Superintendent criticized for failing to notify parents

By George P. Hassett

A 14-year-old boy was stabbed walking home from class at the Winter Hill Community School on Tuesday Feb. 26 by a classmate wearing a black ski mask, according to police. In the aftermath of the attack Superintendent Anthony Pierantozzi has been criticized by parents and school officials for not informing them of the incident.

‚ÄúNobody told me a thing,‚Äù said Parent Teacher Association President Danielle Anderson. ‚ÄúSomething should have gone out to the parents. Rumors start when there is no official announcement, parents were asking me what had happened and I couldn’t give them any answers.‚Äù

By Mia Lamar

Alderman-at-Large Dennis Sullivan declared Washington Street “the most horrible in the city,” Thursday, with several of his fellow aldermen loudly supporting him and sharing their own grievances with the state over conditions on the street.

“Not only is Washington Street one of the worst in the city, it is one of the worst in the state,” said Alderman-at-Large Bruce M. Desmond. Alderman William Roche said the street “needs to be repaved and resurfaced, from curb to curb.”

By George P. Hassett

The deal was done. Frank Privitera would receive probation for his role in the death of a 22-year-old Tufts student.

However, after the prosecutor, judge and his own lawyer agreed repeatedly that Privitera would receive a sentence of pre-trial probation and lose his driver’s license for five years, the prominent Somerville attorney and landowner walked back into the courtroom and reversed the agreement.   

The retirement party for Tom Buckley was well attended and everyone had a great time this past Saturday – Tom, who is retiring from the DPW, was there 38 years and never took a day off – he started working for the city at 18. We wish him a lot of luck in his retirement years‚Ķnot many can claim that kind of dedication – 38 years with no sick time used, he was well-liked, good natured and hopefully enjoys a peaceful life for many years in retirement. 

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Speaking of the DPW, it seems a flyer went out to all drivers asking to personally see all their licenses to make sure everyone was current and not suspended. Apparently one of them may have been fired, or let go since his CDL license was suspended – nice to know that everyone is current now.   

By George P. Hassett

Their numbers are rivaled only by Manhattan. They have been coming here for decades, “not by design but naturally.” Looking onto a Union Square street from a coffee shop window, walking on a Davis Square sidewalk, or riding on the 89 bus Рthey try to capture the city’s sights and energy with the written word.

They are the poets. And soon one could be selected from the ranks to be the city’s first poet laureate.

By George P. Hassett

Six days after a seventh grade student was stabbed at the Winter Hill Community School, parents are expressing concern that they were not notified of the incident.

“Nobody told me a thing,” said WHCS Parent Teacher Association President Danielle Anderson. “Something should have gone out to the parents. Rumors can start when there is no official announcement, parents were asking me what had happened and I couldn’t give them any answers.”

Police are looking for a Somerville man in connection with a bank robbery last week in East Somerville.

On Thursday, Feb. 28, shortly before noon, the Sovereign Bank at 125 Broadway in East Somerville was robbed.  The lone suspect entered the bank and presented a note demanding cash and stating that he had a gun.  Police said no gun was shown.  The suspect then fled the bank on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. 

Somerville Police detectives, working with the FBI Bank Robbery Task force, say that suspect is James J. Walker, 27. With the cooperation of citizens, police said they developed information pointing towards Walker as the bank robber.

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.)

In every city, residents request city services and information through multiple channels, both formal and informal. Here in Somerville, people communicate directly with city government through their aldermen, through 311, through public hearings, through regular meetings of our boards and commissions, through neighborhood office hours scheduled by our mayor and aldermen, via our website and in many other ways.

There’s nothing wrong with having lots of different channels: residents should be able to interact with local government in the ways and at the times that are most comfortable for them. But the focus has usually been on one issue at a time: a particular regulation, a particular program, a particular development proposal or community concern.  It can be difficult for city officials to engage residents in a more general discussion.

Off The Shelf by Doug Holder

Recently I was invited to a reception for the Boston Poet Laureate Sam Cornish at the Parkman House in Boston. It was a nice affair with many of the poets and players from the Boston area poetry scene in attendance.

I got to eat a lot of fancy hors d’oeurves, drink a slightly diluted pomegranate punch, and admire the genteel trappings of this celebrated house. If I remember correctly Mayor James Michael Curley’s desk was stolen from the premises some years back.

By Mia Lamar

Sometimes Lucy Holstedt dreams of living in the country. Leaving the city behind for good, and taking a one-way trip up north. All rustic mountains and lazy days by the pond.

Holstedt, a 15-year resident of Somerville, even wrote a song about it. However, when writing the song, she found that while ‚Äúliving‚Äù in the country, she dreamed of life back in the city, where ‚Äúthe basement bars down the block/laundrys open ’til 12 o’clock.‚Äù