The Somerville News Blog

Somerville lawyer is sentenced to 2-3 years in state prison in connection with mortgage stacking scheme

NEW BEDFORD - Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office announced the sentence of a former Somerville real estate attorney in connection with making false statements on mortgage applications and associated documents and using the funds secured from the loans for his own purposes, rather than paying off existing loans as directed by the new lenders. On September 28, 2009, Kevin Carey, age 49, of Middleboro, pled guilty in Middlesex Superior Court to the charges of Larceny Over $250 (8 counts) and Willfully Making a False Statement Regarding Financial Condition or Assets (7 counts). Today, Superior Court Judge D. Lloyd MacDonald sentenced Carey to two to three years in State Prison, followed by 10 years probation. Carey is also ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution. While practicing as a real estate lawyer in Somerville and Medford, Carey engaged in a scheme called "mortgage stacking" on four residential properties he or his family members owned. The scheme involved serially refinancing the loans on these properties, without paying off the existing loans. Carey was also the agent for a New England title insurance company which allowed him to issue title insurance policies on mortgage transactions he processed. Title insurance policies protect lenders in the event that there are defects in the title of the property. On various occasions between April 2002 through September 2004, Carey performed the functions of closing attorney on mortgage loans on each of the properties involved. Carey "stacked" three mortgages on a home in Medford, two mortgages each on two different properties in Everett, and one mortgage on his personal residence in Medford. Carey also falsified information on mortgage loan applications by omitting certain mortgages on the various properties, and also signed a family member's name on false mortgage applications and closing documents he created. When he received the proceeds of the loans, Carey did not pay off the existing mortgages on these properties, but rather used the funds for his own benefit. Carey issued title insurance policies or commitments in connection with the transactions, and the lenders were therefore protected, but ultimately the title insurance company suffered the financial loss. As a result of this scheme Carey stole over $2 million. The lenders remained unaware of the problem because Carey continued to make monthly payments on all of the loans. In November 2005, a database search by Fannie Mae flagged the multiple mortgages on one of the properties, triggering a notification to one of the lenders. The lender then notified the title insurance company of the problem. Lawyers for the title insurance company then referred the matter to the Attorney General's Office in March 2006. A Middlesex Grand Jury returned indictments against Carey on August 21, 2008. On September 12, 2008, Carey was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court at which time he entered a plea of not guilty and was released on personal recognizance. Carey entered a change of plea to guilty in Middlesex Superior Court on September 28, 2009. Today, Carey was sentenced in Bristol Superior Court, where Superior Court Judge D. Lloyd MacDonald was presiding. This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Margaret Parks of Attorney General Martha Coakley's Corruption and Fraud Division, and was investigated by State Police assigned to the Attorney General's Office and Investigator Carl Mullen of Attorney General Martha Coakley's Financial Investigations Division. Postal Inspector Daniel Bonda of the United States Postal Inspection Service also assisted in the case.

Somerville declares snow emergency effective Saturday, Dec. 19 at 5 p.m.

City’s Illuminations Tours to Proceed this Evening as Scheduled. SOMERVILLE - In accordance with the City's Snow Emergency Procedures, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has declared a snow emergency for the City of Somerville to go into effect at 5 p.m., Saturday, December 19th. During snow emergencies, parking is allowed on the odd-numbered side of the street only (unless otherwise posted). Cars not moved by 9 p.m. Saturday evening will be subject to ticketing and towing. Residents unable to find a parking space on the odd-numbered side of the street may park in any municipal or school parking lot for the duration of the emergency. A list of available city lots and other relevant information may be found on the City's website at www.somervillema.gov The Somerville Arts Council Illuminations Trolley Tours will continue as scheduled for today. Also, the City of Somerville reminds residents that it has already discontinued all street sweeping enforcement for the month of December. Street sweeping enforcement will resume in April, 2009. Residents who have not already done so may visit the City's website, www.somervillema.gov, to view snow emergency procedures, download the snow procedures brochure or sign up for Connect CTY telephone and email alerts and other time sensitive messages from the City. Residents may also sign up for Connect CTY calls and email by calling 311. In addition, flashing blue lights installed at 22 key intersections and entryways to the City will be activated immediately after the declaration of a snow emergency, and remain lit for the duration of the snow emergency. As in years past, prerecorded information is also available on the city's Information Hotline, 617-628-SNOW.

