WEEKLY EMAIL BLAST

Meetings

2,4,6 & 8 Broadway

The first neighborhood meeting regarding the proposed development of 2,4,6 & 8 Broadway will be held Monday, July 1st from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Cross Street Community Center located at 165 Broadway.  A presentation will be given followed by a question & answer session.  Representatives from the developers, their attorney and City officials will be in attendance. 

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46 Pearl Street

The first neighborhood meeting regarding design ideas for the new "green" park to be built on the vacant parcel located at 46 Pearl Street (Corner of Pearl & Florence Streets) will be held on Monday, July 8th.  The meeting is being held at the Capuano School located at 150 Glen Street and starts at 6:30.  

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Somerville By Design - East Somerville

The 2nd meeting and 1st Vision Event is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16th.  More information to follow.  You can see what Somerville By Design is all about by clicking here.

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Updates

Chuckie Harris Park

As of today the grand reopening of the Chuckie Harris Park is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Monday, July 15th.  Once again, if things change I will let you know.  The park includes a water wall with community movie screen, 7 community garden plots (these are managed through the community gardening program, contact RKelly@somervillema.gov if you are interested), 70 trees and so much more.  I would love to see you there.

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Happenings

Tomorrow, Saturday, June  29th (with a rain date of Sunday the 30th) is Somerville's Annual Family Fun Day.  Happening at Trum Field and running from noon to 5 p.m. it will include some pretty great free family friendly activities such as a BBQ, face painting, volley ball, curious creatures exhibit, music and much more. 

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NEED HELP KEEPING TRACK OF EVERYTHING HAPPENING THIS SUMMER? We've got you covered with a handy calendar listing fun and free events around Somerville this summer. You can stop by City Hall to pick up a copy or follow this link for a calendar in English: http://ow.ly/mmJit or this link for a calendar in Spanish: http://ow.ly/mmJpt.

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INFORMATION

FIRE

Yesterday, June 27 an early morning fire on Walnut Street affected more than 20 residents. As with any fire, some of these residents will be left with the unexpected expense of short-term housing while their homes are being repaired or they look for new housing. The Somerville Homeless Coalition has started two funds to help victims of fires deal with these expenses - one specifically for people affected by the fire at 106 Walnut Street and one for future victims of fires in Somerville. If you are interested in donating, please contact the Coalition at 617-623-6111 or click: http://bit.ly/125cUdzTHANK YOU.

SAFETY TIPS

Take precautions against home break-ins and bike thefts.  Click here and read some usual information recently shared by the City of Somerville.

FARMER'S MARKETS

Click here and it will bring you to an interactive map of local farmer's markets throughout Massachusetts including Somerville.  Nothing like locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. 

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THANK YOU

Since 2004 when I was first elected to the City Government I have always been part of the effort to provide rides to our senior citizens and disabled residents. Whether it is a municipal, state, or federal election - whether my name was on the ballot or NOT - I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to vote.  This past Tuesday, with temperatures over 90 degrees, Alderman Sullivan and I offered rides throughout Ward 1.  Many thanks to all our drivers who volunteered their time, took time off from their day jobs and were out there all day giving rides.  If you click here you can see some pictures of some very loyal voters.  

It was great seeing everyone who got out to vote that day. 

TAKE PRECAUTIONS

The City of Somerville and Somerville Police Department remind residents to take precautions as summer weather warms up to protect their homes and bicycles from thieves.

Warmer summer months correlate with increased crime rates nationally and in Somerville. Residential breaking and enterings are generally elevated from June to October, as residents leave their windows open during warmer days, place air conditioning units that can be removed in windows or go on vacation. Meanwhile, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August and almost 70 percent occur from June through September.

This year, about 85 percent of residential breaking and enterings in Somerville occur between the afternoon from noon to 6 p.m. and the early evening from 6 p.m. to midnight, evenly split between those two time frames. Ninety percent of afternoon breaking and enterings occur during a weekday while 55 percent occur during the weekend, usually on Saturdays. This departs from past trends, as breaking and enterings historically tend to be afternoon and weekday oriented.

Windows (46 percent) are currently slightly more popular than doors (40 percent) as an entry method for home break-ins. Approximately 64 percent of windows and 48 percent of doors were definitively described as "forced" in incident reports. In the case of windows, this also includes when a screen is cut or pried open to grant access to an unlocked window; in the case of doors, this includes any door forced open, including common doors to multi-unit homes that could then grant access to an unlocked apartment door.

For bike thefts, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August, almost 70 percent from June through September. Thirty-four percent occurred from the front of a residence, with those stolen bikes left unattended for an average of 16 hours. Approximately 65 percent of thefts occurred in the evening or overnight (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.). 

