The Somerville News Blog

The View From Prospect Hill for November 25

So the state wants to put the MBTA maintenance facility in Somerville and ruin any chance this city has to realize the full economic potential of the last piece of developable, open land we have. Not a popular concept around here, that's for sure. What is it about Cambridge that they get to just say, "Hey we don't want that facility here" and the state turns to Somerville and says, "Well, this is where we are putting it." Really now? Someone should explain to the backward-thinking folk behind the idea that this Somerville and it's 2009 - not the West End, circa 1958. Maybe they think there's only a couple of nutty artists at Brickbottom that are going to raise a little stink and they will just do what they want. You don't have to live at that specific area of Somerville to really hate the idea of a train maintenance facility located in our city. There are people living in West Somerville that are almost as crazed about it as the artists. Think about it - it's about as appealing as having a new county jail here. Hell, why they're at it, why don't they just have Waste Management expand the incinerator?. Just because that area of the city wasn't stupidly over-developed in the 1960s through the 1990s doesn't mean it's wasteland available for whatever use the state deems suitable. Oh sure, we all get the little wink, wink, nudge, nudge when it comes to "available funding for future expansion possibilities," which is pig-Latin for "Hey, don't give us a hard time about this, or we will make sure you don't get what we promised later on." The state should really slow down and work with our community on ways to accomplish what they want, with us being able to ensure long-term growth and sustainability at the same time. Think about it - in the ring of available land in and around Boston, two out of three possible public/private projects have been completed already - the convention center and federal courthouse. The only thing left is an entertainment/sports complex - and it will probably not be popular with many people in this community if/when it gets proposed, but, at least we will be able to discuss it, be a part of the process and own it for ourselves. Anything would be better than having a singular-use train maintenance facility jammed down our throats. Maybe we should all lay down in front of the bulldozers.

The View From Prospect Hill for November 18

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi endorsed Mike Capuano in his bid to fill Ted Kennedy's spot in the U.S. Senate. What does that mean to Mr. and Mrs. Massachusetts? Not much. What does that mean to Joe and Jane Somerville? Possibly less than that. But why? She is, after all, the leader of the House of Representatives, so that should mean something. Pelosi may have no problem in her home district of San Francisco, but she would find Massachusetts a bit less liberal-friendly than most people assume. And there is the rub - some say that Pelosi transcends progressiveness and heads straight into the realm of full-blown liberal. As progressive as Mike is and as progressive as Ted was, they both know how to play to both sides of the aisle - full blown liberalism wouldn't have played for either of them in the long-term. Ever. So she comes to town to give the nod to Mike. Political proclivity and reality aside, for you and yours, that means that the top of the leadership in the House has the faith in Mike Capuano to be the next Senator from Massachusetts. There is a serious upside to this. In an era where political newcomers are still in vogue, the uphill battle that Mike has in this election, outside of the shortness of time until the Primary, is hammering into every voter's head that a Washington insider is exactly what we need in our next Senator. Yes, you read that right. And that's why the voters of this Primary should be impressed with Speaker Pelosi's endorsement of Mike Capuano for Senate - because we need more than the regular flash in the pan candidate for Senate - we need down in the trenches experience, period. Experience that a hard working, intelligent and dedicated candidate who is already way ahead of the others when it comes to political maneuvering in Washington DC can deliver.