Ward 1 ResiStat Meeting

One of the updates given at the meeting were  the plans to rebuild the East Somerville Community School. By Ashley Taylor In East Somerville, crime is up, recycling is down, and repair projects are planned, or so residents learned at the Ward 1 Resistat meeting last Monday night, December 7, at the Capuano Early Childhood Center. ResiStat is a series of public meetings at which residents of each ward meet with city officials to discuss data about city operations. ResiStat is the outreach program of SomerStat, a group which, in the words of Somerstat analyst Eric Friedman, "help[s] the Mayor's office to manage their departments using data to inform decision making." About 25 residents attended the meeting for the East Somerville ward, including a contingent of seniors from the Cobble Hill area, who came to promote a road resurfacing project in their neighborhood. Representing the city were heads of several city departments, Ward 1 Alderman William Roche, and Alderman-At-Large Dennis Sullivan. Mayor Curtatone, who had planned to speak at the Resistat meeting, was tied up with a particularly important School Committee Meeting the same evening, the Mayor's Office said. Monday's meeting opened with an overview of city spending for fiscal year 2009 and its plans for overcoming a 12.1 million dollar budget gap for fiscal year 2010, which began July 1. Next, city officials gave updates on plans for two large repair projects in East Somerville. Phil Ercolini, representing the Office of Strategic Planning, reported that the city will use federal stimulus money to finance the resurfacing of Washington Street in 2010. This came as good news to the Cobble Hill seniors, who had gathered a petition to promote the project, according to Alderman-At-Large Dennis Sullivan, who spoke with seniors at the meeting. Capital Projects Manager Gerald Boyle gave an update on plans to rebuild the East Somerville Community School after it burned down in December, 2007. Boyle said that the city has reached "a large insurance settlement," and is working with a state agency, the Mass School Building Authority, to make further plans to rebuild the school. Boyle made one thing clear: "Probably the primary question on everyone's minds is when, and I cannot answer that." Following these updates, city department heads led discussion groups on Strategic Planning, Community Policing, Traffic and Parking, and Environmental Programs. Discussions of citywide business, such as the expansion of permit parking and community policing initiatives, were similar to discussions at previous Resistat meetings covered by the Somerville News. In news specific to Ward 1, Somerville Police Chief Anthony Holloway reported that, though crime citywide is down 20 percent from last year, incidents of crime in East Somerville are much higher than the city average for 2009. He suggested that T stops can be hubs for crime "Because we have Sullivan Station, they actually take that, come in on the T, and they start to work, they come here 8 o' clock in the morning off the T and they start working, so it's mostly where the T stops are. " However, when a resident asked if the planned Green-Line expansion might lead to more crime, he changed his answer. saying "No, T has nothing to do with it; it's just one of those things where the group we're arresting right now, they're using it." On the environmental front, David Lutes, Director of the Office of Sustainability and the Environment reported that East Somerville has the lowest recycling rates in the city. East Somerville, which has trash pickup on Friday, recycles only 7.6 percent of its trash, compared to the citywide average of 14.3 percent. One resident responded to this news by pointing out that, ""We have one blue bin for our whole building of six apartments," a situation that may be true for many people. Another resident said of neighbors that, "They're not so much worried about recycling, they're more about maybe, you know, working."

Galluccio receives sentence for hit-and-run crash

By William Tauro State Sen. Anthony Galluccio pleaded guilty today in Cambridge District Court for an Oct. 4 hit-and-run accident that injured a 13-year-old Cambridge boy. The 42-year-old former Cambridge mayor was sentenced to six months home confinement, with the stipulation that he can leave his home to attend church on Sundays to cast votes at the State House. Galluccio was also ordered to surrender his drivers license for five years, and will be subject to random alcohol and drug testing. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. Galluccio had been convicted of drunken driving charges twice before the October incident, in 1984 and 1997.

Streets no longer a storage area

~Photo by William Tauro By William Tauro Once the city of Somerville's new parking regulations take effect on January 4, streets like New Washington Street and Middlesex Avenue won't have to tolerate illegal overnight parking from truckers any longer. A large number of trucks that usually park on both of these city streets can no longer use them as a storage area for their own personal use. Residential parking permits and commercial business permits will be required on vehicles to park on these streets, that will help to eliminate the same continuous problem from re-occurring day after day.

Somerville Lion's Clubhouse broken into for the second time

~Photos by William Tauro By William Tauro The Somerville Lion's clubhouse located at 9 New Washington Street was broken into for a second time in one month. The break-in was discovered at 11:00 Friday morning by a club member who noticed that the clubhouse front door open had signs of a forced entry. Two other inner doors were also damaged and showed signs of forced entry. The 1st floor of the Ralph and Jenny Building is used by the City of Somerville Council on Aging and the Alcohol Anonymous (AA) Association group for it's meeting. No items were reported missing.

