Taking place at the Elizabeth Peabody House,
located at 277 Broadway, the meeting space was filled with explanatory
pamphlets and alignment sheets conveying the street plans for the
construction. Ward Four Alderman Walter Pero opened the meeting by
stressing how important this project is for Somerville. "It is a very
big project that is coming right through Ward Four," Pero explained,
"but it is going to be a major upgrade for the city."

A
representative from Algonquin Gas Transmissions LLC, John Bonsol,
explained the development and the nature of the project itself. Waltham
based Algonquin Gas Transmissions LLC, a subsidiary of Spectra Energy,
filed an application for this project with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) in April of 2008. FERC is an independent
agency employed by the US Congress to regulate the interstate
transmission of natural gas. Throughout the United States, every
project of this nature must go through FERC before going ahead.

On
April 14th 2008, the first community meeting to discuss the project was
hosted by Algonquin. "We've tried to be very proactive in communicating
with the public throughout every step of this project," Bonsol said.
Since last April there have been numerous meetings for community
members to voice their concerns.

The J-2 pipeline will connect
with existing natural gas lines at two points, creating a loop of
natural gas pipes throughout Somerville. The benefits of such a loop
are many.

"This will be a more reliable supply of natural gas,"
explained David Neal, the project manager for the J-2 Loop. "It will
become a redundant pipeline which will increase capacity. We'll also be
able to do some integrity work on the existing line."

Currently
there is no simple way to perform integrity work on existing pipelines
without shutting off gas temporarily. With the J-2 Loop in place, the
older parts of the pipeline could be shut down for repairs while the
newer pipeline would continue the regular supply of gas to the
community.

The new pipeline will start in Medford and continue
down parts of Mystic Avenue, Temple Street, Broadway, School Street,
Medford Street and eventually end at the McGrath Bridge. Construction
will take place along sections of all these streets. But residents
should not worry – the entire construction process will be in the
streets and shoulders. "There will be no construction on anybody's
property," Neal reassured concerned citizens.

Construction of
the pipeline will follow "The Stovepipe Construction Technique," which
involves excavating 40 ft long trenches, lowering the pipe into the
trench, soldering the pipes, and then backfilling the trench. Neal
expects they will be able to install 40 ft of piping per day.

When
asked about the hours of construction, Neal explained that construction
will take place from 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 8am to 7pm on
Saturdays. "If you hear noise before 7 o clock, call your Alderman or
call City Hall," added Alderman Pero. If any resident has a question or
complaint about construction, they can call the IRC Landowner Hotline
at 1-800-470-9333.

***************

The
Lions Breakfast last Sunday was a success with a large crowd turning
out as usual, the Lions members want to thank everyone for coming out.

***************

Welcome
home to Marisa Tauro, wife of our own Billy Tauro, who spent some 45
days back home in Brazil visiting with her family while Billy was here
in the 'Ville going to all the political parties to eat – by the way,
they just celebrated their wedding anniversary quietly here in the
'Ville as well this past week, here's to many more years!

***************

The
Somerville High School Art Fair – with musical performances by the
Somerville High Music Dept. – opening ceremony will be tonight,
Wednesday, April 29th from 6 pm to 8 pm in the Somerville High Atrium.
Other dates and times for the exhibit are: Thursday, April 30th from
8am to 2pm and Friday, May 1st from 8:30 am to Noon.

***************

A
Happy Birthday to Ed Ciampa, former City Assessor and City Treasurer,
and all around popular man about town, who recently celebrated his 82nd
birthday, he still looks 39, best wishes to Eddie from us here at the
News!

***************

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, the
Somerville Chamber of Commerce, and GoGreen Somerville will host a
"B2Green" Exhibition and Networking event on Thursday, May 7th at the
Holiday Inn, 30 Washington Street. Beginning at 4:00 p.m., the event
features a 90-minute exhibition-style presentation from over 25 local
businesses, followed by a networking event hosted by the Chamber of
Commerce. All interested community members are invited to attend, and
to learn about ways the Somerville business community uses green
practices in their businesses, in addition to energy-saving
opportunities for residents and businesses.

