The Somerville News Blog

Volunteers and non-profits work to help people who are at risk of losing their homes

David Fillingham of Belmont and Todd Kaplan, an attorney for Cambridge & Somerville Legal Services volunteered on Sunday to talk to residents at risk for foreclosure. ~Photo by Julia Fairclough By Julia Fairclough As Weimin Tchen set out last Sunday to talk to Somerville residents in danger of losing their homes he carried a folder loaded with pamphlets and lists of resources, wearing a green name tag showing he was a Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) volunteer. "It's more practical for tenants if they negotiate, rather than foreclose, but many people don't know that," said Tchen, a Melrose resident. It's also a pretty complicated process that a lot of people don't understand, said CAAS intern Emma Dillon. CAAS and the Cambridge & Somerville Legal Services (CSLS) Sunday went door-to-door for a foreclosure outreach campaign to talk to tenants and owners on the foreclosure list about their rights and how it may be possible for them to stay in their homes. About a dozen volunteers appeared for the information and training session before heading out armed with the list of homeowners who CAAS and CSLS identified as being in one of the stages of foreclosure. The list came from public records that were printed in local newspapers. There are 161 properties in Somerville in the various stages of foreclosure, said April Kuehnhoff, an attorney-to-be (she just passed the bar exam) for CSLS. Of those, 17 are bank owned, 17 have been resold to private individuals, 37 have had foreclosure auctions scheduled and 90 have had orders sent of the intent to foreclose (with no further process) sent to them. CAAS has been tracking evictions for about 15 years, and typically they see about one or two this year, said Melissa McWhinney, the CAAS director of outreach. To see 161 homes pop up on the foreclosure schedule list was alarming, which led CAAS and CSLS to reach out to tenants. Somerville is faring better than many other communities, such as Chelsea, Dorchester, Lynn, Lowell, and other parts of Boston, McWhinney said. Somerville property values have been fairly stable during this past year's housing crisis. When homes are sold at inflated prices, but valued at less than what they are bought for, that is when communities get into trouble, she said. Somerville has not seen those fluctuations. The foreclosure process is complicated, and takes a long time. That is why volunteers were instructed to tell people that CAAS and CSLS will hold a meeting on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the CAAS office at 66-70 Union Square to answer questions. Lawyers will also be present. It takes about a year from when a person first misses a mortgage payment to when they receive an eviction notice, though it really varies due to the numerous stages that occur (see sidebar below). Rachel Bedick, CAAS' outreach organizer, said it's nerve wracking when first knocking on doors. Some owners may not even know their homes are being foreclosed, even after it's published. Volunteers were armed with flyers in four languages-English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. They also had language booklets with key phrases and to help them identify what languages people might be speaking if they were unsure. The residents were told to relay how CAAS and CSLS can help people stay in their homes, find rental assistance, seek advice, or refer them to another source who could help them. The volunteers also stressed that the foreclosure process is lengthy, and that no one would be kicked out of their home in the near future. Ari Daniel Shapiro lives around the corner from the CAAS office. He showed up on Sunday to knock on doors to support his community and gain a better understanding of the diversity that exists outside his doorstep. "It's a big issue," he said. "I just wanted to be a part of it." You can reach CAAS at (617)-623-1392 or rbedick@caasomerville.org. A sample foreclosure timeline Note: Each states' foreclosure law differs so here is a general time line of the process. 1. Missed payment-Usually the mortgage payment is due the first of the month. A late fee is assessed after the 15th day of the month. 2. Demand letter- After the 60 days of missed payments a demand letter is sent to the homeowner in attempts to collect and giving them 30 days to resolve the delinquent amount. 3. Notice of default- After 90 days of missed payment, the loan is transferred to the foreclosure department. The notice of default is then recorded with the county the property is located in and mailed out to the homeowner within ten days the default is recorded. The homeowner is given 90 days from the recorded date to resolve the default. 4. Notice of Sale- If after 90 days from the recorded date, the default is not resolved then a notice of sale will be recorded. This notice states that the lender will sell the property in 21 days. The copy of the notice will be sent to the homeowner, posted in the county paper for three consecutive weeks and at the county courthouse. 5. Trustee Sale- After 21 to 25 days of the notice of sale, the property is sold at a foreclosure sale or auction. 6. Real Estate Owned- when a property is not sold at auction, then the lender lists the property with an REO broker. 7. Eviction- if the property is sold to the highest bidder, then the eviction process starts for the foreclosed owners. Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kayla_Hoang

Planning officials envision the Mystic River as a major recreational area in the near future

