- Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

It’s been a long time coming, but after several years of planning, Assembly Square’s development is on schedule to break ground in the second half of 2011, bringing in new residential, professional and recreational features to Somerville.

Now entering the final phases of design, the Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT) is clearing its last bureaucratic hurdles to begin construction of the first phase of long-planned square, which will include two new apartment buildings with 400 units between them, a cinema to replace the abandoned one, and a hotel along a brand new Main Street which will house small and medium-sized retail.

Somerville artist Michael J. Epstein's online video scored almost 2,000 hits in a few days last week.

Popular web video latest in string of hits

By George P. Hassett

A dead squirrel, city official and local rapper have this in common: they’ve carved out a spot for themselves in the world of Internet sensations and put Somerville on the cyber map for funky, irreverent web humor.

Last week, Somerville musician Michael J. Epstein released a satirical web video purporting to show the unveiling of Mummified Squirrel National Park – “a place where mummified squirrels will be allowed to roam free without bias, without mistreatment” – at a small spot on the sidewalk on Elm Street.

- Photo by Andrew Firestone

By George P. Hassett

Clearing poppy fields in Thailand is not the usual experience for new Somerville police officers but Tom Pasquarello is not coming onto the force as the usual officer: he’ll be starting as chief in about three months after Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone selected him last week.

Pasquarello, who has worked with Drug Enforcement Agency for 28 years, has spent the last five years in Bangkok, Thailand leading narcotics enforcement in 34 countries, from China to Austrailia.

By George P.  Hassett

A Malden man was arrested Aug. 11 after he allegedly stole $590 worth of electric wire from Home Depot and tried to fight responding security officers.

Paul Murray, 34, of 55 Hunting St., Malden, was arrested and charged with possession of a class E drug, larceny over $250 and a warrant charge.

Arrests

Keith LaPorta, 23, of 199 Pearl St., Aug. 10, 12:34 p.m., arrested on Prospect Street on warrant charges.

Emanuel Lausana, 27, of 5 River Rd., Aug. 10, 2:23 p.m., arrested on Ash Avenue and charged with resisting arrest and possession of a dangerous weapon.

Passing the casino’s buck, sinking the bottle bill, and throwaway living: The high cost of not redeeming more bottles

By Kathleen Willis Morton

(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.)

At the end of the last senatorial session the Bottle Bill wiped-out in the Ways and Means Committee sunk under the weight of a controversial Casino Bill, which was a recycled issue from a year ago, where they both crashed and got rag-dolled in the whitewash.

Now we’re all taking a greater gamble that the world’s oceans will stay safe, fishable, and recreational against increasing research that has many thinking the odds are they won’t.

By Mike Rubin

After a strong push to end the regular season, the Somerville Alibrandi’s continued to place their run for another Yawkey League Championship into high gear.

Following a strong 7-0 win over the Revere Rockies in the opener of the best of three series last Thursday, the Alibrandis rolled to a strong 6-0 shutout win on Friday. With a commanding 2-0 series lead as of press time the Alibrandis are leaving no stone unturned.

By George P. Hassett

A Cambridge man was arrested Aug. 11 after he allegedly stole cash and credit cards from a patron at Diesel Cafe in Davis Square.

John McLean, 50, allegedly stole a woman’s hand bag and staggered out of the cafe, police said.

By Ashley Troutman

Photo taken at the Race Track in Death Valley

Catch a glimpse of Israel, Austria, California, and more at the SCAT gallery in Union Square. Somerville photographer, Scott Dicks’ exhibit of large-scale photos Expanse, will be on display for the rest of the month.

Dicks is a street photographer, and uses a digital dark room and wide-angle lenses. “I’ve always been a fan of using the physical zoom, your legs,” Dicks said.

By Mike Rubin

With the official Rugby World Cup commencing this week, the USA squad is certainly thriving in the experiences of preparation.

Over a week into the residency in England, Somerville native Jamie Burke is using this time, not only to bond with her teammates, but also to spend some quality time in the weight room, while fine tuning her conditioning.