The Somerville News Blog

Coming to a neighborhood near you: solutions

By George P. Hassett

Daily life in New England’s most densely populated city can have its share of headaches and frustrations.  However, perennial urban nuisances such as noise, traffic and unleashed dogs can be solved with cooperation and interaction between residents and city officials, according to Stephanie Hirsch, director of the city’s new ResiStat program, an offshoot of the SomerStat program.

SomerStat, which is modeled off of Baltimore’s CitiStat program, is a database-driven management tool that requires city departments to track information about all of their activities and to examine that information aggressively. City officials gather and process raw information such as financial records and departmental reports. This information is entered into a database, which allows the departments and city staff to track the details of municipal operations from the time it takes to fill a pothole to how much money is being spent on overtime pay. The SomerStat staff then analyzes the data and presents trends and statistics at regular meetings of the department heads.

Fast Track Thai Food

By Franklin W. Liu

We are constantly pressed for time these days. But when wolfing down another slice of pizza or a hamburger seems totally unappetizing, there is an exotic alternative to consider --- Benjapon’s, a fast food Thai restaurant, is right on the edge of Davis Square.

Benjapon Jivasantikarn, a 30-something, energetic Thai-born proprietor decided two years ago while completing her MBA at Babson College that her business plan is to serve a zippy-fast selection of 20 popular items of Thai cuisine from soup to dessert on the premises or delivered. 

Renewing Somerville’s political culture through charter change

By William C. Shelton

(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.)

The United States was fortunate to have a rare abundance of political geniuses that came together to write its Constitution. It was truly blessed that these framers had the wisdom to listen carefully to each other and the capacity to keep doing so until they had put the young nation’s wellbeing above their own personal interests.

Thomas Jefferson, ambassador to France at the time, conveyed his views in a series of letters. In November 1787, 21 years after he drafted the Declaration of Independence, he wrote, “God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion… The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Poet Michael Mack brings his art to mental illness

By Doug Holder

It is said that great pain brings great art. In the case of local poet Michael Mack it has brought a performance piece, “Hearing Voices: Speaking In Tongues,” that deals with Mack’s experience of growing up with a schizophrenic mother. Mack’s evocative and heart wrenching performance piece engages his genius for words and dramatic portrayal in dealing with a tragic disease. He has also penned a poetry collection, “Homework,” that deals with his less-than-ideal childhood.

Next arrival in Davis Square T stop, art

By George P. Hassett

Commuters staring at the walls of the Davis Square train station will soon have something new to look at courtesy of local artists and collaboration between city officials, Tufts University and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Large art panels representing the Somerville and Tufts communities will be displayed throughout the station this year after being judged by a local jury.

Foam factory catches fire

By George P. Hassett

Machines inside of the Rogers Foam factory at 20 Vernon St. caught fire today, producing clouds of black smoke that could be seen for miles. The fire spread from inside the factory to its tar roof which caused the smoke clouds to be thick and heavy, said Deputy Fire Chief Dave Salvi.
  One firefighter tore back ligaments during the effort to extinguish the blaze, but no one else was hurt. The building suffered extensive damage, said Salvi. He said damages were estimated, “at least in the tens of thousands, if not hundreds.”
   The building at 20 Vernon St. also houses work space for dozens of artists, known as the Vernon Street Studios. That side of the building, he said, was not affected by the flames.

 

Mayor goes to Florida in search of city’s next chief

By Andrea Gregory

Three roundtrip tickets to Florida: $1,510; Lodging for two nights; $756; One day car rental; $80; The cost of choosing the best candidate for Somerville’s police chief: priceless.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and two other city officials spent the end of last week in Florida as one of the final steps in the police chief selection process. The total cost came to $2,346 and Curtatone said it was money well spent. However, he added that his three-day trip to the sunshine state was anything but a day at the beach.

“It was so hot and humid,” he said

The View From Prospect Hill

Twitching whiskers and scurrying gray tails have chased dozens of residents to their phones. The calls have gone directly to Ward 2 Alderman Maryann M. Heuston.