***************

Condolences
to Helen Connolly's family and friends on her recent passing, she was
the mother of Alderman Jack Connolly and was 86 years old, we send our
sympathies to her family. Also passing recently was Celia Femino who is
the mother of SPD Capt Charlie Femino, our condolences to both families
for their loss.

***************

Sparks flew last
Thursday night at the Board of Aldermen meeting between Princess
Rebekah (with her version of transparency) and Alderman Bill Roche, who
was livid over the recent emails that Princess Rebekah released to her
special haters list of PDSers recently. She seemed very upset and
flustered to say the least when confronted on her version of
transparency compared to everyone else. Again, the PDSers want
transparency but only their version – never mind that Princess Rebekah
has called secret meetings herself and even the boss of the PDSers has
called secret meetings. Remember the old saying…"Don't throw rocks at
glass houses."

***************

Speaking of PDSers…the
news received a mysterious hand written letter that was slid under the
door of the office one night last week from one of their spokesmen,
which appears to be a threatening type of letter. We handed it over to
our attorneys for further action, and to the person who sent it, thank
you for signing it, but you might want to seek council. Talk about a
group of haters, it's amazing how negative they can be.

***************

A
community meeting on the Green Line extensions is being held on
Wednesday, April 29th at the Argenziano School from 6-8:30 PM. The
meeting is jointly sponsored by Groundwork Somerville GWS), the
Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP), Somerville
Community Corporation SCC) and the Somerville Health Agenda (SHA) who
are partners in the Community Corridor Planning (CCP). The meeting is
being held to provide an opportunity for Somerville residents and
business owners to share their ideas about how the Green Line will
affect their neighborhood, local businesses, transportation decisions,
rent and property taxes.

***************

Som' Girls Move
– FREE health promotion afterschool program for 6th-8th grade girls
starts May 1st for 8 weeks – Fridays from 3 pm to 5 pm at the Family
Center in Union Square at 366 Somerville Avenue. Sponsored by Community
Affairs of Cambridge Health Alliance. There will be dance activity
(Hip-hop, Soca, Zumba, Latin) and Nutrition (cooking and healthy
eating). Registration is required, so contact Lisa at 617-591-6940, or
lbrukilacchio@challiance.org.

***************

Last week
we told you about that Sovereign Bank employee that allegedly
threatened to release personal information on a bank customer and
well-known businessman here in Somerville? Well in court today there
was sufficient evidence to grant a trial, a date to be set up soon. The
bank employee allegedly threatened this customer with bodily harm and
to expose personal bank information if the customer didn't give him
tickets for the U2 concert last month. We'll keep an eye on this one.

***************

We
heard through the grapevine that a certain elected official had his
utilities shut off for lack of payment recently. Now we could name the
person, but in these economic times everyone is having problems and so
aren't certain elected officials. We can only let you know that he's a
PDSer!

***************

Happy Birthday to Mayor Joe and
Nancy Curtatone's son, Joe Jr., who turned 4 years old Saturday! We
hear Nana Mama Curtatone cooked up a huge feast to go along with the
birthday cake.

***************

On Saturday, May 2nd from
9 am to Noon, the Somerville Community Growing Center – at 22 Vinal
Avenue – is having their Spring Garden Day. Free seeds, pots, plant
exchange – get your family growing healthy food! Get moving with hula
hooping for adults and kids till 11am, when the Morris Dancers and
Maypole Dance start. Contact, Lisa at 617-666-2969 or
info@thegrowingcenter.org or visit www.thegrowingcenter.org and click
on "calendar" for all their events.

***************

Congratulations
to Ward 1 School Committee member (and Chairwoman) Maureen Bastardi –
whose daughter just completed her first parachute jump out of an
airplane. As a few of you may recall when Maureen made her first jump a
just a few years back on camera.