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council says it will continue efforts to clean the Mystic River. ~Photo by Bobbie Toner By Julia Fairclough Planners last week outlined six strategies to create and develop open space and to connect trails along the lower Mystic River corridor, as part of an ongoing project to maximize this valuable recreational resource. During a forum to solicit feedback on the work of the Lower Mystic River Corridor Strategy project last Wednesday night, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) planners unveiled Phase 2 of the project that began in 2007. The purpose of the project, planned for the cities of Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, and Somerville, is to bring the neglected waterway that encompasses 76 square miles of watershed (though the project is restricted to the six-city area) from the Lower Mystic Lake all the way up to East Boston. "This area has not realized its full potential," said Mayor Joseph Curtatone, before introducing MAPC planners. "We have a river that we can use as a regional asset. It's exciting to undergo this study." Thus far, the project's steering committee has met six times, and last unveiled it's progress during a public form in Everett last January. This meeting outlined the six strategies that the steering committee has come up with since then. A synopsis of some key points are as follows: 1. Acquire, protect, enhance, and link regionally significant open space parcels-While the Mystic River Reservation is fairly complete in Medford, there is much less open space in the lower reaches of the river. The steering committee identified ten parcels, including the Assembly Square area (1.5 acres of DCR-owned upland currently used only seasonally for boat storage) and the Sullivan Square connector trail (a new pedestrian link between Draw 7 Park and the Route 99 Bridge). 2. Enhance and encourage sustainable development and redevelopment along the corridor-Development along the Mystic River has historically been industrial. The six cities have identified important developments currently underway, such as the Assembly Square mixed-use plan and the Rivers Edge project in Everett, Medford and Malden. These projects should use green building, native landscaping, and trail construction. MAPC should also provide an analysis of Brownfield priorities. 3. Improve access to and along the river through the development of water transportation, public transit, roadway improvements, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations-Priority transportation projects include the Green Line Extension to Route 16, the I-93/Mystic Avenue Interchange, and the Orange Line station at Assembly Square. 4. Work with regional partners to influence policy and ensure that agencies and organizations have sufficient resources to effect change on the Mystic River-Elements of this strategy include asking the MAPC to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (as the EPA recently began a new Mystic River Initiative in April 2008), asking the MAPC and six cities to work with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to work on eliminating combined sewer overflows. 5. Develop and advocate for a strong legislative response to Mystic River needs-The state Legislature is a critical partner to revitalize the lower Mystic River. MAPC and the six cities can work to create a Mystic River Water Quality Commission that includes full city representation (originally House Bill 841 in the 2007-2008 Legislative session). The bill has been refiled for the 2009-2010 session and pending a final bill number. 6. Develop and maintain an information clearinghouse-Although many agencies involved in the Mystic River issues maintain Web sites, information must collaboratively reach the public. Visit www.mapc.org to access a PDF of this report, which describes the above in detail, and also contains various maps of the region. Look to the "Smart Growth" tab on the left of the home page, and scroll down to the Mystic River project, and the array of PDFs. Part of initiative number six has already been completed. MAPC recently developed a "dynamic" map of the lower Mystic, also located at www.mapc.org. In addition, MAPC recently updated its Web page to make it more user-friendly, and has been working on a more robust email list, said Joan Blaustein, MAPC's project manager. The MAPC is proud of its interactive map, which people can zoom into, move around, and zoom out to see how the Mystic River project relates to surrounding neighborhoods. Blaustein asked the audience to play around with the map, and contact her if there are any suggestions to improve it. The map also contains links to other ongoing projects, such as the Green Line Extension. Marc Draisen, the MAPC executive director, said that two lessons learned thus far come to mind. First, cities and towns must work together to figure out what will work for the major corridors, which includes the riverway. "The Charles River received a good amount of attention, but we haven't paid attention to this riverway," Draisen said. "I know that money is tight, and that we can't fund everything right away, but we can use this time to prioritize." Second, people need to focus on the future needs, he said, again, stressing prioritizing. "Planning is only as good as the implementation that follows it," he said, adding that this night was the kick off for the implementation phase. People in the audience mainly asked about land acquisition issues-including whether land could be taken to revert it back to its natural habitat-and toxic waste, pollution, and water run-off issues. Blaustein said that the MAPC is working with the Mystic River Watershed Association to assess water quality data and zeroing in on any "hot spots." The MAPC has looked at a host of land acquisition issues and prioritized where they can make the most progress. They are open to hearing from people about other acquisition possibilities, Blaustein aid. "It is easy for us to prioritize open space," Draisen said. "If our map can help us find critical Brownfields, if a site appears to be useful, then we prioritize it. We can clean it up and use it in a more recreational way. It is difficult to get listings of Brownfield sites, because such a list, unfortunately, does not exist."

Rafal defeats Norton for School Committee seat

Christine Rafal speaks at an electoral forum held by Centro Presente. ~Photo by Tom Nash By Tom Nash Christine Rafal defeated incumbent Jamie Norton for the Ward 4 School Committee seat on Tuesday, while Ward 5 challenger Anna Lavanga lost to incumbent Mark Niedergang. Norton, editor of The Somerville News and co-owner of real estate company ERA The Norton Group, had served in the position since 2007 after winning a sticker race against incumbent Charlene Harris. Harris was also forced to run a write-in campaign after failing to turn in election paperwork. He previously served in the position from 1994-95 after an unsuccessful run in 1989. Rafal, a curriculum writer active in the Somerville Public Schools community, defeated Norton by 135 votes out of the 1,115 votes cast for the position. Lavanga, former vice president of the John F. Kennedy School Parent-Teacher Association, garnered 383 votes against Niedergang's 1,029.

