Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

This article first appeared in the February 22, 2014 edition of The Somerville Times.

“Before there was Home Depot or Lowe’s, my family always went to Somerville Lumber for any home project that needed to be done.”  Somerville Lumber was located on McGrath Highway in the area where Stop & Shop is now. You may remember the huge American flag that flew over Somerville Lumber.

The plan proposes revisiting fine structures for repeat or significant violators of city ordinances, including adjustments to fee structures and the frequency of ticketing.

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

Get a “first look” at this year’s Open Studios event at the Somerville Museum, starting on April 11. — Photo by eHawk

Every year the Somerville Museum and Somerville Open Studios (SOS) hosts the First Look Exhibit in the Museum’s gallery spaces. This show is open to all artists who register with Somerville Open Studios, and will be open from April 11 through May 11, 2:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The City of Somerville’s Highland Avenue Streetscape Project will benefit to the tune of $850,000, thanks to the efforts of Rep. Ayanna Pressley. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley announced $13,009,444 in federal Community Project Funding for 15 total projects across the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024). Out of the 15 projects, the City of Somerville will receive $850,000 for the Highland Avenue Streetscape Project.

(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 State Representative Christine Barber

We need more affordable housing. This is something I hear over and over as State Representative throughout my district of Somerville and Medford. When speaking with a group of high school students from my district recently, I asked about their top priority – it was housing. Is this a typical concern for teenagers? This is where we are today.

Renee Taylor, Somerville Community Corporation, Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Kristin Phelan, Somernova.

Somerville’s Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, the Somerville Commission for Women, Somernova, and the city’s Department of Racial and Social Justice hosted a Women’s History Month celebration on March 27 at Somervova.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 7 Councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld, and city staff invite community members to attend a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, April 10, at the Dilboy Auxiliary Fields (300 Alewife Brook Pkwy.) at 1:00 p.m. Construction kicks off this spring to transform the Dilboy Auxiliary Fields into a state-of-the-art sports and recreational facility with natural turf fields. Highlights of the work include full reconstruction of the baseball and softball fields, installation of a sand-slit drainage system, new sports lighting, and more.

(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)

Mayor Ballantyne and Director Blais,

In order to mitigate the disastrous effects of climate change and create safe and healthy schools that reflect the community’s values, Somerville must do all it can to reduce carbon emissions from its largest municipal source: school buildings. We applaud the City’s work to update the Climate Forward plan, Somerville’s plan to reduce carbon emissions in the city, and the aim for Somerville to be carbon net-negative by 2050. However, to be a serious plan that can achieve this goal, the Climate Forward update must have a bold, detailed, and clear timeline for the decarbonization of municipal buildings, especially school buildings. We implore you to listen to community feedback and include these strategies.

It’s not just another three-day weekend, folks. It’s a huge part of our national – and regional – heritage.

Patriots’ Day was established over 100 years ago to commemorate the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. Re-enactments are staged and speeches are given, and a generally festive air of patriotic zeal pervades.

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This past week I found myself with 2 small bags of sweet peppers. When I have more peppers than what I know what to do with, I roast them and store in olive oil and garlic for a longer shelf life. They are great on sandwiches, in salads, frittatas, served along roasted chicken or any other dishes you like.