This coming Friday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at 14 St. James Avenue join first term Ward 5 School Committee Member Laura Pitone’s simple BBQ to celebrate her 2015 re-election campaign. Hamburgers, hotdogs and vegetarian options will be served at this informal, family friendly event. Donations are appreciated, but are not required (https://laurapitone.nationbuilder.com/donate). Thanks to Marisa Wolsky for hosting. Please RSVP so we have enough food. If you haven’t met Laura, this would be a great opportunity. She’s a wonderful person and is dedicated to doing a great job on the School Board.

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Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters will be hosting his first re-election kickoff party on Monday, June 29, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Sally O’Brien’s on Somerville Avenue. A great guy and very busy running all over Ward 3, working hard representing his ward, just like Tom Taylor did.

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The city budget is being debated and discussed this week. Very interesting, the people who have received pay raises. Even some part-timers that haven’t been working in their jobs for more than a year or two. We’re going over the budgets of the past 3-4 years and noticing how many got raises. Not even in the private sector do you see these kinds of raises. Go online and review for yourself, and in particular notice the title to some of these jobs your tax dollars are going towards: www.somervillema.gov or go directly to our web site: www.thesomervilletimes.com and download the budget to review. Stay tuned, we will be releasing family ties. Interesting to see how many former city elected officials now work for the city of Somerville both full time and part time. Stand by for names and salaries. Go to our website for a direct link to the proposed budget.

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Happy Birthdays this week to some of our Villen friends and just friends of The Times: Happy Birthday to an old friend and great electrician, Steven Mirabella is celebrating his birthday this week. We wish him the very best and a good day. Another Happy Birthday to a local guy who grew up here, Paul Burke is also celebrating this week. A happy birthday to the good Senator who used to represent the lower Ward 1, but from Everett and Cambridge, Sal DiDomenico. A good guy who represents his district well, and is also seen in Somerville a lot. Happy birthday to attorney Robert Ambrogi, who is one of the best legal minds in the newspaper publishing business. A great guy. We wish him the best. To all the others celebrating this week and fans of our Somerville Times that we might have missed, Happy Birthday!

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Join the City of Somerville Community Preservation Committee on June 24 to hear about the outcomes of the FY15 Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding cycle and share your thoughts about how Somerville should prioritize spending an estimated $3.7 million of CPA funds in FY16. The hearing will be held in the cafeteria of the East Somerville Community School at 7 p.m.

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Somerville’s OPENAIR Circus will be starting classes for children, young people and adults of all ages on June 23. It’s the 30th year of affordable fun learning and performing. They will be running classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:30-7:30 p.m. (see www.openaircircus.org/schedule.asp for details) from June 23 – July 23. Their rehearsals will be the last week of July with performances July 31 at 7:00 p.m., August 1 at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m., and August 2 at 2:00 p.m. Their registration fees remain $20/child or $30/family for the whole program. You can register online (www.openaircircus.org) or register when you come to classes. They also have a couple additional events coming up: They will be making stilts on June 28 (contact them for further details at peter_jehlen@openaircircus.org). They will also be holding their pancake breakfast on July 11 at First Church Somerville from 9:30-11:00 a.m. (see www.openaircircus.org/pancake1.asp for further details). And finally, they are thinking of having a separate event bringing together past students. If you know of a student from past years (any of the 29 past years) who does not currently receive emails through their general email list, please have them contact peterjehlen@openaircircus.org so they can make sure to include them in any planning that takes place in the coming weeks.

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Joe’s Jazz and Blues Festival 2015 line up is complete. The brain child of Mayor Joe Curtatone, who played trumpet in the Somerville High School Jazz Band. Join in on June 20 for the best all-day free concert at Powderhouse Park from noon to 6:30 p.m. Featuring the music ofSomerville High School Jazz Ensemble, The Busted Jug Band, Somerville Symphony Orkestar, The Makanda Project, Peter Ward and Electric Blues, Either/Orchestra with Teshome Mitiku. Raindate: Sunday, June 21.

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Please join the Somerville Arts Council at a show where local bands will perform 15 minute sets — all Jonathan Richman songs — Saturday, June 20 8:00 p.m. Hosted by Somerville’s Rock n’ Roll nexus PA’s Lounge, in Union Square, the bands will perform on two alternating stages, one acoustic and one electric, insuring the bang-bang excitement of non-stop Rock n’ Roll. Jonathan Richman’s songwriting spans four decades and includes hundreds of Rock n’ Roll songs in many styles. Our bands aim to please by performing selections from each, including the proto-punk rock of Roadrunner to the 1950’s rock influenced Ice Cream Man as well as the rockn’ child-like wonder in Abominable Snowman in the Supermarket. Scheduled performers include: Asa Brebner (former Modern Lover), Earth Heart, John O’Hara, Hot Molasses, ACLU Benefit, Lou Bunk, Hands and Knees, The Last Summers, The Double Stops, and Radio On.

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Kick your week off right with Acoustic Mondays at Assembly Row. Take a stroll through Point Park (behind River Bar) or grab a seat on a nearby patio. Area musicians will be filling the neighborhood…acoustic style or start your weekend early with LIVE Music Thursdays in the Amphitheater. Bring your chairs and a picnic and enjoy an evening of live entertainment with the family featuring a full band performance. This Thursday enjoy the music of Old Jack, all shows start at 6:30 p.m./ For a complete list of shows, visit http://www.assemblyrow.com/play/summer-music-series.

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Free Summer Meals Program Kicks Off July 6, 2015.Somerville youth ages 18 and under can enjoy FREE summer meals prepared by Somerville’s award-winning Food & Nutrition Services Department, courtesy of the USDA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). For updated information, visit the SPS Summer Meals Program website at www.somerville.k12.ma.us/summermeals, and make plans to enjoy a free delicious breakfast and/or lunch throughout the summer.