Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Saturday morning:

Remember when dad would be raking the leaves and he would let you jump into the pile? I don’t. I don’t remember my dad ever raking leaves, but I do recall jumping into piles of leaves somewhere. Maybe it was up Powder House Park. We also used to fill Johnnies Foodmaster bags with acorns for the sole purpose of whipping them at each other. I still have a rake in the cellar that is at least 40 years old. I have it used it to rake the leaves out from in between the shrubs and plants in the spring, but rarely in the fall. It is kept mainly as a museum piece.

This couple was spotted wearing hats on Halloween that precisely match the colors, shapes, signage, and vibe of Elly the Elephant, George the Giraffe, and Big Poppy on the Somerville Community Path.

The team of city officials and advocates devoted to fostering safe environments who stand in solidarity with survivors and victims of domestic abuse and uphold justice for everyone in Somerville. Photograph courtesy of the City of Somerville.

By  The Times Staff 

The time has come to end senseless violence, said city officials at the annual vigil that honors victims of domestic violence.

The city held the vigil on October 30 to bring light to the victims of domestic violence, renewing their commitment to uphold justice. City officials recognized the strength of survivors and honored the lives of those individuals who passed, in front of the East Somerville Library at 6 p.m.

— Photos by Jeffrey Shwom

This past Sunday, guests drank local beer and listened to “Vitamin B for Victory: How Beer Helped Win WWII.” The sold out second “Tavern Talk,” facilitated by the Somerville Museum at Aeronaut, was presented by Professor Dan Breen (Brandeis University), who discussed how the U.S. government switched from its prohibition-guided discouragement of alcohol during WWI to the purchasing for example, of 3.2 beer for soldiers and sailors on all the fronts of WWII. Aeronaut and Museum representatives suggest this may become a regular event in 2025. Visit https://www.somervillemuseum.org/calendar-events for events.
— Jeffrey Shwom

Somerville voted overwhelmingly to pass the Question 6 amendment to increase the property tax surcharge for funding of various programs of interest to city residents. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By The Times Staff

Updated November 6: Donald Trump projected winner of  the 2024 Presidential Election

In an election cycle that has been anything but ordinary, the 2024 Presidential Election has come to its conclusion. While the final call on who won the office of President of the United States is not clearly settled yet, at the time of our reporting, the results of other state and local races and issues have more officially been determined.

The Central Somerville Avenue Project aspires to become a hub of artistic and technical innovation.

By Katherine Davis

On October 28 the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development kicked off its first meeting regarding the Central Somerville Avenue Project, the area also known as the stretch between Market Basket and Conway Park.

The Rosebud, by Heather Balchunas, 2009, acrylic on canvas, is a depiction of the iconic diner car in Davis Square. Her work has changed over the years from painting diners and blues singers to the beauty in nature.

By Harry Kane

Supporting artists has been an important part of Somerville’s diverse and creative history for a long time. For budding artists, showcasing work is validating, and growing the passion for creating impactful art can be an opening to finding a deeper meaning in life.

Community members are invited to celebrate the renovation of Henry Hansen Park honoring Sgt. Henry O. “Hank” Hansen, a Magoun Square resident killed in action just one week after participating in the first flag-raising on Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi. The new park features include a memorial wall and plaques honoring Sgt. Hansen and main branches of the armed services, a seating wall, water bottle filler, native landscape plantings, and more. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 7, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Henry Hansen Park, located at 70 Partridge Ave. at the corner of Medford St. and Partridge Ave. Learn more about the park and the ribbon cutting.

(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)

By Beatriz Gómez Mouakad

On October 8, 2023, the Somerville School Construction Advisory Group (CAG) held its first meeting. Formed by the Mayor’s Administration, this group includes community members from the Benjamin Brown School and Winter Hill Innovation and Community School (WHICS) along with representatives from advocacy organizations like Padres Latinos de Somerville Public Schools and the Green New Deal for Somerville Schools. The goal of this group is to develop recommendations for a new school’s location and scope, which include considering the Brown School to be part of a joint new facility.

Here we were again, setting our clocks and watches back an hour last Sunday. The days are growing shorter, and this will only shorten them further.

So, who thought this thing up anyway? Spring forward, fall back. Or is that fall forward, spring back? The only way we can ever be sure is if we’re early or late for church Sunday morning, or whatever it is you do on Sunday morning.