(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 Will Mbah
Candidate for Somerville City Councilor at Large

During the summer I was able to bring the kids to several of the city’s parks, both to take part in organized programs and just to hang out with dad and mom under the trees. It got me thinking about the jobs that our talented parks managers and urban foresters must do every day to keep the network of open spaces and tree-lined streets in good shape for us all.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the City of Somerville Department of Veterans’ Services invite residents to a remembrance ceremony marking the anniversary of 9/11. On Monday, September 11, the city will hold a procession and memorial ceremony to recognize the 22nd anniversary of 9/11. Anyone interested in joining the procession should meet at the Cedar Street entrance to the Community Path at 8:30 a.m. A speaking program and wreath laying ceremony will follow at approximately 9:00 a.m. at the 9/11 memorial in Davis Square, with the presentation and retiring of the colors by the Somerville Police and Somerville Fire Honor Guards. For more information, email veterans@somervillema.gov or call 617-625-6600 ext. 4700. 

Eagle Feathers #287 – Dropping Anchor

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Somerville’s nautical history and its environs go way back. It is believed that Vikings explored the Charles and Mystic Rivers’ shores from 1000-1004, five hundred years before Columbus. In the 1600’s, our location was a fledgling tidal island christened “Charlestown Beyond the Neck.” Its watery perimeter was made up of the Mystic River to the north, the Alewife Brook to the west, the Tannery Brook and the Miller’s River to the south, and the Charles River with its millponds to the east.

Although 22 years will have passed since the terrible and tragic events of September 11, 2001, took place, for many of us the shock and horror remains fresh in our memories. And since we, as New Englanders, were relatively close to the sites of destruction and loss of life, we can perhaps feel those sensations of sadness and even anger a little deeper than some others might, especially since our own Logan Airport played a role in the perpetrator’s deadly scheme.

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Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Ed Meek.

If you are making a list for summer reading, you can’t do much better than The Anniversary by Stephanie Bishop. It’s a novel that combines a deep dive into writing with a mystery. As a work about writing, Anniversary fits into what is becoming a genre. We appear to like pulling back the curtain to see how the wizard does it. Recent examples include Vladimir by Julia May Jonas in which a writer confronts political correctness at the college while seducing a younger man, Mona by Pola Oloixarac in which a writer attends a writing conference while trying to figure out what caused the bruises on her body. Then there’s the HBO series This May Destroy You about a writer trying to get to the bottom of a rape she can’t quite remember while completing a manuscript. And before that, Girls, where Lena Dunham’s character, a writer, and her friends deal with toxic males while trying to survive in NYC.

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Born and raised in Massachusetts, k.r. taylor is a Radiologic Technology student with an undeniable passion for writing. Her poetry has been seen in The Weight Journal, Teen Ink, Dead River Review, and forthcoming in Ghost City Review. She attempts to grasp the intangible through her work, whether it derives from societal issues or ones close to home. While she helps people in the medical field, she hopes her writing can do the same beyond medicine.

On Friday, September 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the Armory Cafe will host, Four on the Floor, an evening of original theatre pieces and music by local emerging artists.

More info and tickets here:Four on the Floor Tickets, Fri, Sep 8, 2023 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

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US Trade and Development Agency’s partners from Columbia, visit Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and The City of Somerville to learn about procurement policy.