Somerville Kiwanis host Toy for Tots event

Photo Left to Right‬‪: Somerville Kiwanis Club President Bob Costello‬‪, US Marine Sgt Schibner‬‪, Somerville Rotary Club President Tony Pierantozzi‬‪, US Marine Corporal Newsome‬‪ and Somerville Lion's Club President Bill Tauro‬. ~Photo by Ann Sabbey By William Tauro The Somerville Kiwanis Club hosted their annual Tri-Club Christmas event luncheon on Thursday together with the Somerville Lions and Somerville Rotary Club to benefit Toys for Tots at the Mt. Vernon Restaurant in Somerville. The Somerville High School Chorus led by chorus director and music teacher Dawn Daley as well as former Director and art & music teacher, Elaine McMichael, performed a wonderful selection of holiday classics. All of the city's three service club members joined in with a sing-along of "From the Halls of Montezuma" in honor of two the US Marines who came to represent the Toys for Tots program.‬‪ The annual event collected many donated unwrapped toys that are given to under-privileged children especially during the holiday season.

Somerville State Reps, education leaders critique Ed Reform Act of 2009

The Reform Act supports charter schools as viable alternatives within struggling school districts, Prospect Hill Academy is the only charter school in the city. By James Reddick Last Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the Aldermanic Chambers, State Representatives Denise Provost and Carl Sciortino, along with Jackie Lawrence, President of the Somerville Teachers Association, hosted a discussion on the Education Reform Act of 2009. Having passed the Senate on Nov. 17, the legislation is slated to be up for a vote in the House immediately following the Christmas recess. The Reform Act is not as all-encompassing as the name suggests. It targets those districts where schools are deemed to be failing and increases the allowances for charter schools and extends the authority of school district superintendents to intervene in "under-performing" schools. Somerville Public Schools Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi expressed his concern for the possible consequences of the legislation. "It furthers what is already an unfair advantage for charter schools and it creates a draconian element of authority over teachers in certain schools," he said. In one controversial element of the bill, should a school be deemed to be a Level Four under-performing school - a designation determined by MCAS results - the Superintendent is given the right to either renegotiate the union contracts or he/she is granted the right to force all employees of the school to reapply for their jobs. Not surprisingly, STA representative Jackie Lawrence expressed an opposition to such a measure. "This super-control could make it very hard for a low-performing school to hire new staff members," she said. Currently, Somerville does not have any schools that would be affected by the measures, but it is not guaranteed to remain in good standing in the future. The bottom 20% of schools in the state qualify for this dubious classification, but only 5% of the state's schools may be deemed under-performing at any given time. One of the central topics of discussion at the public forum was charter schools, as the bill supports them as viable alternatives within struggling school districts. It will remove caps on the statewide population that may be enrolled in charter schools and on the total number of charters allowed in the state. Furthermore, for those districts performing in the bottom 10%, which include Boston, Lawrence and Worcester, their net school spending percentage cap would increase to 18% percent over time. "We're not the worst situated community," Provost said, "but it's hard enough to sustain a parallel school system in a boom economy, let alone right now." Currently, Prospect Hill Academy is the only charter school in the city. Another provision of the bill that was met with general support, despite criticism that it may be too watered down and slow moving to actually effect change, is the creation of Innovation Schools. According to the bill, any school, with the approval of its faculty, may adopt an innovation plan that gives them wider authority to implement new educational tactics. Though in theory he supports such flexibility, Superintendent Pierantozzi questioned the means with which his schools might go about being truly innovative. "There are no resources in this bill," he lamented. With little time to go over the bill before a vote, Provost expects it to pass, though she pledged her opposition. Part of the motivation for its passage, the Representatives speculated, was the forthcoming Race To The Top funding allocation - an approximately $250 million pot that could be distributed throughout the state should it be deemed eligible. The approach to targeting struggling schools that the Education Reform Act endorses could put Massachusetts in better standing to receive this merit-based grant. "Whenever you have a race there are winners and losers," Provost said. "The motivation is to position Massachusetts to win this race, but this is temporary, one time money that is not guaranteed by this legislation."

