With cannabis outlets soon to be opened in the city, a look at regulations concerning the use of these products as well as tobacco is considered necessary by the Board of Aldermen.

By Jim Clark

The Somerville Board of Aldermen took up the matter of smoking in public places and approved a resolution requesting that a representative of the Board of Health and the Administration work with the Committee on Public Health and Public Safety to revamp the city’s current ordinances and regulations for the use of tobacco and cannabis products in public places, and recommend signage and posting locations to inform the public where the consumption of those products is prohibited, along with fines for violation.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Somerville Chief of Police David Fallon have confirmed that Anthony Canejo Senior, 57, of Somerville, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Middlesex Superior Court to manslaughter, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in violation of a restraining order, violating a restraining order and improper disposal of human remains in connection with the 2014 death of Vincent Lalli, 66, of Somerville. Judge Merita Hopkins sentenced the defendant to 18 to 20 years in prison with ten years probation from and after during which the defendant was ordered to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet. 

Activist music festival hits the streets this weekend
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The 13th Annual HONK! Festival, the 3-day free festival bringing brass bands from all over the United States and the world to Somerville for a celebration of music, community and activism takes place this week, October 5 – 7.

We heard this week marks the 42nd Anniversary of the ending of the Vietnam War. To all those that served, we thank you for and appreciate your service.

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The “A Ball for Squares” event in Ball Square on Sunday was quite a success, with hundreds of people attending. Many businesses had tables out to show what they offer or to give away items. We thank Lauren S. Drago, the Urban Revitalization Specialist from the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. Mayor Joe was seen out and about at the event and lots of people thanked him. Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang and Alderman At-Large Mary Jo Rossetti were also in attendance. We think the event was a huge success. Maybe another one should be done?

Eagle Feathers #163 – The Ropewalk

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

If you were to list what items were in man’s first tool chest, rope would be found front and center. How old is rope and twine? No one knows for sure. It was made by hand since the Stone Age and may even predate the wheel. Egyptians used it to raise the pyramids. The English used it on their longbows. Every ship that sailed the seas found it essential. It has been defined as a braided, twisted and turned length of fiber used for hauling, lifting, tying, and securing almost anything.

Whether it be homegrown or imported, we have at our fingertips an incredibly diverse and nearly exhaustive supply of mellifluous entertainment to keep us amused and amazed as we watch it pass through our community.

The same goes for commitment to political and social issues. It’s natural for the HONK! Festival organizers to choose our community in which to hold this event. Activism thrives here, driven by a long tradition of dialog on important issues of the day and a genuine concern for the betterment of our own community as well as that of the world at large.

Somerville Rotary welcomes their new member Lisa Ramos of Century Bank. Ramos joined Century Bank in 2000 and has built many strong relationships with her customers over the past 18 years. She currently serves as the Branch Manager in Somerville and strives to provide excellent customer service to her customers. She prides herself on the fact that she has earned the trust of her customers through courteous, knowledgeable service and attention to detail. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the branch and also performs business development activities. Ramos is looking forward to work with other Rotarians to provide service to those in need in the Somerville community.

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I saw Jessica Eshleman in the crowded Bloc11 Cafe. She gave me a sort of a half bow, got her coffee, and joined me in my inner sanctum at the back of the Bloc.

Eshleman seems to be a person of abundant energy, and is well-oiled in the mechanics of how to handle an interview.

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Linda Haviland Conte is the author of Slow As A Poem (Ibbetson Street Press, 2002). Her poems are included in the anthologies City of Poets: 18 Boston Voices and Out of the Blue Writers Unite. She serves on the board of the New England Poetry Club as treasurer, and recently retired from working in the Somerville Public Schools. Conte has participated as a panelist at the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Poetry Festivals (2017).