Somerville youth ages 16 and older are eligible to apply for summer employment within City departments and with local business partners. Applications due April 21.

Attention Somerville Youth! The Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program is now accepting applications for summer 2017, and more than 100 Somerville teens will be selected to participate in the annual job program which pairs young job seekers with opportunities within City departments as well as with private business partners in Somerville. Applications are available through Friday, April 21, at 12:30 p.m., and can be picked up at the Personnel Department in City Hall, 93 Highland Ave. Due to high demand, late applications will not be accepted. Eligible students must be Somerville residents, enrolled in high school, and at least 16 years of age. For the first time, this year limited opportunities are available for youth that are at least 15 years of age as part of a pilot program. 

Former Ward 4 Alderman

Walter Pero,  69, Of Somerville and Harwichport, suddenly on April 6, 2017.

Beloved husband of 47 yrs. to Florence E. (Sgroi).

Loving son of Teresa M. Pero of Somerville and the late Walter F. Pero. Devoted father of Sarah M. Petitto and her Husband Jim of North Reading, Emily K. Perrone and her husband Michael of Somerville.

High-Stakes Testing Time in Somerville Public Schools
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(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)

It’s high-stakes testing season again. On April 25, 2016, the Somerville School Committee unanimously passed a resolution opposing high-stakes testing. Yet, Somerville students are still being tested. Many students will spend at least five (5) days in testing: two (2) days proving their math abilities and three (3) days being tested on their English Language Arts capabilities (reading, writing, and analysis of fiction and non-fiction).

~Photos by Bobbie Toner

A fundraiser for Skills USA was held in the Somerville High School Highlander Café on Wednesday, March 29. The Culinary Department made a chicken parm dinner with salad and dessert. All the vocational departments donated their services for the raffles. All members of the Skills USA program helped by setting up, serving food and selling tickets. Skills USA program is lead by SHS carpentry teacher, Mario Sousa.

The Somerville Council on Aging was honored to host The Johnny Come Latelies, an all acoustic Irish Band on March 30 at the Holland Street Senior Center.

Part 2:  How will we live?

By William C. Shelton

(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)

History doesn’t move at an even pace. Consider England in the 7^th Century, for example. Then revisit it 700 years later. The names of the leaders and political divisions will have changed, but people are pretty much living the same way, wearing the same clothes, and doing the same work.

By Rebecca Danvers

On Saturday, April 8, more than 300 youth and adults are expected at the 11th Annual Somerville Youth Peace Conference at the East Somerville Community School, 50 Cross St. Somerville, from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m.

~ Photo by Timrice/Photo

By Daniel Sullivan

I was no fool walking into Thunder Road Saturday night, April 1. Thunder Road is a Rock and Roll club on Somerville Avenue near Union Square. With its stage and acoustics, this is as good a venue as the old and revered Johnny D’s.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

The month of March officially marks 175 years since Somerville separated from Charlestown (in 1842),and on Wednesday, March 29 the city threw a birthday party that was “very Somerville.”

By Jim Clark

Police responded to a Pearl St. residence last Thursday on reports of a larceny from a building. Somerville Police control advised the responding units that the suspect was a male in his twenties, small in size, wearing a blue hoodie with a black jacket over it, blue jeans and sneakers. The suspect was pushing a wheelbarrow, walking away from the victim’s house towards Pinckney Street then turned left onto Pinckney Place.