Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Back in the 60’s and 70’s the Somerville YMCA offered a summer day camp program. I attended and it was a lot of fun. Mom would pack a nice lunch with bologna sandwiches, and I’d get dropped off at the YMCA for the day. I remember visiting Hood’s Cherry Hill farm with all the cows, etc. I asked our readers to share their memories of YMCA Day Camp with us.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

Somerville’s Memorial Day Parade took place on Sunday, May 26, starting from the Davis Square rotary, continuing up Holland Street and proceeding through Teele Square, ending on Broadway and North Street. The annual Memorial Day remembrance ceremony took place at Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery on Monday, May 27.

Members of the Somerville Municipal Employees Association (SMEA) and sympathetic community members recently rallied for more support for city workers. Photos courtesy of SMEA.

A statement issued by union representatives reads as follows:

Somerville residents rallied with municipal employees last week for quality public services and good jobs.  Union members and supporters stood out in in Davis Sq. with protest signs calling on Mayor Ballantyne to give city employees raises and more consideration as valuable assets to the city.

(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)

To the Editors,

Without fanfare last week, a small but significant improvement was made to the East Somerville T-station. A new ramp was installed that allows Brickbottom residents and workers to enter and exit the station by a “back door” – eliminating a long walk to the Washington/Joy Street corner and double-back hike up the Community Path ramp.

Attend the FY25 Water and Sewer Rates Public Hearing. Attend in-person or virtually to hear proposed Fiscal Year 2025 water and sewer rates on Wednesday, May 29, at 6:00 p.m. in the Water and Sewer Department Conference Room (17 Franey Rd.). Learn more about proposed rates, participate remotely, and get dial-in information at https://www.somervillema.gov/.

The Union Square Farmers Market will be celebrating 20 seasons of operation with a big birthday bash blooms on Saturday, June 1.

Union Square Main Streets and the Union Square Farmers Market community proudly present a celebration of 20 seasons of community-centered, open-air access to fresh, nutritious food in the heart of Union Square.

Sen. Creem invited Dorothy Kelly Gay to sign the Senate Guest Book. — Photo by Sean Fitzgerald

Former Somerville Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay came to the State Senate last week and was honored by Senator Jehlen and Senator Creem.

At the meeting, Sen. Jehlen of Somerville said, “I am so happy to introduce Dorothy Kelly Gay. I served with Dorothy on the Somerville School Committee for six years before she moved on to serve with Leader Creem on the Governor’s Council, later ran for lieutenant governor, and was the first woman mayor, first immigrant mayor, of Somerville. And each time she served in extremely challenging times, maybe they’re always challenging. But as I remember it, in the School Committee from ’86 to ’92 we were facing many challenges and we were not the prosperous city we’ve become. I’ll let Leader Creem talk about their work on the Council and how they got Gov. Weld to change commutation criteria.”

Despite the touch-and-go weather in recent weeks, we are clearly running headlong into the bright, sunny days of summer after Memorial Day weekend.

What is more delicious to the young mind than that savory and unrivaled treat, summer vacation? A well-deserved reward for all the hard work and irreplaceable time invested in the previous school year.

Eagle Feathers #305 – The Faithful and the Fearless

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

(This article was first published in the June 16, 2021  edition of The Somerville Times)

While walking by, biking, or sitting in Winter Hill traffic, many people have noticed the names of Reilly and Brickley on the front of the city’s fire headquarters and have casually dismissed them without a thought. On June 10, Somerville firefighters will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Arrow Paper Company fire where two of their fellow firefighters lost their lives and five were injured. Veteran firefighter, George Janus, was buried in the rubble and narrowly escaped with serious injuries. Four other firefighters were also injured trying to extricate him.