***************

The Cambridge Health
Alliance's Somerville Hospital, in particular, cares for many needy
people, the homeless or about to become homeless. Since many of these
needy patients use Medicaid, the hospital has been steadily losing
money, asserting they are not getting accurate reimbursement for their
services from the federal government. So Somerville Hospital, along
with the rest of the CHA hospitals, will together cut their use of
Medicaid by $94 million in the coming fiscal year. "Even with these
changes, CHA is one of the largest psychiatric services providers,"
says Allison Bayer, Chief Operating Officer of CHA, at the start of the
public hearing. Faulkner Hospital and St. Elizabeth's Medical Center,
according to Dennis D. Keefe, the CEO of Cambridge Health Alliance, are
able to provide detox services for Somerville residents requiring it.
These hospitals, however, do not accept MassHealth, which many
Somerville Detox inpatients use. In all, 26 detox beds and 35
psychiatric beds are planned to be eliminated.

"Reducing
services is clearly the wrong way to go," says John Sharp of the
regional Cambridge/Middlesex National Alliance on Mental Illness
chapter. Sharp has personal experience with the effects of psychiatric
disease, his son is suffering from schizoaffective disorder. He holds
up a print-out of Governor Patrick's press release detailing the
administration's economic recovery plan for health care and safety net
services, allocating $14 million for mental health care in the
Commonwealth. "I thought we'd be okay," he says.

Other speakers
from social action organizations came to testify. Maryanne Frangules,
of Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, pressed the Mass
DPH to hold off on closing the detox unit in Somerville. "Physical
recovery is the first recovery – before psychological and spiritual –
and that needs to happen in a detox." Frangules also mentions that
eliminating and reducing services might save money now, but the cost,
she argues, will be duplicated or made greater by the added use of
emergency services, and will crowd emergency rooms, putting unnecessary
pressure on doctors and nurses. "We should be looking to make things
easier; not harder," says Lee Polk, a recovering alcoholic.

The
hearing became heated when Lawrence Paolella, a Somerville resident and
recovering addict, talked directly to the three person panel from the
Mass DPH, instead of, like others, who addressed the crowd in the
auditorium. He hotly asked the panel, "Are we just whistling in the
wind?" inquiring if all the testimonies the committee heard that day
would matter in the ultimate decision to reduce and/or eliminate care.
Paolella was able to get the committee's Chair, Paul Dryer, to respond.
"Our purpose here is to listen to you folks," Dryer commented, also
adding that neither he nor his committee has the authority to stop the
reconfiguration plans already put in process by CHA. That would take
persons above Dryer in the Mass DPH and ultimately the Governor
himself. Dryer did say, however, that Paolella was on a good start.

Many
people from Somerville will be without their supports. Stephanie Grace,
a young Somervillian with addiction problems, testified about her
positive experience with Somerville Detox. She comments that the detox
got her off the streets and cleaned up and helped her to get a steady
full time job where she proudly states, she does pays taxes. "And the
only reason I can do this today is because I got my start at Somerville
Detox. Please don't close it."

The issue began in March
when Roche proposed a resolution commending the Somerville Police
Department in response to accusations of police brutality that appeared
in the Somerville Journal.

Gewirtz, concerned about language in
the resolution that appeared to exclude non-citizens from police
protection, distributed it on her e-mail list. The strong reaction that
followed upset Roche, who earlier in April asked the city solicitor to
find out if resolutions and citations could be kept from public view
until they appear on the agenda.

Meanwhile, Police Chief Anthony
Holloway investigated the incident reported in the Journal in March
that alleged Officer Michael Silva used excessive force when he stopped
six teenagers after a fistfight and accused them of being gang members.

Holloway,
presenting his findings at the April 23 meeting, said Silva used
appropriate force with the teens because he was alone and "had
knowledge of three subjects" related to the Latin Kings gang.

