(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By Jack Connolly
Jackconnolly422@gmail.com

Somerville City officials attended a meeting called for by Davis Sq. merchants last week to discuss the unhoused people, addicts frequenting Davis Sq. on a daily basis, and their open drug use and drug dealing happening in area parks, including the plaza next to 7/11. Much mention was made about disturbances apparently arising from patrons of the Brightview clinic on Highland Avenue, acting up throughout Davis Sq. Before and after visits to the Brightview office.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Somerville’s Inspectional Services Department announced Somerville’s 2024 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan. Aimed at enhancing rodent management efforts, the updated plan incorporates Integrated Pest Management principles to effectively address rodent issues across residential, public, and commercial areas within the city. The detailed presentation of the City of Somerville’s Integrated Pest Management will take place at the city’s Board of Health meeting on Thursday, April 18, at 6:00 p.m. Community members, stakeholders, and interested parties are encouraged to attend the meeting, which will be hosted on Zoom, and participate in discussions surrounding rodent management strategies. Interested attendees can join the meeting here: somervillema.gov/events/2024/04/18/board-health-meeting.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By Chris Dwan

Budget season in Somerville is starting off with a cool tone that approaches austerity. The School Committee has been told to expect a budget that will fail to cover mandatory increases like seniority-based pay raises. The City Council heard last Thursday that any new initiatives will need to fit in less than $15M.

The City of Somerville is hosting events such as last week’s open house to keep the public informed about ongoing reconstruction projects currently underway.

By Joei Chan

On April 13, the City of Somerville Office of Mobility, Ward 7 Councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne hosted an open house for the entire Somerville community to discuss designs for Broadway between Clarendon Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway.

Eagle Feathers #302–One If By Land, Two If By Sea

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

(This article was first published in the April 19, 2021, edition of The Somerville Times)

Somerville statesman Edward Everett first brought Paul Revere’s ride to light in his 1825 speech at Concord. Thirty-five years later, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow solidified Revere’s fame with his legendary 1860 poem, Paul Revere’s Ride.

It began after a bad oil spill that took place in 1969 off the coast of California. A year later, the first annual Earth Day was celebrated to demonstrate universal support for environmental protection and responsible stewardship of the planet and its inhabitants.

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Review by Off the Shelf correspondent Ed Meek

Debra Spark is the author of a number of novels and short story collections as well as a couple of anthologies. She teaches in the MFA Program at Warren Wilson College and at Colby College. Her novel Discipline is a mosaic of mysteries.

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María Del Castillo Sucerquia, born in Barranquilla, Colombia in 1997, is a bilingual poet proficient in both Spanish and English. She has translated poet  Marc Goldfinger’s poem WHAT I DO into Spanish.

GLOWBALL tickets include coupons for beverages and vegetarian samosas from Curry Express, glow-in-the-dark face painting by Arty Mari, plus glow in the dark accessories for guests to don.

On Friday, April 26, 2024, GLOWBALL will transform the Armory Performance Hall into an immersive Glow-in-the-Dark Rave created by DJ Saucy Lady with hypnotic visuals by Jay Medina, all in support of The Center for Arts at the Armory.