We Are All In The Same Boat or is it Snow Bank?

(Picture courtesy of DPW worker Frank Santangelo)

The City’s snow emergency will remain in effect until further notice. 

 

Somerville Public Schools will remain closed until Wednesday, February 13^th.  

DPW continues to clear streets.

Their priority right now is as follows:  Clear streets – Removing snow from Schools – Removing the MOUNDS of snow that have accumulated.

With these MOUNDS of snow visibility is tough while driving and walking. I urge everyone to please use caution.

The Fire Chief is still very concerned about heating vents and car exhaust pipes not being cleared.  Unclear vents and pipes cause carbon monoxide poisoning and are a fire hazards.

The Fire Chief continues to urge people to help clear a path to the fire hydrants on your streets.  If you are unfamiliar as to where exactly the hydrants are located you can contact 311 and they should be able to give you the location.

If you own the property it is your responsibility to make sure the sidewalk is shoveled. 

 

Please continue to check on your elderly neighbors and offer your assistance if possible.

And just think the meteorologists are predicting more snow on Thursday and possibly again on Saturday.   I think I can hear a collective moan right now.    The way I am looking at it is we are all in the same boat or in this case snow bank.  

I have been receiving a lot of telephone calls and e-mails and I promise to get back to everyone as soon as possible – barring I do not lose electricity again.  The City is working around the clock – using all their resources to clear and remove snow.  

 

Thank you to everyone who has been helping shovel out their neighbors and the fire hydrants. 

Important Lesson

I just love this photo.  Unfortunately I do not know who took it so I have no idea who to give credit to.  

Caucus

The City-Wide Democratic Committee Caucus scheduled for tomorrow night has been canceled.  New date TBA. 

Updates

I have not received word yet if the City-Wide Democratic Caucus is still on for tomorrow night or not.  As soon as I find out I will make a post.

- - - - -

I'd like to thank the McCollem girls for helping clear out the fire hydrant on Franklin Street yesterday.  

A friend of mine said yesterday, "Shoveling after snowstorms is always a great way to re-meet your neighbors." and my reply was, "I couldn't agree more."  It was great meeting some of my new neighbors and re-meeting others.  It was great seeing everyone help each other and boy did I get some exercise.  

- - - - - 

*The Somerville Public Schools will remain CLOSED tomorrow, Monday the 11^th.

*The Snow Emergency will remain in effect until tomorrow, Monday the 11^th at 6PM.

*Vehicles parked in municipal lots will have until 8pm to leave the lots so that City crews may begin cleanup of all school and metered parking lots.

*Please remember that residents and businesses MUST shovel the sidewalks in front of their property within 6 hours after the end of a storm or will be subject to fines. Shoveling snow into the street is not permitted

*Please please please remember to clear vents in your home and exhaust pipes on cars to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and fire hazards.

*Please assist the Somerville Fire Dept. by clearing paths to fire hydrants in your neighborhood.

*The DPW has been working very hard at clearing the streets and schools.

 *If your street has not been plowed please call 311 or feel free to give me a call.

 

*Though the State has lifted the driving ban as of 4PM yesterday afternoon they are encouraging people to stay off the roads so the State and Cities can continue with their clean up efforts.

*If you have an emergency please call 911.  If it is a non emergency issue please call 311.

*Please please please take the time to check on your Elderly neighbors and perhaps assist them with shoveling.

*The MBTA is hoping to resume LIMITED subway and bus routes around 2PM this afternoon.  They are  hoping to resume regularly scheduled service tomorrow.

*Again, if you are venturing out please please please be careful.

- - - - -

On Monday, February25th from 6:30 - 7:30 at the Somerville Community Center located at 165 Broadway (corner of Broadway & Cross Street East) I will be hosting a 2nd Neighborhood Meeting regarding the new development scheduled for 625 McGrath Highway (Highland Auto Parts.)  Representatives from the Developers and their attorney will be present as well as a representative from the City's Planning Department.

- - - - -

It has been brought to my attention that the contact information I shared for Benjamin Echevarria the person that the School Committee appointed to fill the vacant position is incorrect.   Unfortunately,  after my initial conversation with Ben he has not gotten back to me with the correct information.   It is also to my understanding that Ben has not been officially sworn in.  It disappoints me so that Ward 1 is going without a School Committee Representative for so long now.

 

A Little Friendly Competition

Nothing like a couple of good challenges to get my Somerville pride flowing.

The City of Somerville has accepted a “Library Card Sign-Up Challenge” from the Town of Arlington.  The Challenge, which will take place through the month of February and also includes the Towns of Belmont and Lexington, proposes to reward the library system that sees the greatest percentage increase in residents signing up for library cards.  Prizes will be issued for new cardholders, culminating in a Grand Prize of an e-book reader to one of the new registrants.

