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 p.m. 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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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, along with Somerville’s Department of Public Works and Parks and Recreation Department, invites all for a hauntingly good time at the fourth annual “Truck O’ Treat” on Thursday, October 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. outside City Hall (93 Highland Avenue). In the event of inclement weather, the event will be moved to Thursday, October 30. Costumes are encouraged at the family-friendly event, which will include safe Trick-or-Treating on the City Hall concourse, a spooktacular visit from a decorated City of Somerville truck, lawn games, refreshments, and more.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a former alderman and great guy, Dennis Sullivan. We wish him a very happy birthday. Happy birthday to poet and writer Timothy Gager. We hope he has a great day. 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 Vicki Potaris. We wish her a great day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Charlene Murphy, Jim Douthart, Stephen Bertoncini, David LaCroix, Harry Levasseur, Kip Lyall, Patricia Capadanno, Diana Riel, Dorothy O’Malley, Jeffery Varney, and Nicholas Cubides, 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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Somerville Police: Candy with a Cop. Connect with Somerville Police Department Officers to build relationships and talk about community issues. Target, 180 Somerville Ave., Friday, October 24, 4:30 p.m.– 6:00 p.m.

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Join East Somerville Main Streets at Chuckie Harris Park on Saturday, October 25, from 3 to 6 p.m. (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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National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 25. Mayor Ballantyne invites Somerville residents to participate by stopping at the drop-off locations. City staff will be on-site at both locations to collect medications as well as provide overdose prevention information and resources. Each location will distribute free Narcan and fentanyl test strips to any residents interested. The drop-off at Public Safety Headquarters at 220 Washington Street will be staffed from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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Early Voting for the November 4th election will take place at Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Ave., on the following dates and times: Tuesday, October 28, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 29, 8:30 a.m. –4:30 p.m., Thursday, October 30, 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

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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 a.m. and ends after the polls close at 8 p.m., 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 p.m., 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 and campaign info for this year’s election candidates.

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Are you looking to make new connections in the queer community? Visit the Central Library, 79 Highland Ave., for an all-inclusive Queer Craft Night for adults for a low-stakes evening of creativity and fun. The craft for this month is making book pumpkins. Supplies are limited, so please register in advance at https://somervillepubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/queer-craft-night-at-central-library.

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The Boston Circus Guild’s Cirque of the Dead adults-only Halloween circus show is back at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., with 5 shows: Thursday, 10/23 at 8 p.m., Friday, 10/24 at 8 p.m., Saturday, 10/25 at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., and Friday, 10/31 at 8 p.m. More info and tickets available here: https://artsatthearmory.org/.

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The Somerville Mobile Farmers Market will be open Thursdays through Saturdays, through November 1. All produce is sourced from local farms and priced affordably to make healthy, fresh food accessible to all. The mobile market accepts cash, debit and credit cards, SNAP, Fresh Connect, WIC Farmers Market Coupons, and Senior Farmers Market Coupons. For the full schedule, weekly produce updates, and more information about programs and events, visit the market’s website at www.somervillemobilefarmersmarket.org.

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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 a.m. to 12 p.m. They will provide delicious coffee and pastries from Ola Café, meet at 115 Broadway, East Branch Library.

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Seasonal Salvage Sale & Makers’ Market this Saturday, October 25, 12 – 5 p.m. (Rain Date: Sunday, October 26) at the Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave. Rather than a traditional yard sale, the Salvage Sale is a two-part shopping experience: a curated, seasonally-themed secondhand sale where 100% of the proceeds go to the Growing Center; and a “Makers’ Market” filled with local craft vendors who participate for a nominal fee but get to keep all the proceeds of their sales. For more info, visit them at https://www.thegrowingcenter.org/yard-sale.

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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 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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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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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