Assault
25008776: On 2/16/25 at approximately 6:10 AM, Somerville Police responded to 376 Mystic Ave for an assault. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the victim who stated he got into an altercation with a male party while shoveling snow in the parking lot. During the altercation, the suspect punched and kicked the victim then grabbed what was believed to be a firearm from his vehicle and made a racking motion. Continue reading Somerville Police Department Weekly Crime Log 2/11/25 – 2/17/25
Daily Archives: February 25, 2025
This Week’s QUOTABLE QUOTES On Beacon Hill
By Bob Katzen
U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s unveiled its annual “Failing the Fix” scorecard which rates laptop and cell phone brands based on their “fixabilty.” The scorecard gives companies that make it easy for users to fix their devices a good grade, and those that do not, a poor grade.
Continue reading This Week’s QUOTABLE QUOTES On Beacon Hill
STATE REP. CAROL DOHERTY DIES AT 82
By Bob Katzen
Rep. Carol Doherty (D-Taunton) passed away last week after battling pancreatic cancer. Doherty was first elected to the House in 2020 and was re-elected in the recent November 6, 2024 election. Continue reading STATE REP. CAROL DOHERTY DIES AT 82
AG CAMPBELL OPPOSES THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DEFUNDING OF THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU
By Bob Katzen
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell joined a coalition that includes 23 other state attorneys general, to warn against efforts by the Trump Administration to defund and disband the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). On February 9, the Trump Administration directed the CFPB to stop all its ongoing work and to not begin any new investigations. Continue reading AG CAMPBELL OPPOSES THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DEFUNDING OF THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU
AUDITOR DIZOGLIO UNVEILS MORE THAN $2.5 MILLION IN PUBLIC BENEFITS FRAUD
By Bob Katzen
State Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s effort to help make government work better by investigating, fraud, abuse and illegal acts involving public assistance benefits across the state uncovered more than $2.5 million in fraudulent spending. Her office investigated a total of 814 cases and found overpayment in 207 cases with identified fraud. Continue reading AUDITOR DIZOGLIO UNVEILS MORE THAN $2.5 MILLION IN PUBLIC BENEFITS FRAUD
BAY STATE COALITION OPPOSES ELIMINATION OF PROTECTED STATUS FOR 500,000 HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS
By Bob Katzen
The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition responded to the Trump Administration’s plan to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in August for up to 500,000 Haitian immigrants – thousands of whom reside in Massachusetts. Continue reading BAY STATE COALITION OPPOSES ELIMINATION OF PROTECTED STATUS FOR 500,000 HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS
REQUIRE THE SENATE RECORD TO REVEAL WHEN A SENATOR HAS VOTED REMOTELY (S 14)
By Bob Katzen
The Senate 6-31, rejected an amendment that would require that all Senate roll call votes, publicly published by the state, include “Virtual Vote” (VV) alongside any member’s name if the senator was not in the chamber and voted remotely from his or home, office or other location.
Continue reading REQUIRE THE SENATE RECORD TO REVEAL WHEN A SENATOR HAS VOTED REMOTELY (S 14)
BAN SESSIONS AFTER MIDNIGHT (S 14)
By Bob Katzen
The Senate 6-31, rejected an amendment that would prohibit the Senate from meeting beyond midnight. The amendment would replace the current rule that allows the Senate to meet after midnight if two-thirds of the Senate votes to do so.
Continue reading BAN SESSIONS AFTER MIDNIGHT (S 14)
TIGHTEN RULES FOR REMOTE VOTING (S 14)
By Bob Katzen
The Senate 5-32, rejected an amendment that would change the current rule that allows a senator, who is not physically at the session in the Senate chamber, to vote remotely from any location and without giving a reason for his or her absence from the Senate chamber.
Continue reading TIGHTEN RULES FOR REMOTE VOTING (S 14)
ADOPT SENATE RULES (S 14)
By Bob Katzen
The Senate 39-0, adopted a set of Senate rules for the 2025-2026 session.
