David Ortiz, also known as Big Papi, is making an appearance at Revolutionary Clinics in Somerville today to promote his premium cannabis brand, “Papi Cannabis.” Revolutionary Clinics is a vertically-integrated operator with a flagship medical and recreational dispensary located at 67 Broadway Street in Somerville. Big Papi will be greeting customers at the store from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15. The event is open to customers 21+ (and medical patients 18+ with a valid Massachusetts medical marijuana card). For more information, please visit www.revclinics.org.

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There will be a Public Hearing before the City Council’s Committee on Equity, Gender, Seniors, Families, and Vulnerable Populations regarding the following order: How increases in water and sewer rates are affecting Somerville residents. This meeting will be held in the City Council Chamber, on the 2nd Floor of City Hall, and by remote participation, using the Zoom platform. You have three ways to be heard at this meeting: 1. In person in the City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue. 2. To attend and be heard, enter the link exactly as it appears below into your internet browser. You will then be asked to register for the meeting. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HjYlNim_RG62H21wtDiyCA. If you are unable to attend but wish to be heard, you may email your comments to publiccomments@somervillema.gov, or send them by U.S. mail to the City Clerk, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA, 02143. Your comments must arrive no later than 12 Noon on the day of the Hearing, in order to be sure they are conveyed to the Council.

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Celebrating their birthdays this week: Happy Birthday to local attorney Ed Smith. Ed is a great guy and we wish him the very best year ahead. Happy birthday to Feargal O’Toole. We wish him a great birthday. Happy birthday to Vinny Vicente. We wish him the best. Happy birthday to Brian Roche. We hope he enjoys his day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such Donny Caprigno, Kevin D. Downey, Ken McIntyre and Karen Keenan McCann a very happy birthday. We hope everyone has a great day. To all the others we may have missed, we sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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Attend the Final City-led Armory Master Plan Meeting on Governance & Complete the Armory’s Survey. The final Armory Master Plan meeting will focus on “Future Governance” and is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15, at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Baptist Church on College Avenue, Somerville. Let your voice be heard in the future of the Armory. Learn more about these meetings here: https://artsatthearmory.org/about/armory-master-plan/.

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Somerville community members are invited to the “Slice of the City” spring meet-up series. This new series of family-friendly pizza parties in the park offers attendees a new way to connect and engage with city leaders and staff, local elected officials, as well as neighbors, all while enjoying Somerville’s parks. Events in each of the city’s seven wards will occur throughout the month of May from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. For more information and to find all event locations, visit somervillema.gov/slice. Upcoming meetings: Thursday, May 16: Ward 5 at Trum Field Playground, One Franey Road at Cedar Street, Monday, May 20: Ward 3 at Prospect Hill Park, 68 Munroe Street, Tuesday, May 28: Ward 2 at Lincoln Park, 290 Washington Street (near Argenziano School entrance).

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It’s prom season and The Community Affairs Unit is collecting suits to help out SHS students in need. If anyone has suits that they no longer have use for, please reach out to edacosta@police.somerville.ma.us to arrange for pickup.

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As the weather changes and we start to peel off jackets, hats, and gloves, essential items such as sunscreen, bug spray, and rain ponchos will become vital to keep the Somerville Homeless Coalition’s most vulnerable clients safe and healthy while they’re out in the unpredictable New England weather. Donations can be made through their Amazon wish list or by submitting a donation inquiry. For more information visit, Client Needs: https://bit.ly/SHClientNeeds.

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Somerville’s annual Water System Flushing Program begins Thursday, May 16, and continues through late October. This program consists of flushing pipes at high velocities to clean water mains and maintain the highest possible water quality. Flushing will take place Mondays and Thursdays between 6:00 p.m. and midnight to minimize potential disruptions to water service. Temporary drops in water pressure and/or discolored water can occur. In these cases, though the water may be discolored, it is safe to drink. Until the water runs clear, it is advisable to avoid washing laundry, especially white fabrics. Learn more at: somervillema.gov/hydrantflushing.

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Congratulations to Editor Gloria Mindock who is celebrating 19 years of success with Cervena Barva Press. They have published so many local writers, writers from the USA and writers from all Červená Barva Press over the world. We wish her and her staff many more years to come. You can see some of their work by visiting http://www.cervenabarvapress.com/.

