On Sunday, June 5, Prospect Hill Academy celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2016 during commencement ceremonies held at MIT’s Kresge Auditorium.

~Photos by Donald Norton and Kevin Dickinson

The Somerville Auxiliary Fire Department kicked off its 75th Anniversary celebration on Saturday with former and active members, as well as with Boston’s Auxiliary Unit 10 rehab and other auxiliaries in the area. A gift of thanks was also presented to former secretary for civil defense and emergency management Josie Carr for all her commitment and work she has done throughout the years for the city.

By Jim Clark

Police responded to a Memorial Rd. residence last week on reports of a stolen bicycle.

Upon arrival, the officers were told by the mother of the victim, a juvenile, that her daughter’s bicycle was stolen by an individual who the woman was familiar with, police said.

By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By any measure, business is booming in Somerville. We have added 247 net new businesses during the past two years. The largest employer in New England, Partners Healthcare, is building central offices in Assembly Square. Our local restaurant and hotel excise taxes are estimated to rise by more than 13% each during the next year. More than half of our new tax levy growth is coming from commercial sources. Yet we are still in the early phases of Somerville’s commercial boom. For instance, we estimate the Green Line extension will spur the creation of 30,000 new jobs along the extension over the next 30 years. This means, Somerville is poised for some very exciting and challenging transformations in our former industrial zones—and we need an updated zoning code to ensure it brings the benefits we’ve planned and hoped for.

~Photos by Bobbie Toner

Mother Provincial Alice Marie paid a special visit recently to the Little Sisters of the Poor Jeanne Jugan Residence in Somerville. She is the new Mother Provincial for what is called the “Brooklyn Province” which includes nine Little Sisters of the Poor Homes in the northeastern part of the country including New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The gun buyback program wraps up in Somerville this coming Saturday at the Department of Public Works.

By Josie Grove

The Somerville Police Department will be buying guns this Saturday, June 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Department of Public Works, 1 Franey Road, Somerville. The gun buyback aims to get unwanted guns out of homes, with the goal of reducing gun-related accidents, suicide, and gun violence, particularly domestic violence, in Somerville.

The FY-17 city budget has come under close scrutiny by the Board of Alderman this past week.

By Jim Clark

The Finance Committee of the Somerville Board of Alderman, Committee of the Whole, is wrapping up more than a week’s worth of intensive discussion and debate over the city’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget.

Tonight Wednesday the 22nd, at the ever-popular Sally O’Brien’s on Somerville Avenue, Union Square, Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters will be having a fundraiser from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. We hear that three special guests will be showing up to wish Bob good luck, of course along with the huge crowd he gets. One is his good friend Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan (don’t forget he’s campaign coordinator here in Somerville for her), the first District Attorney for Middlesex County who grew up here, in Ward 3, and her family is still here. No one packs them in like Bob does. Last time hardly anyone could move around. He’s very popular on his own, doesn’t need anyone especially property owners and developers and whatever to throw him a sellout time. He’s popular because he is truly a constituent alderman and reaches out to all the residents of Ward 3, not just the special interest of a few. He’s got support from all sides, and yes, he’s a great guy.

~Photos by Bobbie Toner

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston hosted the Lincoln Park groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, June 17 Lincoln Park (near the Argenziano School playground). The ceremony marked the official start of the long-awaited renovation of Lincoln Park. New features include a multi-use grass field, a new Argenziano schoolyard, an updated softball diamond, community gardens, an outdoor play area, Parkour and skateboard areas, 150 new trees, outdoor exercise equipment, new lighting, and an off-leash dog area. The project will also include rain gardens that recycle stormwater as well as a 1.26-million gallon underground stormwater management system aimed at curbing flooding in the area.

The cool shade of Powderhouse Park (a.k.a Nathan Tufts Park) served as the perfect venue for Joe’s Jazz and Blues Fest 2016.

By Charles Lane

Residents and visitors to the city gathered for the annual Joe’s Jazz & Blues Fest that took place at Powderhouse Park in Somerville this past Saturday.