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Newstalk – June 4
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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Office of Health and Human Services are inviting all community members to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month at the annual Pride Flag Raising Ceremony on Thursday, June 5, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the City Hall Concourse (93 Highland Ave.). The event will feature remarks from Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, city LGBTQ+ Services Coordinator Izzy Starr, and youth representatives from Somerville’s LGBTQ+ community. Live ASL interpretation will be available. For more information about LGBTQ+ programming, events, and information, please visit somervillema.gov/lgbtq-services.
June 4
Our View of the Times – June 4
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Another year passes, and we pause at this time to congratulate and honor the hard-working students who achieved their goal of successfully completing their courses of study at their respective high schools and colleges.
It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to follow through to completion in this world, which is filled with so many challenges and distractions. It is no small feat to take one’s education to completion, and these moments represent important milestones along the path to success in life.
Faces on Rt. 2
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Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte
If you Google “Faces” a site for a club in San Diego by that name pops up. If you drive down Route 2 east toward Boston, you will see a ramshackle, beat down, decaying building with a tall sign that says “Faces” on it. Alas, it wasn’t always a deserted eyesore, oh no.
Look Both Ways … and Then Duck: A Visitor’s Brush with Boston-Area Cyclists
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By M. Lee
On a recent visit to Somerville, I nearly got hit by a cyclist. Three times.
I came to town expecting raw oysters and friendly chats, not evasive maneuvers that would make a Cirque du Soleil performer break a sweat.
It started innocently enough: I was strolling down Kirkland Street toward Beacon Street after lunch with a friend in Harvard Square. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and I was enjoying that rare urban sensation of having nowhere I urgently needed to be. That’s when a blur of bike blew through a stop sign. I jumped back. No helmet. No hand signal. No shame.
Newstalk – May 28
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Attend the FY26 Water and Sewer Rates Public Hearing. Attend in-person or virtually to hear proposed Fiscal Year 2026 water and sewer rates on Wednesday, May 28, at 6 p.m. at the Tufts Administration Building (TAB), located at 167 Holland St. Written feedback will be accepted until noon on Wednesday, May 28, and can be emailed to water@somervillema.gov or mailed to: Water and Sewer Department, 17 Franey Road, Somerville, MA 02145. More information about proposed rates and how to participate remotely, including di-al-in information, will be posted to the city website soon: visit www.somervillema.gov/calendar.
May 28
Our View of the Times – May 28
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It began as a way to memorialize the military casualties of the Civil War, and was originally termed Decoration Day. Decorating the graves of the countless multitudes of fallen soldiers helped to console the grieving survivors of the debacle while uniting the once divided nation in a worthwhile common cause.
For many these days, Memorial Day represents the beginning of the summery high season. Kids soon enjoy their vacations from school. Families and individuals go traveling, camping, surfing, and whatever else represents fun in the sun in the months to come.
Fixing a 60’s bully
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Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte
In 1965, I was 12 years old. We were still the new family on my street, having moved there in 1960. My street was full of families with kids. On a typical summer night, there were at least 20 kids playing Buck Buck, Red Rover, or Relieve-E-O in someone’s driveway or right in the middle of the street. I was never taller than about 5 feet 7, so I learned early to befriend bigger and tougher friends.
Letter to the Editor – May 28
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Dear Editor,
On behalf of Sublime Systems, I am writing to express our strong support for Somernova’s campus expansion and the recently proposed Arts & Innovation SubArea Zoning. As a company at the forefront of innovative manufacturing technology, we have seen firsthand the critical role Somernova plays in fostering innovation, supporting startups, and enabling transformative solutions that address some of the world’s greatest challenges.
Newstalk – May 21
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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Department of Veterans’ Services invite all community members to join in honoring local veterans and our nation’s fallen heroes at the city’s Memorial Day Parade and Remembrance Ceremony on Sunday, May 25, rain or shine. Parade kicks off at 11 a.m. The parade will proceed west from Davis Square on Holland Street through Teele Square and onto Broadway, ending at the Veterans Cemetery between Alewife Brook Parkway and North Street. The Remembrance Ceremony takes place immediately following the parade at Somerville Veterans Cemetery (between Alewife Brook Parkway and North Street).
May 21
Our View of the Times – May 21
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It seems as though we cannot get enough of the farmers market scene in Somerville. They have become time-honored traditions and perennial mainstays of alternative commerce in the city.
There is something special about shopping for fresh produce, discovering unique arts and crafts vendors, and enjoying live entertainment in the open air. We feel a sense of camaraderie, too, as we gather to take in the sights, sounds, flavors and aromas that permeate each market site.
Memorial Day
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Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte
Every Memorial Day is special. While we are enjoying parades (the largest one ever!) and cookouts and family gatherings this coming weekend, we will also remember all of the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
LTE Students Facing Homelessness and Now Fire at Winter Hill
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Dear Editor,
One of the most acute stresses of human rights in our city – students facing homelessness–is seen as students cope with the enormous forces driving our housing crisis. Let me report startling numbers shared from the School Committee. Earlier this winter I learned that the school year in our district opened with 111 students facing housing instability. 79 K-8 students became 61 after the Holiday break as 18 moved to shelter or out of state. And among the remaining 49 students in grades 9-12, 19 are unaccompanied minors. Deserved thanks for compliance with the McKinney-Vento Act goes to Regina Bertholdo and Jennifer Ochoa who work directly with our homeless families.
Newstalk – May 7
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Healing Together: Supporting Mental Health at Home, Wednesday, May 7. Join the Somerville Commission for Persons with Disabilities and the Department of Racial and Social Justice for a workshop to learn about mental health language. Featuring guest speaker Christopher Willard, Harvard Medical School faculty, author, and psychologist. This virtual event will be held on Wednesday, May 7, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. online via Zoom. Learn more and register. RSVP: bit.ly/HT_25.
May 7
Our View of the Times – May 7
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Even in troubled times, even the worst of times, there is one particular beacon of goodness and light that pierces through the gloom to warm our hearts and lift our spirits – Mother’s Day.
While life as we know it has been far from normal in recent years, mainly due to political divisions and the like, this is one occasion that can restore a bit of normalcy and order for us as we pause to honor the beloved matriarchs of our families.
Brushes with Greatness
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Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte
We’ve all had a few brushes with greatness. One of mine went a little awry.
I did a character named Blanche on the radio back in the 90s. Soon, I was dressing up like this colorful bingo-loving Kresge’s Basement shopper and doing appearances. We were doing a live broadcast in Downtown Boston, and none other than Captain Kangaroo was to be our guest. Instead of trying to find someplace to put on my costume, I arrived at the broadcast location fully dressed (wig, lipstick, housedress, and pumps). Hey, a gig is a gig. I was standing around waiting for the rest of the crew to show up, and lo and behold, there was the recently widowed Captain Kangaroo in the flesh.
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