Please join the Somerville Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development and Ward 4 Alderman Jesse Clingan on Tuesday evening, July 9, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. for the first community meeting with our landscape architecture team from Warner Larson Associates. The meeting will be held in the Healey School cafeteria, 5 Meacham St. Warner Larson will present their qualifications, review the criteria for the new schoolyard design, and discuss the layout possibilities.

The City of Somerville is partnering with the Somerville Garden Club again in 2019 to raise awareness about (BSW), a very aggressive and invasive, non-native weed that can be found throughout Somerville. It displaces native plants and habitats, threatens butterflies and songbirds, and is toxic to deer and livestock. BSW is especially harmful to the monarch butterfly population as BSW resembles milkweed, where monarchs lay their eggs, and once the monarch larvae hatch they die from eating the toxic BSW leaves.

(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

A monthly look at ways to get involved with your city: Don’t just live in Somerville, be Somerville!

Join a Board or Commission

Joining a City board or commission is a great way to get more involved with issues that you care deeply about and right now several have openings for new members. The Planning Board, Somerville Redevelopment Authority, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Somerville Historic Preservation Commission are currently accepting applications for new members. Each of these groups deals with important issues around construction and development – both on a large scale and on a smaller scale, like home renovations. You can learn more about what each board or commission does, what is involved in being a member, and how to apply at www.somervillema.gov/besomerville. And don’t forget to check back for future opportunities to serve on boards and commissions related to other issues.

~Photos by Jennifer Grimes

By Jennifer Grimes

Saturday June 22 was the perfect day for Somerville’s summertime event, which was held from 12 p.m.- 4 p.m. The sun brightened stretches of grass on Trum Field, the breeze was gentle, and the clouds ceased to threaten rain.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the area of the Kmart store on Middlesex Ave. on reports of three shoplifters at large.

Upon arrival, a Kmart Loss Prevention Officer informed the police that he had attempted to stop three males who had stolen jewelry and watches from the store. The three men had refused to stop for him.

Due to emergency water repairs on Alewife Brook Parkway, the Dilboy Pool will be temporarily closed for a portion of the day today, Thursday, June 27. The pool is expected to reopen by approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday, however please check www.somervillerec.com or call 311 for updates.

(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 Stephen Mackey, president/CEO of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce

The City of Somerville faces unprecedented financial pressure as it heads into 2020. Big bills are coming due at City Hall for a number of substantial capital projects. For example:

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

65 Holland St., outside Davis Square is now the site of Orleans, and The Bull Pen before that, and maybe a few others. I can’t keep track of all the restaurants that have come and gone. Back in the day it was The Venice Café, where you could get spaghetti and (huge) meatballs, antipasto, veal parmesan, chicken (marsala) dinners, seafood and fantastic pizza, and of course beverages of all kinds. The red wine flowed freely there. The Venice Café is one of those historic old places that a lot of Somerville people remember with a smile. For many of us it was the first real restaurant our parents took us to, especially if you lived near Davis Square.

ACCESS Drug User Health Program, in conjunction with the cities of Somerville and Everett, held a discussion forum last week focusing reducing drug overdoses. ~Photos by Melissa Rosales

By Melissa Rosales

ACCESS Drug User Health Program partnered with the City of Somerville and Everett to discuss overdose aftercare services, harm reduction and the use of fentanyl strips last Wednesday, June 19 at the Public Safety Building, 220 Washington St. The ACCESS mobile health van was also present for tours to explain how they can assist in reducing overdoses.

(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 William C. Shelton

Somerville is in the midst of a deepening crisis. The Mayor and others have named it a “housing crisis.” But the crisis is systemic, and our shrinking stock of affordable housing is only one aspect.