Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Somerville Public Schools, and Somerville’s early childhood community invite parents, children and educators to enjoy music, pizza, and games at the One Somerville, Every Child celebration on Wednesday, April 12 on the Somerville High School concourse (81 Highland Ave.) from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

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Help celebrate Paul Revere’s famous ride from Boston to Lexington and Somerville’s revolutionary history by volunteering to be a part of Somerville’s Patriot’s Day festivities. The city is seeking volunteers to help publicize and support activities at the Colonial Fair on Monday, April 17, at Foss Park, which follows a reenactment of Revere’s ride. Both adults and Somerville students are welcome to sign up. For more information or to volunteer, contact Historic Events and Education Coordinator Brandon Wilson via bwilson@somervillema.gov or 617-776-3938.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: A big happy birthday to Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. We hope she has enjoys her day. Happy birthday to Jesse Moos, we hope he has a great day. We wish a happy birthday to all of our Facebook friends such as Patricia Garrity, Warren Goldstein-Gelb, Carmen Dolores Ferreira, Mark Hnl Kaye, Eileen Langille, Karen Muti Standel, Missy JT and Jaqueline Meneguel, who are all celebrating this week. To all the others we may have missed and, yes, we must admit there are a few more out there. We sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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The City of Somerville is participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this month, hosting two collection events for residents to safely dispose of prescription medications. Collection events will take place Saturday, April 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 220 Washington St. and 6 Newbury St. Staff from the city’s Community Outreach, Help, and Recovery (COHR) Department and the Prevention Services Division will be at both locations to collect unused or expired medications and used sharps (needles and syringes) and to provide overdose prevention information and resources. Free harm reduction materials including Narcan, fentanyl test strips, CPR face shields, and syringe disposal boxes will also be available. For more information, contact Prevention Services Manager Matthew Mitchell at mmitchell@somervillema.gov or (617) 625-6600 ext. 25.

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Somerville’s Memorial Day parade will return this year on Sunday, May 28 (rain date: May 29), stepping off at noon from Davis Square, proceeding west on Holland Street through Teele Square and onto Broadway, and ending at the Veterans Cemetery between Alewife Brook Parkway and North Street. The city’s annual remembrance ceremony will immediately follow. Sign up to volunteer or participate and march along with local Veterans and first responders by contacting Somerville VETS at 617-625-6600 ext. 4700. Parade volunteers should reach out by Friday, April 21 and participants by Friday, April 28. To learn more, visit somervillema.gov/veterans.

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Congratulations to the five Somerville High School student artists who were accepted into the 2023 Massachusetts Art Education Association Recognitions Juried Exhibition. Two of the five students also won 2023 MAEA Recognition Awards. View the complete exhibit at the Web Gallery to see these artists’ incredible work. https://maearecognitions2023.artcall.org/pages/web-gallery

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Stop by Lyndell’s Bakery, 720 Broadway, April 14 – 16, for a half moon in loving memory of Officer Sean Collier. Proceeds will go to the SAPD (Somerville Auxiliary Police Dept.) Sean Collier Memorial Scholarship. Grab a friend and stop by for a treat, and maybe even win some raffle prizes.

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Thanks to a generous donation from Legoland Discovery Center, Somerville Central Public Library has many advanced Lego and Lego Technic kits just waiting to be built. They’ll have Lego kits available for building for three days of April school vacation week: Tuesday April 18 and Thursday April 20 starting at 2:00 p.m. and Friday April 21 starting at 12:00 p.m. Attend as many sessions as you’d like. The completed kits will be put on display in the library. This program is intended for ages 10-18. Want to receive reminders for this program and other tween and teen programs? Text @SPLREMIND to 81010.

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Somerville residents can once again drop off household hazardous waste at the DPW yard on designated days. Drop offs are accepted on the first Saturday of each month, April through November, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the DPW yard (1 Franey Rd.). Accepted materials include motor oil, aerosol paint, household cleaning chemicals, rechargeable batteries, and more. Proof of residence such as a driver’s license or utility bill is required. Waste materials should be placed in sturdy boxes and not in loose or plastic bags. Residents can learn more about other accepted items by visiting somervillema.gov/trash or calling 311 (617-666-3311).

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Street sweeping not only keeps our streets clean, but is essential for reduced flooding by preventing clogged street drains. The 2023 season began on Monday, April 3, and continues through December 31. A reminder to: Check signs in your neighborhood for sweeping days. Get familiar with the street sweeping schedule in areas where you park. Visit somervillema.gov/sweeping for a full schedule and to sign up for complimentary street sweeping reminders by text, email, or phone. For more information on street sweeping procedures, visit parksomerville.com.

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ArtBeat 2023 planning has begun. This year’s theme is PULSE. Deadline for the various calls are quickly approaching: April 17 – Music, Dance, and General Talent application. To apply: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/artbeat/2023. June 5 – Community/Cultural Organization Application. To apply: https://forms.gle/y7NWE1vSzibcjKQe7. At this year‘s festival, they will explore everything that vibrates, pulses and suggests life. They invite artists of all kinds as well as community members to interpret the theme in myriad ways. Delve into all that pulses – things like hearts, cities, lights and drumbeats. Whatever the art form or mode of expression, we seek performances and activities that are brimming, beating, expanding, or keeping a sense of time. Visit somervilleartscouncil.org.

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Somerville Recreation summer program registration is now open. Visit their website to learn more. https://somervillema.myrec.com/info/default.aspx. There will be a Job Fair on April 26, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Edgerly School, 8 Bonair St. They have open positions as lifeguards, Dilboy laborers, recreation aids, counselors and supervisors. On site interviews and conditional offers.

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RESPOND, Inc., the Somerville-based nonprofit organization serving survivors of domestic violence throughout Middlesex and Suffolk counties, will host its first back-in-person fundraising gala since 2019.The event will take place at 6:00 p.m. on May 4 at The Kimpton Hotel Marlowe located at 25 Edwin H. Land Boulevard in Cambridge. The cocktail reception will feature hearty, passed hors d’oeuvres, an open wine and beer bar, silent auction packages, and other fun prizes. The program culminates with the presentation of the 2023 Timothy White Take a Stand Award to Shaquera Robinson, and a dynamic live auction, emceed by New England Emmy Award-winning Meteorologist and WCVB StormTeam 5 Weather Producer A.J. Burnett. Tickets are available on RESPOND’s gala website: www.respondinc.org/gala. Tickets are $125 each, with event host blocks of 10 tickets for $1,200.

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