A Department of Conservation and Recreation wildland firefighter directs a handline at an outdoor fire. Massachusetts sees more than 1,000 wildland fires each year, but simple steps can reduce the risk that one will spread to your home.

Wildland fires can extend to homes, fire service leaders say

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is this weekend, and Massachusetts fire service leaders are providing residents with guidance on projects to protect their homes and neighborhoods while reducing the risk posed by wildland fires.

Harvard Kennedy School New England Alumni Association held their April coffee hour in Somerville, Thursday, April 30. Somerville City Councilor, Wilfred Mbah (MC/MPA’24 ) and Zheni Valcheva (MC/MPA’22) hosted the coffee hour to reconnect with fellow alumni. Mayor Jake Wilson was invited to The Buzzin’ Bean on Holland St. as their special guest.

It’s spring, which means Somerville’s getting ready to serve up pizza, conversation, and community connection. The ward-based “Slice of the City” pop-up series is set to return for a third season to bring City Hall into the community.

Jamie Ferguson’s art prints are currently being dispensed by vending machine at Bow Market in Somerville.

Local artist repurposes a vending machine to dispense prints

By Christa Lee

If you’ve ever lined up quarters in a machine to buy stickers, then you might get pleasant flashbacks using the Art Vending Machine, now in Bow Market as of April 12.

The Kingdom Rock Children’s Village, an early childhood daycare center for children from infants to age 5, wants to hire a lead teacher for one of its classes.  Qualifications required: Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or related field; ECE teacher certification or qualification; and at least 1-2 years of experience as a pre-school Lead Teacher or Co-teacher.  KRCV is located at 10 Winslow Avenue, Somerville, near Davis Square.  For more information,
see www.KingdomRockcv.org and contact the Director, Stacie Clayton.

First Up, RE-discovering Somerville Open Studios 

Somerville is bringing art into City Hall with the new Community Collections series of rotating art exhibits. The program puts the halls and walls of City Hall to use as a mini-gallery to feature community and student artwork. The series launches Wednesday,April 29, with the RE-discovering Somerville Open Studios exhibit featuring artwork by Somerville Open Studios (SOS) artists, photos of SOS artists in their studio spaces by photographer Aram Comjean, and vintage SOS posters from the past few decades. An art reception for the show and series will be held on Monday, May 18th and all are invited.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

In May of 1971 there was to be a huge anti-war demonstration in Washington DC.

I was a 16-year-old hippie with the hair, the beads and the bell bottoms. I had made friends with a bunch of people from Harvard Square and one of the guys was driving his Volkswagen bus to the demonstration. I decided that I had to go because of my deep beliefs against the war in Vietnam. But my problem was what was I going to tell my parents? They would definitely not let me go. But I went anyway and I was gone for two days.

Mayor Jake Wilson stopped by the Teele Sq. site where Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, city staff, and members of COHR were on hand to meet with residents. — Photos by Bobbie Toner

On Saturday, April 25, Somerville residents participated in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Residents were able to safely dispose of unused or expired prescription medications at  Somerville’s Public Safety Headquarters and Teele Square Fire Station. City staff were also on-site, providing overdose prevention information and resources.

Representatives from the Somerville Fire Department expressed concerns to the City Council over traffic calming measures implemented by the city.

By Harry Kane

Traffic calming devices are adversely affecting fire engines and fire trucks, says Mike Jefferson, President of the Somerville Firefighters Local 76, who addressed the City Council on April 23 with concerns.