Mayor Curtatone announced on Monday during his midterm address that after 18 years of serving Somerville he will not be running for re-election. We thank him for his years of service to Somerville and wish him the best in the next chapter of his life, whatever that will be. Since his announcement the speculations have already started. Rumor has it that three current councilors are thinking of running: Ben Ewen-Campen, J.T. Scott and Katjana Ballantyne. Another rumor we heard is that there might be a surprise entry – long-time resident Joe Lynch. I guess we will know soon enough.

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The City of Somerville still remains in the limited Phase 3, Step 1 stage of reopening that went into effect on February 1 until at least March 15. Capacity limits in Somerville businesses will remain at 25% or the limit set in the business’s city-approved health and safety plan until further notice. Somerville also continues to hold the limit on attendance at gatherings to no more than 10 persons until further notice. The limit applies to both indoor and outdoor gatherings of any kind unless otherwise specifically permitted in city activity-specific guidelines.

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St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and Sally O’Brien’s will be celebrating its Irish heritage. Owner Liam Mannion and Bob McWatters invite the public to come by and enjoy a Guinness, corned beef and cabbage and Irish music on St Patrick’s Day, March 17, at Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: A big happy birthday to our own good guy and great Editor, Jim Clark. We wish him a great day, and we hope he enjoys his birthday and does something fun. Happy birthday to another one of our own, local real estate agent and lifelong resident John Pratti, from C21 North East. We hope John has a great birthday. Happy birthday to another nice guy, Eddie Nuzzo. We hope he has a great one. Happy birthday to Nick Kondilis, a long-time real estate agent with Bremis Realty. We hope he has a great birthday. And to Donald Coutoumas, of the Somerville Coutoumas family, we hope he has a great birthday. We wish Mike Browne a very happy birthday. Mike is a great guy we wish him the best. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Laureen Chirichiello, Sarah Colestock Berson, Barbara Neachtain, Susan Mangherini Griffin, Betsy Bragg, Scott Naugler, David Rudolph, Bob Schofield and Diane Marie Powers a very happy birthday.

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ROOTED Armory Cafe & Farmstand re-opened on Tuesday, March 2. Please plan to stop by frequently for delicious takeout menu items – including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and coffee drinks made at our espresso bar – and groceries featuring produce, dairy and pantry items, and beer and wine. Order online so that your order is ready when you come in. Open hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 191 Highland Ave.

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The Union Square Video Projection Series, curated by Andrew Ringler, features local artists whose works represent: storytelling, abstraction and dance from thirteen individual artists and artist collaboratives. Since November 2020, SAC have shown works from each group looping during the evenings, from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. The projection art is shown on a building facade in Union Square. Through March, they will be featuring dance-themed videos by artists: Stephanie Sherman, Michal Hall, Melissa Castro, Mike Brun, Margaret Wiss, and Carven Boursiquot. On March 3 at 6:00 p.m., join Facebook Live for a panel discussion highlighting some of the participating artists and the project curator. More details will be added to the website soon: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/projectionseries.

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Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, Ward 3 Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen, Ward 4 Councilor Jesse Clingan, and city staff invite you to a virtual community meeting to discuss implementation of the Gilman Square Neighborhood Plan. The meeting will focus on redevelopment at the Mobil gas station site, the former Homans Building site, and nearby green space called the Gilman Triangle on Medford Street behind Somerville High School. City consultants will present conceptual illustrations developed with community input, discuss opportunities and challenges based on existing conditions, and gather feedback on land-use priorities. The meeting will be held online on Wednesday, March 10, at 6:00 p.m. Register to attend at tinyurl.com/GilmanZoning.

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The City of Somerville has been building a new Somerville High School at the site of the existing one, using funds obtained locally and through a grant by the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The new campus will provide a state-of-the-art, innovative, and nurturing learning environment to SHS students for decades to come, and will serve as a premier community resource and gathering space. Its design – from site location to campus features – was refined through a community process of feedback surveys and public meetings. Take a virtual tour of the project’s progress here: https://www.shsproject.org/

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The state has announced that those accompanying someone 75 or older to their COVID-19 vaccine appointment at state sites are also eligible to get vaccinated. Anyone accompanying a senior to their vaccine appointment must have an appointment scheduled at the same site, on the same day, as the senior they are accompanying. To make an appointment at a state site, visit mass.gov/vaccine or call 211. Keep in mind that phone wait times may be long, so please be patient. The City of Somerville is also available to help those who face barriers to accessing vaccines including needing transportation or language assistance. If you are currently eligible to receive a vaccine – including those in Phase 1 or who are 75 or older – and need help accessing local vaccine resources, please call 311. 311 can also connect seniors to the Council on Aging for support in signing up for state vaccine clinics.

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You can sign up to receive occasional phone calls updating you on the latest COVID-19 vaccine information, including where and how to get a vaccine. To subscribe, please visit somervillema.gov/covidvaccine or call 311. If you are already signed up to receive email and text notifications through the city’s alert system you will also get this information. Again, this for people who would prefer to get vaccine updates via phone call. COVID vaccine information is also posted on the city website at somervillema.gov/CovidVaccine. You can also visit the state’s vaccine website, mass.gov/vaccine, for additional information.

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CHA Somerville Hospital offers free COVID-19 testing at Assembly Row. To make an appointment, call 617-665-2928, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The mobile COVID-19 testing unit also offers testing in our neighborhoods. Mobile testing schedules and more information on both can be found under the “Symptoms, Testing, & Medical Info” tab on somervillema.gov/covid19. The state also operates several Stop the Spread testing sites, including in the nearby communities of Chelsea and Everett. For more information, visit the state’s website: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stop-the-spread.

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Make sure you’re wearing the right face covering. The CDC has guidance on choosing a face covering that best protects those around you. Three things to keep in mind: Your face covering should be made of at least two layers of washable, breathable fabric. It should completely cover your nose and mouth. It should fit snugly against the side of your face. That means if you’re getting a face covering for a child, you should look for one designed for smaller faces.

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Somerville’s Winter Farmer’s Market takes place Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., through April 10, at 191 Highland Ave. Offering the best locally grown and produced agricultural items and more. Online pre-order market with a small outdoor “live” shopping market. They offer a diverse range of local and New England produce, as well as cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, pastries, chocolate, and wine. They feature rotating guest vendors each week, as well as live entertainment and activities. They accept SNAP/EBT, CREDIT and DEBIT cards. $10 SNAP match for EBT customers. For market information visit: http://www.somwintermarket.org.

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Apply for small business relief funds. The City of Somerville has made $5 million available to small businesses in its third round of the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Fund. Eligible businesses can apply for grants of up to $25,000. Applications are now available and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more about the funding, including eligibility requirements, or apply for funds online.

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The Pandemic – Electronic Transfer (P-EBT) Program was created spring 2020 to provide eligible families funds to purchase food while schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic has been extended through the end of the 2020-21 school year. Visit https://www.map-ebt.org/home/#ihdtab for additional information.