Chief Holloway talks to the media in Florida before the Town Hall meeting Tuesday

Video link taken from 10.connects.com http://www.wtsp.com/

Newstalk for December 16

Tonight, Dec. 16, there will be another hearing on the Green Line by DOT, but this time its only about
the MBTA Maintenance Facility and where they will put it. The hearing starts at 6pm and goes to 8pm at will be held in Cambridge at the Multicultural Arts Center (41 2nd Street - one block from Lechmere Square). All residents should be concerned about where the faculty is going to be built - make sure you are there and your voice is heard.
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The 13th annual Illuminations Tour will be on Saturday, Dec. 19th. Tours leave at 4:30pm, 5pm, 5:45pm, 6:15pm, 7pm, 7:30pm, 8:15pm, 8:45pm and 9:15pm. If there is bad weather, the rain date will be Sunday, Dec. 20th. Tour guides lead trolleys past the city's most spectacular residential displays of holiday pomp, sharing stories about the families that decorate and local historic trivia en route. Tours begin and end at City Hall at 93 Highland Ave. Tickets are $10, $5 for children 12 and under and seniors 60 and up, and are available at Blue Cloud Gallery at 713 Broadway in Ball Square.
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Send us your favorite photo of your choice of "The Best of Somerville - Best Decorated House for Christmas" Send your photos to photos@thesomervillenews.com and share it with the rest of the 'Ville!
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There will be a community meeting held by the Mayor, Alderman Pero, and the Mayor's Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development to discuss the Mystic River Reservation Recreational Path Extension (Wellington Undercarriage). The meeting will take place on Thursday, December 17th beginning at 6:30 p.m., at the Mystic Activity Center, 535 Mystic Avenue. The path extension will connect under Route 28 at the Mystic River to link Ten Hills and Assembly Square. A boardwalk will be constructed under the bridge that will connect to recreational paths on either side of Route 28.
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Celebrate the spirit of winter and its various holidays through the winter concerts in the Somerville
Public Schools. High school musicians and singers will take the stage on Thursday, December 17th at 7pm in the auditorium of Somerville High School (81 Highland Avenue) - the concert is free and is featuring student singers, musicians and other performers.
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On Thursday, December 17th, Teen Empowerment will hold a youth holiday gathering from 7pm to 9:30pm at the Somerville Youth Program (165 Broadway). The event will feature original poems, songs, skits and speeches, written and performed by Somerville teens that reflect on 2009 and focus on hopes for 2010.
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Don't forget about the new permit parking regulations going into affect for the entire City, you have until January 4th to get to Traffic and Parking to get your permit.... they will be out in force ticketing those without the permit.
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The 234th annual "Grand Union" flag raising ceremony at Prospect Hill Park will be held on Friday, January 1, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. The ceremony commemorates the raising of the nation's first official flag,featuring thirteen red and white horizontal stripes, atop Prospect Hill Tower by General George Washington and his troops during their encampment in the Revolutionary War in 1776. The ceremony will actually begin at
City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue, at 11:30am with a procession to Prospect Hill, led by "General Washington" on horseback. The day's program will also include songs, readings, and participants from the Charlestown militia, as well as the Ancient and Honorable Company (first chartered in 1638). The American Legion
Post 19 Honor Guard will lead a military salute as a commemorative flag is raised atop the Prospect Hill Tower at noon.
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Speaking of Traffic & Parking...we wish Jim Kotzuba the best of luck in his new job over at Harvard, he did a great job here in Somerville these past few years. We hope that Assistant Director Larry Murphy gets the nod for the job, he always has done a great job in whatever he does here in Somerville...
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The new tax rate has been voted on for the city, for residential homes it's up to $12.30 (was $11.71) per every thousand dollars of assessed value, and commercial is up to $20.44 per thousand. There is a substantial residential exemption - around 30% - but you have to apply for it at the Board of Assessors at City Hall.
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The Somerville Police are on the lookout and are asking residents to keep and eye out for a man going around in a red car, wearing a Verizon shirt posing as a Verizon worker...he's not, so be careful who you open your door to.
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All the various charities here in Somerville are having a rough time of it...especially the Somerville Homeless Shelter, we are very fortunate to have a large variety of worthy charities like them, please do what you can and support them by making a donation.
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The annual Somerville High School musical is looking for advertisers and donations to perform their
annual musical which this year will cost around $12,000. More than 40 actors, musicians and technicians from Somerville High School will stage Disney's Beauty and the Beast from February 4th to 6th in the auditorium of Somerville High (81 Highland Avenue). Show times are: Thursday and Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm. Ticket prices are $7.00 - $6.00 for senior citizens and youth ages 12 and under.
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Don't forget the Somerville Schools annual Christmas Tree sale at Foss Park, help support the various programs.
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Happy Birthday to one of our own - Bobbie Toner - she is without a doubt the best...she never says no when asked to do something and we can't say enough good things about her. We know that she recently
got her real estate license, and if there was someone who would make a great real estate agent, she's the one. If you know her and didn't know she does real estate and you need to buy or sell - give her a call you won't be disappointed. Happy Birthday Bobbie from your friends at The News and ERA not to mention at Pat's Auto Body...
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Upcoming musical events happening at various public schools in the city:

