Ball Square Festival planned for 9/22; Gilman Square Block Party set for 9/28

Construction for the Green Line Extension Project (GLX) is in full force, and the City of Somerville has partnered with local organizations to host events at locations for several of the future GLX stations. Please join us for the following events this month, and stay tuned for additional events as GLX construction continues.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced last week $33.6 million in direct assistance grants to 166 fire departments nationwide through the agency’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Additional phases will soon be announced.

The Somerville Fire Department will receive $77,047 from FEMA for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). The grant will be used for Mass Casualty and Active Shooter training for Somerville’s firefighters.

(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 Joseph A. Curtatone

The Greater Boston housing crisis is a complex problem that will require a variety of approaches to fix. In Somerville, we’ve been taking steps like building more housing, adopting our 20% inclusionary housing requirement, establishing a community land trust, opening our Office of Housing Stability, and enacting new regulations that will help keep more housing units on the market. But many of these steps will take time to have a broad impact, and we need to help the many people struggling to pay their rent now.

By Jim Clark

According to reports by the Massachusetts State Police, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle, believed to have been a garbage truck, this afternoon at approximately 2:30 p.m.

The victim, who is said to have sustained life-threatening injuries, was taken to the hospital for treatment.

(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 Matt Harutunian, Edith Mooers, and Tara Ten Eyck

Dear Editor,

The MIT RNAV Study has reached a point at which the communities impacted by the 2013 implementation of the 33L RNAV Standard Instrument Departure (SID) procedure are being asked to provide feedback to Massport about which proposed dispersion concepts are most desirable – and equitable – to our cities.

On Tuesday morning, August 27, the renovated turf field at East Somerville Community School (ESCS) formally reopened, just in time for the first day of school. As 6th grade ESCS teacher Julie Allen, who was on-hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony said, “I’m so happy for my students to be able to use the new soccer field. So many of them love soccer and it’s the best part of recess or afterschool for them.”

By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to a Moreland St. last week on reports of a possible break-in.

The reporting party said that a woman, identified as Crystal Clifford, of Brookline, was throwing rocks at the windows and trying to break into his house. He also stated that she was currently in a stolen motor vehicle somewhere in the area of Jacques St. and the Healey School.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Another one bites the dust. Kmart, in Assembly Square Marketplace, if it’s still called that, is closing. Just another part of our past that will soon be just a memory. My dear friend Blanche used to shop at its distant relative Kresge’s Basement. It’s getting to the point that conversations begin with, “remember when…?”

By Ross E. Blouin, Publisher

Each year at this time we make a request for all of you who are listening to the fantastic music of years gone by as presented on WJIB 740 AM and 101.3 FM. Bob Bittner from Maine is the genius who has kept these great tunes playing 24-7 for many years now. His stations are the only ones playing those wonderful songs from the 1930’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Boston-based guitarist extraordinaire Tony Savarino will be kicking off the release of his latest CD, “Savvy Tonarino,” at The Burren on Sunday, September 15.

Guitar wizard Tony Savarino to debut new CD
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By Blake Maddux

Boston-born guitarist Tony Savarino’s website states that he has “played in every band in Boston.”

This is not intended to be understood as anything other than tongue-in-cheek hyperbole that it obviously is. However, the Berklee graduate estimates that he has been a member of “probably over a hundred” local groups since 1985, with tenures ranging from 12 weeks to 10 years. The band that he currently fronts is called The Savtones.