Three areas represent roughly half of all summer bike thefts in the city, starting with the Davis Square neighborhood, especially the Square itself. Twenty percent of thefts occurred in Davis Square proper, with most bikes taken between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thirty-five percent of bikes stolen from Davis Square were left for an extended period; on average stolen bikes were left unattended in this area for 22 hours. The other two areas with the highest reported bike thefts are Highland Avenue and adjacent streets from Lowell Street east; and Beacon Street and adjacent streets to Park Street, and Park Street from Beacon Street to Somerville Avenue.

Tips to protect homes can be found online at http://www.somervillepolice.org/index.php/143-burglary-prevention-for-the-summer [1], or below.

 Steps to protect homes:

• Keep doors closed and locked, both front and back.
• If your home has an outer door to a common hallway, keep that door locked as well. Unlocked outer doors provide burglars the ability to break into inner doors to homes while out of sight of neighbors and police.
• Keep windows closed with latches closed too when the home is unoccupied. If windows are kept open for ventilation, keep them open no more than 4-6 inches, and make sure the opening is not wide enough to allow burglars to reach through to unlock a door or remove a window lock.
• Plastic window tabs will not deter a determined burglar. Locks plus a second system, such as wooden sticks or dowels between the window frame or a horizontal bar/cementer nails have the most preventative value.
• For horizontally sliding windows or sliding doors, wooden dowels or sticks can be used in the sliding tracks to prevent burglars from easily opening them from the outside.
• Leave a light or two turned on or on times when the home is unoccupied at night. In a sample of recent nighttime breaks when nobody was home at the time of the break, all respondents said the home was left in total darkness.
• If you have an alarm system, use it each time the home is unoccupied.

If you leave your home unoccupied for an extended period of time due to vacation:

• Get to know your neighbors and agree to watch each other's home.
• Ask someone to pick up the mail, newspapers left on the front porch and put out the trash. Thieves can use overflowing mail box, trash barrels not put out or taken in and deliveries left in plain sight to target homes that are unoccupied.
• Ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway.
• Use timers for lights, radios and televisions at night while you are away to make the home appear occupied.
• Use timers for outside lights to keep the home illuminated, both in front and back.

If residents want to upgrade home security, options include:

• Use a solid core or metal door at entrance points.
• nstall a heavy-duty deadbolt lock.
• Install a knob-in-lock set that uses a dead latch mechanism.
• Install a heavy duty strike plate to prevent a burglar from kicking in the door.
• Windows generally have latches, not locks. Install secondary locking devices for windows, such as through the frame pins.
• Purchase a professionally installed alarm system that must include an audible horn or siren.
• Surveillance cameras are relatively inexpensive and not only act as a deterrent, but provide valuable evidence if a crime does occur. Many surveillance systems also provide the owner email notification when a camera detects motion.

To protect your possessions in case of a break-in:

• Register laptops and other valuable electronic items with Somerville's Web-based Registry Anti-Theft Program (WRAP), available on the City's website [2].
• Engrave your driver's license number (and state) on televisions, stereos, computers and small electronic appliances.
• Photograph valuables, especially jewelry and electronics.
• Make a list of make, model, serial numbers and value of important items. Give a copy of this list to a relative or close friend.
• Talk to your insurance agent to make sure your valuables will be covered in the event of a theft.

Steps to protect your bike:

• Do not store your bike in front of your residence overnight.
• Secure your bike, even in your backyard or on your back porch.Bikes should not be left unattended on vehicle racks.

What should you report to police?

• Someone who rings your bell and asks for someone who doesn't live there. This person may be checking to see if anyone is home. Most house breakers will avoid a home that they know is occupied.
• Seeing a stranger walking in and out of yards.
• A strange car in the driveway of a home when you know the occupants are away.
• Never hesitate to call 911 if someone or something doesn't look right. Trust your instinct. You and your neighbors are part of your neighborhood's security network.

If you see something suspicious:

•  Call 911 immediately.
• If your house is broken into, call police immediately and do not touch anything the criminal may have touched.
• Write down plate numbers of suspicious vehicles.

The City of Somerville and Somerville Police Department remind residents to take precautions as summer weather warms up to protect their homes and bicycles from thieves.

Warmer summer months correlate with increased crime rates nationally and in Somerville. Residential breaking and enterings are generally elevated from June to October, as residents leave their windows open during warmer days, place air conditioning units that can be removed in windows or go on vacation. Meanwhile, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August and almost 70 percent occur from June through September.

This year, about 85 percent of residential breaking and enterings in Somerville occur between the afternoon from noon to 6 p.m. and the early evening from 6 p.m. to midnight, evenly split between those two time frames. Ninety percent of afternoon breaking and enterings occur during a weekday while 55 percent occur during the weekend, usually on Saturdays. This departs from past trends, as breaking and enterings historically tend to be afternoon and weekday oriented.

Windows (46 percent) are currently slightly more popular than doors (40 percent) as an entry method for home break-ins. Approximately 64 percent of windows and 48 percent of doors were definitively described as "forced" in incident reports. In the case of windows, this also includes when a screen is cut or pried open to grant access to an unlocked window; in the case of doors, this includes any door forced open, including common doors to multi-unit homes that could then grant access to an unlocked apartment door.

