Rebekah Gewirtz

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Fall News 2009

Dear Friends,

Fall is just around the corner and there are some exciting events happening in Somerville and Ward 6 including the now annual HONK! Festival. See below for all the details. I'm being challenged for re-election this year so I've been spending a lot of time this summer talking to new and longtime voters throughout the neighborhood. It's been inspiring to hear people's stories and to share all the great work we've done together over the past four years. The election is coming right up on November 3rd and there's more information below about how you can get involved in the campaign. I hope you'll also join me for my upcoming re-election party on September 23rd at Red Bones BBQ. See more details in the sidebar.

In this edition's Constituent Corner I'm interested in learning your take on some pressing issues in the city. Please check it out and let me know what you think! As always, if you have information you'd like me to share with others through my e-newsletter, send me an email to Rebekah@RebkahGewirtz.org

Best wishes for a Happy Fall,
Rebekah

Ward 6 Fun Fact

Lyndell's Wins Best Place to Buy Birthday Cake A staple of Ball Square, the 120 year old Lyndell's Bakery on the corner of Broadway and Willow Ave was recently recognized by the readers and editors of the Boston Parents Paper as among the Best of the Best for 2009 in Eastern Massachusetts to buy birthday cakes. If you've never gone, check it out. And if you're a regular make sure to congratulate Lyndell's on their continuing tradition of great pastries in the neighborhood! link

HONK! Festival Returns to Davis Square

Mark your calendars for October 9-11th for the fourth annual HONK! Festival. HONK! is an exciting and eclectic festival that features activist brass band musicians throughout Davis Square. This year, organizers are predicting as many as 350 musicians from all over the world will descend on Davis Square for the weekend. I will help kick off the festival in Ten Hills Park behind the T on Holland St in the morning on Oct 10th with the opening "Honk" of the festival. There are many fun and amazing ways that friends and neighbors can participate in the festival. Visit to see details and learn how to host musicians in your home, participate with Bread and Puppet in Sunday's parade, or volunteer throughout the weekend. You can alsosend an email directly to volunteer@honkfest.org.

HONK! is a great local event dedicated to social change and promoting the reclamation of public spaces. I'm proud to support the festival and welcome musicians from all over the world to Davis Square again for the 4th annual festival.

Constituent Corner

In this section of my e-newsletter, I'm looking to hear from you on important issues facing the city. Click on the link at the end of each question and let me know what you think. Getting your feedback on these issues is very important to me, and I hope this feature of my newsletter will encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas, and concerns. As always, feel free to contact me via email at rebekah@RebekahGewirtz.org or 617-718-0792.

1. Citywide Strategic Planning Process. This fall, the city will begin a citywide planning and visioning process. This process will be all inclusive and the city will convene a steering committee made up of more than 50 people from various geographic areas of the city and from different active community groups. Like every other ward, Ward 6 will have two representatives to the committee, plus there will be two representatives from the Davis Square Task Force. I'm particularly interested in the future of Davis Square and Ball Square with the coming of the green line extension. I'm also interested in building consensus on how to keep Davis Square vibrant as we move into the future. What are your ideas? Share some with me by emailing me at Rebekah@rcn.com [mailto:Rebekah@rcn.com]. I'll select some of the most interesting ideas and with your permission, feature them in future newsletters and on my website.
2. Buena Vista Garage parking option. For many years there has been talk about opening up this garage to public parking at night and on the weekends. Some people would like to see a valet service at the garage, some would like employee parking, and others would like general public parking. As everyone knows, parking is at a premium in Davis Square and I have worked with the mayor to negotiate with the owners of this lot's lease to make this space usable to the public. If the Buena Vista garage (on Buena Vista Rd) were open to the public what use would you like to see for it? Send me your ideas to Rebekah@rcn.com [mailto:Rebekah@rcn.com].
3. Green Line T Stop in Ball Square. Several weeks ago I participated in a planning meeting for the neighbors who live near the future Ball Square Green Line T stop. Many ideas came to the surface about how people would like to see the city plan and prepare with the neighborhood for the stop. Ideas like ensuring affordable housing, parking, open space and more. Do you live near Ball Square or are you an interested resident living somewhere else in the city? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the future of Ball Square and how the community should prepare and engage for the coming of the Green Line. Email me your thoughts and ideas to: Rebekah@RebekahGewirtz.org.
4. Wireless Device Recycling for Somerville. At the Board of Aldermen meeting on August 27th, I proposed the city begin a wireless device recycling program. The way it works: the administration would set up a cardboard drop box at city hall and other locations where people can drop off their old cell phones they no longer need. The city would contract with a company to take the phones, scrub them of data and recycle their parts. The best part is there's no cost to the city and, in fact, the city would get money back for recycling the devices. Plus, the program could dramatically decrease the number of old cell phones that wind up in landfills each year. Would you recycle your old phone if there was an opportunity to do so? Let me know. Email me at: Rebekah@RebekahGewirtz.org.

MEETINGS

Board of Alderman meeting, Thursday September 10, 2009 at 7pm at City Hall Board of Aldermen meetings fall on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. At this upcoming meeting both the mayor and I will be honoring John McKenzie, who is an Irving Street resident for his commitment to the community. For the past 28 years, each week John has prepared and served homemade meals to the elderly and the homeless at the Community Baptist Chuch on College Ave. He is an honored World War II veteran and a kind and loving neighbor. I have heard many stories, especially recently, of the fondness felt for John by his neighbors. Board of Aldermen meetings are open to the public and if you'd like to come up to city hall to help us honor John, please do. I know many of his friends and neighbors will be there. Davis Square Task Force meeting, Monday September 14, 2009 at 7pm in the Tufts Administration Building, 167 Holland St.

