The city is considering restricting the hours of use for the Lincoln Park Skate Park due to complaints of excess noise by area residents. — Photo courtesy of Spohn Ranch Skate Parks

By Jim Clark

An order was put forward members of the Somerville Board of Aldermen at their latest meeting last week asking the Board’s Committee on Legislative Matters to consider amending Ordinance 12-48, relating to the hours of operation of skate parks.

The intent of the order, co-sponsored by Alderman At-Large Mary Jo Rossetti and Alderman At-Large Stephanie Hirsch, was to engage in conversation about the ordinance as a response in part to concerns expressed by constituents who reside near these parks.

(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)
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By Amy Mertl
Assistant Professor of Biology, Lesley University

This past August, Chris Dwan and Renée Scott sounded the alarm at the increasing destruction of Somerville’s urban forest in their Somerville Times letter. As they argue, the loss of our tree canopy is concerning due to the many ecological benefits trees provide our city such as CO₂ sequestration, storm water uptake, and climate change mitigation. However, recent studies have shown that our connection with urban trees is even more personal, with trees providing a wide range of health and social benefits. It is time that we consider our urban trees to be more than decorative ornaments to be removed when inconvenient, and instead view them as a vital public health resource that requires protection and support.

Dylan Hartigan, a finalist from The Voice this past season, will be playing a show at Thunder Road this coming Thursday, 10 at 8:00 p.m. with local bands as his special guests: Binge Magick and Hunter.

Hartigan was a fan favorite of his season, being stolen by both Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. His battle with Voice Winner and Massachusetts native, Brynn Cartelli, was a best of the season.

Eagle Feathers #164 – The Cannon

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

The celebrated USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship in the world and the pride of our country, is berthed in the Boston Naval Shipyard at Charlestown. She received the nickname, Old Ironsides, while in battle during the War of 1812.

Josh Brown and Pam Norgustin of Warren J. Nordin & Son painting company strip thick layers of paint from the cannon on the hill on July 25, 2018. The cannon is being stripped down to the base for the first time in decades. (Alonso Nichols/Tufts University)

A decades-old Tufts University tradition of students painting messages of encouragement, resistance, love and celebration on a historic cannon located on campus just got a refresh. Thousands of layers of paint – weighing 2,000 pounds – were removed from the cannon to stabilize the fixture and allow for new generations of Jumbos to enjoy.

For years, tradition has dictated that the cannon must be painted under cover of darkness. Students who paint the cannon are then tasked with guarding their work until dawn to make sure their message is not painted over during the night.

As part of Safe Routes to school National Walk to School Day, the Winter Hill Community Innovation School PTA hosted a “Walk and Roll to School Day” event on Wednesday, October 10. Students and parents were encouraged to walk or bike (or otherwise roll) to school that morning. The festivities started at 7:00 a.m. in the Winter Hill schoolyard with music, special prizes, and an opportunity for students and parents to meet PTA officers and representatives from several partner city departments and organizations including Shape Up Somerville, The Beautiful Stuff Project, and Somerville Cares About Prevention.

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Monica Hileman joined me at my table at Remnant Brewing in the new Bow St. Market in Union Square, Somerville. The large wooden table, the view of the courtyard, the tasty brews, made a perfect spot for conversation.

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George Rosatone is a freshman at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. He grew up in Woburn, MA, where he first developed his passion for writing and photography. Currently, he spends his time writing poetry, short stories, and working on photography projects, with hopes of one day finding his path as a film director.