Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 1 City Councilor Matt McLaughlin, and City of Somerville staff invite you to a virtual public meeting about expanding the Glen Street Community Garden in East Somerville. The city is finalizing plans to expand the existing community garden into an adjacent vacant lot at 5 Palmer Avenue, more than doubling its current size and adding approximately 15 new, appropriately sized plots that will be manageable for gardeners of all skill levels. The expansion will also feature accessible garden beds, water hookups, a shed, and some shaded gathering areas. 

By Jim Clark

A Somerville Police officer traveling eastbound on Somerville Ave. last Sunday evening pulled behind a vehicle stopped at the traffic signal at the intersection of Somerville Ave. and Prospect St. in the left turn only lane with the left blinker on.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Maneuvering through the Powder House rotary took some time to figure out. I asked our readers to share their thoughts and opinions regarding the new traffic pattern. Wow! It’s sure different. No lights and one shop sign.

“The FTA report is an important wake-up call for our Commonwealth. Massachusetts needs a world-class public transit system. Good public transit is a benefit to everyone in the region because it has the potential to touch so many people in positive ways. It’s good for economic justice, environmental justice, and racial justice.

The Somerville City Council reviewed and discussed the recent ruling that a candidate for a public service job was wrongly denied at their latest regular meeting.

By Jim Clark

An Order was put forward by Ward 7 Councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld at the latest meeting of the Somerville City Council on Thursday, August 25, that the City Solicitor update the City Council on the August 11 Civil Service Commission decision on the Matthew Fairchild v. City of Somerville matter, and its impact on the city’s confirmations process.

By Jason Mackey

When I announced my candidacy last April, I was told to expect nothing less than a grueling campaign with a high risk of failure. Despite that, the opportunity and honor of serving the 27^th Middlesex as our next State Representative far outweighed that risk of failure, and I enthusiastically jumped into the race. The early days of the campaign were great. I met hundreds of amazing Somervillians and learned a lot about the challenges they routinely overcome. The people truly are what make Somerville a great place to live, and I looked forward to representing their interests on Beacon Hill.

By Gina Ingrando

On August 19, the Orange Line was shut down for safety repair work that is scheduled to take at least a month to finish before the line will be running again. Massachusetts residents that travel into Boston by rail were given the notice a week before the shutdown, but some had already heard the rumors of the closure circulating around the city.

Somerville Prevention and the city will recognize International Overdose Awareness Day, Wednesday, August 31, by planting 15 purple flags in memory of Somerville residents who have died from an opioid-related overdose in 2021. Free Narcan and other resources will be available at City Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. September is also Recovery Month. Additional Narcan distributions will take place Thursday, September 15, in Union Square from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday, September 30, at Foss Park from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, resources, or to get involved, email mmitchell@somervillema.gov or visit https://www.somervillema.gov.

“Evicted” will be on display at the Center for Arts at the Armory beginning on September 10. Hours: Monday – Wednesday 4:00 – 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Community Action Agency of Somerville in collaboration with The Welcome Project, The Somerville Homeless Coalition, Somerville Arts Council, Arts at the Armory, All She Wrote Books, Somerville Office of Housing Stability, Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services, De Novo Legal Services, Youth Build Just A Start, Somerville Public Schools, and local artists will open Evicted at The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville.