Pages
Stay In Touch
More
© 2025 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)
Winter is finally over and spring is promising warmer weather around the corner. I, for one, can’t wait to get outside and enjoy the city’s parks with my family. And this spring and summer our Parks and Open Space Department will be drafting an Open Space and Recreation Plan that details the city’s goals for the renovation and expansion of our parks and open space during the next five years.
Somerville is the most densely populated community in New England and only 4.7 percent of our city is open space. Of this 4.7 percent more than half is maintained and operated by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. The combination of these factors means we have had to be creative in finding ways to increase our green space and renovate and improve our existing parks. And we have been. The last three years have seen the renovation or creation of eleven parks and community gardens throughout our city including last year’s opening of the renovated Perry Park and several community gardens.
Continue reading »
Off The Shelf by Doug Holder
Anne Elizabeth Tom, among other things, is a member of the Bagel Bards, a writers group that meets every Saturday at the Au Bon Pain in Davis Square. Late in 2007 Tom was appointed the new executive director of the Cape Cod Writers Center. Anne who lives on the Cape with her husband Steve grew up in Boston but remembers her summers on the Cape with great affection. Tom got an MFA from Tufts University, worked as a writer/editor for the MITRE Corp., started a family, lived around the country, but wound up back on the Cape.
Continue reading »
Photos by Donald F. Norton
On March 8th, the two Masonic Lodges in Somerville – King Solomon’s Lodge A.F. & A.M. and Somerville Lodge, A.F. & A.M. – had an Open House all day to invite members of the community in to view their building at 125 Highland Avenue, learn about the history of their lodge and answer questions for those looking to join the fraternity. The Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts is celebrating its 275th year and King Solomon’s Lodge is celebrating its 225th year in 2008. Many members of the community and their families belong to one or both of these two lodges and if you would like any additional information, please call the Master of King Solomon’s Lodge – James Norton at 617-718-2110.
Continue reading »
On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)
It used to be called Smitty’s, on Somerville Ave, but when it became the Embassy Lounge, that’s when the real fun began. The year was 1974 and the Fabulous Pharaohs were the big attraction. Inspired by The Great Pretenders, The Pharaohs were a pantomime act that did ’50s and ’60s music on Thursdays and Sunday nights. The members were Mark, John, Mike, Billy, and Brian. Mike’s brother, another John, ran the equipment (p.s. – get well soon, John), Mark’s brother George was part of the group for a short time and their father- George Sr. – managed them for a while. Joe W. and Dave Emery were also on the tech crew at various times.
Continue reading »
ALL TYPES VENT CLEANING SERVICE
RESTAURANT HOOD CLEANING SPECIALS $250 (UP TO 11’HOOD)
HOME-OFFICE-STORE VENT DUCT CLEANING SPECIALS!
DRYER VENT CLEANING $95.00
All Types Vent Cleaning Service
Serving MA, RI & NH Only!
Lowest Rates Around!
1(888)625-2706
OR VISIT US ONLINE AT: www.VENTCLEANERS.COM
We also clean home heat, AC and dryer vents as well! $95. Dryer Vent
Special $250. Home heat / a/c system (one furnace) $125. Apartment Vent/ Duct
Cleanings Special per unit
Restaurant Hood Cleaning Inspection
Dryer Vent Cleaning
Power Wash Express
Decks*Homes*Yards*Spring Cleanups*Junk Removal
All Types Vent Cleaning Service
Power Washing PRESSURE WASH BOSTON and areas
RESTAURANT HOOD CLEANING SERVICE
Vent Cleaning for home and office! Heat, A/c, or dryer vents cleaned
grease and dust free! & Exhaust Hood Duct Vent Cleaning for Restaurants
Restaurant Hood Cleaning Inspection Boston
commercial hood cleaning, commercial exhaust cleaning, industrial, air
Air duct cleaning company
SERVING THE BOSTON and SURROUNDING AREAS!
