The winner of our Christmas Poem contest for 2015, chosen by the staff of The Somerville Times, is Daniel Spinosa of Somerville. The winner will receive a gift certificate for Mount Vernon restaurant in the amounts of $100. We thank everyone who participated and submitted their poems.

KELLY, Kenneth K. – Of Winchester December 23, 2015. Beloved husband of Kim (Roop) Kelly. Loving son of Thomas and Catherine (Kearney) Kelly of Ireland. Devoted father of Michael and Samantha Kelly. Son-in-law of William and Karen Roop of Concord. Dear brother of Naill Kelly of Bermuda and Alan Kelly of Medford. Uncle of Fiona, Aidan, and Scarlett. Brother–in-law of Matthew Roop of Maine. Also survived by many loving friends.

By Jim Clark

Police were dispatched to the Target store on Somerville Ave. last week on reports of a suspected shoplifter who was behaving erratically.

The store security personnel reportedly advised police by phone that a man, later identified as Donald Frost, of Malden, had been observed concealing store merchandise on his person over a four hour period. They further stated that Frost was behaving in an aggressive manner, at one point crashing into another customer with his shopping cart.

By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

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

The holidays are upon us, but it seems all anyone can talk about is the weather. Yes, it’s unseasonably warm out there. The good news is it isn’t due to some radical shift in global climate. Yet it does serve as a reminder that man made climate change is taking place and the effects will be far more profound than being able to wear a t-shirt when you head out for a run on Christmas day.

Changes may be in store for the currently proposed Green Line Extension routes. (click to enlarge)

By Haley ED Houseman

Plagued with enormous cost overruns and questions about feasibility, the MBTA Green Line Extension Project (GLX) now faces possible abandonment and loss of the previously allocated federal financial aid. The project is legally mandated as a way to offset air quality concerns centered on the effects of the Big Dig, and was intended to be implemented by 2011.

By Glad Auguste

Taza Chocolate, a big local favorite, has its roots in Mexico.

Walk into Taza and you’ll find people tethered to the shelves trying to reconcile the canyon of samples between them. This is chocolate.

Established in 2005 by Alex Whitmore and Kathleen Fulton, Taza Chocolate owes its being to Oaxaca, Mexico. That is where Whitmore tried stone-ground chocolate for the first time and where he apprenticed under a molinero, or miller. When he returned to his home in Somerville he opened a factory, the result of that venture is a company that exports its product in virtually every state in the country.

By Josie Grove

The city’s most familiar historical landmark is undergoing some much needed shoring up and refurbishing, thanks to the expert work being provided by MJS Construction Inc.

The granite tower looming over Union Square is just over one hundred years old, but its symbolic significance is much older. Prospect Hill was strategically important during the American Revolution, and is the site of first raising of the thirteen-striped Great Union Flag, unfurled on January 1, 1776. In honor of this occasion, the mayor of Somerville hikes to the top of the tower every year on January 1 to raise a flag.

We, the owners, staff and all associates of The Somerville Times would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a prosperous New Year for 2016. We want to thank all our readers and fans for their support in helping to make The Somerville Times the largest circulating community newspaper here in Somerville. We have worked hard to fill the paper with Somerville people and their stories over these past several years, and we’re proud of what we have accomplished. We hope you continue to support us over the new year and, once again, from our family to yours, God bless everyone and thank you.

On Christmas Eve, I will be serving tzimmes as a side dish to accompany a smoked ham. The sweet, salty and smoky flavors go so well together, it’s sure to become a new favorite for you. Tzimmes is a Yiddish dish and is typically part of the Rosh Hashanah meal. There are many variations of this sweet dish most of which include carrots and dried fruit. I have researched different variations of recipes and adapted it to flavors of my liking. But I can tell you that this dish is so satisfying and delicious that no excuse of a holiday is needed to serve at your next gathering. It’s so easy to prepare that you place everything in a crock pot and walk away.

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

It’s that time of year and folks look stressed as they rush from shop to shop to create a holiday that exceeds expectations.

As current and past presidents of the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), our wish lists have changed over the years. Instead of wishing for the newest tech toy, we hope for a future for Somerville in which people of all incomes can continue to co-exist and where everyone has a home they can afford, a job with a livable wage, and a network of peers to find support and build a movement to improve the community. We’re sure you agree.