Once again it is time to shift gears and power down a bit as we roll out of the high-octane frenzy of summer time and into the laid back breezy days of autumn and on into the winter months ahead.

We all need to become a bit more aware of what lies ahead of us on the road, and to be especially alert to activities near our schools and playgrounds as the kids are now back to their normal schedules.

Eagle Feathers #286 – Freedom

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Happy Birthday Powder House! You are the most ancient, historic structure in Somerville and the most distinct antique ruin in Massachusetts. After standing on Quarry Hill for the last 320 years, the renowned Old Powder House has earned our respect. A forty-two-inch plaque on the northerly side of this ancient arsenal records:

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According to Sam Fein’s website, “Sam Fein is a contemporary painter who explores human relations and emotional conditions within social frameworks of power. Drawing upon her upbringing in the American Southwest, Fein fuses memory and imagination with present-day events.”
I recently caught up with her to talk a bit about her life and work.

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Max Heinegg is a Medford-based poet, singer-songwriter, and recording artist. His new collection of poems, Going There, will be released in September 2023 on Lily Poetry Press. His previous collection, Good Harbor, won the inaugural Paul Nemser Prize from Lily Poetry Press. As a singer-songwriter and guitarist, his last five records can be heard on Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube. His latest record, Through Traveler, adapted 14 poems from the public domain into songs. Born in Cooperstown, NY, he lived in Schenectady, NY before moving to Medford, MA, where he has taught English in the Medford Public Schools since 1998 and is the co-founder and brewmaster of Medford Brewing Company. He is married with two daughters. Connect with him on the web at www.maxheinegg.com.

Join The Kinross Commuity Center and The Aht Depahtment for a day at the Armory with live music and art, local artists, food, games and more. The Summer Village takes place August 26 from 3:00 to 10:00 p.m. at 191 Highland Ave in Somerville.

On Monday, August 21, Hale Education will award the Carmen M. Torres Scholarship for Emerging Latine Leaders to Melissa Alvarez (of CityLab Innovation High School), Christine Brito, and Nancy Uribe (both of East Somerville Community School).

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward Five Councilor Beatriz Gomez Mouakad, Senior City Planner Cortney Kirk and city staff address the crowd at the ceremonial ground-breaking for Somerville’s Junction Park, 114 Central St.

The Somerville Fire Department will conduct its annual inspection of all fire hydrants in Somerville between Monday, August 21, and Saturday, September 2. Testing will take place between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and, if necessary, in the evening between 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. 

A report released last week by CultureHouse, a non-profit organization dedicated to working with communities to transform underutilized spaces into vibrant social infrastructure, shows CultureHouse East Somerville, a month-long community pop-up on Broadway was welcomed by the community and increased accessibility and engagement while supporting economic revitalization and boosting commercial vibrancy with over 352 visitors, 22 community events, and more.