commercial hood cleaning, commercial exhaust cleaning, industrial, air duct,
Boston MA smoke damage, mold remediation, water damage, flood, soot, sewage,
kitchen hood cleaning, kitchen exhaust cleaning, vent cleaning, environmental
decontamination, mrsa cleaning, superbug cleaning, indoor air quality, indoor
air quality monitoring, IAQ, lab hood vent cleaning, lab vent cleaning, lab
exhaust cleaning, industrial lab hood vent cleaning, commercial air duct
cleaning, commercial air duct cleaning, infection control cleaning mrsa and
cdiff, infection control, commercial cleaning contractor, industrial hvac
cleaning, commercial hvac cleaning, industrial kitchen and dryer vent cleaning,
industrial exhaust, industrial commercial cleaning contractor, industrial and
commercial laboratory fume vent hood cleaning, cleaning industrial,
environmental decontamination, Commercial Air Duct Cleaning DUCT CLEANING, AIR
DUCT CLEANERS, DRYER VENT CLEANING, CLEAN AIR DUCTS, CLEAN DRYER VENTS,
CLEANING AIR DUCTS, CLEANING DRYER VENTS, AIR DUCT CLEAN, DRYER VENT CLEAN, AIR
DUCT CLEANING BOSTON MA, DUCT CLEANING Boston
Power Washing PRESSURE WASH BOSTON
Dryer Vent Cleaning
Restaurant maintenance
Degreasing Cleaning
commercial hood cleaning, commercial exhaust cleaning, industrial, air
DUCT VENT SYSTEM CLEANING
ALL TYPES CLEAN-UP EXPRESS 1-888-625-2706 TOLL FREE
VISIT OUR WEBSITE: VENTCLEANERS.COM
BASEMENT CLEAN OUTS!
YARD CLEAN UPS! FIRE & FLOOD CLEAN UPS!
WATER DAMAGE CLEAN UPS!
DEBIS REMOVAL & DISPOSAL!
Household Cleanouts and Junk Removal
COMPLETE ESTATE CLEANOUTS AND DEBRIS REMOVAL
Furniture * Appliances * All Household Items Removed
Computers * Books * Clothes * Misc. Items
Attic, Basement & Garage Cleanouts
Yard Debris * Sheds * Deck Debris
Large & Small Amounts or Single Items Removed
WE DO ALL OF THE LIFTING, CARRYING AND LOADING FOR YOU. NO NEED FOR DUMPSTERS
OR CONTAINERS.
We Do All of the Work For You and There Isn’t Much We Won’t Take!
(Serving all of Mass and parts of NH ONLY!) duct,vent,hood,home,office,restaurant,cleaning,boston,Massachusetts,MA,a/c,cleanup,clean,up,debis,junk,removalyard,attic,basement,rubbish,dump,powerwashing,powerwash,power,wash,washing,pressurwashing,pressurewash,pressure,decks,homes,houses,vinal,fleets,handyman,handiman,repairs,odd,jobs,fix,disposal,carpentry,install,service,Abington,
Acton, Acushnet, Adams, Agawam, Alford, Amesbury, Amherst, Andover, Arlington,
Ashburnham, Ashby, Ashfield, Ashland, Athol, Attleboro, Auburn, Avon, Ayer,
Barnstable, Barre, Becket, Bedford, Belchertown, Bellingham, Belmont, Berkley,
Berlin, Bernardston, Beverly, Billerica, Blackstone, Blandford, Bolton, Boston,
Bourne, Boxborough, Boxford, Boylston, Braintree, Brewster, Bridgewater,
Brimfield, Brockton, Brookfield, Brookline, Buckland, Burlington, Cambridge,
Canton, Carlisle, Carver, Charlemont, Charlton, Chatham, Chelmsford, Chelsea,
Cheshire, Chester, Chesterfield, Chicopee, Chilmark, Clarksburg, Clinton,
Cohasset, Colrain, Concord, Conway, Cummington, Dalton, Danvers, Dartmouth, Dedham,
Deerfield, Dennis, Dighton, Douglas, Dover, Dracut, Dudley, Dunstable, Duxbury,
East Bridgewater, East Brookfield, East Longmeadow, Eastham, Easthampton,
Easton, Edgartown, Egremont, Erving, Essex, Everett, Fairhaven, Fall River,
Falmouth, Fitchburg, Foxborough, Framingham, Franklin, Freetown, Gardner, Gay
Head, Georgetown, Gill, Gloucester, Goshen, Osnold, Grafton, Granby, Granville,
Great Barrington, Greenfield, Groton, Groveland, Hadley, Halifax, Hamilton,
Hampden, Hancock, Hanover, Hanson, Hardwick, Harvard, Harwich, Hatfield,
Haverhill, Hawley, Heath, Hingham, Hinsdale, Holbrook, Holden, Holland,
Holliston, Holyoke, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hubbardston, Hudson, Hull, Huntington,
Ipswich, Kingston, Lakeville, Lancaster, Lanesborough, Lawrence, Lee, Leicester,
Lenox, Leominster, Leverett, Lexington, Leyden, Lincoln, Littleton, Longmeadow,
Lowell, Ludlow, Lunenburg, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester, Mansfield,
Marblehead, Marion, Marlborough, Marshfield, Mashpee, Mattapoisett, Maynard,
Medfield, Medford, Medway, Melrose, Mendon, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleborough,
Middlefield, Middleton, Milford, Millbury, Millis, Millville, Milton, Monroe,
Monson, Montague, Monterey, Montgomery, Mount Washington, Nahant, Nantucket,
Natick, Needham, New Ashford, New Bedford, New Braintree, New Marlborough, New
