Update: Due to current forecasts for Saturday, May 31, the New England Hong Kong Festival has been rescheduled for Sunday, June 1, from 11a.m. -5 p.m.

Join the second annual New England Hong Kong Festival on Sunday, June 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Seven Hills Park in Somerville to celebrate the vibrant culture, food, and creativity of Hongkongers across the region. The event is free and open to all. 

An original lobby card promoting “Forgotten Faces” (1928).

Released at the height of the Roaring ’20s, it was intended to scandalize audiences who’d seen it all before. It was Forgotten Faces (1928), a late silent-era drama from Paramount Pictures that paved the way for the film noir genre of moviemaking.

At the City Council meeting on May 22, Tom Lamar spoke about his achievements after receiving a citation for his leadership as Chair of the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee.

By Harry Kane

Somerville’s City Councilors and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne commended Tom Lamar with a citation for his six years of service as the Chair of the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee.

Lamar has advanced the city’s goals of improving the safety of all road users, encouraging residents to travel by bike, and helping cyclists to build a culture of “safe streets activism” in the community.

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.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Department of Veterans’ Services invited 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. The parade proceeded 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 took place immediately following the parade at Somerville Veterans Cemetery.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

The annual Remembrance Ceremony was held at the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Somerville following the parade.

In addition to the already existing sharps container, a second public health vending machine has been approved for installation in Somerville by the city’s Finance Committee. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Jeffrey Shwom

City health officials received approval by the City Council’s Finance Committee for three positions that keep youth in safe, productive, and preventative environments, and a second public health vending machine aimed to offer harm reduction items that test for a sedative widely found in street drugs and an overdose reversal medication.

City Councilor Kristen E. Strezo emphasizes the need for a senior advisory group to address the needs of the aging population in Somerville.

By Harry Kane

Senior citizens need all the help they can get, and that’s why some are saying there needs to be a senior advisory subcommittee in the Somerville City Council.

A resolution was put forward by City Councilors requesting the creation of a senior liaison position in the Ballantyne Administration and the addition of a senior advisory group to make recommendations on policies impacting seniors in the city.

(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)

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.

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.