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Article by Guest Columnist Kirk Etherton.

I am happy to report that in this year’s poetry festival a number of Somerville poets will be reading, including Harris Gardner, Lucy Holstedt, Kirk Etherton, State Representative Denise Provost, Lloyd Schwartz, Ifeanyi Menkiti, Gloria Mindock, Alexander Levering Kern, and Doug Holder.

Our poet this week is Nina R. Alonso. Alonso is the founder of the literary magazine Constellations.

Urban grocer’s model aims to focus on fresh foods

An urban grocer, Fresh Formats LLC, has filed building permit applications to open a fresh foods market at 240 Elm St. in Davis Square, the site of the former Social Security Building. Ongoing renovation of the building is underway and it is expected that the 11,000-square-foot ground floor will be a neighborhood market later this year.

Arrests:
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 Matthew Galvin, of 49 College Ave., March 30, 11:49 a.m., arrested at College Ave. on warrant charges of nighttime breaking and entering of a vehicle or boat, larceny over $250, utter false check, receiving stolen property under $250, forgery of check, and possession of a burglarious instrument.

By Tom Bannister

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has announced that the City’s Annual Shape-Up Somerville Kick-Off and Somerville Recreation 5K Road Race will be held on Sunday morning, April 24, starting and ending at the Somerville High School concourse, 93 Highland Avenue.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

Do you know that snow leopards, black bears, North American river otters, jaguars and Canada lynx are just a few of the amazing animals that call Stone Zoo home? During the upcoming April school vacation week, visit the Zoo to learn more about these animals and see them up close.

Calling local artists! The Somerville Arts Council wants to hear from the arts and cultural community to better understand the issues you face with work, life, programs, etc. The SAC’s work is always evolving and changing, and we are always seeking ways to add and expand our initiatives to better serve you. In addition to our current programs and initiatives, listed below, we want you to help us shape and guide our efforts to meet your needs. To that end, we will host an Art Summit on Sun., April 10, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Arts at the Armory (191 Highland Ave.). For more information on the Summit and our current programs, visit www.somervilleartscouncil.org.

By Blake Maddux

The Shirts and Shoes will be on at P.A.’s Lounge on Thursday, April 7. ~Photo by Katie Pawlows, the band’s biggest fan.

The Shirts  and Shoes is a rock quartet that consists of college sophomores Tyler Charron (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Emiliano Calvo (lead guitar), Alec Gervais (bass), and Eric Gonnam (drums). Gonnam is a student at Merrimack College, while the other three attend Umass Lowell.

Beginning on Monday, April 11 (weather permitting), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will permanently close the off-ramp from McGrath Highway southbound to Somerville Ave., and will open a new at-grade, signalized connection from Somerville Ave./Medford St. to McGrath Highway northbound. The existing tunnel from Somerville Ave. to Washington St. will be permanently closed.

Part 3: The Portuguese
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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)

From the end of World War II through the 1970s, as many as half of Somerville’s long-time residents left the city. The first distinct group of newcomers who replaced them was Portuguese immigrants.