Senator Patricia Jehlen joined advocates for Governor Maura Healey’s signing of a bill that the Massachusetts legislature passed earlier this year to bring Massachusetts laws into the 21st century by removing offensive language from state statute.

Survey open through October 25; Input will help inform event management and future planning

While the crisp fall air has arrived, Somerville’s Arts and Culture division is looking ahead to spring and one of its biggest annual events, PorchFest. As planning for 2027 gets underway, community members are invited to complete the PorchFest survey to give input on what’s working and identify areas for improvement as the event continues to evolve.

City officials are seeking to amend zoning regulations in order to facilitate the addition of more resources for serving the unhoused in the community. ~Photo by Bobbie Toner

By The Times Staff

The city is looking to expand where shelters for the unhoused could be located within the city to better serve residents in need.

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

Update: Due to this weekend’s predicted weather, Somerville’s Latin American and Caribbean Heritage Month celebration is postponed to Sunday, October 25. The rescheduled event will take place inside Somerville High School (81 Highland Ave.) from 2-5 p.m.

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.).

The Somerville Homeless Coalition’s 31st annual Road Race hits the streets on Saturday, October 3.

By Claire Q. Wood

On October 3, the Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) will host their 31st annual Road Race. The 5k serves as a community event as well as a fundraiser.

(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)

Four out of every 10 neighbors are food insecure, according to the Greater Boston Food Bank—a staggering 40% do not have enough food to eat! This rate has more than doubled since 2019.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

One of our family heirlooms is one of the last bottles of my grandfather’s homemade wine. It’s in a Ballantine Ale bottle. I remember my father saying it was either really good wine or very bad vinegar. It remains unopened in my kitchen cupboard, but I thought I’d look into winemaking in Somerville by starting with my grandpa.

Somerville’s annual “What the Fluff?” Festival returned to Union Square on Saturday, September 19. This year’s theme, “Legally Fluff: A Toast to Union Square,” celebrated the festival’s 21st year. Community members of all ages enjoyed free festivities honoring the invention of Marshmallow Fluff and the neighborhood’s creative spirit. The festival honors the invention of Marshmallow Fluff by Archibald Query in Somerville in 1917 and salutes the spirit of innovation that still thrives in Union Square today.  — Photos by Matthias Gat

The city’s Legislative Matters Committee recommended approval of the DSNC to the City Council. — Photo by Tim Sackton, under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license.

 By Harry Kane

The law has spoken, and the proposed Davis Square Neighborhood Council could include residents from neighboring cities, according to City Attorney Cynthia Amara. And, at the Legislative Matters Committee meeting on September 15, members voted to recommend approval of the DSNC, which will go to the City Council for formal recognition.