Argh! Ye and all yer maties are called to Union Squarrr this Wednesday for a night to remembarrr.

For this Second Wednesday it's Pirate Night in Union Square. June 11 from 5 pm to 8 pm swabbies of all ages can wash ashore on the plaza to make an eye patch and collect a skull and crossbones t-shirt courtesy of Hemlock Ink. Walk the plank to the tunes of Doctor's Fox and play some games before you go exploring, following your treasure map to uncover clues from various local businesses and to collect prizes all along the way. Complete the scavenger hunt and you'll be entered in a raffle to win big-time pirate booty - gold coins good at the Union Square Farmers Market.

Not ready to swab the decks? Plenty of other stuff happening this night! Check out the art opening over at Sherman Café by local young artist Zia. Or check out the samples from Taza Chocolate at Bloc 11. Or if you've made your reservation, wander the global seas on the Ethnic Food Market Tour organized by the Somerville Arts Council's ArtsUnion. (You can download the guide to take it on your own as well.)

Are your sails drooping? Take harbor with a Pirate's rum cocktail at one of the Square's bars - The Independent is promising something special again this month -- as you dream of adventures for another day.

Take this quiz to discover your pirate name. Make everyone call you Barnacle Bob or Sally of the South Seas all night long.

Also taking place this night, Sally O'Brien's at 335 Somerville Ave is hosting a celebration for Fluffy Bergman. Union Square folks might think she has something to do with our annual festival. Nope. For 30 years and going, Fluffy (occasionally known as Florence) has led the Mystic Learning Center, assisting youth and low- income families living at the Mystic Public Housing Development and surrounding neighborhood.

Starting at 6 pm on June 11th all are invited to stop by Sally O'Brien's to celebrate Fluffy's work providing residents with the tools they need to overcome poverty and become self sufficient. Among the programs she leads are the Center's school age child care, GED and job preparation, as well as numerous teen programs including Books of Hope, Mystic Youth Chorus, and a summer basketball league.

It was a record breaking opening day at the Union Square Farmers Market last Saturday. Typically, the market opens relatively quietly -- the crowds only build to fill the plaza in August and early September when the temperatures and crops reach their peak. The urban dwellers of Somerville obviously were clamoring for their fresh produce as triple the visitors of any of our previous June markets crowded in for opening day.

It was the first day for new staff Market Manager Peter Ward and Community Facilitator Tara Vance and they each jumped right in, getting the full flavor of the bustle of Union Square.

The growing season has been great thus far so the farmers brought a big variety of produce including spinach, lettuce, and radishes from Drumlin, Kimball and Parker Farms. Potted herbs from Gilson's, especially that fragrant rosemary, were in abundance. (By the way, did you see the big article in this week's Improper Bostonian on the Gilson family and featuring son Will and his restaurant "Garden at the Cellar?) Cook's Farm with their baked goods, B & R Artisan Breads and Stillman's meat filled out the offerings. Yang and Nicewicz Farms are tending crops that will be ready in a couple more weeks and will join us soon, most likely in early July. Siraco Sharpening Service knew our knives had grown dull over the winter and were on hand this past weekend. They'll be back on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month until the market closes in October.

New volunteer Ted Bach gathered fun stuff for kids to do including a kit of craft supplies and toys. He'll be bringing donated leftovers from the market vendors to Little Sister of the Poor this season.

The schedule for the Grown in Somerville booth is filling for the season. Last weekend youth from the Healey School sold a variety of plants and seedlings. This coming week we'll have more plants from young people, this time the kids active with Groundwork Somerville and the Community Growing Center.

Stop by this weekend when at noon we'll draw the winner of a new zippy Schwinn Motor Scooter. See details below.

The Union Square Farmers Market is a partnership of Union Square Main Streets with the Federation of Massachusetts Farmers Markets and the City of Somerville.

The Somerville Arts Council's ArtsUnion season kicked off June 1 with Sew What! A fashion and art event. The Swap-A- Rama-Rama was a big hit as folks traded clothes and jewelry, losing old stuff and gaining something new-to- you.

Next up is the Boston Handmade Marketplace on Saturday, June 28 (raindate June 29) from 3 to 7 pm.

In the meantime, you might recall last summer's Rock & Roll Yard Sale. Perhaps you're still wishing you unloaded those twenty crates of vinyl in your garage or that collection of 70's posters. Maybe you're nurturing a scheme to create and sell fake band t-shirts.

Whatever rock & roll vendor dream you're carrying, live it again as the event returns this year. The festival producers are calling for vendors for the Saturday, September 6 event. Vendors must provide their own tents and tables and the fee to participate is $25.

Get all the details from Chris or Jennifer Daltry at 401.862.9647 or what_cheer_records@yahoo.com.

See the Calendar of ArtsUnion Festivals here

See the Calendar of ArtsUnion Signature Markets here

The drawing for the Schwinn Scooter is this Saturday, June 14 at noon at the Union Square Farmers Market.

