The 2023 edition of the Illuminations tour begin on December 9.

Celebrate the artistry and creativity of residents and businesses that transform their spaces and yards with lights, ornaments, and shrines of devotion and fantasy as the Illuminations 2023 tours kick off in December, hosted by the Somerville Arts Council (SAC).

The Somerville City Council was updated on the preliminary results of the Safety for All Survey at their most recent meeting

By Jim Clark

At the latest regular meeting of the Somerville City Council on Thursday, November 21, the Di-rector of the Department of Racial and Social Justice (DRSJ), Denise Molina Capers, reviewed the findings and gave a broad overview of the department’s Public Safety for All survey, touching on several areas.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne addressed the gathering at Somerville’s Transgender Day of Remembrance. — Photo courtesy of Somerville GovTV

By Olivia LeDuc

Last Monday, a small crowd gathered at the front of Somerville High School in a ceremony to mark the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, honoring the lives of transgender and gender non-conforming people lost to violence each year.

(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

The Department of Racial and Social Justice (RSJ) will present the Police Department Staffing and Operations Analysis to the City Council this coming Thursday (November 30) at a “committee of the whole” of the Confirmation of Appointments and Personnel Matters (CAPM) committee, chaired by Judy Pineda Neufeld.

Visit the Blue: The Celebration of a Color exhibit at the Somerville Museum this Saturday for the closing reception at One Westwood Rd. The exhibit showcases paintings, photography, installation, fashion, and video works of local artists who incorporate blue in their studio practice. For more information visit www.somervillemuseum.org. Closing reception, December 2, 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Eagle Feathers #293 –Four Score and Two

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Eighty- two years ago, on December 7, 1941, America was suddenly launched into a two-front war with Japan and Germany that would change our country and the world forever.

The City of Somerville is certainly one classic example of strong, good-hearted people having the capacity to set aside fundamental ideological differences for the sake of securing the community and celebrating all that it has to offer in style.

With the holiday season soon upon us, events such as the city’s Holiday lighting and Menorah Lighting in celebration of Hanukkah – on December 7 and 10 respectively on the City Hall Concourse – symbolically serve as a reminder that we are indeed a cohesive community, with our common hopes, fears, ambitions and objectives.

Runners take part in the 27th Annual Gobble Gobble Gobble Road Race in Somerville Thanksgiving morning. — Photos by Bobbie Toner

Presented by the Somerville Road Runners, the Gobble Gobble Gobble road race starts and ends in Davis Square (at the heart of Somerville), features a unique 4 mile course, and offers a fun opportunity to start Thanksgiving on a high and healthy note! Proceeds benefit Somerville Homeless Coalition, Somerville Track PAC, Stride for Stride and Dilboy VFW Veterans Relief Fund. For race details, visit https://srr.org/gobble.

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Review by Lee Varon

Der Hohannesian’s latest book, published by Cervena Barva Press, is a tribute to the human spirit.

Many of the poems in this moving collection refer to the Armenian genocide. The poet reminds us, “the ‘Armenian Question,’ is more than a question. Der Hohannesian, himself an Armenian American, calls it what it is – “hatred’s euphemism.” The poet makes it clear that those who suffered through this terrible time are still with us: “it is their blood/ that courses the deltas of our veins,” and “…blood carries memories downstream.”