Somerville community members are invited to take a first look and provide public comment on proposals to redevelop 90 Washington Street, a nearly four-acre site near the East Somerville Green Line station. At the public meeting of the 90 Washington Street Civic Advisory Committee (CAC) on Wednesday, April 22, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., CAC members will review and share input on the recently received proposals and will also welcome feedback on the proposals from members of the public. 90 Washington Street Proposal Review Community Meeting, https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TapqDsQUSxGMlXykSDi62Q#/registration  To learn more, visit www.somervillema.gov/90-washington-redevelopment

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On Saturday, April 25, community members across all seven wards can join their ward’s Spring Cleanup, the first major activation of the city’s Year of the Neighbor initiative. From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., residents can join their neighbors, local elected officials, and community groups to spruce up streets, parks, and public spaces — and to get to know the people they share them with. The city will provide supplies, and DPW crews will handle pickup — so residents can focus on the satisfying part: making their block a little better. Participants will also receive a City of Somerville water bottle or small thank-you item while supplies last. For locations, visit https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/office-mayor-jake-wilson/year-neighbor.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Mike Moccia of Ball Square Café. We wish him a great day. Happy birthday to former alderman and great guy, Jack Connolly. We hope he has a great birthday. Happy birthday to Anthony Fraser. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Rachel Strutt, Paul Stanford, Bob DiGuardia, Benjamin Holmes, Celia Miller-Saltman, Jim Ospenson, Susannah Buzard, Blake Maddux, Sylvia Cabrera, Tina Kneeland, Bella Khadijah, Sarah Joseph Barnstable, Angelmarie DiNunzio, Debbie Shansky Murray, Kate Sherlock Guiliano, and Dom Panzino, 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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The Somerville High School Robotics Team needs your help. The team went to the New England District Championships this past weekend. They couldn’t have done it without the support of this community. Even better news, their alliance came in first place in their division and earned a spot at the World Championship in Houston, TX, April 29 – May 3. It costs a lot of money to fly, house, and feed 10 students and 2 chaperones with just over one week of planning time. They are turning to the community to help make this trip happen. They would appreciate any contribution you are able to make to help their team. Any money raised above their goal will be used for future team projects. If you want to donate, visit https://gofund.me/0ce6b0b0a.

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Become a PorchFest Ambassador. If you’re familiar with Somerville, passionate about music and the arts, or have experience with events and festivals, the Somerville Arts Council would love to have you join the team. There are two roles available: Zone Managers and Ambassadors. Time commitments vary by role, and all volunteers receive a PorchFest t-shirt. Sign up today: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/…/porchfest-ambassadors/.

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Join the Dormition Church and the Somerville Garden Club for their third annual plant swap on Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., 29 Central St, Somerville. The event will be held in the church’s Heritage Hall on the lower level of the building. A raffle will be held, and coffee and refreshments will be served.

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Around Hear’s weekly violin and piano classes at the Mystic Activity Center bring together immigrants from China, El Salvador, Peru, and Haiti, ages 7 to 70, to learn, create, and make joyful music as a community. Through peer-to-peer learning, improvisation, and ensemble play, students build real instrumental skills while forming genuine connections across generations. Listen live at YUM on April 29, 6 – 9 p.m. at the Somerville Armory. RSVP at https://givebutter.com/yum26.

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Somerville High School is currently accepting prom donations on behalf of our senior class. We welcome attire to help make this special night accessible for all students. Monetary gifts are appreciated; however, we ask that cash donations not be given. Thank you for being so supportive in making prom a memorable experience for our seniors. All donations can be dropped off at the Somerville Police Station.

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Vendors are wanted for a Flea Market to be held at the Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Avenue near Davis Square, on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Seeking vendors of items, either useful or fun, such as vintage finds, household items, toys, knick-knacks, handmade crafts, etc. It costs $20 to rent a table. For more information or to reserve your table, contact Heather Roderick, hroderick32@gmail.com

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PorchFest in Somerville is back on Saturday, May 9. Rain or shine. West Zone 12 – 2 p.m.(West of Willow Ave), Central Zone, 2 – 4 p.m. (Willow Ave to Central St), East Zone 4 – 6 p.m. (East of Central St). Check out the map ahead of time to plan out which locations you want to visit. Somerville PorchFest is a community-powered music event where neighbors host musicians on porches across the city. Each year, thousands of residents and visitors walk, bike, and attend performances throughout the city. Severe weather and other emergencies can happen. PorchFest attendees can sign up for day-of emergency text alerts for this year’s event: text SOMPORCHES26 to 888777. Check out the website for updated information: www.somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest/

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Somerville community members are invited to the “Slice of the City” spring meet-up series. This new series of family-friendly pizza parties in the park offers attendees a new way to connect and engage with city leaders and staff, local elected officials, as well as neighbors, all while enjoying Somerville’s parks. Events in each of the city’s seven wards will occur throughout the month of May from 5 to 7 p.m. First up is in Ward 5 on Tuesday, May 5, at Trum Field Playground (1 Franey Road). Somerville Recreation will host kids’ activities, and refreshments and pizza will be provided. For more information and to find all event locations, visit www.somervillema.gov/slice.

