In March, Somerville Media Center secured a lease with Rafi Properties for approximately 5000 sqft of space at 29 Properzi Way in Somerville.  The new facility will be located in the Somernova campus among a number of buildings that are part of a proposed future development project.  SMC contracted with architectural firm Studio Troika to design and oversee construction and have chosen Menemsha Solutions as a general contractor.  Both groups have been excellent partners to SMC through this process and have been very responsive to the community and technology-oriented needs of our organization.  Permit applications have been filed with the City of Somerville and hammers are anticipated to swing shortly after September 9.

— Photo by Fred Bernardin

By Fred Bernardin

On Sunday September 1, the 10th and 4th British regiments marched from Trum Field down Broadway to the Powder House at Nathan Tufts Park to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Powder Alarm, which resulted when British troops removed gunpowder for safekeeping in Boston’s Castle William (since renamed Fort Independence) in the Boston Harbor.

ACO Haley Lamonte (3 years service) and Rachel Taylor (15 years service) received recognition after achieving no-kill status at shelter for the first time ever.

By Harry Kane

Somerville Animal Control department received a national award from an organization called Best Friends Animal Society earlier this year for reaching a benchmark goal in 2023 with a 90 percent no-kill rate of dogs and cats.

The Overdose Awareness Flag Planting takes place on Thursday, September 5, 10:00 a.m., at City Hall Lawn, 93 Highland Ave. This event is one of many to observe International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31 and Recovery Month in September. Purple lights will also light up City Hall in recognition of Recovery Month. The flag and light displays will remain for the entire month of September. Somerville Prevention staff will host Narcan Distribution Events and trainings to distribute free overdose prevention information and harm reduction materials. These include the overdose-reversing nasal spray naloxone (often referred to as Narcan), Fentanyl test strips, CPR face shields, and syringe disposal boxes. For more information and a list of events visit https://www.somervillema.gov/, For more information, please contact Han Hogan-Rigg at hhoganrigg@somervillema.gov and be sure to follow Somerville Prevention on Instagram: @somervilleprevention.

The bakers are Karen Kosta, Vanessa Rowsell and Erick Johnson.

By Harry Kane

A quirky gourmet donut hole shop called Mass Hole Donuts in Somerville sells golf ball size donut holes and names them after Massachusetts landmarks and legends.

Mass Hole Donuts is located at 1157 Broadway. The shop opened in May of 2023, and is owned and operated by Peter Gladstone. Their slogan reads: The Filet Mignon of Donuts.

Eagle Feathers #312 –The Sentinel

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

How old is Somerville?  It depends on how you measure it.  If you use the European settlement or when it was part of Charlestown as your barometer, it would date from 1628.  If you use the time that it separated from Charlestown, it would be 1842.  If you use when it became a city, it would be 1872.

If there is one thing that most Somerville residents can agree on it’s the importance of supporting initiatives that help solve the problem of addiction and recovery in our community and others.

In recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) on Saturday, August 31, and National Recovery Month in September, advocates and officials in Somerville have united in their call for Somervillians to observe both events in a few simple but powerful ways. From displaying purple lights and ribbons to attending vigils and events, residents can send a message of support and hope for recovery.

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Recently, I caught up with Tom Bianchi, the current head of the Burren Backroom Series at The Burren pub, in Davis Square, Square, Somerville.

Doug Holder: Tom, how has it been for you as a musician to live and or work in Somerville?

Tom Bianchi: Well, I’ve been making music in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville since 1996, performing at The Burren since about 2000 and curating The Burren Backroom Series since 2011. If this wasn’t a great town to do this in I suppose I wouldn’t be able to do it. We live in a great city with a great community that is very supportive of and hungry for live music. You can spin vinyl, load up a CD, make a mix tape, but nothing replaces being in a room with a great crowd of people all experiencing the energy of humans playing instruments in rhythmic unison and acoustic harmony.