– Photos by Bobbie Toner

Over 200 volunteers from Biogen Idec, The Elizabeth Peabody House, and KaBOOM!, along with Massachusetts District 26 State Representative Timothy Toomey, built a playground in one day, on Friday, September 20 at The Elizabeth Peabody House.

The SHS Freshman Girls Volleyball team is holding its own against the competition as the season begins to unfold.

The Somerville High School Freshman Girls Volleyball team is off to a good start this season with a 4-1 record. With wins against GBL rivals Cambridge, Malden, and Medford, the team is looking strong in their division. The first contest versus Lawrence went 3 sets with a win.

By Jim Clark

While working a paid detail at the Cavalia show last Sunday, a police officer was advised that a disturbance was taken place inside the show tent and asked if he could stand close by in case the situation escalated out of control.

An interesting proposal was recently floated by Joseph Capuano when he suggested that the use – or overuse – of political campaign signage should be curtailed or even eliminated altogether in the city.

Judging by the reactions of some, it would seem as though the most fundamental constitutional rights of free speech were being threatened by jackbooted thugs lurking in the shadows, awaiting the opportunity to swoop down on their front yards or smash in their windows if they offended the wrong people.

Governor Deval Patrick, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Federal Realty Trust, and DCR celebrated the official opening of Baxter State Park at Assembly Row on Wed., Sept. 18.  There was a formal speaking program and ribbon cutting to celebrate the new 6.1-acre park on the banks of the Mystic River followed by a picnic with hot dogs, popcorn, ice cream, music and fun for the whole family.

Rarely do I venture from my home away from home at the Bloc11 Café or the Sherman Café in the Union Square section of town, but for Somerville novelist Lisa Borders I made an exception. After all– I heard a lot  about this talented writer who resides in the Paris of New England, but I never had a chance to interview her. So I journeyed to the hinterlands of Davis Square to speak to her at the famed literary haunt, the Diesel Café.

Tragedy causes us to be on perpetual high alert…poet Barbara Crane explains.

Alderman Ward One

Matthew C. McLaughlin  504

Elio LoRusso  369

Maureen Bastardi  364

Arrests:
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Albert Morales, 42, of 69 Elm St., Watertown, September 16, 12:03 p.m., arrested at 180 Somerville Ave. on charges of shoplifting by asportation and trespassing.

Steven Luongo, 51, of 597 Lafayette Rd., Hampton, NH, September 16, 2:17 p.m., arrested at 775 McGrath Hwy. on a warrant charge of disorderly conduct.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Somerville Commission for Women announce the Annual Candlelight Vigil in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month on Wednesday, October 2 at 6 p.m. at the Somerville Public Safety Building, 220 Washington Street. The vigil walk begins at 6 p.m. through Union Square, concluding with a speaking agenda at the Public Safety Building at 6:30 p.m.