Somerville saw 2,357 positive COVID-19 tests in December, more than double the previous monthly record of 1,138 in December 2020. This is part of a national surge in cases fueled mainly by the Omicron variant. While Omicron can result in milder infection, especially for those who are both vaccinated and boosted, please remember that this variant spreads so easily that it finds its way to the people it can hurt the most, such as the elderly, the immunocompromised, and the unvaccinated.

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Massachusetts has established a temporary program requiring employers make paid leave time available for employees impacted by COVID or who have side effects from vaccination. Learn more.

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A COVID-19 vaccine booster clinic will be held January 26 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the City Hall Annex, 50 Evergreen Ave. The Moderna booster will be offered. Registration is required. Please register at tinyurl.com/SomervilleVax or call 311. The clinic is free, and open to all people 18 years or older, regardless of immigration status or health insurance. Identification is not required. Please bring your vaccine card with you to your appointment, and arrive at the time of your appointment to avoid overcrowding in the building.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: Happy birthday to our own Denise Cosby, a local real estate agent here in the city. Denise published her book Murder at Harvard’s Kirkland House-A Mother’s Worst Nightmare, which tells the real story of the murder of her son Justin. She also has a new podcast https://www.facebook.com/justintime.initiative Just-in Time Initiative for Families who lost loved ones to murder. A big happy birthday to our own Dorothy DiMarzo, who gives us all those delicious recipes every other week in our paper. Dorothy is great! We wish her the very best of birthdays this week. Also celebrating this week is Pat Moran Quinlin. We wish her the very best of birthdays. Another local Winter Hill lady who is celebrating this week is Maria Nella Nunes. We wish her the very best. Happy birthday to Sheila Howe. We wish her the very best on this her birthday. And finally, we wish Naomi Landers a big-time happy birthday this week. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such James Casazza,  Cathy Palumbo Demasi, Edward Hardy, Michael Kennelly, Maria Nella Nunes-Rollins, Edward W Hardy, Geraldine Nevaras and Simon Shapiro 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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Need a COVID-19 booster? There are still lots of available appointments at the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on Friday, January 28, at the Healey School. Students and adults are welcome to sign up to get a booster or your first or second dose of vaccine. Anyone 5 years or older can attend (with a parent/guardian). Please find more information and the link to register here: www.somerville.k12.ma.us/vaccineclinic

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the City of Somerville Housing Division are pleased to announce an income-restricted resale homeownership opportunity in Assembly Row. Unit 602 at 375 Canal Street is a one-bedroom condo available to households with a yearly gross income at or below 80% of Area Median Income ($70,750 for a one-person household, or $80,850 for a two-person household). To schedule a showing, contact Ben Wyner at 617-625-6600 ext. 2578 or bwyner@somervillema.gov. How to Apply: Multilingual applications and full eligibility requirements are now available at somervillema.gov/inclusionaryhousing. Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, February 1, at 2:00 p.m. Completed applications can be emailed to inclusionary@somervillema.gov, mailed or hand-delivered to the Inclusionary Housing Program (Housing Division) at 50 Evergreen Avenue, Somerville, MA 02145 (must be received by this date, not postmarked), or faxed to the Inclusionary Housing Program at 617-591-3235. The lottery will take place virtually on Thursday, February 10, at 3 p.m. For more information, visit somervillema.gov/inclusionaryhousing, email inclusionary@somervillema.gov, or call 617-625-6600 ext. 2566.

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Rent a space at the Arts at the Armory’s unique spaces. Are you looking for a unique and memorable venue for an event? Their historic and spacious Performance Hall, intimate and charming Café, and comfortable and functional B5 meeting/classroom/rehearsal space are all available to rent. Learn more about our spaces here. For more information, please contact events@artsatthearmory.org.

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If you are an artist (or team) who has completed murals or other public art installations, apply to this open call by January 28. Call for Expressions of Interest: Public Artwork for the TPSS Building, Gilman Square. Go to https://somervilleartscouncil.org/gilman

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If you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or were exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should get tested. Find a testing site near you or where to get an at-home test kit at somervillema.gov/covidtesting. If you test positive: The CDC advises to isolate for at least five days.

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On January 26, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m., join Mystic River Watershed Association for a virtual public meeting to discuss a Mystic River Path connection to the Minuteman Bikeway. This first meeting will share existing conditions and solicit feedback that will inform initial design concepts. More info and meeting details visit their Facebook page or website https://mysticriver.org.

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Prepare for the 2021/2022 snow season by reviewing parking rules and signing up for alerts. Because this winter begins in an odd-numbered year, snow emergency parking will be on the odd side of the street all winter, unless posted signage says differently. Check streets signs in your neighborhood so you know where you can park ahead of winter weather. You can also learn more about the city’s snow policies at somervillema.gov/snow.

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Somerville’s Winter Farmers Market takes place Saturdays, 9:30 – 1:30 p.m., 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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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 In-take 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 Somerville Economic Development Department in partnership with the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program is hiring production team interns. Somerville youth ages 14 years and up are encouraged to apply. 10 hours/week at $15.46/hour. Responsibilities will include curating informational videos for small businesses, script development + script translation, video production and editing. Fluency in Haitian Creole, Nepali, Portuguese, or Spanish preferred. Deadline to apply is February 4. Questions? Contact Jennifer Mancia at jmancia@somervillema.gov.

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Movie Matinee, Going in Style, Wednesday, January 26, starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Ralph & Jenny Center, located at 9 New Washington Street (behind the Holiday Inn). Join COA for a showing of Going in Style starring Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin. Three lifelong friends hatch a plot to rob a bank after they are cheated out of their pensions. But they have to stay one step ahead of the FBI. Please RSVP to Debby at 617-625-6600 ext. 2321 or DHiggins@Somervillema.gov

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Brown Bag Supplemental Food Program pick up is Thursday, January 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Ralph & Jenny Center located at 9 New Washington Street (behind the Holiday Inn). For an application contact Natasha at 617-625-6600, ext. 2317.

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