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Back in 1994, I decided to give up my small, rent-controlled flat in the Republic of Cambridge, to get married. My late wife Dianne said, “I am convinced you loved me, because you gave up a rent-controlled apartment for me.”

As it turns out, rent control was soon to be abolished, and there was a mass exodus to Somerville, where – if you can believe it – rents were cheap.

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Shira Hoffman (she/her) is a poet living with multiple invisible disabilities. Her poetry is featured in A Thin Slice of Anxiety and Muddy River Poetry Review and is forthcoming from Ibbetson Street Press and the Bagel with the Bards Anthology. After getting her MFA from the New School and working in traditional publishing, she relocated to Sommerville where the air is cleaner, but the people are still weird. Follow her on twitter @ShiraSHoffman for updates.

Tobin Sprout makes a stop at Arts at the Army next Sunday. L to R: Steve Vermillion, Tommy Schichtel, Gary Vermillion, Tobin Sprout. — Photo by Wayne Pickard

By Blake Maddux

As a member of the scrappy indie rock band Guided by Voices from 1986-1997, Tobin Sprout played on and wrote songs for beloved lo-fi classics such as Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, and Under the Bushes Under the Stars. Between 2012 and 2014, he did the same for six releases that appeared after the band’s “classic lineup” reunited in 2010.

Arrests:
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Rudolph Harris, of Lowell, November 3, 10:40 a.m., arrested at Washington St. on a warrant charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Like digging in the dirt? Been curious about why not all dirt looks the same?
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Join the Somerville Public Library for a family-friendly, hands-on virtual workshop that encourages urban explorers of all ages to get outside and pay closer attention to the world around them. Dig up some samples and learn to categorize the different types of dirt to discover what makes the dirt in your neighborhood unique.

The Charter Review Committee wants to hear from you! Join us for topic-specific small group discussions on how to improve Somerville. November 8  topic is Citizen Participation Mechanisms at 6 p.m.

The Serving Seniors 2021 honor roll: Courtney Libon (De Novo Center for Justice and Healing), Courtney Johnson (SCES Social Worker), Paula Nazaire (Anodyne Home Health Care Aide), John Marshal (Adult Family Care caregiver), Marsha Gerstein (Money Management Volunteer), and Fred Berman (Somerville Office of Housing Stability)

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) recognized six people who are doing essential work to support the independence and dignity of local older adults at Serving Seniors 2021.

The annual awards ceremony was held virtually on November 4, though most of the award presentations were pre-taped.

— Photo courtesy of Context Architecture

Community Meeting – Monday, December 13 at 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

After feedback from the City Council and community members, they have rescheduled and reformatted the Public Safety Building meeting originally scheduled for November 10th. On December 13 at 6:00 p.m. they  will have a virtual kickoff to envision a new 90 Washington Street. Attendees will be able to provide input on the public safety building project and talk with community members and neighbors about the opportunities on the rest of the site. What would you like to see here? What are your concerns? How can we create a cohesive site that also connects with the rest of the neighborhood?