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The Beyond the Call of Duty Award was formed to recognize an individual that exc…eeded expectations usually for a specific act. In an exceptionally rare circumstance do you identify an individual, such as Deputy Chief Paul Upton, who has gone above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis for the past 30 years. Deputy Paul Upton started his career in 1983 with the Somerville Police Department and has held almost every position within the Department. Deputy Upton has received numerous awards and accolades during his years of service and has served as a mentor to law enforcement officers throughout the state. Deputy Upton is perhaps best recognized for his commitment to Homeland Security and recognized as a leader in this area. Deputy Upton has been the primary source behind the establishment of the Emergency Operations Center and his leadership has been tested and proven during a number of potential catastrophic events. The Department wishes Deputy Upton the best in his retirement and the community thanks him for his 30 years of service which were well beyond the call of duty.
_________________________
Thomas Pasquarello, Chief of Police

On Oct. 5th, a public art tour celebrates our new public art map! 

Thanks to Emily Bhargava and Alison Frazzini, we have a spanking new interactive public art map, sponsored by the city, the Arts Council and Shape Up Somerville. Check it out and find out where the goggled man is below. And if there is public art you know about but isn’t on the map, just snap a photo of it and add it to the map. We want this map to grow!

On Sat, Oct. 5th there will be a public art tour that begins at 10am in East Somerville. All the details here

By William Tauro

On Thursday evening, Middlesex County Register of Deeds, Maria Curtatone hosted a fundraising event at the Independent Restaurant in Union Square Somerville.

Friends, relatives supporters, elected officials as well as candidates for office from five different surrounding cities and towns came to Somerville to show their support for the South Middlesex County Register of Deeds Maria Curtatone.

Maria Curtatone was elected to office last September and has successfully completed her first year in office as register.

Curtatone’s office is located at the Middlesex County Registry of Deeds/ Probate Courthouse in East Cambridge and her office consists of a six-year term.

By William Tauro

Thursday evening’s Somerville Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Event at Orleans Restaurant in Davis Square was another big Chamber success!

Chamber members, guests of members and new newcomers enjoyed the evening in Davis Square as they had a wonderful networking opportunity to meet other local business representative from within the Somerville business community.

The Somerville Chamber of Commerce “Business After Hours” event happens every first Thursday of the month in a different local business location within the City of Somerville.

This month’s event was sponsored by Great Hill Dental of Holland Street in Somerville!

Come see Jim Plunkett at his very best so please save the date for the David Martini and Nick Peters Schoolrship Fund Raiser on Friday October 4th from 6-4 at the Dante Club on Craige Street in Somerville.

By William Tauro

Members of Local Union District Council 35 Painters Union are protesting the opening of the new AMC Theater in the new Assembly Row development project at Assembly Square in Somerville.

The union is claiming that AMC Theaters are hiring out-of-state nonunion workers to construct, tape and paint the new cinema thats located and soon to open at Assembly Square.

Friday Oct 4th from 7-10pm at “Dance Union”, 16 Bow Street Union in Somerville

CelebrAsians is a benefit fashion show hosted by AWFH to engage, empower and enable Asian women who are impacted by cancers.

Fifteen Asian cancer survivors will share their inspiring stories and model the creations of leading Asian designers.

Be a champion for Asian women’s health and a supporter of AWFH!

Emcee: Janet Wu, Reporter/Anchor at WHDH-TV/7NBC

CelebrAsians is a benefit fashion show hosted by AWFH to

Fifteen Asian cancer survivors will share their inspiring stories and model the creations of leading Asian designers.

Be a champion for Asian women’s health and a supporter of AWFH!

Emcee: Janet Wu, Reporter/Anchor at WHDH-TV/7NBC

See more at: http://celebrasians2013.eventfizz.com/content/3889/celebrasians2013#sthash.vLWUfWZs.dpuf

By William Tauro

If your a little older like me, some of you may remember these predictions from the movie “Back To The Future II.”

I remember my wonderful high school days like they were yesterday!

Growing up in and around the city streets of Cambridge and Somerville as a kid and life was good.

I distinctly Remember going to see this movie with an old junior year high school date at the old Fresh Pond Movie Theater in Cambridge.

Who would’ve thought it would’ve been reality check it out!

“What’s Come True”

“A baseball team in Miami Florida?”

