.25¢ www.TheSomervilleNews.com Vol. 41 No. 6 • FEBRUARY 8, 2012 Somerville’s only independent community newspaper [email protected] Inside: ‘Guys and Dolls’ ‘It Can Wait’ hits comes up aces close to home By Chris Leo Palermino The impact of texting while driving can be far more influential than simply an update to a friend on your whereabouts. AT&T’s “It Can Wait” presentation at Photo by Harry Kane Somerville High School on Feb. 6 hammered the point home that a harmless text can have po- tentially fatal consequences behind the wheel. Organized by AT&T New England president Patricia Jacobs in conjunction with the Somerville Public Schools, the presentation em- Dog owners on phasized the dangers of texting while driving. It the leash featured remarks from U.S. Congressman page 3 Michael Capuano, Mayor Joseph Curtatone, State Representatives Timothy Toomey and Denise Provost, the Clerk of Courts for Middle- sex County, Michael A. Sullivan, Somerville Deputy Chief Mike Cabral and Somerville Su- perintendent Tony Pierantozzi. The presentation was anchored by the short film “The Last Text,” which told the stories of different high school and college students and their physical and mental struggles - and even death - resulting from texting-induced traffic “As sure as you stand there, you're going to wind up with an ear full of cider,”so the wiley Sky accidents. Masterson quips in the perrenial musical theater favorite Guys and Dolls, triumphantly presented by Somerville High School this past weekend. Turn to pages 12-13 for the story and pictures. The “guys in the suits,”as Continued on page 11 Sports page 14 Planners vote for Porter Sq. rezoning Recommended changes will impact residential areas By Elizabeth Sheeran Somerville planners last week moved a step clos- er to declaring the city’s Porter Square area open for business.At least, more open than it has been until now. The majority of the Planning Board voted on February 2 to recommend a comprehensive re- zoning plan for the area from Wilson Square, where Somerville Avenue meets Elm Street, to the Cambridge-Somerville line at Porter Square. The proposal, which now goes to the Board of Old school Alderman, retains residential zoning in the inte- Valentines rior core of the triangle formed by Somerville page 21 Avenue, Elm Street and White Street, facing the Porter Square shopping center. But it expands Photo by Elizabeth Sheeran Newstalk . .p.2 the types of commercial activity that will be per- The Week in Crime . .p.4 mitted along those three arteries, and that in- Commentary . .p.8-9 cludes allowing for new businesses along Beacon Hill Roll Call . .p.10 stretches of Somerville roadways that today are TV Logs . .p.22 entirely residential. Off The Shelf . .p.23 City officials say Somerville can’t get its fair The planning board recently voted in favor of major zoning changes around Porter Square, including share of the economic Continued on page 17 allowing commercial activity on stretches of Elm Street that today are entirely residential. 2 FEBRUARY 8, 2012 TheSomervilleNews.com Comments of the Week Response to The Mystic Lakes Valarie: Wow, Thanks Jimmy for all the memories! While I may not be in Somerville anymore, I enjoy The job for Veterans Services Director here in Somerville has had a couple of prospects say not interested. Former keeping up on the news and old friends. Keep up the great work, l love reading your column, it al- Ward 1 Alderman Richard Johnson and Somerville Cham- ways reminds me of someone, or something,“from home”. ber President Ron Bonney, we heard, were asked and re- fused. Now we hear that some person from Kentucky has Log onto TheSomervilleNews.com to leave your own comments been talked to, but no answer yet. Before leaving we heard that Frank Senesi recommended a local female Iraq veteran for the job. We also hear that the Mayor might be recom- TheSomervilleNews.com polls of the week mending a pay hike for the position to attract people. Maybe In addition to breaking news, sports and opinion, TheSomervilleNews.com also features a daily poll in that guy in Kentucky? which you, the reader, tell us where you come down on local issues. Last week’s polls concerned your ********************* views on whether or not you are in favor of banning the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, which team would win Super Bowl XLVI, and whether or not you are in favor of in favor of setting term lim- So, all the Aldermen will fall in line behind Alderman its for all elected officials. If you don’t agree with the results, simply log onto TheSomervilleNews.com. Maryann Heuston except one. We hear Alderman