Somerville’s indoor mask mandate ended Saturday, March 5. The City of Somerville will lift its mask requirement for city buildings and events starting Monday, March 21. This means all city-issued mask mandates are now either lifted or set to lift. Some federal and state mask requirements remain in effect. The Somerville School Committee voted to make masks optional in Somerville Public Schools as of Monday, March 14. The decisions to lift the local mask mandates follow current guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But businesses can still set their own mask policies, so make sure to check before heading in. More information, including where to find the latest health guidance can be found at somervillema.gov/maskmandateupdate.

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of our readers. No matter what one’s ancestral heritage, we can all be a bit Irish on this day.

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Liam Mannion and Bob McWatters invite the public to Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave., on March 17 to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Irish heritage. Corned beef and cabbage are on the menu as well as pints of Guinness and Irish music. All are welcome to stop by Sally’s for a festive time.

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Last Saturday, Joe Lynch stepped down as President of the Somerville Media Center Board of Directors. The by-laws set the term limit at six years. Joe served out his six years on the Board, first as Treasurer, then Vice President and finally three years as President. Joe will continue his Greater Somerville show and I am sure will continue to help SMC grow. We will be sitting down with Joe soon to talk in more detail about what is next for him.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Ward 7 Councilor and newly elected Mayor of Somerville Katjana Ballantyne. We hope she had a great birthday for herself with her family. Happy birthday to former alderman and great guy, Jack Connolly of Wedgwood-Crane & Connolly Insurance in Davis Sq. We hope he has a great birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends such as Frances Accorto Gayron, Jim Halloran, Okie Oconnell, Patrick Fitzgerald, Kristin Gore, Sally Colman, Maria Parziale Pacheco, Neil Gillis Sr. and Alexander Levering Kern a very happy birthday. To all those that are also celebrating this week, we wish them a happy birthday.

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Springfest at Bow is happening St. Patty’s Day weekend March 19 and 20. Ring in spring with a 5K Fun Run, afterparty at the @remnantbrewing patio, retailer sidewalk sale, and food and drink specials from all of Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way. The sidewalk sale is both Saturday and Sunday and will have the best deals on products from Bow retailers. Grab a ticket for Sunday’s inaugural 5K Fun Run through Somerville and Cambridge, culminating in an afterparty on the Remnant Patio. Ticket includes a swag bag, beer, and more. Visit their Facebook page for more info.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and Ward 6 City Councilor Lance Davis invite you to a virtual informational meeting where city staff will share updates about the play area at the Benjamin Brown School. The city is working to begin construction this summer on schoolyard improvements that will address safety concerns and expand play opportunities. This meeting will outline the plan and anticipated work schedule. The meeting will take place virtually on Tuesday, March 22, at 6:30 p.m. To learn more and register to attend, visit somervillema.gov/brownschoolrenovation.

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The ArtBeat 2022 planning has begun. This year’s Artbeat theme is “rise.” Things are looking up, lifting, rising. At this year’s ArtBeat Festival, artists of all kinds and community members are invited to interpret the “rise” theme in myriad ways. Literally, think about what’s above us – the sky, stars, trees, cranes, birds, and buildings. And figuratively, how might “rise” resonate? What’s beyond us, what’s within reach? The online applications for both the community and craft vendors are now available. To apply, go to: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/resources/calls.

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A very special happy birthday to Marguerite Fisher who will be turning 100 years of age on March 16. Marguerite spent many of those years on Florence Terrace. We wish her the very best, that is quite an accomplish.

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Somerville Youth Soccer needs volunteer coaches and assistant coaches for the spring season for teams of all ages, genders, and skill levels. Call 617-684-5737 or email executivedirector@somervillesoccer.org.

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Please join Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, the City of Somerville Office of Housing Stability (OHS), and the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) for a webinar about tenants’ rights in Somerville, housing advocacy and rental assistance services, and community organizing to prevent eviction and displacement. Somerville’s local eviction moratorium, established in March 2020, currently remains in effect until Saturday, April 30. The webinar is Wednesday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m. Learn more and register to attend at somervillema.gov/ohs. Spanish and Portuguese interpretation will be provided, and other languages can be requested on the registration form. If you are facing eviction, need help paying your rent or mortgage, or need help accessing affordable housing, contact OHS at somervillema.gov/ohs or 617-625-6600 ext. 2581.

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The Haymakers are happy to play the fool on Friday, April 1, at Union Tavern, 345 Somerville Ave. at 8:00 p.m. Opening up the night is Somerville’s own UnCivil Servants.

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The CHA Somerville Vaccine Center is now accepting walk-ins, as supply allows. The center is open to all, five days a week and some Saturdays. You can get booster shots for ages 12+ and initial vaccines for ages 5+. The vaccines are free, regardless of immigration or health insurance status, and you don’t need to show ID. Full hours and details are here: challiance.org/vaccine. You can still make an appointment at tinyurl.com/metronorthvaccine. If you’re a CHA patient you can also make an appointment through MyChart: challiance.org/mychart. If you need assistance finding a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, you can call 3-1-1 (617-666-3311).

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Calling all 6-8th graders interested in theater! The Middle Grades production of HONK! needs crew and cast members. Fill out the Google form to join: https://forms.gle/9dLG3phsFeN7mLxZ6. Email Music Teacher Ms. Schorr for more information: eschorr@k12.somerville.ma.us. The All-City Theater of Somerville was founded in 2018 with the mission of creating after school opportunities for middle school students across all eight Somerville Public Middle Schools to participate in extracurricular dramatic arts. Check out the website: https://bit.ly/ACTSsps.

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The Somerville Historic Preservation Division invites you to take home a piece of Somerville history. Designed by local artists, this historic collection of Somerville stickers and magnets tell a unique story of Somerville’s history. Purchases help support local organizations and small business, and display the Somerville pride. Visit the Somerville Historic Preservation Division website to find out more about their historic events, education, and preservation efforts: https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/ospcd/historicpreservation.

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Looking for a way to practice social distancing but still remain connected to other people? Look no further than the Somerville Council on Aging’s Friendly Phone Caller program. They have many wonderful volunteers who are waiting to give you a call. Whether you are looking to make a new friend or would just like a friendly chat to look forward to every week, this program has you covered. Call Natasha at 617-625-6600, ext. 2317 to learn more about the program and to sign up.

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Are you a Somerville High student with a passion for food, community, and justice? Join Groundwork Somerville’s spring Green Team internship program. You’ll earn school credit while making friends, working for social justice, and learning about sustainable farming. Apply here: https://forms.gle/4e5bAyLZ1pVAToMi6

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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. For more information, please contact events@artsatthearmory.org.

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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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After a long three-year hiatus, the Somerville Homeless Coalition is very excited to announce that its Spring into Action event is returning the evening of Thursday, March 24. This year they are bringing the fun and energy to the Somerville Theatre’s newly refurbished Crystal Ballroom. Join them for an evening of cocktails, live jazz, passed apps, local bites and live music. All proceeds from this event will benefit Somerville Homeless Coalition clients facing homelessness, eviction and food insecurity. They look forward to sharing news about their work in the community and how you help them to continue advancing their mission of finding everyone a home. Single ticket price: $125. Discounts are available for bulk ticket orders. For more information, visit their event page https://igfn.us/e/TRWwTw.

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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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The Somerville Council on Aging hosts Bingo, Tuesdays at Ralph & Jenny Center and Thursdays at Holland Street starting at 10:00 a.m. Grab and Go lunch available following Bingo. RSVP to Debby Higgins by calling 617-625-6600, ext. 2321 or email Debby at DHiggins@Somervillema.gov.

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