During April vacation, 57 Somerville High School students, 7 chaperones and an additional 4 adults travelled to Costa Rica. The chaperones, Alicia Kersten, Lisa Machnik, Marie Foreman, Beth O’Connor, Mike Maloney, Joe Marino and Naima Sait, along with Science Teachers, Lisa Curtin, Maureen Quigley (and her mom) and Roni Teich accompanied students on a cultural, scientific and environmental adventure.

A Night for Charlene Harris brought pro wrestlers to Somerville High School for a special fundraiser benefiting the Charlene Harris Scholarship Fund.

On Friday night, May 11, Northeast Championship Wrestling proudly presented A Night for Charlene Harris, a special fundraiser celebrating the life of the late Charlene with all proceeds of this event going to the Charlene Harris Scholarship Fund.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Star Market on McGrath Highway on reports of counterfeit $100 dollar bills being passed by a customer.

Upon arrival, the officers were directed to a woman walking across the parking lot and they drove over to question her.

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(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)

Last week at the grand opening of the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation at Greentown Labs, Governor Charlie Baker said, “This is ground zero right now for all the big thinking that’s going on in clean energy and climate solutions, right here in Somerville. And you all sit here like, ‘Well, yeah, sure.’ But this is really special.” And he’s right. Having the largest cleantech incubator in the country (and one that’s home to 85 member companies from six different countries) sitting right on Somerville Avenue is really special.

Staff from Somerville nonprofit, Parenting Journey, led by Executive Director Imari Paris Jeffries, attended the Raise Up Massachusetts rally at the State House on Tuesday, May 8, urging legislators to pass paid family and medical leave and a $15 minimum wage. Left to right: Gayle Turner, director of finance; Julie Bloch, project manager; Katie Smith, development associate and office coordinator; Imari Paris Jeffries, executive director; Erica Brunner, managing director of strategy; Alyssa Grinberg, director of communications and marketing; Hannah Collins, research manager.

By Emily Blackwood

Eight kids are seated criss-cross applesauce at the end of a driveway. They start cheering before the song even begins and impatiently wait for the show to start by throwing little bits of paper at their friend, Finley Scobel.

Voter registration may become easier and more accessible if a plan put forward by the city to do so can be fashioned and implemented.

By Jim Clark

A resolution to find ways to make voter registration more accessible and making voting itself easier for high school students was put forward and approved at the latest regular meeting of the Somerville Board of Alderman last Thursday.

~Photos by Donald Norton

Greentown Labs, the largest clean technology incubator in the United States, officially opened its expansion site, the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation on Wednesday of last week.

Sawyer “Thomas” Lawson performed a rap at the Somerville Youth Peace Conference, “A Tale of Two Cities: Voices Unheard,” on May 12. — Photos by Shira Laucharoen

By Shira Laucharoen

“What’s the point of building that new high school if families that immigrated here can’t live here?” asked youth organizer Javier Grullon in his speech Luxury We Can’t Afford.

Join the Somerville Chamber of Commerce for this year’s Business Town Meeting XIII with Mayor Joseph Curtatone: The business & economic agenda Q&A session. After Hours reception at Saloon, Rockwell, 255 Elm Street (next to Foundry on Elm, Davis Square), Thursday, May 17, 4:30 p.m. The Rockwell opens at 5:00 p.m. The Business Town Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Free appetizers, excellent networking, free drawing for weekend stay at Holiday Inn. Produced by the Somerville Chamber of Commerce’s new group Arrowstreet Inc, Distinctive Hospitality Group/Holiday Inn, Federal Realty Investment Trust, Innerbelt Industrial Center, KEMS Holding Corporation, Rafi Properties, Tufts University, Union Square Station Associates. Limited seating, first come, first served. RSVP with name(s) and affiliation(s) for you and your guest(s) to smackey@somervillechamber.org.