Community members are invited to attend Somerville’s fourth annual Women’s History Month celebration to honor the many contributions of women throughout our history. This year’s speakers include Mayor Ballantyne, Mass State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, City Council President Judy Pineda-Neufeld, School Committee Chair Ilana Krepchin, and Amanda Nagim-Williams, Director of Somerville’s Racial and Social Justice Department. Plus, enjoy light re-freshments and music from DJ L’Duke.The event will take place on Wednesday, March 26, at Somernova (29 Properzi Way) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Learn more https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrating-womens-history-month-at-somernova-tickets-1259609348469?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawJJ1ZVleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZjMwNUItHsvI9uJ592ZIGl7YHaaHmWB8wORiT7tms8Ou8rmr-8I-mXHHw_aem_YWWUJofK-gFerxntpEqmSA.

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Central Broadway Zoning Study Presentation on March 26. Last year, the cities of Somerville and Medford underwent a zoning study for the Broadway Corridor to help shape zoning and policy changes. Now, a final study document is here based on research, analysis, and public engagement with stakeholders from both communities. Join city staff for a presentation of the study and a Q&A session.This hybrid event will be held on Wednesday, March 26, at the Arthur D. Healey School (5 Meacham St.) and online at 6 p.m. Learn more https://voice.somervillema.gov/broadway-corridor.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: First, a very happy belated birthday to former Somerville resident Michael Sullivan, who now resides in Worcester. We hope he had a great birthday. Happy birthday to Pat Scrima, a great guy and another former resident. We hope he enjoys his birthday. Happy birthday to Sue Pye. We hope she has a wonderful birthday. A big happy birthday to Karen Michelle, we wish her the best and we hope she has a great day. Happy birthday to Tyler Hart, of the famous Harts. We wish him a great birthday. We wish a happy birthday to all of our Facebook friends such as Beth Redmond, D.J. Dabenigno, Maureen D Kelley, Brittany Roberts, Christine Andrade McSheehy, Jim Halloran, Megan Donovan, Kathleen Kennedy, Christopher John, Daniel M Rivera, and Charles Ryan, who are all celebrating this week. To all the others we may have missed and yes, we must admit there are a few more out there. We sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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Join the city for a free flu vaccination clinic and an info session on how to obtain a driver’s license in MA, hosted by the Somerville Health and Human Services Department, SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs, and ACLU (American Civil Lib-erties Union) of Massachusetts. To schedule an appointment in advance: https://home.color.com/vaccine/register/somerville?site=soia-office-of-immigrant-affairs SomerViva Office, 42 Cross St.,Somerville, Thursday, March 27, 4:30 – 6 p.m.

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The Somerville Arts Council in conjunction with the City of Somerville’s Public Space and Urban Forestry Division is seeking an experienced working metal artist for a public art project to design and build an entry gate for the Glen Park Community Garden on Franklin Street. Download call here https://somervilleartscouncil.org/.

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On Saturday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m., G Rockwell Band is coming to the ROOTED Café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. An award winning multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer and bandleader, G Rockwell has performed and com-peted on stages across the country. He is the only musician to have won three Freshgrass competition awards. More info available on our website: https://artsatthearmory.org/events/g-rockwell-band/.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the City of Somerville staff invite you to Somerville’s third annual Civic Day. Come learn about city services and local government via free activities, and enjoy local eats and entertainment on Saturday, April 5, from noon to 4 p.m. at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.) and on the City Hall concourse. In the event of inclement weather, all outdoor activities will be moved inside to Somerville High School (81 Highland Ave.). To learn more, visit somerville-ma.gov/civicday.

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PorchFest 2025 will take place on Saturday, May 10, from 12 to 6 p.m. (inclement weather date: Sunday, May 11). Applications are now open. Submit by Thursday, April 10 at 11:59 PM. Application submission does not guarantee participation. Certain streets will be restricted for performances to ensure safety. View the restricted street map on our website or view the streets listed below. View how to submit your application for consideration https://somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest/.

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Municipal scholarships are available for high school seniors. Seven $1,000 municipal scholarships are available for high school seniors graduating in 2025 through the City of Somerville Municipal Scholarship Committee. Applicants must be residents of Somerville who have been accepted to an accredited post-secondary institution. Students are asked to complete a profile and answer three short essay questions by March 31. Learn more and apply: https://www.somervillema.gov/somerville-municipal-scholarship-2025.

