanted to be there for the third. Dan, who is an East Somerville lover, managed to get the Somerville City Club booked on Saturday, June 15. He and his assistants worked hard on the previous two reunions and they will do the same this year to make this one a success. We here at The Times are from East Somerville and we will be there, and we have already reached out to others. A small group of “down backers” behind the Bucket who grew up there in the 60’s will all be there. They meet every four or so months nowadays to talk about old times and the great times. Help make this a success. Go online to Facebook and check it out. Ask Dan what you can do to help. He is looking for the food, entertainment and just plain East Somerville fun. Charlestown line to McGrath Hwy. is considered East Somerville, which includes Glen Park, Florence St. park, Prescott School, Seven Son’s Restaurant, Trina’s on Washington, Steve’s, Tip Top, S&S Subs on Cross St., Avenue’s, Broadway show, lower Broadway, Tufts St.

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Did the administration read this or The Hearld? What’s this? According to The Boston Herald an Essex County Judge ruled that the mayor of Methuen may move ahead with his defamation lawsuit against a local newspaper. Apparently, according to the mayor a local paper was spreading lies about him in the paper, making “false and outrageous statements about him being a drug addict, a corrupt cop and a crooked politician.” This could be interesting to stay ahead of. Who knows who might or might not do the same. Very sad that a paper can’t just be there to tell a story instead of being the story. Yes, our paper has a rumor column and it is clearly stated that it is a rumor column. If we make up outlandish lies about someone then we should be taken to task. We will watch to see what happens down the road with Mayor James Jajuga and his lawsuit. For those that would like to check it out, Google and read about the suit and what the judge has to say. All we can say is good luck to many others who find themselves in a situation like this. DO IT!

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Already in the first week of the new year there are election rumors. It’s that time again this year here in the city, and we are hearing of several opponents will be considering challenging incumbents on the School Committee. Two candidates, we hear, are seriously considering running for Alderman (Councilor) At-Large. We hear the mayor made a deal for one more term with the Councilor for Ward 7, who appears to be moving towards being a candidate for mayor in the future. We also hear that since Councilor Bill White didn’t get the job in Stoneham (how unfortunate for Stoneham, they lost out big time) that he might think about running for mayor again, not this time but next. IF Mayor Joe leaves office there will be a handful trying to grab the ring. Let’s see who throws their names in around the city this year for other offices. Oh yeah, we heard that the mayor and his people are working on someone in Assembly Square to run for councilor. So far, some say they will run and then when it comes to the actual doing, it might not be the same. Some of the races were called in to us or told to us in confidence.

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Donald Norton underwent major radiation and spent time at MGH. The five sessions were whirlwind, fast and well taken care of, although he shouldn’t have voluntary taken himself off the steroids for one day. It was the day from hell.  Chemo this week and the doctors think it should all be set, but they will say when to get off the steroids. The stay at MGH was something else!

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Charlie Chisholm is still having problems with his hip and we wish him speedy recovery. He was sent home and we hope he recovers soon. It’s been three years, we think. Stan Koty, the DPW Commissioner, has been in and out of the hospital and we wish him well and hope things go better for him. He’s having heart problems. We don’t know if he’s home but from what we hear he is in bad shape. We hope he is in the care of his favorite nurse, Gay, his wife.

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The Medford High School Mustangs and Somerville High School Highlanders girls and boys basketball teams will continue their rivalry at the 3rd Annual Tufts Classic on Sunday, January 20, at the Cousens Gymnasium on Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus. The girls’ game will tip off at 12:30 p.m., and the boys’ game will tip off at 2:00 p.m. This is the only time Medford and Somerville will meet all season. For the first time, the winners of each game will receive a “Tufts Classic” trophy, which will stay in their possession until the next Tufts Classic. Event staff will be accepting donations for food pantries in Medford and Somerville. Fans are asked to bring nonperishable food items to support those in need in both cities.

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Don’t forget to park on the EVEN side of the street once they call a snow emergency. And no, you can’t park in the school yards anymore, they put gates on them. Let’s hope the city doesn’t call for snow emergencies unless it’s a real emergency like a blizzard.