Salem, Newbury, Newburyport, Newton, Norfolk, North Adams, North Andover, North
Attleborough, North Brookfield, North Reading, Northampton, Northborough,
Northbridge, Northfield, Norton, Norwell, Norwood, Oak Bluffs, Oakham, Orange,
Orleans, Otis, Oxford, Palmer, Paxton, Peabody, Pelham, Pembroke, Pepperell,
Petersham, Phillipston, Pittsfield, Plainfield, Plainville, Plymouth, Plympton,
Princeton, Providenctown, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Reading, Rehoboth, Revere,
Rochester, Rockland, Rockport, Rowe, Rowley, Royalston, Russell, Rutland,
Salem, Salisbury, Sandisfield, Sandwich, Saugus, Savoy, Scituate, Seekonk,
Sharon, Sheffield, Shelburne, Sherborn, Shirley, Shrewsbury, Shutesbury,
Somerset, Somerville, South Hadley, Southampton, Southborough, Southbridge,
Southwick, Spencer, Springfield, Sterling, Stockbridge, Stoneham, Stoughton,
Stow, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Sunderland, Sutton, Swampscott, Swansea, Taunton,
Templeton, Tewksbury, Tisbury, Tolland, Topsfield, Townsend, Truro,
Tyngsborough, Tyringham, Upton, Uxbridge, Wakefield, Wales, Walpole, Waltham,
Ware, Wareham, Warren, Warwick, Washington, Watertown, Wayland, Webster,
Wellesley, Wellfleet, Wendell, Wenham, West Boylston, West Bridgewater, West
Brookfield, West Newbury, West Springfield, West Stockbridge, West Tisbury,
Westborough, Westfield, Westford, Westhampton, Westminster, Weston, Westport,
Westwood, Weymouth, Whately, Whitman, Wilbraham, Williamsburg, Williamstown,
Wilmington, Winchendon, Winchester, Windsor, Winthrop, Woburn, Worcester,
Worthington, Wrentham, Yarmouth,middlesex,suffolk,county,
There are no ivory towers here in Somerville. And that is especially true when it comes to substance abuse.
Sadly, that plague has likely been experienced by every member of our community, directly or indirectly. It is too widespread a problem in this world for anyone in our city’s neighborhoods not to have a brother, sister, spouse, parent, child or friend caught up in it.
And because we have had that experience as a community we must be sympathetic and supportive of people in recovery trying to get help.
But that doesn’t mean we have to tolerate the scam that is going on at 31 Wilton St. for even a second. In that two family house, there are 11 men squeezed into six bedrooms paying $135 a week and getting no treatment or services for their money – just shelter.
Continue reading »
By George P. Hassett
The owner of a problem property on Medford Street that is at the center of an arson investigation has died.
Rocco Polino died suddenly in Florida last month, said Alderman-at-Large William A. White at a committee on public health and public safety meeting last week. The committee had become involved with the property at 492 Medford St. because of neighborhood complaints that Polino was violating zoning laws.
Continue reading »
By George P. Hassett
City officials may not be able to regulate a “sober house” on Wilton Street that neighbors say is a center of drug activity.
Bruce MacDonald, the attorney for Sober Surroundings at 31 Wilton Street, said the residents of the house, Рrecovering alcoholics and drug addicts – qualify as handicapped and, under the Federal Fair Housing Act, are exempt from local zoning regulations that limit the number of unrelated people living together in a home.
Continue reading »
A 15 year-old boy was shot on Sewall Street last night. The suspects fired from a passing car, described as small and dark, police said. Three or four people were in the car at the time, police said.
The 15-year old is from Malden and was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Police are not releasing any more information at this time. They are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact detectives at 617-625-1212.
By George P. Hassett
In July, Lenny DiCiccio wanted to bury Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. By September he was voting for him.
Despite a nasty falling out and his previously pledged support to Curtatone’s opponent Rick Scirocco, DiCiccio stepped into the voting booth and cast his ballot for the man he once called his godson (though he is not actually Curtatone’s godfather, he was a sponsor at the confirmation of Cosmo Curtatone – the mayor’s brother).
“Of course I voted for him,” DiCiccio said. “Rick was a loser.”
Continue reading »
Reader Comments