This temporary detour (approximately 1 week, weather permitting) will enable the repair of damaged concrete on the community path between Lowell Street and Junction Park as part of Ballantyne Administration’s commitment to maintaining community walkability

Mayor Ballantyne and the City of Somerville’s Engineering Division would like to share an important announcement about an upcoming detour on the Somerville Community Path so residents can plan their travel accordingly. 

 

Join the Somerville Museum  this Saturday for the Blessing of the Bay: Three Voices, One Shore, The Untold Stories of Ten Hills, where talented artist and storyteller Aimee Ledwell will lead a fantastic community art project inspired by the Mystic River.

Experience a unique celebration that intertwines the rich histories of three distinct cultures. The Blessing of the Bay honors the legacy of the innovative Blessing of the Bay ship and Massachusetts’s first Governor, John Winthrop, while acknowledging the complex narratives of Indigenous peoples and Black Africans impacted by historical events.

The City of Somerville is seeking one volunteer member to join the Somerville Community Preservation Committee (CPC). This vacancy is for someone passionate about affordable housing, history, open space, and accessibility with an interest in helping guide community investment. 

The seventh meeting of the Somerville School Advisory Group, which discussed the future of the Winter Hill Community Innovation School and The Brown School and possible new construction, met at SHS on 7.14.25.

Photos by Claudia Ferro

Seniors enjoyed The Council on Aging’s Country Line Dancing this past Thursday, July 17. Many dusted off their dancing shoes for a fun morning of dancing, followed by lunch of BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, and cornbread.

(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)

Michael T. ironically editorializes, “… we don’t need the … ADL [Anti-Defamation League]. to tell us what antisemitism is…,” in criticizing the National Education Association (“NEA”) for rejecting the ADL’s definition of antisemitism.  If we don’t need it, why is it antisemitic to decline to adopt it?

The City of Somerville is pleased to announce that the Community Choice Electricity (CCE) program continues to offer competitive and stable rates for residents and businesses. As of August 1, 2025, Eversource’s basic residential electricity rate will increase to 14.884 cents per kilowatt-hour (¢/kWh), slightly higher than the City’s default CCE Local Green rate of 14.840 ¢/kWh.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

I grew up in Somerville with second-generation Italian parents. My friends were of many different ethnicities, and most of our grandparents were, as they said, “Off the boat,” a term I never liked.

We were pretty close to our grandparents, both location-wise and emotionally. My mother could speak Italian, but my dad was fluent. Dad was the first one in the family to be born in America, shortly after the family arrived. I heard a lot of strange stories about customs, traditions, and superstitions.