By Jim Clark

On Wednesday afternoon of last week, Somerville Police Dispatch received a call for shots fired in the area of Myrtle St. at Perkins St. Officers dispatched to the scene found one spent 9mm shell casing.

Witness reports provided police with descriptions of a male suspect and a vehicle seen leaving the area shortly after the shots were heard.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

The Next Wave and Full Circle Alternative schools’ 22nd Annual Tree Lot Fundraiser is well underway at the Edgerly Building on the corner of Cross Street and Bonair Street.

The League of American Bicyclists last week recognized the City of Somerville with a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award, advancing from the City’s previous Silver Level distinction. Somerville joins its neighbor Cambridge as one of only two communities in Massachusetts to earn the Gold Level award. There are 29 Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Communities across the country.

Allstate agency owners support nonprofits’ work to provide supportive services to survivors of domestic violence

Boston-area Allstate agency owners are coming together to host a supply drive to benefit Casa Myrna of Boston and RESPOND, Inc. of Somerville. The donations will support the nonprofits’ missions to provide shelter and supportive services to domestic violence survivors and their families. The supply drive is part of a multi-state Allstate Foundation Purple Purse^® donation effort that will benefit domestic violence nonprofits throughout Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C. and West Virginia.

The Tufts University Department of Music presents Tufts Sunday Concert Series – Tufts Wind Ensemble: Poetry in the Winds, by Tufts Wind Ensemble, in the Distler Performance Hall at the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 3 p.m.

Donations can be dropped off at the Office of Veterans’ Services located in the City Hall Annex at 50 Evergreen Ave. or at the Welcome desk at Somerville City Hall .

Somerville Office of Veterans’ Services Partners with Fisher College Student Veterans for “Adopt-a-Service Member” Campaign

For 11 Years Fisher College has adopted a service member overseas and in their honor, the Fisher community has come together to assemble care packages to send to our troops overseas. This year, the Somerville Office of Veterans’ Services joins the Fisher College Student Veterans’ Organization to collect items to send to our troops.

Just in time to complete your holiday shopping, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission has “Preserving Somerville” merchandise available for sale. The T-shirts (youth and adult sizes), long-sleeved shirts, and tote bags, designed by Somerville High School students, come in a variety of colors that can be viewed on the Commission’s website at www.somervillema.gov/historicpreservation. Full color woven and washable afghans are also available and include images of iconic historic sites in the City.

Join Mayor Curtatone and City staff for Somerville’s annual holiday celebrations, kicking off on Thursday, December 7, with the Christmas Tree Lighting and visit from Santa Claus, on the City Hall Concourse.

Taking a closer look at notable city data – and interesting numbers.

By Joseph A. Curtatone 

(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)

1 of 2 Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Communities in Massachusetts: The League of American Bicyclists announced last week that Somerville earned the distinction of a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community, joining our neighbors in Cambridge as the only two communities in the Commonwealth to do so. There are 29 Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Communities in the United States.

The Board of Aldermen is considering amendments to the city’s rodent control ordinance that would increase penalties for those found in violation of the official rules and guidelines.

By Jim Clark

The City of Somerville’s Board of Aldermen once again took a look at the issue of rodent control at their latest meeting, this time examining the possibilities of increasing penalties and fines for those who do not follow established guidelines in the ongoing battle against rodent infestation.