The City Charter is somewhat like a local Constitution, it governs the structure and functions of our local government. Members of the Somerville community are encouraged to join the virtual hearing on Wednesday, May 10, at 6:00 p.m. to share their thoughts on proposed updates to the City Charter. All residents are invited to testify at the virtual public hearing or to submit written testimony. Register to attend at: https://www.somervillema.gov More information on the city’s Charter Review, including prior meetings’ minutes and agenda, can be found here: https://bit.ly/CharterPublicHearing

(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)

We are members of Somerville’s Charter Review Committee writing in response to Nate Clauser’s letter to the editor dated May 3, 2023. While we share Mr. Clauser’s desire to rebalance the powers of City Council in our local government, and in fact made transparency one of the key values of our charter recommendations, calling a roll call vote is unfortunately not likely to bring about the outcome we all would like to see.

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It’s ramp season here in Massachusetts and this season will likely be shortened due to the warm weather we’re experiencing this week. So, if you haven’t ventured out to your local farmers market or grocery store yet, you may be out of luck. But if you’re lucky enough to have some in your refrigerator and want to prolong their shelf life, pickling them will give you a few more weeks to enjoy these tasty wild leeks.

In the midst of the darkness of these troubled times, there is one particular beacon of goodness and light that pierces through the gloom to warm our hearts and lift our spirits – Mother’s Day.

While life as we know it has been far from normal in recent months, this is one occasion that can restore a bit of normalcy and order for us as we pause to honor the beloved matriarchs of our families.

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I caught up with Somerville writer Daphne Kalotay, who has a new collection of short stories, The Archivists. Published in 20+ languages, Daphne Kalotay’s books include the award-winning novels Russian Winter, Sight Reading, and Blue Hours, and two-story collections: Calamity and Other Stories, shortlisted for The Story Prize, and the Grace Paley Prize-winning The Archivists, forthcoming in April 2023. A recipient of fellowships from the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, MacDowell, and Yaddo, she lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.

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Adam Khanboubi is a driven and ambitious Molecular and Medical Biology student at MCPHS. With a passion for research and a keen interest in exploring the boundaries of the medical field, Adam is set to embark on a new journey this summer as a researcher at MIT. Adam has always had an affinity for creative thinking and has found that poetry, in particular, has helped him to imagine the world outside of the ordinary. This has proven invaluable in his studies and has allowed him to approach medicine from a unique perspective, allowing him to better understand the intricate workings of the human body. Through his academic pursuits and his passion for poetry, Adam aspires to become a neurosurgeon, pushing the limits of what is possible in the field of medicine and making a positive impact on the lives of countless individuals.

Somerville loses to Medford 7-8 in an exciting back and forth game.  — Photos by Alex Fredette.  To see more photos from this game visit: SHS vs Medford at Tufts – Alex Fredette (smugmug.com)

On Sunday, May 7, Project Bread hosted the nonprofit’s 55th Walk for Hunger, held for the first time in-person since 2019. More than 4,000 participants set out to raise more than $1 million to fight hunger in Massachusetts. Walking the Boston Common or in their hometowns across the Commonwealth. The event hasn’t hit the $1 million goal yet, however fundraising will continue through the summer for most participants.