Grab your spouse, partner, roommate, bestie, sibling, or anyone you love and join in for a very special event. The Somerville Museum is open for special hours this Valentine’s Day, 6:00 p.m. –9:00 p.m., 1 Westwood Rd. Visit the current exhibition, Museo Inmigrante, and enjoy a photoshoot with award-winning photographer, Iaritza Menjivar. They’ll provide the props, background, and expertise. This Valentine’s Day do something a little different, support your local museum, and share the love with professional photos. For more information visit: www.somervillemuseum.org.

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Join Somerville’s Anti-Displacement Task Force on Thursday, February 15, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for a virtual night of Uplifting Youth Experiences. This is a special set of presentations from the Somerville Department of Racial and Social Justice’s Youth League and students from the Harvard Kennedy School, John F. Kennedy School of Government, who will present research and perspectives on displacement and gentrification. Learn more and join the meeting at: voice.somervillema.gov/adtf.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: Happy birthday to Donna Alibrandi, who is celebrating this week. We hope she has a great day. Also celebrating this week is Denise Racicot-Kallis. We wish her the very best of birthdays. Happy birthday to Celia Taylor, we hope she has a great day. Happy birthday to local realtor Sammy Alves, who is celebrating this week. We wish her a nice day. Happy birthday to a real good guy, Elio LoRusso, who is celebrating this week as well. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Diane Hill Melanson, Valerie Fitzpatrick, Dave Ortega, Albert Piacentini, Jeannie Malone DeMase, Joelle Hochman, Dee Manuel-raposo, Barbara L. Amaral, and AnneMarie Gates 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 Homeless Coalition’s Amazon Wish Lists are updated monthly with the most requested items from their food pantry to meet the needs of their clients experiencing food insecurity. If you would like to learn more and donate through our wish lists, please see the link here: https://bit.ly/SHCLinks.

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The Presidential Primary Election is on Tuesday, March 5. Take steps to make sure you’re prepared: Register to vote by February 24. Submit your “Vote by Mail” application by February 27 at 5:00 p.m., Vote early at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.) February 24 – March 1. Learn more at somervillema.gov/elections.

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Artists and members of the community are needed to help shape the vision of the Somerville Armory for years to come. Join the next meeting in-person, online, or asynchronously via our online forum. Think about what the Somerville Armory could look like in 100 years. If you could be around, what would you want it to look like, feel like? Share your thoughts, February 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Connexion (149 Broadway) – hybrid is available. Visit Somervoice to register: https://voice.somervillema.gov/armory-master-plan.

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Join Mayor Ballantyne in celebration of our Local Cultural Council grant season and awards. Meet and network with the 2024 LCC grant awardees, LCC review panelists, and Arts Council staff and board. Wednesday, February 21, 6:30pm. Join in to celebrate these awardees and this community process at Warehouse XI, 11 Sanborn Court, Union Square. https://fb.me/e/8c7woC2eY.

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The Somerville community joined a community meeting on Monday, January 29, to learn more about the updated commercial area plan for Davis Square. The presentation reviewed changes to the previous draft of the plan released in 2020 and offered the opportunity for feedback from attendees. To learn more and watch the meeting go to https://www.youtube.com/user/SomervilleCityTV.

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The Central Library children’s room hosts board games for kids. Wednesday, February 28, at 12:30 p.m. Stop by, have fun with checkers, chess, Mancala, Scrabble, and other board games on half-day Wednesdays. (This is not an instructional session.) This program is for children. No registration required.

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Do you love the Great American Songbook repertoire: Gershwin, Berlin, Ellington, Arlen, Porter? Do you want to sing challenging music with a fun group of experienced singers? The Halalisa Singers welcome enthusiastic, experienced singers in all voice parts (especially basses) for their spring concert I’ve Got The World on a String: Great American Songbook and Beyond at the First Parish in Arlington on Saturday, April 27. Open rehearsal auditions: Monday, February 19, 7:30 p.m. Rehearsals at Hancock Church, 1912 Mass. Ave., Lexington, MA. Go to: https://www.halalisa.org/audition to reserve your spot. For more information info@halalisa.org.

