Happy 128th birthday Grandpa

On February 13, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

I’m writing this on my Grandpa’s birthday. He was born on February 10, 1892. He would have been 128 years old. I knew him until I was 11 years old in 1964 when he passed.

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Bringing nature to the city

On February 12, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

Boston Medical Center’s rooftop farm manager Lindsay Allen spoke at an event sponsored by the Somerville Public Library where the benefits of urban rooftop gardening were discussed.

By Isabel Sami

The Somerville Public Library hosted an event on urban gardening held at Remnant Brewery on Wednesday, February 5. Speaking at the event was Lindsay Allen, a farmer and educator who is currently the farm manager at Boston Medical Center’s rooftop farm and also operations director at Higher Ground Farm.

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Somerville Police have been exploring measures aimed at mitigating gang violence among the city’s youth, according to a report to the Public Health and Public Safety Committee by Chief David Fallon.

By Anna Schaeffer

Members of the Somerville community and Somerville City Council Public Health and Public Safety Committee gathered on Wednesday, January 29, in the City Hall Sub-Committee Room to discuss matters of public health and safety.

First to be discussed was a request for information from the Somerville Police Department regarding a new restorative justice program formed in early 2019, similar to that used in Cambridge, Arlington, and Boston.

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A February 6 article in the Boston Globe described  Encore Boston Harbor’s proposal to replace an 800-foot pedestrian bridge connecting Assembly Row across the Mystic River to the casino with an aerial gondola. The next day, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a $13.7 million contract to complete the 11.5-mile Northern Strand Trail, which would now dead-end at the site of this long-anticipated bridge.

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Newstalk – February 12

On February 12, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers and fans. We hope everyone has a great day with their significant other or with close family and friends. Enjoy the day!

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Plastic straw and stirrer ordinance goes into effect

On February 12, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

In May of 2019, the Somerville City Council passed an ordinance banning the use of plastic straws and/or stirrers in all food and retail establishments within the City of Somerville. This ordinance went into effect on February 9, 2020; however, during the first six months, only warnings will be issued to give businesses a chance to substitute alternative products.

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Davis Square: Now or Never

On February 12, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

(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.)

By Matthew McLaughlin
City Council President

Davis Square ain’t what it used to be.

That is good or bad depending on your perspective. When I grew up outside of Davis it was a collection of rundown buildings and dive bars. Later it became the “Paris of the 90’s,” the economic and social hub of Somerville. That boom was followed by rapid displacement that forced people like me out of the neighborhood we grew up in.

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Staples Connect opens in Somerville

On February 12, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

The Grand Opening of Staples Connect in Somerville took place on Wednesday, February 5. Staples representatives were joined by Somerville City Councilors Jesse Clingan and Katjana Ballantyne to “turn on the wi-fi” and officially open the doors to the new Staples Connect.

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‘Ibbetson Street (#46)’

On February 12, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

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Review by Marcia D. Ross

If there were a contest of best first lines in Ibbetson Street (#46), the winner would have to be a toss-up between several contenders. Mary Buchinger’s brief Song begins with “The river didn’t say” – an effortless glide into the exquisite (but never fancy) river of the language of imagery and sound that comprises the entire poem. In a distinctly different way, Denise Provost’s first line, “You might have crept up, grabbed us by surprise–” is, like the rest of the poem, in fetching Petrarchan sonnet-form, trying to fend off a brutal hurricane’s dreaded arrival. These two have many rivals, but first lines are important.

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Lyrical Somerville – February 12

On February 12, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

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Susan Tepper is a twenty-year writer and the author of eight published books of fiction and poetry. What Drives Men is a quirky road novel and her most recent book that came out from Wilderness House Press in June, and was shortlisted at American Book Fest. Tepper has worked a variety of jobs that include actress, singer, flight attendant, marketing manager, cable TV producer, interior decorator, rescue worker and more. A new poetry book will be coming out in April. Tepper is a native New Yorker. www.susantepper.com

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