Members of the Somerville High School National Honors Society, along with their teacher-leader Veronica Rowlinson, cleaned up the Mystic River waterfront along Draw Seven Park. Local environmental group, the Mystic River Watershed Association, organized the clean-up event. Juniors and seniors spent the afternoon picking up trash and debris. Ms. Rowlinson’s young child was excited to help out with the work alongside the big kids.

Somerville’s OPENAIR Circus will offer its 39th year of summer classes in circus skills beginning June 27, running through August 7.  This year in-person classes will be at Lou Ann David Park on Broadway near Teele Square, in 55 minute time slots Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30-7:30.   

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) thanked many of the agency’s key contributors with a volunteer appreciation lunch at Trum Field on May 18. SCES volunteers on hand included Money Management volunteers, Technology Coaches, grocery supplement baggers and drivers, SCES board members, and at least one SHINE Medicare Counselor. SCES appreciates the great work they do, and really enjoyed spending some time with such a great group!

The City of Somerville will hold a virtual information session and public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2023 water and sewer rates on Tuesday, June 7. The information session will start at 6:00 p.m. and the public hearing will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Anyone who would like to testify is welcome to attend and will be heard. Additional Q&A time will be offered following the hearing if attendees have remaining topics of discussion.  

Many have asked why Somerville is not celebrating Memorial Day with the annual parade. We asked the Director of Veterans Services Ted D. Louis-Jacques about the matter, and he shared the letter that went out to the Veterans community.

A reminder that Monday, May 30, Memorial Day, is a holiday. City buildings will be closed.

Trash, recycling and yard waste collection will be delayed by one day.

No street sweeping on Monday.

Artists have been hard at work in the studios to bring you in-progress showings, performances, and experiences from May into the summer.

Join Caitlin Canty, Catherine Siller, and Jessica Roseman Monday, May 31 at 7pm at the Armory for explorations in challenging heteronormativity and affirm queerness and transness as natural through the observations of animals’ social interactions; hot flashes and mangoes, and the illusion of loneliness which mine a private human emotional experience.

(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 Mary Cassesso

Imagine preparing for prom or graduation if our kids had to add dentures to their wardrobe. Growing up in Somerville, my family, like most of our neighbors, were low income and no one had dental insurance. A dentist would periodically visit us at school and sadly some kids would have teeth extracted instead of restored- it was cheaper.  We all know that oral health has implications and impact on your overall health and nutrition. You need your teeth to eat healthy – for example vegetables and fruit. It’s funny how there are certain things that you never forget; I remember a teenage girl whose dentist extracted all of her teeth. Like many, we were too poor to visit a dentist twice a year and there were no fluoride treatments, so decay and cavities were much more prevalent.