Boston.com launches "Your Town" Somerville

In the wake of the now-defunct printed local news section of the Globe, Boston.com has devoted a section of its website to Somerville news. "Your Town" Somerville contains local news, announcements, links to blogs and local businesses, even grocery coupons.

The very best thing about the site is the "Report A Problem" section. It's a place where people can use a Google map to report issues like potholes, broken streetlights, anything the city needs to eventually deal with, and then it can be updated when (if?) the problem is fixed. People have been using it quite extensively, and from a whatever-thousand-foot view, Somerville is a such a clusterfuck of potholes that you can't see the map in some places. Of course, we knew that already, but looking at all the little orange markers on the map is pretty amusing. The good news is that out of the approximately 50 million reported, one has been fixed.

Travis Anderson is Boston.com's Somerville correspondent, and he can be reached by e-mail at travis.m.andersen@gmail.com with any juicy tips you might have (I'm still waiting for more news of raptors on hoverboards).

A chicken in every pot, a Somerville Scout in every mailbox

Today, a stack of a new quarterly publication entitled the Somerville Scout showed up in the lobby of my building. With print media on the approximate evolutionary trajectory of the pterodactyl, it's an odd time to launch a magazine. The editorial conceit of this one is "scouting the best of where to go and what to do in Somerville," and the mission statement reads "Somerville Scout seeks to inspire its readers to enjoy all Somerville has to offer." Actually, it's an advertising vehicle for local businesses, which is a good thing if it gets people to support them, but I can't help feeling manipulated as a reader.

Somerville Scout's content is fairly stale, consisting mainly of news that other publications like the Somerville Journal and Somerville News have already covered, plus lists of upcoming events and performances at Somerville venues, and a few profiles of local business owners. The obvious flaws in the quarterly publication schedule are that by the time the next issue rolls around, the news content is going to three months staler and any changes to the event listings will be lost. The only thing that will still be "fresh" is the ad content, which brings me back to the manipulation factor.

Don't get me wrong; I thoroughly support local businesses and urge others to do so whenever possible. I also applaud the chutzpah it takes for anyone to undertake the launch of a new magazine the same week the New York Times is threatening to shut down publication of the Boston Globe. I sincerely hope the Somerville Scout achieves its misleadingly worded aim and does bring more folks through the doors of our local business establishments. I just wish there was a greater percentage of worthwhile content between the ads. I guess we'll just have to see what issue #2 brings.

Somerville Receives e-Government Award from Common Cause Massachusetts

Yesterday, Somerville was among 117 Massachusetts municipalities to receive 2009 e-Government awards from Common Cause Massachusetts. The award recognized cities that publish the following information on their websites:

• their governing body's agenda and minutes
• budget information
• general by-laws
• if applicable, their town meeting warrant and results

Common Cause Massachusetts is a non-partisan organization created to ensure open, honest, and accountable government at the federal, state, and local levels.

According to an article in yesterday's Globe, Common Cause began auditing Massachusetts municipal websites in 2006, at which time only 24 cities made the above information public.

Somerville did not receive an e-Government Award with Distinction, given to 49 municipalities that publicize the following:

• archived governing board agendas and minutes
• zoning by-laws
• school committee agendas and minutes
• agendas and minutes for an additional board or committee
• a calendar of all public meetings

Let's let our reps know we're proud to be among the award winners and encourage them to publicize more city government information so that next year we'll receive the "distinction" we deserve!