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Review by Off The Shelf correspondent Dennis Daly

James R. Scrimgeour communes with spirits and he does it with wit and wisdom. In Scrimgeour’s new poetry collection, Voices of Dogtown, he conjures up the denizens of a long abandoned New England village on the outskirts of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The few specters that still haunt this plot of land, called Dogtown, are not happy campers. Without any mollycoddling, the poet gives them voices and listens to their grievances, all the while working into these poems a jumble of scholarly citations, guidebook descriptions, ekphrastic commentaries, and even conjectures from an earlier eminent poet. Consider this book a topographical and historical adventure. At the end of his introductory poem entitled Dogtown, Scrimgeour sets the tone:

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After living in Los Angeles for many years, Jake Tringali is now back in his home city of Boston. Runs rad restaurants. Thrives in a habitat of bars, punk rock shows, and late-night adventures. Jake writes about the edges of society, and frequently about the things we no longer see, such as the hidden letters of the alphabet (“recanted”). With a strong background in cyberpunk and the hard sciences, he has a focus on the intersection of technology and human interaction. The reader will find him equally comfortable inside a mosh pit, or enjoying a 12-course dinner service. First published in 2014. Journals include Catch & Release, Boston Poetry Magazine, Indiana Voice Journal, and forty other fine periodicals.

Arrests:
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Jarod Bryan, of 65 Legate Hill Rd., Leominister, September 30, 12:14 p.m., arrested at Middlesex Ave. on charges of larceny under $1200 and possession of a class B drug.

David Polyak, of 32 Sciarappa St., Cambridge, September 30, 10:49 p.m., arrested at Washington St. on a warrant charge of operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs.

5 puppet performances in East Somerville
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The Somerville Arts Council takes you on one last adventure: “Puppet Palooza 2019: Tales from Around the World!” Stories have always been a connective thread that brings cultures together. For this series, Tales from Around the World, our featured performers bring those stories to life. Audiences are whisked away on journeys to far-away lands featuring global tales from Africa, Persia, Indonesia, and many more. So, grab your passport and prepare for thrilling escapes and unexpected surprises along the way.

Copies of ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ now available at all library branches.

The Somerville Public Library announces the 2019 “Somerville Reads” events series. Somerville Read is a citywide reading initiative that encourages all Somerville residents to read and discuss the same book to promote literacy and community engagement. Throughout the month of October, the Somerville Public Library will host various intergenerational programs including discussions, book clubs, and more, all related to the themes found in The Haunting of Hill House, the 2019 Somerville Reads selection.

Roughly 45 volunteers attended a special recognition event hosted by Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services at The Independent in Somerville on September 19. The recognition will become an annual event, going forward.

The contributions of volunteers who assist older adults took center stage at a special volunteer appreciation event hosted by Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) on September 19.

In thanking those who attended, Executive Director Paul Hollings noted that SCES has more volunteers than employees, saying they play an important role in helping local older adults maintain health and independence.

The Kennedy School’s indoor and outdoor spaces were colorfully updated during the school day on Friday, September 20 during the second City Year/Biogen Care Deeply day of service in the district in as many weeks. Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, district Assistant Superintendent Chad Mazza, and several other Kennedy School and Somerville Public Schools staff offered words of appreciation to the City Year and Biogen team members during the opening ceremony.

Dear Community Supporters,

The George Dilboy Post 529’s Annual Marine Corps Birthday Celebration will be held on November 10, 2019, all veterans are invited and encouraged to attend. This year marks the 244th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. For the past 21 years, members have gather each year to honor those that served and continue to serve and by providing toys for disadvantaged children.

Join the city’s Engineering Department to discuss flooding issues on Richdale Ave. at a community meeting on Tuesday, October 29. Residents are invited to share their observations and concerns about flooding on their streets and learn about flood mitigation the city is working on. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Somerville High School auditorium, 81 Highland Ave.

Join the city’s Engineering Department to discuss flooding issues on Perry, Dane, and Lake Streets at a community meeting on Tuesday, October 15. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Argenziano School cafeteria, 290 Washington St.