By George P. Hassett

For the second time in three weeks a well-known Somerville lawyer rejected an agreement that would place him on probation for his role in the death of a 22-year-old Tufts student.

Frank Privitera is scheduled to go on trial April 29, charged with negligent motor vehicle homicide for a November 2005 traffic accident that killed Boryana Damyanova, who had come to Somerville from Bulgaria to study international relations.

On Tuesday, Privitera’s attorney Michael Hanley told Judge Maurice Flynn he was ‚Äúone millisecond‚Äù away from reaching an agreement that would resolve the case. Privitera, Hanley said, was ready to agree to pre-trial probation and a five-year loss of his driver’s license but had one concern: he wanted the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office to state in writing to the Registry of Motor Vehicles that they had no opposition to Privitera retaining his right to drive in the event of an emergency.

Another so called big mystery or rumor has been floating around the city now for some time but lately it’s getting some heavy steam – apparently someone can’t keep his mouth shut (or maybe it’s supposed to be out there – we don’t know), but here it goes – it seems there are two projects in question – one is on Cross Street, a multi-unit apartment building that had the great big X the city’s ISD placed on it for such a long time until it was demolished recently. The other project is the Hudson Street apartment condos – both of these projects we heard are being run by three city and state employees! The first is the former MBTA safety employee who still currently works for the Somerville Housing Authority AND who also sits on the zoning board! The second is another former zoning board member, who recently was supposedly forced to resign from the board because of a conflicting situation (because he owns and operates a demolition company that was doing business with the city and who’s wife is currently working as Assistant Director at Council on Aging). The third partner we heard was also an employee of the SHA who also at the same time owns and operates and a very successful electrical company on the side.  And by the way, the moneyman we hear is the electrician’s uncle.

By Jay Colbert, President of Firefighters Union Local 76

(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.)

I would like to take the time to respond to a commentary by Mayor Joe Curtatone, printed by this paper last week. Mayor Curtatone‚Äôs comments concerned the future of the Somerville Fire Department.  I would like to offer some suggestions.

Like the Mayor, I would also like to congratulate our Congressional delegation for their part in securing federal SAFER grant money.  This will help our department begin to get back to a safe level of staffing; necessary to protect our crowded, urban environment.  Last week, I went to Washington to personally thank Congressman Mike Capuano.  Thanks are also in order for the mayor and his grant writer Kate Ashton, for pursuing and securing, this Homeland Security Funding.

By Pam Rosenblatt

Joy Street Studio artists Ramadi Asati and Madelyn Mann never knew that their casual interactions over the internet four years ago would develop into the personal and artistic union it has today.

‚ÄúI saw Madelyn’s art online and I liked her style,‚Äù said Asati, a Somerville resident. ‚ÄúI started a friendship online just through art and then we met at a caf√© and then it all started like six months later after we’d been talking about each other’s art.‚Äù

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.)

The City of Somerville recently received word from Washington that our Fire Department would be receiving an $843,400 matching grant under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program administered by U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  We immediately announced that, starting in July of this year, we would be using that money to hire eight new firefighters.

Off The Shelf by Doug Holder

The Squawk Coffeehouse is a throwback to the bohemian coffeehouses of yore, with ample doses of off-key, off-the-wall, outside-of-the box poetry and song. Presided over by resident Somerville bohemes Lee Kidd and Jessa Piaia, Squawk located at the Harvard Epworth Church, 1555 Mass Ave., Cambridge (just outside Harvard Square), is a refuge for those of us who are still beatniks and hippies at heart. The doors for the readings open at 9 p.m. on Thursdays, and the readings usually last till 12 a.m. or so.

By George P. Hassett

There are rules to insulting. And Somerville author A.C. Kemp has written the manual.

In her new book, “The Perfect Insult For Every Occasion” Kemp takes on the persona of her literary alter ego, Lady Arabella Snark, and outlines the best way to “crush annoying persons” with sophisticated and wounding retorts.

Snark, whose status as a fictional character did not prevent Kemp from developing an extensive back story for her (although her relationship with Dr. Timothy Leary did not make it into this book),is a wordy widow who takes pride in her ability to verbally eviscerate foes with obscure words such as dipsomaniacal, crapulent and carbuncle.

(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.)

For some strange reason, I started replacing some of my favorite childhood toys РI turned to eBay to accomplish this odd task. I just figured it was another weird part of getting older. So far I have re-purchased a Secret Sam Spy Rifle with the hidden camera in the attaché case, a Girder and Panel Building Set, one of those 20 Mule Team Borax models and a Kenner “Give A Show Projector.” Remember those? It was a small plastic slide projector that showed color slides of Popeye, The Flintstones, Superman, Yogi Bear and other cartoons Рit worked with batteries and a light bulb and you would project the image on a wall or a sheet. I got one for 30 bucks on eBay.

After a few years of dancing through the political minefields of Somerville, aptly designated by Stephen Smith as “the dark forest,” KSS Realty Partners is finally going to get their day of reckoning Рand we can only hope that the neighbors and the city watch over the project with a scrutinizing eye until the last nail is hammered at the Max Pak development.

While smaller conversions and projects have had their feet held to the fire every step of the way by neighbors and city inspectors, we as a community have repeatedly stood back and watched in amazement as medium to large project developers run roughshod over this city with little retribution.

More than 150 Somerville Democrats came together Monday night to elect citywide officers for the Democratic City Committee — outgoing chair Helen Corrigan said it was the biggest turnout she had seen in her 12 years of leading the party locally. Kate Chang was elected chair, she was unopposed, Elio Lorusso defeated Barry Rafkind to become first vice chair, male, Laura Leman was unopposed and became first vice chair female, Corrigan was elected treasurer and John Caruso defeated Rafkind to be the party’s affirmative action officer. Pictured, Democrats applaud 20-year members of the city committee honored before the elections.