“Handless and/or wireless video games”

“Our obsession with 3D movies and sequels”

“Handheld tablet computers”

“Video conferencing”

“Wall-mounted widescreen televisions”

“Being consumed with personal electronics”

“Multiple TV channels”

“Performance enhancers being a major problem in Sports”

“Compost fuel”

“Flying cars”

“Hoverboards”

“Dehydrated food”

Yet
Five years from now, Marty McFly will show up in Hill Valley to save his kids. We wanted to see just how prophetic Zemeckis was in 1989, when he designed Hill Valley: 2015. Find out after the jump!

http://gawker.com/5667202/11-things-from-back-to-the-future-ii-that-actually-came-true-and-3-that-havent-yet

The Somerville News Weekly is also on it’s way to reach that milestone as well!

“The Results Are In”

Winning Boston News Group.com Facebook Readers:

“Michelle Sinclair” was the 1000th Like!!! ,”Jolly Spamhead” was the 999th!!!, “Deb Shea Fede was the 998th Like!!!”

All three winners will receive a prize!

$50.00Gift 99 Restaurant Certificate or being the 1000th Like.

$25.00 99 Restaurant Gift Certificate for the 999th Like!

$10.00 Dunkin Donut Gift Card for the 998th Like!

“We Did It”!!!!!!!!!

“Thank You All!”

A 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom condominium at 181 Cedar Street is available for purchase to qualifying low to moderate-income households. Qualifying buyers must live or work full-time in Somerville and have a household income at or below 80% of area median income. For more information, including income guidelines, visit: http://bit.ly/17342Zi

BostonNewsGroup.com & The Somerville News Weekly Proudly Supports:

“RESPOND”

Please Join Bostonnewsgroup.com & The Somerville News Weekly at this Wonderful Event!

The RESPOND Gala is on October 18th at the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge!

Here is the link to be part of it!

http://www.respondinc.org/2013-responding-to-domestic-violence-gala

We’re very sure that many of you out there are wondering what’s exactly is going on here at the “News” with all these fancy new names and new owners, so here it is in a nutshell and nothing more so we can all move on!

Recently the two owners of The Somerville News have split up as business partners here in the Ville and both have gone on their separate paths to venture out into the news media industry world on their own.

Publisher Donald Norton moved onto The Somerville Times and Publisher Bill Tauro moved onto The Somerville News Weekly & Boston News Group.com as publisher of both publications as well as Publisher of Modern Cop Magazine and Political Agenda News Magazine.

In a statement, Bill Tauro stated “Even though we both at times clashed and bumped heads, we were friends when we became partners and co-publishers back in 2004 of The Somerville News and as far as I’m concerned, we are still friends to the very end and I have the upmost respect for Donald Norton!” “I wish Donald, his new partners and their wonderful staff all the best with The Somerville Times!

Continue reading Newstalk Shout Out Loud Weekly For Tuesday October 1st →

By William Tauro

On Monday September 30, 2013 Deputy Chief Paul Upton retired from the Somerville Police Department after serving 30 years of distinguished service. Deputy Chief Upton has been a deputy chief at the department since 2008. Paul was the consummate professional which included being the department’s “Public Information Officer.” who’s responsibility was to as well as being a deputy chief, he had to deal with the media and inform the public, especially the good citizens of Somerville of any and all newsworthy events.that impacted their lives that involved the Somerville Police Department.

Paul Upton will be missed around the staion and we here at The Somerville News Weekly thank him for all his years of service to the Somerville Police Department and especially for a “Job Well Done!”

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   There’s still time to have your ideas drawn up on the big boards! Today is the second day of the East Somerville design charrette (here’s a recap of day 1: http://bit.ly/18LbJVP). We’ll be in our makeshift design studio at 122-124 Broadway until 8 p.m. tonight on Tuesday, so come by to help shape the future of East Somerville.

“Happy Anniversary Frank & Shiela Santangelo”

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• Joe Curtatone

  

  The Mayor’s Report: Somerville, MA – September/October 2013

   

  Mayor Joe Curtatone of Somerville, MA talks about Assembly Row, Broadway construction and his height!

   Click Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_we16J644T8&feature=c4-overview&list=UUA4fw6KOQ44_I5p9sFOmqfA

Save the date & have breakfast with the author,

Former Somerville Mayor/Middlesex County Register of Deeds Gene Brune at his next book signing!

Oct 8th at 9:00am & Oct 9th at 10:00am

Pignones Café
319 Main St, Stoneham, MA

Former Somerville Mayor Gene Brune signs copies of his book. “The Spirit of Somerville” at an event at the bookshop in Ball Square last week. More than 100 people, Including State Treasurer Steve Grossman came out to the event.

For More information visit our website: http://www.spiritofsomerville.com

Photo left to right: Ellie Blute, Teresa Cardoso, Gene Brune and Natalie Vieira.

