City offices will be closed on Wednesday January 1, for New Year’s Day. Trash, recycling, and yard waste collection will be delayed by one day. No street sweeping on Wednesday. All Somerville Public Library locations will be closed at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, and all day Wednesday, January 1, for the New Year’s holiday. Regular hours will resume on Thursday, January 2.

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Ring in the new year on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, as they raise the Grand Union Flag on Prospect Hill to commemorate the 249th anniversary of the first flag rising. A processional will leave from City Hall (93 Highland Ave.) at 11:30 a.m. followed by a ceremony at Prospect Hill Park. Every New Year’s Day the City of Somerville commemorates an important moment of the American Revolution, The First Flag Raising. The event re-enacts the one that took place on Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776. General Washington raised a new American flag on that day over the highest point in the land, Prospect Hill in Somerville. Numerous city officials, the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts based out of Faneuil Hall (Boston), and re-enactors participate in the ceremony and parade. This year, we are excited to welcome Phillis Wheatley and Martha Washington to the event.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a great guy, Harry Agritha. We wish him the very best on this his birthday week. Happy birthday to Sophia Carafotes. We wish her the very best. We hope she enjoys her day. Happy Birthday to Kevin O’Donovan. We wish him a great birthday. Happy birthday to everyone here and from the city who is celebrating this week. We wish all our Facebook friends, such as Helene Messina, Christopher Kenney, Thomas Ross, John Brady, Bobby Martini, Martha Rheaume, Jon Curtis, Jimmy Deoliveira, Matthew Martino, Marie Miele, Gale Mahan, Steven Anthony, and George Allen 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 City of Somerville invites community members to attend its Mid-Term Ceremonies and Addresses on Monday, January 6, in the City Hall Council Chamber (93 Highland Ave.). Speeches will begin at approximately at 5:30 p.m.Mayor Ballantyne will deliver her Mayoral Mid-Term State of the City Address, reflecting on her second term, recent community initiatives, and plans for the year ahead. The incoming leaders of the City Council and School Committee will also share their priorities. Organizational meetings of the City Council and School Committee will precede the ceremonies. Community members are encouraged to attend in person or tune in live through the city’s cable and educational access channels, online at somervillema.gov, or on-demand afterward on CityTV’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/SomervilleCityTV.

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The community is invited to see the creativity and holiday spirit of their neighbors by embarking on a self-guided Illuminations Tour through January 2025. The Illuminations map is available to take a self-guided tour: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/illuminationstour.

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Learn about rodent control at a virtual information session. The city’s Inspectional Services Department and the SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs invite community members to attend a virtual workshop about rodents on Thursday, January 9, from 5 to 6 p.m. online via Zoom. Attendees will learn about identifying if rats are on your property, rodent control methods, tips for prevention, and City resources that can help. Interpretation into Spanish will be available. Learn more and attend or get tips now at somervillema.gov/rodentsaway.

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You are invited to a virtual public meeting to discuss improving water quality in our rivers through the development of an updated CSO Control Plan on Wednesday, January 22, at 6 p.m. This meeting is a collaboration between the City of Somerville, the City of Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). Join us for this joint public meeting to learn about the alternatives developed so far to control combined sewer overflows and how the affordability will be evaluated for each entity. Learn more about the project and sign up for the meeting by visiting voice.somervillema.gov/joint-cso-planning/.

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Join the Athletics Department in honoring the first inductee, Jerry Knight, into the Somerville High School Athletics Ring of Honor. He was chosen for his amazing contributions to the Somerville High School athletic community. Jerry was a standout student athlete who ran track and played basketball for Somerville High School until graduating in 1961. He coached at SHS, then served as Athletic Director until he retired in 2005. Come to the ceremony on Friday, January 10, at 6:30 p.m. in the Somerville High School Brune Field House.

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Help Connexion gather winter coats for the community. Coats can be delivered to Connexion, located at 149 Broadway in Somerville. Available drop-off times: Weekdays: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sundays: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Donations accepted until January 24,2025.The Giveaway will be Saturday January 25, 2pm-5pm. Please consider donating New or gently used coats. You can also purchase coats on their Amazon wish list.

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Head to Rococo for Winter Plant Care 101 (+ Plant Swap) and learn the key steps to maintaining happy and thriving indoor plants, especially during the colder months. The workshop will cover the essentials of year-round houseplant care, so you can confidently keep your plants healthy and thriving. Discover helpful tips for caring for your plants during the winter months, including light, watering, humidity, and troubleshooting common issues. Tuesday, January 14, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Rococo Floral, 1 Bow Markey Way. Post-session, there will be a plant swap raffle, where everyone will get to take home a plant.