The View From Prospect Hill for November 11

Healthcare Reform is one of those issues that resonates with just about everyone - and creates discussion and debate amongst those who feel strongly about it. President Obama made a promise that he would bring it to the House and Senate by the end of the year, and he did exactly that. Passing the House the other day with five votes to spare seems like it was close, but, when the Senate takes up the issue, which most likely won't be until after the first of the year, five votes will probably seem like a thousand. As recently as the 1970s, most issues that affected a large majority of people would generate much public debate and involvement in the democratic process of electing people to represent us - local, county, state and national. The number of small PDS-like types of grassroots organizations throughout the 1970s and into the very early 1980s was amazing to watch if you were lucky enough to have lived here during that time. After that, public interest on a local level seemed to wane around here. Maybe it was the crazed '80s that kept us all so busy we didn't notice things happening around us. Low voter turnout, still to this day, is somehow translated by some to mean people are "happy with things the way they are." Don't buy it - the real heart of the problem is simply that people are too busy trying to stay afloat to notice every single issue. It seemed so shocking at the time when the Mystic View Task Force took up the fight to put Assembly Square on the right track - like they were fighting the "old boy network" on some level. It seemed even more shocking when other small politically-based movements started to pop up here and there, some managing to take hold of different segments of the voting population. That's the problem - none of this is new - and none of it should be simply dismissed as "old" vs. "new" Somerville. We all live here, and see the changes that are happening. Some of us more than others, and that's okay - but maybe we can start coming together on more issues instead of being divisive and perpetuating myths and trying to act like we all don't want the same things - safe schools for our children, adequate police and fire protection, honest representation in local government. Maybe then we can work in the little things that we selectively desire from an ideological standpoint - collaboratively, not closed-mindedly. We have to start be being more involved - not just blow the roof off the barn because parking times were lowered and fees were raised, not just because our property taxes have gone up, not just because one person favors a certain set of ideological principles over the next person. There has to be more collaboration, cooperation and working together to get these types of things moving in the right direction. It starts by going out to vote, especially if you can't spend time working with a local community group, sit on a local board, or put yourself out there by running for office. It's not just your right, it's your responsibility to those people, like them or not, agree with them or not, that put themselves out there every day and night - the true believers that we can make a change right here, right now. We did it when we elected Barack Obama President - we can certainly do it when it comes to local elections.

The View From Prospect Hill for October 21

Whether your family has lived in Somerville for generations, you have been here for a decade or two - or you just moved in - it is difficult not to feel the sense of community pride that flows through this densely populated community on a daily basis. As we have said so many times before in these pages, Mayor Curtatone, along with plenty of help from local businesses, does a terrific job at fostering this community pride. Having parades and events that showcase our role in the history of the founding of this country is a great way to teach young and old about who we are and what this country stands for. Partnering with local businesses in order to come together and celebrate the wonderful things happening here without using precious tax revenues is a key component to this as well. With the 2nd Annual Riverfest only a week ago - complete with a fantastic fireworks display - we came together once again this past Saturday night to officially celebrate Somerville being named an All America City for 2009. It was pure magic for those who traveled to Tampa to compete on our behalf, and even moreso for those of us who didn't make the trip and wanted to share this special moment. The event itself was what you would expect lately - organized, but not too polished - with a lot of home-grown feel to it. That means locally based entertainment, plenty of recognition for those who worked so hard to make it happen in the first place - and the Mayor beaming with pride for the community he helms. We were there the other night, we felt the magic, we felt the pride in the room, we felt it in ourselves - proud that even in these tough economic times, we have something in common with our neighbors and our co-workers - pride in being from Somerville.

The View From Prospect Hill for October 14

People talk - they have questions, concerns, worries. We all do - it's human nature. At the 2nd Annual Riverfest last Saturday, we heard a lot of people talking about a lot of different subjects. Here's a few: Will health care reform happen? If so, what will that mean for me? Did Obama deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? If so, how the hell did anyone know enough to nominate him 11 days into his presidency? Will the economy recover or will it stay static for an extended period of time? If it stays static, how long will it take for the unemployment rate to show any signs of improvement? Will the Dow hit 10,000 before the end of the month? If so, will they toss hats like they did in 1999 when it first hit that milestone mark? Will Mike Capuano win the special election for Teddy's seat? If so, does that mean all out mayhem and another year of never-ending special elections? Will the Governor have to make mid-year cuts to local aid? If so, how will Somerville survive this coming budgetary season without major layoffs? Will anyone stop talking? Oh there are the fireworks. It's nice to have a distraction, enjoy.