The scooter, provided by Riverside Motorsports, is powerful enough to zip you up the steep grade of Prospect Hill but small enough to not require state motorcycle registration. Tickets are on sale now at Bloc 11, Hub Comics, Sherman Café and Riverside Motorsports.

The Somerville Business Development Workshops are taking off. The most recent workshop on Understanding Markets and Somerville's Business Districts was filled to capacity.

For July two more topics are scheduled that are sure to gather a crowd. The UMass Small Business Development Center leads a workshop July 15 on "Getting Started in Business." Dorie Clark of Clark Communications hosts another titled "Marketing and PR" on July 9.

East Somerville Main Streets is planning their own workshop on the "Secrets of Business Promotion" on June 17 and they've opened the workshop to Union Square entrepreneurs as well. The breakfast meeting from 8 am to 10 am is led by Jesse Baer-Kahn, a small business marketing consultant. The workshop takes place at 10 Garfield Ave in East Somerville.

To register for "Secrets of Business Promotion" contact East Somerville Main Streets before 6/13 at 617.741.0230 or email economic@eastsomervillemainstreets.org

To register for all other workshops contact David Guzman at dguzman@ci.somerville.ma.us

The Executive Office of Transportation has released their station recommendations for the main trunk of the Green Line extension from Lechmere. So far for the Union Square spur they've just narrowed down to the three alternatives under consideration.

One alternative for Union Square is following the Fitchburg line with a stop under the bridge at Prospect Street. Second is a street running trolley that would travel in the center of Somerville Avenue right into the middle of Square, stopping perhaps in front of Mama Gina's Pizza and returning to the same track. A third idea is a loop, cutting through Pat's Tow lot, down the center of Somerville Avenue, stopping for a station on the edge of Prospect St and then looping back on the Fitchburg Line to return to Lechmere.

At the most recent Community Advisory Group Meeting members gave feedback on the alternatives and EOT promises to announce their recommendation at the July meeting and then to present it to the general public this summer.

Two major issues that are taking up much of the discussion at the moment is determining the terminus of the line and the siting of the maintenance facility.

Discussions and research on the need for the 11 acres EOT claims are required for storage, repair and maintenance and their proposed siting in Somerville's Yard 8, between McGrath and Inner Belt, continue.

On the issue of the terminus, some members of the public are calling for the line to end where the railroad passes back into Somerville at Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway, at the bridge near the Whole Foods and U-Haul. These advocates say this allows for optimum connections for buses (including to Alewife), the bike paths and pedestrian ways along the river, as well as transit dependent low-income and elderly groups of living in this area. This terminus, these folks say, enables the Green Line project to be most cost effective and to serve the greatest number of people.

Other members of the public say that the trains will negatively affect the neighborhoods, increasing noise and traffic, particularly for those abutting the rail line. These folks are concerned that the transit will make the neighborhoods in Medford less affordable to current residents. They say that there will be limited ridership from their community and they propose the Green Line end at College Avenue and Boston Ave, opposite Tufts University.

The Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance (MGNA) supports the Route 16 terminus and has sponsored an online petition. They are calling for signatures from people in Medford, Somerville and Arlington who will directly benefit from the Green Line.

See materials on the Green Line Extension from the Executive Office of Transportion here. Check out background on public transit advocacy from our buddies at STEP here.

One of the great things about participating in Somerville Open Studios isn't the art -- it's checking out the inspired interior design in the homes of local artists. Somerville's architects in particular have the most creative living spaces. Wandering through, you just want to move right in.

Dianne Haas, one of the principal architects of Edlund+Haas Design, appreciates this impulse so on Sunday, June 15 she's taking the 20th century modern furniture she normally sells at her store in Cambridge called Reside and shows it off, in situ if you will, at her own home at Union Square's 37 Stone Ave.

She's calling it appropriately enough Design@37 Stone and you're welcome to stop by between 2 and 5 pm this Sunday afternoon for some tasty refreshments, visual treats, free architectural and interior design advice and the coolest furniture shopping experience.

This summer the City of Somerville is developing a city-wide plan for our community's parks and open space. They're paying special attention to Union Square as we look to enliven the spaces for pedestrians and take back the streets from dashing cars and rumbling trucks. They'll be on hand at the July 28th Farmers Market to reach out to talk one-on- one about the Square's issues.

In the meantime, they've created an on-line survey to gather feedback from residents to they can understand how Somerville parks are being used and what needs and opportunities are out there.

Tell them what you think about the community's open space.

Pao de Acucar is one of those shops that seems to have everything. From Brasil shirts to wear when watching the big game to a hot lunch buffet complete with cashew juice, from spices and dishware, to beauty supplies and the health drink of acai berry -- they've got it all.

Now it turns out shop owner Eduardo is also a trained locksmith too. He's got the key making in the front of the shop. And if you're locked out or need to replace the locks on your doors, stop by the 57 Union Square location which seems to be always open, and he'll have you safe inside in a jiffy.