Somerville joins Boston in urging that Amazon meet area standards for wages, benefits and safe working conditions prior to any expansion

Teamsters Local 25 applauds the Somerville City Council for unanimously passing a resolution aimed at the questionable safety record and unacceptable poor treatment of workers by shipping giant Amazon.

• Move vehicles to even-numbered side of street by 12 noon Monday to avoid ticketing and towing (unless otherwise posted) (you can move your car Sunday night; you don’t have to wait until Monday morning)

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

• Open Monday: City remote services, School remote learning, School pilot onsite learning, Grab and Go meal sites, Covid-19 testing, library curbside services until 1:00 p.m.

• Closed to public Monday: all City buildings, rinks, pool 

• Trash/Recycling pickup on normal schedule, no delays

Mayor Joe Curtatone announced today that certain Phase 3 Step 1 businesses, including fitness clubs and gyms, may once again open in Somerville on Monday, February 1, the same day that related rollbacks will end in Boston, and one week after early closing requirements were lifted statewide by Governor Baker. Businesses impacted by recent activity rollbacks and restrictions on operating hours may also revert to Somerville pre-rollback operating hours, which allow outdoor seating until 11:30 p.m. 

— Photo © Ridofranz / iStock via Getty Images Plus

With the roll-out of the vaccine taking place slowly, it may be awhile longer before life returns completely to normal. However, if you have been working remotely, it may be a good idea to reincorporate some of the elements of your regular routine into your schedule now.

Not only will maintaining a sense of normalcy help you to feel more productive and more like yourself again, it could also help make the transition to the workplace smoother when it does occur. Here are a few ways to go about it:

We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to provide you with information about the COVID-19 vaccines and encourage you to get vaccinated when they become available. The past year has been so difficult for all of us, but the vaccines offer hope for a better 2021. We are all looking forward to reconnecting in person with our friends, our families and our communities. The more people who get vaccinated, the quicker that can become a reality.

The City of Somerville has launched phone lines that residents can call to listen to recorded updates on COVID-19 vaccine information. Five lines, each with a different language, are available. Because vaccination information is changing rapidly, these lines will be updated frequently and will only provide the latest information. For additional vaccine information, sign up for City alerts and visit the websites listed below.  

By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to a Washington St. location last Wednesday on reports of an unarmed robbery.

Upon arrival, the officers were flagged down by the victim and his cousin, who told them that they had been in the victim’s vehicle with a friend, identified as Alex Payne.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Friendly disclaimer: hitch hiking is extremely dangerous and no one should ever do it!

On my walk last week I heard the song Hitchin’ a Ride by Vanity Fare. It came out in 1969, when I was 16. It got me reminiscing.

By the time I reached Somerville High School in 1969 something was happening to the youth of America. Our hair got longer, our music got groovy and our clothes were … different. We wore bell bottom pants and the peace sign was getting popular. Some of our friends were sent to fight in Viet Nam and there were peace rallies everywhere.

Here is the COVID-19 update for Wednesday, January 27. Please also check somervillema.gov/covid19 for information and resources that are updated frequently.