Happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers and fans. We hope everyone has a great day with their significant other or with close family and friends. Enjoy the day!

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The City of Somerville did not join the Commonwealth in raising capacity limits on Monday, February 8 for certain businesses. 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 outdoor gatherings to stricter levels than the Commonwealth with 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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Registration is now open for Somerville 3000, a free online February vacation program for Somerville youth. Blast off for a futuristic week of engaging activities to explore what life might look like in the next millennium. Activities will be offered Tuesday, February 16, through Friday, February 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Animate aliens, write out-of-this-world songs, and more with the Somerville Media Center, Farrington Nature Linc, Parts and Crafts, Somerville Arts for Youth, the Beautiful Stuff Project, and Parkour Generations Boston. Come to one class or all of them, and bring your friends along to join the fun. Brought to you by SomerSocial, SomerPromise, the City of Somerville, Somerville Public Schools, and the Somerville Education Foundation. Sign up now at somersocial.com.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: Happy birthday to Patricia Latham. We wish Patty the best on her birthday. Happy birthday to a Cheryle Snow. We wish Cheryle the very best on her birthday. Happy birthday to a well-known commercial real estate agent, Bernard Gibbons. We wish him the very best on his birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Laurie Herra-Bullerwell, JoAnn Bocca- Rivieccio, Rhiannon Riley, Anne Belcher, Michael Stone, Valerie Fitzpatrick, Albert Piacentini and Dave Ortega, 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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Boston SciFi, aka The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival, is a cinematic event held every year in February. In 2021, it will be from February 10 to 15. It will be virtual due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They will be employing at least three virtual platforms in the desire to create a unique experience. Their “skin” will be Socio Events. Ticketing and technical embedding will be hosted by FestHome. And for the Marathon, Swank Motion Pictures has given them access to their library. All films will be in high quality HD. For more info on how to join in, go to their website at https://www.bostonscifi.com.

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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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It’s always good to keep in mind how important it is for us to keep supporting the city’s economy by shopping local, even during these difficult times. Although reopening is gradually unfolding at a measured pace, Somerville still has a lot to offer. So, let’s give back to those merchants who have stuck it out through all this by giving them our business whenever we can.

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Home is Where the Art is is an online exhibition of student drawings from Jessica Howard’s Somerville High School’s portfolio class. Artist David Campbell invited students to draw what was visually exciting and meaningful to them in their immediate environment as part of the Art of Observation exhibit, currently installed at the Museum. To view student artworks, visit the Museum website at http://somervillemuseum.org/home-is-where-the-art-is/?fbclid=IwAR3SOX6mkieCjX7rGKPYRPtZUIQqwp4cV_4KYzKgh7Ocwi_-Fhqh29GuUbs.

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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 February and 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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With support from Somerville Health Foundation, Mystic Learning Center, Somerville Education Fund and Somerville Media Center, YouthStream will host a youth-led, peer-organized Among Us Tournament from February 16 to 19. This tournament is free to enter for young people ages 13-19 in the Greater Somerville area, and will offer cash prizes in several categories, including several that do not require skill or prior game experience in order to win. Participant Registration Form – Among Us Tournament Winter 2021: https://forms.gle/YNavmTFpCLwKm9sZ7. YouthStream is also recruiting youth Moderators who want to earn paid stipends for completing projects such as organizing virtual events and producing live streams. YouthStream Moderator Application Form – Peer Leader Program 2021: https://forms.gle/BcXjuE9QEjj2aTve8. Finally, if you have not already joined YouthStream’s Discord Server, click this link to check out what’s going on at the Villeside Digital Cultural Center and get connected for all future events: https://discord.gg/AxUnJdU3Nt.

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New Winter Learn-To-Skate classes for children, ages 4 to 18 at the local ice rink in Somerville. Classes at the Founders Memorial Rink, 581 Somerville Avenue in Somerville, start February 14, at 2:00pm for 5 weeks. Use figure, recreational or hockey skates. Beginner, intermediate and advanced classes taught. For information and to register, call Bay State Skating School at 781-890-8480 or visit online at www.BayStateSkatingSchool.org. Bay State Skating School is compliant with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Covid-19 guidelines. The number of students allowed on the ice will be limited.

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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.