Somerville library screens green building film

By Jeremy F. van der Heiden On Monday, October 26th, over thirty people gathered at the Somerville Public Library to watch a screening of a new documentary about the "green building" of The Macellan Condominium Complex in South Boston. The film provided an overview into this eco-friendly means of developing real estate, as well as the effects it has on all those involved. The Macellan Building is the first completely green building to grace the state of Massachusetts, and many hope that it inspires many more to follow in their footsteps. The film documented the process of the actual planning and execution of this new development in South Boston. The owner of the estate, Tim Pappas, is a relatively new face in the real estate world, but made the decision himself to make this project a green one. The term green is derived from the amenities and actual materials of the building. A group called The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), whom follows a strict point system while assessing buildings, gives out the green certification. The goal of this project was to get a Gold by LEED's standards. To do so, The Macellan buildings amenities included no fiberglass installations, close to the T, local vendors, double flush toilets, and used local vendors. The building ultimately did receive the Gold. In the film Pappas discussed how when it was time to get developers in on the action, it was hard at first to find ones that were willing to participate in the green process, probably because of the foreign nature of the procedure, being far from the traditional means. For example, almost the entire frame of the building was made from recycled materials from the old structure, the wheat board cabinets from Minnesota, and the bamboo floors from China. All of these materials proved to be tricky because of how new to the market they were. Pappas found that all the leaders who wanted to get involved were around his age (late 20's). Of them, Jason Burrell was the Project Manager. In the film he described the mixed reaction from the community, it being a traditional, working class, Irish-Catholic neighborhood, and the project itself being very out of the ordinary. Still, all those who cared enough to see how the building was made seemed to agree that it was great for the community, and a good step in the right direction. The film also discussed how an estimated 43% of all green house emissions come from the development and sustaining of buildings. On top of this, according to the film, buildings consume around 70% of energy in America. The Macellan building aims to be a pioneer in righting these wrongs that developments cause to the planet, while still building a structure that serves its purpose. The only drawbacks to the system that some found were the LEED's negligence in assessing the energy used to ship all of the materials to the site itself, from places like China, Bolivia and Minnesota. The project itself proved as a success, the ending of the film stated how the Mayor announced in 2007, after a visit to the Macellan Building, that all new buildings must be green. For anymore information on this project visit their website at www.themacellanbuilding.com, or on the green certification process visit LEED's website at www.usgbc.com.

CCP narrows priorities at Green Line meeting

Participants at the Community Corridor Planning meeting held at the Alfred F. Argenziano School Oct. 28.~Photo by Halani Moss Halani Moss Residents gathered at the Alfred F. Argenziano School last Wednesday for an evening of interactive discussion about the Green Line extension project hosted by the Community Corridor Planning (CCP) coalition. The five-mile extension, scheduled to be in place by 2014, will begin with the relocation of Lechmere Station to the east side of Monsignor O'Brien Highway, continuing on to the final stop at Mystic Valley Parkway. Along this new stretch of railway, at least five new stations will appear in Somerville. Coordinators of the CCP, a partnership of four local non-profit organizations including Groundwork Somerville, the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP), the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), and the Somerville Community Health Agenda, arranged the open hall for smaller groups to sit together; represented by the T stop expected to affect them most. The evening began with an hour long open house where attendees took part in informal discussions, creative activities including "Timeline Tracks" - a record of personal, historical, and 'T' related experiences from 1950 to the present day, a short film about the Green Line, and even an opportunity to catch a live performance by Ramblin' Dan, singing his campaign song, "Charlie on the MBTA." The objective of the meeting, which was translated into Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese by the Lips Program, was to examine a list of pre-determined principles and decide on their order of importance. Calling the meeting to order, Groundwork Somerville Executive Director Jennifer Lawrence exclaimed, "Green Line is coming! What is Somerville going to do?" In a second round of discussion attendees voted to narrow down their choices from a list of thirteen. Among the top priorities eventually included were increased social and economic development, the creation of community gathering spaces and keeping the city affordable. SCC member Mary Regan pointed out the importance of community involvement in transit related development, using Fruitvale Village in Oakland, Calif. as an example. Regan said Oakland's diverse community came together to make a positive impact in the development of the area surrounding BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) stations. "They've created a transit village," Regan said while displaying colorful and thriving images Fruitvale Village. Regan added she hopes Somerville will soon also share the label.

Aldermen fend off newcomers

~Photos by Tom Nash By Tom Nash Current aldermen and Mayor Joe Curtatone gathered with supporters at the Dante Club last night shortly after election ballots showed decisive victories against two challengers. Alderman-at-Large candidate Luis Morales and Ward 6 candidate Jim Campano both lost by wide margins, with Ward 6 incumbent Rebekah Gewirtz winning 1,081 out of 1,476 votes cast for the seat and Morales trailing fourth place Bruce Desmond by 1,446 votes. In total, 7,682 ballots were cast in the election, which included aldermen from every other ward running unopposed and two contested seats on the School Committee. Alderman-at-Large Dennis Sullivan took the top place, earning 4,861 votes. "The voters think we're doing a good job, and they showed it today," Sullivan said at the Dante Club. Morales, who spent much of the day with supporters in Davis Square, said before the vote count he hoped his first political campaign would show that much of Somerville's population is without a voice on the Board. "I'm glad to be new at this," Morales said. "I think when you've been in power so long, you kind of miss the point." Curtatone, who ran unopposed, received 6,156 votes - with 1,251 ballots cast blank.

