The Somerville News has posted its take on the best news stories of the year: Somerville 2007: The year in news
From alleged death threats to unpaid parking tickets, Somerville had a busy and quirky news year in 2007.Gotta love Somerville.
What is a plow? I feel as if the city of Somerville is asking themselves that question every day. Here is an interesting letter to the editor "Next year I will ask for a snowplow on my wheelchair"
I feel as if the City of Somerville was completely unresponsive to residents pleas. This last snowstorm left a complete mess on the roads.
I live on the line of Somerville/Cambridge near Harvard. It is night and day outside my door, one side of the street is nicely shoveled and cars are able to park on the street. The Somerville side? Piles of snow and ice in the roads as well as on the sidewalks. SUV's were trying to throw themselves into the ice, but as you look down the street, there was not a car in sight. There couldn't be, the piles of snow in the street were to high to even think to park a car on it. It was gosh darn RIDICULOUS!! Thank goodness for this rain/temps. Otherwise it would still be a huge mess. I keep seeing landlords/residents need to shovel off sidewalks in front of properties, then why doesn't the city have to take care of the roads?
Dilemma: Too much snow on the even side of the street, due to a snow emergency not being declared by the city.
Easy Solution: Declare a snow emergency directly after the storm. A ticket 2 weeks later doesn't help the parking in an already over populated area.
A strongly worded letter is necessary. HA. I laugh because they were sent, and nothing was done.
It is never good news when you see three people running through an alley way stripping off an outer layer of clothes. That's what I would think anyway if I were the security guard who witnessed Au Bon Pain robbers flee the scene.
Three men stormed through the back door as the shop was closing and employees were trying to leave for the night. One man had a knife. The employees were tied up, and the manager was told to open the safe. The manager got so nervous he forgot the combination and asked to sit down. He then bolted out the front door. Suspects had no idea what to do at that point so they also left, but through the back door. A security guard in Harvard Square saw these three men running and was able to give the police vague descriptions.
The suspects are described as one white man in his 20s with a medium build and two black males in their early 20s and taller than six feet. One black man is described as heavy set, while the other man has a medium build.No one is safe anymore. I feel as if Harvard has become particularly scary.
With all the breaking news stories, I feel like nothing is safe anymore. Do you question if your kids toys contain a dangerous amount of lead? Now that the boxes are gone, you see the "made in china label" and get a little nervous. Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, state Rep. Denise Provost, and the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow is trying to help the Somerville community shop with ease by hosting a day of lead testing.
The testing will be done with a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) meter. The meter is held against the product, and an X-ray beam analyzes and reports the elements in the product within 30 seconds.
Things to have tested include:
Anything made of vinyl such as children’s toys, shoes, raincoats, lunch bags, handbags, backpacks (for lead, cadmium).
Children’s jewelry (for lead).
Pillows, foam cushions, children’s pajamas (for brominated flame retardants).
Brightly-colored ceramics such as flower pots or old dishes (for lead, cadmium).
Office products with soft plastic parts such as staplers, binders, etc.
Electronics: computer parts, video game controllers, etc. (for lead and brominated flame retardants).
Other products can be tested as well.
Lead testing
Saturday December 1st.
Central Library
79 highland ave.
For more information call: Jehlen’s office at 617-722-1578.
Somerville Police, 311, and Somerville's website are teaming to prevent theft in the cit. How? A cool yellow sticker you get to place on your expensive electronics, AKA: WRAP.
Web based
Registry
Anti-theft
Program
The purpose of WRAP is to create a database of portable electronic devices: makes, models, serial numbers, and their owners’ details. The information collected helps identify stolen property and potentially to identify the perpetrators when stolen property is recovered by Police and pawnshops.Signing up for WRAP requires a few steps. Registering your portable devices. Recommended: GPS, IPods, Notebooks, and Satellite Radio's. 2nd-protecting your stuff. Somerville Police have listed a few tips. Hopefully some residents are already aware of most of these helpful tips.
That's it. Title says it all. Barack Obama will be having a rally in Boston. On the Common. On the corner of Tremont and Boylston. I heard Governor Patrick will be joining him.
Boston Common
TODAY! 10/23
Gates open at 5:30pm
Instant RSVP
There is a new local newspaper on the streets of west Somerville this week, The Powderhouse. The paper is published by the same group that does The Alewife and also has an online version. Mike's in Davis is the newspapers first feature, not a bad start.
