Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

The year was 1960 and we were in the second grade. For some reason me and a girl named Barbara Kennedy were behind Richard Nixon in the presidential election. Sister Clarinda made us agree to write a letter to the president if JFK was elected.

Phil Reavis, Sr. Explains how he learned to adjust his jumping technique. Seen over his shoulder is a photograph of Reavis in his youth, clearing a high jump pole. — Photos by Denise Provost

By Denise Provost

On Thursday evening, June 8, the Somerville Museum hosted an opening reception for its exhibit, Phil Reavis: Above and Beyond. As an athlete, Reavis went from setting high jump records as a Somerville High School student to representing the U.S. in the Olympics. Former Boston Globe executive sports editor Jerry Nason wrote, “Phil is the greatest jumper (personal height vs. height of bar) America has ever produced.”

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

After a week’s postponement, SomerStreets: Carnaval, organized by the City of Somerville Arts Council and East Somerville Main Streets, took place on Sunday, June 11, in East Somerville. Free activities and entertainment were offered for everyone, including Let’s Get Truckin’, Esh Circus, Dunk Tank and getting to know your local non-profits and community organizations. 30+ artisan vendors were present and the crowd danced along with Grooversity and many more live acts.

Green Soul’s graphical simulation of the Holland St. site – Photo courtesy of Green Soul

By Beatriz Leite

On Tuesday, June 6, the residents of Holland Street and its surroundings joined Ward 6 Councilor Lance Davis, the Green Soul Organics team, and the City of Somerville for a Neighborhood Meeting on Zoom to discuss the impacts of the opening of an Adult Use Cannabis Retail Store at 23 Holland Street, in Davis Square at the former site of Johnny D’s Uptown.

By Ana Celerier Salcedo

On Tuesday, June 6, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission held its second public hearing for a proposed development plan near Encore Boston Harbor. The expansion would be a development on the east side of Broadway in Everett, MA, which would allow for an increase of gaming space, theater, entertainment venues, food and beverage areas.

(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 Will Mbah
Candidate for Somerville City Councilor at Large

When the ceiling collapsed in the stairwell at the Winter Hill School on June 2, happily it was late in the day and no children were in the building.  But after surveying the damage, the Acting Superintendent and Mayor closed the school for the remaining two weeks of classes and the students were reassigned to other schools. 

The 2023 Taste of Somerville has been postponed due to a forecast of inclement weather to Thursday, June 15, outside at Assembly Row, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Produced by the Somerville Chamber of Commerce Dining and Nightlife Group, the Taste of Somerville is a unique way to experience our dining and nightlife scene. For tickets and more information visit http://tasteofsomerville.org

Youth leaders Chahat Kalia, Keysha Saint-Cyr, Merbensdjina Jean Paul, and McKayla Hahn share why their work with Somerville Positive Forces (SPF) matters to them – Slide from SCAP Annual Meeting

By Maile Blume

Somerville Cares About Prevention (SCAP), a community-based coalition working to reduce substance misuse among the city’s youth, celebrated achievements the group has made over the past year, during their annual Zoom meeting last Thursday. Some of the achievements the coalition celebrated include conducting trainings on preventing drug overdoses, distributing Narcan throughout the city, developing youth led projects in Somerville’s schools to prevent vaping and other substance misuse, and providing supports rather than punishments for students who are found vaping or misusing other substances.

On Thursday, June 8, the Kiwanis Club of Somerville held its annual Legion of Honor luncheon at the Mount Vernon Restaurant. The Legion of Honor recognizes Kiwanis members after 25 years of continuous membership and service and again every five years thereafter. The meeting honored four outstanding members for their dedication and service to the Kiwanis Club and the Somerville community:

Eagle Feathers #281 –Bunker Hill

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

(originally published on June 12, 2013)

If you drive out of Boston over the Leonard P. Zakim (Bunker Hill) Bridge, the first exit brings you to Sullivan Square at the Charlestown/Somerville line. This area used to be known as Charlestown Neck.  The site was an isthmus, or small thread of land, that connected Charlestown with what is today Somerville.