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Low-income households may be eligible to receive help with winter heating costs through the Fuel Assistance Program. This program is part of the Home Energy Assistance program (HEAP) and serves residents of Somerville and Cambridge. Participants receive assistance with their heating costs between November 1 and April 30. Learn more about the program, check if you qualify, and apply for assistance today at somerville-ma.gov/heatingassistance.

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The Somerville Arts Council and the Inside-Out Gallery present Vernon Street Studios 50th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibit, curated by Steven Cabral. This showcase was a part of Steven’s community benefit project as a Somerville Arts Council LCC 2024 Visual Arts Fellowship Awardee. 1 Davis Square, Somerville. Learn more about the participating artists here: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/insideout/vernonstreet50.

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Somerville High School students are invited to bring their SHS ID to the Somerville YMCA on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. for free. There are free movie nights. On Sundays, students will have access to the basketball and exercise areas (including the weight room). Visit their website to learn more. https://somervilleymca.org/news/somerville-teens-after-hours/. Somerville YMCA asks that students go to their website to register before visiting and this program is for ages 14 to 17 years.

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Vernon Street Studios 50th Anniversary retrospective exhibit has opened at the Nave Gallery. This exhibit features over 50 artists. Celebrate artist both past and present. Exhibit open Saturday and Sunday, 1 – 5 p.m. Closes January 9, 6 – 8 p.m. Nave Gallery, 155 Powerhouse Blvd, Somerville.

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City Alerts are a great way for those who live, work, or own a business in Somerville to receive important city information that affects your neighborhood. City Alerts provide information about emergencies (including snow emergencies), construction and road closures, water service interruptions, community news, and more. To sign up, visit somervillema.gov/alerts and click on the button for your preferred language. Step-by-step sign-up instructions are available at: somervillema.gov/alerts. Having trouble signing up? You can call 3-1-1 (617-666-3311) for assistance.

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With the days growing shorter and temperatures dipping colder, the Somerville Homeless Coalition is in critical need of new or lightly used jackets for their clients currently living outside. If you have any adult sized coats hanging in your closet that you don’t wear, please consider dropping them off at the Somerville Homeless Coalition admin office located at 255 Elm Street, Suite 204 during the hours listed below. Drop Off Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 2 – 5 p.m. Each coat donated provides warmth, dignity, and safety for our neighbors having to face the harsh New England winter conditions.

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Feeling fatigued from holiday festivities? Want a quiet activity to do with one or more of your friends and/or relatives? Why not a puzzle? Bring your gently used puzzles to the West Branch library and pick up a new to you puzzle from our supply. No puzzles to drop off? That’s fine too. No registration required.

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If you want to adopt-a-drain in Somerville, perform light maintenance as needed, and give it a creative name. Sign up for the Adopt-a-Drain program today by visiting Somerville.mysticdrains.org.

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The SomerViva: Office of Immigrant Affairs, in collaboration with Saint Benedict Church, warmly invites you to a festive Three Kings Celebration on Sunday, January 5, 12 p.m., 17 Franklin St. Immerse yourself in the spirit of community, culture, and goodwill as they come together to celebrate this cherished tradition. You’ll have the opportunity to explore a variety of community partner and city department resource tables offering valuable information and services to support and empower our community. Indulge in delightful refreshments as you mingle and share in the festive atmosphere. Bring your family and friends to join us in the festivities, fostering connections and building a stronger, more vibrant community together.

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The Somerville Winter Farmers Market is back at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. on Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. from November 2 to April 12, (except November 30 and December 28). The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally grown and regionally produced foods, including fresh produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, tamales, pastries, chocolate, skincare products, and more. The market accepts SNAP/EBT and HIP benefits. They also offer a $15 SNAP match to customers each week. More info available on their website: https://www.somwintermarket.org/.

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Is your teen looking to make some extra money? The city’s Snow Shoveling Program is hiring youth to assist shoveling seniors and homeowners with disabilities out after snowstorms this winter. Teens and homeowners are paired for the season. After each storm, the homeowner will contact their assigned youth to request shoveling services. Somerville teens ages 14 to 19 are welcome to apply.Looking for snow shoveling services? Apply online or contact Debby Higgins at dhiggins@somervillema.gov.

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Because this winter begins in an even-numbered year, snow emergency parking is on the even side of the street all winter. There are a small number of exceptions to the park even rule, which will be noted by signs on that street.

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Through the generosity of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and from the direction of Mayor Ballantyne, the Council on Aging can provide Durable Medical Equipment at no cost to Somerville residents. Residents with a documented need for medical equipment must be over the age of 60, or have a permanent disability, and must be otherwise unable to afford or access needed medical equipment. We currently have available: Commodes, Bath Benches, Rollator Walkers, Incontinence Supplies and Transport Wheelchairs (wheelchairs are intended for transport and are not self-propelling or self-breaking.) For additional information, or for an application, please contact Debby Higgins at 617-625-6600, ext. 2321.

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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.