Arthur D. Healey School - Dec 17th and 18th @ 9am; WHCS - Dec 18th @ 9:30am; ESCS - Dec 18th @1pm (grades 1-4) at the Edgerly School and Dec 21st @ 9am (united performance) at Somerville High; WSNS - Dec 22nd @ 10:15am; John F. Kennedy School - Dec 22nd @ 6:30pm; Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center - Jan 29th @ 9:15am; Beginning Instrumentalist Concert - Jan 28th 2010 @ 7pm in the SHS Auditorium.

 

Angelica workers agree to new contract after strike

Angelica Corp. workers voted to approve a new contract after a five-day strike. Employees had been protesting a lack of health benefits and low pay.~Photo by William Tauro By James Reddick Angelica Corp. workers voted to approve a new contract on Tuesday after a five-day strike that saw hundreds picketing outside the textile company's Inner Belt Road facility. Around 450 Angelica employees had been protesting a lack of health benefits and low pay since Dec. 10. Fernando Lemus, a representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1445, said on Monday the new contract would provide higher pay and other concessions. Angelica, an Atlanta, Ga.-based company, provides linens to hospital in Boston, Worcester and Pawtucket. The striking employees had been working since Dec. 1 without a collective bargaining agreement. Lemus said the average employee is paid $9.46 an hour, with a starting wage of $8. While he could not be reached on Tuesday, after the union approved the new contract, the Boston Globe reported workers will see a 45-cent raise next year and coverage for 80 percent of family health insurance plans, in addition other concessions. Angelica New England Vice President John Joyce said roughly one-third of the company's workers did not go on strike, and that the picketers were replaced by temporary workers. Centro Presente, an immigrant advocacy group located across the street from Angelica, served as a base of operations throughout the strike, with Executive Director Patricia Montes noting the "vast majority" of the company's employees are Latino immigrants. "We are happy with the agreement," Montes said, "but these companies are definitely going to continue exploiting workers, especially immigrant workers, because they are vulnerable. We're going to continue fighting for systemic change." - Tom Nash contributed to this report.

Cartoon of the week for December 16

The View From Prospect Hill for December 16

After several weeks of last minute election pushes and robocalls from Hell, it seemed as though it would be a quiet yawn-fest for the last seven days and nights. Even the weather was boring. There's nothing wrong with having a slow news week - where the most interesting items turned out to be a worker's strike that was resolved peacefully and a few people doing the end of the year shuffle at City Hall and the DPW. It could be worse. In this economy, and with the really cold weather here, there could be a whole rash of crime coming our way. The good news is that there would have been some kind of ramp-up or prelude involved and there hasn't been. Oh sure, there's plenty of drug arrests, the random drunk driver and steady stream of shoplifters, hookers and pimps in the arrest log - but nothing too outrageous. This week, aside from the strike, saw Jim Kotzuba move onto greener pastures from Traffic and Parking and Frankie Santangelo head back into the rank and file at the DPW. Normally, that kind of news would have us drooling over the sordid details - but not this time. Both moves were non-eventful and made both men happy. So this week will be cold weather, school concerts, fundraisers for local charities and a lot of goodwill going on in the 'Ville. And that's the best news we could hope for with one week to go until Christmas.