For bike thefts, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August, almost 70 percent from June through September. Thirty-four percent occurred from the front of a residence, with those stolen bikes left unattended for an average of 16 hours. Approximately 65 percent of thefts occurred in the evening or overnight (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.).

Three areas represent roughly half of all summer bike thefts in the city, starting with the Davis Square neighborhood, especially the Square itself. Twenty percent of thefts occurred in Davis Square proper, with most bikes taken between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thirty-five percent of bikes stolen from Davis Square were left for an extended period; on average stolen bikes were left unattended in this area for 22 hours. The other two areas with the highest reported bike thefts are Highland Avenue and adjacent streets from Lowell Street east; and Beacon Street and adjacent streets to Park Street, and Park Street from Beacon Street to Somerville Avenue.

Tips to protect homes can be found online at http://www.somervillepolice.org/index.php/143-burglary-prevention-for-the-summer, or below.

 Steps to protect homes:

• Keep doors closed and locked, both front and back.
• If your home has an outer door to a common hallway, keep that door locked as well. Unlocked outer doors provide burglars the ability to break into inner doors to homes while out of sight of neighbors and police.
• Keep windows closed with latches closed too when the home is unoccupied. If windows are kept open for ventilation, keep them open no more than 4-6 inches, and make sure the opening is not wide enough to allow burglars to reach through to unlock a door or remove a window lock.
• Plastic window tabs will not deter a determined burglar. Locks plus a second system, such as wooden sticks or dowels between the window frame or a horizontal bar/cementer nails have the most preventative value.
• For horizontally sliding windows or sliding doors, wooden dowels or sticks can be used in the sliding tracks to prevent burglars from easily opening them from the outside.
• Leave a light or two turned on or on times when the home is unoccupied at night. In a sample of recent nighttime breaks when nobody was home at the time of the break, all respondents said the home was left in total darkness.
• If you have an alarm system, use it each time the home is unoccupied.

If you leave your home unoccupied for an extended period of time due to vacation:

• Get to know your neighbors and agree to watch each other's home.
• Ask someone to pick up the mail, newspapers left on the front porch and put out the trash. Thieves can use overflowing mail box, trash barrels not put out or taken in and deliveries left in plain sight to target homes that are unoccupied.
• Ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway.
• Use timers for lights, radios and televisions at night while you are away to make the home appear occupied.
• Use timers for outside lights to keep the home illuminated, both in front and back.

If residents want to upgrade home security, options include:

• Use a solid core or metal door at entrance points.
• nstall a heavy-duty deadbolt lock.
• Install a knob-in-lock set that uses a dead latch mechanism.
• Install a heavy duty strike plate to prevent a burglar from kicking in the door.
• Windows generally have latches, not locks. Install secondary locking devices for windows, such as through the frame pins.
• Purchase a professionally installed alarm system that must include an audible horn or siren.
• Surveillance cameras are relatively inexpensive and not only act as a deterrent, but provide valuable evidence if a crime does occur. Many surveillance systems also provide the owner email notification when a camera detects motion.

To protect your possessions in case of a break-in:

• Register laptops and other valuable electronic items with Somerville's Web-based Registry Anti-Theft Program (WRAP), available on the City's website.
• Engrave your driver's license number (and state) on televisions, stereos, computers and small electronic appliances.
• Photograph valuables, especially jewelry and electronics.
• Make a list of make, model, serial numbers and value of important items. Give a copy of this list to a relative or close friend.
• Talk to your insurance agent to make sure your valuables will be covered in the event of a theft.

Steps to protect your bike:

• Do not store your bike in front of your residence overnight.
• Secure your bike, even in your backyard or on your back porch.Bikes should not be left unattended on vehicle racks.

What should you report to police?

• Someone who rings your bell and asks for someone who doesn't live there. This person may be checking to see if anyone is home. Most house breakers will avoid a home that they know is occupied.
• Seeing a stranger walking in and out of yards.
• A strange car in the driveway of a home when you know the occupants are away.
• Never hesitate to call 911 if someone or something doesn't look right. Trust your instinct. You and your neighbors are part of your neighborhood's security network.

If you see something suspicious:

•  Call 911 immediately.
• If your house is broken into, call police immediately and do not touch anything the criminal may have touched.
• Write down plate numbers of suspicious vehicles.

- See more at: http://www.somervillema.gov/news/take-precautions-against-home-break-ins-bike-thefts#sthash.JwhV4Iil.dpuf

The City of Somerville and Somerville Police Department remind residents to take precautions as summer weather warms up to protect their homes and bicycles from thieves.

Warmer summer months correlate with increased crime rates nationally and in Somerville. Residential breaking and enterings are generally elevated from June to October, as residents leave their windows open during warmer days, place air conditioning units that can be removed in windows or go on vacation. Meanwhile, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August and almost 70 percent occur from June through September.

