Mayor Ballantyne and Rec Department invite community to annual fall celebration

Welcome the fall season with a day of fun for the whole family. Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Somerville’s Parks and Recreation Department invite community members to the Fall Festival on Saturday, September 13, at Founders Memorial Rink (8 Garden Ct.) from 1 to 4 p.m. Fall Festival activities will be held indoors

Q: Are there any outside-of-the-box options for making a bit of extra money?
A: Yes—and some of them pay more than you’d expect. While part-time gigs are common, there are creative and legitimate ways to earn money that many people never consider!

City buildings will be closed Monday, September 1, 2025 in observance of Labor Day.

There will be no street sweeping on Monday September 1, 2025 and all trash, recycling, and yard waste collection services will be delayed by one day.

Visit www.somervillema.gov/trash-and-recycling for all pickup information

Community members are invited to join Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, the City Council, and School Committee at the 2025 City Hall Community Meetings. These meetings are held every fall in each of Somerville’s seven wards to share the latest City and neighborhood updates – and more – with community members. Not only do these hyperlocal gatherings offer an overview of the latest City news and projects right in your area, you can learn more about City programs and initiatives, meet your neighbors, and get the latest neighborhood crime stats. They’re also a great way to find ways to get involved and talk directly with elected officials and City staff.  

This year, Somerville block parties are getting even more fun. Funded by Mayor Ballantyne’s FY26 budget, the Block Party Play Kits are free, borrowable kits filled with games and equipment to help neighbors turn their street into a playground.

(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 Katjana Ballantyne

When most people hear the word “zoning,” they don’t exactly think “innovation.” Zoning is often seen as dry, technical, and bureaucratic. But in Somerville, we’re using zoning as a tool to do big things: protect the arts, tackle climate change, support small businesses, and grow an inclusive economy. Most recently, with four new zoning amendments I recently signed into law, we’ve cleared the path for a transformational new master plan at Somernova, a 7.4-acre innovation campus in Union Square.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

One of my sisters’ former boyfriends had a 1967 blue “goat.” A GTO with 4 on the floor. It was the coolest car I had ever seen up until then. Even when he popped the clutch and the car ended up on the sidewalk in front of the Middlesex Bank on Highland Ave. in Davis Square. By the way, he was cited for recklessness and driving barefoot. But boy, was that car nice.

Members of the Somerville Kiwanis Club organized the drive for their annual school supplies donation program.

On August 19, the final step in our annual school supplies/backpack drive before final delivery was completed at the Somerville headquarters of PUMA North America. A great group of Kiwanis members, assisted by some friends and an amazing group of PUMA employee volunteers, was able to stuff all 200 high-quality backpacks with needed school supplies in less than an hour. After a quick group photo, the boxed backpacks were loaded onto member vehicles for delivery to Somerville High School and Prospect Hill Academy.

Fair Housing means no discrimination! Candidates for Mayor and City Council had the chance to present their views on non-discrimination in housing by answering a questionnaire from the Somerville Fair Housing Commission, a nonpartisan group of volunteers. We are sharing all the answers we received. The Commission hopes you, the voters, will use the candidates’ answers as you decide how to vote in the September 16 primary and the November general election.