Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Thanksgiving … gone. Black Friday … gone. A month of hectic, frantic, and desperate preparation for Christmas has begun. The commercials may tell us that prices are low, but shoppers are high-strung. You saw the news reports that showed crazed bargain hunters throughout the country acting like they were giving away wads of cash. They stood in line overnight, rubbing elbows with the same people they would be willing to fight to the finish, just to save $100 on a flat screen TV or an Xbox. You would have to pay me at least $300 just to stand outside in the dark, freezing my butt off.

Inclusivity was the focus at the at Hoyt Sullivan Playground ribbon cutting ceremony on November 17.

By The Times Staff

The inclusive swings ribbon cutting at Hoyt Sullivan Playground on November 17 brought community members together to celebrate the completion of an important accessibility project.

The Union Square Jingle takes place this coming Sunday in Union Square.

Union Square Main Streets (USMS) and 40+ local businesses turn on sparkle lights, dress up windows, and bring instagrammable inflatables to life at The Union Square Jingle: Shop, Sip & Mingle. This free, family-friendly celebration will have you jingling all the way on Sunday, December 7, from 1 to 6 p.m. (extreme weather date 12/14). Join in to revel in rad retail, unique eats, and much more throughout Union Square in Somerville!

Sara Halawa, parent to five Palestinian-American children and Somerville for Palestine organizer, spoke in favor of the resolution at the City Council meeting on November 25.

By Harry Kane

The viability of boycotting and divesting from companies complicit with Israel’s genocidal war is still up for debate, but city councilors adopted a resolution that may begin the process.

By Jeffrey Schwom

Fees for a popular public after-school program will rise for most children as the district tries to bring accounting out of the red before the end of the school year.

Kick off the holiday season on Thursday, December 4, at 5 p.m. at the Christmas Tree Lighting on the City Hall Concourse (93 Highland Ave.). Santa Claus will be escorted by the Somerville Fire Department, making his grand entrance atop a shiny red fire truck. After the tree lighting, head over to the Somerville High School cafeteria (81 Highland Ave.) for a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus and light refreshments. All children who attend will receive a special gift from Santa. Menorah Lighting takes place on Monday, December 15 (Rain date: December 16), 6 p.m., City Hall Concourse (93 Highland Ave.) Activities: Music, words, treats, Menorah lighting, and gifts for children.

L to R: Newly re-elected City Council President Lance Davis, and Vice President Wilfred Mbah.

By Jordan Pagkalinawan

Ahead of the November 25 meeting, the Somerville City Council Caucus elected the city council president and vice president for 2026. Councilor Lance Davis, who was elected on July 10 after Councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld’s resignation, was selected to retain his position after a nomination by Councilor Matthew McLaughlin. Likewise, Councilor Wilfred Mbah, though absent from Tuesday’s caucus meeting, was re-elected as vice president for 2026, following a nomination by Davis. Both nonbinding votes passed with ten councilors in favor.

The Eat Out in East Initiative will carry on throughout the wintery months.

By Angelina Parrillo

As the holiday season and winter weather approach, Eat Out in East, the collaborative initiative of Ward 1 City Councilor Matt McLaughlin and East Somerville Main Streets, enters its third successful month.

Eagle Feathers #343 – Signs of the Time

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

The “time” was 150 years ago, and the “signs” appeared shortly after. America was in the last year of the Civil War, 1864-1865. The war would claim over 600,000 American lives and wound a million more before it ended. Every city and town would be affected in one way or another. Somerville was no different. The Somerville militia’s sacrifice would be 98 killed and 250 wounded out of 1,485, or almost one quarter. Hundreds more served in other military branches. The Somerville Avenue 1863 Civil War Memorial to her fallen troops is said to be the first in the nation. This was a spark for the small town’s appreciation later on.

It’s been an interesting year in politics and social discourse, to say the least. The City of Somerville is certainly one classic example of strong, good-hearted people having the capacity to set aside fundamental ideological differences for the sake of appreciation of the community.

Events such as the city Christmas Tree lighting, taking place this Thursday, symbolically serve as a reminder that we are indeed a cohesive community, with our common hopes, fears, ambitions, and objectives.