Finally, relief from the heat! We hope everyone was safe during the recent heat wave. Check out the city’s site for info on how to cool off and stay safe the rest of the summer somervillema.gov/keepcool.

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The City of Somerville will hold an Indian Flag Raising Ceremony this Friday, August 12, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m., 93 Highland Ave, Somerville. Come join the festivities at City Hall as they raise the Flag of India and celebrate the completion of 75 years of India’s Independence. All are welcome.

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Cinema Strange will be shown tonight, August 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Central Library, 79 Highland Ave. Cinema Strange is a series focused on the exploration of the strangest film has to offer. From the surreal, the abstract, the absurd, and the experimental, the culture of weird movies, although hidden from the public eye, has been expanding across generations and continents. So, join Chris Hopkin as he attempts to show some of this both bizarre and beautiful world of cinema. August’s featured films are The Final Exit of the Disciples of Ascensia and The Flying Luna Clipper.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Brandon Wilson, the Executive Director of the Somerville Preservation Commission. We wish her a very nice day. Happy birthday to Donna Cassaro-Sides. We hope she has a great day. We wish all of our celebrating Facebook friends, such as Dale Hodgkins, Trish Bean Oakland, James Bimbo, Savanna Payne, Victor Martins, Elizabeth Roche, Joseph Amaral Sr. and Adam Knight 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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Don’t miss this year’s Yart Sale, a citywide showcase of your art. Yart Sale is an opportunity for residents to sell from the comfort of their yards, driveways and porch. Think of a yard sale but with art. Yart Sale will take place on Saturday, August 13, 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. (rain date 8/14). Time of event will vary on participants. Visit http://somervilleartscouncil.org/yartsale for a map and more info.

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Bond Vet – Somerville Open House Party takes place Saturday, August 13, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 320 Foley St. Free custom pet portraits by Andrea Caceres, Pup-cups from the Bond Ice Cream Truck. Free swag and treats, raffles and more.

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Save the date, Saturday, September 10, 10:00 a.m. for the Ryan Harrington Foundation Cornhole Tournament, taking place at Trum Field. Registration will be available online shortly. Registration fee is $50 per team, two players per team. There are men’s and women’s divisions. A cash prize goes to the winners of each division. They will be selling t-shirts, hats, food and drinks at the field as well as having raffle items and a 50/50. There will also be kids activities. All monies raised will go to youth organizations in local communities.

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The Somerville Flea is now open Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 52 Holland St., Somerville. Three dozen local vintage and artisan vendors, farm stand and live music all in the heart of Davis Square. Find that special thing you never knew you even existed. Every Sunday through October 23.

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The next Streetwise (fromerly Bike Talk) will be held Wednesday, August 17, at 6:00 p.m., at Aeronaut Brewing Company, 14 Tyler St. Come to Aeronaut in person (or Zoom in) to August’s Streetwise Talk, featuring Yari DeJesus, founder of Women on Wheels. She’ll be talking about the empowering organization she has catalyzed. Visit bit.ly/3ORnXHn for Zoom link.

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The city is seeking feedback on the newly drafted bicycle network vision. This map is the foundation for the Somerville Bicycle Network Plan, which aims to develop a citywide network of streets where people of all ages and abilities will feel comfortable and safe biking. Take a look at the map and share your ideas at somervillema.gov/bikenetwork. For any questions, email transportation@somervillema.gov.

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Bring your favorite stuffed animal for their first-ever stuffie-only campout at the Growing Center. Register your animal for “camp,” listen to camping-themed stories and do some camping-related crafts. Then say good-night to your lovies for the evening and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for all the updates on their activities and fun. Additional drop-off times (no kids activities): Friday, August 12 (4:00 – 5:30 pm); Sunday, August 14 (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.). Pick-up times to be announced. Contact: Betsy at blarkin@thegrowingcenter.org.

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At-home COVID-19 tests are a quick, convenient way to reduce transmission of the virus and protect friends and loved ones. Stock up now if you’re running low. Free test kits are available at the following Somerville locations (one kit per family member): City Hall, 93 Highland Ave.; City Hall Annex, 50 Evergreen Ave.; Central Library, 79 Highland Ave.; East Branch Library, 115 Broadway; and West Branch Library, 40 College Ave. Each household is also eligible for three free shipments of tests from the federal government, and if you have health insurance, your provider may also cover the costs of at-home tests. Learn more at somervillema.gov/covidtesting.

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Somerville Museum’s little gift shop carries Somerville-themed postcards and a replica of the first map of Somerville drawn in 1852 and more. Visit the online shop at: https://www.somervillemuseum.org/shop

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Looking to vote early in the 2022 State Primary Election? In-person early voting will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.) from Saturday, August 27, to Friday, September 2. Residents can also apply to vote by mail. Applications must be received by the Elections Office by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 29, to vote by mail in the State Primary. For more information or to register to vote, visit somervillema.gov/earlyvoting.

