In the midst of the darkness of these troubled times, there is one particular beacon of goodness and light that pierces through the gloom to warm our hearts and lift our spirits – Mother’s Day.

While life as we know it has been far from normal in recent months, this is one occasion that can restore a bit of normalcy and order for us as we pause to honor the beloved matriarchs of our families.

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I caught up with Somerville writer Daphne Kalotay, who has a new collection of short stories, The Archivists. Published in 20+ languages, Daphne Kalotay’s books include the award-winning novels Russian Winter, Sight Reading, and Blue Hours, and two-story collections: Calamity and Other Stories, shortlisted for The Story Prize, and the Grace Paley Prize-winning The Archivists, forthcoming in April 2023. A recipient of fellowships from the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, MacDowell, and Yaddo, she lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.

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Adam Khanboubi is a driven and ambitious Molecular and Medical Biology student at MCPHS. With a passion for research and a keen interest in exploring the boundaries of the medical field, Adam is set to embark on a new journey this summer as a researcher at MIT. Adam has always had an affinity for creative thinking and has found that poetry, in particular, has helped him to imagine the world outside of the ordinary. This has proven invaluable in his studies and has allowed him to approach medicine from a unique perspective, allowing him to better understand the intricate workings of the human body. Through his academic pursuits and his passion for poetry, Adam aspires to become a neurosurgeon, pushing the limits of what is possible in the field of medicine and making a positive impact on the lives of countless individuals.

Somerville loses to Medford 7-8 in an exciting back and forth game.  — Photos by Alex Fredette.  To see more photos from this game visit: SHS vs Medford at Tufts – Alex Fredette (smugmug.com)

On Sunday, May 7, Project Bread hosted the nonprofit’s 55th Walk for Hunger, held for the first time in-person since 2019. More than 4,000 participants set out to raise more than $1 million to fight hunger in Massachusetts. Walking the Boston Common or in their hometowns across the Commonwealth. The event hasn’t hit the $1 million goal yet, however fundraising will continue through the summer for most participants.

Ties for second in MA Personal Finance Challenge

Somerville High School’s Personal Finance I class team of Liam Beretsky-Jewell, Matthew Mannion, Michael Nionakis, and Oliver Wicks won the recent Junior Achievement’s Stock Market Challenge in Boston! The Stock Market Challenge is a fast-paced competition in which students learn how the market operates by investing and trading stocks as if they were managing accounts on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

December 12, 1944 – May 5, 2023

Robert S. McGowan of Somerville. May 5, 2023. Beloved fiance of Rosalee Zammuto. Loving father of Robert McGowan of Somerville and Darlene M. McGowan-Elderd and her husband William of Nashua, NH. Devoted grandfather of Donald E. LeBlanc. Brother of Donald McGowan and his wife Anna of Burlington , David McGowan and his wife Donna of Arlington, and Christine C. Costello of Methuen. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Community members are invited to join Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the City Council at the spring 2023 City Hall Community Meetings. These meetings are held twice a year in each of Somerville’s seven wards to share the latest city and neighborhood updates with community members.