By Bob Katzen

This bill imposes up to a 5-year prison sentence on anyone who hits any dwelling, public park, daycare facility, public school or college with a firearm. Continue reading SHOOTING AT A HOUSE OR SCHOOL BILL BEING REPURPOSED →

By Bob Katzen

The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on a bill that would take away the parental rights of convicted rapists. Continue reading RAPISTS AND PARENTAL RIGHTS →

By Bob Katzen

This bill requires anyone who submits a bid or proposal of more than $10,000 to do work for state government to say that their company is in full compliance with the state’s anti-discrimination laws. Continue reading PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN STATE CONTRACTS BACK ON BEACON HILL →

By Bob Katzen

This bill refers to pets as “companion animals” and requires people to protect the health and safety of these animals including dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, hamsters and ferrets. Continue reading COMPANION ANIMALS BILL ON BEACON HILL →

By Bob Katzen

While on the stump in her presidential campaign last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) made headlines and reignited a debate that has been brewing across the nation for years. Continue reading WARREN ATTEMPTS TO ABOLISH ELECTRICAL COLLEGE →

Park Avenue Congregational Church United Church of Christ
50 Paul Revere Road (at the intersection of Paul Revere Rd. and Park Ave.)
Arlington Heights, MA Continue reading RUMMAGE SALE – SATURDAY, APRIL 27 from 9 to 2 →

Photo:State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump

Report focuses on patients who were prescribed buprenorphine as part of their medication-assisted treatment

Boston, MA – Citing the Commonwealth’s ongoing opioid epidemic, State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump is calling on MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, to take steps to expand access to counseling for individuals receiving medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and establish training standards for medical professionals that provide this counseling. Continue reading Audit Highlights Need for Improved Access to Opioid Counseling and Expanded Prescriber Training →

Prospect Hill Academy Charter School (PHA) has earned the first College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science A. Schools honored with the award have expanded girls’ access in AP Computer Science courses. Continue reading Prospect Hill Academy Charter School Earns First College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award →

BOSTON – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Attorney General Maura Healey, Massachusetts Bar Association Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer Martin W. Healy, and Committee for Public Counsel Services Attorney-in-Charge Carolyn McGowan have begun convening meetings of the first-of-its-kind, statewide Conviction Integrity Program Working Group. Continue reading Conviction Integrity Working Group Launched to Prevent, Identify and Remedy Wrongful Convictions →

Upcoming Vision Zero Safe Streets Meetings and Public Hearing

The City of Somerville has been working to produce a strategic plan to guide its safe streets work, using the global “Vision Zero” movement as a framework to eliminate traffic crashes that result in severe injuries and fatalities. Continue reading SOMERVILLE Vision Zero Safe Streets Meetings 3/27 & 4/24, Public Hearing 4/3 →

UPCOMING EVENTS Continue reading Somerville Council on Aging Weekly Updates & Information →

By Bob Katzen

THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week,

Continue reading Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 44 – Report Np. 12 March 18-22, 2019 →

Photo by Skip Murray

Meet this week’s “Special Person of the Week:Lieutenant Colonel James Marques

Lieutenant Colonel James Marques was born on August 28, 1964 in Somerville, Massachusetts. He grew up with two brothers younger than him. The middle brother, who he was close to, died early in life while the youngest brother is currently a high school teacher teaching Math and Computer Science. Continue reading Somerville News Weekly’s Special Person of the Week:Lieutenant Colonel James Marques →

Sponsored by STEALING SOMERVILLE Death of an Urban City To order STEALING SOMERVILLE go to:www.Stealingsomerville.com

GOOD MORNING – TODAY IS SUNDAY, March 24, the 83rdth day of 2019 with 282 to follow. Sunrise in the Boston area is @ 6:41 and sunset is @ 6:59. The moon is waning. The morning stars are stars are Uranus and Venus. The evening stars are Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn & Uranus.
ON THIS DAY IN: 1379 – The Gelderse war ended. Continue reading GOOD MORNING – TODAY IS by John Dwyer →

Please see the attached community note, and attached before and after images, and contact Denise Taylor with any media questions at dtaylor@somervillema.gov or 857-523-9905.

Harris Park Landscape Plan Community Meeting April 3 Continue reading Harris Park Landscape Plan Community Meeting April 3 in SOMERVILLE →

Members Sought for Mayor’s Appointments Advisory Committee- Application Deadline Extended to April 3

The City is now accepting applications for positions on Mayor Joseph Curtatone’s Appointments Advisory Committee (AAC). The Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations for vacant Mayor-appointed posts on boards and commissions with regulatory or decision-making authority. Continue reading Application Deadline Extended to April 3 – Members Sought for Mayor’s Appointments Advisory Committee →

Two Public Hearings on Youth Voting Rights for Municipal Elections April 4 at 3 and 6 p.m.

Council to review Mayor’s Request for Home Rule Petition to Grant Municipal Voting Rights to 16- and 17-Year-Olds

Continue reading SOMERVILLE Public Hearings on Municipal Youth Voting Rights April 4 at 3 and 6 p.m. →

BOSTON – Massachusetts property owners over 65 years of age have until April 1, 2019 to apply to defer payment of their property taxes. To qualify, seniors in Somerville must have an annual income of $57,000 or less. Continue reading Somerville-April 1 Deadline for Senior Property Tax Deferral Approaching →

Public Hearing on Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety April 3 at 6 p.m.
Council to hear testimony on traffic safety, traffic calming, and the Traffic Calming Petition Continue reading SOMERVILLE Hearing on Traffic Calming & Pedestrian Safety 4/3 →

Dear Billy T and Somerville Speakup Line,

Back in the day you would call your alderman and with-in a couple days it was fixed. Now thE COUNCILORS only care about being green, illegal aliens, impeaching Donald Trump, anything but fixing the city. Continue reading Somerville Speakup Line:Aldermen/Councilors/Whatever Changing Times →