The City of Somerville’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) and Somerville Media Center (SMC) are excited to announce the 2020 Screening Series of From My Heart to Yours.

New ordinance went into effect on December 26, 2019

The City of Somerville and the Office of Housing Stability (OHS) are pleased to announce the passage of the Housing Stability Notification Act (HSNA), which is designed to ensure that all tenants facing displacement know their rights and what resources are available to them.

— Photos by Bobbie Toner

Update: Working fire at 134 Willow Ave., Somerville, next door to the Y-Not Variety. One resident was home at the time and  refused medical attention As of now, two people are displaced, Red Cross are involved. Mutual aid from Cambridge Fire.

The fire is under investigation.

Mary-Louise A. (Gordon) Daly  of Somerville, January 1, 2020.

Beloved wife of the late Bernard R. Daly. Loving mother of Timothy E. Daly and his wife Judy of Lynnfield, Edie Daly, SNDdeN of Woburn and the late Robert and Christopher Daly. Mother-in-law of Kathryn Bell of Hull and Deby Holmes of Norcross, GA. Dear grandmother of Robert, Jessica, Matthew and Stephanie. Great-grandmother of Matthew, Rhianna, Brody, Olivia, Colette, Connor and Kaydance.

(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 Joseph A. Curtatone

Each year on January 1, we gather to reenact and commemorate George Washington having the Grand Union Flag flown on Prospect Hill. We don’t know exactly why Washington had the flag raised, but we do know that there were British troops stationed in nearby communities who would have seen it. By raising that flag in full view of enemy troops he, consciously or not, announced that the Colonial Army was not afraid and not backing down.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to Columbia Sports at Assembly Row last Friday afternoon on reports of a shoplifter.

Upon arrival, the officers were informed by an onlooker that a male had chased the shoplifter past the train platform.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

I remember how long it took me to stop writing a “7” on checks when we entered the ‘80’s. All of a sudden, 1970 is 50 years ago. I had just started getting used to being a teenager when I turned 20 in 1973. Fast forward to … wait! It sure did go forward, fast. I was always so busy trying to achieve and build for my future, while raising a family, that the days just flew by. And now here I am in the future.

By The Times Staff

As another year passes, we look back now and highlight some of the local stories of particular interest that we covered in 2019.

The year began with the City of Somerville’s legislative body officially becoming the Somerville City Council (formerly the Board of Alderman) on January 31. The name change was approved when Gov. Charlie Baker signed a home rule petition on January 1 requesting the switch to City Council.

Future plans for the former Star Market site were among the topics addressed at the December 17 meeting.

By Adam Parise

On Tuesday, December 17, residents gathered in the cafeteria of the Arthur D. Healey School to discuss the vacant site of the former Star Market on Broadway. The attendees were not pleased with the fact that nothing has been done with the parking lot ever since the store on Broadway went out of business 12 years ago.

Professor Jared Ross Hardesty spoke on the subject of his new book “Black Lives, Native Lands, White Worlds: A History of Slavery in New England” at Tufts University on December 18.

By Shira Laucharoen

Professor Jared Ross Hardesty of Western Washington University says that his book Black Lives, Native Lands, White Worlds: A History of Slavery in New England is one that the country needs right now. Hardesty discussed his work in a lecture given at Tufts University on December 18.