The Somerville News Blog

The Biggest Loser in Cambridge

By William Tauro The hit series 'The Biggest Loser" starring Jillian Michaels is very quietly filming a segment for that show at 13 Holmes Street in Cambridge. Camera crews unload equipment while trying hard not to attract any unwanted attention. With a white enclosed tent set up in the back yard, vans, a motor coach tucked away and concealed in a neighboring driveway and a lighting truck trailer are all that is noticeable from outside the Cambridge residence. According to sources the show is scheduled to film an outdoor shot this coming Saturday with Jillian Michaels on Huron Avenue at the tennis courts.

Newstalk for March 31

Our own local celebrity Jimmy Del Ponte has been hard at work trying to market the City of Somerville in hopes of attracting Google here. Recently, Jimmy dressed up as "Lady Google" and even posed for a photo shoot at Prospect Hill - he also organized a large group of students from the High School to dress up in bright colorful outfits and lay down on the field at Dilboy, spelling out the word "Google" with their bodies. The events are all part of a campaign by the city to gain interest from Google Broadband to come to Somerville. We hope that Google sees his hard efforts and comes to Somerville.

Cartoon of the week for March 31

The View From Prospect Hill for March 31

Last year it was the All America City competition that got us all fired up and ready to bring home the bacon, so to speak. This year, it's all about competing with 1,100 other cities and towns from across the nation - smallest to the largest imaginable - for the chance of Google Broadband being brought into Somerville. There were over 194,000 individual responses/recommendations as well.

In contrast to last year's adventure, this is a lofty goal, for sure, based on the sheer number and size of the other cities that are interested, but arguably, few of those 1,100 have the fervor or the tenacity of our 'villens - from the every day resident to the Mayor himself, with quite the eclectic mix in-between. It's this eclectic mix that makes Somerville a viable standout amongst the mob, along with a number of other more technical and somewhat nerdy details of course (the grid-like layout of the city, etc.)

The hazards of substance abuse a lesson in healthy living for local youths

Middlesex County District Attorney Gerry Leone spoke to a crowd of nearly 400 high school students about the hazards of substance abuse, and the importance of not becoming a statistic. ~Photo by David Lombino David Lombino Car accidents are the leading cause of teenage deaths. This statistic is what prompted Middlesex County District Attorney Gerry Leone, Interim Somerville Chief of Police Mike Cabral, School Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi, and probation officer Linda Donovan to lecture a crowd of nearly 400 high school students about the hazards of substance abuse, and the importance of not becoming a statistic. "We don't expect you to be perfect," Leone addressed the students, "but we expect you to be really good."

Public Comment on Morse-Kelley, Dickerman playgrounds closes April 13

Proposed renovations to Morse-Kelley Park. Proposed renovations to Dickerman Playground. Lauren C. Ostberg Somerville-at-play, speak now, or forever hold your peace. The third public review and comment period on the proposed renovations at the Morse-Kelley and Dickerman Playgrounds will close on April 13. After that, the playground designs will the finalized. Both parks are located in the Spring Hill area of Ward 3. Proposed renovations to Morse-Kelley Park will enhance its active character, while adding some green spaces. Proposed additions to Morse-Kelley include the development of a tot-lot, the addition of a community garden and skateboard-friendly surfaces. "It's a very active park," said Ellen Schnieder, Somerville's Landscape Project Manager. "We're trying to preserve that, and just add a few more activities." The basketball and stick-ball courts, a focal point of the parks, will be updated but relatively unaltered. A skate-able bench, staircase and rails add elements of skate-park without changing the park's character as a whole. The existing wall will become a 6ft-high lateral climbing wall, with forty feet of horizontal length to scramble across. Members of the public who previously commented on this park cited the need for a toddler play area and for increased green space. The current design plan includes a community garden and a tot-lot, complete with slides and a small playhouse.

Run & Walk for cancer research

The Run & Walk will take place on Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 9:45 AM. Registration will begin at 8 AM at the Dilboy V.F.W. Post in Davis Square. Ashley Troutman Help the fight against cancer by participating in the 8th Annual Mary O'Brien Memorial (M.O.M.) 5k Run & Walk. Registration is now open online for the Mother's Day event. Get fit for a good cause. Mary Pilotte O'Brien, Somerville resident and active community member, lost her battle with cancer in 2002. O'Brien's son, Gordon Pilotte, and his siblings, have been coordinating the event ever since. "It's in memory of my mom," Pilotte said. "I really like to see everyone lined up at the starting line. You never know who'll show up. It's nice to see how many people support it."

