Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is announcing the five winning city improvement projects selected by residents from Somerville’s first-ever Participatory Budgeting process. Over 3,500 votes were by the community cast to select which ideas they most wanted to see in-action in their neighborhoods. 

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is announcing that the City of Somerville’s Community, Help, Outreach, and Recovery (COHR) department and Somerville Prevention Services division of Health and Human Services will host two National Prescription Drug Take Back Day locations on Saturday, October 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 220 Washington Street and 6 Newbury Street.

(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)

By Chris Dwan

I have heard from people I trust that the police are unable to cover critical services like traffic details for construction and community engagement because the department was “defunded” in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. I have also heard, from other people I trust, that the force is slow-rolling popular initiatives, not for lack of funds, but because the officers are aggrieved at having their motives so publicly questioned.

— Photos by Jeanine Farley

Members of the public visited the city’s 19th century burial grounds, Milk Row Cemetery, last Sunday as part of the city’s October SomerStreets Festival “Monster Mash!” This ghostly gathering treated visitors to a guided tour of the cemetery’s grave sites, tombs, and Civil War monument. At each site, a ghost engaged in conversation about their life in Somerville in centuries past.

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On Monday October 23, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development celebrated the grand opening of Union Square Station Plaza – the first public space to open as part of the City’s Union Square Master Development Plan.

Senator Patricia D. Jehlen (D-Somerville).

On Thursday, the Senate voted to pass An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products in prisons, homeless shelters, and public schools, offered by Senator Patricia D. Jehlen (D-Somerville).

This bill ensures menstrual products be provided at no cost and free of stigma in public schools, homeless shelters, and prisons. Current policies vary from setting to setting due to lack of resources, capacity, or awareness. This legislation would help fill the gaps by setting a floor for what would be determined as an adequate supply of free products, and therefore, an expectation
that all menstruators’ needs could be met.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

This article first appeared in the October 31, 2019 edition of The Somerville Times.

I remember trick or treating back in the day. There was no such thing as “fun size” candy. We got full size bars or “dentist’s delights.” At the height of our childhood Halloween fun, we’d have to go home to empty out our pillow cases and go to more houses for more candy. Remember looking at the lousy treat the neighbor would drop in your sack? The biggest rip-off would be the houses that plopped an apple into your bag. No one wanted a stupid apple for Halloween plus it would crush the good stuff! The only thing worse than fruit was the nut who would put a handful of loose popcorn in there.

The School of Honk leads a Halloween costume parade on Somerville Ave. from Warren Ave. to School St. — Photos by Anastasia Petridis

SomerStreets: Monster Mash took place last Sunday on Somerville Ave. A free and family friendly event, attendees dressed up in their best Halloween costumes and showed them off at the Halloween Parade led by School of Honk.

A listening session was held last week discussing the process of developing a new park at 217 Somerville Ave. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

On Thursday of last week, residents of Somerville came together to discuss the transformation of 217 Somerville Ave. into a public park. Preceded by an official community meeting the night before, this listening session was held for those who had been unable to attend as well as anyone who wanted to hear more about the project or speak directly to public space planner Jon Bronenkant.

The Somerville Fair Housing Commission, a nonpartisan group of citizens serving the community, asked candidates for Mayor and School Committee a set of questions about Fair Housing in 2021 and again this year, in 2023.

Question 5: If you are elected, what will you do on the following issues to address systemic housing discrimination against protected classes and to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing in Somerville?

1. a) Policies and programs Somerville can use to diversify neighborhoods
2. b) Continuing to protect and enforce condominium conversion restrictions and other measures to ensure housing for families with children
3. c) Preventing discrimination against disabled individuals in need of housing that have emotional support animals
4. d) Preventing discrimination against households with Section 8 Vouchers or other rental subsidies