“When I go home at night, I’ve got 10 calls about rats,” she said.

The problem is largely a result of the Somerville Avenue reconstruction project. As the ground gets shaken up, the rats seek out more settled corridors. The biggest problem is they don’t travel too far.

Art event bring new smell to Union Square

By George P.  Hassett

Have you ever watched “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and thought you could actually smell the tasty treats? On Saturday in Union Square, you will be able to watch Gene Wilder onscreen and actually smell his candy confections at Som-R-ville in Smell-O-Vision, the first event in this year’s ArtsUnion series.

Megan Dickerson came up with the idea for the event and is organizing each of its segments focusing on scent: “Willy Wonka in Smell-O-Vision” and a “Carnival of the Nose.”

Somerville – a ‘city in darkness’

By Andrea Gregory

It’s nightfall and Somerville Avenue construction crews have called it a day. There is no police detail directing traffic, but cars still need to make their way around the work in progress – a $20.7 million redo of one of Somerville’s busiest streets.

City and state officials have concerns about the after-dark construction area. The main concern is just how dark it is.

This week, city officials drafted a complaint to NStar. The letter expressed the concern for resident safety due to unsatisfactory lighting conditions that the city believes should have been taken care of months ago.

Fly like an eagle – or like a jumbo jet anyways…

Reality Bites By James Norton

(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.)

You know for a while there, I thought I was losing my mind. Every once in a while a jet would fly what seemed to be 30 feet above the house. It was so loud you would swear it was about to rip the roof off the house. So I would not think of it all that much because it, quite frankly, didn’t happen so often that you would notice it, really.

Then it started happening more and more. I started asking others if they heard it too, and they had.  I wasn’t alone, and I wasn’t crazy.  Well maybe I’m a little crazy, but I doubt it can be attributed to planes flying low overhead.  That’s a separate Reality Bites, thank you.

Planes flying over Somerville believed to have tripled

Residents on hills feel it most 

By George P. Hassett

Three times as many planes have flown over Somerville in the first 6 months of 2007, compared to  the same time period last year and residents say they can hear and feel the difference.

Dwight Lancaster, of Winter Hill, said he is considering moving from his home after 20 years of living in Somerville because of the increase in planes in Somerville skies.

“The quiet times I had in my home are now interrupted by these planes. It’s an incredible difference compared to the past. Sometimes when one plane is gone, I can see the next one coming,” he said.

Newstalk for Wednesday July 25th 2007

   

Approximately 12,000 art lovers showed up in Davis Square on Friday night and into Saturday to help celebrate Art Beat.  Everybody seemed to be there, including many of the elected officials and a handful of political hopefuls that were working the crowd hard.  Everyone had a great time at this popular and successful annual event here in Somerville.

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Is it true the two challengers for the Mayors job aren’t even property owners?  Never paid a property tax bill?  Now we realize its not a priority for running for any office, never mind Mayor, we just thought it unusual - at least the mayor owns a property?

                                                            

Upgrading the city via the Internet

By Andrea Gregory

Somerville’s Web site is getting a complete facelift, and the changes begin with a new, easier-to-remember Web address. But the user-friendly upgrades won’t stop there.

Most of the changes will be rolled out this fall. However, finding the city’s homepage is already easier. Before this week, Web surfers needed to connect to www.ci.somerville.ma.us. Officials say the “ci” part made it hard to remember so the city has purchased www.somervillema.gov, hoping it will roll off the fingertips of residents typing at computers.

Although a pretty simple adjustment, many more are underway.

The City’s Summer Interns: Learning Valuable Lessons, Giving Invaluable Service

By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

(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.)

  In city hall, one of the best aspects of summertime in Somerville is that the summer help arrives.  I’m not talking about the teens working in the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program, although I appreciate their enthusiasm and the very real contributions they make while they’re here. But I’m thinking of the college and graduate students who come to us as summer interns to gain experience in the way city government works – and, more specifically, how a community like Somerville undertakes major service improvements and policy innovations in an era of fiscal austerity.

