— Photo by Bobbie Toner

November is here, and Somerville is proud to celebrate Family Literacy Month to inspire a love for reading and learning among families. This year, we are thrilled to announced several engaging events and activities that will make Family Literacy Month in Somerville truly special: Story Walks, Intergenerational Family Story Time, and access to multilingual books at multiple locations.

East Somerville Main Streets’ Halloween Block Party and Pet Spectacular 2023 took place on Saturday, October 28, at Chuckie Harris Park. The special event included a wide range of family activities, a pet costume contest, raffles, vendors, food, music, and so much more. — Photos by Claudia Ferro

By Jennifer Purcell

It is no secret that the West Somerville Neighborhood School has been in desperate need of a new schoolyard for the children to play in for many years now and after seven long years of working on this project, Mayor Ballantyne was proud to announce the opening of the brand-new schoolyard last Tuesday.

The Somerville Fair Housing Commission, a nonpartisan group of citizens serving the community, asked candidates for Mayor and City Council a set of questions about Fair Housing in 2021 and again this year, in 2023. The following are answers from the incumbent candidates.

1. (As a follow-up to question #1) Now that you have served in your current position, would you have handled the housing discrimination that you experienced in a different way? What advice would you now give to Somerville residents who may be facing housing discrimination?

2. (As a follow-up to question 5) Since being elected to your current position, how do you feel that you have addressed systemic housing discrimination against protected classes in Somerville and affirmatively furthered fair housing in Somerville?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7, so don’t forget to get out and vote. Eligible voters may vote one of three ways: on election day, via early voting, or vote by mail. November 7, Election Day: Vote at your designated polling location, Polls are open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Early Voting: November 1–3 all early voting is at Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Ave. Wed., November 1: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Thursday, November 2: 8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. (note: evening hours) Friday, November 3: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (note half-day only). To look up your polling place, get instructions for voting by mail, review a sample ballot, or for other Election info, visit somervillema.gov/elections or call 311 by dialing 3-1-1 or 617-666-3311.

(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

I tuned in last week to follow the discussion of the School Committee and City Council about the plans to replace or fully renovate the Winter Hill and Brown schools and about how we can finance and pay for this project.

As we do our best to give the little ones some semblance of normalcy as they look to celebrate Halloween, we are doubly tasked with searching our souls for the right answers to questions posed at the ballot box next week.

For some of us the choices are blessedly clear, while others may have difficulty culling the wheat from the chaff amidst all of the various messages put forward on each side of almost every issue. Politics as usual, really. But at the core of it all, common sense will prevail.

Eagle Feathers #291 – Foss Park

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Construction of what is known as today’s Foss Park began in 1872, the year Somerville became a city. For two years prior, there was intense bitterness and controversy regarding its location, layout and design.

L to R: Randi Soltysiak, Nancy Curtatone, Yvette Wilks, Senator Ed Markey, Collin Yip, Joe Curtatone, Tori Antonino, and Steven Flythe.

On Thursday, October 26, Rafi Properties’ CEO Collin Yip was proud to sponsor and attend the Northeast Clean Energy Conference’s (NECEC) 14th Annual Green Future Gala.