The Davis Square Task Force is one of the oldest and longest standing community groups in the area. All meetings are open to anyone who wishes to participate and there is an organizing committee of the Task Force that meets the Wednesday before each meeting to set the agenda. Task Force meetings are typically bi-monthly (on Monday nights). The next organizing committee meeting to set the agenda for the 14th will be on Wednesday September 9th at 5:30pm at Au Bon Pain in Davis Square. If you'd like to help set the agenda for the upcoming Task Force meeting, please feel free to attend the organizing meeting on the 9th. For more information or to get on the Yahoo groups mailing list for the Task Force, please send an email here rnewman@thecia.net.

Finance Committee meeting and public hearing about the I-Cubed program proposal for Assembly Square, Wednesday September 16, 2009 at 6pm at City Hall The Board of Aldermen Committee on Finance is discussing a program made available by the state known as "I-Cubed", which would provide a $50 million incentive to the city for the growth and development of Assembly Square. There are many details involved in this program. To learn more and to share your opinion on the program, please come to this public hearing at City Hall.

Public Health and Public Safety Committee meeting Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 6:30pm at city hall I am a member of this committee and we will be discussing various issues of public safety and public health at this upcoming committee meeting. For more details, please contact me and I will get you an agenda. To access agendas for Board of Aldermen committee meetings go to the city website: www.somervillema.gov

EVENTS

National Eat-In at Lexington Park on the Bike Path on LABOR DAY, September 7, 2009 11am-2pm.

What: Potluck lunch, kids activities, and conversation
Why: To send a clear message to Congress that it's time to provide America's children with real food at school.
Organizers are asking people to bring a dish to share that is:

• Nutritious
• Delicious to kids
• COSTS LESS THAN $20 TO MAKE

Also, to minimize waste, please bring your own utensils, plates, and cups. You can learn more about the event and sign up to bring a dish by going to www.slowfoodsomerville.blogspot.com.

Somerville Garden Club Perennial and House Plant Sale, September 19, 2009 from 9am-1pm in Davis Square Each year the Somerville Garden Club holds a plant sale in Davis Square. Rain or shine, this event occurs at the intersection of Holland St and College Ave in Davis Square. Continuing a long tradition of pass-along plants, gardeners around the city donate plants that perform well, some particularly beautiful varieties.

This annual event benefits the educational and horticultural activities of the Somerville Garden Club, an all-volunteer organization. The club maintains plantings at the Central and West Library Branches, Powderhouse Rotary, and a site along the Community Path at Highland Ave. The club also sponsors monthly programs on gardening and landscaping methods and related environmental topics, open to the public. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month at 167 Holland St, second floor. For more information visit: www.somervillegardenclub.org

Square Dedication for David Maclaren Watson on the corner of Cutter and Highland Ave Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 11am Square dedications are a great way for the city to honor those people who have lived in Somerville and have served in the army or navy. This square dedication honors David Watson and it's open to the public.

Somerville Homeless Coalition 5K Road Race, Saturday October 3, 2009 at 9am SHARP in Davis Square Have you signed up yet for the Road Race benefiting the Homeless Coalition? If you haven't don't worry, there's still time. Go to www.somervillehomelesscoalition.org Entry Fee: $20.00
Registration & Check In: On race day 7- 8:30am on Holland Street, in front of MBTA Red Line T-Stop, Davis Square. Wheelchairs must pre-register by September 26 to ensure safety precaution with city police. Raise over $100.00 and enter the race for free!

All proceeds from the race benefit the Somerville Homeless Coalition. For more information, contact Mark at (617) 623-6111 or maf@somervillehomelesscoalition.org

Somerville Public Library Annual Book Sale at the Central Library on Highland Ave - 3 dates in October. Here are the dates and times:
Friday, October 23, 2009 2-4pm
Saturday, October 24, 2009 10am-4pm
Sunday, October 25 1:30-3:30pm
For more information, please contact Linda Bohan by clicking here.

with Friends of the Somerville Public Library. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Public Library.

Support my Re-Election Campaign

This year I'm being challenged in the election that's coming up November 3, 2009. I've been knocking on doors all summer talking to voters in Ward 6 about their concerns and sharing some of our many accomplisments together. In order to continue to get the message out, we need your help!

Here are just a few ways you can get involved in the campaign:

1. Contact my campaign manager, Alex and sign up to doorknock or make phone calls by clicking here.
2. Get a lawn sign for your yard. Click here to send Alex an email so she can put you on this growing list!
3. Send "Dear friend" cards to your friends and neighbors in Ward 6 either on paper or through my website and let them know why you're voting for me on November 3rd. To get these cards send an email to this address Alex@RebekahGewirtz.org.
4. Make a contribution to the campaign. You can do this by going to my website or by sending a check to CTE Rebekah Gewirtz 36 College Ave #53 Somerville, MA 02144.
5. Join us at the September 23rd party at Red Bones to support my re-election campaign. Click here for details.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Also, I've launched a new and improved website thanks to Ward 6 resident Mattison Narramore who has worked tirelessly to design it. Thank you Mattison! Check it out: www.RebekahGewirtz.org

NEW! SpotLight on a Locally Owned, Independent Ward 6 Business

Local resident and artist, Alden Todd, runs Rock and Tree Landscape out of his home at 44 Meacham Road. Alden's business is entirely via word of mouth.

Rock and Tree Landscape specializes in maintenance, garden design, and pruning. I understand it's a great time of year for pruning so if you need help in your garden, contact Alden at aldentodd@gmail.com.

If you know of a small, independent, locally owned business in the area that you would like featured in this new semi-regular segment of my e-newsletter, send me an email with details about it to Rebekah@RebekahGewirtz.org.