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Summer is coming! Check out the city’s summer programming by visiting tinyurl.com/sville2025summer today.

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Plan ahead as parks close temporarily for tree maintenance. Proactive maintenance is essential for healthy tree growth and preserving Somerville’s urban forest. The Somerville Parks Tree Program is gearing up for its sixth year to provide a comprehensive health assessment to 327 trees throughout ten parks this spring. To do this work, temporary park closures are required. Residents are encouraged to check for park closures before planning an outing to city parks. Learn more here https://www.somervillema.gov/treehealth.

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Calling all members of the Somerville music community! Join the Somerville Arts Council for a meeting to discuss the future of our local music ecosystem. From venues and rehearsal spaces to recording, come together to find solutions to these critical issues. Monday, March 31, 6:30 – 8 p.m., at The Jungle, 6 Sanborn Court.

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Street sweeping in Somerville resumes on Tuesday, April 1. Somerville’s street cleaning program is an essential public works program that not only keeps our city cleaner but also reduces the risk of flooding and icing due to clogged storm drains. Signs indicate time and date of no parking due to sweeping. The street sweeping season runs from April 1 until December 31 each year. On designated street sweeping days, vehicles must be moved from the side of the street being swept, as noted on signs posted on each street. The penalty for not complying with street sweeping parking regulations is a $50 fine.

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Drum Your Heart Day, Saturday April 26, at Gilman Art Park, Medford St., Somerville. Bring a bucket or metal or a drum and everyone will drum together led by a core of drum artists. Beginning around 1 p.m. Celebrate, protest, express yourself to the universe the good we know we need to overcome hate and prejudice from our neighborhoods across America. Gilman Art Park has been and continues welcoming artists to show Temporary Public Art until June, possibly through this Summer. On the first Saturday of June there will be a celebration honoring all the artists who have contributed their works to this temporary field of free expression.

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Somerville Little League 2025 Spring registration is open. Go to www.somervillelittleleague.org to register.

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On Friday, April 25, GLOWBALL will transform the Armory Performance Hall into an immersive Glow-in-the-Dark Rave created by DJ Adam Gibbons with hypnotic visuals by Jay Medina, all in support of The Center for Arts at the Armory. GLOWBALL is an anti-gala–there will be no speeches, formal presentations or auction. There will be pop-up performances by SambaViva and Sidy Maiga on djembe. This year’s honorees: Rachel Strutt, Lifetime Achievement Award; Clay Fernald, Community Arts Advocate: and Nelson Salazar, Outstanding Artist. GLOWBALL tickets include complimentary international bites, glow-in-the-dark accessories and face painting by Arty Mari. This will surely be Somerville’s most illuminating party of 2025. https://artsatthearmory.org/glowball/.

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The Somerville Arts Council’s ArtBeat 2025 Calls for Talent are now available. The Somerville Arts Council invites musicians, street performers, circus artists, installation artists, buskers, craft vendors, and more to participate at ArtBeat 2025. Festival date and new time: Saturday, July 19, 1 – 9 p.m. (Rain date: Sunday, July 20), Davis Square, Somerville. The main festival will take place from 1 to 7 p.m., but music and food will continue in Seven Hills Park from 7 to 9 p.m. Visit https://somervilleartscouncil.org/artbeat/calls/.

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The Mudflat Cup Show 2025. National juried show by Kyle Scott Lee. If you are interested in purchasing any of the cups, please email kate@mudflat.org with your inquiry. Visit https://www.mudflat.org/projects-8 to view.

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Save the date: Somerville Open Studios 2025 will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 3–4, from 12 to 6 p.m. each day, at artists’ studios and homes throughout Somerville. Nearly 400 artists in 118 locations citywide will open their studios to the public. Map, artist, and (soon) trolley info at https://www.somervilleopenstudios.org/ The SOS First Look Show at the Somerville Museum will be open from April 24 through May 17.

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Join puppeteer Leigh Baltzer and her puppet friends for a morning of stories, songs, and even learn about puppet styles. This program is intended for children ages 3 to 7, but all are welcome. This event will be held on Saturday, March 29, at the East Branch Library (115 Broadway) from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m.

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The Somerville Homeless Coalition’s Amazon Wish Lists are updated monthly with the most requested items from their food pantry to meet the needs of their clients experiencing food insecurity. If you would like to learn more and donate through our wish lists, please see the link here: https://bit.ly/SHCLinks.

