Reality Bites by James Norton for the week of July 19

Bridge over troubled train tracks – doesn’t ease my mind

Let me just get it out of the way and admit that I‚Äôm a nerd – sometimes.  Don‚Äôt get me wrong – I have really cool stuff and I live a good life – but I also seriously enjoy some more ‚Äúnerdy‚Äù type things like movies, art, writing and computer/console gaming.

News Talk for the week of July 19

News Talk is getting sick of all this gossip column work. The gig we want is Project Manager. We hear that in Somerville, depending on the project, the manager doesn’t even have to show up. Just cash the check and stay quiet about it. News Talk could certainly do that much.

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It appears Rebekah Gewirtz is attempting to set a record for most requests without getting anything done. For the fifth (fifth!) time the Ward 6 alderman has requested that: “the Administration convene a meeting with the lessee of the Buena Vista lot and the Ward 6 Alderman to discuss opening the garage to public use.” Apparently, Rebekah has yet to earn the mayor’s attention. Hopefully, she keeps at it. We know Jack would have taken care of this already.

Leone speaks to the News
By George P. Hassett

The only candidate on the ballot for Middlesex County District Attorney spoke at The Somerville News’ July 14 contributors meeting.
   Gerry Leone is likely to be the next chief prosecutor for the fifty-four cities and towns of Middlesex County but he said he prides himself on his similarities to the three previous occupants of the job — Scott Harshbarger, Thomas Reilly and Martha Coakley.

Someday Cafe granted a stay of execution

By Christelle Valembrun

  Chrissy Texeira has been buying her coffee at the Someday Caf√© since it opened in 1992. A single mother, Texeira regularly brings her young child to the caf√© at the corner of Holland and Dover to connect with old, and new, friends of the family.
   ‚ÄúThis place is like magic to me and my son, it‚Äôs filled with family for us,‚Äù she said.

ArtBeat turns 20

The annual Davis Square arts festival, ArtBeat, celebrated its twentieth anniversary today. The festival’s theme was reCycle/reNew and featured a Ramones coverband, a remix of a Gertrude Stein reading and many more acts and oddities. For more coverage of the event, check out the July 19 issue of The Somerville News.

Latest Assembly Square ruling: “Major victory” or “meaningless?”
By George P. Hassett

A judge’s ruling on Assembly Square development is being hailed as “a
major victory” by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and “meaningless” by a
member of the Mystic View Task Force (MVTF).
    Lawrence Paolella, a member of the grassroots group that initiated
the lawsuit against the city, said the ruling does little to change the
facts of the case and its possible outcome.

Koty cleared in Voutour incident

By George P. Hassett

The State Ethics Commission has issued a final ruling concluding that there was no improper behavior by Department of Public Works Commissioner Stan Koty in an incident alleged by former city employee Joseph Voutour.

The View From Prospect Hill for the week of July 12

Skip Schloming is Somerville’s very own Simon Legree. The head of the
Small Property Owners Association wants to expose your child to lead
paint and carbon monoxide. He wants to victimize tenants, distort facts
and abolish legal representation for the poor.
    That is what City Hall‚Äôs pr machine would like you to believe
anyway. The inconvenient truth for the tenants of 93 Highland Ave.
however is that none of that is true.
The fact is, Skip Schloming and the Small Property Owners Association
(SPOA) have done more to stimulate community conversation and debate in
this city than any organization in years.

News Talk for the week of July 12

A great big Happy Birthday goes out to Freddie Federico who just
celebrated his 50th, this past weekend.   Freddie is the owner of
Sunny’s Deli in Union Square where some of the best rumors can be heard
everyday. Happy 50th Freddie and may you have many more.
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Speaking of local rumor mills in the city, our spies have been seeing a
lot of traffic in and out of a (sort of) well-known Irish Pub in Union
Square, as well as some other hot beds of political intrigue. We’d like
to ask Denise Provost, why must you give up your seat on the Board of
Alderman? Didn’t Vinny Ciampa hold both for years before being voted
out and doesn‚Äôt Rep. Tim Toomey hold two elected seats?    We hear
everyone talking about Alderman / State Rep. Denise and the fact she
should step down or not run, but who cares if she stays on both jobs?
Eventually, like others in the past, she’ll make the right decision and
it will be her decision or it just could be the decision of the voters
which, in the end, is the final decision.