Municipal Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. Make your voice heard. Early Voting will take place at Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Ave., on the following dates and times: Wednesday, October 29, 8:30 a.m. –4:30 p.m. and Thursday, October 30, 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. For more information about voting in Somerville, go to www.somervillema.gov/elections.

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In order to be fair to all candidates and those concerned with any ballot measures, The Somerville Times will not publish op-eds or letters to the Editor related to the election this week, the final edition before Tuesday’s election. There was ample time to do so in the previous weeks. The week before gives an unfair advantage. The opportunity to offer comments on our website is still available. We thank you for your understanding.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a great guy and local realtor, Clifton Verdieu. We wish him a great birthday. Happy birthday to Amanda Fee. We wish her the very best on her birthday. A special happy birthday to Diane Suffredini, who is celebrating this week. We wish her the best and hope she has a great year. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Erin DiBenedetto, Gene Beraldi, Candy Feldt, Diane Sylvester Ames, and Katie Marsh, 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 city will be hosting meetings for business operators interested in opening a cannabis social consumption establishment in Somerville, and in-person and virtual meetings for the public to learn more and offer feedback about cannabis social consumption license types. Cannabis Social Consumption Meeting for Somerville Residents and the Public (In-Person), Wednesday, October 29, 6 – 7:30 p.m., West Somerville Neighborhood School, 177 Powder House Blvd. For more information, including the full list of meetings, visit: www.somervillema.gov/socialconsumption.

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The Council on Aging’s Halloween Celebration will take place on Thursday, October 30, 167 Holland St., at 10 a.m. Enjoy music, a costume contest, and trick or treating with the COA staff. Lunch to be served at noon, following trick or treat. RSVP to Debby by calling 617-625-6600 ext. 2321.

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SOIA October Community Get Together Event, Thursday, October 30, 5 – 7 p.m., 42 Cross St., Somerville. Enjoy an afternoon of fall flavors, connection, and fun. Dress up in your best Halloween costume, enjoy pumpkin spice coffee, chai, and apple cider, as well as family-friendly activities, like coloring pumpkins. This is a great chance to meet neighbors, explore new flavors, and learn about upcoming city programming and events. All ages are welcome.

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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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Stop by the Mystic Activity Center, 530 Mystic Ave., on Saturday, November 1, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. for a free clothing shopping experience. There will be winter clothing of all sizes, and everything will be free of charge.

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The federal shutdown means millions may soon lose access to SNAP food assistance, and the Somerville Homeless Coalition is already preparing for the impact. They are looking for help for their clients fed by cooking a meal or donating a donor dash or restaurant gift card through their Meal Train link – https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/vgelkg.

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Do you have a future prekindergarten or kindergarten child? Join an in-person or online Enrollment Information Session. Sessions are being held on November 12 and 13. Find more information go to: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/tours.

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Artwork: Creating a visual brand to suit your music. Musicians, learn how artwork enhances and amplifies your music through logos, gig flyers, merch, websites, and more. Get some fresh ideas, tools, tips, and tricks to discover what works for you. November 15, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave. Free, open to the public. RSVP: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/events/artwork-creating-a-visual-brand-to-suit-your-music/.

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Letters Rewoven, a new community art installation by local artist Anna Fubini, will be on view at Lou Ann David Park, 1060 Broadway, through Spring 2026. Join in for a small inauguration reception on Saturday, November 8, from 12 to 1 p.m. to meet the artist and celebrate the unveiling of this work. Visitors can learn more about Letters Rewoven and explore ways to contribute their own writing at annafubini.com.Visit: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/events/letters-rewoven.

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Hazardous Waste Drop-Off: Final event of the year will take place Saturday, November 2, at the DPW Yard (1 Franey Rd.) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Proof of residency is required. Learn more at somervillema.gov/hazwaste. Yard Waste Pickup: Collection wraps up the week of December 8. Yard waste should be put out with your trash and recycling on your normal pickup day. Yard waste should be stored in either a paper bag or a trash barrel with a “Yard Waste Only” sticker. Tree branches should be tied into 3ft x 3ft bundles. Learn more at www.somervillema.gov/yardwaste.

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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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Sign up for Somerville Police’s R.A.D Self Defense Classes. Empower yourself and build community. The Somerville Police Department (SPD) is hosting a free, six-week R.A.D. self-defense class for women. This program is designed to empower through awareness, prevention, and hands-on self-defense techniques. The program consists of six classes to be held on Thursdays starting November 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. To learn more and sign up, please email rad@police.somerville.ma.us.

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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. To be fair to all candidates, letters and op-eds will not be published in print the week before the election.

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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., Friday, October 31, at 8 p.m. More info and tickets available at: 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 somervillemobilefarmersmarket.org.

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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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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.