(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

During the recent City Council meeting on June 10, Director of Racial and Social Justice Denise Molina Capers presented a communication to the Council regarding the proposed inaugural budget to establish the City’s first Racial and Social Justice (RSJ) Office. Director Molina Capers called on the City Council to show support for the RSJ Office with our words and actions. I encourage everyone to read the full text of her letter before reading my response below.

A virtual town hall meeting was held last week concerning the possible installation of a supervised consumption site in Somerville.

By Fernando Cervantes Jr.

On Thursday of last week, the City of Somerville held a supervised consumption site town hall. The meeting focused on data concerning these sites and the need for them in Somerville.

The meeting was led by Director of Health and Human Services Doug Kress and attended by Mayor Joseph Curtatone and President of the Somerville City Council Matt McLaughlin.

By Joe Creason

The Finance Committee convened for a public hearing with regards to the FY-22 Budget on June 9. Ward 2 City Councilor J.T Scott, Chair of the Finance Committee, led the hearing proceeding in the third night of the Committee’s budget review process. The Council did not answer questions or deliberate on comments from the public, in order to allow as many individuals to speak as possible.

Somerville’s most popular entertainment venues are coming back to life after COVID-19 restrictions are largely lifted.

By Bella Levavi

After the three major Somerville music venues shut their doors over a year ago, Governor Baker’s order on May 29, 2021 has brought live music back to Massachusetts. 

Somerville residents are coming in huge numbers to the local venues to hear live music once again. “It’s bouncing back like it never happened,” Tommy McCarthy, owner of The Burren, said.

All city buildings will reopen to the public on Monday, July 12, with limited staffing. Both visitors to city buildings as well as staff will be required to wear face coverings while inside the buildings. Staff will be available on a walk-in basis in all departments for quick transactions like paying a bill or picking up a document. For matters that will take longer, residents will need to schedule an appointment with city staff. Many city services are also available online and, whenever possible, residents are encouraged to continue to use online services.

By Rachael Hines

The Council of Energy Use and Climate Change (CEUCC) held a virtual meeting to discuss upcoming sustainability regulations on Wednesday, June 11. The Committee tackled issues like defining “net zero carbon emissions” and discussed how to incentivize sustainability in construction and remodeling while keeping costs low.

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By Mayor Emeritus Eugene C. Brune
Museum Trustee

I remember that it was in the 1980’s when I was first introduced to the wonders of the Somerville Museum. Although I learned “Mary had a little lamb” in the early grades of elementary school I never knew that Mary Sawyer Tyler, the heroine of that poem, lived in our city and was the wife of Columbus Tyler (Superintendent of the McLean Asylum). It was fascinating to also know that the very first telephone line in the world was installed by Alexander Graham Bell in the home of Charles Williams, a resident on Arlington Street, Somerville in 1877. Bell invented the telephone in Williams Electrical Shop. Bell, owing Williams some money, made his very first phone call from his shop in Boston to Williams’ home. Or how it came to be that the first flag of the United Colonist was raised on the high point of Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776 and we celebrate this by raising the replica of that flag every year on the first of January. And more fascinating stories such as the Mill, built in 1747 at Powder House Park, that stored hundreds of barrels of gunpowder which was seized by General Gage for the British. As well as the Round House and Ploughed. The Blessing of the Bay, and so much more about the glass works, the brick yards and that is just the tip of the iceberg, as the saying goes.

Eagle Feathers #231 – The Faithful and the Fearless

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

While walking by, biking, or sitting in Winter Hill traffic, many people have noticed the names of Reilly and Brickley on the front of the city’s fire headquarters and have casually dismissed them without a thought. On June 10, Somerville firefighters celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Arrow Paper Company fire where two of their fellow firefighters lost their lives and five were injured. Veteran firefighter, George Janus, was buried in the rubble and narrowly escaped with serious injuries. Four other firefighters were also injured trying to extricate him.

For those of us who are fortunate enough to have had a strong, loving father figure in our lives, we have indeed been truly blessed.

They have served as our providers – along with mom, of course – our enablers, our staunch supporters, our coaches, our towers of strength.

Most of us love our dads year-round unconditionally, but we are immediately reminded of just how much they mean to us whenever Father’s Day rolls around in the month of June.