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The Somerville Community Growing Center is looking for donations of soup cans. Please save and donate your well-washed-out cans and milk jugs for upcoming lantern-making workshops for Now Is Still Here. They need soup cans (the size of a Progresso soup can is perfect), metal coffee cans (both smaller and larger sizes), and half-gallon milk jugs. Please drop off clean items in the designated bin at the Growing Center during future Open Hours or reach out to Tom King (Tom_in_Davis_Square@comcast.net).

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Join Union Square Main Streets and 60+ of your favorite local food producers for the 22nd Annual Union Square Farmers Market. Shop local Saturdays from May 9 to October 31, except July 4 and September 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Union Square Plaza. They continue to offer our SNAP matches. Check the market webpage for the latest info and to see which vendors accept SNAP. To get the latest updates about the Union Square Farmers Market, visit unionsquaremain.org/2026-season.

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Explore the intersection of climate action and art at Somerville Open Studios (May 2 – 3). From April 25 to May 17, visit RE New/Recycled Art Locavore Show (62A Summer Street). This exhibit celebrates transformation, sustainability, and creative reinvention. This show explores how discarded and repurposed materials can be re-imagined into compelling sculptural forms and textures that speak to environmental awareness and artistic innovation. Curated by @katpop72. For more information, visit www.somervilleopenstudios.org.

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Want to sell your goods? Applications for 2026 are now open for the Somerville Flea. Join them in Davis Square from August to October. Apply now and be a part of the action. https://www.thesomervilleflea.com/sell

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A reminder that yard waste pickup began the week of April 13. Yard waste should be put out with your trash and recycling on your normal pickup day and be in either a paper bag or a trash barrel with a “Yard Waste Only” sticker. Get stickers free of charge at the DPW building (1 Franey Rd.), at the entrance desk at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), or by emailing 311requests@somervillema.gov.

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Regular street sweeping schedules resumed on Wednesday, April 1, and will continue through December 31. Community members should check street signs to know when parking is prohibited due to sweeping. On designated street sweeping days, vehicles must be moved from the side of the street being swept, as noted on signs posted on each street. Vehicles that do not move may be ticketed and towed. For more information on street sweeping, visit somervillema.gov/sweeping or call 311 (617-666-3311).

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Somerville teens (ages 14+) can now apply for the 2026 Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program, a six-week paid opportunity to earn money, build skills, and get a behind-the-scenes look at how the city runs. Interested youth can apply now through Thursday, April 30, by completing the online application at somervillema.gov/summerjobs. All applicants will be interviewed in early May. Applicants must be Somerville residents or enrolled in a Somerville school and at least 14 years of age by May 4, 2026. Summer jobs require approximately 20 hours per week, with most positions running July 6 through August 14. All positions are paid an hourly rate of $18.85. All applicants will be interviewed in early May. For any questions, please email summerjobs@somervillema.gov or call 311 (617-666-3311).

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Somerville High School and the Somerville High School Scholarship Foundation are proud to announce the formation of the Somerville High School Alumni Newsletter. The Somerville High School Alumni Newsletter will be published semi-annually in December/January and May/June. Subscribe to the Somerville High School Alumni Newsletter at https://www.shsscholarship.org/shs-alumni-newsletter, and they will email you the alumni newsletter when it comes out this spring. They are also in the process of creating an SHS Alumni Home Page that will be found on both the school’s and foundation’s websites. Make this your go-to place for all things SHS alumni-related. More information on this will be published in the upcoming SHS Alumni Newsletter.

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With Fiscal Year 2027 approaching, the Somerville Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is once again inviting residents to help shape the next round of CPA-funded projects through the CPA survey (www.bit.ly/cpasurvey2026) or by giving feedback at a virtual public hearing (www.bit.ly/cpahearing2026) on April 22.

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Sign up for the city’s Planning, Preservation, and Zoning (PPZ) Newsletter. Stay informed on the updates shaping your neighborhood and city. Curated by PPZ staff, get quick updates on planning initiatives, efforts, and zoning updates. Sign up now and explore other cities and department newsletters at www.somervillema.gov/subscribe.

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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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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.