Registered voters in Somerville should have received their applications for mail-in voting. If you fill it out and return it, you will be able to vote in the September 1 primary and November 3 general election without having to go to a poll site. Mayor Joe Curtatone explains this simple process here: https://youtu.be/k8mH7g0Z5ww. Anyone not registered to vote or registered voters who have not received their mail-in voting application can go to https://www.somervillema.gov/ELECTIONS for easy registration and to download a mail-in voting application.

********************************

Reminder: city buildings are still closed to the public. Although city buildings remain closed to the public, a number of city services are still available online or by calling 311. Check the “City Service Status” tab on the city’s COVID-19 page for more information.

********************************

Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Leeann Rollins, the wife of Bruce Jr. We wish her the very best for her birthday. Happy birthday to local guy Richard Nilsson. We wish him a very happy birthday. Happy birthday our own special and fun guy here in Somerville, the great Jimmy Del Ponte, who is celebrating. Happy birthday to Ricky Hart, of the famous Harts. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Nancy McCarty, Susanne Sordillo, Laurie LeBlanc, Deborah Lawrence Ferragamo, George Crotty, Cheryl Chaille Horan, Alice Galvin, Tommy Mcdaid, Frank Tello Jr., Erica Jones, Carol Powers, Joan Campo McKenna, Stephanie Ann, Justin Klekota, Peter Mcisaac, Joanne Tibbetts and Carole Anne Hannigan 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.

********************************

A photography exhibit by Somerville resident, Stan Eichner, illustrates the dynamic relationship between landscape photography and climate activism. Beginning on July 27, the exhibit, entitled Fighting For Our Planet, promotes an appreciation for the profound beauty of the world and underscores the critical importance of protecting our planet from thoughtless destruction – especially the current climate crisis. These images of the world’s natural beauty underscores why each of us must fight harder than ever to protect our planet. At the same time, images of climate activists illustrate one of the key ways to raise people’s consciousness and spark their activism. The exhibit will be at the Inside Out Gallery, One Davis Square in Somerville, MA, which are a series of outside display windows at the CVS there. It will run from July 27 through August 31. The Inside Out Gallery is a project of the Somerville Arts Council. Stan Eichner is a retired civil rights attorney committed to using his photography to further support environmental activism.

********************************

Just Us Somerville, a group of People Of Color living in Somerville, is looking for a couple of local POC artists to assist with the development and implementation of a BLM mural street project. If interested, please contact: Nelson Salazar at tuftsmpp@gmail.com.

********************************

Because overcrowding and games were observed at a number of courts, basketball hoops in Somerville’s parks have been blocked again until further notice. Courts are still available for non-contact play. The city is asking everyone to please continue to use good judgement on courts, in playgrounds, and at other recreation areas. If it is not possible to maintain social distancing, be the person who does the right thing and come back later or find an alternative.

********************************

Free COVID-19 testing at Somerville Hospital: The Somerville Board of Health strongly urges all residents to be tested for COVID-19. The more people that get tested, the safer our reopening will be. You do not need to have symptoms or a doctor’s referral. To sign up for free COVID-19 testing for Somerville residents, call 617-665-2928, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The mobile COVID-19 testing unit will accept patients by appointment at roaming locations. To be tested, you do not need to be symptomatic and do not need insurance or a doctor’s referral. Immigration status will not be checked. But you must be a Somerville resident and must call 617-682-0583 to set up an appointment. This number is answered during regular City Hall business hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday-Wednesday; 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Thursday; 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Friday). Please leave a voicemail if your call is not answered and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. You can find the schedule of upcoming testing times and locations under the “Symptoms, Testing, & Medical Info” tab at somervillema.gov/covid19.

********************************

Donations needed for #NeighborsHelpingNeighbors. Would you like to donate? There are about 25-30 families at Clarendon Hill Towers who need extra assistance. List of needed non-perishable items: Cereal, paper towels, toilet paper, tuna in cans, mac’n’cheese, powdered juice, snacks, granola bars, diapers, baby wipes, pasta – spaghetti, elbows, lasagna, etc., toothpaste, fruit in cans, rice, beans in cans. Drop off location: 49 Russell Rd., front porch. Place on red Adirondack chairs. Deadline: Saturday, July 25, 12 noon.

********************************

Dogs like ice cream too! Come down to The Row on Wednesday night to treat your good boy or girl to a cold treat. Wednesday nights, starting July 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Assembly Row East by Loft.

********************************

The city is reminding residents not to set off fireworks this summer. Along with being illegal in Massachusetts, fireworks pose public health and safety threats. Fireworks can start fires, which can spread quickly through our densely populated neighborhoods. The noise from fireworks can also be traumatizing to those with post-traumatic stress disorder and can be very upsetting to animals. Throughout the summer, everyone is being reminded to be a good neighbor and not set off fireworks.

********************************

The Somerville Public Library is now offering contactless pickup at all three branches. Patrons can request Somerville library materials online using their Minuteman account. Library staff will then notify patrons by either email or phone when their items are ready to be picked up. Pickup appointments will be scheduled by using the Library’s online appointment system on somervillepubliclibrary.org, or by calling the Somerville Public Library at 617-623-5000.