>> The Powderhouse
I love the internet. I might even love the internet more than beer. Anyhow, word on the street is the that free wi-fi will be available in Harvard Square starting Nov 1st. A little late in the season for enjoying sitting in the park and getting some work done, but still a fantastic enhancement to the square.
>> Digital age advances in Harvard Square
Watch out Somerville drivers. City is cracking down on some rules they were a little lenient on before. Specifically parking to close to the corner. Below you will find an intriguing article, which also includes a full list of intersections they are proposing to deal with. As a Somerville resident, yes I am concerned, but also. Why this now? What about Forest St. On the line of Cambridge/Somerville?? That street is a two way, but blatantly only room for one. And due to the sharp corner, you never know what you are driving towards. I don't know how many times I have had to back out onto Beacon due to oncoming traffic. OR ever heard of alittle st. called Oxford? Due to there being two in Somerville, the city likes to forget about this one. Also right on the line of Cambridge, never has street sweeping and is littered with broken mirrors. If you don't have a mirror that folds in, you are taking a big risk. One time, the whole front of my car was smashed in, mirror and tire!
I see safety concerns for possible future struggles, but what about the present struggles. I feel like since I live on the border of Cambridge, I am in my own little city. Both Cambridge and Somerville refuse to even acknowledge me. Makes me a little sad.
>>Wicked Local
It's been confirmed! Miracle of Science owner, Chris Lutes, has signed a lease for the old Greenhouse property. 3 Brattle St. prime Harvard property. It has been four months since Greenhouse closed its doors. Hopefully we will see something soon. Will it be another Miracle of Science? There are no definite answers yet. Lutes also owns Cambridge 1, the pizzeria on Church St. in Harvard.
Some things that need fixing? There was no public restroom in Greenhouse, nor was it handicap accessible. Hopefully with the new renovations, this will change. Having worked at Greenhouse for appx. a month, I was a little sad to see it go. They had the best french fries and honey mustard sauce, but it was a killer to ask for extra feta. Something like $2.50 extra.
Recently Green Cab was the first to offer a hybrid taxi service in Somerville. Go Green Cab! They have some worries about maintainability and cost, but how are you gonna work out the kinks till you start working it. Hopefully this is the beginning of a bigger trend.
>> Green Cab test drives city's first hybrid taxi
It exists. Worldwide. For serious! Tomorrow, September 19-Talk Like a Pirate Day. Last year one of the boys I work with told me the best pirate joke, and I never thought I would have a chance to share it. Well here it is!
Why couldn't the pirate go to the movie?
Because it was rated ARRR! Hehe, I heart fourth graders.
OK, so apparently this is a big thing. International! Check out all the cool things happening.
Locally: Brattle Theatre will be featuring 1976 pirate film, Swashbuckler. Arrive dressed as a pirate or wench and get in for half off.
Plot outline from IMDB: A pirate and a hot-tempered noblewoman join forces to protect Jamaica from a tyrant.
Other ways I can help you with this crazy day-here are some pirate terms you might not have known before. This may help get you the wench of your dreams. Although if you are using the word wench, you don't need my help.
Ahoy-Hello
Aye-Yes
Belay-stop talking (shut up)
Blimey-Exclamation of surprise
Bucko-friend
Deadlights-Eyes
Lubber(or land lubber)- a man who loves the land. Always an insult.
Smartly-Do something quickly
Swag-Loot (Can also use Booty)
More Vocab Words
Talk Like a Pirate Day: Everywhere
Free,
ALL DAY 9/19
Swashbuckler
Brattle Theatre
9:30p
$9.50 (unless dressed appropriately=half off.)
On average the MA lottery makes $700 per resident annually. Cambridge residents spend around $466 while Sommervile residents spend $816. Why such a difference? Is it cuz in Somerville our housing is cheaper and we have sooo much extra money to throw around, or cuz you Cantabrigians think you are so smart you know gambling is a waste of money? What do you think?
>> On average, Cambridge residents spend $466.31 gambling with state
If there is one thing Harvard Square is missing it is a grocery store. That should change by this fall. Luckily, not a chain, but an independent grocer will open its doors on the corner of Church St. and Brattle.