Old Toys

Jimmy Del Ponte On The Silly Side (The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.) Christmas is all about toys right? Of course it isn't - but it is for kids. This column is all about the toys we asked for back when we were kids. The toys we begged our parents for when we saw those great commercials on TV. The toys that looked so much better on TV than when we actually got them. The toys that sometimes were broken by noon on Christmas Day. The toys I will mention are from the memories of myself and my friends. Most of us are in our fifties. Here goes: Lots of Barbie and Ken dolls, along with the Barbie Camper. The Barbie head that you could apply make-up to was also a popular gift. The Easy Bake Oven, and Lite-Brite were on Santa's list. Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots were awesome toys. Who can forget the sound the head made when it got "knocked off"? Mattel first put them out in 1966. It seems for about five or six years in a row, we got small transistor radios. We probably wore them out listening to Woo Woo and Uncle Dale, while it was under our pillows. I can still remember the smell of the new plastic when I opened up one of those transistor radios. On with the list...a big cardboard Rex Trailer Boomtown Jailhouse, a dirt bike (lucky stiff), The Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, a doll and a doll carriage, a bicycle and a ball. Coloring books and crayons went into the stockings, along with socks, pens and bubble bath. Poor Cathy got a Raggedy Ann doll, which her brother cut the head off of and threw out the window. She still suffers from PTSD (Post Toy Stress Disorder). Speaking of disorders, I have learned that some parents used the delayed-reaction tactic. They would let the kids see the toys on Christmas morning, and then later, add the "big" gift. These parents led them to believe briefly that Santa stiffed them. My parents did that for 2 years with my first guitar, but it was a money issue, not a mind-game. Back to the toys...Chatty Cathy was the talking doll with the pull-string. My friends brother cut the string off with his "doctor's kit." Once the pull-string was gone, it was just another doll. Tressy was a doll whose hair "grew" (my sister had one). Chrissy was bigger and also grew hair. It just so happens that my sister's name was Chris. We still have one of her toy wooden playpens and an old doll. The Six Million Dollar Man action figure, Lionel Trains, Kenner Girder and Panel building sets, Vac-U-Form, Aurora race track (remember Switch-Lane Chicane?), Gilbert Erector Set, the Mrs. Beasley Doll (from Family Affair) and a dollhouse that grandpa made. There were Jordache jeans with a matching t-shirt, which made a little girl very happy one year, as did a Patty Play Pal. Kids got Prima Ballerina, Matel's Fanner Fifty Pistol that used greenie stick'em caps, Secret Sam Spy Attache Case that took pictures from a hidden camera in the case, G.I. Joes, skis, snow saucers and of course, sleds. Here is the list of the toys we didn't get (or finally got at some future Christmas). A pony, a horse and a Red Ryder BB gun (you'll shoot your eye out!). My electric guitar finally came after a couple of years. I looked in the closets and under the beds staring in June hoping that it would be that year's gift. A few kids wanted a drum sets that they never got. Santa never brought the Beatle wig, a play kitchen set, or a Ken doll to some kids, but I'm sure they got some other cool stuff. I asked for Jane Fonda one year...but Santa never brought her! Today the toy wish list has gone all electronic. Requests include laptops, easy to text cell phones, video recorders, and of course all those gaming systems. When I was clearing a space for the tree, I actually found a few gifts from last year that my kids never bothered to use, or simply forgot about. What can you do with a 2009 Batman calendar other than keep some of the pictures? Want to help some deserving local kids this holiday season? Toys for Local Children is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization supporting local children who are victims of violence, displacement or poverty. Supported by the Somerville Fire Department and the Somerville Council on Aging, the charity provided toys and/or funding to over 9,000 children in 2008. For more information, please contact Cindy Hickey at 617-625-6600 ext 2300 or 617-680-4254. Join me at Amelia's Kitchen in Teele Square on Thursday night from 7pm to 9pm as I will be tickling the ivories in festive holiday form. You can email Jimmy directly at jimmydel@rcn.com.

BOA votes to increase property taxes

By Tom Nash Residential and commercial property taxes will go up in 2010 following a unanimous Board of Aldermen vote last Thursday. Residential property owners will pay $12.30 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2010, a 5.1 percent increase from $11.71 last year. Commercial property owners will pay 6.2 percent more with a rate increase to $20.44 per $1,000 of assessed value, $1.19 more than in 2009. Acting Chief Assessor Marc Levye presented the Board of Assessors' recommendations, noting the rate is being kept at the minimum allowed by the state. "As much as we'd like to keep that residential tax rate as lo was possible, we're limited as to what we can and can't do," Levye said. The increase is expected to generate $96,510,127 in revenue, $4 million more than in 200. The Board voted to maintain a 30 percent tax exemption for owner-occupied residences. Levye said 8,979 exemptions have been granted. Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero said he was satisfied with the city's efforts at sheltering residents from rate increases. "We'll take the hit, you just keep it to a minimum," Pero told Levye. Thursday's presentation was the first in more than two decades without Chief Assessor Dick Brescia, who died in July.

Aldermen tell city to give Shore Drive its due

By Tom Nash After the Board of Aldermen voted to increase taxes last Thursday, at-large member Bruce Desmond asked why Shore Drive residents are being asked to pay for services they aren't getting. The road, along the Mystic River and adjacent to Route I-93, is supposed to be maintained by the state. Desmond said he has received complaints that plowing, towing and other services aren't up to par with what the city should be providing, since those residents pay the same tax rates as everyone else. Desmond recounted a complaint from a Shore Drive resident whose driveway was blocked by a car with out of state plates, leaving her unable to get to work as she waited hours for a State Trooper to arrive. Shore Drive is also one of the few roads in the city that will not be permit parking restricted starting in January, which Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero said would make it a target for commuters. A resolution submitted by all four aldermen-at-large and Pero would add Shore Drive to the list of state roads the city would be charged with maintaining. "It's only fair to these folks," Desmond said. "It's the right thing for us to do. If we don't (maintain Shore Drive), quite frankly, maybe we should figure out a tax break for them." The resolution passed unanimously.

