A community-driven approach is at the heart of Somerville’s search for a new Chief of Police. Join the Somerville Department of Racial and Social Justice for a virtual public listening session on Thursday, March 9, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. led by GovHR to voice your goals, concerns, and expectations of both the search process and prospective candidates. Register at: http://bit.ly/SPDListeningSession2.

*****************************

Proactive maintenance is essential for healthy tree growth. Now in its fourth year, the city’s Parks Tree Health Program is currently underway, providing health assessments to 232 trees throughout seven parks this spring. To do this work, temporary park closures are required. Check park, closures before planning an outing to city parks at: https://www.somervillema.gov/treehealth.

*****************************

Happy birthday this week to the following: Happy birthday to C21 North East real estate agent and long-time resident John Pratti. We hope John has a great birthday. We wish Mike Brown, who is celebrating today, a very happy birthday. Happy birthday to a former City of Somerville staffer Nancy Ross Aylward. We hope she has a great day. Happy birthday to Antonia Digirolamo, who celebrates today. We wish her the best. Happy birthday wishes go out to Dennis Fishman. We wish him a great day. We wish all of our Facebook friends such as Shu Tai, Diane Wong, Patrick Callinan, Jackie Levy Harrington, Denize Ramos, Donald Coutoumas and Kiette Murphy Jones a very happy birthday. To all those that are also celebrating this week, we wish them a happy birthday.

******************************

To celebrate former State Senator and Somerville Alderman, Sal Albano’s life, there will be a tribute event held on Saturday, March 11, at 3:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 30 Washington Street, Somerville. If you wish to attend, please RSVP via email or text to Julie Abruzzio, julroba@msn.com, 781-983-0369. There is also a Salvatore and Peter Albano Memorial Scholarship Fund set up. This is a new award given annually to a deserving Somerville High School Student, established in cooperation with the Somerville High School Scholarship fund. Contributions can be made at the event or by mail: c/o Julie Abruzzio, 10 Buttonwood Lane, Peabody, MA 01960.

******************************

Liam Mannion, proprietor of Sally O’Brien’s, and former City Councilor Bob McWatters invite the public to celebrate Irish Heritage and hoist a pint of Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17 at Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave. Sally’s will be featuring an Irish fare of corned beef and cabbage, spirits, Irish music, and appearances of local and state elected officials. All are welcome to join the festivities.

******************************

Visit the Somerville Museum, One Westwood Rd., March 12 at 3:00 p.m. for a performance by Dinosaur Annex musicians that showcases notated and improvised works that complement and react to the Waterlines: Stories of Ebb and Flow exhibit and the museum’s architecture. In collaboration with artist and curator Arlinda Shtuni, newly rendered artworks by five notable local artists invite us to consider the ecological, spiritual, and social dimensions of water, and ask them to reawaken our personal connection to it. For tickets and more information visit www.somervillemuseum.org.

******************************

The Somerville Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is holding its annual Community Preservation Plan public hearing on Wednesday, March 22, at 6:30 p.m. The CPC holds a public hearing each year to identify community needs and priorities for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds. Testimony from the hearing informs the CPC’s annual Community Preservation Plan update, which establishes how the year’s CPA funds will be allocated across affordable housing, historic resources, and open space categories. The hearing will be held virtually. Visit somervillema.gov/CPA for the meeting link, or join by dialing 415-655-0052, access code 112-228-434. Written comments may also be submitted by Friday, March 31, to rcameron@somervillema.gov or Roberta Cameron, CPA Manager, Somerville City Hall, 3rd Floor, 93 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA 02143.

******************************

SHS Spring sport registration has started. Visit SHS sports: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/teams. Middle grades sports: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/mgathletics. Students who participate in a sport must attend a medical clearance event at the high school. SHS medical clearance dates: March 14 and 15. Middle grades medical clearance date: March 29, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Middle grades athletes are invited to try out for high school Boys Volleyball, Boys Tennis or Softball. Please visit the website to learn more.

******************************

On February 13, more than 50 people, including 16 children, were displaced by an apartment block fire on Highland Avenue. Fortunately, everyone got out safely, but significant challenges remain for our neighbors and students who cannot return to their homes. More than 13 city departments and a half-dozen partner agencies mobilized to set up temporary shelter, food, and other supports, but your help is needed for what comes next. If you are willing and able, please donate to the Somerville Homeless Coalition’s Emergency Fund. Donations of any size will help rebuild our community, one family at a time. The fund is designed to provide immediate relief to the affected residents and will help other neighbors in need as they face future emergencies. You can donate at bit.ly/SHCEmergencyFund and select “Emergency Fund” to support these families, students, and residents.

******************************

All Somerville residents should be on the lookout for the 2023 annual City of Somerville census in their mailbox. Upon receipt, please complete the brief form and return it to the city via mail, email, fax, or in person. High census participation provides an accurate population count, which helps the city plan municipal services and adapt as the population changes. The Elections Department also uses the census to help keep voting rolls up to date. Completed census forms can be returned via the postage-paid return envelope included in the mailing, by scanning the form and emailing it to census@somervillema.gov, by dropping it off in a census box at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), or by faxing it to 617-625-5643. Contact 311 at 617-666-3311 with any questions.

******************************

Somerville PorchFest 2023 will take place on Saturday, May 13 (rain date May 14) from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. Perhaps you’ve sat on your porch and overheard a neighbor strumming guitar on another porch? Porchfest takes this idea and multiplies it. This is not a festival per se but rather a community event where Somervillians share their love of playing and listening to music from their porch, driveways, yards, etc.Registration is now open: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest.

******************************

The Somerville Public Library in partnership with the St. Mark Community Education Program is offering a free, 10-week U.S. Citizenship Preparation class. The class will prepare students for the citizenship interview including the 100 civics questions, the reading and writing sections, and interview questions based on the N-400 application. The class will be held in-person at the Central Library (79 Highland Avenue) on 10 Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. from March 4 to May 6. Requirements: Basic level of English and 5 years as a U.S. permanent resident (green card holder) or 3 years, if married to a U.S. citizen. Visit https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/ell-citizenship to register.

******************************

The City of Somerville continues to host weekly walk-in vaccination clinics for residents through the end of March, with both flu vaccines and the bivalent Moderna COVID-19 booster available. Clinics will take place each Wednesday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the City Hall Annex, 50 Evergreen Ave., through March 29. Advance registration is recommended to save time but not required. Pre-register online at somervillema.gov/vaccineclinics or by calling 311 (617-666-3311). Flu vaccines and updated COVID-19 boosters are also available at many pharmacies and other locations. Find a provider at vaccines.gov.

******************************

Free COVID-19 test kits also continue to be available by request at all Somerville Public Libraries, at City Hall, and at the City Hall Annex.

******************************

High Tea and Regency Romance at West Somerville Branch Library, Wednesday, March 15, at 6:30 p.m. Join them for a cozy evening of tea and refreshments and comfort watch Emma (2020, rated PG) together to fight those end-of-winter doldrums. Please contact ShanTil at syell@somervillema.gov with any questions.

******************************

Don’t forget, if you would like to subscribe to receive a digital edition of our paper, go directly online to our website over to the right side and fill out your email address to receive a free, full PDF copy of the paper.