Photo by William Tauro as shown in the Somerville Journal 9/26/13 print edition.

William Tauro

Expect delays all week and presumably all winter long on and under the McGrath O’Brien Highway in Somerville as work crews continue to sandblast, paint and repair the aging and decaying overpass.

The project itself is a major overtaking that may last through this coming winter and well into the spring and maybe through the summer of 2014 as well!

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   Somerville Youth Hockey Association is hosting a sign-up this Monday September 30th from 6-730 and Wednesday October 2nd from 6:30-7:30 in the lobby of the big rink.The program starts Saturday October 19 -March 8, from 8AM-11AM.

   The cost of the program is $25 for Somerville residents and $150 for non-residents.

   All players must have the proper equipment to attend.

   For more info please visit www.SomervilleRec.com

This summer we released the results of a six-month study of Somerville’s accessibility, but we need your feedback as well. The second of two public meetings to gather community feedback is scheduled for Thurs., Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. You can also send questions and comments to ADA Coordinator Betsy Allen at 617-625-6600 ext. 2323 or by email at ballen@somervillema.gov. You can read the full study here: http://bit.ly/1hhLWb5.

Fall Greetings Friends and Neighbors,

This Tuesday, October 1st come celebrate both the wonderful warm and sunny weather (in the 70’s during the day!) AND all of the terrific events that Historic Somerville
co-sponsors with the City of Somerville to highlight our rich and very diverse ethnic heritage! Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt in Davis Square will generously donate 10% of everyone’s purchases made on Tues. Oct. 1st to Historic Somerville. They are open from 11am to 10pm and are located in the Davis Square Plaza on Elm St. , opposite Chipotle, and next to the Starbucks Coffee Shop. If you have never been before, here’s a chance to try their yummy offerings, with multiple flavors of frozen yogurt and add-ons which you make yourself and can have fun creating! If you are a regular, like me, then here’s a great excuse to indulge and help out a worthy cause.

And speaking of worthy causes, you could even make a whole evening meal, and go to Flatbread Pizza on Dover St. and enjoy dinner to support the Friends of Somerville Public Library and then afterwards save room to get dessert by walking across the parking lot to Orange Leaf Yogurt!

If you have a Facebook account and are willing, we sure would appreciate you going to Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt fundraiser in Davis Square to help spread the word.

Cheers, Brandon

By William Tauro

The chief of the Somerville Fire Department regrets to announce the passing of former Somerville Firefighter Robert Galvin Sr. – Tower 1 retired.  Continue reading Somerville Firefighters Mourn Passing of Retired Brother →

“Fenway Park Boston Strong”

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By William Tauro

Hi everyone don’t forget this October is Oktoberfest here in Somerville!

With Dynamite Oktoberfest Celebration Festivities Happening All Week Long!

October 4-5that the Precinct

October 4-5-6th at the Independent

October 5-6th at the
Olde magoon’s Saloon

October 6th at Redbones

October 11-12-13th Honk Festival Activities Street Band don’t miss it for more on all the activities go to that Somerville Chamber of Commerce website at:

www.somervillechamber.org/‎

Please visit http://www.somervillechamber.org/index.htm

Dear Friend,

I want to thank you for all the support that you showed me throughout my political career, especially over the past several months, and for the honor to serve as both your School Committee Representative and as the current Ward 1 Alderman. You put in an incredible amount of work for me, and I will always remember the amazing effort of the work that we did. Continue reading A Message From Maureen Bastardi Alderman Ward 1 →

The Annual Candlelight Vigil for Domestic Violence Awareness Month is this Wed., Oct. 2, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Public Safety Building, 220 Washington St. Join the Office of Somerville Commissions in raising awareness of domestic violence and the resources available to victims. This year’s speaker is Corey Yarbrough of the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition. Anti-violence agencies will be in Union Square starting at 5:30 p.m. to share information. http://bit.ly/1blpfSl

Steve is a great guy and he will do a fantastic job in Ward 1and we wish him all the best!

Steve Roix Campaign Event at Casey’s tonight (Monday, September 30th) on Broadway in Somerville at 5:30pm

Somerville High Makes Two-Level Leap to Level 1 Designation; District’s Student Growth Percentile Surpasses Nearly All Districts with 1,000 or More Students; Notable rise in number of students scoring advanced or proficient in Math and English Language Arts Continue reading Somerville Public Schools Show Phenomenal Growth on MCAS →

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   Art instructor Kathy Harvey shares with us five different artists and how we can be inspired to create beginning with Georgia O’Keefe and her flowers.

