By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Taking a closer look at this month’s notable city data.

8: That’s the percent of Somerville High School students who reported taking part in binge alcohol use (consuming 5 or more drinks in a row within a couple hours) on a recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey administered by the Massachusetts Department of Education. While this figure shows a significant decline from the 21 percent of students who reported binge drinking to the same degree in 2006, it proves there is still work to be done to ensure our youth are engaging in safe and productive behavior.