By Max Eidelman

The City Council met last Thursday for their regular meeting. One of the first topics addressed was a commendation for Donna Joy of the City’s Personnel Department. Joy, after 34 years of service, is retiring. Ms. Joy briefly spoke, saying that it has been an honor to have worked for the city for such a lengthy period of time. As Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin said, “Every city employee, including us, has had to go through her at one point.”

We wish all of our readers, their friends and families, a happy Easter and Passover. May the blessings of these occasions bring healing and strength to all of us throughout these challenging times. It is a time to embrace hope and optimism as we look together towards the future.

The startup of renovation activities at Conway Park are expected to commence sometime this spring.

By Alex Reidy

The sixth and final public meeting concerning the Conway Field and Playground Renovation was held on Wednesday, March 24, where many issues were put to rest as they plan to get underway with construction.

Sometime this spring is the intended start date, with spring 2022 being the estimated completion date.

Women helped to get us through the pandemic and we must center them in the recovery
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By State Representative Christine P. Barber

One year into the Coronavirus pandemic and the economic impacts, just one of the innumerable losses we have faced, are enormous. So many have lost jobs, risked their health and well-being by doing dangerous work and met greater needs to care for children throughout the pandemic. For this Women’s History month, I am uplifting the women who helped Massachusetts get through the last 12 months of the pandemic. The best way we can honor women is to ensure the recovery from COVID-19 is squarely centered on their needs. 

Street sweeping resumes on Thursday, April 1. Vehicles cannot be parked on the side of the street being swept to allow sweepers to clear debris from the road. Vehicles parked in a street sweeping zone during posted hours may be ticketed.

The continuing COVID-19 crisis has certainly put a damper on our ability to enjoy the usual holiday celebrations in normal ways. So it may be that both religious-minded and secular folks will have to deal with yet another special occasion in semi- or total isolation.

And in spite of vaccinations being well underway, it doesn’t help to know that in spite of our best efforts to avoid it, the lurking danger is still out there when we’re forced to venture out to buy necessities, to take a walk and get a little fresh air and exercise, and so on. It’s the sad reality we all have to face at this time, until the danger finally goes away.

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I was fortunate to catch up with Somerville painter Adam Adkison. Originally from the hinterlands of Wyoming, he has found a home in our rich creative hub. From his website:

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“My name is Katherine Turner and am a senior at Endicott College. I’m a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology. I plan to further pursue an education at Suffolk University for an advanced degree, and hopefully realize a career in data analytics. I live in a small town of Wrentham, MA, and I am a huge New England sports fan!”

As more residents have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, including essential and service industry workers, the City of Somerville is moving forward with some additional modest business reopening steps starting Monday, April 5. Somerville is still reopening at a more cautious pace than the state, remaining in a modified Phase 3, Step 1 of the State’s reopening plan until further notice.

Somerville Firefighters responded to a fire at 657-659 Somerville Avenue on Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. on March 27. Firefighters at the fire station at Somerville Avenue and Lowell Street were alerted to the fire by a passing bicyclist who banged on the fire station door. Arriving firefighters discovered a fully engulfed fourth floor balcony which was rapidly spreading.