The View From Prospect Hill for October 7

There are many reasons for being proud of living in Somerville. The most universal reason we can think of is the way the community comes together at various events and celebrations throughout the year. This sense of pride was a big part of the reason why Somerville was named as an All America City for 2009. When times are tough and money is tight, coming together to share this sense of community pride is an important part of surviving mentally and emotionally and one of the key benefits of living here. Of the different events and celebrations that happen here, there are two that are considered more intimate than all the rest. The first one to come to mind is the wonderful July 4th celebration/fireworks we all enjoy on Broadway, courtesy of private and business donations. For hours we gather together, eat some food, enjoy some entertainment and then watch a spectacular fireworks display in the middle of Broadway. Sadly, July is long gone, and it has taken Summer with it. Happily, the other one will take place this coming Saturday - October 10th (if there's rain, then it will be the following day, Sunday the 11th ) the 2nd Annual Riverfest will be along the bank of the Mystic River at Assembly Square from 4pm to 8pm. Like the July 4th celebration, there will be food, entertainment and of course capped off with a 30 minute fireworks display. Things seem so much better with some fireworks. We hope to see you there.

The View From Prospect Hill for September 30

For the most part, we as a community take our local history quite seriously. Ask anyone who has lived here more than 30 years a question about something, and they will most likely come up with two or three supplemental stories of significant historical relevance. Some communities change and forget the past - that's a shame. Then again, most communities don't have history dating back 250 plus years either, so maybe we have it better than most - at least from a historic perspective. Traditions, unwritten rules and customs - those are the things that change with the times. We invite change into a community that is ever-evolving demographically - but there is a line you don't cross. Don't try to take away religious holidays just because you can - don't try to call an important local holiday "annoying" and think you can get away with it - don't step on the dyed-in-the-wool traditions that have a place in our hearts. We have a whole list of historical places, events and inventions that came from Somerville, so when one of those is elevated to a larger stage, it is with a great sense of pride that we all share in the moment. Such is the case with Fluff. As you probably know, it was invented here in this city many years ago. What you probably don't know is that the Fluffernutter sandwich has been proposed by a State Representative to be named the Official Sandwich of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. That's a pretty big deal, so we all need to get behind this one and help make it happen. So take the time to send an email to your State Representative or State Senator and tell them you want to see the Fluffernutter named the Official Sandwich of the Commonwealth - and then go get some of the delicious white stuff and a jar of peanut butter and enjoy the flavor of the most perfect sandwich. Ever. And if you are somehow from here and have never had one - then you need to take care of that immediately. Enjoy.

The View From Prospect Hill for September 23

Watch the evening news, any night. The "latest poll" will tell you that Attorney General Martha Coakley has the Senate race in the bag. But wait, all bets are off if Joe Kennedy decides to win - if that happens, the election is his hands down. How ridiculous. Do they think we are really that stupid. Okay, so we are a political city. Most of us, whether old-timers or new-comers, have some kind of political experience in our blood. So we know better. Or do we? The natural inclination is to think that since Mike Capuano is now in the race, it's a done deal. Well, that's awesome in theory, but it won't happen merely because we all "like Mike." Mike Capuano, albeit late the to table, will most likely win the race to fill Teddy's shoes in the Senate. If and when he does, it will be all because of him, not his name (he's not a Kennedy), not because he already holds statewide office (he doesn't) and certainly not because all the unions are running scared to support him (like they are running face first into Coakley's backside). Mike Capuano is a "what you see is what you get" kind of politician. Sure, he might not be as polished as other, seasoned, veteran Congressmen or Senators, but who cares? Ted Kennedy wasn't a saint, and he got the job done, for his state and for the ideals he stood for. Mike might have been caught up in the Pelosi tidalwave for a while there in the Congress - hey, it's not easy to be a standout kind of Representative when you are up against 434 other screaming voices every day - but that's okay, Mike. You run because you believe in what you stand for, you believe in the idea that you don't have to be popular, as long as you stand for the right reasons, you know what loyalty and constituent services mean. Those are the reasons why we like you Mike. Why we liked you when you were Mayor. And why you will be a great United States Senator. Now get out there - and raise more money, and show this state how real Somerville politician's campaign across this great Commonwealth of ours. Win the seat, and make us proud.

