As the holiday gift shopping season intensifies, it’s important to remember that our local merchants are depending on us all to do our best to shop local. With the challenges they have dealt with over the past year or so, many are struggling to stay in business. Let’s help them to get back to business and be here for us in days, months and years to come.

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Finish your shopping this weekend at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. The Somerville Flea Market will take place Sunday December 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Two jam-packed floors of gift giving ideas that you won’t find anywhere else. Vintage and artisan wares along with DJ, cafe and bar. For more information check out our website: https://www.thesomervilleflea.com/

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As Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone prepares to leave office at the end of his ninth term as mayor, he will give a farewell address to the Somerville community. Additional speakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren (who will speak virtually), Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), and City Council President Matthew McLaughlin, will also make remarks. All members of the public are invited to attend this event at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 20, in the brand-new Somerville High School auditorium, 81 Highland Avenue. Covid precautions will be followed. Face masks must be worn by attendees at all times during the event, and social distancing protocols and capacity limits will be in place. Full vaccination is strongly encouraged before attending public gatherings. For those unable to attend or who prefer to attend virtually, the speech will be shared live on city YouTube, as well as on CityTV and Facebook, and will be available for viewing on-demand afterward.

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We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Erin Madden Capasso, Olivia Huang, Glenn DiMasse, Toni Guarino, and Lori Courtney 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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Join in for the ribbon cutting ceremony at Foss Park, 49 Fellsway West, at the corner of Broadway and McGrath Highway in Somerville. Friday, December 17, at 10:00 a.m. Department of Conservation and Recreation Acting Commissioner Stephanie Cooper, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone, State Representatives Mike Connolly and Christine Barber, and State Senator Pat Jehlen will be in attendance, along with other distinguished guests and members of the public.

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The Best of Somerville 2021 will be in the January 5, 2022, edition of the paper. There’s still time to cast your vote for the best. Email us at news@thesomervilletimes.com for who and what you think is the best. We’re looking for the Best Idea of 2021 here in the city. If you have one you’d like to suggest, let us know.

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Somerville tallied 592 positive tests for the COVID-19 virus in November. That is up from 311 in October and is the highest monthly total since March. Residents are urged to practice caution, masking in all public spaces, and planning carefully around travel and gatherings in order to prevent a generalized outbreak like the city experienced last winter. Sadly, the number of known Covid deaths in Somerville now stands at 98. See the latest Somerville case data at somervillema.gov/covid19dashboard.

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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone invites all interested to come together to remember those we have lost to COVID-19 and to recognize the many other losses our community has faced throughout the pandemic. Attendees are invited to gather for a simple ceremony, a participatory remembrance project, and musical accompaniment on Saturday, December 18, from 1 to 2 p.m., at Symphony Park, 46 Pearl Street.

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Somerville’s Winter Farmers Market takes place Saturdays, 9:30 – 1:30 p.m., December 4 through April 16, at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. Offering the best locally grown and produced agricultural items and more. 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. Check out the schedule and map at www.somwintermarket.org. They accept SNAP/EBT & HIP, CREDIT and DEBIT cards. $15 SNAP match for EBT customers

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Somerville’s requirement to wear a face covering in public indoor spaces remains in effect. Make sure your mask covers your nose and mouth at all times when in public spaces and that it fits snugly around the sides of your face. The CDC has recommendations on how to improve your mask effectiveness. In general, masks with more layers offer better protection and masks with nose wires help achieve a secure fit around your nose. We’ll say it again though, be sure your mask covers your nose too and not just your mouth for effective protection.

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Somerville’s month-long Illuminations celebration kicked off on December 9. Plug in your lights, don your bike helmet, and hit your high notes for Somerville’s interactive Illuminations extravaganza. This year, the annual Illuminations celebration will include self-guided neighborhood tours, porch caroling around town, a community lantern project, and a bike tour. The event kicked off when the official Illuminations 2021 map went live on the Arts Council website, somervilleartscouncil.org. Illuminations Timeline: December 9 through early January 2022 – self-guided tours using the SAC’s official online Illuminations Map. December 18: Illuminations Bike Tour, starting at City Hall at 5:45 – departure at 6:00 p.m. (rain date December 19).

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If you are unable to access a COVID-19 vaccine due to transportation challenges, but otherwise are able to leave your home, please call 3-1-1 to get connected to transportation assistance.

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Individuals who are homebound are encouraged to schedule an in-home COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the state’s COVID-19 In-Home Vaccination Program. The program is open to all individuals who are homebound, including 5- to 11-year-olds, and individuals seeking both initial or booster doses. To schedule an appointment, call the In-Home Vaccination Central Intake Line at (833) 983-0485. The Intake Line is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Representatives are available in both English and Spanish, and also have access to translators for over 100 languages. Due to high demand, the current estimated wait time for an in-home vaccination appointment is 4-6 weeks.

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The City of Somerville is holding three upcoming booster clinics where doses of Moderna will be available. All clinics will be held at the City Hall Annex, 50 Evergreen Ave., and require pre-registration. Clinics will be held on: Wednesday, December 15, noon to 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 20, 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 22, noon to 2:00 p.m.

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Looking for a good read? The Tufts community – faculty, staff, and alumni – share more than 40 of their favorites with you. Visit https://now.tufts.edu/articles/winter-book-recommendations-2021?utm_source=Tufts+Now.

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