Children entertain in style at Annual All-City Elementary Winter Concert

Jonah Connely, a 12-year-old, from the Healey School, brought a little funk to the concert with his electric bass. Music teachers of Somerville singing the finale The Christmas Song, with Richard Saunders (the Music Supervisor) leading them. ~Photos by Chelsea Whyte By Chelsea Whyte There's an old story that tells of the first time King George heard the Hallelujah Chorus sung in his court. When the music started, he rose from his throne and stood while the singers performed. Some say he stood because he was so moved by the music, while others say he had a bad case of gout and needed to stretch his legs. So was the story Richard Romanoff told the audience Thursday night at the Annual All-City Elementary Winter Concert. "I'm not going to say whether you should stand or not," Romanoff said with a smirk, "but if you feel moved, you're welcome to show us." And as soon as the Chamber Winds Ensemble started playing the Hallelujah Chorus, everyone in the audience sprang to their feet and remained there through their applause at the end, giving the children playing the standing ovation they deserved. Romanoff is just one of the many music teachers in the Somerville Public Schools that made the Elementary Winter Concert possible. The concert brought together students from all grades in every school in Somerville to celebrate the holidays and showcase the musical talents of Somerville's students. The Somerville High School auditorium was packed with family, friends, and neighbors who were treated to performances by jazz ensembles, string duets, chamber winds, the All-City Band, and the Somerville All-City Chorus. As Rick Saunders said in his opening remarks, "There is no greater show of solidarity than children singing." Saunders, the Music Supervisor for Somerville Schools, had only to wait a few minutes to be proven right. The concert began with elementary school students from the All-City Chorus filling the aisles and singing "Let peace begin with me," in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. The all-inclusive program included Christmas and Hanukkah songs, a sing-a-long to You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, and traditional folk songs. The concert was a chance for the students of music programs in Somerville to perform together and to show off for each other. The Somerville High School Chorus students joined the All-City Elementary Chorus for a joint performance of Carol of the Bells. Their voices rang through the auditorium, filling the room, and you could see the excitement the kids had about performing together. The high school students seemed to make an impression on the younger students, especially when the Somerville High School band did a surprise performance of Lady Gaga's Paparazzi because, as Romanoff joked, "Nothing says the holidays like Lady Gaga." Saunders said that the concert was also a chance for the elementary and middle school music students to get a taste of the music programming in the high school, and to see what kind of performances they may be involved in when they get to high school. To see what else the high school students have up their sleeves, check out their free holiday concert on Thursday, December 17 at the Somerville High School auditorium.

Two lucky students get a fire engine ride to school

SFD Lieutenant Charlie Siciliano, students Conor Latimer- Ireland and Ethan Cole, Somerville firefighter Dave Alfano, Healey School Vice Principle Kim Murphy and Somerville firefighter Mike Mattera ~Photo by William Tauro By William Tauro Ethan Cole a Choice Program second grader and his friend Conor Latimer- Ireland both from the Healey School got a special ride to school this Tuesday morning. Somerville Fire engine E-1 arrived at the front door of Ethan's Rogers Avenue home at 7:30am to chauffeur the young seven year old students in style.They were both even given the special opportunity to ring the bell and push the siren button all the way to the school's front door on Meacham Street in time for the 8:00am school bell. The "Ride to school on a fire engine" was one of the donated prizes that Mayor Joseph Curtatone donated to the Toys for Local Children's Charity Event Auction that was held last week at the Somerville Holiday Inn organized by Somerville Council on Aging Director Cindy Hickey. The Tauro Family of Pat's Auto Body bid on and won the auction item (fire engine ride to school) then re-donated it to the Healey School as a raffle prize for the children of that school as a Christmas gift. Vice Principle Kim Murphy of that school helped organize the school raffle, prize giveaway and arranged Ethen's ride to school. Proceeds from the charity auction went to local children and their families.

