Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

I ran into a guy who has Somerville roots the other day who still has a flip phone. We were talking about social media and in particular Facebook and how you can get in trouble posting certain comments and photos. He mentioned that he only had a couple of pictures on his flip and one of them was his pride and joy …. his young grandson. He showed the photo as a smile came to both our faces. So, I started thinking about grandfathers.

Please join in for Somerville Community Corporation’s Movie that Matters in Chuckie Harris Park from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 24 (rain date September 25). This event will be outside, with masks encouraged, and social distance enforced.

Local organizations such as Project Soup are helping to provide food for those in need throughout the city.

By Eileen Qiu

Somerville has an estimated SNAP gap of 53 percent. Around 700 individuals in Somerville likely eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are unenrolled according to 2020 statistics from the MA Department of Transitional Assistance.

Food insecurity, instigated by rising costs and the COVID-19 pandemic increased by 55 percent from 2019 to 2020, with Latinx and Black residents disproportionately affected according to a survey conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank.

The “My Neighbor is a Museum’ Block Party” hosted by the Somerville Museum offered festive activities as well as an opportunity to help support the museum. ~Photos by Fernando Cervantes Jr.

By Fernando Cervantes Jr.

On Saturday, September 18, the Somerville Museum held their My Neighbor is a Museum’ Block Party along with an opening for a new exhibition entitled, Penny Chronicles and the Stories They Tell.

The block party was held on Saturday afternoon from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at 1 Westwood Road, where the Somerville Museum is located. There was live music, food, local artwork, raffles and games.

(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 Ken Brociner

As practically everyone in town knows by now, City Councilor Will Mbah will be facing off against fellow City Councilor Katjana Ballantyne in the November 2 election to determine who Somerville’s next mayor will be. In the Sept. 14 primary, Mbah finished in first place with 30 percent of the vote with Ballantyne finishing a close second with 27.8 percent. Long-time social justice advocate, Mary Cassesso, just barely missed qualifying for the November election as she came within a mere 79 votes of tying Ballantyne for second place.

What the Fluff? A Tribute to Innovation is a multi-day madcap festival taking place September 22-26, honoring the invention of Marshmallow Fluff in Union Square. This festival celebrates Somerville’s proud tradition of innovation with live music, fluffalicious feasts, games, zany happenings, and much more. Visit https://www.flufffestival.com/

Eagle Feathers #238– A ribbon, a globe and a star

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

The year was 1841, one year before Somerville broke away from Charlestown, when the barely nineteen-year-old Eben Dyer Jordan completed his first transaction. The sale was of one yard of cherry-colored ribbon made to a young girl who was his first customer.

Annual What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation 

What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation returns for a 16th year Wednesday, September 22 through Sunday, September 26. This zany, madcap festival honors the invention of Marshmallow Fluff by Archibald Query in Somerville in 1917 and salutes the spirit of innovation that thrives in Union Square today. 

Most change leads to a new beginning. That’s what they say anyway. It’s been a challenging time this past year, and here we are with autumn on our doorstep, bringing with it who knows what?

We’ve slogged our way through the pandemic with its isolation and deprivation, an incomparably divisive political climate, and who knows whether or not the worst is yet to come?

Former Somerville Board of Alderman members recently took retired City Clerk John Long out for a dinner.