“The FTA report is an important wake-up call for our Commonwealth. Massachusetts needs a world-class public transit system. Good public transit is a benefit to everyone in the region because it has the potential to touch so many people in positive ways. It’s good for economic justice, environmental justice, and racial justice.

The Somerville City Council reviewed and discussed the recent ruling that a candidate for a public service job was wrongly denied at their latest regular meeting.

By Jim Clark

An Order was put forward by Ward 7 Councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld at the latest meeting of the Somerville City Council on Thursday, August 25, that the City Solicitor update the City Council on the August 11 Civil Service Commission decision on the Matthew Fairchild v. City of Somerville matter, and its impact on the city’s confirmations process.

By Jason Mackey

When I announced my candidacy last April, I was told to expect nothing less than a grueling campaign with a high risk of failure. Despite that, the opportunity and honor of serving the 27^th Middlesex as our next State Representative far outweighed that risk of failure, and I enthusiastically jumped into the race. The early days of the campaign were great. I met hundreds of amazing Somervillians and learned a lot about the challenges they routinely overcome. The people truly are what make Somerville a great place to live, and I looked forward to representing their interests on Beacon Hill.

By Gina Ingrando

On August 19, the Orange Line was shut down for safety repair work that is scheduled to take at least a month to finish before the line will be running again. Massachusetts residents that travel into Boston by rail were given the notice a week before the shutdown, but some had already heard the rumors of the closure circulating around the city.

Somerville Prevention and the city will recognize International Overdose Awareness Day, Wednesday, August 31, by planting 15 purple flags in memory of Somerville residents who have died from an opioid-related overdose in 2021. Free Narcan and other resources will be available at City Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. September is also Recovery Month. Additional Narcan distributions will take place Thursday, September 15, in Union Square from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday, September 30, at Foss Park from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, resources, or to get involved, email mmitchell@somervillema.gov or visit https://www.somervillema.gov.

“Evicted” will be on display at the Center for Arts at the Armory beginning on September 10. Hours: Monday – Wednesday 4:00 – 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Community Action Agency of Somerville in collaboration with The Welcome Project, The Somerville Homeless Coalition, Somerville Arts Council, Arts at the Armory, All She Wrote Books, Somerville Office of Housing Stability, Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services, De Novo Legal Services, Youth Build Just A Start, Somerville Public Schools, and local artists will open Evicted at The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville.

It is often with a bit of melancholy that we say farewell to the warm summer months and begin looking ahead to the change of season and climate.

There is, of course, a lot to be said for the beauty of fall foliage in New England, and the nostalgic gentle warmth of the holiday season of winter, followed by renewal and reviving spirit of spring.

Eagle Feathers #261 – Our City Seal

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

The most historic objects of interest in Somerville are the Old Powder House at the junction of Broadway and College Avenue and the Prospect Hill Memorial Flag Tower and Observatory on Munroe Street.

Arrests:
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Ross Daprato, August 24, 12:18 p.m., arrested at Hawthorne St. on a warrant charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Brian Soares, of Cambridge, August 28, 8:13 p.m., arrested at Somerville Ave. on a charge of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and on warrant charges of uninsured motor vehicle or trailer, unregistered motor vehicle, possession/use of a false RMV document, and number plate violation.

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Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Ed Meek

John Gardner (The Art of Fiction) would call Mercy an architectonic novel. It is written using a number of different points of view. For it to be successful, the author has to be able to create convincing characters and, when he changes point of view, we have to be invested enough in the characters to go along for the ride. And somehow, the author must manage to tie or bring these characters together. Littlefield delivers in his compelling new novel Mercy. And these days, with the stress of a pandemic and a Russian invasion of Ukraine, the notion that we could both show and use a little mercy really strikes a chord.