One of Somerville’s nicest, most personable bankers recently semi-retired - Sylvia Daikos - of Century Bank on Fellsway West. After starting out at the Old Middlesex County bank on the corner of School and Broadway in a man’s world, Sylvia worked hard to climb the ladder in the banking world here. A lot of customers will miss her humor and her ability to always seem to have answers for any customer coming into the bank. We think she is a one of a kind lady and we wish her well.
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Last week we mentioned how former Somerville Police officer Mike Murphy is now assigned to the Attorney General’s office as a State Trooper. Well another well-known local Somerville Police officer we hear will be leaving us to join the FBI - Officer John Oliveira, who is a nice guy and we wish him much success in his move.
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Seems that State Representative Prince Carl of the PDSers is now all of sudden against the VNA project up in West Somerville. We hear through some residents up there that they never saw him at any of the 20 or so meetings held when the project was selected and approved. The only thing Prince Carl went to was the groundbreaking ceremony -- took his picture and smiled for the cameras. Funny how he has an opponent and is all of a sudden against the project - we think maybe it’s because he can’t take credit for it? A lot of the residents have told us that they didn’t know who he was, never saw him at a meeting and are wondering why he’s against it now! We’re sure one of his PDSers will certainly blog and tell us why.
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Rumors flying around the Ville that the Greenline Extension Project is in desperate need of land - about 10 acres to be exact! Sources tell us that Cambridge’s Lechmere Station has paid their dues to society by carrying the service facility turnaround for many years and now wants to toss it into Somerville’s lap - being the freshman city to the Green Line. Rumors have it that Cambridge wants to replace the century old turn-a-round with a state of the art hotel and restaurant! They have served their time with it now they say its Somerville’s problem.
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Maryann Heuston has been a busy bee lately! She has been following up on some parking problems around Ward 2 and correcting them by sort of turning back the hands of time! All of a sudden new imaginary invisible sidewalks have been reappearing with the help of the Inspectional Services Department! Where there was once a sidewalk, it seems that over the years some sidewalks and curbing faded into the sunset and got paved over in time - we wonder if these new sidewalks were grandfathered in or not - now that they have been covered up for so many years and that years of development have taken place since then on and around the invisible sidewalks? Now you see them and now you don’t! Alderman Heuston is re-discovering and re-commissioning them back again for public use! Jules Verne would be proud of her, we think.
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Welcome back to our Publisher Emeritus Bob Publicover for writing his old popular column “Bluntly Speaking” - Bob sure has a way with words.
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That rumbling you have been feeling underneath your feet? It's the biggest season of arts festivals ever on their way to Union Square. The series kicks off May 31 at 3 p.m. with Sew What?!? A fashion art and shopping event featuring a the biggest clothes swap to hit Union Square in years. Other ArtsUnion events include a Rock and Roll Yard Sale, an intergalactic dance party under McGrath Highway and the biggest "What the Fluff?" celebration ever.
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Stop by the Precinct in Union Square on Friday for its grand opening. It is replacing the old Toast club and takes its name from its buildings history as a police station. Manager Ronan Geary promises big screen televisions and a good old time.
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Congratulations to Somerville resident Katie LeLacheur, who was named Regional Membership Director of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts this week. LeLacheur was appointed as part of a realignment plan and organizational restructuring for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts.
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Who wants vegetables? Between July and October, a new Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program will bring fresh vegetables from a Dracut farm to Garfield Street in East Somerville. The East Somerville CSA will be an innovation on the traditional CSA model, moving forward an already pioneering tool to bring fresh produce into communities. Subscribers will receive between eight and 18 pounds of vegetables every Wednesday. Two person and four person shares are available for $20 and $30 a week, respectively. In order to facilitate the sharing of these large shares, there will be a 'speed sharing' event. The gathering will allow people to find a match for co-buying a share. Farmer Dave himself will be at this event on Monday, May 19 at the newly opening Rodizio at 127 Broadway, from 6:30 - 7:15. To cater to Somerville's diverse population, there are 3 vegetable share options: Traditional New England, Brazilian and Central American. Mmmmmmmm. Fresh vegetables.
Interesting tidbit about Sciortino's stance on the VNA facility. As far as we've heard, he's for it but wants to make sure that any neighborhood concerns are addressed. We'd love for Newstalk to back up their assertions with some evidence that Sciortino's position has changed.
Posted by: Stinky | May 14, 2008 at 09:37 AM
What are the main issues of contention regarding the VNA project?
Posted by: Ron Newman | May 14, 2008 at 12:41 PM
who is the author/authors of News Talk? Are they a scorned former lover of Sciortino's? The Somerville News should institute a drug testing policy. The author seems paranoid. May be a sign of drug abuse.
Posted by: trane spotter | May 14, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Trane spotter-The Rep. from Medford needs to be held accountable for his actions, even when he flip-flops! You sound envious, did you run out of Paxil?
Posted by: My Cousin Vinny (Ciampa) | May 14, 2008 at 01:12 PM
Since Trane pulled papers against Prince Carl, who's likely to run for the Wd 7 seat vacated by Trane if he wins?
Posted by: Wd 7 Voter | May 14, 2008 at 01:46 PM
What is the VNA project?
Posted by: Brittain33 | May 14, 2008 at 02:43 PM
the Visiting Nurse Assoc. It is assisted care living facility.
Posted by: Fluffy | May 14, 2008 at 04:14 PM
Bob Trane who I hope gets elected can hold both seats because the state elections are during even years and the city elections are during odd years just like Vinney Ciampa did when he was a at large alderman and our state rep.
Posted by: Wardguy | May 15, 2008 at 06:28 AM
That's right, and I think I did a good job sailing on the Mystic!
