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For this recipe I used tri-color carrots since that’s what I received in my produce share. Feel free to use whatever carrots you have, or even parsnips. This is a great side dish that goes well with any protein of your choosing. It’s even delicious served at room temperature.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

The City of Somerville Department of Veterans’ Services hosted Salute to Service, a parade honoring all who serve our country and our community and the nation’s 250th anniversary as a free and independent democracy. The parade took place on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, pulling forward the annual Memorial Day parade observance and transforming this year’s parade into a special observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and a recognition of all who serve our nation and in civic life locally.

It began as a way to memorialize the military casualties of the Civil War, and was originally termed Decoration Day. Decorating the graves of the countless multitudes of fallen soldiers helped to console the grieving survivors of the debacle while uniting the once-divided nation in a worthwhile common cause.

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I wrote this piece in 2016, so I thought I would bring it back from the dusty archives…

At 62 it is a lot harder to get up for the class that I teach at Endicott College on the North Shore – especially in the winter. I like to do a lot of my prep at the office – so I bite the bullet – and get ready at 4 a.m. I meet the morning demands of my cat – Ketz – brush my crowned teeth, take a brush to the remains of my hair – and I am out the door. I am a man of ritual – my day starts at the Big D Tuesday and Thursday mornings – for almost a decade now – at the Dunkin’ Donuts on Somerville Ave., adjacent to Central Street.

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Valerie Quercia is a Massachusetts-based poet and storyteller. She is the author of In Gratitude, a chapbook published by Finishing Line Press in 2013 (written under the name Valerie Anne Prescott). Val loves literature, history, baseball, old movies, generous pots of tea, and, most of all, animals. She currently lives in Acton, MA, with four rescued pets, in a house built in 1844. Val calls their home “The Pink House”– for obvious reasons. But local historians say the color of the house is, was, and ever will be … “Chippendale Rose.”

First multi-day period of hot temperatures this year; feels-like temperatures up to 96 degrees expected

The first days of high heat this season are expected in Somerville this week. At this time, the National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19-20, with feels-like temperatures up to 96 degrees. 

Community members are invited to submit feedback on the $1.29 billion plan between May-September 2026

The Cities of Cambridge and Somerville, together with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), are holding an informational meeting on their $1.29 billion Draft Updated Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Plan, which is a legal requirement.

‘Slice of the City’ events are early evening, drop-in style meetups at green spaces in each of Somerville’s wards. The mayor, City Council, and city staff will be present to mingle with residents. Celebrate Somerville’s open spaces, engage with the city outside of formal meetings, and, of course, enjoy some pizza.