By Ana Celerier Salcedo

The Upper Middlesex Commission on the Status of Women held a virtual town hall on eldercare on Monday, June 5. The virtual town hall was held due to the various concerns about eldercare and its effects on women, specifically in the local community.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne makes her address on Community Health Workers Appreciation Day.

— Photo courtesy of the Somerville Arts Council

By Beatriz Leite

The Union Square market tours are officially back for the season and will take place once a month, until September. The tour is free of charge and goes through the three small Union Square markets and finishes at Nibble Kitchen located in Bow Market. The duration is one and a half hours.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

The year was 1960 and we were in the second grade. For some reason me and a girl named Barbara Kennedy were behind Richard Nixon in the presidential election. Sister Clarinda made us agree to write a letter to the president if JFK was elected.

Phil Reavis, Sr. Explains how he learned to adjust his jumping technique. Seen over his shoulder is a photograph of Reavis in his youth, clearing a high jump pole. — Photos by Denise Provost

By Denise Provost

On Thursday evening, June 8, the Somerville Museum hosted an opening reception for its exhibit, Phil Reavis: Above and Beyond. As an athlete, Reavis went from setting high jump records as a Somerville High School student to representing the U.S. in the Olympics. Former Boston Globe executive sports editor Jerry Nason wrote, “Phil is the greatest jumper (personal height vs. height of bar) America has ever produced.”

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

After a week’s postponement, SomerStreets: Carnaval, organized by the City of Somerville Arts Council and East Somerville Main Streets, took place on Sunday, June 11, in East Somerville. Free activities and entertainment were offered for everyone, including Let’s Get Truckin’, Esh Circus, Dunk Tank and getting to know your local non-profits and community organizations. 30+ artisan vendors were present and the crowd danced along with Grooversity and many more live acts.

Green Soul’s graphical simulation of the Holland St. site – Photo courtesy of Green Soul

By Beatriz Leite

On Tuesday, June 6, the residents of Holland Street and its surroundings joined Ward 6 Councilor Lance Davis, the Green Soul Organics team, and the City of Somerville for a Neighborhood Meeting on Zoom to discuss the impacts of the opening of an Adult Use Cannabis Retail Store at 23 Holland Street, in Davis Square at the former site of Johnny D’s Uptown.

By Ana Celerier Salcedo

On Tuesday, June 6, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission held its second public hearing for a proposed development plan near Encore Boston Harbor. The expansion would be a development on the east side of Broadway in Everett, MA, which would allow for an increase of gaming space, theater, entertainment venues, food and beverage areas.

(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

When the ceiling collapsed in the stairwell at the Winter Hill School on June 2, happily it was late in the day and no children were in the building.  But after surveying the damage, the Acting Superintendent and Mayor closed the school for the remaining two weeks of classes and the students were reassigned to other schools. 

The 2023 Taste of Somerville has been postponed due to a forecast of inclement weather to Thursday, June 15, outside at Assembly Row, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Produced by the Somerville Chamber of Commerce Dining and Nightlife Group, the Taste of Somerville is a unique way to experience our dining and nightlife scene. For tickets and more information visit http://tasteofsomerville.org