Bill Roche from Ward 1 is not supporting anyone, he is staying out of the race. ********************* So who is the Moroccan Mole up at City Hall? We hear he likes to party a lot. Some wish he would return phone calls as much as he likes to party, but then again in that posi- tion in the past was a famous no phone call return person named Cathy. ********************* The campaign committee reports for last year’s candidates for public office here in Somerville have been filed but we hear one or two might be late. We’re going to do what everyone in the city should do, which is go to the City Hall web site and read the reports for yourself. We will and we will report who gave what to who and how much and how little! ********************* Our condolences go out to the Joseph A. DiMartino family here in Somerville for their recent Continued on page 8 699 Broadway Somerville, MA 02144 [email protected] thesomervillenews.com 617-666-4010 • Fax: 617-628-0422 Publisher – Prospect Hill Publishing Publisher Emeritus – Robert J. L. Publicover Editor – Andrew Firestone Copy Editor – Jim Clark Advertising Director – Bobbie Toner Business Director – Patricia Norton Executive Assistant – Cam Toner Assignment Editor – Bobbie Toner Arts Editor – Doug Holder Creative Director – Jim Clark Writers: Cathleen Twardzik, Elizabeth Sheeran, Harry Kane Contributors – Jimmy Del Ponte,William C. Shelton, Jim Clark, Max Sullivan, Savath Yong The Somerville News is published every Wednesday FEBRUARY 8, 2012 3 Dogs off leash on bike path Fire destroys By Harry Kane Somerville home Leash laws for canines along the By Harry Kane of Tull's was also at the scene.“I bike path will be enforced more thought it was my friend Antho- strictly, says Somerville Deputy A fire burned through a Jaques ny's house but I came to find out Chief Michael S. Cabral. Street home Monday evening it was two houses away, fortu- Recent complaints about un- causing residents and next-door nately it was two houses away, leashed dogs along the bike path neighbors to flee to the streets. but it's still kinda sad how their have caused police to be more At 6:12 p.m. residents of 37 house got burned down.” vigilant in their efforts to dis- Jaques St. were caught off guard The owner of the next-door suade the owners to let their by a fire in their house. At the house, Jack Fernandez, of 35 dogs run free. present time the cause is un- Jaques St., was coming home at “It's been an ongoing problem known. the time. “I found my tenant for several years. We try to ad- Emelio Tull, 15, was at the Ro- running down the street.” dress it with police visibility and manza's Pizzeria on Mystic Av- The tenant, who did not want animal control officers. We real- enue when he saw the flames and to be identified said, “We just ly haven't given a lot of tickets,” smelled the smoke.“There were saw embers and then puffed into says Cabral. Dog owners are being put on notice that leash laws will be strictly enforced on bike paths. just like flames coming out of the fire.” The tenant was the one Some people who have been re- top windows of the house and who dialed 911. ceive one week's notice of these er from Ward 5 was recently at- peat offenders have been issued everyone was just crowding Half a dozen fire engines lined newly enforced citations. The tacked by a dog and was chased citations in the past. around here. I could see the Jaques Street as firefighters from citations will be for $50. There but escaped unharmed. “The Lately the police have been re- smoke from everywhere. It was local firehouses put out the fire. may be plain clothed officers problem really is, yes there are ceiving more complaints, which just crazy. You could smell it. It No known fatalities or injuries patrolling the hot spots looking dangerous dogs out there, they means they are going to have to was really strong.” have been disclosed and the in- for offenders. do bite, but of the main prob- step up enforcement. Daishawn Ulysee, 15, a friend vestigation is ongoing. Courtney O'Keefe, a lifelong “We are going to do that for 90 lems is that there is a congrega- Somerville resident who uses days, according to the Deputy. tion of dog owners that gathers the bike path has been bitten Most of the incidents are tak- around the Lexington Park area. once a couple years ago when ing place behind Lexington Park Roughly in the morning and in she was running and was bit in on the bike path. “That's where the evenings during rush hour the ankle more recently. “It's we are getting most of our com- when there's the most traffic on Photos by Harry Kane just getting to the point now plaints,” says Cabral.