This year, about 85 percent of residential breaking and enterings in Somerville occur between the afternoon from noon to 6 p.m. and the early evening from 6 p.m. to midnight, evenly split between those two time frames. Ninety percent of afternoon breaking and enterings occur during a weekday while 55 percent occur during the weekend, usually on Saturdays. This departs from past trends, as breaking and enterings historically tend to be afternoon and weekday oriented.

Windows (46 percent) are currently slightly more popular than doors (40 percent) as an entry method for home break-ins. Approximately 64 percent of windows and 48 percent of doors were definitively described as "forced" in incident reports. In the case of windows, this also includes when a screen is cut or pried open to grant access to an unlocked window; in the case of doors, this includes any door forced open, including common doors to multi-unit homes that could then grant access to an unlocked apartment door.

For bike thefts, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August, almost 70 percent from June through September. Thirty-four percent occurred from the front of a residence, with those stolen bikes left unattended for an average of 16 hours. Approximately 65 percent of thefts occurred in the evening or overnight (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.).

Three areas represent roughly half of all summer bike thefts in the city, starting with the Davis Square neighborhood, especially the Square itself. Twenty percent of thefts occurred in Davis Square proper, with most bikes taken between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thirty-five percent of bikes stolen from Davis Square were left for an extended period; on average stolen bikes were left unattended in this area for 22 hours. The other two areas with the highest reported bike thefts are Highland Avenue and adjacent streets from Lowell Street east; and Beacon Street and adjacent streets to Park Street, and Park Street from Beacon Street to Somerville Avenue.

Tips to protect homes can be found online at http://www.somervillepolice.org/index.php/143-burglary-prevention-for-the-summer, or below.

 Steps to protect homes:

• Keep doors closed and locked, both front and back.
• If your home has an outer door to a common hallway, keep that door locked as well. Unlocked outer doors provide burglars the ability to break into inner doors to homes while out of sight of neighbors and police.
• Keep windows closed with latches closed too when the home is unoccupied. If windows are kept open for ventilation, keep them open no more than 4-6 inches, and make sure the opening is not wide enough to allow burglars to reach through to unlock a door or remove a window lock.
• Plastic window tabs will not deter a determined burglar. Locks plus a second system, such as wooden sticks or dowels between the window frame or a horizontal bar/cementer nails have the most preventative value.
• For horizontally sliding windows or sliding doors, wooden dowels or sticks can be used in the sliding tracks to prevent burglars from easily opening them from the outside.
• Leave a light or two turned on or on times when the home is unoccupied at night. In a sample of recent nighttime breaks when nobody was home at the time of the break, all respondents said the home was left in total darkness.
• If you have an alarm system, use it each time the home is unoccupied.

If you leave your home unoccupied for an extended period of time due to vacation:

• Get to know your neighbors and agree to watch each other's home.
• Ask someone to pick up the mail, newspapers left on the front porch and put out the trash. Thieves can use overflowing mail box, trash barrels not put out or taken in and deliveries left in plain sight to target homes that are unoccupied.
• Ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway.
• Use timers for lights, radios and televisions at night while you are away to make the home appear occupied.
• Use timers for outside lights to keep the home illuminated, both in front and back.

If residents want to upgrade home security, options include:

• Use a solid core or metal door at entrance points.
• nstall a heavy-duty deadbolt lock.
• Install a knob-in-lock set that uses a dead latch mechanism.
• Install a heavy duty strike plate to prevent a burglar from kicking in the door.
• Windows generally have latches, not locks. Install secondary locking devices for windows, such as through the frame pins.
• Purchase a professionally installed alarm system that must include an audible horn or siren.
• Surveillance cameras are relatively inexpensive and not only act as a deterrent, but provide valuable evidence if a crime does occur. Many surveillance systems also provide the owner email notification when a camera detects motion.

To protect your possessions in case of a break-in:

• Register laptops and other valuable electronic items with Somerville's Web-based Registry Anti-Theft Program (WRAP), available on the City's website.
• Engrave your driver's license number (and state) on televisions, stereos, computers and small electronic appliances.
• Photograph valuables, especially jewelry and electronics.
• Make a list of make, model, serial numbers and value of important items. Give a copy of this list to a relative or close friend.
• Talk to your insurance agent to make sure your valuables will be covered in the event of a theft.

Steps to protect your bike:

• Do not store your bike in front of your residence overnight.
• Secure your bike, even in your backyard or on your back porch.Bikes should not be left unattended on vehicle racks.

What should you report to police?

• Someone who rings your bell and asks for someone who doesn't live there. This person may be checking to see if anyone is home. Most house breakers will avoid a home that they know is occupied.
• Seeing a stranger walking in and out of yards.
• A strange car in the driveway of a home when you know the occupants are away.
• Never hesitate to call 911 if someone or something doesn't look right. Trust your instinct. You and your neighbors are part of your neighborhood's security network.

