(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 Editor,

This Holiday season, I’d like to remind readers to thank a co-worker, friend or family member who has quit smoking, vaping, or using other nicotine delivery products. Many users say quitting is the hardest thing they have ever done and any amount of recognition can help someone stay quit.

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Opened for a little over a month, Mortadella Head, located in Davis Square offers an abundance of items on their menu that’s sure to please everyone’s taste buds.

Thursday and Friday City offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. Starting on Thursday, November 22, trash, recycling, and yard waste collection will be on a one-day delay. There will not be street sweeping on Thanksgiving. Parking meters and residential parking permits will not be enforced on November 22 or 23.

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I remember starting at McLean in the summer of 1982. I was 27 and had some experience working at the Dr. Solomon Carter Mental Health Center in the South End of Boston and other state programs.

My experience had basically been with severely retarded clients, and kids with criminal backgrounds from the Roxbury and Dorchester sections of Boston. But McLean Hospital was a totally different experience. It was and is a private institution, very well-regarded, and still had the remnants of its Boston Brahmin past.

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Sophie Bubrick is originally from San Francisco, California, and is currently a Psychology major at Endicott College. She is involved in the online women’s college magazine HerCampus, and she is an editor for the Endicott Review. Sophie’s work has also been published in the anthology of writing Declare What you Know To Be True, published by The Intuitive Writing Project in Orinda, California.

Keep our rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds clean – bag your leaves!
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Bag, mulch, or compost your leaves, but do not rake them into the street or dump them down storm drains. Blocking storm drains can cause flooding, and large amounts of leaves in our water can lead to an excess of decaying organic material in waterways with results that are harmful to both humans and animals.

President Katjana Ballantyne has called for a Special Meeting of the Board of Aldermen, to be held as follows:

TIME:   Thursday, November 29, 2018, at 5:30 PM.

LOCATION:   Aldermanic Chambers, City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue.

AGENDA:   Public Hearing on, and adoption of, the tax levy percentages for fiscal year 2019, and all related financial matters.

The public is invited to attend and be heard.

Registered nurse and director of Adult Family Care at Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services Jeanne Leyden.

By Jeanne Leyden

November is Caregiver Appreciation Month, and it’s a great time to recognize unsung heroes who do amazing work each day.

I’ve worked with hundreds of family caregivers over the years, and their stories never cease to amaze me. Most of them had no prior background in the field, but they stepped up when the need became apparent.  That dedication to providing the best possible care at home is always compelling, and so worthy of recognition.