The Ribbon Cutting for Central Hill Veterans Vietnam and Korean Wars Memorial takes place on Thursday, October 16,  from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., 81 Highland Ave. Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Ward 3 City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen invite community members to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the reinstallation of the Vietnam and Korean Wars Memorials on Central Hill. To learn more, visit www.voice.somervillema.gov/central-hill-memorials.

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Attend the Broadway Magoun Reconstruction Project kick-off meeting. Community members are invited to attend a virtual meeting on Wednesday, October 15, from 6 to 7:30 pm online via Zoom. City staff will introduce the project, and attendees are welcome to share their ideas and experiences traveling along Broadway. Get all project information at www.somervillema.gov/broadwaymagoun.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to City Councilor At Large, Vice President, Will Mbah. We hope he has a great celebration and enjoys his day. We wish a Happy birthday to former Alderman Maryann Heuston. We hope she has a great birthday. Happy birthday to one of our own, Mike Reis, who is celebrating this week. He makes sure the newspaper gets out on the streets on Wednesdays. We wish him the best. We want to wish Somerville resident and Vietnam Veteran and Marine, Leo Mingace, a happy birthday. Happy birthday to another of our own, Harry Kane. We appreciate all he does for the paper, and we wish him a great day. Happy birthday to Barry Rollins, who is celebrating this week. Happy birthday to Vicki Potaris. We wish her a great day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Laurie Tierno Johnson, Bill McCarthy, Darell Lee Shanafelt, and George Lally, a very happy birthday. We hope everyone has a great day. To all the others we may have missed, we sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Fire Chief Charles Breen invite the Somerville community to the grand opening ceremony for the newly opened Assembly Square Fire Station (45 Middlesex Ave.) on Saturday, October 18, at 10 am. Festivities will include a hose‑uncoupling ceremony (think the fire service’s version of a ribbon cutting), tour the state‑of‑the‑art station, “touch‑a‑truck”, and light refreshments.

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Join East Somerville Main Streets at Chuckie Harris Park on Saturday, October 25, from 3 to 6 pm (rain date: October 26) for their Halloween Block Party and Pet Spooktacular. Enjoy the pet costume contest, live music, delicious food, local vendors, pictures, raffles, and activities for all ages. Grab your costumes (and your furry friends, too), and get ready for an unforgettable afternoon in East Somerville. Free and open to everyone.

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The City of Somerville is seeking polling place workers and standby poll workers for the upcoming Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 4. Many poll workers are needed to support operations and conduct a successful election. Poll workers must be ready to step in as needed on Election Day. The workday starts at 6:30 am and ends after the polls close at 8 pm, with a two-hour break. The compensation is $240 per day. To apply, please email Human Resources at hradmin@somervillema.gov. To learn more, please contact the Elections Office at 617-625-6600 ext. 4200.

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Voter registration deadline for the General Election by mail or in person, or online until midnight (www.registertovotema.com) by 5 pm, Friday, October 24.

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We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Arts Editor, Doug Holder, for setting up a GoFundMe campaign for The Somerville Times. With the cost of printing going up and a lack of businesses having the resources to advertise, free papers feel the effect. We sincerely thank all who have already contributed and thank any future contributors. If you are interested in helping, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-somerville-times. Or if anyone is interested in advertising, please contact Bobbietoner@aol.com. We offer great discounts to help our advertisers be able to advertise. Thank you all so much for your support!

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We have a new tab on our website, “Campaign Releases.” Go there to see the latest endorsements, letters , campaign press releases  and campaign info for this year’s election candidates.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA) are inviting community members to celebrate Latin American and Caribbean Heritage Month on Saturday, October 18, 2 – 5 pm, at the Healey School, 5 Meacham St.The event will showcase the rich cultural traditions and contributions of Latin American and Caribbean communities through live music, dance, and art. This free community event is open to all ages. Light refreshments will be provided.

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Community members are invited to join Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, the City Council, and the School Committee at the 2025 City Hall Community Meetings. These meetings are held every fall in each of Somerville’s seven wards to share the latest city and neighborhood updates – and more – with community members. The in-person meetings kick off with a social half-hour with free pizza and healthy kid-friendly snacks, where you can chat one-on-one with elected officials, including the mayor, your Ward and At-Large City Councilors, and School Committee members, as well as staff, about issues important to you. The final meetings will be on Thursday, October 16, Ward 2, Somerville Community Baptist Church, and All Ward. https://www.somervillema.gov/communitymeetings.

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Join in on the East Somerville Fall Clean Up 2025. Enjoy community time, meet your neighbors, and take a walk through a brand-new East Somerville. Join them on Saturday, November 1, from 10 am to 12 pm. They will provide delicious coffee and pastries from Ola Café, meet at 115 Broadway, East Branch Library.

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Somerville’s biggest spooky party is back with SomerStreets: Monster Mash. Sunday, October 19, from 2 to 6 p.m. (Severe weather date, October 26) in Union Square. Get ready for a spooktacular afternoon of activities, food, music, and more: www.somervilleartscouncil.org/events/monster-mash.