Posted by: My Cousin Vinny (Ciampa) | May 15, 2008 at 09:15 AM
speaking of the mighty Mystic. What happened with the Winter Hill Boat Club. They had the sweetheart deal with the State. The exclusive club was using land for storage that wasnt theirs either. I say open up that area for all of Somerville to enjoy and use the river access, not just for a select "connected" few.
Posted by: Fluffy | May 15, 2008 at 09:54 AM
Vinney was a associate member at Mystic Weelinton Boat club across the river from there so don't blame him for Winter Hill.
Posted by: Wardguy | May 15, 2008 at 10:09 AM
It's Mystic WELLINGTON Yacht Club you idiot! Learn how to spell!
Posted by: Commodore of the Fleet | May 15, 2008 at 10:14 AM
I thought I'd seen everything, but someone hoping Trane gets elected so he can hold both seats like Double Dippin' Vinnie Ciampa, like this is a good thing? Sheesh.
Posted by: Tricky | May 15, 2008 at 10:20 AM
What's wrong with that? Tim Toomey does it and has for many years and nobody seems to care. And he's good at both positions.
Posted by: YNOT??? | May 15, 2008 at 10:34 AM
It all depends on who it is. Tim is very adept at both jobs, my cousin Vincenzo was not.
Posted by: My Cousin Vinny (Ciampa) | May 15, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Regarding the "invisible sidewalks" re-appearing on Joy and Linwood Streets?
According to the city Engineer, these city sidewalks have always existed, they were just assumed to be the private property of all the businesses that are in the Brickbottom end of the city. It seems like all the city is asking, to be fair to all the people who now live in the area, is to re-open the existing sidewalks for pedestrian traffic. This area has been industrial for decades, and the times have changes, so the need for the sidewalks is apparent, and this should be a positive move for all. The bike lanes are coming to this area soon, and new paving will also take place.
Thanks to Alderman Heuston, this will finally be a nice place to safely walk home.
Posted by: Caseman | May 15, 2008 at 11:02 AM
I suspect then that Trane's performance (if elected) would be somewhat closer to Toomey's than to Ciampa's, definitely. Does anyone know how long Toomey's been in either position, and perhaps how he came to be elected to both of his offices(defeated longtime hack, "appointed" by predecessor/establishment, whatever)?
Searching around for information on Trane, here's something from his 2007 mailing, under "Ethics, Responsible and Open Government":
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Refused to accept political contributions from City Department Heads, Sr. Managers or employee's (sic) of non profit's (sic) receiving funding from the City
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Is Trane planning on the same squeaky-clean goodness for his House run? I've got to believe someone significant is behind his run, that he's not doing this completely out of grudgery.
Posted by: Tricky | May 15, 2008 at 12:28 PM
lets hope IKEA kicks the elitists out of the boat house. Let the people in you hacks.
Posted by: Skipper | May 15, 2008 at 01:24 PM
I'll run 'em over with my yacht, all aboard!
Posted by: My Cousin Vinny (Ciampa) | May 15, 2008 at 01:27 PM
I don't like double-dippers either, and I'd hope Trane would give up his seat like Provost did. And I can't stand Provost. Toomey isn't double-dipping from Somerville, so I don't care as much.
What I do not want is Ward 7 going the way of Ward 6 ... there are still enough "regular" Somervillians who care about issues in the city and not ALWAYS globally.
Posted by: Wd 7 Voter | May 15, 2008 at 01:43 PM
If Somerville wanted to raise some coin for the coffers, put a cop on Holland St. between Davis and Teele Squares early morning. I can guarantee you'll nail a dozen or more speedsters hitting between 45-50 on that strip, including buses!
Posted by: railrider | May 15, 2008 at 02:26 PM
nice ward7 Voter perhaps you can come here and move into ward 3 we can use you.
Ward3voter
Posted by: Ward 3 Voter | May 15, 2008 at 08:51 PM
Congratulations to officer John Olivera! Maybe he can find the missing desk and the T&P missing monies now with the help of the FBI.
Posted by: Sherlock Holmes | May 16, 2008 at 01:36 AM
"Thanks to Alderman Heuston, this will finally be a nice place to safely walk home."
Ya right! A romantic stroll in front of a body shop and a ambulance company! Boy, I just can't wait! Please come on will ya! Concentrate on the big stuff like the milking of the Somerville Ave constrution project and the rest of the shithole that we call Ward 2 especially Lower Broadway and Gillman Street.
Posted by: Elusions hard at work! | May 16, 2008 at 01:47 AM
I like officer John Olivera, always did! Don't blame him! What good is it looking for the desk? We know exactly where it is! We always did! We can send a man to the moon to play golf and drive a rover, but we can't dig up a desk to solve a mystrey or possible internal crime that we have the exact cordinence on! Can't and won't are a big difference!
Posted by: Sounds good for PR | May 16, 2008 at 01:57 AM
I heard that a relative of a former Som pol was eyeing Trane's seat ...
Posted by: Boomz | May 16, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Maybe Cathy O'dea will come back to Ward 7, we all could use the laugh.
Posted by: My Cousin Vinny (Ciampa) | May 16, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Maybe one of these new law enforcement hotshots should take a closer look at Miss Heuston's profile amd recreational situation a bit closer!
Posted by: Was there! | May 16, 2008 at 01:20 PM
Why should an ambulance company that is on call 24-7 for the city answer any questions about their hours of operation to anyone especially to those Brickbottom instigators! They are trying to reshape the entire ward to cater to their own circumstance and the city officials are leaving lipstick behind on their rear ends! Keep fueling the fire letting them get away with whatever they want and it just might bite you in your own ass just like it did to Alderman Joyce! Bit by his own dog!
Posted by: Growing up to fast! | May 16, 2008 at 01:30 PM