If you see something suspicious:

•  Call 911 immediately.
• If your house is broken into, call police immediately and do not touch anything the criminal may have touched.
• Write down plate numbers of suspicious vehicles.

- See more at: http://www.somervillema.gov/news/take-precautions-against-home-break-ins-bike-thefts#sthash.JwhV4Iil.dpuf

The City of Somerville and Somerville Police Department remind residents to take precautions as summer weather warms up to protect their homes and bicycles from thieves.

Warmer summer months correlate with increased crime rates nationally and in Somerville. Residential breaking and enterings are generally elevated from June to October, as residents leave their windows open during warmer days, place air conditioning units that can be removed in windows or go on vacation. Meanwhile, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August and almost 70 percent occur from June through September.

This year, about 85 percent of residential breaking and enterings in Somerville occur between the afternoon from noon to 6 p.m. and the early evening from 6 p.m. to midnight, evenly split between those two time frames. Ninety percent of afternoon breaking and enterings occur during a weekday while 55 percent occur during the weekend, usually on Saturdays. This departs from past trends, as breaking and enterings historically tend to be afternoon and weekday oriented.

Windows (46 percent) are currently slightly more popular than doors (40 percent) as an entry method for home break-ins. Approximately 64 percent of windows and 48 percent of doors were definitively described as "forced" in incident reports. In the case of windows, this also includes when a screen is cut or pried open to grant access to an unlocked window; in the case of doors, this includes any door forced open, including common doors to multi-unit homes that could then grant access to an unlocked apartment door.

For bike thefts, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August, almost 70 percent from June through September. Thirty-four percent occurred from the front of a residence, with those stolen bikes left unattended for an average of 16 hours. Approximately 65 percent of thefts occurred in the evening or overnight (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.).

Three areas represent roughly half of all summer bike thefts in the city, starting with the Davis Square neighborhood, especially the Square itself. Twenty percent of thefts occurred in Davis Square proper, with most bikes taken between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thirty-five percent of bikes stolen from Davis Square were left for an extended period; on average stolen bikes were left unattended in this area for 22 hours. The other two areas with the highest reported bike thefts are Highland Avenue and adjacent streets from Lowell Street east; and Beacon Street and adjacent streets to Park Street, and Park Street from Beacon Street to Somerville Avenue.

Tips to protect homes can be found online at http://www.somervillepolice.org/index.php/143-burglary-prevention-for-the-summer, or below.

 Steps to protect homes:

• Keep doors closed and locked, both front and back.
• If your home has an outer door to a common hallway, keep that door locked as well. Unlocked outer doors provide burglars the ability to break into inner doors to homes while out of sight of neighbors and police.
• Keep windows closed with latches closed too when the home is unoccupied. If windows are kept open for ventilation, keep them open no more than 4-6 inches, and make sure the opening is not wide enough to allow burglars to reach through to unlock a door or remove a window lock.
• Plastic window tabs will not deter a determined burglar. Locks plus a second system, such as wooden sticks or dowels between the window frame or a horizontal bar/cementer nails have the most preventative value.
• For horizontally sliding windows or sliding doors, wooden dowels or sticks can be used in the sliding tracks to prevent burglars from easily opening them from the outside.
• Leave a light or two turned on or on times when the home is unoccupied at night. In a sample of recent nighttime breaks when nobody was home at the time of the break, all respondents said the home was left in total darkness.
• If you have an alarm system, use it each time the home is unoccupied.

If you leave your home unoccupied for an extended period of time due to vacation:

• Get to know your neighbors and agree to watch each other's home.
• Ask someone to pick up the mail, newspapers left on the front porch and put out the trash. Thieves can use overflowing mail box, trash barrels not put out or taken in and deliveries left in plain sight to target homes that are unoccupied.
• Ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway.
• Use timers for lights, radios and televisions at night while you are away to make the home appear occupied.
• Use timers for outside lights to keep the home illuminated, both in front and back.

If residents want to upgrade home security, options include:

• Use a solid core or metal door at entrance points.
• nstall a heavy-duty deadbolt lock.
• Install a knob-in-lock set that uses a dead latch mechanism.
• Install a heavy duty strike plate to prevent a burglar from kicking in the door.
• Windows generally have latches, not locks. Install secondary locking devices for windows, such as through the frame pins.
• Purchase a professionally installed alarm system that must include an audible horn or siren.
• Surveillance cameras are relatively inexpensive and not only act as a deterrent, but provide valuable evidence if a crime does occur. Many surveillance systems also provide the owner email notification when a camera detects motion.

To protect your possessions in case of a break-in:

• Register laptops and other valuable electronic items with Somerville's Web-based Registry Anti-Theft Program (WRAP), available on the City's website.
• Engrave your driver's license number (and state) on televisions, stereos, computers and small electronic appliances.
• Photograph valuables, especially jewelry and electronics.
• Make a list of make, model, serial numbers and value of important items. Give a copy of this list to a relative or close friend.
• Talk to your insurance agent to make sure your valuables will be covered in the event of a theft.