Throughout the Challenge, new library card registrants and current card holders referring a friend will receive incentives such as buttons, bracelets, pencils, bookmarks, and more when they sign up. New card holders will also be entered in the grand prize drawing of an e-book reader.   

“February’s competition is the start of Somerville’s endeavor to register new library card holders. The library plans to tie this into a yearlong outreach effort in different areas of the community to obtain new library users,” said Carpenter.  “As part of the Library and Schools’ dual strategy of providing seamless education services, the library and area schools are partnering on this effort. So be sure to look for our announcements and signs throughout the City about upcoming outreach events and patron incentives!”

Local businesses interested in participating in the campaign, please contact Eileen Fontenot, eileenfontenot@gmail.com or 617-842-2278. 

I’ve had my library card for more years than I care to mention, made sure my children got theirs when they were young and have always enjoyed all the special programs the library has to offer.  

_ _ ___

East Somerville Main Streets has entered into a friendly little competition with Union Square Main Streets.  The Facebook page that gets the most “likes” by Valentine’s Day will be treated to some delicious donuts from Union Square Donuts on opening day.  

This is the link to the East Somerville Main Street’sFacebook page.   Please stop on over andgive them a “like” – if you are looking for the competitions Facebook page – well – you will need to find it on your own ;)

Come In From The Cold

I just heard from Terri Almond the General Manager of the Holiday Inn located at 30 Washington Street.  They are offering coffee and hot chocolate to anybody working during this winter storm.  All plow drivers and emergency responders are welcome to stop in and in addition to coming in from the cold they will be offered something warm to drink.

They have also come up with a special winter storm rate should anyone need emergency shelter.

The Holiday Inn has vowed to become better community partners and this is one small step- a very good step forward.

Pay It Forward

During the blizzard of 1978 I was in high school and having the time of my life.  Come on….what teenager with 3 weeks off of school wouldn’t be having the time of their life?  

I remember pieces of cloth tied to car antennas , a six foot snow mound of a drop from Preston Road (the street of my childhood home) to Summer Street, my mom’s homemade chicken soup and endless hours of shoveling -  lots and lots of shoveling and absolutely nowhere to put the snow.   And I remember neighbors helping neighbors.  No one questioned why and no one complained about it.   We just helped each other.   We were all in the same boat and everyone helped.   If a neighbor was elderly maybe they didn’t shovel but they made coffee, tea and hot chocolate for those who were shoveling.   Maybe a neighbor had very young children and couldn’t get out to shovel but that neighbor was the one who had all the other young children over their house or yard to play while others took care of business.    Business at the time was shoveling of course.  Being a teenager I never gave it much thought as to how everyone was helping and everyone was making sure their neighbors were o.k., safe, warm and had a belly full of homemade chicken soup.   

I also never gave it a second thought when my parents loaded up a sled with that homemade chicken soup among other things and asked me to take it to my Grandmother who at the time lived just outside of Union Square on Warren Avenue.   Walking down the middle of Summer Street dragging a sled full of supplies, not a moving car in sight just people helping people.   I dragged that sled down my Nana’s place and spend a couple days with her riding out the rest of the state of emergency, making sure she was o.k., sipping tea from real tea cups not mugs and eating that homemade chicken soup.  Part of me really wanted to be back on Preston Road building awesome snow forts and having snowball fights with the rest of the neighborhood kids but I am really glad I did what I did because it turned out to be the last winter with my Nana.    I think of her and the blizzard of 1978 every time the meteorologists hint that we might be in for a whopper of a snow storm.

And so as it goes the meteorologists are saying we are in for a whopper of a snow storm and do you know what I’m thinking?  Yes, I’m thinking of my Nana and my Mom’s homemade chicken soup but I’m also thinking that I’m just going to help.    That I’m just going to help someone shovel their walk or maybe their car out, I’m going try to shovel out a fire hydrant or two and I’m not going to think twice and I’m not going to complain.  Why?  Because we are all in the same boat!

(After writing this and posting it on my blog I did have a second thought.  I thought maybe it was too much personal information.  I thought maybe it wasn’t professional of me to make a post like this.  I thought maybe I shouldn’t have.  Sometimes we (Yes! Myself included) tend to put certain groups of people in a category different from others but the bottom line is -  I am human – I grocery shop, commute to work, spend time with my children and shovel.  

I challenge everyone to “Pay it Forward” during the upcoming storm and help out a friend, a neighbor – a stranger.   Shovel out a fire hydrant, make a cup of coffee for that person shoveling out that fire hydrant or better yet help that little child finish building that snowman……Just Pay It Forward.  

Whatever you do please be safe, keep an ear open for snow emergency announcements, school closings, etc……..)