A friend and a part-time collectibles dealer kept telling me to be on the lookout for modern furniture, lamps and smalls (things you can carry in one hand). I looked online at photos of misshapen furniture, odd looking lamps and other “collectibles” from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. I couldn’t believe the prices that these things were getting.

The Somerville Police Department has received numerous reports from residents regarding IRS Phone Scams. The calls indicate that there is a “lawsuit filed against you”, and leaves a message for a return phone call number. Please do not call this number. Do not answer unknown phone numbers, since these might be robocalls. Do not speak or touch any buttons during the call, since this might enable more calls in the future. Lastly, report this incident to the IRS. Follow this link provided by the IRS for more information: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0037-imposter-scams?utm_source=govdelivery

The Winter Farmers Market continues Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. through March at Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA.

The weekly market offers the best locally grown and regionally produced agricultural items including vegetable produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, pastries, chocolate, and wine. We feature rotating guest vendors each week, as well as live entertainment.

By William C. Shelton

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

The part of East Somerville where the avenues are named for states was once a high hill with a convent atop it. Both are gone.

Ploughed Hill, later renamed Mount Benedict, was razed to fill in the Middlesex Canal in the late 19^th Century. Before that, a mob burned the convent in 1834.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro
It was a busy week at East Somerville Community School. The 4th grade students showed off their projects. Ms. Fothergill and Ms. Ceballos’s students picked an animal to research and put together a display based on that animal for the Animal Research Project.

 By Rep. Christine P. Barber
34th Middlesex District

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Like many of us, I was unsettled by events of 2016 that brought more division and discord than ever to the surface. Now I am struggling to fight back against decisions being made in Washington, D.C., and continue to feel uncertain every time I turn on the news. Many of us feel disconnected from Washington and politics at the federal level. While we must continue to resist extreme federal policies, what gives me hope is a renewed interest in local politics. There is now an opportunity to work together on critical issues affecting our state and communities, and in doing so, we can powerfully exemplify what it means to be a state leader in this new era.

Local Nonprofit, The Ruby Rogers Center​, may lose funding in July, following their fiscal year. The Center has been operating since 1985 and provides cost-free support to individuals who deal with the challenges of mental illness, development disabilities, aging, or dual diagnosis.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to a Flint St. location early Saturday morning on reports of a fight in progress.

Upon arrival, the officers observed a female reclining backwards in the driver’s seat of a car. As the officers approached the vehicle, she sat up straight and put the vehicle in drive. She was ordered to place the vehicle in park and then asked if she heard of or was involved in a fight, to which she stated “No.”

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Recently, I’ve been asked a number of times to discuss Somerville’s status as a sanctuary city and each time I do, I try to emphasize that we will not waiver from our commitment to being a city that welcomes and serves all. When we say all, we mean all – and that means acknowledging and addressing inequity on other fronts too.

The Somerville Chamber of Commerce announced today that it will host a panel discussion on February 28 entitled The Next Innovation Center: Why Not Somerville?. Attendees will learn insights from industry thought leaders as to how the City of Somerville can capitalize on the current market environment to realize its goals of becoming a regional jobs and innovation center. The event is scheduled to occur at the Holiday Inn – Bunker Hill, 30 Washington Street, Somerville, at 4:00 p.m. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.