Gilman Square GLX Block Party set for 9/15; “A Ball for Squares” planned in Ball Square 9/30.

With construction for the Green Line Extension Project (GLX) now underway and ramping up in the coming weeks, the City of Somerville is partnering with local business organizations to host pop-up events at locations for several of the future GLX stations. Please join us for one of the following events this month, and stay tuned for additional events as GLX construction continues.

 Gilman Square Block Party September 15

(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 Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

A monthly look at ways to get involved with your city: Don’t just live in Somerville, be Somerville!

GLX Community Meeting to Discuss Upcoming Bridge Closures, September 24

Although timelines are subject to change, current plans for construction of the Green Line Extension (GLX) call for the full closure of the Broadway Bridge, just east of Ball Square, for one full year beginning in January 2019. While the bridge is closed, detours will be in place for cars, bikes, pedestrians, and MBTA bus routes 80 and 89.

By Jim Clark

A Somerville police officer was dispatched to the Holiday Inn at 30 Washington Street last week for a check condition call.

Upon arrival, the officer spotted the reported vehicle in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn. The subject of the call, Abner Puig, was sitting in the driver’s seat and another individual was sitting in the rear passenger seat.

The Somerville Auxiliary Fire Department was recently recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency as a CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team). A CERT is trained in emergency responses for disasters in our community. Each member is trained in CPR/first aid and is trained in emergency response situations. Our team is located at 259 Somerville Ave (public safety building). If you would like to become part of your community CERT, please call 617-623-1700 ×8410 or message us on facebook somerville Auxiliary Fire/Cert team. Be a part of your community, join today

As stated below, going forward, the City of Somerville will officially observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The official proclamation was officially entered into the public record at 3 p.m. Thursday. A statement from Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone is below.

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR JOSEPH A. CURTATONE

This year on Monday, October 8, the City of Somerville will observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We will join – among many others – Alaska, Vermont, Durango, Colo., and Traverse City, Mich., in doing the right thing. It’s been an issue we’ve given careful consideration, and many inside and outside our city have made compelling arguments for this change.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

On this past Election Day, I remembered what my dad always said. “Vote for the Italians first!” Ah, the wisdom of our fathers.

When my dad got mad he turned into a very religious person. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” Jesus sometimes was referred to using the middle initial of “H.” In my eight years of parochial incarceration at St. Clements school they never mentioned a middle initial. Dad also made many references to Hell and who should go and how they should get there.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

Saturday, September 8, was a day full of live local music, dozens of local artists, free children’s activities, and of course the annual fireworks show over the Mystic River at sundown at Assembly Row.

Along with the dwindling number of trees on public lands, city officials have growing concerns about how many trees are being cut down on private property.

By Jim Clark

An order was put forward and approved at the latest regular meeting of the City of Somerville Board of Aldermen by Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang concerning the preservation of trees on private property within the city.

The order asks specifically that, In the interest of tree preservation in the City of Somerville, that the City Solicitor draft a revision of the City’s tree ordinance to include restrictions and regulations on cutting trees on private property of six inches in diameter or larger, and provide an explanation of how the proposed revised ordinance differs from the ones that Cambridge, Lexington and Newton have already passed to protect trees on private property.