The City of Somerville opened an overnight Winter Warming Center during the coldest months of the year to provide a safe, warm place to sleep for our residents experiencing homelessness. Open 5 p.m. – 7:30 a.m. daily through April 12. For questions about the Warming Center, call 311. If you need assistance getting to the Warming Center or after-hours assistance, please call (339) 242-4744. Email warmingcenter@somervillema.gov. The Cummings Building, 42 Prescott St.

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Somerville High School (SHS) and Somerville Public Schools invite all interested community members to visit during one of three Open House events on February 11 and February 12. Staff will provide an overview presentation on the state-of-the-art facility before students lead community members on a walking tour of the building. Tours will be held on Wednesday, February 11, from 8:15 to 10:00 a.m., and on Thursday, February 12, during two sessions: 8:15 – 10:00 a.m. and 12:45 – 2:15 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, tours will be rescheduled for February 24, with times to be determined. For more complete information and office hours, please visit www.somerville.k12.ma.us/enrollment.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: We want to wish Louise Mosca, a lifelong Somerville resident and former teacher’s aide at Southern Jr. High and Somerville High School, a wonderful birthday. She will be turning 97 on February 1. We wish her a special day and many more to come. Happy birthday to Denise Cosby, a local real estate agent. Denise published her book, Murder at Harvard’s Kirkland House – A Mother’s Worst Nightmare, which tells the real story of the murder of her son Justin. Happy birthday to our good friend and a great guy, former Alderman Bob McWatters. We wish him the very best and hope he enjoys his day. Happy birthday to John Arvantis, who is celebrating this week. Happy birthday to Jason Ribeiro. We hope he has a great day this week. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Cathy Palumbo Demasi, Edward Hardy, Michael Kennelly, Maria Nella Nunes-Rollins, Edward W Hardy, Geraldine Nevaras, Paula Monaco-DiNitto, Simon Shapiro, 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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Wilbert Pineda, a longtime Somerville resident, community advocate, and former candidate for Somerville Ward 7 City Council, is exploring a run for State Representative in the 34th Middlesex District. Pineda is considering a campaign focused on addressing the rising cost of living, protecting civil rights, and providing accountable, transparent leadership for students, renters, small businesses, and working families in Somerville and Medford.

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Local Somerville non-profit arts organization Around Hear is holding, in partnership with the Somerville Housing Authority, a free concert on Saturday, February 7, 2 – 4 p.m., Mystic Activity Center, 530 Mystic Ave. Get in the mood for Valentine’s Day with a program of heart-on-sleeve music for violin and piano, performed by Around Hear co-directors Marji Gere and Dan Sedgwick. For those of you who listen best with your hands, this concert will feature a special Valentine’s active listening activity. Choose cards from their Valentine card station and write messages to your special someone(s) while you listen. There will be a dessert potluck following the concert. Bring a sweet to share or just come and taste the sweet offerings.

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and spring isn’t far behind. Get ready with items from Kitty Connection’s Online Auction, Friday, January 30, through Sunday, February 1. Kitty Connection is a non-profit dedicated to finding loving homes for local pets, and the “Love, Hugs, and Bunnies” auction will raise funds to support the care of homeless cats and dogs awaiting their forever families, including the cost of pre-adoption veterinary procedures. Visit https://www.myminiauction.com/kittyconnection for more information.

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Valentine’s Day Mixer by the Somerville Museum on Friday, February 13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., 1 Westwood Road. Bring a special someone, a friend, or treat yourself to a special pre-Valentine evening at the Museum with live Latin music from CuraSón, promoting love and connection by playing original music that comes from the heart. Enjoy mocktails, a chocolate tasting, sweet and savory snacks, and a free digital portrait while exploring our galleries featuring their current exhibit: Crafting the Mind. Sip and chat, dance and laugh, or sit and craft at the weaving table while meeting new people. For more information, visit: https://www.somervillemuseum.org/.

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Join the Somerville Homeless Coalition for a night of local love at The Crystal Ballroom featuring some of Somerville’s best. Their 2026 Spring into Action celebration on March 26 brings together local flavors and fantastic live music from West of Willow and The Loomers. Be part of it and celebrate their community with them. Save the date; tickets drop in February. For support or additional information, please contact mconlan@shcinc.org.

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The Winter Hill Community Innovation School PTA is hosting a Cutest Critter Contest, a fun fundraising event for their school. Submit your pet’s photo with a $20 donation and give them a shot at awesome prizes: 1st place: A free exam by a local veterinarian, as well as six months’ worth of preventative, 2nd place: A pet gift basket tailored to your pet – worth over $50, 3rd place: A gift card to Scritches and Boops Pet Boutique Shop. Not entering a pet? No problem, you can vote for your favorite furry pals for just $1.50 per vote. Voting ends on PuppyBowl Sunday, February 8. For more info or to donate, visit: https://givebutter.com/CfLdZn.