The View From Prospect Hill for September 9

Former Congressman Joe Kennedy is not going to run for his recently deceased Uncle Teddy's seat in the U.S. Senate. That's a shame, because Joe was one of the good guys - a real nice person, who always remembered people. Not just names - that's easy - he remembered people. For example, Joe wouldn't see you in a year, but when he did, he would ask about your Aunt Gracie or how your kids were doing in school. That's classy. So Joe will continue his work with Citizen's Energy and enjoy life in obscurity - something Kennedy's really aren't all that used to. He won't have to jump back into the political bumping and grinding and overall frenzy the race to fill Ted's seat will bring. It's a shame, because he would have been a great Senator - but now that he is out, the floodgates are opening - and we will still win in Somerville, because Congressman (and Former Mayor) Mike Capuano will now make his move up. Senator Mike Capuano has a good ring to it. This will be his opportunity to take that explosively passionate personality and stand out - it really is difficult to be a Congressman - there are 434 other people to contend with every day and an election to run every two years. In the Senate, he will only have to deal with 99 other people and an election every six years. Much better work environment, for sure. So what happens next? Well, here's a scenario for you, that isn't too far fetched...just keep in mind what happened when State Senator Charlie Shannon passed away a few years back, and that will hopefully keep your attention. The special election gets underway and all Hell breaks loose. Everyone and his grandmother gets the call to help Mike Capuano and people scatter to the four ends of the Commonwealth. Capuano gets elected and takes the Senate seat, leaving now a hole in the House of Representatives, which will cause another special election for that seat. Echoes of the year of the never-ending elections already, don't you think? So then a special is called for the open seat in the 8th District. Then the fur really starts to fly. Mayors, State Senators and anyone with more than 15 seconds of fame and a couple of million burning a hole in their pockets will jump into the fray, including our own Mayor Joe Curtatone. So then Mayor Joe gets elected and takes over the Congressional seat, of course it's a double win-win with Capuano in the Senate. Now, you guessed it, there has to be a special election for Mayor of Somerville. We don't even want to begin to speculate about the horror show that would ensue, but the thought sure makes us chuckle.

The View From Prospect Hill for September 2

Public safety is a big issue these days, not just when it comes to police and fire protection, but also when it comes to providing a safe environment for our children to learn in. The city does it's share by maintaining the buildings and the school department hires enough people to watch critical entry points, but, the area in which there needs to be more concentration is one that only the general public can provide. Given the scale and complexity of the ongoing construction across the city, that makes it even more difficult for everyday drivers to focus on their surroundings. Crossing guards help, police details help, but, we need to be more aware of our surroundings. Kids don't know any different - they're just trying to get to school to learn, see their friends, be social, whatever their specific motivation - they don't drive, so they typically have little concept of what kind of damage can be done by just one vehicle, even traveling at the posted speed limit, when a child darts out from between two cars. We at The Somerville News have had other jobs in our past (and present) that have required us to drive a considerable amount of miles over the years, in fact, more than most people. One of us averaged well over 40k miles per year for a number of years, actually. This kind of excessive driving allows for someone to make observations about traffic patterns and how different cities and towns handle construction projects and other situations that require re-routing of traffic. That's what makes living in one of the most densely populated cities in the country even more amazing. The complexity of dealing with traffic issues because of the sheer number of vehicles that travel our roads is staggering. Then toss in a sewer/water line break, a gas line replacement, the reconstruction of a street after utility work, anything remotely dangerous in the mix, and still traffic moves along. These are some of the things we take for granted - an why sometimes we are regular every day traveling folk need to take it upon ourselves to keep an eye out when driving - that means no texting, no applying make-up, no reading the paper. Pay attention and watch out for children crossing the street, playing near traffic, riding their bikes - do your part to make sure we live in the safest environment possible for our children, even if you don't have any.