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With the new development coming to Davis Sq., Lbc Boutique’s Davis Square shop has moved to a new location at 1107 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, 02215. Parking and train nearby. Take some profits, gold is at an all-time high right now. Stop by the new location or visit cashforfashionboston.com.

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Family Movie Night on the Lawn of the Somerville Public Library, Wednesday, August 17, at 7:30 p.m. Join in for a family movie night on the library lawn. This year they are showing the Pixar movie Soul. Bring a blanket or some lawn chairs, a picnic dinner or snacks, and definitely bring your family and friends. MPAA rating: PG for thematic elements and some language.

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Looking for a part-time job? The city is hiring Crossing Guards to help protect student safety at intersections along school routes. Uniforms and on-the-job training provided, ability to work both morning and afternoon shifts is required, must pass a pre-employment CORI and drug screen. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/ 3v8dLSH.

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As of July 13, a new Housing Stability Notification Act amendment requires landlords to provide tenants with information about their rights and resources at the start of all new housing rentals, rather than only when pursuing eviction. Anyone facing displacement or needing housing assistance is urged to contact the Office of Housing Stability at 617-625-6600 ext. 2581. For more information, visit somervillema.gov/ohs.

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The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is now available 24/7, 365 days a year in Massachusetts and across the country. 988 is a direct three-digit phone line to trained National Suicide Prevention Lifeline call takers. If you need suicide, substance use, or mental health crisis support, or if you are worried about someone else, you can call or text 988 or use the chatline at 988lifeline.org to access compassionate care and support.

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Are you a history buff or just looking for a fun summer activity? Take a free docent tour of Prospect Hill Tower, the Old Powder House, or Milk Row Cemetery. Tours are held weekly through October, hosted by the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission. For tour dates and times, visit somervillema.gov/events.

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The Somerville High School Class of 1964, 75th Birthday Celebration takes place Saturday, September 17, 1:00 p.m. at the George Dilboy VFW Post, Davis Square. Donation: $50 payable to Kevin Estee, 4 Charles Circle, Andover, MA 01810. Rooms available at the Holiday Inn, Washington St., Somerville. RSVP by August 17 to Sandra Regan: sanjonr21@gmail.com.

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Free summer meals for kids under 19 years have begun. Visit the website for breakfast and lunch times and locations. https://somerville.k12.ma.us/summermeals.

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The City of Somerville’s annual SomerMovie Fest returns this year with a series of seven family-friendly films being shown in parks around Somerville. Screenings begin at dusk and the schedule is as follows: West Side Story, August 11, Seven Hills Park; Star Wars: The Force Awakens, August 18, Seven Hills Park.

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The Somerville Homeless Coalition needs snacks for their clients, and as the weather warms up, bottled water, sunscreen, and bug spray become essentials. All donations can be dropped off weekdays at the 1 Davis Square office from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. for lunch. Visit their Facebook page to see a list of their client necessities: www.facebook.com/SomervilleHomelessCoalition.

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This summer, the city is offering three spaces just for teens while efforts to identify a permanent Teen Center location continue. Temporary spaces include: Somerville Public Library, Central Branch, 79 Highland Ave.; Edgerly Education Center, 33 Cross St.; Powderhouse Park, 838 Broadway. Each space will provide activities, snacks, connections to services, and access to city social workers. For opening dates and more information, visit somervillema.gov/teencenter.

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The city’s Adopt-A-Tree program has officially launched. Newly planted trees can be found around Somerville, and now they need your help. Look for the colorful “Adopt Me!” tags and scan the QR code or visit tinyurl.com/somervilletree to find a tree in your neighborhood and go through the steps to adopt it. Name it, water it and even receive an adoption certificate. For more information, visit somervillema.gov/adoptatree.

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Help protect local trees against the extreme heat by filling green water bags in your neighborhood. Young trees need 15-20 gallons of water (3-4 large buckets) per week. To see a map of newly planted trees and for more information, visit: https://bit.ly/3OruA1S

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The Somerville Mobile Farmers Market is open for the season, selling fresh, local produce through October 15. The market schedule is as follows: Fridays: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Council on Aging/SCALE (167 Holland St.); 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.: East Somerville Community School (50 Cross St.) Saturdays: 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.: North Street Housing (24 North St.); 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.: Mystic Housing (Playground between 15B and 25B Memorial Rd.). The market accepts cash, debit, credit, SNAP, WIC Farmers Market Coupons, and Senior Farmers Market Coupons, and it offers an unlimited 50% discount for anyone who needs it. All are welcome. To learn more, visit: somervillema.gov/farmersmarket.

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