By Amy Swain

The Somerville Arts Council’s Nibble Entrepreneurship Program pop-up event brought out the best of Brazilian cuisine through the culinary prowess of Chef Robson Lemos.

On Saturday, November 21, Union Kitchen saw a wild success with Somerville Arts Council’s Nibble Entrepreneurship Program pop-up event. More than one hundred people gathered to taste the culinary offerings of chef Robson Lemos.

Nibble is part of the SAC’s ArtsUnion Project. Earlier this year, they began the entrepreneur program with cooperation from Kitchen Inc. and the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. The program offers local immigrants interested in a culinary career a platform to further develop their talents while interacting with their community.

By Ross Blouin

The Kiwanis Club of Somerville held its annual Thanksgiving Dinner For Seniors on Tuesday November 17 at the Highlander Café on the campus of Somerville High School at Highland Ave., in Somerville.

By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

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

Ideally Thanksgiving should be a time for friends and family, and for reaching out to help others. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t live a hectic life. Taking a day or a long weekend to connect with the things that really matter is an important thing to do. Life will zip past you if you let it. Yet, as our televisions, mailboxes and email accounts constantly remind us, Thanksgiving also marks the official start of the holiday shopping season. Doesn’t matter what your religion is, chances are you’re about to do some serious spending. I’ll be out shopping too. So as we Somervillians hit the stores, I want to encourage everyone to spend that money locally, right here in Somerville.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

The Somerville High School Culinary Arts Program is busily engaged in producing delicious pies for the holiday season. You can visit their website to download their menu for the Highland Cafe serving lunch Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/culinary.

By Josie Grove

Somerville Police Dept. Chief Fallon affirmed his commitment to pursuing a policy of encouraging rehabilitation over making arrests in dealing with the drug addiction problem in the city.

“We face a very big issue,” said Alderman at large Jack Connolly at the beginning of last week’s Public Health and Public Safety Committee meeting. Somerville’s Health and Human Services Department, together with the Somerville Police Department, has put together a new plan to deal with opioid abuse in the city. The plan will attempt to rehabilitate people in the community, rather than arresting them.

By Donald Norton

Present and future Board of Aldermen President and Vice President William A. White Jr. and Katjana Ballantyne.

Tuesday night at City Hall, the Board of Aldermen met in caucus to vote the new President and Vice President of the Board.

By unanimous vote of all the alderman they elected to once again name Alderman At Large William “Bill” White as President for the fourth consecutive year and Alderman Ward 7 Katjana Ballantyne for Vice President for the second year in a row.

We here at The Somerville Times wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving Day this week. This is a time for all of us to be grateful for what we have. To reflect on the many blessings we have, in family and friends.

By Louise Carpenter

The Grand Opening of Workbar Union took place last Thursday with Mayor Curtatone and representatives of US2 in attendance.

Elected officials, local business owners, and members of the public gathered at the former Elegant Furniture building on Thursday, November 12 for the grand opening of Workbar Union, the new co-working location founded by Union Square master developer US2 and Boston-based co-working network Workbar.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Sports Authority store at Assembly Square Marketplace last Thursday on reports that a suspected shoplifter was being watched by store Loss Prevention personnel.

Upon arrival, the officers were informed that a group of three women were behaving in a manner consistent with shoplifting activity. Two of the women reportedly left the store in a hurry as the officers arrived, while the third, identified as Erin Eckert, of Medford, remained inside.

This week I wanted to follow up with a recipe that was inspired from my recent visit to Cuba. Black beans and rice is a staple served with lunch and dinner at restaurants and paladars in Havana and beyond. I must say, they were all great. I hope you enjoy my take on this popular dish.