Somerville Firefighter Roger Perez

Help your Local 76 raise funds to care for long time Somerville firefighter Roger Perez. After devoting 24 years of his life to service he was forced into early retirement due to Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a rare, debilitating and incurable disease. PSP is not yet covered by the fire department as a work-related disability and the extensive, 24-hour care required is not covered by the city’s health insurance.

(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 Michelle da Silva

As a long-time resident of Somerville, I have witnessed firsthand the growing interest in sustainable living within our vibrant community. This Earth Month, as we reflect on our role in the ongoing battle against climate change, it’s important to take stock of all of the progress we’ve made, while also considering the roadblocks that remain, and what we need to do to continue moving forward.

Celebrate Somerville’s newly updated community climate action plan, Climate Forward. Step into Somerville in 2050, an inspiring community where our collective efforts have triumphed in creating a climate-forward society. Enjoy live music, refreshments, and interactive art installations that depict our shared vision of resilience in the face of climate change. Wednesday, April 24, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Greentown Labs (444 Somerville Ave). Registration recommended but not required:https://greentownlabs.com/.

(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)

To the Editor,

Somerville’s housing costs are beyond the reach of many of the city’s employees. Our city would function more equitably and efficiently if city employees could live in Somerville.

I would like to propose a policy change that might mitigate this problem.

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I thought I would share a recipe I came up with that’s not only vegan friendly, but full of flavor and packed with many vitamins that most of us struggle to get into our everyday diet. It’s called nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is gluten free, dairy free, Kosher, vegan, sugar free, and is low in sodium. It’s high in vitamins B6, B12, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate 752mcg DFE. And it’s serving size is only 1 tablespoon.

Who among us doesn’t appreciate all the fine things that the Arts at the Armory gives to the community? All sorts of special events, entertainment, cultural celebrations, and so on.

It’s just a great institution that deserves our appreciation and support. This coming Friday, we all have an opportunity to join in a special event to benefit the organization, GLOWBALL: A Rave In Support of Arts at the Armory – The Center for the Arts at the Armory.

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Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Denise Provost

Especially in Somerville, many will recognize David Campbell’s extraordinary paintings of local scenes. Campbell’s hyper-realistic scenes of our post-industrial landscape are easy to recognize. His subjects, often painted from rooftops, include defunct factories, dingy streets, wire-crossed horizons, moody skies. Have you looked at Campbell’s painting of Everett Avenue, which hangs in Somerville City Hall – doesn’t it take your breath away?

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Our poet writes: My name is Sydney DelMastro and I am from Seekonk, MA and currently a student at Endicott College majoring in English with a concentration in Secondary Education. I work as a photographer at Endicott, and I love to read, write, go on hikes and play the ukulele. I also identify as a gym rat, animal lover, and plant mom.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Somerville Chief of Police Charles Femino have announced that Jose Mendez, 60, of Somerville has been charged with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, indecent exposure and operating as an unlicensed chiropractor in connection with allegedly assaulting two women on separate occasions while providing services under the guise of being a chiropractor.