Open House! Visit the Pets In Need Animal Shelter this weekend at 2 Bradley Street, Somerville, MA 02145, from noon to two on Saturday and Sunday.

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Happy Birthday this week to some of our readers: To a good guy who reached the age of 50 this week, Douglas Carriger. What a nice guy he is, and with a great family. We wish him the very best and welcome him to the new 50, which is actually more like 40. Although we didn’t mention it last week because she’s goes nuts on us, our own Bobbie Toner here at the paper celebrated her birthday. She’s a great lady and she’s the glue – along with Jim our Editor – that holds the paper together. Happy Birthday, even though it’s a week later – but it was a nice breakfast! A big Happy Birthday to Maria Curtatone this week. Everyone knows Maria. She’s a great lady, always smiling. She’s the Register of Deeds for Middlesex County and we hear she’s doing a great job. A Happy Birthday this week to Pam (Lewis) DeMaria from Somerville, now in Malden. We wish her the very best this week. Another nice person, lifelong resident Cheryl Callahan. We wish her the very best this week on  her Birthday. An especially nice lady who used to work in the Election Dept. here in Somerville, we wish Ann Cassesso Ercolini the very best this week as well.   Another good friend who used to live in Winter Hill, Ron Lakerveld, currently in No. Carolina but making a move to Central America very soon if not already. He reads us all the time. We wish him the very best. And finally, long time friend and realtor Mike Seaver. If you’re looking for a house in the Franklin area, make sure you use him at ERA Key Realty service.

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This week is the deadline for our Christmas Poem contest. Make sure your poem is about Somerville and what the Christmas Holiday means to you. The best one submitted will receive a $100 gift certificate to the Mt. Vernon Restaurant for first choice, $50 certificate for second choice to the Mt. Vernon Restaurant and for third place a $25 gift certificate. Submit your poem to be published in The Somerville Times in time for the holiday. Submit by Friday, December 19 either in person at 699 Broadway by mail or email to news@thesomervilletimes.com. Poems will be selected by the staff of The Times and the three top winners will be published in time for Christmas.

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It appears that last years East Somerville re-union was such a success that Dan Rogovich is going to make plans for another one and book the City Club in June of 2015 for the Second Annual East Somerville re-union. This gives those who missed last year’s event the opportunity to plan ahead and mark their calendars.

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The Brown School Winter Concert takes place on Monday, December 22, 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Somerville High School Auditorium, 81 Highland Avenue. The Concert will feature performances by the Kindergarten-grade 3 general music classes, grade 3-6 string students, grade 5-6 band students, Junior Chorus, and Senior Chorus. Students will share what they have learned so far this year in their music classes.

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Looking for the perfect holiday gift to show your Somerville pride? Look no further! The city is now offering a brand new, full color, and machine washable afghan, that highlights many local historic landmarks and events, including the Raid on the Powder House; the Round House; Somerville High School, West Branch Library; Somerville Museum; and other special assets. The afghan can be seen on the Historic Preservation Commission’s website (www.somervillema.gov/historicpreservation) and on display at City Hall. Afghans can be purchased for $65, with fifty percent considered to be a tax deductible donation that will benefit City preservation projects including the Historic Plaque Program, Preservation Awards Program, and numerous heritage education projects. They are available for purchase by contacting or visiting Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Avenue. Checks should be made payable to “City of Somerville- Historic Celebration Fund.” Afghans are also available at the Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road (by appointment: 617-666-9810), and current Somerville Museum members are eligible for a 10% discount. For more information, contact the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development at 617-625-6600 x2525 or x2532.

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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Historic Preservation Commission Director Brandon Wilson announced that the 239th annual “Grand Union” flag-raising ceremony at Prospect Hill Park will be held on Thurs., Jan. 1, 2015 at 12 p.m. A processional led by a re-enactor portraying General George Washington on horseback will leave from the City Hall Concourse at 11:30 a.m. As always, members of the public are invited to participate, and are encouraged to wear traditional colonial clothing.

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Due to pre-scheduled meetings, there will be no walk-in flu vaccination clinic at the City Hall Annex on Thursday, Dec. 18. A clinic will be held on Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Winter Hill Community School cafeteria (please use the Medford St. entrance) from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Clinics are open for residents and non-residents ages five years and older. While there is no charge for vaccinations, attendees are asked to bring an insurance card if available. Attendees requiring additional assistance or other accommodations should contact the Somerville Health Department at 617-625-6600 ext. 4300.

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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston, Ward 3 Alderman Robert McWatters, and the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) invite all interested community members to the latest in a series of meetings and public forums to discuss future roadway and utility improvements for Union Sq. on Thurs., Jan. 8, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Argenziano School cafeteria at 290 Washington St., and will focus on the draft interim design for Webster St. and Prospect St. For more information, contact Hayes Morrison at 617-625-6600 ext. 2522, orHMorrison@somervillema.gov.

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The City of Somerville invites all interested community members to join in a discussion and submit feedback on the Recreation Department’s programming and activities. The City will host a public forum on Wednesday, Jan. 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Argenziano School cafeteria (290 Washington St.). For more information about the Task Force and its recommendations, visit somervilleresistat.blogspot.com/p/rectaskforce.html, or contact Stephanie Hirsch at SHirsch@somervillema.gov.