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The City of Somerville is seeking one new resident to join the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust (SAHT) in a volunteer role. The current vacancy is for a City Resident representative. Applicants must be Somerville residents who are income-eligible for state and/or federal housing programs. If you’re passionate about advancing affordable housing in our community, this is a great opportunity to make an impact. Applications are due by Friday, February 6. Please submit a resume, cover letter, and any relevant supplemental materials. Email: housingtrust@somervillema.gov or mail Sheniqua Roper, City of Somerville, OSPCD Housing Division, 50 Evergreen Ave., Somerville, MA 02145. For questions or more information, contact Housing Trust at housingtrust@somervillema.gov or call 617-591- 3200 ext. 2587.

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Registration for Somerville Open Studios 2026 is open through February 15. If you want to apply for financial aid, the deadline is Sunday, January 18. The event is Saturday and Sunday, May 2 – 3. Visit their website for registration details https://www.somervilleopenstudios.org/web/join.

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Low-income households may be eligible to receive help with winter heating costs through the Home Energy Assistance Program. This program serves residents of Somerville and Cambridge. Participants receive assistance with their heating costs between November 1 and April 30. Learn more about the program, check if you qualify, and apply for assistance today at somervillema.gov/heatingassistance.

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Take steps to protect yourself and loved ones against COVID-19, the flu, and other illnesses this winter. Somerville’s Health and Human Services Department is hosting free vaccine clinics at locations across the city. Upcoming clinic: Tuesday, February 3, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., City Hall Annex, 50 Evergreen Ave. For more information, visit: https://www.somervillema.gov/vaccinations.

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Do you love to sing? You are invited to join the Community Gospel Choir and sing in their free Gospel Music Concert, which will be held on Sunday, February 22, 3 – 5 p.m., at the Somerville Community Baptist Church in Davis Square (the concert is in honor of Black History Month). Singers of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to join the Choir. The only requirements are that you love to sing and you want to sing Gospel music. All songs will be taught. Rehearsals led by Choir director Stacie Clayton will be held on Sundays, February 1, February 8, and February 15, from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary at the Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Avenue, two blocks from Davis Square. For more information, see www.ILoveSCBC.org.

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Apply today for Creative Space at Somerville’s Armory. All creative disciplines are encouraged to apply for open spaces now through March 11. The city is now accepting Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from arts and creative enterprises interested in leasing space at the city-owned Armory at 191 Highland Ave. Full details on eligibility, available spaces, lease terms, evaluation criteria, and how to submit a proposal are available on the Armory Master Plan SomerVoice page, which will serve as the primary hub for this process: www.voice.somervillema.gov/armory-master-plan.

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Some reminders for the 2025/2026 snow season: Snow emergency parking is on the odd side of the street all winter, unless posted signage says differently. Sign up for alerts or update your information at somervillema.gov/alerts. You can call 311 (617-666-3311) if you need assistance. Flashing blue lights at major intersections indicate a snow emergency. Snow emergencies are announced on the city’s website, social media feeds, City TV, and via information shared with local media. Property owners are responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks within six daylight hours of the end of snowfall. For more information on the city’s snow policies, visit somervillema.gov/snow.

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The Connexion closet is accepting clothing donations, all seasons, all genders, and all sizes. The most wanted items are pants and jackets. You can drop off donations at Connexion, 149 Broadway. Please make sure you leave donations inside the building with a label that says, “For Connexion closet.” Need clothes? The Connexion closet opens Mondays and Fridays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays 4 to 6 p.m. Want to donate and can’t drop it off? Email closet@connexionumc.org to coordinate a pickup. Questions email: closet@connexionumc.org.

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Somerville’s Teen Shoveling Program is back for the 2025/26 season, providing a paid opportunity for youth to assist local seniors and homeowners with disabilities in clearing snow after a storm. The program is available for teens aged 14 to 19 years old. All interested youths must submit an application. Youths aged 18 or 19 must also submit a CORI form. For questions and to learn more, visit somervillema.gov/shoveling, contact Daniel Harris at dharris@somervillema.gov or 617-625-6600 ext. 2406, or 311 by phone (617-666-3311), email, text, mobile app, chat, social media, web, and more at somervillema.gov/311.

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For anyone in need of food resources, go to the Somerville Food Coalition’s website: www.https://bit.ly/4ocJ6NB. Free local pantries, community meals, community fridges, and more. Find more information at https://www.somervillema.gov/snap. Here are some locations where you can find free food at Somerville’s Community Fridges can be found at 35 Prospect St., Elizabeth Peabody House, 275-277 Broadway, St. Clements, across from 29 St. Clements Road. Donations are welcome at these locations.

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The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., will host and manage the 16th Annual Somerville Winter Farmers Market (SWFM) every Saturday through April 11, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This weekly market offers the best locally grown and regionally produced agricultural items, including vegetable produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, pastries, and sweets. In addition to cash, credit, and debit, SNAP / EBT is also accepted at the market. CAA raises funds to be able to provide a $15 match so that SNAP / EBT for every SNAP/EBT customer who spends at least $15 of their SNAP/EBT dollars at the market. The market is also participating in the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which allows qualifying customers to receive between $40 – $80 worth of free farm-fresh fruits and vegetables from participating HIP vendors. To learn more and for a complete listing of vendors, weekly specials, and live entertainment, please visit www.somwintermarket.org.

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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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Through the generosity of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), 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 the medical equipment needed. 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.