(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
willmbah.com

As I was listening in on the City Council budget review meetings during June, I paid close attention to the two new procedures, which were added this year and tried to understand how they influenced the final outcome.

Get ready for summer fun at the city and Somerville Arts Council’s Fourth of July celebration. Enjoy live music, food, and of course, a big, bold fireworks display. Head to Trum Field on Thursday, June 29, at 6:00 p.m. (rain date June 30). Learn more at https://somervilleartscouncil.org/fireworks. Due to large crowds and noise associated with the fireworks, the city recommends that attendees leave pets at home and avoid bringing unnecessary bags or backpacks, all of which are subject to inspection. For more information, call 311 (617-666-3311).

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By Ana Celerier Salcedo

The Somerville Redevelopment Authority met on the evening of Wednesday, June 21, to provide some brief updates regarding two ongoing projects. Phil Ercolini, Ben Demers, Christine Stone, Iwona Bonney, Catherine Lester Salchert, William Gage, Rachel Nadkarni, and Patrick McCormick attended the meeting.

The Fourth of July holds a special significance in the hearts of truly patriotic Americans. Not only is it a time to celebrate the birth of our nation, but it also happens to fall at the best time of year to make good times happen, summer.

Eagle Feathers #282 – Our French Connection

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

In 1689 France and England began fighting a succession of wars for domination in the new world. The last of these encounters was fought in America and known as the French and Indian War. Early on, outnumbered forest-trained French troops and their Indian allies had the advantage of knowing wilderness fighting.

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On June 25, poet Harris Gardner, along with Ruth Lepson, were given The Sam Cornish Award by the New England Poetry Club at the famed Longfellow House in Cambridge, MA. The award celebrates their longtime commitment to community service in the literary community as well as their own poetic works.

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Richard Wilhelm is a painter and poet who was a founding member of the Ibbetson Street Press and one of the co-editors of the 2000 anthology City of Poets: 18 Boston Voices. His poems have appeared in Spare Change News, The Somerville Times, Ibbetson Street, and several other journals and anthologies.