After many delays, the Green Line Extension to Medford is completed and up and running. Many came out in the early hour morning on Monday to celebrate the opening. The main event is the Saturday, December 17, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Go Green Line! Community Celebration at Somerville High School, 81 Highland Avenue. Event attendees will be close enough to walk down and check out the new Gilman Square T stop behind the high school before or after the event.

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Now that Somerville’s Gilman Square station is open the School Street bridge has reopened. The bridge has been closed since April 2020 to support GLX construction. Montrose Street will revert to one-way westbound traffic. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians should proceed with caution while navigating the new traffic pattern.

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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. Citywide Caroling takes place Thursday, December 15 (rain date December 16). Illuminations Bike Tour, Saturday, December 17: meet at Somerville City Hall at 5:45 pm, departing at 6:00 pm. (rain date Dec 18).

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On Sunday, December 18, a ceremonial Menorah Lighting event will take place on the City Hall Concourse beginning at 5:00 p.m. All members of the community are invited to join Mayor Ballantyne, Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz, and city staff for a brief ceremony and photo on the City Hall Concourse. A short informal program of traditional songs and sing-alongs will be performed, special gifts will be available for children, and light refreshments will be served. The Menorah will be lit each night of Hanukkah.

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Contractors have begun underground utility improvements along Highland Ave. Here’s what you need to know ahead of your commute: Westbound traffic will be detoured south on School St. and west on Summer St. before turning right on Lowell St. to return to Highland Ave. Eastbound traffic remains as usual. Temporary sidewalks will be installed to maintain safe crossings. MBTA buses 88 and 90 will be allowed to proceed along Highland in both directions during the detour. All businesses will remain open and accessible during construction. For questions, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division at 617-625-6600 ext. 5400.

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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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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a great photographer and a great person, Iaritza Menjivar. Iaritza works for the Somerville Arts Council and is involved in many other projects of her own. We wish her a very special day! We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Heather Balchunas, Kimberly Pedersen, Erin Madden Capasso, Olivia Huang, Glenn DiMasse and Toni Guarinoa 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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This year, USQ – Union Square has organized its Second Annual Donation Drive in order to support the Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) and their clients. 10 Union Square businesses and organizations are participating by hosting a donation bin through December 16. You can help by visiting the USQ offices at 31 Union Square with a bag full of the items listed on the attached poster. Make a donation to SHC and add “Holiday Give – USQ” in the comments. Donate: https://somervillehomelesscoalition.org.

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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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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 Best of Somerville 2022 will be announced in the January 4, 2023, edition of the paper. There’s still time to cast your vote for the best. Email us at news@thesomervilletimes.com for who and what you think is the best. We’re looking for the Best Idea of 2022 here in the city. If you have one, you’d like to suggest, let us know.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne has announced the city’s annual support of local holiday gift and toy donation drives. In the giving spirit of the season, Somerville is placing toy and gift donation boxes at city buildings through Sunday, December 18, to support two community toy drives for families in need of gifts for children and teens this holiday season. If you are able and wish to donate, please bring unwrapped toys and gifts for children of all ages and age-appropriate gifts for teens. All will be distributed to families by two local organizations: Toys for Local Children and the MAMA’s Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville. More information on their gift drives can be found at mutualaidmamas.com and toysforlocalchildren.org.

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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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A holiday toy drive to support Elizabeth Peabody House is coming up. Please bring a toy or gift card to support a toy drive for Elizabeth Peabody House, 275 Broadway in Somerville on December 17.

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The Somerville Flea 10th Holiday Market takes place Sunday, 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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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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