Three members of the Somerville Fire Department were promoted at the March 13 City Council meeting. Lieutenant Thomas Bellini was promoted to Captain and Firefighters Andrew Tkaczuk and Christopher Galvin were promoted to Lieutenant. L to R: Lt. Christopher Galvin, Asst. Fire Chief Sean Tierney, Mayor Ballantyne, Lt. Andrew Tkaczuk, Fire Chief Charles Breen and Captain Thomas Bellini.

297 Medford is located near the green line, high school, and the central library. A development in its formative stages.

By Liam Beretsky-Jewell

Cambridge-based developer Just A Start (JAS) and The Somerville Community Land Trust (SCLT) have begun the process of planning a 6-to-7-story affordable housing development at 297 Medford Street, a prime location near the Gilman Square T station. JAS is a non-profit, who currently preserves and maintains 645 units of affordable housing, spanning about 20 developments across Cambridge.

The Somerville City Council has taken steps to reaffirm disability rights with a resolution intended to bolster such protections.

By Carlie Lombardi

Somerville’s City Council has taken a firm stance in defense of disability rights by passing a resolution in support of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This decision comes in response to a legal challenge from 17 states that threatens to weaken protections for people with disabilities across the country.

Mayor Ballantyne’s “level service budget” resonates with some members of the City Council, while others favor differing approaches.

By Jeffrey Shwom

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is currently evaluating a level service FY2026 budget with no increases or decreases to current programs, staffing, and services, except for inflation and fixed cost adjustments (like utilities or pension payments).

On Saturday, March 22, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church Church will be celebrating Greek Independence Day and honoring our local war hero George Dilboy at Somerville City Hall. All are welcome to join up at City Hall at 11 a.m. to celebrate Greek Heritage and honor our local hero George Dilboy. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Liam Mannion, proprietor of Sally O’Brien’s, and former City Councilor Bob McWatters held their annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Monday. Local and state elected officials stopped by Sally’s for a pint of Guinness and to enjoy Irish music. Among the guests were State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, District Attorney Marion Ryan, Governor’s Councilor Terrence Kennedy, Mayor Katjana Ballyante, Former Congressman Michael Capuano, State Representative Dan Ryan, State Representative Erika Uterhyoven, City Councilors Ben Ewen Campen, Kristen Strezo, Will Mbah and Willie Burnley, as well as former Aldermen Jack Connolly and Ken Joyce.

After the long chilling days of winter, it’s nice to know that springtime is finally arriving. We anxiously await the balmier days ahead.

One of the finer benefits of New England living is standing witness to the massive explosion of nature’s rebirth and renewal, seemingly amplified here. Grass, trees, wildlife and flowers all seem to go forth and multiply at an astounding rate, as if on cue to the call for “Action!”

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Located at the corner of Medford and Central streets, this shop has much to offer! Upon entering, I was impressed to see the variety and abundance of items. Canned fish, flours, dried beans, canned beans, spices, vinegars, dried mushrooms, truffles, teas, oils, T-shirts, and books.

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The new book by g emil reutter
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Article by Off the Shelf Correspondent Michael Todd Steffen

We’ve learned to appreciate hybrid writing for itself, for the wide palette and integration that makes today’s poetry uniquely liberal and balanced, striking and robust. But it’s good also sometimes to recognize definitions in a progression, as g emil reutter dispatches them to us in the three parts of his new book On the Other Side of Goodbye, from POEMS to FLASH to STORIES. One’s different sense of genre joins the conversation.