All
denied having gang activity or criminal pasts to the Journal, while
Holloway countered that one later admitted he had once been a member.
Given the nature of the department's gang intelligence file, Holloway
said Silva did not know of the status change.

Holloway said he
found allegations of inappropriate language sustained, and that he had
"verbally counseled" Silva. Department policy has also been changed so
that officers cannot refer to suspects as gang members without
verification.

Holloway stressed that in situations like the one Silva faced, he considered officers' safety a priority.

"I want these officers to go home every night safe," Holloway said.

Returning
to the resolution commending the police, Roche dismissed the situation
as having been provoked unnecessarily by the Journal.

"They were more interested in a fast story than a factual story," Roche said, "and I think they should be ashamed of themselves.

"It's
OK if a newspaper sensationalizes a story and spins it for conflict,
because that's how they sell papers," he added. "You don't expect it
from your colleagues on this board."

Thursday's exchange became
so heated that Alderman at Large Jack Connolly declared a recess,
although the fight loudly continued.

"You're trying to make it about me," Gewirtz told Roche.

Roche
later circulated a spreadsheet of legislative activity since 2008,
noting Gewirtz had submitted 19 resolutions as the sole sponsor in the
last 12 months – without sharing them before the meeting.

"The numbers speak for themselves," Roche said. "People should practice what they preach."

"If
ever I have passed out or sent out a resolution to other members of the
board or put it on the agenda, I would have every expectation that that
would be public," Gewirtz responded.

Ward 5 Alderman Sean
O'Donovan later joined the fray, sharply criticizing Gewirtz and
suggesting she should be left out of the loop on resolutions.

"The
collegiality that I experienced on this board as of late is now gone,"
O'Donovan said. "I think a new day is upon us, where we have to be
careful discussing issues that maybe haven't been finalized in a
member's mind."

"What you're going to have to do now is exclude certain members when you do that," he added.

Following
the fighting, the resolution wound up being sent to the Committee on
Public Health and Public Safety after Alderman at Large Bill White
expressed concern that it could open the city to civil rights lawsuits
if it were implied that complaints against the police would not be
investigated thoroughly.

The issue of whether e-mail
communications among board members can be kept secret will be addressed
at the May 18 Rules Committee meeting.

This
year the situation is very fluid, as the Mayor has stated, and the
circumstances change on a daily basis. Monday it looked like a 12+
million dollar budget gap, Tuesday it looked like a 6.5 million dollar
budget gap. Next week it could look completely different.

City
officials said the rezoning, in the works for three years and often
marked by disagreements between neighbors and the city, would restore
the square's place as a commercial center and better position it to
capitalize on a proposed Green Line station.

"Union Square is
a hidden gem and we need to pay attention to it," Mayor Joseph
Curtatone said at the meeting. "Union Square is going to change."

The
new zoning would create three new areas: a commercial district that
would span Washington Street and Somerville Avenue, a transit district
around the proposed T stop and an arts overlay district that would
encourage artists to take up residence.

Taylor, who stressed
he is not against the rezoning as a whole, proposed an amendment that
would keep building height limits in an area between Warren Avenue and
Stone Avenue at 44 feet instead of the proposed 55 feet, roughly six
stories. He also asked that below-ground development be reserved for
parking and storage.

In explaining the requests, Taylor, whose
ward includes Union Square, expressed concern that laws allowing taller
buildings would leave the square's "quaint charm" endangered. "I don't
want Manhattan," he said. "I want a Greenwich Village."

"My fear is, decades to come our children's children will say, 'Who made this decision?'" Taylor added.

Monica
Lamboy, executive director of the Office of Strategic Planning and
Community Development, countered that buildings in Union Square were
once taller than they stand now, and that reducing the height limit
wasn't possible.

