Eagle Feathers #197 – Old Put

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

He was born and raised in Salem Village, today’s Danvers, Massachusetts. As a young man, he moved to Connecticut when it was still considered a frontier. He was a Major with Rogers Rangers during the French and Indian War and narrowly escaped death at the stake as an Indian prisoner. He aided in the capture of Havana in 1762, the relief of Detroit during Pontiac’s War in 1764 and preceding the Revolution, was a charter member of the Sons of Liberty.

The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival will run from February 7 to 17 at the Somerville Theatre.

The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival (Boston SciFi) is an 11-day cinematic event held at the historic Somerville Theatre from February 7 to the 17.

The 2020 edition marks its 45th anniversary as the longest running genre fest in America. The first nine days consists of a traditional film festival. Whether they be features, shorts, webisodes, workshops, parties or a new Hollywood film, BostonSciFi emphasizes emerging directors with distinct visions from around the globe.

*

Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Dennis Daly

Well-titled and well-introduced, Timothy Gager’s new poetry collection, Spreading Wild Flowers, both celebrates and broods on everyday life and the persistence of a medieval-generated, but contemporary version, of a morally centered Everyman. Gager’s wiry verses come at you from all directions, each bloom well-rooted and well protected against predatory aesthetes and lackadaisical flower pickers. Lushness seems beside the point to this poet. Themes of hardscrabble continuity and day-to-day endurance drive these poems.

*
Carolynn Kingyens was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia. She grew up in a row home, the youngest of seven children. Her poems have been featured in Boxcar Poetry Journal, The Potomac, Glass: Journal of Poetry, The Orange Room Review, Red Eft Review, Across the Margin, Eunoia Review, Tuck Magazine, Schuylkill Valley Journal, Haggard & Halloo, and Word Riot. She was nominated for Best New Poets by Silenced Press. Carolynn often draws inspiration from the Earnest Hemmingway quote: All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know. Her latest collection is Before the Big Bang Makes a Sound.

Many teachers have great ideas on how to make their classrooms a better place for their students to learn math.  The teachers’ ideas frequently outrun the budget schools have for supplies and their own ability to subsidize their classroom. The Somerville Mathematics Fund tries to fill this need through the generosity of their donors.

Arrests:
*

Erik Oxley, of 1200 Washington St., Boston, January 30, 4:17 p.m., arrested at Artisan Way on warrant charges of possession of a class B drug, assault and battery, fraud in hiring a vehicle, shoplifting by asportation.

Michael Krawec, of 204 Washington St., January 31, 6:35 p.m., arrested at Somerville Ave. on a charge of shoplifting by asportation.

Vincent A. “Sonny” LoPresti, born March 8, 1939, passed away on January 25, 2020 after a long illness. He will be remembered for his love of family, friends, politics, and his childhood home, the West End. Vincent, a former Somerville Alderman and MA Governor’s Councilor, was the son of late Senator Michael LoPresti, Sr. and Anna Katon LoPresti, brother to Anna Todesca, the late Gloria Evendoll, and the late Senator Michael LoPresti, Jr. Known by family and friends as “Sonny,” Vincent is survived by his wife Patricia LoPresti, his children Michael LoPresti, Luann Carroll, Stephen LoPresti, Deborah Perkins, William Aiello, Karin Griffin, James Aiello, Michael Aiello, Patricia LoPresti Gamelin, and Sunny LoPresti. He also leaves behind 16 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren who affectionately knew him as “Papa” or “Chopper.”

Join staff from the City of Somerville’s Mobility Division, City Councilors Jesse Clingan, Ben Ewen-Campen, and Matt McLaughlin, city Staff and Gilman Square Neighborhood Association (GSNA) for a community meeting about the future of Gilman Square, on Thursday, February 12. Staff will present conceptual designs for intersection and road improvements that will support multi-modal transportation and future development in Gilman Square, and receive feedback from community members about the design. The meeting will be held at the Winter Hill Community School, 115 Sycamore St., on Wednesday, February 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Meet the Savvy Caregiver Instructors: Liz Aguilo (left) is a clinical social worker and Executive Director of Paine Senior Services. Nathaniel Meyer (right) is a licensed Social Worker with the SCES Adult Family Care program.

By Nathan Lamb

Registration is now open for Savvy Caregiver, a free training program that provides family caregivers with skills and knowledge about dementia.

Offered by Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, in partnership with Mount Auburn Hospital, the program emphasizes practical training that helps family caregivers navigate challenges of dementia.

Book Fair news from the Healey! They decided to do something a little off the beaten path this year for their annual book fair. This year, they  will accept gently used books from bookshelves all over Somerville to sell for the book fair.