One thing can be rightfully said about the majority of us who live in this fair city, we love our green spaces and respect the natural beauty of the environment around us. Not just locally either. Most of us are smart enough to realize the importance of protecting the delicate ecological balance on this planet we call home, both globally and right here in our own backyards.

~ Photos by Kevin McDevitt

By Donald Norton

This past weekend, the annual “Touch a Truck for Autism Awareness” event was held in the Peabody REC center. The event is hosted in a different town in Massachusetts each year to bring awareness to Autism.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Boston has announced the search for their 2017-2018 Creative Crew, twelve children aged 5-10 who will have the opportunity to participate in exclusive building sessions with Master Model Builder Megan Amaral, attend special events and be the first to test new rides and games.

*

The first thing I noticed about Somerville, Ma. poet Anna. M. Warrock’s new collection of poetry From the Other Room was the physical book itself. Usually, I merely glance at a book cover, but this was like love at first sight; I stopped to admire its simple beauty. The craftsmanship was at such a level that it reminded of the many finely crafted books put out by Gary Metras’ Adastra Press that – like Slate Roof – is located in Western, Massachusetts. Slate Roof is a small, collaborative press that published art-quality poetry books – the poetry that is between the covers in this case is more than worthy of its design.

*

Somerville poet Anna M. Warrock writes The Times: “The title of my new book, From the Other Room, comes from a dream. That poem relates only part of the dream. Once I began to follow the characters and give them text and a description, the poem took on its own life. The book won the annual Slate Roof Press Chapbook Award (www.SlateRoofPress.com). This is also a dream poem and the first poem in the book. Dreams are very flexible. For me, tuning in to their suggestive nature is a fruitful stimulus for writing.”

*
Author Mimi Graney, while on her book tour in the region, spoke with host Joe Lynch on Greater Somerville this week. All things Fluff and more.

Arrests:
*

Roderick St. Rose, of 24 Albany St., Cambridge, April 17, 11:56 a.m., arrested at Elm St. on charges of larceny over $250 and conspiracy.

Joao Bairos, of 17 Indiana Ave., April 20, 2:40 p.m., arrested at Broadway on charges of operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license and operation of a motor vehicle with a revoked registration.

Please join the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, and Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente, for the fourth in a series of community meetings to discuss upcoming renovations to the Winter Hill School Yard, on Wednesday, April 26, beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Winter Hill Community Innovation School cafeteria, entrance on the Medford St. side. City staff will present the new school yard design and an update on field construction. Information from previous meetings is available at www.somervillema.gov/winterhill.

In honor of Earth Day 2017, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the City’s SustainaVille initiative invite all to the first ever SustainaVille Week celebrating sustainability and the environment. The full seven days of programming ranges from outdoor family fun to informative events. Highlights include the Tiny Great Outdoors Festival, the annual Spring Cleanup and BBQ, environmental story time, a discussion on Somerville’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2050 (and how you can help), and an opportunity to experience what it’s like to take part in climate talks at the United Nations. Events kicked off on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, and run through Friday, April 28. See the full schedule below.

By Lisa Brukilacchio

On Thursday, April 27, The Somerville Community Health Agenda, an innovative partnership between Cambridge Health Alliance, the Somerville Health Department and the community that works collaboratively to improve the health of Somerville, invite residents to an evening focused on the well being of the community at Winter Hill Community Innovation School Cafeteria, 115 Sycamore Street, in Somerville. A light meal will be available starting at 5:45pm. From 6 – 8pm, there will be a brief presentation of data gathered in partnership with the Institute of Community Health. Community members will have opportunities to provide input and insights on issues impacting the health and well being across the life stages and to help prioritize recommendations to improve the health residents in Somerville.