By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to the Ralph Lauren store at Assembly Row last week on reports of a past larceny.

Upon arrival, the officers spoke with the store manager and the regional manager, who stated that one of their employees, Kyanna Halliday, of Dorchester, came to them and admitted to making fraudulent returns at the store.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Before fun size and bite-size candy bars we used to take a pillowcase and go out trick-or-treating for full-size candy bars. I can still see the Halloween aisle at Woolworths. I asked our readers to share some of the memories of Halloween back then.

Somerville Cambridge Elder Services is hosting a clothing drive to help local people in need through Second Chances.

Second Chances is a Somerville-based nonprofit that puts donated clothing to work for our community, diverting clothing, shoes, and accessories from local landfills while helping our neighbors in need take their first steps toward brighter futures.

The Boston Business Journal recently announced the area’s young professionals who are achieving the most in their careers and giving the most to the community. One of the top 40 under 40 awarded is Somerville’s own Josu’e Velney. The founder and CEO of Velney Development, LLC, he served five years in the Marines. During that time, he was deployed three times. After returning home, Velney served his community as a firefighter and lieutenant for twelve years with the Somerville Fire Dept. He has taken his leadership skills, honed in the military and as a Fire Lieutenant, and has applied them to real estate. Today, Velney is a full-time real estate developer. Velney holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Construction Management. Pictured here, Velney being presented a citation from the Governor by the CEO of the Somerville YMCA at their board meeting on October 18, 2022.

The city’s intentions for the immediate future of The Armory was discussed at a recent meeting of the Housing and Community Development Committee.

By Jim Clark

The Somerville City Council Housing and Community Development Committee held a meeting on Wednesday, October 19.

Prior to this meeting, 55 voters submitted a petition calling for a public hearing regarding the Arts at the Armory building. During the public hearing portion of the meeting, three speakers were invited to address the Committee Jess White spoke and clarified that the actual name of the building is The Armory.

(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)

Nearly ten years ago Somerville launched Union Square’s redevelopment. City leaders promised community-driven development “in the public interest” that would create the “mix of uses the community wants over time.” Ever since, community forums have identified a community center as critical to that “mix,” making Union Square not just a commercial district, but a neighborhood center that brings people together.

(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 scored an important win for road safety and immigrant rights in Massachusetts by voting the Work and Family Mobility Act into law this past June. The law allows all Massachusetts residents to apply for a driver’s license, regardless of their immigration status. Years in the making and backed by law enforcement, immigrant advocates, and labor unions, the law passed overwhelmingly with support of more than three-quarters of the Massachusetts House and Senate. This new law will ensure that all drivers on our roads are licensed and insured.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, the Somerville Commission for Women, and RESPOND, Inc. are honored to invite residents to join them for the annual Domestic Violence Vigil on Wednesday, October 26, to remember those who lost their lives to domestic violence in 2022. The vigil is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. at Statue Park in Davis Square. In the event of inclement weather, the vigil will move to the West Branch Library, Atrium, located at 40 College Avenue, Somerville, MA 02144.

Public schools are eligible for accreditation every ten years; accreditation offers confidence that schools have the resources to offer a high-quality education, framework for school improvement and growth.

The Somerville High School (SHS) leadership team and the Somerville Public Schools district are pleased to announce that SHS plans to seek formal accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Public schools have the option of seeking accreditation once every ten years. According to the NEASC website, accreditation is an ongoing, voluntary cycle of both internal and external assessments, planning, and reporting that allows schools to meet their unique goals while maintaining alignment with research-based standards that define characteristics of high quality, effective learning communities.

Cambria Hotel Boston Somerville

Cambria Boston Somerville has opened its doors and celebrated its opening with its neighbors on October 12. Local residents, business owners, and officials, such as Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, attended the festive opening day event. Situated on the Somerville-Cambridge line, the hotel converges with a unique moment in time for Somerville as it experiences a modern-day renaissance, and it adds to the exciting transformation that Somerville’s historic Union Square is undergoing. The Cambria Boston Somerville is located at 515 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA 02143, 617-341-9040, https://cambriasomerville.com, info@cambriasomerville.com.