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Looking for some fun this April break? Join the Somerville Recreation Department for an action-packed April Vacation Program filled with games, arts and crafts, sports, and a field trip to Chunky’s Movie Theater by registering on their website. Located at the West Somerville Neighborhood School, the full day program begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. Spots may fill fast, so don’t miss out and sign up today for a week of friendship and nonstop fun: https://somervillema.myrec.com/info/default.aspx

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Community Health Worker Division Hours are held every other Thursday at Connexion (149 Broadway, Somerville, MA) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will provide hygiene kits, snacks, and referrals to internal and external partners for the following services: ESL, Housing, SHC, SNAP and MassHealth. Next hours will be held on Thursday, April 3.

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Reminder: Return your 2025 City of Somerville census. Last month, Somerville’s 2025 census made its way to resident mailboxes. Annual participation in the census is essential for keeping an accurate population count and it updates or maintains your status as an active voter for upcoming elections. The 2025 census form also includes an application to vote by mail in Somerville’s preliminary and city elections this year. 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, or in person at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.). Please call 311 (617-666-3311) with any questions.

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Small Mart is back at The Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square on Friday April 4, 2025.with a special night market. They’ll have 30+ local vendors plus tarot reading and on site mending, a full bar, and DJ Johnny Stevens from Soulelujah spinning vinyl all night long. 5–10 p.m. Free entry, all ages, wheelchair accessible.

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Somerville Open Studios 2025 will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 3–4,  from 12 to 6 p.m. each day, at artists’ studios and homes throughout Somerville. Nearly 400 artists in 118 locations citywide will open their studios to the public. Map, artist, and (soon) trolley info at https://www.somervilleopenstudios.org/

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Subscribe to the Somerville Public Library’s email newsletter for monthly updates about the goings-on at the library. Subscribing takes less than five minutes, and if it turns out to not be your thing, unsubscribing is easy. Visit the linktree in their bio to sign up. Lots of adult programming happening at the library for the week of March 30 – April 5. Don’t miss our Take Home a Blackout Poetry Kit starting April 1 at all three branches, and Learn to make Bengali Ghugni with Chef Afruza on Saturday, April 5, at the East Branch. Visit https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/

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State health officials are informing the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, which rarely infects humans, is suspected to be affecting wild and domestic birds in several Massachusetts municipalities. Here are precautionary steps you can take: Avoid handling birds and other wildlife and keep dogs and pets leashed and away from wildlife. Learn more and stay up to date on state guidance. https://www.mass.gov/news/state-officials-provide-updated-guidance-on-suspected-avian-flu-cases-reported-across-massachusetts.

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Winter can stretch budgets to the breaking point. With increased costs for food, heating, housing, and transportation, many Massachusetts families are facing tough choices. If you or your family need help accessing food, don’t wait – call Project Bread’s toll-free FoodSource Hotline today at 1-800-645-8333.

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Registration for SPS free summer programs starts tomorrow. They have a wide range of programs open to any SPS student at different grade levels. Check out the summer webpage to learn more: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/summer. Registration runs from Monday, March 24 through April.

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The Somerville Homeless Coalition invites you to join them for a special celebration on Thursday, March 27, at 6 p.m., in the Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Sq., as they commemorate 40 years of service to the Somerville and Greater Boston community. Enjoy specialty cocktails, delicious delights from local favorites Redbones and Dave’s Fresh Pasta, and vibrant live music to sway to by West of Willows and The Loomers. https://somervillehomelesscoalition.org/events/.

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You can download a helpful packet of Know Your Rights resources and information in the language of your choice below. Somerville Public Schools have also created a list of resources on the One Somerville Resource page, which can be found here https://somerville.k12.ma.us/district-departments/somerville-family-learning-collaborative-sflc/one-somerville-resources.

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SCES is teaming up with City Fresh Foods to offer a five-pack of frozen home-delivered meals. This new meal delivery option is ideal for consumers who want the convenience of home-delivered meals but are not able to be at home each weekday to receive deliveries. Meal recipients can choose which weekday they would like to receive the frozen meals, with up to five meals in each bulk delivery. Each meal comes with bread, milk, and a dessert. Current SCES clients who are interested in receiving meals should call their office at 617-628-2601 or contact their case manager for more information.

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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. 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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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 is available on their website: https://www.somwintermarket.org/.

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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. 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.