BOA criticizes state park clean-up efforts

By Tom Nash

The Board of Aldermen expressed frustration last week at the state’s lack of care for the park space it owns in Somerville, suggesting wealthier communities get better treatment.

The state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation is responsible for recreation areas around the Mystic River and Foss Park, in addition to Dilboy Field and Alewife Brook Reservation. At the board’s March 25 meeting, aldermen said they are tired of the areas being ignored.

“As far as I'm concerned, they maintain none of it,” Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche said. “It doesn't get cleared unless we call.”

More rain

By Tom Nash

A work crew pumped water away from the Fitchburg commuter rail line tracks in Brickbottom as Tuesday's heavy rains brought more flooding throughout the region.

Aldermen debate historic home designations

By Tom Nash A proposed change to the city's historic property designation procedures saw the Board of Aldermen debating last week whether the city should be placing financial burdens on residents who may be struggling in the current economy. The city is preparing a new notification card to be sent to residences being considered for historic designation, a process where the Historic Preservation Commission declares a property must be preserved and approves any changes an owner wishes to make.

Arrest Log for the week of March 22- March 29

Monday, March 22 At 10:50 am, Farkhanda Shah, 59, of 13 Abby Ellen Ln, Peabody, was arrested and charged with larceny over $250, larceny over $250 by false pretense and embezzlement by a broker. At 6:05 pm, Steca Thelemaque, 19, of 26 North St., was arrested and charged with having outstanding warrants relative to charges of armed burglary, destruction of property under $250, intimidating a witness and conspiracy.

The Cambridge Lions Club has been formed

By William Tauro The newly formed Cambridge Lions Club met for the first time this past Wednesday evening with a kick-off meeting at the Mount Vernon Restaurant. New members were enrolled and now the club is on its way to help serve it's community with the backing of one of the largest service clubs in the world, Lion's Club International. Cambridge Mayor David Maher delivered the opening speech and vowed to adopt a resolution to assist the organization and to also host a breakfast in his office to help attract new membership for the new club. Elected officials Middlesex County Register of Deeds Eugene Brune, Middlesex County Clerk of Courts Michael Sullivan, Everett City Councilor and candidate for State Senate Sal DiDomenico and Somerville's Chief of Police Michael Cabral were there to support the club and to address the crowd.

Cambridge Police Sergeant James Crowley honored guest at IAPOA Event

~Photo by William Tauro By William Tauro Cambridge Police Sergeant James Crowley was a guest speaker at the 11th Annual Irish American Police Officers Association (IAPOA)Awards Dinner. The event took place this past Saturday evening at the American Legion Nonantum Post #440 in Newton. Master of Ceremonies, Cambridge Police Officer Steve Lyons, who represented the Cambridge Police Department with Cambridge Police Superintendent Robert Hass and many CPD officers who were in attendance in the well attended ballroom. Sergeant Crowley briefly addressed the crowd after being presented the "Order of Erin" Award for maintaining his composure and professionalism for when he was dispatched to a routine local call in Cambridge that turned into a national event-front page story. The incident, a routine arrest of Harvard Law Professor Gates, eventually ended up involving the President of the United States.

Meeting of the Ministers

Photo from left to right: Pastors Solomon B Basjide, Chukwuka Ezenuzie, Samuel Sorinmade and Franklin Onyejb. ~Photo by William Tauro By William Tauro Nigerian-born Ministers from local International Churches "Cornerstone Worship Center For All Nations" held their "Meeting of the Ministers" this past Saturday afternoon in Somerville. The event was to raise awareness of the large and growing number of Nigerian-descent population that resides within the Cambridge and Somerville neighborhoods and to reflect all the good charitable work that they accomplish and promote on a daily basis in many communities. For more information you can log onto their website: www.rccgcornerstone.org or you can email them at: rccgcwc@hotmail.com

A community clean up at Brickbottom

~Photo by William Tauro By William Tauro Connie Blazyk and Adelaide Smith are two residents that reside at the Brickbotton Condominiums who join a team of community volunteers from that building in "pre-cleanup day" in their neighborhood. The team of volunteers spent a good part of the entire day picking up and disposing of trash that has been discarded on the ground as well as next to McGrath Highway.

