Food For Free recently received a brand new 22′ refrigerated Isuzu box truck to add to the nonprofit’s fleet. The truck will augment Food For Free’s overall food transportation capacity by up to 27,000 lbs. (the equivalent of 22,500 meals) per day, and increase the organization’s engagement with Greater Boston Food Bank transportation partners (smaller agencies without their own vehicles) by over 50 percent. Since the vehicle is equipped with a liftgate, Food For Free can serve partners with or without loading docks, and it is just the right size to access certain locations that larger trucks cannot.

Somerville Open Studios (SOS) took place on May 6 -7. SOS is a non-profit organization formed for the purpose of producing an annual open studio and related events in Somerville, Massachusetts. Through its programming, SOS gives access to the work of visual artists living and working in the city of Somerville. They provide opportunities to view art made within the community; to interact with local artists; and to have access to artists’ working spaces. Their goal is to broaden the public’s exposure to, and appreciation of, finished works of art as well as the art-making process. This exposure both educates the community and raises awareness of the diverse artistic experience available in Somerville. — Photos by Claudia Ferro, Denise Provost and Monica Calvo

By Jim Clark

On Wednesday of last week, Somerville Police officers in charge for the day shift at the Somerville Police Department received a call from a member of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, alerting them that one of their detainees who had been arrested the previous night was wanted by them.

Somerville Police and Fire responded to an early morning manhole explosion at the corner of Cross St. and McGrath Highway. The manhole landed on the roof of a Cross St. home. Windows were shattered by the explosion but no injuries have been reported. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

The owners of Sligo Pub announced that it will close its doors in early June after several decades of business. My dad drank there when it was Pat Connolly’s.

Here are some comments regarding the closure:

SHS Boys Lacrosse bested MVRC at home at Dilboy Stadium 7-3 on Wednesday, May 3, in a game they controlled from the first face off.  — Photos by Alex Fredette
To see more photos from this game visit: SHS vs MVRC – Alex Fredette (smugmug.com)

Somerville recognizes the hard work of the City’s water professionals in ensuring the safety and quality of this vital resource 

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the City of Somerville Water and Sewer Department invite community members to celebrate Drinking Water Week from May 7-13.

Hiring of Somerville residents, members of minority groups, and military veterans for the ongoing Union Sq. development project took the focus at the latest Land Use Committee meeting.

By Jim Clark

At the latest meeting of the City Council of Somerville’s Land Use Committee, an order was put forward requesting that the Director of Economic Development update this Council on the implementation of the Union Square Covenant, which includes local and veterans preference in hiring.

(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 Wilfred Mbah

On May 15, at 6pm, Somerville city officials will hold a public hearing on proposed hefty rate increases – water rates by 12.6% for water and 18.75% for sewerage. The hearing will be at the Central Library, with a Zoom option.

Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne signs Commonwealth Development Compact.

Mayors from Somerville, Cambridge, Lynn, and Salem today joined with leaders from the City of Boston and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll to sign the CommonWealth Development Compact, committing to historic 25 percent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) evaluation criteria in public real estate development projects within their municipalities, as well as groundbreaking DEI considerations in private real estate projects.