Please join us at the Chamber’s next Business After Hours at Orleans, 65 Holland Street, Davis Square sponsored by Great Hill Dental 5:00 – 7:00 P.M., Thursday, October 3, 2013. Free appetizers, excellent networking. Bring your business cards for drawing. Members and their guests welcome. Treat your colleagues and clients! RSVP with name(s) and affiliation(s) for you and your guest(s) to smackey@somervillechamber.org

1. 

   Learn about Union Square’s rich history and diverse architecture today during the walking tour “From Bow Street to Brickbottom.” Meet in Union Square on the traffic island across from Citizen’s Bank at 2 p.m. on Sunday September 29th from for  2-4:30pm tour . To start the tour. http://goo.gl/mwTvVE

Sunday, September 29th 8:00am until 5:00pm

Overcast 52°F.

We are playing at our home field, Dilboy Stadium, 110 Alewife Brook Parkway, Somerville, MA.

ALL TEAMS ARE PLAYING AT DILBOY

STARTING @ 8:00am

Game Starts:
E- Team 8:00 am (need to be at field 7:00 for practice)
D- Team 9:30 am (need to be at field at 8:30)
C- Team 11:00 am (need to be at field at 10:00)
B- Team 12:30 pm (need to be at field at 11:30)
A- Team 2:00 pm (need to be at field at 12:30)
F- Team. 3:30pm. (Need to be at field at. 2:30)

Team Note:

Please follow the rules at our home field during the games. All players must go onto the field by crossing on the carpet, NO CLEATS on the track, NO Gatorade, Bags or Back Parks on the field.
All families please take a seat and don’t stand on the walk way. We must keep the walk way clear for emergencies.
Good Luck to all teams.

Free event

Mark your calendars: The East Somerville by Designcharrette is coming up and we need your ideas. Join planners, city staff, and your neighbors Mon., Sept. 30th through Wed., Oct. 2, to talk about the future of East Somerville. The charrette is taking place in a currently vacant storefront at 122-124 Broadway and will feature open studio time, discussion groups on specific topics, and Spanish and Portuguese translation in the evening. For more information on the upcoming charrette:http://bit.ly/16eyEN7.

The results are in and Somerville Public Schools showed phenomenal growth on MCAS tests in 2013. Being the data lovers that we are, we’ve been going through the numbers and have found lots of great news in the latest test results. Some highlights include: Somerville High made a 2-level jump to a Level 1 Designation; the district’s Student Growth Percentile surpassed almost all districts with 1,000+ students; there was a notable rise in the number of students scoring advanced or proficient in math and English language arts. For more analysis and some cool charts, visit:http://bit.ly/1eJOBxd.

Sunday is Tufts Community Day. Join your neighbors from Tufts and Medford for an afternoon of music, lunch, dancing lessons, and a Quidditch game all on the Tufts academic quad. Community Day runs from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information, include directions to all the fun: http://bit.ly/QnMfaT

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“Midnight & Skyy in Somerville”

Send us your favorite pet photos to Wmtauro@bostonnewsgroup.com to be posted here live on Thesomervillenewsweekly.com for the world to see!

The Somerville News Weekly.com online is “Back and Soon” to be in print again!

Send us your favorite photos, announcements, breaking news and stories to:

Wmtauro@bostonnewsgroup.com to be posted here live on The Somerville News Weekly.com for the world to see!

By William Tauro

Continue to follow BostonNewsGroup.com as we bring you inside for close look at the ongoing internal investigation probe at the request of the Mayor’s office being conducted by various law enforcement agencies at the Somerville Department of Public Works!

Police officials are believed to have spent over a full 2-3 weeks sifting through mountains of incriminating hard evidence and conducting over a week’s worth of meetings at the Somerville DPW building interviewing, questioning and even taking depositions of certain city employees that are believed to be part of a plot to defraud city taxpayers out of thousands of overtime hour dollars.  Continue reading Alleged Overtime Scandal at The Somerville DPW →

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“Somerville The O’Donnell Brothers”

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By William Tauro

Continue to follow BostonNewsGroup.com as we bring you inside for an exclusive close look at the ongoing internal investigation probe at the request of the Mayor’s office being conducted by various law enforcement agencies at the Somerville Department of Public Works!

Police officials are believed to have spent over a full 2-3 weeks sifting through mountains of incriminating hard evidence and conducting over a week’s worth of meetings at the Somerville DPW building interviewing, questioning and even taking depositions of certain city employees that are believed to be part of the plot to defraud city taxpayers out of thousands of overtime hour dollars. 