Tid Bits

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.) Remember those small, cheesy crackers that were shaped like tiny submarines sandwiches? They were made by Nabisco, and they were the cousin of the Cheez-it. I loved them and now they are gone. They came in a little box and also in a big box and they were very tasty. It has left a void in my snack repertoire. But I am not going to write this entire column about little cheesy snack crackers - I am going to write little tid-bits of information and stories. I am going to toss out some names, facts and situations - and see what sticks.

Representative Sciortino holds "coffee house" office hours

~Photos by Andrew Firestone Andrew Firestone Carl Sciortino, Representative of the 34th Middlesex District has taken a somewhat unorthodox approach to constituent relations. Rather than waiting for you to come to him, he's actually willing to sit down for a few hours at one of the local coffee shops, the Teele Square Café, and hear your concerns from across the table. It's said that the clearest demonstration of a healthy society is a politically active base of concerned citizens, and a government that is required to listen. It's very easy nowadays to discount all politics, even the most local, as being out of touch, especially with all of the recent rumblings on Beacon Hill of corruption and stagnation. But Carl cares, and that's why every month, he's going to be out there in his districts talking to the people he represents. This past Saturday, the 20th of March, Sciortino sat across the table from several residents who took him up on his offer to listen and brought their concerns to him. One thing was for certain: the duties and responsibilities of an elected legislator are vast indeed and Sciortino handled all questions and concerns with deft determination and commensurate compassion. "He loves office hours," said aide Kathleen Keating, "so he will be there until the very last person is done speaking." The afternoon began with a few local issues. One constituent was concerned about the parties going on in her neighborhood, and claimed that both Tufts and Somerville Police had been too lax, but also admitted that her grandson was among them, and she had been embarrassed to get him in trouble. Another resident was concerned about nurse staffing ratios, and asked about the progress of certain bills requiring appropriate maintenance. Sciortino informed him of the history of this issue, and said a vote might take place during this session.

WAAF kicking off at Dilboy Field

~Photo by William Tauro By William Tauro A huge crane stretches out over Dilboy Field's goal post where New England Patriots player Stephen Gotkowski is attempting to kick footballs a radio show host with ten point after attempts. The object is to hit the WAAF Radio's Spaz who will be suspended 100' over the Somerville football stadium field. He will be kicking footballs at "Spaz" who lost a bet while he is harnessed to a crane cable dangling with no way to escape high speeding footballs being kicked in his direction from seventeen yards away until contact is made. The broadcasted-live event took place from 6-10am on Friday by Boston's Bay State Rock WAAF 97.7 / 107.3 FM Radio station's "Spaz" from the Greg Hill "HillMan" Show.

Saying goodbye to a comrade and friend

 

By William Tauro

Somerville Police Department Honor Guard led by Police Chief Michael Cabral form a block long procession of blue uniformed police officers Thursday evening at Powder House Square on Broadway as they begin to march in line order into Doherty Funeral Home passing officer William Nolan's police cruiser #187 displaying the deceased officer's badge #133 on the front license plate. Hundreds of mourners including Somerville police as well as officers from other departments, elected officials,city workers, friends and relatives wait patiently for hours in line to bid farewell to a comrade and friend. Somerville Police Chief Michael Cabral is scheduled to deliver officer Nolan's eulogy at Friday's funeral services at Saint Clement's Church.

Veteran Somerville Police Officer William Nolan passed away this past Sunday.

William was a graduate of Saint Clement's High, served seven years in the United States Maine Corps, served the Somerville Police Department as a Police Officer twenty-plus years and was a life-long Somerville resident as well.

Drunk driver crashes into taxi cab

By William Tauro An alleged drunk driver is arrested by Somerville Police after the vehicle that he was driving crashed into and oncoming taxi cab at the intersection of Washington and Franklin Streets. The incident occurred at 8:05pm on Thursday. No injuries were reported.