Steps to protect your bike:

• Do not store your bike in front of your residence overnight.
• Secure your bike, even in your backyard or on your back porch.Bikes should not be left unattended on vehicle racks.

What should you report to police?

• Someone who rings your bell and asks for someone who doesn't live there. This person may be checking to see if anyone is home. Most house breakers will avoid a home that they know is occupied.
• Seeing a stranger walking in and out of yards.
• A strange car in the driveway of a home when you know the occupants are away.
• Never hesitate to call 911 if someone or something doesn't look right. Trust your instinct. You and your neighbors are part of your neighborhood's security network.

If you see something suspicious:

•  Call 911 immediately.
• If your house is broken into, call police immediately and do not touch anything the criminal may have touched.
• Write down plate numbers of suspicious vehicles.

- See more at: http://www.somervillema.gov/news/take-precautions-against-home-break-ins-bike-thefts#sthash.JwhV4Iil.dpuf

The City of Somerville and Somerville Police Department remind residents to take precautions as summer weather warms up to protect their homes and bicycles from thieves.

Warmer summer months correlate with increased crime rates nationally and in Somerville. Residential breaking and enterings are generally elevated from June to October, as residents leave their windows open during warmer days, place air conditioning units that can be removed in windows or go on vacation. Meanwhile, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August and almost 70 percent occur from June through September.

This year, about 85 percent of residential breaking and enterings in Somerville occur between the afternoon from noon to 6 p.m. and the early evening from 6 p.m. to midnight, evenly split between those two time frames. Ninety percent of afternoon breaking and enterings occur during a weekday while 55 percent occur during the weekend, usually on Saturdays. This departs from past trends, as breaking and enterings historically tend to be afternoon and weekday oriented.

Windows (46 percent) are currently slightly more popular than doors (40 percent) as an entry method for home break-ins. Approximately 64 percent of windows and 48 percent of doors were definitively described as "forced" in incident reports. In the case of windows, this also includes when a screen is cut or pried open to grant access to an unlocked window; in the case of doors, this includes any door forced open, including common doors to multi-unit homes that could then grant access to an unlocked apartment door.

For bike thefts, almost half of all bike thefts in Somerville occur from June through August, almost 70 percent from June through September. Thirty-four percent occurred from the front of a residence, with those stolen bikes left unattended for an average of 16 hours. Approximately 65 percent of thefts occurred in the evening or overnight (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.).

Three areas represent roughly half of all summer bike thefts in the city, starting with the Davis Square neighborhood, especially the Square itself. Twenty percent of thefts occurred in Davis Square proper, with most bikes taken between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thirty-five percent of bikes stolen from Davis Square were left for an extended period; on average stolen bikes were left unattended in this area for 22 hours. The other two areas with the highest reported bike thefts are Highland Avenue and adjacent streets from Lowell Street east; and Beacon Street and adjacent streets to Park Street, and Park Street from Beacon Street to Somerville Avenue.

Tips to protect homes can be found online at http://www.somervillepolice.org/index.php/143-burglary-prevention-for-the-summer, or below.

 Steps to protect homes:

• Keep doors closed and locked, both front and back.
• If your home has an outer door to a common hallway, keep that door locked as well. Unlocked outer doors provide burglars the ability to break into inner doors to homes while out of sight of neighbors and police.
• Keep windows closed with latches closed too when the home is unoccupied. If windows are kept open for ventilation, keep them open no more than 4-6 inches, and make sure the opening is not wide enough to allow burglars to reach through to unlock a door or remove a window lock.
• Plastic window tabs will not deter a determined burglar. Locks plus a second system, such as wooden sticks or dowels between the window frame or a horizontal bar/cementer nails have the most preventative value.
• For horizontally sliding windows or sliding doors, wooden dowels or sticks can be used in the sliding tracks to prevent burglars from easily opening them from the outside.
• Leave a light or two turned on or on times when the home is unoccupied at night. In a sample of recent nighttime breaks when nobody was home at the time of the break, all respondents said the home was left in total darkness.
• If you have an alarm system, use it each time the home is unoccupied.

If you leave your home unoccupied for an extended period of time due to vacation:

• Get to know your neighbors and agree to watch each other's home.
• Ask someone to pick up the mail, newspapers left on the front porch and put out the trash. Thieves can use overflowing mail box, trash barrels not put out or taken in and deliveries left in plain sight to target homes that are unoccupied.
• Ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway.
• Use timers for lights, radios and televisions at night while you are away to make the home appear occupied.
• Use timers for outside lights to keep the home illuminated, both in front and back.