The View From Prospect Hill for August 19

A ghost town. A hot, humid, ghost town. That is Somerville these last couple of weeks before school begins. The only things happening around the city involve either early school sports practices or end of the summer activities from one agency or another. Which works for some of us, because we enjoy the summer attire on various members of the opposite sex just fine. Do we like short-shorts, moo-moos and halter tops? No, unless your name is Gisele, then, maybe. Can we empathize with Jimmy Del Ponte about the shirtless joggers? Oh definitely. Somerville is fairly quiet in the summertime, but its the short window between mid-August and the day before school begins that makes the tumbleweeds roll and the crickets chirp. Where the only people moving with any haste in the non air-conditioned weather want to sell you rip-off/fake brand-name perfume or some form of religion/religious experience. If you spend a lot of time indoors in a climate-controlled environment, especially online, you wouldn't know that half the city is away on vacation. That's the miracle of the internet at work - even when you are in Somerville North or South (New Hampshire or Cape Cod), you can appear to be right here in the thick of things by interacting with others on various blogs around the city. Some are informative, others are annoying. They all have their own flavors, and as they say, d'ffrent strokes for d'ffrent folks. Having the hot and humid weather hold off until August was a tease this year - it seems like the whole summer has lasted 14 days and is over tomorrow. There isn't even a local primary election this year, so the pod-people are still in hibernation - which is kind of lousy for the rest of us "middle of the roaders," because only the random political neophyte seems to be lurking. In case you are off in neverland, away from the not-so-much hustle and bustle of the 'Ville this abbreviated summer, and you have kids in the public schools, remember that they go back to school before Labor Day - on September 2nd - this year. Speaking of that, we have been shocked at the anti-climactic response from the general public about an issue that 20 years ago would have had people rioting in the streets. Back then, messing with the unspoken "no school before Labor Day" rule would have meant serious public outcry inside the borders of Somerville, but not today - now that's when you know things have changed around here.

The View From Prospect Hill for August 12

It's all about the irony, when you think about it. The irony that we have, countless times, pointed out here in the View from Prospect Hill. Every decade or so, the same group keeps popping its head up, with fresh new recruits, eager to drink the Kool-Aid. We are talking about that nameless little group that still, to this day, continues to spew the disgusting diatribe about how corrupt this city is, how everything is held in a tight power base, how there are always back-room deals and white envelopes flying through the air with the greatest of ease. Every now and again, someone will find a little something something to complain about when it comes to a certain Dept. Head or elected official, and invariably then a comment is made about another associate or colleague from 30 or 40 years ago, and somehow this is relevant to today. It's silly, really - because the ultimate irony is that every decade or so, when they seem just at the point of getting some real traction, they fall apart and disappear back into the shadows. Some learn to stay away from the spotlight and not hold the torch for insanity when they finally get the axe, and others just continue to bang the gong. So sad, really. Getting back to the irony that never gets the traction - is that they start out with the greatest of intentions - fighting the good fight against the establishment, putting democracy at work, bringing important issues into discussion - but invariably, they fall victim to the very things they espoused to be against in the first place. They claim there is no transparency, but they want to hold secret meetings. They claim there is rampant government corruption, but there hasn't been any in almost 30 years. They claim that not enough is being done, but then don't want to pay for it, under any conditions, especially when it comes to fees and fines. They claim a great injustice has been done, instead of learning the difference between a public meeting and a public hearing. The greatest folly that usually starts the beginning of the end for the latest cycle/iteration of political neophytes is when they start to believe they represent something bigger than themselves. That they alone can make someone go away who has been here their whole lives, that they can effect city-wide change with a single letter to the editor or guest commentary, that they can run someone out of business with an audibly laughable weblog, even so far as to think that they can rid the city of the "old school" politician by putting someone in the race against them for office - and then act shocked and indignant when it happens right back at them. Change is good, challenge is good, questioning is good, transparency is good. Arrogance and ignorance mixed with them, is bad.