Our Endorsements

A Sad State of Affairs

For the first time in 100 years or so there was no need for an election primary in this city. The question has arisen - are people satisfied or complacent? Or maybe are they simply afraid of taking on those already in power? More than likely, the answer is all three.

We couldn't be more bored. With one exception, the challengers in this election are either not viable or being propped up by a wanna-be political machine that shouts buzzwords but is only interested in throwing out one group for their own. It's disappointing given the empowerment so many people supposedly felt after last year's presidential election.

The following endorsements are to be read keeping in mind that the choices are few. The question comes to does one support the sole challenger simply because he or she is new or do you go with the devil you know? This year, we're sticking with the tried and true.

Mayor

While we wish that in a city with as vibrant a community as ours there are multiple choices for elective office, we've been more than pleased with Joe Curtatone's performance as Mayor during his last two terms. Certainly winning the All-America City award had a lot to do with his leadership, and it was a moment that all of Somerville shared.

Ultimately, however, that award means little compared to the actual improvement we've seen in this city. We could not have a more fiercely determined advocate for progress on the Green Line. The final pieces of the police department reorganization are coming together. He certainly hasn't been afraid to make tough decisions, especially during our ongoing budget crisis. He dove headfirst into citywide permit parking, a divisive issue that we're hoping he would have pursued even if he weren't guaranteed a new term.

To keep things interesting, it would be interesting to see a viable challenger discussing the issues with him during the next election cycle - assuming he's not on Capitol Hill by then - but for now we have no problem telling you to vote for the one choice you have. We could do a lot worse.

Ward 6 Alderman

This is tough. The Progressive Democrats of Somerville is perhaps the most secretive pseudo-government body in Somerville (besides the Traffic Commission), and Rebekah Gewirtz is without question the center of the group. On the other hand, we would like to support Campano, but his NIMBY attitude really isn't an antidote to Gewirtz's faux-transparency. We're holding out hope that Ward 6 will someday have an alderman more concerned about the well being of constituents than politics.

Maybe next time we'll have a chance to enthusiastically root for one of Gewirtz's challengers. This year, vote blank.

Alderman-at-Large

Here again we run into the same issue: PDS. Luis Morales, their candidate, is a religious leader, which is clearly at odds with much of their agenda (see Ward 5 endorsement below). That means one thing to us: the PDS believes that since this guy is Latino he automatically deserves a seat on the Board.

We don't necessarily disagree that the Board is sorely lacking in diversity, but at the end of the day, the BOA is about effectiveness, and the current crop of aldermen-at-large have been some of the most effective on the Board in a long, long time.

At the risk of seeming like hypocrites for decrying the lack of challengers and then endorsing all the incumbents, we see no reason to vote anyone out in favor of Morales. Maybe if he had run on his own initiative it would be different, but for now we're happy to endorse Jack Connolly, Bruce Desmond, Dennis Sullivan and Bill White.

Each of them brings a unique point of view to the Board. Desmond brings his school committee experience and determination to not let issues get swept under the rug - the Max Pac site is just one example. Sullivan, who will host his 100th office hour on Saturday, is possibly the most accessible member. Connolly brings his experience as a long-time advocate for Davis Square from the days when cafes and all the marks of a beautiful neighborhood were still unknown.

White is easily the most intelligent voice on the Board, and has kept the mayor's office in check more times in the past six months than we can keep count. Out of all of them, White is perhaps the most important voice on the Board. And hey, remember when he was a Republican? Here's proof we agree with a PDS endorsement every once in a while.

Ward 4 School Committee

We're pleased to endorse News Editor-in-Chief Jamie Norton, who has served effectively and passionately since being elected two years ago. Students at the Arthur D. Healey and Winter Hill Community School have benefited from his advocacy. A far cry from his PDS-created opponent, who appears to make things up as she goes along, Jamie has a quiet, yet informed, and very efficient manner about him - and he gets things done.

Norton has been a voice of reason on a committee that often finds itself bogged down in issues beyond its control. For the past two years, he has been a level-headed and hardworking voice for the ward he has lived in his entire life.



Ward 5 School Committee

Mark Niedergang, a so-called Progressive Democrat, has really managed to put his foot in his mouth this year. He came out against religion and patriotism as worthwhile reasons for school holidays, then spent much more time "going negative" (and advising others to go negative) than even our own infamous Newstalkers.

Anna Lavanga, a long-time PTA member, is more than qualified to take his place and we're pleased to endorse her, a non-PDS aligned challenger, who is running for the right reason: our children. Mark Niedergang is only looking out for himself, period.

