The City of Somerville’s Inclusionary Housing Program and Winter Hill Bank invite the Somerville community to join a First-Time Home Buyer Seminar on Wednesday, February 22, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Register online at winterhillbank.com/lending/homebuyer-seminar to attend. Depending on interest, the seminar will be held at either the Winter Hill Loan Center Conference Room (345 Broadway) or The Somerville Public Library auditorium (79 Highland Avenue). Registered attendees will receive a location confirmation via email prior to the event. While space is limited, everyone who pre-registers is welcome. Translation services are available upon request. For more information on the Inclusionary Housing Program, please visit somervillema.gov/inclusionaryhousing.

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This week is school vacation. Find resources for free food over February break at https://somervillefoodsecurity.org/free-food-to-cook-at-home.

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Liam Mannion proprietor of Sally O’Brien’s and former City Councilor Bob McWatters invite the public to celebrate Irish Heritage and hoist a pint of Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17 at Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave. Sally’s will be featuring an Irish fare of corned beef and cabbage, spirits, Irish music and appearances of local and state elected officials. All are welcome to join the festivities.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: Happy birthday to Sean Fitzgerald, who is celebrating this week. We wish Sean a great day. Happy birthday to City Councilor Kristen Strezo. We wish her a very happy birthday. Happy birthday to Christine Resmini. We hope she has a great day as well. Happy birthday to great guy, Eamon Fee, who celebrates this week. We hope he has a great year. Happy birthday to another good guy, Rod Kreimeyer. We hope Rod has a great day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Sammy Alves, Elio LoRussoCelia Taylor, David Tiger Williams, Lauren Daddio, Las Carolinas, Wayne A. Fournier, Ann Bourque, Sarah Marcone, and Lu Alves a very happy birthday. To all those that are also celebrating this week, we wish a happy birthday.

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Our sincere condolences to Mayor Ballantyne and her family on the passing of her father, James Ballantyne. Mr. Ballantyne was five days shy of turning 92 years old. Reading about her memories, he sounded like a remarkable man and will be missed by many family members and friends. You can read more about Jim on Katjana Ballantyne Facebook page. www.facebook.com/katjana.ballantyne.org.

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Stop by the Somerville Writers & Readers Winter Market, March 11, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., 79 Highland Avenue, Somerville. Free and open to the public. Fully accessible. Featuring Dave Ortega, Denise Provost, Somerville Poet Laureate Lloyd Schwartz, Lesley Bannatyne, and Kevin M.McIntosh.

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All Somerville residents should be on the lookout for the 2023 annual City of Somerville census in their mailbox. Upon receipt, please complete the brief form and return it to the city via mail, email, fax, or in person. High census participation provides an accurate population count, which helps the city plan municipal services and adapt as the population changes. The Elections Department also uses the census to help keep voting rolls up to date. Completed census forms can be returned via the postage-paid return envelope included in the mailing, by scanning the form and emailing it to census@somervillema.gov, by dropping it off in a census box at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), or by faxing it to 617-625-5643. Contact 311 at 617-666-3311 with any questions.

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The Somerville Arts Council and the Inside-Out Gallery present Kinetic Explorations of Color, works by Michael Robbins. Find out more about his work by visiting: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/insideout/robbins. Michael Robbins is an artist, psychotherapist, poet, and Qi Gong/Taoist meditation teacher who lives and works out of the Vernon Street Studios in Somerville. As a native of NYC, he was fueled by vast accessibility of art and culture and by growing-up in a creative household. His father, a sculptor, was one of the founders of the Expressive Therapy movement and his mother directs one of the oldest children’s theatres in NYC. The richness and excitement of this environment made a profound impression, influencing Michael’s career and various artistic pursuits.

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As part of the ongoing Armory Master Plan process, the city and Somerville Arts Council seek 20 individuals to participate in a 75-minute online focus group discussion which will guide the Armory’s future as a vibrant arts center for years to come. Those interested in participating in the focus group should complete a brief preliminary questionnaire by Thursday, February 23. Selected participants will be contacted directly. Learn more at: https://voice.somervillema.gov/armory-master-plan.

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The Somerville Department of Racial and Social Justice and its Accessibility Services division have launched a community survey to better understand the Somerville community’s needs and priorities as well as the public’s experiences with accessibility in Somerville. Take the survey online at: https://form.jotform.com/230194761561153.

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East Somerville Main Streets is looking for artists for the 2023 Carnaval poster. They would love to hire an artist for Carnaval 2023. More details and application process in this Google form. https://forms.gle/Gsz5RuAoN2BRgSC9A.

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Visit the Waterlines exhibit Thursday from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday 2:00 to 5:00 pm, and Saturday 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. On view through March 22. A+J Art+Design is a multidisciplinary collaboration between artists Ann Hirsch and Jeremy Angier. They share a commitment to site-specificity, interactivity, and community engagement. They do extensive research and intensively collaborate in serving the community and the site’s history, current identity, and future aspirations. You Are Here, currently on view as part of the Waterlines: Stories of Ebb and Flow exhibit explores interactions between land and water, substance and light, and physical object and digital image. A six-minute multimedia odyssey transforms your sense of place with a sequence of fourteen varied waterscapes projected across the topography of the Somerville area. Follow A+J Art+Design: @anj_artndesign,@sosswimmers.

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Calling all artists! USQ is asking for your help in building on USQ’s desire to celebrate and expand the role of public art in the Union Square Neighborhood. They have planned a 450-square-foot public-facing mural opportunity and are looking for your expertise and vision to bring it to life. All the details are available here: https://bit.ly/usqmural.

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The Somerville Public Library in partnership with the St. Mark Community Education Program is offering a free, 10-week b. The class will prepare students for the citizenship interview including the 100 civics questions, the reading and writing sections, and interview questions based on the N-400 application. The class will be held in-person at the Central Library (79 Highland Avenue) on 10 Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. from March 4 to May 6. Requirements: Basic level of English and 5 years as a U.S. permanent resident (green card holder) or 3 years, if married to a U.S. citizen. Visit https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/ell-citizenship to register.

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Get your flu shot and updated COVID-19 booster at a City of Somerville clinic this winter. Visit www.somervillema.gov/vaccineclinics. The flu vaccine and the updated COVID-19 booster dose are provided at no cost, regardless of health insurance or immigration status. Advance registration is required.

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The Fuel Assistance Program, also known as the Home Energy Assistance Program, helps low-income households pay their winter heating bills between November 1 and April 30. Renters and homeowners in Somerville are eligible to apply if they meet federal income guidelines. Learn more and apply online at somervillema.gov/fuelassistance.

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The 13th Annual Somerville Winter Farmers Market (SWFM) is held every Saturday through April 8. The Center for Arts at the Armory is located at 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143. To learn more and for a complete listing of vendors, weekly specials, and live entertainment, please visit www.somwintermarket.org. You can find the market on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SomervilleWinterFarmersMarket, and on Instagram @SomWinterMarket.

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The search is on for crossing guards to help keep students safe on their walks to and from school. Apply: somervillema.gov/apply. More info: careers@somervillema.gov. 617-625-6600 extension 3300.

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East Somerville Main Streets is hosting a meet and greet session for the community to get to know our small business owners and shop their specialties. Saturday, March 4, at 11:00 a.m. at Connexion, 149 Broadway.

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Because this winter begins in an even-numbered year, snow emergency parking will be on the even side of the street all winter, unless posted signage says differently. Check street signs in your neighborhood so you know where you can park ahead of winter weather. You can also learn more about the city’s snow policies at somervillema.gov/snow.

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