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Culture House is looking for artists, creatives, non-profit organizations, and businesses in and around Gilman Square to bring the Gilman Park to life through events from June through September 2024. They have funding available to compensate programming partners. Find more information about programming and how to apply visit culturehouse.cc/projects/gilman-park. They are working with the City of Somerville to transform a vacant lot in Gilman Square, Homan’s lot, into a three-month outdoor community space to open in June. Gilman Park will be a gathering space for local organizations, a hangout space for residents, and an opportunity for development for local businesses, artists, and creatives. The goal of this activation is to connect Gilman Square with the rest of Somerville, bring back vibrancy, and test out future uses for vacant sites in Somerville.

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Attention all artists, makers, and more in the greater Somerville area! Somerville Public Library’s Comix Con returns this July and they are looking for local artists to sell their pins, prints, unique art objects and more. They are celebrating fandoms of all types and want you to be a part of our Con. Please fill out this form to be considered for a spot in our Artists Alley: tinyurl.com/splccvapp.

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The Somerville Recreation Department invites children in grades 1- 8 to participate in the annual Somerville City-Wide Swim Meet on May 17 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. https://somervillema.myrec.com.

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There are still lots of open spaces for students interested in the Summer Music program, the Middle Grades Robotics program, and the Career and Technical Education middle grades program. Rising 9th graders should check out the Summer Success program to get ready for high school. All programs are run by Somerville Public Schools and are free. Learn more and register: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/summer.

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On Monday, May 20, at the West Branch Library (40 College Ave), there will be musical performances from Bad History Month, Oliva from Rong, and a special guest. Who is the special guest? They can’t say yet. Nevertheless, if you like the two artists already listed, there is approximately a 100% chance that you will like the special guest. The show is free, but you must register (https://tinyurl.com/libgigmon) because space is limited.

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George L. Doherty Funeral Service is seeking family members of Jeremiah O’Leary. Mr. Jeremiah O’Leary passed away on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at the Cambridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Cambridge, he was 84. He was a former resident of Capen Court Senior Housing, 1 Capen Court Somerville, MA, before being admitted to the Cambridge Rehabilitation Center. He was born on April 10, 1940, unfortunately not much else is known on Mr. O’Leary. It is believed he has surviving siblings in the local area. If there is anyone who might be related to Mr. O’Leary, they need to speak with a blood relative, and respectfully ask someone to please reach out to the funeral home at 617-625-4320.

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Join the Somerville Growing Center for a few of their upcoming events. Festa Junina Prep @ CultureHouse, Sunday, May 19, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. For all ages. This crafting session will take place at the CultureHouse pop-up in Union Square, at 64 Union Square. Help prepare materials for the June 15 Festa Junina at the Growing Center. Just show up and have fun. Portuguese language-friendly activity. Contact: Yumi at yumiisu65@gmail.com.

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Somerville High School proudly presents the 2024 Music and Art Spring Showcase, Thursday, May 16. The Art Exhibit opens at 5:00 and the Concert begins at 6:00 p.m. Enjoy music performed by the Somerville High School Chorus, Orchestra, Band, World Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Guitar Class. Artwork from current High School art students and select 7th and 8th grade students will be on display. All staff, family, and friends of the Somerville Public Schools community are invited to join us for an evening celebrating the arts.

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JoyFest will be a block party/festival in Somerville at Prospect Hill Park on Saturday, May 18, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. (rain date May 19). JoyFest is a celebration of local arts and culture, highlighting local artists and organizations that support artists and musicians and advocate for affordable spaces for living and playing. Five bands are lined up to perform, with an open mic hour and DJs between sets. Community organizations will be tabling at the event, and artists will be there to share and sell their work. A few local organizations are hosting some in-person workshops. They will have food available for folks throughout the day. For more information visit thier event page https://partiful.com/e/o0C4VXs4IcCDKiGg2rIB, sign-up for open-mic, etc., here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ohR6S4L2mZlPVQXLyxmKcfkITtUm-mCWgA0EkAfi1mc/viewform?edit_requested=true.

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On Sunday, May 19, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., the Somerville Bike Kitchen is hosting its annual Bike Pageant at Somernova in the Aeronaut Brewing Courtyard at 14 Tyler St., or, in case of rain, at The Dojo at 15 Properzi Way. Somerville Bike Kitchen’s Somerville Bike Pageant is a celebration of unique, fun, creative, colorful and/or otherwise one-of-a-kind bikes. The event will have a handful of prize categories, ranging from self-explanatory to entirely unserious. The pageant is an excuse to come out, meet people and look at other people’s great, beloved, funny, wacky, rusty, stylish, mostly safe bikes. Anyone with a bike they want to share can enter it in the pageant. The event is free to attend and participate. For more information on categories, or to pre-register your bike, visit somervillebikekitchen.org.