"I think we wouldn't agree to (the amendment)
because it wouldn't be consistent with what was there before," Lamboy
said. She also rebuffed Taylor's underground use amendment by saying it
would be a mistake to restrict possible uses that could develop in the
future.

Both amendments were rejected.

Aside from
concerns about the changing density, an ongoing criticism of the
proposal was that the property value increase could price many
residents out of the neighborhood. Save Our Somerville, a community
organization that promotes affordable housing, has lobbied the city to
make the rezoning more inclusive.

After the April 23 hearing,
Save Our Somerville member Adam Rich said city officials should make
more of an effort to keep Union Square and the city at-large
affordable. The rezoning proposal approved by the Aldermen would
increase the affordable housing percentage from 12.5 percent to between
15 and 17 percent depending on the area.

"Most people are
resigned to the fact that Somerville is going to be more expensive, and
there's going to be a lot of displacement," Rich said. "As a city, we
have to take on these issues in a comprehensive and serious way."

AHOC is an
advocacy coalition comprised of Somerville residents and community
organizations including Somerville Community Corporation (SCC),
Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), Cambridge and Somerville
Legal Services (CSLS), and Somerville Homeless Coalition(SHC).

The
walk began and finished at Somerville High School, meandering through
Somerville's Prospect Hill neighborhoods, passing several low-income
housing developments and areas that are affected by the money raised
through the Save Our Homes walk.

The Funds that are raised
through the walk are given as emergency grants to Somerville residents
who are facing housing crisis, whether it is for rent, utility bills,
security deposits, moving expenses, or other various housing costs. The
individuals that receive the grants have often fallen behind on rent
because of unemployment, domestic violence or disability and would face
eviction without immediate financial assistance. In 2008, 68 Somerville
families and individuals received assistance from AHOC.

Mayor
Curtatone and Danny Leblanc, the CEO of SCC, each spoke briefly at the
beginning of the walk, touching on the generosity of the Somerville
community and the importance of grassroots community action. Mayor
Curtatone and Mr. Leblanc also touched on the particular importance of
collective action and support while we are facing strenuous economic
times and elevated utility costs.

State Representative Denise
Provost, Alderman Bill White, and several school committee members were
present to participate in the walk.

Many of the participants
in Sunday's were walking because they had a family member or a friend
that had been a recipient of the emergency grants, worked for an agency
that provided homelessness prevention assistance or had been a previous
recipient of the emergency funds and wanted to give back.

With
donations still coming in, AHOC reports raising $22,000, however they
expect that number to continue to grow exponentially and are still
accepting donations. The Save Our Homes walk raised $41,000 dollars in
homeless prevention money last year, and according to Mary Ann
Sclafani, SCC organizer, AHOC hoped to surpass that number this year.
Awards were given to Dennis Fischman and to the Cambridge and
Somerville Legal Services for being the individual and team that raised
the most money for the walk.

In
one of my first articles, Somerville 101 – a primer, I mentioned our
beloved family doctor, Harry Goldenberg, MD. A lot of my childhood
friends were also patients of Dr Goldenberg. Thanks to the world wide
web, my article was recently read by the doctor's son, Ralph, who sent
me a very warm e-mail. Soon after that, his brother Jon also e-mailed
me a nice message.

The following are the recollections of Ralph
and Jon Goldenberg and myself. Grandson Michael also chimed in with
emotional memories of Harry, as he called him. The story you are about
to read is a collaboration of sorts dedicated to Doctor Harry
Goldenberg. I basically re-printed the touching e-mails I received from
the doctor's family members.

I remember the Doctor as a gentle
smiling man who spoke in an even, pleasant tone. He always made us feel
comfortable and he had a very calming effect on us. He used to show up
at our house at all hours, no matter what the weather was. He would
often give my family free samples of vitamins and other medicines.

