You are invited to hear a special speaker this coming Sunday, Barbara Berenson, who will give a lively presentation about a subject with which many are not familiar.  As an historian, as well as a lawyer and author, Berenson will discuss her new book addressing the role of the Greater Boston abolitionists in fomenting the second revolution that changed our nation forever.

Mayor Curtatone and friends invite one and all to take the Fitness Challenge, beginning this weekend.

Looking for a way to jump-start your spring and summer training? We’ve got the perfect opportunity! The 6th annual Somerville Mayor’s Fitness Challenge kicks off on Sat., March 28 with a family-friendly event featuring fun physical activities, healthy food tasting, health and wellness information, and free Fitness Goody Bags for participants.  The four-week challenge runs through April 25 and offers both a Team Fitness Challenge as well as a non-competitive “Lifestyle Pledge,” with rewards for participants ranging from better health to discounts at local businesses.

The following 2014-2015 School Year calendar changes to make up the 9 missed school days due to snow-related issues were approved on Thursday evening, March 26, 2015. In addition to the added school days, two previously scheduled Half Days* early in the spring have been shifted to later in the school year and will now be full days. All changes are noted below. Thank you.

• Friday, April 3^rd, originally a scheduled holiday, will now be an Early Release Day for all students. (pre-K dismissed at 11:30, K-8 at 12:00, High School at 11:33).

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

City and town leaders, legislators, urban farmers and others from across Massachusetts came together last Friday at the State House for a symposium on urban agriculture. The story of urban agriculture in Somerville may seem like a new trend, but it’s an idea with a deep history. Growing up in my neighborhood for example, we had families from Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Italy and other countries, who grew foods in their yards, shared it with their neighbors and supplemented their tables with what they had grown. I remember my mother having buckets out back in which she grew tomatoes. Today, Somerville still has backyard gardeners who hail from across the globe, but we also have new enthusiasts: foodies and locavores who prize local food that is healthier, fresher and more flavorful. As they bring new life and focus to the urban agriculture movement, they are actually returning our city to its roots—urban gardening and farming is part of our DNA. At the same time, with the educational, health, environmental and economic benefits that it brings, investing in urban agriculture is an investment in our future, too.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Students and visitors learned about Somerville High School’s Center for Career and Technical Education programs at the 2015 CTE Vocational Fair on Saturday, March 21.

Volunteers sought for public space-public life survey to identify opportunities to reach public space goals

Gehl Studio, the U.S.-based arm of the internationally renowned design firm Gehl Architects, has been hired by the City of Somerville to advance its work toward creating 125 new acres of public open space. Gehl Studio will help identify opportunities and techniques to create new public space and enrich public life across the city.

Filling in after the dig out. A lot of road repair is necessary due to the withering effects of this year’s snow removal efforts.

By Jim Clark

The massive snowstorms that crippled the northeast this winter caused more damage than is readily apparent to many. Until, that is, they get into their cars and attempt to negotiate some of the rougher stretches of roadway that have been mercilessly chewed up and spat back out by the virtual army of snow plows and earth movers that were utilized to dig Somerville out of its semi-glacial state during the aforementioned climatological calamity.

Public Written Testimony on Rezoning Needs to Extend Beyond March 27th Deadline

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Somerville Community,

The Friday March 27th deadline for written testimony regarding the Somerville Rezonng Ordinance is approaching. On Thursday March 3rd there was a public hearing on the Rezoning Ordinance. Since that time we have had the Somerville 3 day Charrette and a follow up meeting on Thursday 19.

Health and Empowerment was the focus of the Somerville Teen Empowerment Summit that took place last week in Cambridge. — Photos by Samantha Fleishman

By Patrick McDonagh

“They call me a broke boy.” These words echoed mid-song through the event hall from mics of local rappers involved with The Hip Hop Transformation (THHT). Stories from event organizers and involved teens resonated with these words and the emotions one might feel when called a “broke boy.”