Somerville Voices: Minimum wage, MCAS, bombshell, the library, and more!
Somerville Voices
Column: Look beyond standardized testing to grade students by Christine Rafal in the Somerville Journal
This past week as MCAS exams began I couldn’t help but
think that far too much depends on just a few days, especially for sophomores
for whom the tests will determine whether they will receive a diploma. A
serious student who does all the work can still be tripped up.
JOE KENNEDY: Craney’s minimum wage argument shortsighted, morally misguided by Somerville Journal
While I applaud Paul Craney for highlighting a very
important issue in his column this week (“Minimum wage hike: Old, honorable and
fundamentally flawed”), I disagree — respectfully but deeply — with his
characterization of the proposed reforms.
Column: Somerville pols nervously await potential bombshell by Ken Brociner
Life (and politics) sure can take strange twists and
turns. On March 14, a few short weeks before the Boston Phoenix was all set to
publish a two-part investigative report about Somerville,
the Phoenix abruptly announced that after 47 years, it was going
out of business, effect immediately.
Editorial: Why did a Somerville gun bust not stick? by
Somerville Journal
Why was Anthony Paulino reportedly running through the
streets of Somerville, a stolen .45 in his hand?
Express Yourself on Transportation Funding for Massachusetts by Mimi Graney
Legislators on Beacon Hill are making important decisions
this week about how much to invest in our state’s transportation system. They
need to hear that we want them to solve our transportation funding crisis for
the long term and to …
Letter: Save parking spots for Beacon Street residents in Somerville by Somerville Journal
I do not feel that the residents of Beacon
Street should be inconvenienced by taking away their parking spaces. It is a
matter of fairness.
Hayes Morrison & Mark Chase – Beacon Street Reconstruction Project (3.26.13) by Joe Lynch
Join host KyAnn Anderson as she talks with the City of
Somerville’s Hayes Morrison and Transportation Planner and active Somerville
resident Mark Chase about the highly anticipated Beacon Street Reconstruction
Project. Tune in to find out more details about the proposed cycle track, how
the streetscape will change, and where the design process currently stands.
[...]
SCATV Expands its Distribution to the World from SCATVsomerville.org by WendyBlom
Somerville Community Access Television launched a new
website that streams Channel 3 over the Internet to the world.
WWW.scatvsomerville.org allows users to watch the live stream and select
individual programs for on-demand viewing
The Library Grows – Up? by Joeb
Since our January tussle over a new library, it’s been great to see how
dynamic the Somerville Public Library is and how creative, aggressive,
and collaborative their new programs appear.
The effort to leverage development at Assembly Square that generates meaningful jobs and tax revenues for the city has been long and hard. Construction of a new Orange Line station is ongoing evidence of our progress. We should not squander that effort. It would be unfortunate if a big box supermarket were to occupy the 130,000 square feet right next to that station.
PAUL CRANEY: Minimum wage hike: Old, honorable and fundamentally flawed Posted by Somerville Journal
Massachusetts is one of 18 states that has a higher state
minimum wage rate ($8 per hour), than the federal rate of $7.25. Twenty-three
states have a minimum wage rate the same as the federal rate. The bordering
states of New York and New Hampshire have lower rates than Massachusetts.
Through 4/9/13: Comment Period for Union Square Urban Revitalization Plan ENF by David Dahlbacka
Remediation of contaminated industrial areas in the Union
Square area has been an issue. It may be in your interest to comment on the
Environmental Notification Form.
4/4/13 HUD One-Year Action Plan Public Hearing by David
Dahlbacka
The HUD block grants are a very important source
of funding for affordable housing in Somerville.