The View From Prospect Hill for August 5

For anyone to think that there won't be some kind of health care package approved by Congress by the time the November elections roll around, you would almost have to be living in a cave. It has nothing to do with whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, it is going to happen for a number of reasons that quite frankly don't involve us at a local level. It's the terms of the health care reform, it will be the aftermath - the devil in the details - so to speak, that will affect us here at home, on Main Street, Anytown USA. Maybe President Obama wasn't upset that the "Beer Summit" distracted the nation from his health care initiative after all. This is just what he needed to tweak and make changes while the nation cooled down about who drank what beer and talked about this or that on the lawn at the White House - a nice, leisurely chat amongst friends. And about 1,200 reporters with cameras, of course. Not to sound like alarmists, but, have you spent any time going over the details of the Obama Health Plan 2009? It comes with a lot of bells and whistles at first, but promises to be a bit more scary as the years go on - and as you and I get older. The first thing we thought about when we looked into the plan, and then read the pro and con sides of the issue, was that there is no way to get past the "Logan's Run"-esque nature of the "special panel of experts" that could, theoretically, decide that even though you are in perfect shape at 75 years of age, you cannot have the hip replacement you desperately need to remain mobile under your own power. Say hello to your new, government issued "electric mobility scooter" - brought to you by Easy-a-Round, a subsidiary of Haliburton. The good news is that the extreme portions of the health plan will most likely be the ones modified in order to draw back in the "Blue Dog" Democrats and win over some moderate Republicans. If they can somehow figure out how to keep the long term costs down, then it may be a win-win for everyone from the White House all the way down to the last house on the left.

The View From Prospect Hill for July 29

There has been a lot of squabble locally about President Obama's remark that the Cambridge Police acted "stupidly" by arresting his old pal Professor Gates last week. There are always two sides of a story, to be sure, and maybe one side will be a little less vindicated when the facts reveal themselves - but the real question is simple: why did the President of the United States comment about a simple little arrest? Was it because Professor Gates is an old friend? Was it a racially motivated? Was it a momentary lapse of rational thinking and just meant to be a snippy little comment thrown towards the city where he had to pay his parking tickets - 17 years later - before he could run for President? In an unabashed act of pure self-promotion, let's remind everyone of who broke that story: The Somerville News. Typically, when a politician does something so silly, it is to purposely distract people and the press from another topic of discussion. That's an old trick in politics. Unfortunately for the President, he definitely did not want to distract anyone from his universal healthcare initiative. You could see the uneasiness in his eyes and hear it in his voice when he made that ridiculous statement about how he should have done a better job "calibrating" his words more carefully. President Obama - you would have regained more respect back from the people you insulted, had you just said "I never should have said anything, I am sorry." So now there will be silly debate over such topics as: "well, he showed he is human," "the Presidential Office is bigger than a common arrest," "he was speaking for every oppressed person of color," and so on, and so on, and so on. The bottom line is simple: he should have kept his mouth shut - it had nothing to do with him on any level.

The View From Prospect Hill for July 22

Another press conference, another groundbreaking, another bit of news about Assembly on the Mystic. That's awesome. We know we aren't alone when we say we want to know when there will be ribbon cuttings there instead of politicians clamoring for a sound. For those of us who have lived their entire lives within a mile of the Assembly Square area of the city, we have seen many ups and downs over the years with changes and lawsuits and all sorts of craziness there. It was easy to dream a bigger dream when it came to the whole area, but it seemed like it would never happen. So now there are all sorts of public and private partnerships involved and federal and state monies being added to the till to get this thing off the ground. IKEA, two hotels, plenty of residential and commercial space - and a shiny new Orange Line stop. Great. In these fiscally difficult times it really is hard to complain, but in case nobody has noticed, there is a movement afoot to make sure the Urban Ring - which would tie Assembly on the Mystic directly to vital businesses, important commercial/industrial areas and Logan International Airport - be cut short of reaching to Somerville. One can only hope that if there is going to be a Kraft Stadium built in Somerville somewhere over on Innerbelt Road, that there is enough political clout with it to bring the Urban Ring at least to the new stadium - that would just about be close enough to tie it back to Assembly on the Mystic and really set the benchmark for mixed-use, smart development for the entire country.

