The Somerville Road Runners are proud to present the 6th annual Race to the Row in Assembly Square in our hometown of Somerville on Sunday, August 26, starting at 9:00 a.m.

(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)

Dear Board of Alderman,

I write to you ALL because, as a current Somerville resident and home owner, I am frustrated. I feel the board has misled the public with regard to impact to current owner residents.  Numerous times, the BOA stated current residents will not need to pay the tax, but is it your belief they will be affected?  However, Somerville’s own report in fact indicates the contrary and states all current owner will potentially be negatively affected by lower sale price offers.  It is also supported by basic econ 101 macro economic principles and empirical evidence studies.

By Donald Norton

Rosemary Ferrick’s Italian garden is pictured here. Her whole back yard has many different varieties of beautifully decorative plants and flowers.

The City will host its annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Trum Field on Thursday,  July 5 beginning with live entertainment at 6:30 p.m.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to The Highland Kitchen on Highland Ave. last week on reports of a dispute.

Upon arrival, the officers observed a man, later identified as Francis Furnelli, screaming and yelling obscenities at the restaurant manager, inches from his face.

By Shira Laucharoen

Old cameras, reclaimed furniture, tape cassettes, and more were on display under the tents that lined the streets of Somerville’s Union Square. At the second annual Night Market, held on the evening of June 30, vendors specialized in vintage items and artisan goods. The Somerville Arts Council partnered with the Somerville Flea to produce the market, an ArtsUnion event.

The city’s taxpayers got a chance to voice their concerns and advocate for their causes at a Public Hearing concerning the FY19 budget before the Board of Aldermen’s Finance Committee last week.

By Jim Clark

After weeks of deliberation, debate, and compromise, the City of Somerville FY 2019 budget has finally been voted on and approved by the Board of Aldermen.

The Clean and Open Elections Task Force made recommendation plans during one of its twice-monthly meetings, held on June 26.

By Shira Laucharoen

The Clean and Open Elections Task Force (COETF) met outside the Tufts Administration Building on June 26 to brainstorm recommendations for the city intended to enhance civic engagement. Ideas included generating more information on the campaign process, to attract a more diverse pool of candidates, and building on educational opportunities for young people.

The first annual SomerWellness Fair provided information on goods and services beyond the usual scope of traditional medicine. — Photos courtesy of Somerville Local First

By Ian Erlichman

Although Marijuana is not yet available for recreational use, there are plenty of other extracurricular activities available to the people of Somerville. Somerville Local First and Sira Naturals attempted to spread the word about some of these opportunities at the SomerWellness Fair 2018 on Wednesday, June 27, at the Arts at the Armory.