Tonight (Wednesday the 12th) at the Arts at the Armory is the Medford-Somerville Relay for Life kickoff party. Join in for a fun night! There will be speakers, food, and you will have a chance to learn about relay. Activities for all ages. Come learn about the Relay For Life event and how to sign-up your team. Don’t miss out on a chance to win some awesome prizes.

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The Somerville Democratic Candidates’ Forum takes place tonight (Wednesday, Feb. 12), at the VNA on Lowell Street beginning at 6:30 p.m. Join SDCC for a general meeting and hear from three of the candidates for governor: Juliette Kayem, Don Berwick and Steve Grossman. They will speak and answer questions.

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It’s time for the 2014 Valentine’s Day Royal Arch Ball, and all Masons, their wives, significant others and friends are welcome! Please join us on Valentine’s Day for a special black-tie event! Only $50 per person! Buffet dinner and two complimentary drinks included! Cash bar also available! Music by The Russ Wilcox Jazz Group. There will be swing dance lessons from 6 to 7 p.m. Dress is tuxedo or dark suit with black tie. Stay tuned for more updates. This will be a great night! RSVP to cambridge.capitular.ball@gmail.com.

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Happy birthdays this week to some of our fans here in the Ville and elsewhere. Happy birthday to Lou Ferrara, a well-known Villen here in the city. We’ve known him many years, and he is a gentleman and good guy. We wish him well. Anelise Paduch Tubinis works here in the city and is the proud mother of two daughters and married to a great husband. We hope she enjoys her day. Joe Hart of the Ville’s famous old Hart family and originally from Winter Hill is celebrating this week. Happy birthday! This one we can’t pass up on: Happy birthday to Crazyhorse Psyko-leaf who is celebrating this week. We wish him a great day, and you’d have to be nuts not to wish this guy a HB with a name like this (we think it’s a nickname).

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Don’t forget to register or go online for the courses offered by Somerville High Adult Evening Courses. Call 617 625-6600, ext. 6478, and ask for Sophia Carafotes. Registration begins every Tuesday and Thursday evening at the high school main office on Highland Avenue. Sophia has worked very hard to get a lot of new classes as well as some of the older popular ones started. New classes in Extreme Couponing, free Zumba lessons and some older classes such as English as a first language are offered. If you’d like to make a suggestion to add to the courses and you have a special skill, give her a call today, and, of course, if you’re interested in any of the courses offered, then register. The website is www.somerville.k12.ma.us/eveningshool.

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Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom Taylor, who has been constantly in and out of the hospital. We certainly hope that Tom is home very soon for good and not suffering but can enjoy his retirement with his lovely wife, Celia, and family.

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Comedy Nite at Giggles Comedy Club (Route 1 in Saugus) to benefit the Masonic Building at 125 Highland Ave. will be held Wednesday, April 2. There will be a silent auction and full show of local comedians. The cost is $25 per person. For more information, contact Steve at Steve and Sons at 617-628-6251 or email steve_sons@msn.com for tickets.

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The word is just in that our very own Doug Holder got notice from the Board of Contributing editors of the Pushcart Fellowship (http://pushcartprize.com) that he has been nominated by the board for a Pushcart Prize, to be announced in Nov. of 2014.  This is for published pieces he wrote in 2013. Members of the board include: Billy Collins, Bob Hicock, Martha Collins, Don Lee, Wally Lamb, Gerald Stern and many others.

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There will be a Fan the Fire sporting event on February 14, Valentine’s Day, for the Tufts Men’s and Women’s Basketball games. The Women’s basketball game, which starts at 6 p.m. at Cousen’s Gym, will be supporting the cause Coach’s Against Cancer. The Men’s basketball game, starting at 7 p.m., also at Cousen’s Gym, will be supporting the American Heart Association. This event is extremely important to Tufts as there is a player on the team affected by a heart condition. Signed Celtics gear and a Nike Fit Band will be raffled off at each game’s halftime.

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Mayor Curtatone and Ward 1 Alderman Matt McLaughlin invite all interested residents to a community meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Capuano Early Childhood Center, 150 Glen St., to discuss new lighting plans for the Capuano School / James McCarthy Field. The City is proposing to install new lighting at the Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center Turf Soccer Field in the fall of 2014, but is seeking community input prior to finalizing design plans. For more information, contact Arn Franzen in the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development at 617-625-6600 ext. 2545 orAFranzen@somervillema.gov.

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Did you know that there is free homework help available at the Somerville Public Library? There are options for students of different grade levels, help around specific subjects, and even Saturday study sessions. To check out the options available to students (and learn about all the other fun things happening at the library) visit the library’s web site http://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org.

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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone invites Somerville residents to participate in a Community Budgeting process focused on four key investment areas identified by the community in the SomerVision plan: Recreation, Public Health, Arts and Culture, and Civic Engagement including Immigrant Outreach. Community Budgeting Meetings will be held on: Monday, Feb. 24 (snow date Thursday, March 6), 6:30 p.m., at the Capuano Early Childhood Center, 150 Glen St.; Thursday, Feb. 27, 6:30 p.m., at the West Somerville Neighborhood School, 177 Powderhouse Blvd.; and Saturday, March 1 (snow date Saturday, March 8), 11 a.m., City Hall, 93 Highland Ave.