I
recall an old photo of a younger Dr Goldenberg that hung in his office.
He was dressed in white along with some of his colleagues. I always got
a kick out of that photograph. When I was in St Clements, a couple of
times I went directly to his office at 771 Broadway because I felt sick
and didn't want to go to school (read-sick of school). He always talked
to me for a while and I would end up going to school anyways. Doctor
Goldenberg was an important part of my family and a role model that I
still hold dear to this day.

Ralph gave me the following short biography:

"Harry
was born on October 31, 1907. He was the first-born of three children
and the only son of Eastern European immigrant parents. As you might
imagine, he was the favored child, and he did not disappoint. He was an
exceptionally bright student, graduating Somerville High at the age of
16. He went on to Boston University for his undergraduate degree, and
then Tufts University School of Medicine where he got his MD in 1931.
During his years at these universities he made a number of life-long
friends.

Because his parents, Samuel and Esther, were not well
off, he worked his way through college and medical school. One of the
jobs he liked to tell us about was his work for Bushway Ice Cream as a
bookkeeper and ice cream taster! And ice cream always remained one of
his favorite foods.

Harry spent a lot of time helping run
Samuel's Cigar Store during these years. Harry loved children and wound
up specializing in pediatrics, as you must know.

When World War
II broke out, Harry decided to suspend his medical practice and enlist
in the Army as a Captain (doctors could do that rather than wait to be
drafted at a lesser rank). He spent about three years overseas, ran a
field hospital, and participated in the D-Day Invasion, as a Major.
When the war was over, Harry quickly restarted his medical practice,
renting space at 257 Broadway in Somerville and then 771 Broadway,
which my parents bought in 1947. In the ensuing years he devoted
himself to his patients, his family, and his friends."

Ralph's brother Jon adds this:

"My
father was among the last of a vanishing breed of doctors who truly
cared for their patients. He was a pediatrician, but he had many
patients who came to him as adults because they valued his advice, both
medical and practical. The setting may have been Somerville, but he was
a country doctor. The day before he died he was seeing patients until
the sun had gone down."

Harry's grandson Michael donates some of his beloved memories:

"It
is amazing how just the thought of 'Harry' can bring tears to my eyes.
To this day I miss him and feel cheated that he left us too soon. I
have always told those in my life who were not fortunate enough to know
him what a great man I believed him to have been. Having spent 16 years
of my adult life living in the Boston area, I constantly came into
contact with people who knew or were treated by Dr Harry Goldenberg.
Others told of one of the last doctors to make house calls.

The
most common story would be of stopping by his office to say hello and
spending an hour or two chatting. In particular I would like to share
the story of my father's cousin (by marriage) – Richard Mingolelli, who
owned Dick's Auto Body in Somerville. I used to go by his shop to talk
and he told me of being an Italian marrying into a Jewish family during
less tolerant times. He also told me of the hours spent at my
grandfather's office and of how my grandfather was the first to accept
him and make him feel welcome. Harry just had a way with people that
made them feel good. Perhaps that is why he became a physician.

As
a young boy, I used to look forward to our visits to Massachusetts to
see my grandparents – even though I knew that meant I was likely
getting a shot in the arm! Harry was the only doctor I have ever had
who made me look forward to getting a needle in my arm. Somehow it just
didn't hurt when he did it. Other fond memories I have are of the man
who always brought a fresh loaf of bread home from Lyndell's Bakery
after work or of the man who would get down on the floor to wrestle
with his grandchildren even though the very act was incredibly painful
due to his arthritis.

My grandfather – Doctor, Soldier,
Gentleman, Friend, Boxer, Husband, Father and Grandfather – it is
amazing how much respect he earned, deserved and could command. And yet
he still insisted that his grandchildren call him "Harry" rather than
sir or granddad."

I would like to thank Ralph, Jon and Michael
Goldenberg for adding some wonderful facts and details to my memory of
one of the first positive influences in my life. The family doctor is a
breed that has just about vanished. Thankfully the loving memories I
have of Doctor Harry Goldenberg will stay with me forever.