Pedestrian hit on Washington Street

By Tom Nash A 73-year-old man is in critical but stable condition after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Washington Street and McGrath Highway last night. The victim, a Cambridge resident, was transported to an area hospital with "multiple trauma," Deputy Police Chief Paul Upton said. The driver has not been charged. The accident is under investigation by the Somerville Police Crash Reconstruction Unit. Witnesses are asked to call the Traffic Unit at (617) 625-1212.

Project Beautification kicks off with some eye-catching ideas for Union Square

Project Beautification members want to make this stretch of cobblestones more user friendly. ~Photo by Julia Fairclough By Julia Fairclough While people may not directly acknowledge the sewer system upgrade along Somerville Avenue, they will appreciate the aesthetic upgrades that are more more visible to the eye. The sewer project that has riddled Somerville Avenue for the past few years is drawing to a close, and slated to be finished this spring. The next question is how to decorate the square? There will be new asphalt, brick trimmed sidewalks and street lamps (which are already installed). Now all the square needs is some tender loving care. Thus, Union Square Main Streets (USMS) just created Project Beautification, to bat around ideas that people would like to see in place. The group of about ten residents will meet once a month to see what possibilities would work in Union Square. USMS Executive Director Mimi Graney told the group on Tuesday that there isn't any money in the budget at this point for more flowers and trees, but the group can formulate a design plan to bring to the city. Project Beautification plans will focus on Union Square, but may migrate a bit up Somerville Avenue towards Porter Square. Currently, USMS conducts a spring and fall clean-up, and created an adopt-a-planter program last Spring. Project Beautification may be able to incorporate any ideas into the other two programs, Graney said. The residents, many of who liked to garden, and two of whom are designers, liked the idea of adding planters and more flowers to the square. They talked about the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, which features thematic designs. They batted around ideas for shapes of planters, or adding planters that are attached to benches. Whatever the group decides to do, it has to work with the dynamics of Union Square. Graney threw in the idea to have some kind of identification for Union Square, similar to how Porter Square features the kinetic sculpture. Examples of this are awnings, banners, or a logo motif (e.g., Davis Square has the rotary logo). A resident said it would be nice to involve the schools in the square, by having students create mosaics, for example. People agreed that Union Square needs more maps, as the roads are often not marked and confusing. They also talked about the "dead zones" in the square, such as the cobbled space by the Somerville Community Access Television building. That area features sidewalks that make pedestrians feel as if they will fall over into the frenzied traffic. How do we soften that feeling by adding lights, a bench, a bike rack, or a semi-circular sitting area? they pondered. That area would also be nice for regularly-scheduled public art, to be rotated on a routine basis. The group closed its first meeting by assigning various people to research planters, traffic island ideas, benches, and examples from other cities to help narrow down ideas. For more information or to get involved, you can contact Graney at mimi@unionsquaremain.org.

Prospect of Brown School closure reappears(updated)

By Tom Nash After causing a stir during the city's budget review process in June by asking for a cost analysis of closing the Benjamin G. Brown School, Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche reminded the school system last Thursday that he's still waiting for the report. "In these tough economic times, I think we have to make hard decisions and look at where we can save money," Roche said at the Oct. 22 Board of Aldermen meeting. "We've got to move forward with the facts and know what we're dealing with." Roche submitted an order asking Superintendent Anthony Pierantozzi for an update, pointing out that the building has no auditorium or cafeteria and is not accessible to persons with disabilities. "We can't be cutting services and laying people off when we have a school building that possibly shouldn't be there," he added. Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz was quick to defend the school as the most cost-effective in the city and a "hub" for the surrounding community. "I don't think we should be targeting individual schools," Gewirtz said. "I frankly don't think it's the role of the Board of Alderman." Alderman-at-Large Bruce Desmond, Dennis Sullivan and Bill White joined Gewirtz in voting against the order, which passed 7-4. (in error, we reported Dennis Sullivan voted in favor of the order) "I knew this wasn't going to be a popular resolution -- I didn't expect it to be," Roche said, adding that he wouldn't mind if other members wanted to look at schools in Ward 1. "I think people shouldn't be afraid of the study, and let the results be what they are." Before the vote, Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero urged Brown School parents to keep their kids out of the debate. As the board's School Committee representative, he said he was frustrated that parents put their children in front of the committee to lobby against cutting the sixth grade from the school earlier this year. "It changes the analysis from being objective," Pero said. "As adults, it makes it really difficult to say no to the kids." "I'm sure (the parents) will be forming their lobbying plans tomorrow," he added. The meeting was barely over before Brown School parent Paula Woolley sent an e-mail to other parents warning that the possibility of the Brown School closing was back on the table. Woolley told the parents to wait until the Nov. 4 School Committee meeting before worrying too much about Roche's request, however. Woolley added later she hopes the board will trust the judgment of the school system and the School Committee. "Every year that there's a budget crisis, (the School Committee members) really have been thoughtful with what they've been doing," she said. "I'm not becoming alarmed by this news because I feel they made it clear they didn't want to cut educational programs. I think the BOA needs to respect that they have a job to do and they do it well."

