Through funding from Somerville’s Community Preservation Act, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) in partnership with the Department of Conservation (DCR) and Groundwork Somerville will create a comprehensive, community-driven redesign for Blessing of the Bay Park on the Mystic River. To kick-off the project, please plan on attending the Mystic River Park and Paddle Event on Saturday, September 23^rd at 10:00 a.m. Participants will learn about and give ideas for the Blessing of the Bay Park redesign and can rent a canoe or kayak for one hour for free, courtesy of Paddle Boston who operates out of the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse. For more information and to register (required) go to www.MysticRiver.org.

~Photos by Bobbie Toner

The 8th Annual Somerville Dog Festival was held at Trum Field on Sunday. The fundraiser to benefit the Somerville Pet Food Bank featured a variety of exciting dog sports, demonstrations, and multiple “try it” rings in which the public can try sports and games with their dogs to provide fun opportunities for dogs and their people, and also help promote responsible dog ownership in our city. The goal was to provide opportunities for families to enjoy healthy activities in the city with their dog and raise funds to support animals in need.

The Somerville Public Library and Somerville Media Center are still seeking people to enroll in their collaborative training program for improving people’s digital & technology skills called, Getting Comfortable in the Digital Age. The next Digital Literacy training is Tuesday,​ September 19 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.​ at SMC, 90 Union Square).

The 6th Annual Ryan Harrington Foundation Corn Toss Tournament takes place on Saturday, September 16, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Trum Field. Registration will begin at 10:00 a.m. and the games will start at 11:30 a.m. The registration fee is $50 per team, 2 players per team. There are men’s and a women’s divisions. Cash prizes go to the winners of each division.

Strike Up the Bands @ SomerStreets will be rocking Somerville this coming Sunday.

Join the City of Somerville on Sunday, September 17, for “Strike Up the Bands,” the September installment of the City’s SomerStreets festival. From 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., between School St. and Lowell St. on Highland Ave., enjoy live entertainment, games and activities, food, beer gardens, crafts, and much more.

Union Square as it was in the days of old.

Join the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission and ArtsUnion on Sunday, September 17, for a free walking tour of historic Union Square. The tour will step off from the Central Branch of the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., at 2 p.m., and conclude at 5 p.m. at Nu Cafe for complimentary refreshments. The tour will be led by Ed Gordon, New England Chapter President of the Victorian Society in America. For more information and to RSVP, contact Brandon Wilson at BWilson@somervillema.gov, or 617-625-6600, x. 2532.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

Riverfest at Assembly Row took place last weekend, featuring a range of free events and activities for all ages, including live, local music; children’s activities, local artisans; and fireworks over the Mystic River at sundown on Saturday.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Assembly Row area in the early hours of last Saturday on reports of a group of males tagging property. Due to being on another call at the time, I responded shortly after.

Upon arrival, a police officer who was already on the scene informed the responding officers that two males involved in the tagging had taken off down the path by the river.

By 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)

Students across Somerville are settling into a new school year. Just a few weeks ago they (nervously, excitedly, or even begrudgingly, I’m sure) returned to the classroom. They may or may not know they returned to a district that has been steadily racking up achievements and accolades in recent years. To name a few, on the 2016 MCAS, Somerville was the state-leading urban district for growth, the Brown School earned the prestigious Commendation School Award for outstanding growth, and Somerville High School remained the only Level 1 urban high school, a distinction they’ve held for the past four years. We should all be proud that our schools are on an upward trend. But we shouldn’t be complacent. These successes didn’t happen overnight.

Mayor Curtatone and Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee, Ken Carlson, presided over the launch of the Vision Zero traffic safety program last week at Aeronaut Brewery. — Photo by Rob Carter

By Rob Carter

Mayor Joe Curtatone celebrated the launch of traffic safety initiative Vision Zero at the Aeronaut Brewery on September 5.

Somerville became one of 27 communities across the country to implement the system with the stated goal of eliminating “all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all,” according to its website.