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During the month of February, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) will be conducting water valve maintenance exercises in Somerville. This work may cause discolored water but is not expected to create any pressure losses. Residents and businesses that experience discolored water are asked to run their faucets until the water runs clear, which can take up to ten minutes.

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Groundwork Somerville is hiring. Seeking diverse candidates who are passionate about urban agriculture and addressing food access and insecurity issues in Somerville. Are you an experienced urban agriculture advocate who is interested in growing culturally relevant crops and sharing the abundance with the community. Find the full job description on their website www.groundworksomerville.org.

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Applications are now available for an income-restricted homeownership opportunity through the city’s Inclusionary Housing Program at 7-11 Aldersey St. near Union Square. The unit is a three-bedroom condominium available for purchase to households making at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Applications must be submitted by Friday, March 1, at noon. Learn more and apply at somervillema.gov/inclusionary.

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On the second Wednesday of each month, The Dojo at Somernova (15 Properzi Way, Somerville) hosts an Open-Mic Teen Night. The next open-mic is coming up on Wednesday, February 14, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and will feature fun games, food, and great music all night long. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., the Somerville Bike Kitchen, a volunteer-run bicycle repair cooperative, hosts open-shop nights. Come maintain your bike or learn more about cycling! Each month, The Dojo hosts Gaming is Not a Crime by YouthStream. Come build community through playing your favorite games. The event features cash prizes and pizza. The next event will be hosted on Wednesday, February 28, at 6:00 p.m. For more information visit https://somernova.com/dojo/.

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The City of Somerville is hiring polling place workers for the upcoming 2024 Presidential Primary Election. Poll workers must be available on Election Day: Tuesday, March 5. The workday starts at 6:30 a.m. and ends after the polls close at 8:00 p.m., with a two-hour break. Poll workers earn $200 for the day. Interested? To learn more, please call the Elections Office at 617-625-6600 ext. 4200.

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The Somerville Community Growing Center’s annual Seed Sale Fundraiser is in full swing. Once again, High Mowing Organic Seeds of Vermont is supporting this sale by donating a portion of the profits to the Growing Center. Just go to bit.ly/fcgcstore to place your order. Seeds will arrive for pick-up in early March. With this program, you get great seed-to-grow veggies, herbs and flowers. Orders close February 15.

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The City of Somerville’s Health and Human Services Office, and Housing Families Inc., opened an overnight warming center for the remainder of the winter 2024 season. The warming center will operate seven nights a week from 6:45 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., on the second floor of the Armory (191 Highland Ave). Guests will have access to free hot and cold meals, water, bathrooms, yoga mats, and space to sleep. Learn more at somervillema.gov/warmingcenter.

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Somerville Public Schools is looking for substitute teachers. Join an amazing team of educators, earn $150/day, and play an important role in our schools. Learn more about job requirements and apply here: https://somerville.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=1146.

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Call to artists: East Somerville Main Streets is gearing up for Carnaval 2024 and they are looking for your talent to create the perfect poster that captures the essence of the festivities. Fill out the Google form to participate: https://forms.gle/unApjMVwYagLHbRn6

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Parents of children ages 3 to 8 are invited to enroll in the virtual Power of Parenting [TM] free workshops. This popular program starts on March 5 for Spanish-speakers and March 6 for English-speakers. The program runs for 12 weeks. Register at the link: http://tinyurl.com/SomervillePOP2024 Space is limited, so sign up now.

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The Center for the Arts at the Armory offers a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally grown and regionally produced foods, including fresh produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, tamales, pastries, chocolate, skincare products, and more. The market accepts SNAP/EBT and HIP benefits. They also offer a $15 SNAP match to customers each week. Visit the Somerville Winter Farmers Market on Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., 191 Highland Ave. Through April 6. For a list of weekly events visit www.somwintermarket.org.

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