The View From Prospect Hill for July 15

There's no mystery that when the economy is in a slump, crime goes up in a corresponding manner, especially in urban settings. Most of the steady increase in crime is linked to drugs/alcohol and robbery/assault and battery. These increases have been studied over and over through the years when the economy has been on a downswing. We have commented on it before - but - when you throw in changes in seasons - the frustration of days on end of rain and then all of a sudden, wonderful weather in an instant - you have to wonder if there's a pressure cooker out there waiting to explode. As a community, Somerville has the benefit of being an urban setting and still hanging on to the old neighborhood feeling enjoyed by the suburbs. It's like the best of both worlds, except when it comes to crime. Crime doesn't know the difference between a quaint little urban community and the so-called "ghetto." In fact, based on some recent studies, a community like ours could be the most volatile and unpredictable, because while the inner city and the outer suburbs rarely see cyclical fluctuations in crime rates based on economic conditions (they pretty much stay the same or cycle to other more specific variables), anything could happen next as far as crimes and patterns of crime are concerned. Having lived here and worked here our entire lives, there isn't much that can shock us anymore when it comes to crime in the city; however, taking a look at the booking logs week to week can make you wonder. It makes us wonder what's going to happen when this city becomes a virtual ghost town every Friday at noon until Sunday late evening - will it be more dangerous for those people who don't have the luxury of escaping to Somerville North/South? Oh sure, there's no need for panic, but, quite frankly there have been weeks where it has been very quiet in the 'Ville and other weeks when it seemed like Snake Plissken (remember the movie Escape from New York?) would become incontinent. Thankfully, as we have remarked about before, the Somerville Police Department does a fantastic job with the resources they have available. Now they have military grade, fully automatic M16 rifles to fight back against an evolving and expanding arsenal that violent crime offenders have at their disposal. The hard work and dedication these men and women put into the job every day should be applauded every day by those of us trying to get up every day, go to work and live our lives without worrying about whether we will be jumped down the street or car jacked. So the next time you see a cop at a detail and you think "oh what a waste" and you drive away shaking your head, be ashamed of yourself - because that same cop who watched you do that with a scowl on your face may just save your life someday.

The View From Prospect Hill for July 8

It seems odd all the crazy weather we have been having lately. The good news is that a lot of the fighting amongst the different political sects in the city has quieted down some - maybe that's because there is no primary election locally, maybe that's because the craziness of the budget has passed, maybe people have taken a well deserved vacation - who knows what the reasons are, frankly. Some smaller, more fractional people in various groups will always sit in the corner and bang on their gong to a negative beat, no matter how many times you have proven them wrong, no matter how many times they make themselves look like unintelligent buffoons. And that's a shame, because even though the economy isn't so great, there is plenty to be thankful for here in Somerville. We have great schools, plenty of police and fire protection, vibrant squares and thoroughfares - we even still continue to have one of the most ethnically diverse cities in New England, if not the country. Rock groups come to play and hang out in our squares, the movie industry has premieres and shoots films and commercials here - we have more artists per capita than anywhere else in the country, New York city excepted. What we also have close by is unbelievably easy access to the best higher learning institutions and medical facilities in the world. Let's not forget the history of our city too - it is all around us - so much so, that we sometimes overlook the importance our little city played in the formation of our country. Which brings us around to sense of community. We have said it dozens of times - as residents of this great city, we are very proud of the overwhelming sense of pride Somerville exudes. It has erased the stigma of old and replaced it with a beaming reputation for leading-class civic engagement, well-oiled government operation, extraordinary transparency across the board and recognition as a leader amongst communities nationwide. We owe a lot of this to a whole range of people - especially Mayor Joe Curtatone, his administration and staff and everyone from the private and business sectors that have stepped up and literally put their money where their mouths are. The Memorial Day Parade and the Independence Day Fireworks and Celebration are just two shining examples of how we can utilize local resources and display our sense of community pride without using city money. Some say that celebrating when times are tough is in poor taste - well to us that's rubbish - it is this bringing together of people that makes us stronger, that ensures our future and that gives us hope and the courage to pull through difficult economic conditions. We have a rich and vibrant and diverse community we can be say we are proud to live and work in - and that's a lot better than many other places in this country, so why shouldn't we embrace it? Now if the rain could go away for a few days...

