The Union Square Neighborhood Council (USNC) and Rafi Properties announce details for a Community Benefits Agreement update meeting for Somernova set to take place on Wednesday, January 22, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Argenziano School Cafeteria, 290 Washington St., or via Zoom. RSVP via linktr.ee/usnc2017. Interpretation will be available in Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish both in-person and online.

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Community members are invited to welcome the Year of the Snake at the second Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday, January 25. This fun and festive celebration will be held in the Somerville High School cafeteria (81 Highland Ave.) from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Join in for exciting performances, food, and family-friendly activities that highlight the rich traditions of East, Southeast, and South Asia.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: A big happy birthday to our own Dorothy DiMarzo, who gives us all those delicious recipes every other week in our paper. We wish her the very best of birthdays this week. Another local who is celebrating this week is Maria Nella Nunes. We wish her the very best. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such Bob Crowley LeBlanc, Roy Moulton, Linda LoPresti, Eddie Hardy, James Casazza and Kevin Su, 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 Warming Center is looking for donations for their clients. To see what is needed visit their facebook page or their Amazon wish list under Somerville Warming Center.

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A Veterans Affairs (VA) Web Resources Information Session will take place on Saturday, January 25. Join Veterans Services staff from the Cities of Arlington, Cambridge, Everett, Medford, and Somerville to learn and navigate existing VA online resources like VA.gov and MyHealthVet. Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops or tablets. This event will be held at Medford City Hall at 10 a.m.

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Registration is open now for The Artist’s Way writing workshop. From January 23 to April 24, the group will meet at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. in the Lavender Room on Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. More info and registration available visit https://artsatthearmory.org/.

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Join the Arts at the Armory on Saturday, January 25, at 7:30 pm for an evening of performance by the teaching staff of Esh Circus Arts. Doors at 7:30 pm, show at 8 pm. More info and tickets available visit: https://artsatthearmory.org/

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Tweens and teens are invited to join the adventure with Dungeons and Dragons at the Somerville Public Library, Saturday, January 25, 1 – 4 p.m., 79 Highland Ave. Each session, players will be treated to a new adventure by our Professional Dungeon Master, Dragoneye Zach. Everything you need to play will be provided. There are two sessions each month. Registration is required and opens two weeks before each session. Register https://somervillepubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/dungeons-and-dragons-at-spl-with-dragoneye-zach-4/

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Know your rights as a renter and immigrant at the Somerville Movement Meeting. Register here: bit.ly/Somerville-Renters. Saturday, February 1, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., in East Somerville (register for location). Masks will be mandatory when not eating or drinking. Registration will close at 9 a.m. on Thursday, January 30. Space is limited. Childcare and breakfast will be provided. ESP: Protejamos nuestra comunidad de Somerville – Conozca sus derechos como inquilino e inmigrante. Regístrese aquí: bit.ly/Somerville-Renters.

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The Somerville High Trivia Team is competing on WGBH’s High School Quiz Show this year. Congratulations Ella, Calla, Jack, Sam, Nate, Oliver, Coach (and SHS History Teacher) Theodore Blake and the rest of the SHS Team. Only the top 17 trivia teams in the state qualified for the annual tournament. Show your support by cheering them on as part of the studio audience during the show’s recording on January 25, (Tickets https://gbhevents.ticketbud.com/qualifying-match-2-somerville-vs-wild-card-winner-c9ffb18d-04cb7f409149) The next match (if they win) will be recorded on January 26 (Tickets: https://gbhevents.ticketbud.com/quarterfinal-1-tbd-vs-tbd-70d3f02d-55b6b4f68a2b). Somerville’s first match will air on WGBH and Youtube on February 22.

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Mudflat is now accepting submissions for its upcoming exhibition, The Mudflat Cup Show 2025. Artists are invited to submit original, functional, and food-safe cup designs completed within the last three years. Works must be priced individually (not as a set) with a maximum price of $180 and be ready for installation upon delivery. Artists may submit up to five entries, with one image per entry. No substitutions will be accepted. Apply by February 5. Apply Here https://www.cognitoforms.com/MudflatStudio/TheMudflatCupShow2025JuriedShowApplication.

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Are you looking for a way to get involved? The City of Somerville needs board and commission members. Learn more and apply for current openings by visiting somervillema.gov/besomerville.

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Calling all artists! East Somerville Main Streets is looking for a talented artist to create the official poster for Carnaval 2025. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your work, contribute to a vibrant community event, and gain exposure. Apply by February 10 by visiting their website www.eastsomervillemainstreets.org

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A reminder that Christmas tree pickup is underway in Somerville through Friday, February 14. Trees can be placed curbside on your regular trash day after removing all decorations. Do not put trees in a plastic bag. Constituents should contact 311 (617-666-3311) if their tree has been out for over two weeks.

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The Somerville Theatre to screen rare vintage crime melodrama with all-Black cast. The Flying Ace (1926), added to U.S. National Film Registry, is to be shown with live music on Sunday, February 2. Can discrimination exist in an America where everyone is Black? That’s among the questions posted by The Flying Ace (1926), a rare surviving example of movies produced early in the 20th century for Black audiences in segregated cinemas. The Flying Ace, named to the U.S. National Film Registry in 2021, will be screened in honor of Black History Month on Sunday, February 2 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. Admission $17 adults, $13 members, $12 seniors/children. Tickets are available at somervilletheatre.com or at the door.

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The Somerville Public Library will be hosting an open mic night in the Central Library Auditorium. You’re welcome to bring and read your own poetry or a work by another poet. Registration is encouraged: visit https://tinyurl.com/57xkteyt. Poetry Open Mic Night, January 23, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., 79 Highland Ave.

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Puzzle Challenge and Swap. Bring your old or gently used puzzles to the Central Library and swap them for ones you haven’t done yet. They’ll also be hosting a community challenge for how many puzzles the community can complete in three hours.This event will be held on Sunday, January 26, at Central Library (79 Highland Ave.) from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Learn more and register https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/

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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. The Giveaway will be Saturday January 25, 2 – 5 p.m. Please consider donating New or gently used coats. You can also purchase coats on their Amazon wish list.

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With the winter cold over the coming days, here are some important tips for staying safe and warm: Dress in layers and cover as much exposed skin as possible when outdoors, minimize time outside, including for pets, check in on family and neighbors, follow all safety precautions if using space heaters. Do not use a stove or oven as a heat source. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and make sure they are working and have fresh batteries. Learn more about carbon monoxide safety: mass.gov/info-details/carbon-monoxide-co-safety. Prevent frozen water pipes: somervillema.gov/frozenpipes. For more, visit: somerville-ma.gov/coldweather.

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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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Somerville High School students are invited to bring their SHS ID to the Somerville YMCA on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sundays 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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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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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 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. 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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Snow emergency parking is on the even side of the street all winter, unless posted signage says differently. Sign up for alerts or update your information at somervillema.gov/alerts. You can call 311 if you need assistance. Flashing blue lights at major intersections indicate a snow emergency. Snow emergencies are announced on the city’s website, social media feeds, CityTV, and via information shared with local media. For more information on the city’s snow policies, visit somervillema.gov/snow.

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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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