Traffic and Parking director leaving for Harvard (updated)

By Tom Nash Traffic and Parking Acting Director James Kotzuba will resign Dec. 24 for a managerial position at Harvard University. Kotzuba was one of the central figures in the debate over the city's move toward all-permit parking, which was announced in May but delayed as the city fine-tuned regulations in response to criticism from residents. In an e-mail to city employees, Mayor Joe Curtatone credited Kotzuba's leadership "at a time of rapid change and extraordinary challenges." "Jim's dedication and expertise will be missed, but I hope you will join me in congratulating him on this wonderful new opportunity," Curtatone said. "[T]he fact that our managers are sought out by other employers is a reminder that Somerville enjoys a strong and growing reputation as a leader in municipal governance and best practices." In an e-mail, Kotzuba said, "It was not an easy decision but I think it is a great opportunity for me and my family." Kotzuba has served as acting director of Traffic and Parking since 2005. Prior to taking the position, he worked in client relations for Mellon Financial Corporation in Everett. City Spokesman Tom Champion said Curtatone will announce a new acting director soon. A formal search for a permanent replacement will begin next year.

Somerville Dental Center takes a bite out of oral hygiene woes

Dr. Hanif Butt speaks to Somerville students. ~Photo courtesy of Somerville Dental Center By Aaron Crear With the rising costs of insurance and the downturn of the economy many people may find it difficult to afford proper healthcare. However, one Somerville group is making an effort to ensure that every resident is able to receive dental care. Dr. Hanif Butt and associates at the Somerville Dental Center have embarked on a community action initiative to educate and screen all Somerville residents to promote good oral hygiene. "Our goal is to ensure that every child in Somerville has seen a dentist," Dr. Butt said. Dr. Butt, who had previously run a part-time private orthodontics practice, decided that he wanted to do something to give back to the community. The center offers free oral screenings to any Somerville resident. Dr. Butt and his associates have already screened over 1,000 people charge this year alone. They have also placed and emphasis on children and have educated all first graders in the Somerville public school system about the importance of good oral hygiene. The children were shown educational videos and received gift bags. SDC also partnered with the Somerville W.I.C. and Head Start programs offering free oral screenings to families as well as educational information. Dr. Butt's ties to the local community run deep. He is a graduate of Tufts School of Dental Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health, is a member of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce and is also a professor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. "Our long term goal is to make the City of Somerville a total access dental care city in which every resident has access to the care that they need," Dr. Butt said. SDC will host an event on April 10, 2010 which will feature a Mobile Access to Care, a full service vehicle used to provide oral screenings and comprehensive care to Massachusetts residents who otherwise would not have access to a dentist.

Illumination tour to feature bi-lingual trolley

Otis Street houses decorated by John Ragno will be featured during this year's Illuminations Tour. By Christina M. Acosta Thirty-six hours, and a few mangers later John Ragno of Somerville will step back from his home and see his hard work illuminate Otis Street, saying, "I hope my grandchildren like it." John Ragno is one of many who will devote hours to decorating their homes for the 13th annual Illuminations Tour Dec. 19. The trolley tours take onlookers past homes adorned with glowing lights and ornate holiday displays. The tour guides share stories about the families who decorate their homes in addition to local Somerville trivia. "It's harder when you're older to get excited for Christmas, but decorating my house and daughters' homes really puts me in the Christmas spirit and it also gets my grandchildren excited for the holiday as well," Ragno said. Children also inspire the Armata household as they began decorating their home for their own children decades ago. "Now that my children are grown, we have my grandchildren to share this with," Maria Armata said. "Sunday night they all came over as we lit the house for the first time. It's a big deal for the family, it's almost a holiday in itself." Decoration styles vary. Lenny "Iggy" Rigione on Central Street is known for his handmade work while Ragno decorates his daughters' homes with Peanuts and Disney characters. The Armatas, previous winners of the best decorated home, put a full week of work into their elaborate displays. "Every year we buy new decorations and make a whole new scene so people won't get bored with our house," Maria Armata said. "My husband will sit in bed and talk about what decorations he wants to put up tomorrow. He truly loves the spirit of the holiday." This year's tour will include the first ever English and Portuguese trolley. The bilingual trolley, with tour guides who are part of the Inter-cambio Language Exchange program, departs at 6:15 p.m. on Dec. 19 - with organizer strongly suggesting tickets be bought in advance. Departing from the Somerville City Hall, the 45-minute tour will also conclude there with live entertainment, including music by the Somerville Community Chorus. There will also be craft activities for children. Proceeds go towards funding the public programs of the Somerville Arts Council. If tickets do sell out, a $3 tour map will be provided on the night of the event. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and seniors, and can be purchased at the Blue Cloud Gallery at 713 Broadway in Ball Square. For more information about the Somerville Arts Council visit www.SomervilleArtsCouncil.org