So, I was at the opening of the subway station in Union Square, Somerville. A lot of pols were there basking in the glory. At a news conference with Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, I asked if they were concerned about the gentrification that the subway will inevitably bring. Warren took the question and replied, “I am very concerned about rising rents. This transportation will spur new housing and more housing means lower rents.” Now I have been around the block – tell me, does this pan out in the real world? Not from what I have seen.  Anyway, after the question a woman bumped into me and angrily said, “I am not here for the back slapping, let me through.” She looked like a veteran Somervillian, no happy horse sh*t for her.

— Doug Holder

After the long chilling days of winter, it’s nice to know that springtime has officially arrived. We anxiously await the final thaw and balmier days ahead.

One of the finer benefits of New England living is standing witness to the massive explosion of nature’s rebirth and renewal, seemingly amplified here. Grass, trees, wildlife and flowers all seem to go forth and multiply at an astounding rate, as if on cue to the call for “Action!”

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Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Dennis Daly

“Oh death, where is thy sting?” 1 Corinthians had it right. So does Harris Gardner in his affecting affirmation of life, fittingly entitled No Time for Death. Slicing through humanity’s Gordian knot of denial, Gardner confronts mortality with memory and poetic craft, assisted by a large dose of wit. His stratagems are nothing if not down-to-earth and sensible. The collection’s three subtitles convey Gardner’s personified logic: An Argument with Time, Contemplating Mortality Instead of My Navel, and Negotiating for an Afterlife.

Arrests:
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James Hargrove, March 14, 2:05 p.m., arrested at Somerville Ave. on charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer, and witness intimidation.

Israel Alvarez-Galdamez, March 19, 1:27 a.m., arrested at Radcliffe Rd. on charges of leaving the scene of property damage and operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor.

Meet the City of Somerville’s Racial and Social Justice Department and learn about its work at a virtual forum, March 31

The City of Somerville’s Racial and Social Justice (RSJ) Department invites the community to a virtual forum to meet department staff, learn about their work, and find out how to get involved on Thursday, March 31, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Go to somervillema.gov/virtualtownhall at the start time of the forum to join online, or call 311 on March 31 to get call-in information. Interpretation into Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Nepali, Mandarin, and American Sign Language will be provided. 

— Photos by Bobbie Toner
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Today, Somerville and Cambridge celebrated the opening of the Union Square station in Somerville and a new Lechmere station in Cambridge. Current and former federal, state, and city elected officials, along with MBTA officials, both former and current, local groups, residents and activists, as well as the hardworking GLX workers, took part in celebrating the long-awaited opening. Many shared their stories of the ups and downs along the way and congratulated everyone that played a part throughout the project’s decades-long journey.

During the first two weeks of March, second grade students throughout the district participated in Pedestrian Safety Education sessions. The sessions were a collaboration between the PE and Health Department, Somerville’s Office of Food Access and Healthy Communities, MA Safe Routes to School, Somerville High School Early Education CTE students, and parent volunteers. Students learned about sidewalk safety, how to cross the street safely, as well as driveway and parking lot safety. If you have a second grader, ask them about the Sneak & Peek. They should also be able to tell you what color the reverse lights are on a car.

The 50th Anniversary of Senior Nutrition Program was celebrated at the Cambridge Council on Aging Congregate Meal site on March 8 with a special desert. On hand for the occasion were (from left) Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) Dietitian Andrea Svartstrom, Marguita Lawrence, Cambridge Citywide Senior Center Director Alicia Johnson, Cheryl Roust, SCES Nutrition Director Meghan Ostrander, and Thelma Howard.

By Meghan Ostrander

Somerville Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is joining the Administration for Community Living and senior nutrition service providers nationwide this March to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the national Senior Nutrition Program.

Since 1972, the Senior Nutrition Program has supported nutrition services for older adults. Funded by the Older Americans Act, local senior nutrition programs serve as hubs for older adults (60 and older) to access nutritious meals and other vital services that strengthen social connections and promote health and well-being.

The playground, now in front of the Somerville Public Library at 79 Highland Avenue, features nature-inspired play structures for toddlers and kids ages 2 through 12, swings, slides, misting poles, a story walk, and seating areas. The renovation was made possible through funding from the Community Preservation Act and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts PARC Grant Program.