Increases in water and sewer rates were recently approved by the City Council.

By The Times Staff

The Somerville City Council approved a 15 percent rate increase for water and sewer for FY 2027 during the June 11 meeting.

The increase in water and sewer volumetric usage charges is determined on actual consumption. The base charges are calculated by the meter size and will remain the same.

(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 Erika Uyterhoeven

It has been the honor of my life to serve three terms as your State Representative here in Somerville. I am now running to be your next State Senator because I believe the fights I have led on transparency, accountability, and immigrant rights need to be front and center in Beacon Hill. Some constituents have asked me: how did you come to run for State Representative in the first place? It’s true that I was formerly an antitrust economist, not a career politician. The answer begins with a failure: During Donald Trump’s first term in office, the Massachusetts legislature passed zero bills to protect immigrants.

Somerville resident and Palestinian leader of S4P speaks to the importance of this moment for Palestinians. (Photo credit: City of Somerville Public Recording)

(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 Somerville for Palestine

On Thursday, June 11, 2026, members of Somerville City Council introduced an ordinance to boycott and divest from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide, apartheid, and illegal occupation of Palestine. The proposed ordinance follows years of campaigning by Palestinian community leaders and local organizers to stop the flow of municipal tax dollars to companies that provide material support to Israel and enable Israel’s long history of crimes against Palestinians.

Center for Teen Empowerment advocate Councilor Matthew McLaughlin is appealing to the city to ensure that adequate funding is provided for the organization.

By Harry Kane

Ward One City Councilor Matthew McLaughlin recognized The Center for Teen Empowerment for providing over 20 years of service in Somerville, but said that funding is decreasing for the organization.

Mayor Jake Wilson, Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, and city staff invite you to a virtual community meeting on Wednesday, June 17, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. to discuss the quick-build safety improvements project on Washington Street between Tufts Street and the city line. Hear an overview of the project, learn more about the opportunities in quick-build projects, and share your questions and feedback. Following the community meeting, they will launch an online survey to gather community input and host pop-ups along Washington Street. Please find more information about the event and other opportunities for engagement at voice.somervillema.gov/eastwashington.

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With the Fourth of July just around the corner, I thought I would share this recipe for those of you who love a good coleslaw. This is not a traditional coleslaw, but delicious all the same.

For those of us who are fortunate enough to have had a strong, loving father figure in our lives, we have indeed been truly blessed.

They have served as our providers – along with mom, of course – our enablers, our staunch supporters, our coaches, our towers of strength.

Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Laura Cherry

As in the eponymous Great Pond, there is much more going on beneath the surface of Ed Meek’s most recent poetry collection than first meets the eye. What begins as a series of lyrical meditations on nature evolves into a commentary on relationships, longing, grief, missed chances, art, and the fraught political landscape.

Mike Burgess is a Cambridge-based hobbyist writer. After growing up in New Hampshire, he moved to Cambridge for college and has stayed in the area since. All the while, he writes in his free-time as motivated by fortunes and troubles in his personal life alike.