We wish all of our readers, their friends and families, a Happy Easter and Passover. May the blessings of these occasions bring healing and strength to all of us throughout these challenging times. It is a time to embrace hope and optimism as we look together towards the future.

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This is the last weekend to visit Somerville’s Winter Farmers Market, Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 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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Hop on over to the Kids’ Co-Op Cambridge (KCC) Spring Fling for a basket full of seasonal fun, Friday, April 15, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Hodgkins-Curtin Park. Enjoy chalk, bubbles, games, and an Easter egg hunt at 10:30 a.m. Free family pics will be provided by local photographer and KCC mom Sarah Marchwiany. Bring an idea for our sidewalk chalk mural and a basket for eggs.

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East Somerville Main Streets and Connexion bring you the Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Chuckie Harris Park. Join them on Saturday, April 16, at 11:00 a.m. rain or shine for a family fun time.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: A big happy birthday to Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. We hope she has a great birthday for herself. Happy birthday to Jesse Moos, we hope he has a great day. We wish a happy birthday to all of our Facebook friends such as Mark Hnl Kaye, Eileen Langille,  K Muti Standel, Missy Julien-Thelemarque, Olga Solomita, Janet Grigg-Uttaro, Joanne Veneziano Finnegan, Patricia Ferrelli, Carol Duffy, Carmen Dolores Ferreira, Karen Muti Standel, Jaqueline Fuccillo, and Jackie Coviello, who are all celebrating this week. To all the others we may have missed and, yes, we must admit there are a few more out there. We sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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On Monday, April 18, for the first time since 2017, the City of Somerville will be celebrating Patriots’ Day outdoors and in person at Foss Park on Broadway from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. The event will feature a reenactment of Paul Revere’s famous ride from Boston to Lexington, which happened to pass right through Somerville. Attendees will enjoy period-appropriate refreshments and games. They can complete their “Colonial Passports” to win a prize and shop for educational items at the Somerville Museum’s table, all while enjoying music from the Somerville High School band. Colonial clothing is encouraged. Interested in helping out with serving refreshments, overseeing games, and generally immersing yourself in the Revolutionary revelry? Email the city’s Executive Director of the Historical Preservation Commission Brandon Wilson at bwilson@somervillema.gov to throw your (tri-cornered) hat into the ring.

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Open Studios 2022 will take place on Saturday and Sunday, April 30 and May 1, from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. Artists across Somerville will open their studios to the public to display their latest work and meet visitors. www.somervilleopenstudios.org.

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Reminder: Street sweeping began for the season on Friday, April 1. Make sure you know when your neighborhood is swept and where you can park by checking signs in your neighborhood and visiting www.somervillema.gov/sweeping.The schedules are currently being updated. Street sweeping helps keep leaves and other debris out of storm drains, which helps prevent flooding. Help keep the streets clean – and avoid getting a ticket – by moving your car on street sweeping day.

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East Somerville Main Streets hosts Spring Neighborhood Cleanup, Saturday, April 30 at 10:00 a.m. Come join your neighbors, friends, and larger community to help clean up and beautify East Somerville. Meet at the East Branch Library, 115 Broadway, at 10:00 a.m. Pickers, trash bags and gloves will be available. Feel free to bring your own gloves or tools, as well.

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Let’s Talk About a Poem with Lloyd Schwartz, Saturday, April 16, at 11:00 a.m., at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave. The program starts at 11:00 a.m. and registration is required. This event is made possible by the Somerville Public Library and the Academy of American Poets with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. More info: https://somervillepubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/lets-talk-about-a-poem-with-lloyd-schwartz-39/

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Groundwork Somerville has announced its 2022 Earth Day Cleaning and Greening workday. Join them at South St. Farm to clean up the streets around the neighborhood, remove invasive species, and prepare the farm for the growing season. April 23, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/Qhf32HkGMqAPpSRu9

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The Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) is looking for drawstring bags that their clients can use to carry their snacks and other personal items. College and other organized sports leagues are a great resource for drawstring bags, so if you or someone you know is affiliated, they would greatly appreciate you reaching out. SHC, 1 Davis Sq, (617) 623-6111, shcinc.org.

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Calling all Somerville High School students! Apply for the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program. Applicants must be Somerville residents, at least 14 years of age, and enrolled in high school. Summer jobs require approximately 20 hours per week for six weeks starting in June, though actual schedules will vary by employer. Some jobs require an orientation before the program begins. Some positions can be done remotely or in a hybrid of remote and in-person work.  Apply online at somervillema.gov/summerjobs, or pick up a printed application in the Human Resources Department at City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue. Applications are due by Friday, April 29, at 12:30 p.m. All applicants will be interviewed the week of May 9. For more information, contact Community Services Manager Javier Torres Trinidad at 617-625-6600 ext. 2406 or jtorrestrinidad@somervillema.gov.

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The Growing Center Chorus is holding rehearsals, Saturday, April 23, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Open to all, the Growing Center Chorus is new this year. It is open to everyone – adults, children and families. Come join in for rehearsals in April and for the first performance at Spring Garden Day on May 8. The Chorus will perform two songs during the opening of Spring Garden Day and help to welcome everyone to one of our most popular annual events. During April, the Chorus will learn This Pretty Planet (a round) and It’s Not Easy Being Green. The Center is hoping to make the Chorus a tradition at their annual events, so come help them get it started. Music will be provided (and available online). The Growing Center Chorus will be directed by Liza Kitchell, a long-time volunteer at the Center. She has been a music teacher and director for over 30 years. (www.lizakitchell.com)

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Somerville’s indoor mask mandate ended 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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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne has announced that the City of Somerville launched mattress and box spring recycling. This free service is available to all residential households that have city-managed trash collection. Residents will simply need to schedule a pickup and place their items on the curb on the pickup day. For more information on recycling in Somerville, please visit www.somervillema.gov/MattressRecycling

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Somerville’s yard waste pickup begins Tuesday, April 19. That week’s collection is on a one-day delay due to the Patriots’ Day Holiday on Monday, April 18, so put all trash, recycling, and yard waste out one day later than you normally would. A full yard waste calendar is available at somervillema.gov/yardwaste and will be in the Environmental Service Guide, which will be mailed to all households later this month. Yard waste should be put out with your trash and recycling on your normal pickup day. Yard waste must either be in a paper bag or a trash barrel with a “Yard Waste Only” sticker. Stickers are available free of charge at the DPW Building, 1 Franey Road, or the entrance desk at City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue. To request a sticker be mailed to you, please call 311 or email 311updates@somervillema.gov. For more information on yard waste pickup, visit somervillema.gov/yardwaste or call 311 (617-666-3311).

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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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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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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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