The City of Somerville Elections Department is seeking polling place workers for the Tuesday, September 10, preliminary election. To be eligible to work in a polling place you must be a registered Massachusetts voter. Polling place workers are paid $165 for the day and work from 6:30 a.m. until shortly after the polls close at 8 p.m. with a two-hour break. For more information, please contact Maria Pierotti at 617-625-6600 ext. 4200 or mpierotti@somervillema.gov.

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Please join the Somerville Chamber of Commerce for an excellent networking night. Complimentary appetizers, business card drawing, cash bar and no cover at Bow Market’s Remnant Brewery. The evening will feature Bow Market co-owner and developer Matthew Boyes-Watson and greetings from Union Square Main Street’s Jessica Eshleman. Sponsored by Great Hill Dental who will be bringing excellent swag and Hosted by Dana Iacopucci of Cubby Oil. Register now: https://business.somervillechamber.org/events/details/after-hours-bow-market-1290.

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Join the City of Somerville and Somerville Arts Council for Strike up the Bands, the September installment of the city’s SomerStreets festival, on Sunday, September 15, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Highland Ave. between Central St. and Lowell St. This event is free and open to the public. SomerStreets is the City of Somerville’s take on the internationally renowned Open Streets concept, closing busy city streets to vehicles, and opening them up for cycling, walking, dancing, running, and other modes of activity. Save the date: October SomerStreets Monster Mashed-Up is on October 20 on Somerville Ave.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday our own best photographer, Claudia Ferro. What a great lady and fantastic family. We hope she has a great birthday this week. Another one of own, Bob “Monty” Doherty is celebrating this week! Ask him anything about the history of Somerville and he will have the answer. Happy birthday to a great guy, we wish Rick Pye the best. Happy birthday to State Representative Christine Barber, who is also celebrating. We hope she has a great day with her family and friends here in the city. Happy birthday to our good friend Jonathan Bowers, we wish him a great year ahead. To all others who are celebrating their birthdays this week and we missed you here, we wish a happy birthday to you.

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Happy anniversary to our own Pat and Donald Norton. 52 years married! This year has been a tough one with their health but they are closer than ever watching out for each other every day. We wish then a very happy anniversary!

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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.

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The Somerville Fire Department began the annual inspection of all fire hydrants and will conclude on Saturday, August 31. This procedure requires the flushing of water from the hydrants as well as a check of the mechanical operation of the hydrant. The inspection/testing program will take approximately two weeks to complete. Though water will remain safe to drink, it is suggested that residents refrain from washing clothes, especially white fabrics, until the water runs clear. If rust stains do appear on wet laundry, the clothes should not be dried, and residents may call 617-666-3311 to obtain a free bottle of rust remover. Inspections/testing will be conducted Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and if necessary, in the evening, from 6:15 until 8:15 p.m.

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Bay State Skating School is one of Greater Boston’s most established and popular skating programs. They are celebrating over 50 years of teaching children in the Greater Boston area. The 2019-2020 skating season is about to begin. Professional Instructors teach Recreational, Figure and Hockey Skating Skills to the beginner, intermediate and advanced skaters. Students can wear either figure, recreational or hockey skates. New fall lessons begin in September. Lessons are held at 11 Greater Boston Rink locations including Brookline-Cleveland Circle, Larz Anderson/Brookline, Cambridge, Medford, Newton-Brighton, Quincy, Somerville, Waltham, West Roxbury, and Weymouth. The emphasis is on having fun while learning to skate. Enjoy a fun filled series of lessons, where children learn the basic skills of ice skating. They have taught over 90,000 students to ice skate. Come skate and feel great. For more information and to register, visit www.BayStateSkatingSchool.org or call Bay State Skating School (781) 890-8480.

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The East Somerville Foodie Crawl is back for its 9th edition with diverse restaurants, a beer garden featuring Aeronaut Brewing Company (https://www.loc8nearme.com/massachusetts/somerville/aeronaut-brewing-company/4995151/) and Small Change Breweries, and live entertainment. Come and take a cultural crawl through the East Somerville restaurant corridor. With the purchase of one ticket, you will be off on a culinary journey full of authentic foods, colors and smells from Ethiopia, El Salvador, Italy, Brazil and Mexico. Your ticket will give you unlimited access to sample East Somerville’s best restaurants. Tuesday, September 17. Food will be served from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Beer Garden open until 10:00 p.m. Purchase your ticket(a) at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/foodie-crawl-tickets-63893064877.

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Attention shoppers and those that have frequented the several food establishments in Ball Square: Letting you know that the square is not that difficult to get to, especially since the bridge has been out. All the businesses would appreciate you still dropping by to shop, eat, or just say “Hi” – it would be very welcome. The Ball Square Café, Sound bites, Kelly’s Diner – or almost everyone’s favorite, Victor’s Deli – don’t forget Lyndell’s Bakery and, of course, True Grounds are open for business as well. Traffic around the square is good, with plenty of parking. So there’s no excuse for not shopping there.