Mayor Ballantyne’s “level service budget” resonates with some members of the City Council, while others favor differing approaches.

By Jeffrey Shwom

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is currently evaluating a level service FY2026 budget with no increases or decreases to current programs, staffing, and services, except for inflation and fixed cost adjustments (like utilities or pension payments).

On Saturday, March 22, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church Church will be celebrating Greek Independence Day and honoring our local war hero George Dilboy at Somerville City Hall. All are welcome to join up at City Hall at 11 a.m. to celebrate Greek Heritage and honor our local hero George Dilboy. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Liam Mannion, proprietor of Sally O’Brien’s, and former City Councilor Bob McWatters held their annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Monday. Local and state elected officials stopped by Sally’s for a pint of Guinness and to enjoy Irish music. Among the guests were State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, District Attorney Marion Ryan, Governor’s Councilor Terrence Kennedy, Mayor Katjana Ballyante, Former Congressman Michael Capuano, State Representative Dan Ryan, State Representative Erika Uterhyoven, City Councilors Ben Ewen Campen, Kristen Strezo, Will Mbah and Willie Burnley, as well as former Aldermen Jack Connolly and Ken Joyce.

After the long chilling days of winter, it’s nice to know that springtime is finally arriving. We anxiously await the balmier days ahead.

One of the finer benefits of New England living is standing witness to the massive explosion of nature’s rebirth and renewal, seemingly amplified here. Grass, trees, wildlife and flowers all seem to go forth and multiply at an astounding rate, as if on cue to the call for “Action!”

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Located at the corner of Medford and Central streets, this shop has much to offer! Upon entering, I was impressed to see the variety and abundance of items. Canned fish, flours, dried beans, canned beans, spices, vinegars, dried mushrooms, truffles, teas, oils, T-shirts, and books.

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The new book by g emil reutter
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Article by Off the Shelf Correspondent Michael Todd Steffen

We’ve learned to appreciate hybrid writing for itself, for the wide palette and integration that makes today’s poetry uniquely liberal and balanced, striking and robust. But it’s good also sometimes to recognize definitions in a progression, as g emil reutter dispatches them to us in the three parts of his new book On the Other Side of Goodbye, from POEMS to FLASH to STORIES. One’s different sense of genre joins the conversation.

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Thomas DeFreitas was born in Boston. The first three words he ever spoke were ravioli, Woolworth’s, and McGovern. Thomas was educated at the Boston Latin School and at the University of Massachusetts. For the last decade and a half, he has lived in Arlington, MA, where he guzzles black coffee in the dead of night, venerates Hart Crane’s ghost, strikes up conversations with the spectre of Raymond Carver, and strives each day to do The Next Right Thing. His fourth collection of poems, Walking Between the Raindrops, was published by Kelsay Books in March 2025.

By Sylvia Ba

Have you ever wondered why a glass of wine tastes so much better when paired with the right dish? While it’s true for any cuisine, wine pairing for vegetable dishes in particular can be a game-changer—and not just benefitting those living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, but rather everyone who enjoys gastro gifts from the garden.