Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is honored to announce that the Somerville Pollinator Action Plan (SPAP) has been awarded a National Honor Award in the Analysis & Planning category by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). This national recognition follows a Jury Special Recognition Award from the Boston Chapter in May and highlights the Plan’s innovative approach to supporting pollinators and biodiversity in an urban setting. 

On the evening of September 11, the Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SSEPAC) publicly presented for the first time its 25-page report to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) before the Somerville City Council. The presentation was introduced by City Councilor At Large Kristen Strezo, who underscored her concern that the voices of special education families are too often excluded from critical decision-making processes across city government.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Somerville’s Council on Aging hosted the annual Mayor’s Senior Picnic at Trum Field on September 9. Food, music, and good cheer were plentiful for all who attended.

 What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation presented by The Boston Globe’s Camberville & beyond returns for the 20th year this Saturday, September 20 from 2pm to 6pm (severe weather date 9/21). This zany, madcap festival honors the invention of Marshmallow Fluff by Archibald Query in Somerville in 1917 and salutes the spirit of innovation that thrives throughout the city today. 

The Rock and Roll Yard Sale, curated by What Cheer?, took place last Sunday in Union Square Plaza.

By Jordan Pagkalinawan

On Sunday, September 14, residents trekked to Union Square Plaza to check out the Somerville Rock and Roll Yard Sale, a longstanding market offering a variety of vintage goods.

Couples, families, and young adults perused the lines of tents that featured clothes, mugs, signs, and vinyl records, pulling out cash or scanning Venmo QR codes to support local businesses. Some made small talk with store owners, eager to learn more about their products or inquire about a specific book or record.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Chuck E Cheese, Laser Tag, and movie theaters like Chunky’s were where we usually held my two youngest kids’ birthday parties in the 90’s and early 2000’s.

My older daughter’s tenth birthday in 1992 was at the McDonald’s playground that used to be in Davis Square, and her twelfth birthday was a pool party at The Holiday Inn off Washington St. in Somerville. The boys had some parties at a place called Kids Playground and Laser Quest in Danvers for laser tag.

On September 11, the Massachusetts House and Senate passed legislation filed by Rep. Christine Barber and the Somerville delegation entitled An Act establishing a charter for the city of Somerville.

This bill was filed on behalf of the City of Somerville to replace the city’s current charter. The existing charter dates back to 1871 – the year Somerville became a city – and aside from minor changes, the last significant update was in 1899. In 2020, the Mayor and City Council established a Charter Review Committee, comprised of both residents and elected officials, to conduct a comprehensive review and propose updates to strengthen and modernize the city’s government structure. After 16 months of work – including 32 committee meetings, over 10 public events, 85 public comments, and more than 1,000 survey responses – the Committee released its recommendations in August 2022.

A state statute aimed at informing voters by mail about binding questions on the ballot was a key topic of discussion at the recent Somerville City Council meeting.

By Harry Kane

Registered voters need all the information they can get before making decisions during election season, which is why City Councilors are debating the adoption of a state statute that would inform voters by mail about binding questions on the ballot.