A Public Safety Oversight Commission is being advocated by the city.

By Regina Arana

Somerville has been promising civilian oversight of its police department since 2020. Six years later, that promise showed up on this week’s agenda as a single line: item 26-1353, a Mayor’s Communication with an update on civilian oversight, sandwiched between grant approvals and license renewals.

City of Somerville public officials, first responders, and members of the public gathered on Friday, September 11, to remember and honor those lost in the 9/11 attacks. ~Photos courtesy of City’s Public Liaison, Jesse Moos.

By Christa Lee

On Friday, September 11, the City of Somerville held a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony in Davis Square. Among the organizers is Jerome Thomas, a Marine for eight years and Director of the Veterans’ Services Department for the last three years. Veterans’ Services worked with Mayor Wilson’s office, the city police department, and the city fire department to organize this event, and members from each department or office were present at the ceremony.

Join the Davis Square Neighborhood Plan Survey Open House, September 16, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Somerville Theatre Crystal Ball Room, 55 Davis Square. Do you have opinions on Davis Square? Now it’s your chance to share them by taking the new Davis Square Neighborhood Plan Survey before it closes on Sunday, September 27, or by joining upcoming events. All Somerville community members, local workers, and visitors are encouraged to participate and share feedback. Survey: Open through September 27 at: bit.ly/davissquaresurvey.

Welcoming Week 2026 was officially proclaimed by Mayor Jake Wilson at the latest meeting of the Somerville City Council.

By Harry Kane

Feeling welcomed and the courage to connect unite the community, say city officials. Mayor Jake Wilson proclaimed Welcoming Week 2026 for September 10 through September 19 at the latest City Council meeting to celebrate inclusion and diversity in the community.

Most change leads to new beginnings. That’s what they say anyway. We’ve been through some challenging times in recent years, and here we are once again with autumn on our doorstep, bringing with it the undeniable realization that change is inevitable.

Eagle Feathers #363 – The Highlands

Some of the meanings for the phrase “head for the hills” are to take the high ground during a battle, to move away to safer ground during a flood, and to flee from danger. If this is true, then Somerville should be one of the safest cities around, for she abounds with hills.

Susan Sklan is a social worker and published poet, an Australian now living in the Boston area. Her poems have appeared in Constellations, Folio, Kalliope, Nixes Mate, Pleiades, Sojourner, Soul-Lit, The Centennial Review, The Muddy River Poetry Review, and other journals and anthologies. On passing an old lover’s address was chosen by the Cambridge MA, Sidewalk Poetry Program, 2018, and installed on a city sidewalk. Her poetry chapbook The Letters was published by Main Street Rag, 2023. Her poetry book The Lost Garden is to be published by Finishing LIne Press, 2026.

Sinhá Capoeira will be sharing the Afro-Brazilian tradition of movement and music.

All invited to free event with music, dance, and food celebrating the City’s Latin American and Caribbean communities

Somerville’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA), with support from the City’s Division of Equity and Belonging and the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), invites all community members to celebrate Latin American and Caribbean Heritage Month on Saturday, September 26, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Somerville High School (81 Highland Ave.).