West Nile virus twice found near Route 9

On July 11 and again on July 15, the state Department of Public Health found that mosquitoes pulled from a catch basin near Route 9 and Cypress Street were carrying West Nile virus. The virus has been detected in Brookline in each of the past eight summers, and the town Health Department is again advising residents to cover up or use DEET-containing repellant if outside at dawn or dusk; remove standing water and fix water leaks; and repair window screens. Mosquitoes become infected by feeding on infected birds, and then pass on the virus by biting humans. Anyone finding a dead bird should call the state health department hot line at 1-866-627-7968. Brookline is placing larvacide to prevent mosquitoes hatching in catch basins where virus-positive bugs have been found. To complain of standing water in Brookline, call 617-730-2300. For more information, call the Health Department at 617-730-2295.

Brookline native Coby Brown was ready to sing the national anthem as part of a California surfing competition, but was stalled by fog that eventually wiped out all the surfing. He made good on his second chance July 12 before a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. "I guess my debut singing the national anthem was just meant to be at Fenway Park," Brown said. A survivor of a rare form of bone cancer, Brown sang as part of Pan-Mass Challenge night at Fenway. He plans to ride one day of the Challenge, a fund-raising bike ride for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, from Sturbridge to Bourne. The ride is Aug. 2 and 3. Brown lives with his wife in Los Angeles and has family in Brookline.

Procrastinators, rejoice! There's still time to sign up for summer art classes that start tomorrow or later. Among the offerings for adults are sculpting with paper (making 3-D dainty things), starting Aug. 8; decoupage, starting Tuesday; figure sculpture, Aug. 4 to 27; and painting landscapes with oil, Aug 25 to 29. If the kids need another week of camp, or something fell through - there's still "Art Ventures" for 6- to 9-year-olds from tomorrow to Aug. 22, and a few spots left in "Fashion Reconstructed" (do-it-yourself clothing) for 9- to 12-year-olds, Aug. 12-21.

Have a news item for Brookline? E-mail Andreae Downs at andreaedowns@yahoo.com.

Last year, they drank in Greg Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea," and in 2006 they examined Tracy Kidder's "Mountains Beyond Mountains." This year, Cambridge Reads, the public library's citywide book club, will look at "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents," the 1992 novel by Middlebury College writer-in-residence Julia Alvarez. Alvarez will speak in Cambridge in October, meaning that you have three months to read the book yourself. Copies of the novel are available at all branches of the Cambridge Public Library, but if the popularity of past Cambridge Reads selections is any gauge, it may take you all three months just to obtain a library copy, so get your name on a request list soon.

From now until Aug. 3, businesses throughout Inman Square will unveil the classic, Caldecott-winning shapes of Stephen T. Johnson's "Alphabet City." Stores from the 1369 Coffee House to the Cambridge Portuguese Credit Union have hung posters featuring pages from the book in their storefront windows, and alphabet aficionados are invited to visit all 22 locations to see the letters and pick up a small, free gift as part of the Storywalk Cambridge project. Will the snowy park bench in the shape of an "O" show up at Christina's Ice Cream? Will Plum Blossom Acupuncture provide the Zen-like letter "T," caught in the sky in between two buildings? Find out by picking up a map from participating businesses, listed at inmansquare.com.

From Polynesian hula to a demonstration of a Brazilian martial art and dance known as capoeira, and everything in between, the Cambridge Arts Council has assembled a lineup of free, multicultural arts programs geared toward children in July and August. Now in its 17th year, the Summer in the City program brings these performances to parks around Cambridge, with a colorful emphasis on music, storytelling, theater, and puppetry from around the world. A full schedule can be found a cambridgeartscouncil.org/community_summer.html.

Have a news item from Cambridge? E-mail Victoria Cheng at vcheng@globe.com.

The city of Somerville's redaction of data in elected officials' ethics reports was proper in most instances, Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records Alan Cote determined July 1. He wrote that the right to privacy outweighs the public's right to know an official's investments, debts, private income, family members' employment, and children's names. However, the city must release residential property holdings and a spouse's name. The decision was spurred by a tussle between the Somerville Journal and the city regarding partially blacked-out ethics filings that were provided to the newspaper in January. Since then, several aldermen have told the city to release their complete reports.

If Coke can support the Olympics, why can't barbecue restaurant Redbones promote bicycling? At its Tour de France breakfast Tuesday, you can watch athletes perform leg-busting feats while hardcore bike fans provide commentary over eggs. Novices are welcome. But if you'd rather read in an armchair, Redbones also has launched the reading series "Murder Underbones" with Kate's Mystery Books. The Aug. 19 session features Cambridge author Linda Barnes. And on Aug. 4, the restaurant throws its annual "pig pickin' " benefit for the Somerville Homeless Coalition. But to work off those calories, you'll have to wait for the Coalition's Thanksgiving Day run.

On July 10, Somerville joined Chicago and New York City in requiring businesses to provide on-site plastic bag recycling. Any store 5,000 square feet or larger that offers plastic bags to customers must also have a dedicated recycling bin and signs pointing it out. Any plastic bag will do, as long as it's clean. The store must take care of recycling the bags. The law goes into effect in January; fines start at $100.

Have a news item from Somerville? E-mail Danielle Dreilinger at djdreilinger@comcast.net.