Alderman candidates quizzed on East Somerville issues

Aldermen-at-Large Jack Connolly, Bruce Desmond and challenger Luis Morales at the candidates’ forum held at the East Somerville Senior Center Oct. 21. ~Photo by Tom Nash By Tom Nash Several groups dedicated to keeping East Somerville affordable hosted the candidates for contested Board of Aldermen seats last Wednesday, giving them a chance to share their ideas for a neighborhood grappling with gentrification and a sinking economy simultaneously. Representatives from East Somerville Neighbors for Change, the Affordable Housing Commission, Save Our Somerville and the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership asked all five alderman-at-large candidates, Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, Ward 6 challenger James Campano and Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche questions on the Green Line, progress on the rebuilding of the East Somerville Community School and job creation. All of the candidates' answers are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese at www.somervillecdc.org

Alderman decries lax safety measures at supermarket

By Tom Nash In the wake of an armed robbery at a popular Somerville Avenue supermarket, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston wants the company's management to explain why it can't keep the store's parking lot under control. On Oct. 11, a man robbed a woman at knifepoint and assaulted her in the Market Basket parking lot. While a police officer on duty was on the scene within moments of the attack, Heuston said the lack of security cameras in the parking lot and crowding are a public safety issue. Police are still searching for the assailant. At the Oct. 22 Board of Aldermen meeting, Heuston passed a resolution asking for the company's management to explain itself to the board. "They are an enormously successful enterprise, and I think that the fact that they can't manage that parking lot is unconscionable," she said. "If anyone had a heart attack in that parking lot they would be dead, because you can't get an ambulance in there." Heuston added that the constantly busy parking detracts from the long-awaited completion of infrastructure improvements along Somerville Avenue. "(After a) $25 million Somerville Avenue project, we've still got Market Basket wreaking havoc at that location," Heuston said. The resolution passed unanimously.

Somerville suits up for climate change

About 40 Somerville riders and volunteers gathered at Prospect Hill. The group rode their bikes together to downtown Boston, where they joined hundreds of others to raise climate change awareness for International Climate Day. ~Photo by Meghan Frederico By Meghan Frederico Roughly 40 Somervillians gathered at the top of Prospect Hill on Saturday, dressed more appropriately for a day at the beach than a drizzly October afternoon. Wearing wetsuits and snorkels, the group rode their bikes together to downtown Boston, where they joined hundreds of others at an underwater-themed festival, playing off the prospect of rising sea levels in order to raise climate change awareness for International Climate Day. International Climate Day was founded by 350.org, a grassroots organization whose name and mission reflect the scientific claim that the safe limit for atmospheric C02 is 350 parts per million. According to their website, the earth is currently at 387. The worldwide event was created as a way to raise awareness about climate change and C02 levels, and strategically falls less than 2 months ahead of the 2009 U.N. Climate talks in Copenhagen. 350.org is pushing for a more ambitious version of the climate treaty, one that they hope will make carbon emissions costly enough to bring CO2 levels under 350, but without stifling the progress of developing countries. "The vision behind 350 was that instead of a single march on Washington, every community can do something useful to raise awareness" Vanessa Rule, an organizer from the Somerville Climate Action (SCA), said of the approach. Somerville was one of the many communities in 181 reported countries that participated in International Climate Day. Maureen Barnillo, the SCA volunteer who organized the ride, spoke to the participants before their departure from Prospect Hill about the appropriateness of the historic site. "We'll follow the path of freedom fighters before us, starting here at Prospect Hill," she said, "we now need our own revolutionaries who will stand up and fight against our dependence on fossil fuels." Barnillo just got rid of her own car, replacing it with more frequent bike rides and a Zip Car membership. "But safety and comfort is an issue," she said of her reluctance to bike on snow and ice. Since biking is not always a viable option for everyone, she hopes that the city will come up with other green alternatives to encourage people to put down their car keys. "We're an 'All-American City', we need to be coming up with our own innovations" she said. Last year at ArtBeat's "Future of Somerville" contest, Barnillo submitted an idea for a trolley that went around the Somerville loop and charged less than the T, encouraging residents to take public transportation for shorter trips, where they might see driving as more practical. Anyone who has handed over $1.50 for a two mile bus trip from, say, Union Square to Davis Square, might see the appeal of such an alternative. "The ride went really well," said Barnillo afterward, "we just had one flat tire." The group included recreational bikers, bike commuters, and even one former competitive cyclist, Constantine Psimopoulos, who was there with his wife Calliopi Dourou-Psimopoulos. Barnillo and Ron Newman of the Somerville Bicycle Committee led the way way from Union Square to Christopher Columbus Park on Boston Harbor, passing through freedom trail sites including Bunker Hill, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, and the U.S.S. Constitution. At the Harbor, the Somerville riders joined a crowd of about 500 people, by the SCA's estimation, as they acted out preparations for a flood, donning life preservers and building a sandbag barrier to stave off the imaginary flooding. At the "life saving station", Rule said that participants managed to fill the voicemail boxes of both Senator Kerry and White House, urging them to consider their message as world leaders prepare for the U.N. Climate Talks in December.

