This Thursday, Prince William and Kate will be visiting Somerville during their trip to Boston for the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony. They will be here to visit and learn about climate innovations being utilized at Greentown Labs, 444 Somerville Ave.

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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 couple of years, let’s help them to get back to business and be here for years to come.

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Local small business owners can now apply for forgivable loans of up to $15,000 to assist with financial losses related to COVID-19 via Somerville’s Small Business Recovery Program. To qualify, businesses must be located within the City of Somerville, have 20 or fewer full-time employees, and be able to demonstrate a decline in revenue during the past two years. Home-based and brick-and-mortar businesses are welcome to apply. Learn more and apply www.somervillema.gov/bizrelief

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Nancy Fucile. We wish Nancy the very best of birthdays and many more. Happy Birthday to Peter Forcellese. We wish him a very happy birthday. Happy birthday to Lisa Hastings, celebrating her birthday this week. Happy birthday to Peter Blaikie, who is also celebrating this week. We hope he enjoys his birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Joseph Di Pietro, Nancy Robinson Faulkner, Linda Chaille Nixon, Lee Owen Grassia, Deb Feeley, Karen Fay, Jason Castle, Rochelle Jennings, Gordon Crook and Steve Prescod 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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The Somerville Museum offers unique items with a Somerville connection that are perfect for holiday gifts, birthdays, or any occasion! Visit  https://www.somervillemuseum.org/shop.

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The city will kick off the holiday season on Thursday, December 8, with the Holiday Lighting on the City Hall Concourse, followed by a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus in the Somerville High School cafeteria. All children who attend will receive a special gift from Santa and will have an opportunity to take a photo with Old St. Nick. Activities begin at 5:00 p.m. with live entertainment prior to the official lighting of the City Hall Concourse. Santa Claus will, as always, be escorted by the Somerville Fire and Police Departments making his grand entrance atop a shiny red fire truck. Light refreshments will be served.

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SeedMoney Challenge time is now! The Somerville Community Growing Center hopes to raise $1500 over the next 30 days of this crowdsourced fundraiser (November 15 – December 15). If they raise enough money fast, they qualify for more funding. To donate visit bit.ly/seedsforsomerville.

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The second annual Boynton Yards Winter Fest is happening on December 10 with music from The Velvet Dirtmunchers and Al Watkins, activities from EventThem, craft vendors, and free food from Cuisine en Locale. RSVP: http://ow.ly/NyYb50LCRN6.

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There have been a lot of complaints lately about the number of accidents on Temple St. People are asking what can be done about it. Should the lane for cars be widened? What do you think?

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The 8th Annual Union Square Holiday Stroll, a celebration of Union Square sparkle, discovery, and holiday delight on Saturday, December 10, from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. www.unionsquaremain.org/holiday-stroll. Stroll the Square to see participating businesses light up the night with the splendid Storefront Decoration Contest and take elfie selfies with incredible inflatables on the Festivus Trail. Dozens of locally-owned businesses await with all you need to stuff your stockings, deck your halls with local art, make your tastebuds celebrate.

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Because this winter begins in an even-numbered year, snow emergency parking will be on the even side of the street all winter, unless posted signage says differently. Check street 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 teens 13 years and older are invited to earn some extra money by snow shoveling this winter with the City of Somerville Teen Snow Shoveling Crew. www.somervillema.gov/applytoshovel.

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Save the date for the next Highlander Theatre student musical production, Into the Woods! Performances on December 1, 2, and 3 at Somerville High School. This modern classic follows the story of the Baker and his wife (who wish for a child), Cinderella (who wishes to attend the King’s Festival), and Jack (who wishes his cow would give milk). To make their wishes come true they must first venture Into the Woods, which is filled with challenges and adventures that you won’t want to miss. The Highlander Theatre website: https://www.highlandertheatre.org.

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The Illuminations Tour and citywide caroling is back. As in recent years, the Somerville Arts Council will provide an online map featuring the best and brightest holiday displays. To access the map or sign up to be featured on the tour or to carol, visit somervilleartscouncil.org. Deadline to be listed on Illuminations Tour, Monday, December 5 .Both homes and businesses may sign up to be on the Illuminations Tour Map.

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The City of Somerville will host a free COVID-19 booster clinic for Somerville seniors and their caregivers on Thursday, December 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Somerville Council on Aging, located at 167 Holland St, Somerville, MA. Registration is open now and can be completed here: home.color.com/vaccine/register/somerville. Anyone in need of assistance with registration, can call 311 or the Somerville Council on Aging (617-625-6600 ext. 2300) to schedule their appointment.

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The Somerville Flea 10th Holiday Market takes place Sunday, December 4, and December 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. You will find two floors and over 30 vendors of vintage and artisan wonders. Shop local and find that perfect gift that you never even knew existed.

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Somerville students are featured in a Harvard Museum event: Birds & Blooms/Aves y Flores, Saturday, December 3, 11:00 am–1:00 p.m., Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Learn more: https://hmsc.harvard.edu/birds-blooms Entry included with regular museum admission. Free parking at the 52 Oxford St. garage.

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Get your flu shot and updated COVID-19 booster at a City of Somerville clinic this fall. Visit www.somervillema.gov/vaccineclinics. The flu vaccine and the updated COVID-19 booster dose are provided at no cost, regardless of health insurance or immigration status. Advance registration is required.

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The Fuel Assistance Program, also known as the Home Energy Assistance Program, helps low-income households pay their winter heating bills between November 1 and April 30. Renters and homeowners in Somerville are eligible to apply if they meet federal income guidelines. Learn more and apply online at somervillema.gov/fuelassistance

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The 13th Annual Somerville Winter Farmers Market (SWFM) is held every Saturday through April 8, 2023. The Center for Arts at the Armory is located at 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143. To learn more and for a complete listing of vendors, weekly specials, and live entertainment, please visit www.somwintermarket.org. You can find the market on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SomervilleWinterFarmersMarket, and on Instagram @SomWinterMarket.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the City of Somerville Housing Division are pleased to announce two affordable rental opportunities: one 4-bedroom unit at 126 Cross St. and one 2-bedroom unit at 29 Alpine St. Income-eligible households with a combined gross income at or below 50% of the Median Family Income (Cross St.) or between 81% and 110% of the Median Family Income (Alpine St.) will be eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted by Thursday, December 22, at 2:00 p.m. Multilingual applications and full eligibility requirements are available at somervillema.gov/inclusionaryhousing. Printed copies are available at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), the City Hall Annex (50 Evergreen Ave.), and the Somerville Public Library East and Central branches.

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Registration is open for the Teen Center at the Edgerly Education Center (33 Cross St.), operated by Somerville Recreation. A Teen Center membership provides teens access to a safe space to hang out with friends with amenities including a gym, computer room, music room, and daily snacks, activities, and programming. Somerville teens ages 12 to 18 are eligible to enroll. Memberships are free and last for the duration of the school year. Enroll your child at: https://somervillema.myrec.com/…/program_details.aspx.

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