Celebratory event at City Hall offers opportunity for city’s youngest residents to learn about and participate in civic engagement

On Wednesday, April 13, 2016, young children from around the city and their teachers and families will be gathering at Somerville’s City Hall, joining local dignitaries and early education leaders from around the state to celebrate the Week of the Young Child. The special event will provide Somerville’s youngest residents the opportunity to sing, tour various city hall offices to learn about city management, participate in a civic engagement activity, and be part of a proclamation reading by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone.

By Louise Carpenter

The 10th annual Somerville Youth Peace Conference, entitled “Back From the Future,” takes place at the East Somerville Community School on Saturday, April 16.

On Saturday, April 16, more than 300 youth are expected at the 10th annual Somerville Youth Peace Conference at the East Somerville Community School, 50 Cross St. Somerville, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan and Mike Duggan from Wicked Sober issued an important call to action in response to a drastic increase in overdose deaths in Middlesex County. Since March 1, 2016 State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office have responded to over 33 fatal overdoses.

Soon Somerville Public Library (MA) patrons will be able to borrow and iPad Air along with their books. If you’re interested in checking out the technology beforehand, stop by the library’s Technology Petting Zoo on Sunday, April 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Central Branch, 79 Highland Ave.

By Charles Lane

Anderson Cooper, anchor of CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360°, will discuss contemporary media issues at the 11th annual Edward R. Murrow Forum on Issues in Journalism at Tufts University on Monday, April 11 at 12:00 p.m.

Edward R. Murrow Forum 360°: Beyond the Headlines with Anderson Cooper will take place in Cohen Auditorium on Tufts University’s Medford/Somerville campus. Tickets will be available for Tufts students, faculty and staff at the Cohen Box Office. 

This fall as part of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant, Somerville Public Schools introduced the Playworks recess program into five of the district’s K-8 schools. Playworks is designed to help schools develop and introduce a recess environment that provides a safer and more inclusive experience for all students. The West Somerville Neighborhood School (WSNS) has had great success in implementing the Playworks “Team Up” model, a new consultation model of the Playworks program.

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)

Let’s talk about where you’re going to be next Wednesday. That evening at the Somerville High auditorium we have a big community meeting with state officials concerning the Green Line extension. Everybody is welcome to attend and that is roughly the amount of people we’d like see there: everybody.

“Jumbo Out of This World” theme for this year’s April 9 event

Medford and Somerville children in kindergarten through third grade are invited to attend this year’s Kids’ Day at Tufts University on Saturday, April 9, from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on the Medford/Somerville campus.

More than 125 participants attended “Growing Up in Somerville,” the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative’s first night of health, wellness and parenting workshops for caregivers of Somerville children, birth to high school age. Families representing Somerville’s diverse community came together to share in learning about raising healthy children. The evening began with opening remarks from Somerville Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper, who highlighted the importance of focusing on the whole child.

(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 Somervillians,

I would like to start a conversation regarding what I consider an issue in our beloved city: the significant amount of trash along the commuter rail line in East Somerville in a particular spot by the intersection of Walnut and Gilman Streets. I am not just talking about small pieces of plastic (which people should appropriately dispose anyway): I am talking about large pieces of furniture and similar items (hard to miss if you run or walk on Walnut St.).