If residents want to upgrade home security, options include:

• Use a solid core or metal door at entrance points.
• nstall a heavy-duty deadbolt lock.
• Install a knob-in-lock set that uses a dead latch mechanism.
• Install a heavy duty strike plate to prevent a burglar from kicking in the door.
• Windows generally have latches, not locks. Install secondary locking devices for windows, such as through the frame pins.
• Purchase a professionally installed alarm system that must include an audible horn or siren.
• Surveillance cameras are relatively inexpensive and not only act as a deterrent, but provide valuable evidence if a crime does occur. Many surveillance systems also provide the owner email notification when a camera detects motion.

To protect your possessions in case of a break-in:

• Register laptops and other valuable electronic items with Somerville's Web-based Registry Anti-Theft Program (WRAP), available on the City's website.
• Engrave your driver's license number (and state) on televisions, stereos, computers and small electronic appliances.
• Photograph valuables, especially jewelry and electronics.
• Make a list of make, model, serial numbers and value of important items. Give a copy of this list to a relative or close friend.
• Talk to your insurance agent to make sure your valuables will be covered in the event of a theft.

Steps to protect your bike:

• Do not store your bike in front of your residence overnight.
• Secure your bike, even in your backyard or on your back porch.Bikes should not be left unattended on vehicle racks.

What should you report to police?

• Someone who rings your bell and asks for someone who doesn't live there. This person may be checking to see if anyone is home. Most house breakers will avoid a home that they know is occupied.
• Seeing a stranger walking in and out of yards.
• A strange car in the driveway of a home when you know the occupants are away.
• Never hesitate to call 911 if someone or something doesn't look right. Trust your instinct. You and your neighbors are part of your neighborhood's security network.

If you see something suspicious:

•  Call 911 immediately.
• If your house is broken into, call police immediately and do not touch anything the criminal may have touched.
• Write down plate numbers of suspicious vehicles.

- See more at: http://www.somervillema.gov/news/take-precautions-against-home-break-ins-bike-thefts#sthash.JwhV4Iil.dpuf

Summer Fun!

NEED HELP KEEPING TRACK OF EVERYTHING HAPPENING THIS SUMMER? We've got you covered with a handy calendar listing fun and free events around Somerville this summer. You can stop by City Hall to pick up a copy or follow this link for a calendar in English: http://ow.ly/mmJit or this link for a calendar in Spanish: http://ow.ly/mmJpt. And don't forget that the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration is this Thursday. Entertainment starts at Trum Field at 6 p.m. and the fireworks will start around 9:15. Come enjoy a fun summer in Somerville.

Somer Movie Fest

Walking School Bus

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone led two walking school buses last week to the Capuano School and Kennedy School and invites parents to join in this enjoyable way to get kids active in the morning and ready for school – and for parents to spend more quality time with their children.

Walking school buses are part of Somerville’s Safe Routes to School, the City’s effort as part of a national initiative to get kids walking and riding to school. The program began in October 2012 at the Kennedy School, which has three safe routes to school on Monday and three different routes on Friday. Walking school buses are also held periodically at other schools. 

Families who live farther away from school can also take part in healthy exercise each morning by parking at least two blocks away from school and walking the rest of the way.

Safe Routes to School is part of a larger Shape Up Somerville push to get children more physically active during the school day. Research shows that children who are more physically active on school days have fewer behavioral problems and improved academic performance.

“This is a great way to start the day for both children and their parents, who not only enjoy healthy activity first thing in the morning, but get to spend some additional social time with other parents and children,” Mayor Curtatone said. “We have to get our children active every day and make it habitual, part of their daily normal routine. ‘Eat Smart, Play Hard, Move More’ is our mantra, and we’ve found that overwhelmingly even our youngest students are embracing that lifestyle and also helping their parents to understand the benefits of being active every day.”

Shape Up Somerville is working with other schools to develop more comprehensive daily active programs in the classroom and throughout the school day. At the Arthur D. Healey School classroom, students participate in Cool Moves, a program where teachers and/or students lead different movements in a classroom setting for three to five minutes each day. At Winter Hill Community School, students in one classroom participate in yoga sessions.

“We’re excited about programs in the works to get kids moving every day both inside and outside of the classroom,” Shape Up Somerville Director David Hudson said. “Making the healthy choice the easy choice means putting those healthy, active options at every child’s fingertips so they become the rule rather than the exception. That goes beyond fresh food options in cafeteria; it has to include physical activity that integrates into the school day.”

The new Somerville Safe Routes to School Facebook page shares updates on routes, special route activities, Shape Up tips and volunteer opportunities and provides a forum for community input. Visit it at www.facebook.com/SomervilleSRTS. For more details about walking school buses and other programs to get students active during the day, please also contact Shape Up Somerville Director David Hudson at dhudson@somervillema.gov.

Last Weeks Updates

I have been experiencing problems with my email account.  I apologize for the inconvenience this might be causing.  Comcast tells me they are working on clearing up the problem.  

