By Mary Ann Grassia, M.Ed.

Make a list of the types of dogs that live in your neighborhood.

Find the sunniest room in your home.

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) will remain open during the statewide order to close all non-essential businesses, which was declared by Governor Charlie Baker on March 23.

The order, which runs through April 7, allows healthcare, public health, and human services agencies to continue providing essential services. Services provided by SCES are considered essential under the order.

Dear Community Members,

— Photo courtesy of Alzheimer’s Association

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health of millions in this country and around the world, but the novel coronavirus presents unique challenges for more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s and more than 16 million family members and friends serving as their caregivers.

By Mary Ann Grassia, M.Ed.

Send your child on a newspaper scavenger hunt:

Vocabulary
Find and circle 26 words, each one beginning with a different letter
of the alphabet.
List the words in ABC (alphabetical) order.
Find and circle 5 unfamiliar words. Look each one up then use it in a sentence.

The tools make the gardener, according to the experts.

If you are like most homeowners, you need to prune trees, shrubs, bushes and other plants in your yard from time to time. But do you know which tool is best suited for each particular job? Experts say that choosing tools wisely is key to maximizing beauty, and minimizing damage to plants.

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Mayor Curtatone stresses that #SocialDistancing is vital if we want to #Coronavirus under control.

The School St. bridge closure currently in effect will be extended by one week to advance Green Line Extension (GLX) construction. The bridge is now expected to reopen to vehicular traffic Sunday, April 5. The next closure is planned for April 17 – 26. The School St. pedestrian bridge between Medford St. and Highland Ave. will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists during these short-term closures.

Dear Friends of Arts at the Armory,

Like many non-profit and arts organizations, small businesses and individuals, the Center for Arts at the Armory will bear a significant financial impact due to COVID-19 and does not have a contingency budget for emergencies like this one. The Center for Arts at the Armory relies almost exclusively on revenue generated from hosting events and running our Café. In response to COVID-19, we have had to cancel events indefinitely, close our Café, and lay off staff. We have a streamlined core of administrative staff working to lay the groundwork for Arts at the Armory’s future, which will only possible with your support.

~Photo by Doug Holder

Normally there is an editorial from Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone in this space, but this week the city is instead sharing important information and updates about COVID-19.

On Monday, March 23, Gov. Charlie Baker and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a stay-at-home advisory, effective through Tuesday, April 7, outlining social distancing and public health safety protocols like stopping unnecessary travel and staying home except for necessary errands. Public health experts have said that minimizing contact with others is the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19. Non-essential businesses were also ordered to stop in-person business through April 7.