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A reminder that yard waste pickup has begun. Yard waste should be put out with your trash and recycling on your normal pickup day and be in either a paper bag or a trash barrel with a “Yard Waste Only” sticker. Get stickers free of charge at the DPW Building (1 Franey Rd.), at the entrance desk at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), or by emailing 311updates@somervillema.gov.

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Haitian Flag Day is the celebration of the Haitian flag. Raising the flag is an opportunity to celebrate and bring communities together to learn about the contribution of Haiti to freedom and human rights throughout the world. Join the celebration May 18, from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m., City Hall Plaza, 93 Highland Ave. to celebrate with the Haitian community and enjoy the wonderful history behind the Haitian flag.

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The 2024 street sweeping season has resumed and will continue through December 31. Check signs in your neighborhood for sweeping days. 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 park-somerville.com.

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The What the Fluff? Festival needs your design ideas. What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation, a festival honoring the invention of Marshmallow Fluff, returns to Union Square in all its zany glory on Saturday, September 21. At this year’s festival, Somerville Over the Rainbow: No Place Like Fluff, Fluff fans from far and wide will gather in the city’s most magical square to celebrate Somerville’s favorite treat. Union Square Main Streets invites proposals for the most creative, fun, and funky design that honors the spirit of innovation in Union Square, as well as this year’s theme in a compelling way. This design will be used on promotional items, all social media, and all collateral materials for this year’s festival. Visit: https://www.unionsquaremain.org/2024-design. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be a part of Somerville’s wackiest and stickiest festival.

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Somerville’s Memorial Day parade will return this year on Sunday, May 26. It will begin at 11:00 a.m. from the Davis Square Rotary (9/11 Memorial Granite Circle Site), and end at Broadway and North Street. The city’s annual remembrance ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, May 27, at the Somerville Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while in service to our country. To learn more, visit somervillema.gov/memorialday.

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Join Union Square Main Streets and 50+ of your favorite local food producers for the 20th Annual Union Square Farmers Market, 66-70 Union Square. Shop local Saturdays through October 26, except September 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the Union Square Plaza. The market provides visitors and residents with top-quality, fresh, and local produce at fair prices; encourages active lifestyle values; educates consumers about farming and locally sourced foods; and gives customers opportunities to interact directly with farmers. For more information about the Union Square Farmers Market, visit unionsquaremain.org/2024-fmseason.

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Visit ROOTED Armory Café for their upcoming events: Red Cross Blood Drive, Wednesday, May 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Make your appointment here: https://www.redcrossblood.org, Strummerville Ukelele Club, Wednesday, May 22 at 6:30 p.m.

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This May, join the Somerville Public Library and the City of Somerville Health and Human Services Department to “Paint Your Pride!” in a joy-filled series of community art events. For a list of upcoming “Paint Your Pride!” events visit https://somervillepubliclibrary.org.

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The COA is offering free taxi rides to Somerville residents over the age of 60. Rides are available to go to the grocery store, farmer’s market, and pharmacy in Somerville and routine medical appointments in the surrounding communities. To best accommodate the needs of everyone in the city and to maximize the use of our funding, they will be capping the number of rides per week. To ensure the health and welfare of every resident of Somerville, exemptions will be made for chemotherapy and radiation appointments. To find out more information or to schedule your ride, please call Connie Lorenti at 617-625-6600 ext. 2319. All rides must be booked two business days in advance. This program is funded through ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Funding.

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Are you a member of Somerville High School’s class of 1974? The class of 2024 is looking for participants for this year’s Class Day festivities which will take place on Friday, May 31, beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Somerville High School. They are looking for 50 graduates in total from 1974 to participate. The Class of 2024 looks forward to seeing you. Email any questions to Irma Calderon at icalderon@k12.somerville.ma.us.

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Through the generosity of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and from the direction of Mayor Ballantyne, the Council on Aging is now able to provide Durable Medical Equipment at no cost to Somerville residents. Residents with a documented need for medical equipment must be over the age of 60, or have a permanent disability, and must be otherwise unable to afford or access needed medical equipment. They currently have available: Commodes, Bath Chairs, Bath Benches, Rollator Walkers, Incontinence Supplies and Transport Wheelchairs (wheelchairs are intended for transport and are not self-propelling or self-breaking.) For additional information, or for an application, please contact Debby Higgins at 617-625-6600, ext. 2321.

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Somerville Public Schools is looking for substitute teachers. Join an amazing team of educators, earn $150/day, and play an important role in our schools. Learn more about job requirements and apply here: https://somerville.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=1146.

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