Find out who the players are and how they did it! 

Hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars allegedly being scooped away by a handful of city employees for their own personal gain. 

Hundreds of alleged misrepresented time sheets and literally hundreds of photos taking you inside the DPW Garage as it was happening!

Stay tuned to BostonNewsGroup.com for the very best news coverage of this situation as it unfolds while the investigation continues and the evidence mounts against the accused! 

For more photos go to our sister news publication news site, www.Bostonnewsgroup.com

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We here at Somerville News Weekly with the help of our sister news publication, “BostonNewsGroup.com has reached the 30,503 reader mark for this week already!”

“You just can’t make this stuff up!”

“The Proof is in the Pudding!” 

“Yes, We Have The Bigger Audience”

Here are this week’s stats from our Boston News Group’s Facebook Page for this week:

This week so far over 30,503 readers were on our Facebook Page reading and checking us out! Continue reading Somerville News Weekly & Boston News Group.com, “We Reach Out & Grab You!” →

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By William Tauro

After much debate and speculations of Congressman Mike Capuano running in the election for the 2014 corner office, he released the following statement:

“After taking time to reflect with my family, I have decided that I will not be a candidate for Governor in 2014. I am truly touched by the support and encouragement I received throughout this process, but believe that I can best serve the Commonwealth in Congress. I will continue to be a strong voice for progressive policies in Washington.”

State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan, Somerville Fire Chief Kevin W. Kelleher and Somerville Police Chief Thomas Pasquarello said last night’s fire, on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 27 Dickinson Street remains under investigation on Friday but it does not appear suspicious in nature. At this stage, the investigative team is focusing on several possible accidental causes.

The fire is being jointly investigated by members of the Somerville Fire and Police Departments and state police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The Somerville Homeless Coalition has set up a fund to assist victims of fire. You can click here to make a donation. Any victims of fire who need assistance can contact the Homeless Coalition directly at (617) 623-6111.

– See more at: http://www.somervillema.gov/news/926-fire-under-investigation-does-not-appear-suspicious#sthash.4NJkllG7.dpuf

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Who Would You Like To See Become The Next Massachusetts Governor?

* Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone

* US Congressman Michael Capuano

* Massachusetts State Treasurer Steve Grossman

* Attorney General Martha Coakley

* None of the above

Photo by Louise Parise

Breaking News Update: Working House Fire on Dickerson Street Somerville Displaces War Veteran

Story by William Tauro

Some good news, the family dog was inside the burning home and was thought to have been lost in the blaze, but moments later a firefighter walked out of house with the dog in his arms and everyone there broke out clapping and cheering. 

According to a source close to the family, Joyce Mcguirk who owns the house is believed to not have any insurance and allegedly she said the back door was open and they have not ruled out arson as of yet. 

The top of the home is completely gutted from the blaze and just a lot of damage. 

Our source also tells us that Kevin, the military veteran who lives there, most likely lost his ribbons and medals he received during his deployment in the Marines.

By William Tauro

Shortly after 8:00pm tonight, (Thursday) Somerville firefighters began battling a blaze that broke out in a single family home on Dickerson Street in Somerville.

The occupants of the home were forced to evacuate the residence to the streets with just the cloths on their backs.

According to sources, one of the occupants of the home had just returned to the states within the past six months from a tour of duty in Irac and Afghanistan.

According to sources, it is believed that the occupant’s family dog has died in the blaze

No Injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

This is still a developing story……….

By William Tauro

On Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 7:00 PM, Mayor Curtatone and the Board of Aldermen will be presenting Deputy Chief Upton with a citation for his 30 years of distinguished service. 

This is also a wonderful evening as they will also be promoting (pending approval) a new Deputy Chief (Fallon), Captain (Donovan), and Lieutenant (Sheehan).

Deputy Chief Paul Upton – citation recognizing his retirement on Monday, September 30, 2013

Promotions:

David Fallon to Deputy Chief

James Donovan to Captain

Sean Sheehan to Lieutenant

A special thanks to the Somerville Police Superior Officer’s Association for their generosity in sponsoring a celebration event after the ceremony. 

Boston News Group wishes Congratulations to Deputy Chief Upton, Deputy Chief Fallon, Captain Donovan and Lieutenant Sheehan on a job well done!

 “Somerville Pop Warner, The Team”

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By William Tauro

Senator Sal DiDomenico was recently presented with the Distinguished Legislator Award by the Massachusetts Hearing Aids for Children Coalition for his work in securing health care coverage for children’s hearing aids. He is pictured with President Lisa Adams and Board Member Michelle Motta Dardeno.