Somerville Police Detective Mario Oliveiria recognized for the Boston Bruin's Community Award

Somerville Police Detective Mario Oliveiria was named the first "community captain" of the season by the Bruins last week. He was nominated by the Massachusetts Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors, a group Oliveiria works with to help the survivors of fallen police officers.

Books of Hope holds reading at Somerville library

Jasen Sousa, founder of J-Rock Publishing, read several poems from his newest book, Humming Eternity at a Book of Hope reading on Oct. 15. Sousa, who grew up in Somerville, started writing as a way to bring news to his friends in jails and mental hospitals and has published seven volumes of poetry for young adults. ~Photos by Ashley Taylor By Ashley Taylor "I want to be heard," Maishka Antoine began reading. "I-want-to-be-heard," she continued, emphasizing each word. Antoine, 15, has written two books as the youngest member of Books of Hope, a youth writing and publishing program in Somerville. Antoine and six of her peers in Books of Hope were recently heard at the Somerville Central Library, where the authors read their work for a small but enthusiastic audience on Oct. 15. Author and publisher Jasen Sousa, a graduate student interning with Books of Hope, also took the stage to read his poetry. The poems and subsequent discussion touched on racism, poverty and violence, but the mood in the air was more warm than dismal. The young authors clapped and cheered their own loudly and participated readily in call-and-response poems. Most of the authors coupled their poems of injustice and struggle with poems of pride, dreams and hope. Books of Hope began in 1999, and since then, its participants have published more than 100 books. Poet and non-fiction author Laura "Soul" Brown has directed the program since 2005. Books of Hope authors gather with Brown and other writers on Monday nights at the Mystic Learning Center, on the grounds of the Mystic housing projects. This year, Books of Hope has 13 participants (their capacity is 15) and runs from October through June. There is no charge for the program, and participants earn money from sales of their work. The Mystic projects consist of two low-income housing developments on Mystic Avenue -- the state-run Mystic River Development and federal housing development Mystic View. According to the Mystic Learning Center's website, 84 percent of families in the Mystic Projects are headed by single mothers. Books of Hope author Jessica Masse describes the Mystic Projects as "known for violence," adding that both organizations hope to help young people overcome the hardships faced there. The challenges they face -- poverty, racism, abuse of women, struggles in education -- are the material for many of the poems read last Thursday. Antoine's poem, "For My People: Remix," contains most of these topics. The poem takes the structure and themes of Margaret Walker's 1942 poem "For My People," and adds her own perspective. Walker's poem begins with slave "dirges" -- Antoine's begins with boogie boogie. Walker's poem describes the menial, thankless work of her people over the years. Antoine describes the aspirations of her generation to become people of influence. Walker describes her playmates growing up in Alabama. Antoine describes hers in the Somerville housing projects "who jump the doubles of/double-dutch singing made up rhymes, who play with/the red rubber ball and the metal stars of jaxs," and "who swim at the public pool, and go/to summer school just for food." Walker describes school, where people learned they were "black and poor and small and different." Antoine describes school where people "learn that a race we/look down on did more than we think." Antoine speaks of hardship, hunger, cold, and abandonment. She closes with a stanza about the civil rights movement, "For my people who fought back the court cases with lawyers that sucked and still won." In 1942, years before the Civil Rights Movement, Margaret Walker wrote, "Let the martial songs be written, let the dirges disappear. Let a race of men now rise and take control." Antoine, writing in 2009, ends, "For my people, for our future, which will always be strong." Many of the poems grapple with race and racism. Of the students from Books of Hope at the reading, eight were black, one was Latino, and one was white. They seemed united in their passion for civil rights. Leo Galindo, a first-generation American whose parents are Honduran, read "Walk On, Think On," about the Freedom Trail, slavery and civil rights. "Race isn't that big of an issue to me," Galindo said after the reading, "because I've always grown up in diverse neighborhoods, so there's always been a lot of different cultures that I grew up around, and that [was what] I was exposed to, and so I think that there's bigger issues than race. I think there's poverty, and there's teenage violence, and there's not a lot of opportunities for youth like myself, you know?" Anthony Cimea, originally from Haiti, read a poem called "Screaming For MLK," in which he and his peers chanted: "MLK: Your life is my dream, and your dream is my life: Incomplete." Many of the young authors read poems about ambition and optimism in the face of racism and poverty. In "My Life," Zanterius Broadus states, "My life is just like usual/Just another black man trying/to make it out of the ghetto." By "make it," Broadus adds, "I want to be a black man/who makes more money than Bill Gates" and "the one that went through the struggle/but still made it to the top." In a poem titled, "YBF," Keisha Jean-Louis details her own ambitions as a Young Black Female who "walk[s] the projects of Somerville/The Mystic with bigger dreams/Than you can imagine." Jessica Masse's poem, "Generation To Generation: Changing the Future's Nation," describes life on the streets, with impressive rhyme and call and response, ultimately asking her peers to "wake up and see what's true" to change the world. It's a sentiment Galindo agrees with, saying, "Books of Hope is one of the few rare gifts that youth like myself are given where we have the chance to express ourselves, and in doing so have a positive influence on everyone around us."