The new tenant, Connecticut grocer Peter Whang, said he’s looking forward to moving into his new store, called market in the Square, even if it means snubbing another Ivy League school to the south. For years, Whang has owned two groceries minutes from the Yale University campus in New Haven. Earlier this year, Whang sold both stores to be able to move to Cambridge.
Wagamama, a chain of noodle bars, is opening in Harvard Square today, Aug 13th.
Some interesting info about Wagamama from wikipedia:
>> WagamamaWagamama has a number of features that set them apart from other restaurants. These include:
- Orders are taken via PDAs, and wirelessly networked to the kitchen, so that as soon as an order is taken it can begin to be prepared.
- Food is delivered to the table as soon as it is ready, they sell sides instead of starters and these and the main courses can arrive in any order.
- Customers sit on either side of large tables—one table-set can seat up to 20 people.
- All restaurants are non-smoking, by Law in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland and recently England.
- Green tea is supplied free on request.
- Reservations are not taken; all customers are seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Wagamama merchandise can be bought in the restaurant, including a cookbook, dishes and cutlery.
Davis Square is next on the list for renovations. Included in this new look will be an installment of community art throughout the station. When walking through the Davis station, i notice all the art and think-anyone I know? Of course not! The current panels were placed in 1984 when the station was first built. Some of the art panels will be replaced, but the structural art and children's panels will remain intact.
A number of the existing panels will be replaced with 4’x 4’ art panels that reflect the vibrancy of the City of Somerville, Tufts University, and the linkages that join them. The Somerville Arts Council has released a Call to Artists with specific parameters relevant to the scope, size, and materials required for the 4’x 4’ panels. A jury comprised of representatives from Tufts University, the MBTA, and Somerville will review all submissions and will recommend approximately nine for display within the T station.All artists who live or work in Somerville are encouraged to contribute. To participate, submit a photo, sketch, painting, or image for consideration. Submissions are due to the Arts Council by September 14 2007. Contact Gregory Jenkins of the Somerville Arts Council at (617) 625-6600, ext.2985
Word is that there is an agreement underway for a new resturant to move into the old Greenhouse spot in Harvard Square. The name is yet to be released but they say the new place will have a bathroom, another place to pee is always good news. Lets just hope its not another chain..
>> New restaurant to open at former Harvard Square cafe
Any reason you missed the Taste of Cambridge, but wish you hadn't. The rain, forgot to get tickets, or just a prior commitment? No worries! The rain set it back a week. Tickets are still available.
http://camberville.blogspot.com/search/label/food
Check out this weeks post for more info!
All the same stuff-just a different date.
Thursday July 26.
What? Man buys toothpaste at shady convenience store. Mis-spellings througout the box. Man get sick. Obviously it is the toothpaste!
Somerville man buys Colgate at a convenience store, and it has the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol, which is found in anti freeze. What this does to your body? It is a central nervous system depressant and kidney and liver toxin.
What I don't get is how is this happening? A "botched batch" of toothpaste? Like someone at Colgate was like ha wouldn't this be funny if we made poisonous tootpaste, put it in a crap box that says from South Afrlca, and needs adolt supervision. Then whoops it got shipped to atleast 5 different states.
It seems to me like there are too many mistakes for this to be an accident,
Note to self: Do not buy toothpaste that has good "germ defence" and shipped from South Afrlca.
>>Boston Herald Article
There is a new free newspaper in town, BostonNow. I could compare the editorial content and features of both, in which I would applaud BostonNow for their innovative ideas (webcasting daily meetings, blogs in newspapers...) and state that currently I feel Metro includes more news, but I will not. Instead I would like to address the impact this news has had on my morning commute.
Every weekday I sleep walk to the Porter T stop, mindlessly grab a metro, and head down the escalator. Uneventful, until this week. Now I sleep walk to the T, grab my metro at the top of first escalator, get bombarded by another metro guy at the bottom, followed by a BostonNow guy. In my trance I end up with three newspapers. Then to top it off, 35 minutes later when i arrived in Quincy center I had to relive the situation, 2 metros and 1 BostonNow.
Apparently Metro is scared about the new competition, but instead of forcing newspapers down commuters throats, why not strive to provide better content and let the public choose which paper to read, or read both. A little media diversity never killed anyone.
>> Opening the Floodgates
>> BostonNow