 

Meetings

Regarding:  625 McGrath Highway (Highland Auto Parts)
When:  Tuesday, June 18th from 5 - 8 p.m.
Where:  Cross Street Community Center - 165 Broadway

This will be an "Open House" type meeting with no formal presentation.  This will allow more time for people to drop in as their schedules allow, review the changes made by the developers, give input and voice their concerns.  Representatives from the City, the Developers as well as their attorney will be in attendance.  I am told many changes have been made.  They will no longer be seeking a variance on parking and design issues have been addressed.   I am looking forward to seeing the new plans and hearing from the neighbors.  

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Regarding:  2,4,6, & 8 Broadway
When:  Monday, July 1st from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Where:  Cross Street Community Center - 165 Broadway

This will be the first neighborhood meeting regarding this proposed new development.  Representatives from the City, the Developers as well as their attorney will be in attendance.  A formal presentation will be made followed by a discussion period. 

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Democratic Committee Meetings
Tomorrow is both the Ward 1 & City Wide Democratic Meetings.  Click here for more information.

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Happenings & Upcoming Events

A date for the Grand Opening of the newly reconstructed Chuckie Harris park is still up in the air.  We are now leaning toward the end of June.   I will keep everyone updated.   You can click here for a fly through video and click here for a PDF file that outlines what the process was. 

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Mark your calendars for Thursday, July 27th for the City's Annual July 4th Celebration including one of the best fireworks displays around.  To see a complete list of Summer events just click here.  Lots of great things happening in our City this Summer.

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The Recreation Department has just come out with their Summer 2013 brochure.  Though it is not online yet there are some pretty amazing things being offered - if you click here it will bring you to the activities page which shows most of it - Kidstop, Parks Programs, Soccer, Tennis, Yoga in the Park, Golf, Boxing, Swimming Lessons and so much more. 

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Don't forget Tuesday, June 25th is the Special Senate Election.

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Updates

The Somerville Commission for Women has released their 2013 Somerville Status of Women Report.  For more information and a link to the full report click here.

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Finance
The City's Budget process is in full swing.  The Mayor presented the Fiscal Year 2014 budget to the Board of Aldermen this past Tuesday.  Click here to see what the Mayor presented to the Board of Aldermen.  The following is a list of departments that have come or will be coming before the Board to present their departments budget. 

 

6-4-13

Fire Department

Police Department

Traffic & Parking

Information Technology

 

6-5-13

School Department

SomerPromise

Library

Recreation

Finance

 

6-6-13

Mayor's Office
ADA
SomerStat
Communications
311

6-10-13
Personnel
Health Department
City Clerks Office
Council on Aging
Department of Public Works
OSPCD (Office of Strategic Planning & Community Development)
Elections Department

6-11-13
Law Department
OSE (Office of Sustainability & Environment)
Arts Council
Veterans Services
Capital Planning
7:00 p.m. Public Hearing = When we get to listen to what you have to say.

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6-20-13
Another Finance Committee of the Whole will take place and this is when the Board will discuss the budget, make recommended cuts and vote on the budget.

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Gilman Street Bridge 

Last night a design Informational Meeting was held by MassDOT to discuss the proposed Route 28 (McGrath Highway) over Gilman Street Bridge replacement (also known as the Gilman Street Bridge) project.  

I was shocked when I walked in the meeting and did not see residents of Ward 1 or residents who would be most affected by this project.  I expressed my dismay to MassDOT for not doing a good job of community outreach and for not communicating well to inform residents.

The agenda included the following:

Accelerated Bridge Program Overview

Project Description

Construction Staging

Traffic Management

Anticipated Schedule

The bridge has been deemed "structurally deficient."  Actual construction dates will be established on an integrated schedule that includes all adjacent projects but as on last night construction is due to start is the Spring of 2014 and will last in upwards of 18 months.  All residents who utilize this bridge (pedestrian, bicyclists & motorist) will be greatly affected.  What concerns me the most is how it will affect the residents of Gilman, Aldrich and Auburn Streets to just name a few.  

I highly encourage residents who have concerns to contact Tracy Osimboni at Tracy.osimboni@State.ma.us.  Tracy is the MassDOT Highway Division Project Manager.  Additional sites that might be helpful are here, here & here (just click "here" for each one.)  I am told that the presentation that was given last night is not online yet but will be soon.

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Information

RECYCLE YOUR STYROFOAM TOMORROW: This Saturday June 8th, from 9-Noon at the Somerville DPW, 1 Franey Road.  This will be coinciding with the City's monthly Hazardous Waste drop off day.  For more information just click here.   Household hazardous waste includes but not limited to batteries, brake fluid, paint, pool chemicals & propane tanks.   For more information on what is hazardous waste materials the City accepts please contact 311.

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Happy App
The H(app)athon Project (www.happathon.com), an organization that is using cutting-edge technology to measure and increase happiness. Starting with a pilot in City Hall, they plan to collect data from residents’ smartphones and use it to connect people to services that will help them flourish.  To read the complete press release just click here.

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Please make sure to check my blog frequently as it usually contains more information than I can include in an email. 
I hope everyone has a great weekend and GO BRUINS!!!