Student stabbed at Somerville High School (updated)

By Tom Nash Police have arrested two men on charges relating to the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy outside of Somerville High School on Monday. An officer assisting with school dismissal was reportedly on the scene moments after a fight broke out next to City Hall around 2:45 p.m., where the officer found the 16-year-old stabbed in the chest. The victim, a Somerville High School student, was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to statement from the Somerville Public Schools. Niall Vallega, 19, was arrested on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and armed assault with intent to murder. Alieu Joof, 19, was arrested on a charge of being an accessory after the fact. Both are Somerville residents although neither is a students at the high school. Deputy Chief Paul Upton said in a statement that the victim and alleged assailant knew each other and that the altercation "was the result of a personal issue." Vallega and Joof were arraigned Tuesday. A third suspect is still being sought. Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call (617) 625-1212.

Three students injured in Capuano School crash (updated)

~Photos by William Tauro By Tom Nash Three children at the Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center were hospitalized "out of an abundance of caution" Monday after a 32-year-old woman crashed through a fence onto the playground around 1:45 p.m, Deputy Police Chief Paul Upton said. The children, between the ages of 3 and 4, were on the playground when a car driver by Juna Maharjan jumped the curb and ploughed through a fence, striking the bench one of the children was sitting on, Upton said. "One child had a scrape, which I think was from falling from the bench," Upton said. Maharjan has been cited for negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Upton said a court date is pending.

Somerville receives Met grant money to renovate Blessing of the Bay Boathouse

(press release) Alderman at Large Bill White accepted a grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) on behalf of the City of Somerville on Friday, October 23rd during a press conference along the banks of the Mystic River in Medford. The MET presented five grants, totaling $505,500, to Mystic River Watershed communities and organizations, including the cities of Everett, Somerville, and Medford, the Mystic River Watershed Association and the Mystic Valley Development Commission. Somerville's grant award totals $201,000, for renovations to the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse - for ADA renovations and reconstruction of the dock - as well as to fund the construction of the Blue Heron River Route Project. Accepting the grant, Alderman White noted, "Through this grant funding, we will be able to make the Mystic River waterfront - at all its access points in Somerville - a true neighborhood destination, and a highly visible community gathering spot that can be shared with the entire region. In the last several years, we've drawn more attention to this area, with the Assembly on the Mystic development project and celebrations such as Riverfest, and this grant award will serve to strengthen the character and increase the visibility of this great community resource."

Medford Street house fire

~Photos by Donald Norton By Tom Nash A fire damaged a two family house at 376 Medford St. around 7:30 a.m. Monday. According to Deputy Chief Peter St.Clair, the occupants of the upper unit had discovered the fire and safely evacuated themselves and their downstairs neighbors before calling 911. There were no injuries reported. The fire was confined to the room of origin on the third floor and but there was heat and smoke damage throughout the third floor and water damage to the lower floors. The American Red Cross responded to the scene and assisted the displaced victims in obtaining food, clothing and temporary shelter. Two adults and a child on the first floor and a family of five in the upper unit were displaced. The cause of the fire appeared to be electrical, officials said.

Somerville celebrates All-America achievement

An entire evening was dedicated to celebrating Somerville's All-America City Award, Saturday at the Center for the Arts at the Armory. ~Photo by Donald Norton By Elizabeth Sayer Residents, business owners and elected officials from past and present joined in a community celebration on Saturday dedicated to celebrating one thing: Somerville. The city-organized event, at the Center for the Arts at the Armory Oct. 17, dedicated an entire evening to celebrating Somerville's All-America City Award, which the city received from the National Civic League in June after competing in Florida. Comedians Lenny Clark and Tony V. performed, along with local Disco-funk band Booty Vortex and Blackout, Tufts University's Step team Blackout. Local restaurants provided a buffet for the estimated 360 attendees while Somerville Youth Projects held a silent auction with Patriots tickets and autographed sports memorabilia. Mayor Joseph Curtatone spoke about his lifelong love and passion for Somerville, and what the award meant to him. 'I am proud of Somerville and all that we are aiming to accomplish,' Curtatone told the audience. 'I'm proud of the [future] Green Line Expansion. I am proud of the business districts and the growth they are going to see over the next ten years. I am proud of the investments in basic infrastructure that will build a stronger city," "In 25 or 50 years from now, residents of Somerville will look back with gratitude at the hard work of the people of this city,' he added. Former Mayors Dorothy Kelly-Gay and Eugene Brune also spoke. Kelly-Gay recalled her first experiences in Somerville after emigrating from Ireland in 1968. 'We chose to stay in Somerville, despite it's reputation at the time, because of the people,' she said. 'Our neighbors are the best in the world, and the only way I will leave is when I'm taken out of my house toe-up."