~Photos by Donald Norton and Kevin Dickinson

Saturday, May 14, marked the Somerville Union Square Farmers Market’s opening day and to coincide with the start of the season, neighborhood eateries and businesses offered specialty items and goods where a percentage of sales were donated to the Union Square Farmer’s Market SNAP Match program.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

A Nutrition Fair was held Thursday, May 12 at the Council On Aging’s Holland Street Center from. Health screenings, food demonstrations, healthy eating tips and more was offered. A healthy lunch was offered after the fair.

By Mayor 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)

The Green Line Extension (GLX) is alive because you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Your overwhelming support for the project—for years—made all the difference last week. On May 9, your collective voices helped convince the MassDOT Board of Directors and the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board to pull it out of the fire. The boards voted unanimously to build the GLX. The stations may be leaner, and the Community Path shorter than we’d hoped. But every stop on the project through College Ave. is a go. Let me say that again: the GLX is a go.

The Veterans’ Commission on Monuments, Memorials and Dedications, in cooperation with Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Department of Veterans Services, announce Somerville’s 2^nd annual “Heroes Salute” Ceremony, inducting nine Somerville veterans to the city’s ”Heroes Square” program. The Ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 21, at 11 a.m., at the Somerville High School Auditorium, in conjunction with national Armed Forces Day.

~Photos by Donald Norton

On Saturday, May 14 the City of Somerville held a yard sale of sorts at the former Powderhouse Community School featuring over 100 abandoned bikes. A lot of the bikes were not in great shape, but could be good bargains for anyone skilled in bike repair.

~Photos by Kevin Dickinson

The Tiny Tall Ships Festival sailed into Somerville’s Union Square on Saturday. The festival celebrated everything tiny and nautical for people of all ages. Small ships, sea monsters and other floating sculptures bobbed in kiddie pools spread across Union Square.

PorchFest 2016 is coming to a stoop or balcony near you this coming weekend.

By Kelly Anderson 

If you are looking for free live music this weekend, you may not have to look further than your neighbor’s front porch.

Somerville’s annual PorchFest is returning on Saturday, May 21. Musicians and bands will perform all afternoon on porches, stoops and in yards for passersby to stop and enjoy. The porch is a classic American venue for neighbors to strum a guitar, and PorchFest aims to multiply that experience by the dozen.

(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)

Are more charter schools headed for Somerville?

A proposal to change the state rules on where new charter schools can set up shop is attracting concern in Somerville because the city would have to pay for them.

John Fallon, father of Somerville Police Chief David Fallon passes

John J. Fallon , of Somerville, formerly of North Cambridge. Passed away peacefully on May 16, 2016, at home surrounded by his loving family. Beloved husband of 53 years to Mary E. Fallon (Ames). Loving father of John Kieran Fallon of Yarmouth, Karen C. Fallon-Boskovic of Winchester, David R. Fallon of West Medford, Patrick Fallon of Centerville, and Laura Fallon-Buonopane of Andover. Cherished grandfather of Kiera Rose, Jack, Fallon, Riley, Lucy, Mary, Luka, Avery, and Mae. Dear brother of Kieran, Margaret, Eleanor, and the late Richard, Joe, Jimmy, and Brian. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

The Board of Alderman received the report of the Land Use Committee’s discussions and findings regarding the new zoning overhaul for the City of Somerville.

By Jim Clark

The Land Use Committee made its presentation to the Somerville Board of Aldermen at their regular meeting last Thursday, reporting on its discussions concerning the impact of the new zoning overhaul in relation to jobs and the overall economic impact on the city.