The View From Prospect Hill for July 1

Finally the budget nightmare is over, for now. Thursday night is the annual fireworks, which if the weather holds out, should be bigger and better than ever. Hopefully there won't be any incidents and it will go off without a hitch. Because the 4th of July is on a Saturday this year, most people (especially the the 'ville) will probably take off for the weekend right after the fireworks. Leaving Thursday night instead of Friday is probably the smarter thing to do, considering just about everyone in the country will have the day off and will likely be traveling to their Independence Day celebratory location of choice. Around here it will be a ghost town for a few days - many of the regular, more visible people will head off to the Cape or up North to Hampton Beach or Lake Winnipesaukee. You are more likely to run into a 'villen at the Dunkin' Donuts in Falmouth on Sunday morning than you would at the Dunkin' Donuts in Magoun Square - that's just par for the course. Enjoy the weekend - spent time with family, friends, a good book or a movie. Play some golf, take a boat ride, just go for a walk - whatever suits your fancy. This is the perfect time to wind down from the school year, budget woes and anything else that might be on your mind lately. Believe it or not, in no time, it will be blazing hot, then summer will be gone, the kids will be back to school and the election bump and grind will be in full effect. Of course, then Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years will be right after that. Yes, time is flying by - so enjoy it while you can. When you pause to remember what this holiday means to us as a nation, keep in mind that we are lucky to live in a country with many more freedoms than most other nations - that we are lucky to have evolved into the nation we are. There are well over 100 nations in the world that celebrate an Independence Day of their own - but none have made such a global impact or have been as historic as ours. Keep that in mind this weekend, when you're lighting up the grill or throwing back a few beers - enjoying the family and friends and not thinking about work and life's stress all that much. And remember not to drink and drive - this is one of the most dangerous weekends when it comes to motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol and drugs. Don't be a statistic. Happy Independence Day from everyone at The Somerville News and Prospect Hill Publishing, Inc.

The View From Prospect Hill for June 24

The power of positive reinforcement works - the last several weeks, even in the face of the budget crisis, people remained hopefully optimistic about our city's chances at the Nation Civil League's "All America City" competition in Tampa. For a number of weeks, we have, in these very pages, been supportive of the contingent entrusted with bringing home the prestigious award and they came through. The weather, the budget, the economy - yeah, they've all been lousy recently - but that doesn't mean our sense of community pride isn't strong. In no time, there will be fireworks at Trum Field - and there will be great celebration for the community, much like the recent Memorial Day Parade. It will be yet another shining example of how we as a community have come together, in the face of adversity. Of course, there will be the usual group of haters that will drum on about how we should save the money spent on that and things like the Memorial Day Parade in order to save jobs. The same haters who will spew that garbage, but won't bother to to explain to their Koolaid drinking chums that things like the parade and the trip to Tampa were paid for by local businesses and residents of the city - not city government. Funny how they leave that information out. Believe it or not, it is possible to stay upbeat and positive - and still be able to call stupid people, stupid. To call arrogant jerks who live in a bubble of hate and have a warped sense of reality - assholes. To laugh at the people who, no matter how definitively you prove them wrong, still tell you their way is the only way. You can do all these things and still have a positive attitude - we do it all the time - the real problem, the part that needs to go away in this city, is the group of people who are so absorbed in their sense of entitlement that they think everyone else is negative and that there is a conspiracy around every corner. Every 20 or so years they rear their ugly head around here, and then they just fade away - let's hope they fade soon and spare the rest of us from their demented rhetoric soon.

The View From Prospect Hill for June 17

All America City. Has a nice ring, doesn't it? This week, like they did last year, a group of city officials, business owners and residents went to Tampa to try and bring the award back to Somerville. They pick the top ten cities to be named All America City - last year, Somerville came in 11th - just missing out. This year, with all the development of the routines and the practices that have been staged, it should be a shoe-in. The last time Somerville was given that distinction was 1972 - when there was a sweeping change moving through our city, the nation - the world. Times have changed dramatically in so many ways, but, we as a community keep coming together to celebrate our history and work together to create a solid future. We have gone on and on and on about how beneficial it has been to have many of the events and civic remembrances we celebrate every year. Some have gone on for decades and others have been introduced and reintroduced over the past few years. Credit has been given to the Mayor and his administration for heavily supporting and organizing most, if not all, of the events that bring this community together several times a year. It takes a concerted effort from local government, organized civic groups, businesses and residents to develop and maintain this level of community we enjoy today. While we didn't quite make it last year, there is no doubt we will this year - and even if we don't - we all know in our hearts that Somerville is an All America City every year.