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The Somerville Museum will host Ghosts of Somerville at the Milk Row Cemetery, Somerville Ave., Sunday, October 19, 2 – 4 p.m. Visit the city’s oldest burial ground, where friendly ghosts will tell you about their lives in 18th-century Somerville. Discover our city’s history through the eyes of those who lived it. Part of Somerstreets: Monster Mash.

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Western Pearl Street Reconstruction Street Virtual Office Hour, Friday, October 17, 12 pm. Talk to city staff about the Update Design for the Western Pearl Street Reconstruction project and share your questions and feedback. Participants can join anytime during the office hour. Register in advance. Learn more at www.somervillema.gov/westernpearl.

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The Somerville Community Growing Center is starting to plan for its annual Winter Wreath Project. This critical end-of-year fundraising effort is also a fun way to come together in the fall and winter. Pop-up work sessions for flower and cone prep take place on October 19 and 24 and November 1 and 2. Help prep the dried flowers and pine cones in preparation for wreath assembly, and learn how to make bows. Sign up to help on their Sign Up Genius page https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AA9AC2DA5FDC07-59207939-wreath#/.

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Free Flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinic, Thursday, October 16, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Argenziano School Cafeteria, 290 Washington St. Both flu and COVID-19 vaccines are conveniently offered at multiple locations across Somerville, improving access for all residents with no out-of-pocket costs. Visit https://www.somervillema.gov/vaccinations to see more clinic dates.

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Join the Somerville Museum for a 100th Anniversary Cocktail Party Fundraising Bash. Rewind, Record, PLAY! Thursday, October 23, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, with TJ the DJ and Joe Lynch, emcee, and surprise special guests. Food, Music spanning the past 100 years, time-traveling interactive stations, and more. Tickets: $100 per person. https://www.somervillemuseum.org.

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The Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Ave. near Davis Square, is holding a Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, October 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. With a theme of  “Spooky—Thankful—Merry,” the fair will offer handmade treasures, unique gifts, and festive items you can buy for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. There will also be a Bake Sale, lunch for purchase, raffles, a silent auction, a chili contest, and lots of fun activities for children, so families and people of all ages can enjoy SCBC’s Holiday Craft Fair.

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Dilboy Post will be holding its third Annual Comedy Fundraiser, Elaine Pelino & Friends, hosted by John Harrington. The event will be held on November 9, 2 – 5 p.m., 351 Summer St. For tickets ($25) and more information: www.dilboyvfw529.com, dilboy.post@comcast.net, 617-666-8794.

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Somerville Media Center and The Somerville Beacon will host candidate debates for Somerville’s City Councilor At Large and Mayoral races on Monday, October 20, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Crystal Ballroom at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. Admission is free and doors open to the public at 5:30 p.m. for drinks and refreshments from the cash bar (ID required for alcohol). No signs, banners, backpacks, or oversized bags will be permitted. The At Large debate, 6 – 7 p.m., will be moderated by Keri Rodrigues, founder and president of the National Parents Union. The Mayoral debate, 7:30-8:30 p.m., will be moderated by Ben Orenstein, founder of The Somerville Beacon.

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The Somerville Renters’ Committee and the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) will host a Mayoral Candidate Forum on Housing on Wednesday, October 22, at 7:00 pm at the East Somerville Community School. The event is free, open to the public, and will also be streamed live on Zoom. Simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and Portuguese will be available via Zoom only. Interpretation into other languages must be requested in advance. Public Registration Link: http://bit.ly/SomervilleHousingForum

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On Thursday, October 23, join in on the City Hall concourse (93 Highland Ave.) at 5 p.m. for the fourth annual Truck O’ Treat. Attendees can trick-or-treat on the concourse and enjoy lawn games, activities, and more. Rain date is Thursday, October 30.

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Registrations are now open for Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services’ fall Savvy Caregiver course. Savvy Caregiver is an evidence-based training program designed to help family caregivers best support a loved one with dementia and care for themselves. The course has been proven to decrease caregiver distress, burden, and depression, while increasing a caregiver’s sense of competence and confidence in their care role. Participation is free. Savvy Caregiver will be held virtually via Zoom each Wednesday from 12 to 2 p.m., through November 12. To register, call 617-628-2601 ext. 3153 or email katherine.bonilla@eldercare.org.

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Through the generosity of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and under the direction of Mayor Ballantyne, the Council on Aging can provide Durable Medical Equipment at no cost to Somerville residents. Residents with a documented need for medical equipment must be over the age of 60 or have a permanent disability and must be otherwise unable to afford or access needed medical equipment. For additional information or for an application, please contact Debby Higgins at 617-625-6600, ext. 2321.

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Don’t forget, if you would like to subscribe to receive a digital edition of our paper, go directly online to our website, over to the right side, and fill out your email address to receive a free, full PDF copy of the paper.