Members of the community expressed their views on the city’s proposed Arts at the Armory Master Plan at a meeting on December 10.

By Lexi O’Neil

Somerville residents have been waiting anxiously for the city council’s proposal on how best to serve their community’s voices when it comes to Arts at the Armory.

On December 10, residents and community members gathered to speak on behalf of the Master Plan that Somerville’s council has worked on for the last three years. However, residents and creative arts members of the Armory were in opposition of the plan, stating “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

By Jeffrey Shwom

The city is now stating that the Anti-Displacement Task Force report is now set to be released in January, along with 5 other reports. The Times had reached out to the city as a follow up from our October 2024 article, Public Information not finalized for city’s Anti-Displacement Small Business Committee, in which the city had “indicated that a public release of all of the Task Force’s recommendations (was) waiting to be approved by the mayor, with hopes for a large November 2024 public meeting” with visuals and meet and greet.

The publishers, staff and everyone associated with The Somerville Times wish one and all a very Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah, as well as a prosperous and healthy New Year in 2025.

The 78th Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Powderhouse Awards event took place on Thursday, December 5.

By Harry Kane

Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne delivered an impactful speech about fostering stronger connections with youth during the 78th Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Powderhouse Awards event on December 5.

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Leftovers, it’s what’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But in this case, breakfast! When I went to fetch the eggs and milk for the French toast, I stumbled upon the eggnog and decided to use it instead. Let’s just say the final result did not disappoint. The combination with the sliced almonds and syrup are a match made in heaven. Give it a try.

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Clarity Tattoo Removal, a new tenant in 259 Elm St., lower level held their official Grand Opening event on December 12. They are excited to bring the newest laser technology for tattoo removal to Davis Square and the rest of Somerville. Check them out online to learn more about what they do and the technology they utilize: http://www.claritytattooremoval.com.

The shopping is done, the presents are (hopefully) wrapped, and the plans for the big day have been made. Now is the time to slow down, relax and enjoy the holiday and all the finer things that come with it.

Being with family, friends and loved ones and sharing warmth of the occasion is unquestionably at or near the top of the list of things we like most at this time of year.

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Recently I caught up with Michael Silverman, one of the many artists in our creative burg. He writes, “My wife and I are both artists in Somerville in that we try to draw something every day at a coffee place. Over the last 6 years or so we have a stockpile of thousands of drawings. The whole thesis we have is to have fun with it.”

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Meg Smith is a writer, journalist, dancer and events producer living in Lowell, Mass., and who spent part of her childhood in Somerville. In addition to The Somerville Times’ Lyrical Somerville, her poetry has appeared recently in The Cafe Review, The Lowell Review, Muddy River Poetry Review, Poetry Bay, Acropolis Review, and many more. She is creator of Poe in Lowell, honoring Edgar Allan Poe’s three visits to Lowell, and a board member of Lowell Celebrates Kerouac. She is author of six poetry books and a short fiction collection, The Plague Confessor. She welcomes visits to megsmithwriter.com.