Rules include requiring that the votes senators take in joint committees be published online; requiring in-person or written testimony received by Senate members of a joint committee be published online; requiring Senate committees to make bill summaries available online for legislation reported favorably out of the committee; and requiring every senator and Senate employee to undergo cybersecurity training every two years. Continue reading ADOPT SENATE RULES (S 14)
Somerville/Medford Remembering William P. Rixon
Obituary
William P. Rixon, of Salem, NH, formerly of Medford, passed away after a brief illness on Sunday, February 23, 2025, at the age of 75.
Born in Cambridge and raised in Medford, William was the beloved son of the late Walter C. and Edna L. (Murphy) Rixon. He was a cherished father, papa, and friend who will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering William P. Rixon
Somerville/Medford Remembering Kathleen M. Murphy
Obituary
Kathleen M. Murphy, It is with deep sadness that our family shares the news of the passing of Kathleen M. Murphy, age 73, of Stoneham, MA on December 17, 2024. She was born on August 6, 1951 in Somerville, MA and was the beloved daughter of the late Eugene J. and Margaret A. Murphy.
Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Kathleen M. Murphy
Somerville/Medford Remembering Dorothy F. (DiTullio) Capone
Obituary
Dorothy F. (DiTullio) Capone- Of Woburn, passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at the age of 94.
Dorothy was born in Medford to the late Silvio and Celia (DiGirolamo) DiTullio. She was a lifelong resident of Woburn and dedicated much of her time to enriching the lives of others. Dorothy’s vibrant spirit was evident in all she did, whether it was volunteering at the Woburn Senior Center, supporting the Sons of Italy, or actively participating in the Red Hats Club. She served as a board member of the Senior Center for many years and cherished the opportunity to make a difference in her community. Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering Dorothy F. (DiTullio) Capone
Honor Black History Month in Somerville: Join a Community Panel, Take a Virtual Tour, and Explore Black Voices
SOMERVILLE – Black History Month is a time for reflection, celebration, and learning, and this year, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Department of Racial and Social Justice (RSJ) are inviting the community to join a series of events designed to engage, inspire, and connect the Somerville community. Continue reading Honor Black History Month in Somerville: Join a Community Panel, Take a Virtual Tour, and Explore Black Voices
Help Test a New, Non-Toxic Approach to Rat Control in Somerville
SOMERVILLE – The City of Somerville is looking for community members to help test an innovative, non-toxic approach to reducing the local rat population. Continue reading Help Test a New, Non-Toxic Approach to Rat Control in Somerville
Join Open House Sharing Somerville Elm-Beacon Connector Project Design Plans on Monday, March 10
Project aims to improve safety on streets that serve as key connections to civic life
SOMERVILLE – If you want to see how people move around Somerville, visiting Elm Street by the Kennedy
School on any weekday morning would be a good place to start.
Somerville/Medford Remembering George F. Rogers
Obituary
George F. Rogers – Of Somerville, passed away on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. He was 60 years young.
Continue reading Somerville/Medford Remembering George F. Rogers
Massachusetts Sanctuary Cities Sue To Stop Trump From Entangling Them In Federal Immigration Enforcement
BOSTON—Two sanctuary cities in Massachusetts—Chelsea and Somerville—filed a federal lawsuit today challenging the Trump Administration’s efforts to coerce them into participating in mass deportation efforts. Represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights, the Cities assert that the Administration’s heavy-handed tactics—threatening to strip sanctuary cities of federal funding and prosecute them for failing to bend to the President’s will—violate their Constitutional rights. Continue reading Massachusetts Sanctuary Cities Sue To Stop Trump From Entangling Them In Federal Immigration Enforcement
HOTLINE TO THE UNDERGROUND
By Joe Viglione
Back in the early days of the Boston Rock and Roll Scene it was James Isaacs’ Cellars by Starlight and Rory O’Connor at the Real Paper who ran weekly columns that benefited our music scene greatly. Along with those pioneers was Ms. Janis Reed’s monthly column in Musicians’ Magazine, which migrated to The Beat in the 1980s.
As I managed Janis and she is somewhere in South America, I decided a few years back to resurrect the column in Billy Tauro’s Somerville/Medford News Weekly. Continue reading HOTLINE TO THE UNDERGROUND