Local aid continues to rise three years in a row

By George P. Hassett

Somerville’s state delegation successfully increased local aid for the third straight year and secured funding for local programs such as Teen Empowerment in this year’s state budget passed earlier this month.

The $26.8 billion budget, passed July 2, will fund the Shannon anti-gang initiative, Teen Empowerment, a study of Mystic River flooding, the mediation course at Somerville High School, after school programs and organizations fighting substance abuse and homelessness in Somerville. The delegation also secured an extra $440,238 in local aid for the city in the Fiscal Year 2008, which began July 1.

Bremer: My chances are phenomenal

By George P. Hassett

The Tufts University librarian challenging Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone for the city’s executive office was the guest at the July 12 The Somerville News  contributors meeting.

“I’m running because I’m concerned about Somerville. Property values have never been higher, median family income has never been higher. We’re doing well no question, but are we squandering our wealth?” said Suzanne L. Bremer, of the Prospect Hill neighborhood.

Bremer will face Curtatone and fellow challenger Richard Scirocco in the Sept. 25 primary.

Somerville small press releases new poetry collection

By Doug Holder

Teaching Metaphors. Nathan Graziano. ( sunnyoutside PO BOX 441429 Somerville, Mass. 02144) http://www.sunnyoutside.com

Sunnyoutside, a creative and prolific small press based in Somerville, has released a new book by poet Nate Graziano. Graziano is a mainstay of their list and for good reason. His work has the flashes of insight, irony, and humor as well as accessibility that makes for an engaging read. Graziano has been a high school English teacher since 1997 and has penned a book of poetry about his experiences. 

“Teaching metaphors' has literally taken me 10 years to write. It is a mosaic of the students and colleagues I’ve worked with in the various schools I taught," Graziano writes. "These poems are not based solely on any individuals, rather they’re imaginative amalgams. These poems are also not a picturesque depiction of the world of education, but I hope they’re honest—good and bad.”

  The book is divided into two sections: the “Student Body” and “The Faculty.” I found “The Faculty” section the most compelling. Here Graziano captures the eccentrics and the burnouts that we find in any faculty. In the poem “Burnout”, a gone-to-seed teacher brutalizes his students with his timeworn filmstrips and sepia-tinged pop quizzes that he has given to generations of students.

Sunsetters fill dusk with song and dance

By Elizabeth Bernardi

Their stage is the street - Putnam Road in Ten Hills tonight - where two dozen lawn chairs are spread out at dusk on a cloudy Monday, as speakers, microphones and cable are unloaded from a blue van. A small army of kids and teenagers scurries around, hooking up cables, talking amongst themselves. They’re the Somerville Sunsetters, dressed uniformly in khaki cargo shorts and black shirts adorned with the Sunsetters’ logo, a superhero-style “S” with a sun setting behind the top of the letter. It is nearly 7 p.m., and the show is about to go on.

A few members are missing, though, so the crowd waits just a few more minutes, listening to Oldies piped in over the speakers. Finally someone shouts out, “Everyone’s here! We can start!” A few stragglers in Sunsetters garb come running up the street’s steep hill, and when everyone has taken their places, spread across the street, the familiar peppy introduction to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” begins to play.

The View From Prospect Hill

The perception of Somerville to those who are not from here is from bad connotations going back years and years. And quite frankly, when will it ever stop?  Monikers like “Slummerville” are still thrown about by ignorant asses who do little more than drive through here on their way to work in Boston or back to the suburbs.

This city is more alive than it ever has been and has more going for it than 95 percent of the rest of the cities and towns that make up the commonwealth.  The Boston-based media outlets talk about the dirty politics, crooked politicians and the Winter Hill Gang like we all live in an episode of The Sopranos. Give it a rest for God’s sake.