The city’s School Building Project survey has been deemed “problematic” by many, including some City Councilors. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Jeffrey Shwom

A 5-minute online survey has turned contentious as advocates and city councilors push back against the Somerville School Building Project: Phase One Community Feedback Survey, released the morning of January 23.

Flyers began circulating last year when a developer proposed a 25-level apartment development in Davis Square on Elm Street. — Photo Courtesy of Elaine Almquist

By Harry Kane

A real estate developer is soliciting community feedback at neighborhood meetings for a proposed high-rise in Davis Square. The concept of building a 25-story tower in Somerville’s hippest neighborhood has a lot of residents talking.

Some may say a project of this scope in Davis Square is paving the way for future progress, while others think the tower would be too big.

Somerville Poet Laureate Lloyd Schwartz, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, and former State Representative Denise Provost are all smiles as they celebrate the creation of the state poet laureate position. — Photo courtesy of Office of Governor Maura Healey

By The Times Staff

On Monday, February 3, Governor Maura Healey signed an Executive Order creating the position of Poet Laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Executive Order adopts much of the language of a bill filed years ago by former State Representative Denise Provost. Provost’s work was recognized by Governor Healey at Monday’s celebratory signing.

On February 5, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Somerville Arts Council will be hosting a Volunteer Craft Night. A themed activity where people can design handmade cards which will be sent to the seniors at the Visiting Nurses Assoc. in Somerville. A wonderful way to meet other volunteers, have a few refreshments, and create art. Craft supplies will be available. While you are not required to make a card, we encourage people use their artistic prowess to make something wonderful for those in need. Since space is limited, please RSVP via the Eventbrite link https://tinyurl.com/bdfvmdpe. Location: MudFlat Pottery School, 81 Broadway, Somerville.

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This is a time saver for a weeknight meal. The results, crispy skin and succulent meat. It’s all ready in 45 minutes! Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots or asparagus or any other vegetable you like.

The Annual Maple Boil Down has become a widely popular tradition here in the city, and the preceding collection of maple sap is currently underway.

As part of this project, a team of volunteers taps a swath of maple trees on the Tufts campus collecting dozens of gallons of sap over a number of weeks.

Rafi Properties, Owner and Operator of Somernova, announced that Mimi’s Chūka Diner celebrated its grand opening in the Aeronaut Foods Hub at Somernova. Designed to be a welcoming neighborhood restaurant, Mimi’s Chūka Diner, founded by local Chefs Ted Woo and Jon Awerman, will bring Japanese-adapted Chinese cuisine (“chūka ryori”) blended with the American diner concept to Somerville.

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Recently, I caught up with poet Ellen Steinbaum to interview her about her new collection, Leavings.

Steinbaum wrote me: “Leavings is my fifth collection and I’ve also written a one-person play. My work has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize and is included in anthologies including Garrison Keillor’s Good Poems, American Places; The Widows’ Handbook; A Mighty Room: A Collection of Poems Written in Emily Dickinson’s Bedroom; and Cavan Kerry’sWaiting Room Reader II. An award-winning journalist and former Boston Globe columnist, I write a blog, Reading and Writing and the Occasional Recipe, which can be found at my web site, ellensteinbaum.com.”

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Emma Colmary is an aspiring author and illustrator of children’s literature and is currently attending her final semester at Endicott College. Her poetic and artistic works are closely tied to her appreciation for earthly and celestial wonder. She enjoys storytelling, glitter glue, and little trinkets.