Highway pollution impacts poor, immigrants
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Because of where they live, many of the city’s lower income and immigrant families are disproportionately at risk of contracting air pollution-related diseases. A recent Tufts study notes that air quality drops in the areas nearer to Route 93, the same areas with two of the city’s affordable housing developments and with neighborhoods that have more reasonable rents and home prices. More on this story at www.scatvsomerville.org/SNN.

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Overdoses: First responders fight back
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Somerville’s first responders and agencies are taking steps to try to prevent the sometimes-fatal drug overdoses that result from the use and abuse of heroin and painkillers. Chief Kelleher said he is proud that the city’s first responders will be able to save more lives, but added that Narcan is not the solution.”Narcan is an intervention, it’s not a cure,” Kelleher said. “Our hope is to get people quickly back, get the respiration back, and get them to a medical facility for proper care.” More on this story at www.scatvsomerville.org/SNN.