Host Sarah Fishman speaks with US Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, MA-7th District.

Cars need to be moved from city lots by 10:00 a.m.

The City of Somerville’s snow emergency will end Saturday, February 26, at 8:00 a.m., and normal parking rules will resume at that time. Vehicles can be parked on the even side of the street starting at 8:00 a.m. To avoid ticketing and towing, do not move to the even side before 8:00 a.m. Saturday. The information below offers tips to avoid ticketing and towing as well as strategies for being a good neighbor and staying safe.

Long-time Somerville resident, John Ragno, 82 passed away peacefully surrounded by family, in his Otis Street home on February 22, 2022 [after a prolonged illness]. Mr. Ragno is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years Louise, five adored daughters—Louise, Donna, Suzann, Rosalie, and Denise—and seven grandchildren who were the light of his life: Kerrie, Billy, Joshua, Jennifer, Frankie, Cody, and Justin.

The virtual “Bittersweet” event hosted by the Somerville Museum explores the rich history of candy production and consumption in Somerville and its environs.

By Ryan DiLello

The Somerville Museum released a recording of the latest event for its ongoing Bittersweet exhibit. The virtual event, which examined the modern history of candy manufacturers in the greater Boston metro area, centered around a presentation from Jeremy Spindler, co-founder of Spindler Confections in North Cambridge. In addition to churning out an impressive assortment of sugary goods, Spindler and his partner Jeremy Meyers take pride in owning more than 300 artifacts linked to the candy industry.

• Move vehicles by 11:30 p.m. Thursday to odd-numbered side of street (unless otherwise posted) to avoid ticketing and towing

• Parking is also allowed in municipal lots (but not in school lots)

Based on current weather forecasts, the city is declaring a snow emergency to go into effect at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 24. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., cars will have four hours (until 11:30 p.m.) to move to the ODD side of the street (unless signage on your street says otherwise). Any exceptions will be noted by nearby signs. Moving cars to one side makes room for plows and emergency vehicles, so thank you for doing your part. Residents may begin moving their cars to the odd-numbered side as early as they like, but please move your car by 11:30 p.m. to avoid ticketing and towing.

This is James Corbett, a long-time employee and Platelet Donor at MGH Blood Donor Center. Recently, Corbett, a Somerville resident, made his one-hundredth blood donation at the center. He is responsible for saving over 300 lives with his generosity and compassion in donating blood over the years. Mass General has been facing a critical shortage of blood products and is appealing to the community to consider donating blood. Phone 617-724-9699 to arrange for a blood donation appointment and help save lives, just like James Corbett.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 2 Councilor J.T. Scott, and City staff invite you to a virtual community meeting to discuss roadway upgrades and traffic safety improvements on Washington Street, just west of Union Square. 

Although mask mandates in schools across the Commonwealth will be eased at the end of the month, Somerville public schools will continue its masking protocols for the near future.

By Fernando Cervantes Jr.

Last week the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley, announced updates to mask mandates in schools across the Commonwealth.

In a statement released by DESE on February 9, the department announced that mask mandates in K-12 schools would be lifted after February 28. The mandate was first implemented back in August 2021.

SMART is an intelligent pest control system that keeps an eye on things you don’t want to see, predicting and preventing costly infestations in an environmentally-friendly way.

By Kyle Dante

Pest control is an issue faced by many communities. Somerville is no exception, having experienced a significant rodent problem for years.

Last year parallels the spike of 2019: 28.07% of the 2021 rodent infestation occurred during the summer, with nearly 41% representing the 2019 spike. Despite the percentage difference, both indicate a large number of rodents. As evidenced by the data, the infestation is bad.