“On Air with Billy Tauro” Episode 2. Nothing ever filtered, nothing ever watered-down, just the plain true facts! Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/m4u5uzr8vCY

By Bob Katzen

“As soon as we heard the news about Trump’s election, it really sent huge shockwaves through immigrant communities. We heard in the days following the election just so much fear. People are afraid of what’s coming. They’re afraid, for some folks, that they could lose a status, that they could be at risk for being arrested, potentially detained, potentially deported and could be facing family separation.
— Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), in an interview with the State House News Service.

By Bob Katzen

The Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care (Mass-Care) announced the official results of its Question 6 (or 7), depending on the district, which was on the November ballot in eleven state representative districts. The question was approved in all eleven districts with an average Yes vote of 64 percent.

By Bob Katzen

Gov. Healey announced that that Luisa Sparrow, a special education teacher for fifth- and sixth-grade students at the Oliver Hazard Perry School in South Boston, is the 2025 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year.

By Bob Katzen

The Healey Administration announced more than $5 million in grants to protect forest land which will be managed as reserves. These projects are designed to fight climate change and allow forests to mature, strengthening how these habitats store carbon. The grant program, a result of the Forest as Climate Solutions Initiative, aims to designate 10 percent of Massachusetts forests as reserves, where active management is limited and natural processes play out.

By Bob Katzen

The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust approved $294.8 million in new low-interest loans and grants to help communities build or replace water infrastructure that enhances ground and surface water resources.

By Bob Katzen

The Senate adopted and sent to the House a Gov. Healey amendment changing the effective date of a new law that increases the minimum amount of liability auto insurance a driver must purchase, from $5,000 for property damage to $30,000; and for bodily injury from $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accident to $25,000/$50,000. The law approved by the Legislature was scheduled to take effect immediately. Healy’s amendment would delay the effective date to July 1, 2025.

By Bob Katzen

State Auditor Diana DiZoglio sent a letter last week to top Beacon Hill Democrats, including House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy) and Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland), demanding that they comply with her plans for an audit of the Legislature. DiZoglio’s letter comes after voters in November approved Ballot Question 1 asking them if they favor allowing the state auditor to audit the Legislature.

By Bob Katzen

House 134-24, overrode Gov. Healey’s veto of the $300,000 for a reserve fund for the UMass Center in Springfield, a satellite of UMass Amherst, where academic programming is offered.

By Bob Katzen

House 154-2, overrode Gov. Healey’s veto of $3 million (reducing funding from $8 million to $5 million) for a program that provides professional development and higher education opportunities and supports for statewide recruitment and training needs of early educators.

Obituary

Mrs. Emilienne Jules passed away peacefully at her Cambridge apartment, surrounded by the love of her family, on November 29, 2024, at the remarkable age of 106. Born and raised in Léogâne, Haiti, she was the beloved daughter of the late Jean Baptiste Jules, an Episcopalian priest, and Ogenia B. Jules. Her deep faith and selfless spirit, a beacon of inspiration, defined her extraordinary life as a mother, grandmother, and avid servant of God.

A woman of boundless hospitality and kindness, she touched the lives of countless family members and friends. Her home was a sanctuary for all who entered, offering warm meals, a welcoming bed, and a steadfast spirit of love and support. No one ever left her home without a heartfelt benediction prayer, a testament to her unwavering faith, a source of strength and comfort, and care for others. While in Haiti, Emilienne gave birth to John (also known as Edner), a set of twin girls, who soon passed away after birth, a second set of twins where one of the boys passed, but her son Joseph Bellony Loseil of Florida survived, then a third set of twins, her late son Yvon, and his twin sister Yvette.

SOMERVILLE – Are you passionate about community engagement and civic responsibility? The Mayor’s Appointments Advisory Committee (AAC) is seeking two volunteers to join its efforts in ensuring fair, informed, and nonpartisan recommendations for appointments to Somerville’s regulatory and decision-making boards and commissions.

Obituary

Nancy (Tuccio) McCarron, formerly of Everett, Somerville and Boston’s North End, passed away after a long courageous battle with cancer on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. She was 68 years old. The cherished daughter of the late Vincenzo and Italia (Sarno) Tuccio, Nancy and her siblings were born in Belgium. Then, in 1958 the family immigrated to the US and settled in Boston’s North End.
 
The beloved wife of 49 years to James McCarron, Nancy and Jim were married in St. Leonard’s Church and then moved to Somerville to begin a family of their own and later settled in Everett. Nancy will be remembered as a kind, energetic woman who had a great sense of humor. She loved to laugh. She enjoyed tending to the flowers and plants in her garden and loved music, especially disco and dancing.  For over 20 years, Nancy worked as a documents clerk at the South Middlesex Country Registry of Deeds in Cambridge. Above all, she loved nothing more than time spent with her family.
 
In addition to her beloved husband James, Nancy was the devoted mother of Dina McCarron and James V. McCarron and proud grandmother of Brendan McCarron. Cherished sister of Maria Mancini and her husband Raffaele, and the late Alessio Tuccio. Dear cousin of Anna Gaeta and her husband Anthony, Joseph Gaeta, and Maria Gaeta. Also survived by her loving in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.
 
A prayer service will be held in the George L. Doherty Funeral Home 855 Broadway (Powder House Sq.) Somerville on Tuesday, December 10th at 11:00AM.
 
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.
 
Calling hours will be held on Monday, December 9th from 4:00PM to 7:00PM.
 
Services will conclude with interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.

SOMERVILLE–All interested community members are invited to attend and speak at a virtual Public Hearing before the Somerville City Council’s Finance Committee on Tuesday, December 10, at 6 p.m. online via Zoom. The meeting agenda and link to join are posted at somervillema.legistar.com. 

Community members will have the opportunity to provide input on the draft plan developed via community process. It proposes plans for how to best preserve and envision a future for the Armory building, located at 191 Highland Ave., as a thriving community arts center for years to come. 

Obituary

Marlene F. (Pitcher) Smithers, a lifelong Somerville resident, passed away on December 6, 2024, she was 82. Born and raised in Somerville, she was the daughter of the late Marion (Logan) and Russell Pitcher. Marlene owned and operated her own Insurance Agency for many years, the Marlene Smithers Insurance Company in Ball Square and Broadway.
 
She was the devoted mother of Marnie Smithers and her husband Richard Bertheim and Melanie Smithers. Cherished grandmother of Chanel Powers and the late Michael John Smithers and sister of Russelyne Robbins.
 
A graveside service will be held for Marlene at Oak Grove Cemetery, 230 Playstead Road, Medford on Tuesday afternoon, December 10th at 1:30PM. Relatives and friends invited to attend and are asked to meet inside the main gate by 1:15PM.

Shots Fired
24075186: On 12/2/24 at approximately 9:46 PM, Somerville Police responded to 500 Mystic Ave for a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers observed a vehicle with ballistic damage and located three shell casings nearby. No injuries were reported. Investigation is ongoing.