Thirty-fourth Middlesex District State Rep. Christine Barber.

On July 13, Representative Christine P. Barber (D-Somerville and Medford) testified in support of bill H.729, which she filed to make prescription drugs more affordable for families by creating a cost assistance program for certain medications for chronic conditions, and increasing accountability for prescription drug prices.

The SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) will be hosting an event to celebrate and recognize the contributions of immigrants in our community on Friday, July 23, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., at the East Somerville Community School, 50 Cross Street. There will be a special focus on the ways in which immigrant workers and families have played a vital role on the front lines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery process.

Innovative educator brings nearly 30 years of teaching and leadership experience to continue advancing key foundational work

Following an exhaustive search for a seasoned educator to continue to advance Somerville’s excellent Universal Kindergarten Readiness early education work, Somerville Public Schools (SPS) Superintendent Mary Skipper is pleased to announce that Kathleen Bailer will be joining the district as the next Director of Early Education. Effective July 29, Ms. Bailer will step into the role currently held by Dr. Lisa Kuh, who is relocating to Washington State where she is already poised to take on a new professional opportunity. Under Dr. Kuh’s leadership, Somerville has earned a reputation for taking a collaborative and innovative approach to early childhood education that brings public school and center-based programs together to build a mixed delivery model that honors family choice through high-quality, accessible programming.

By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to a Pitman St. location last week on reports of an unwanted party.

Upon arrival, the officers spotted a man, later identified as Laurence Scudder, walking around in the first-floor apartment.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Somerville Chief of Police Charles Femino have confirmed that Edson Moreno, 26, of Somerville, is under arrest in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred Wednesday night in Somerville.

Yesterday, at approximately 5:44 p.m., Somerville police received a 911 call reporting that a man had been shot inside a two-family home on Ware Street. Upon arrival, police observed Edson Moreno outside the residence with a handgun in his hand. At the direction of the police, Moreno placed the gun on the ground.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

The beautification of lower Broadway in East Somerville is … beautiful. I passed by the old Broadway Theater building and started thinking about its history. The following is reprinted from The East Somerville Main Streets webpage. “…it used to be a magnificent theater which at one time was a great attraction for East Somerville. It was built in 1915 as part of an elaborate stock scheme but went bankrupt and was quickly sold to Arthur Viano in 1929. The Viano family ran the theater, which sat 1040 people, for the next fifty years until they closed its doors in 1982.”

By Lynne Doncaster

When I ran a recording of my interview with Gene Brune trough a transcription app, it gave me a summary of the most-used words in our conversation. The top result was “people,” followed by “Somerville.”

If you have ever talked to him or read his 2005 memoir, The Spirit of Somerville, you know that when you ask the Mayor Emeritus about himself and his work, he tells you about other people. He frequently interrupts his stories with a list of names.

Three COVID-19 vaccine clinics were put into operation last Sunday, providing vaccination opportunities for the entire city.

By Fernando Cervantes Jr.

On Sunday, July 11, the Somerville Vaccine Day was held in three churches around the city.

Organized by the Somerville Health and Human Services Department and the Cambridge Health Alliance, the Vaccine Day looked to reach many immigrant communities which have largely not yet received the vaccine.

By Joe Creason

The City Council’s Legislative Matters Committee held a meeting on July 6 in order to discuss several matters on the business on the city agenda.

The Council voted to renew authorization under Massachusetts General Law which allows Somerville Fire Department to provide mutual aid to any city, town, fire district or area under federal jurisdiction.

The newly renovated and restored Somerville Public Library West Branch at 40 College Avenue will open for indoor services Tuesday, July 13, welcoming visitors into the historic site for the first time since it closed for construction in early 2019. A ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration will be held at a later date. The Central and East branch buildings reopened July 12. All staff and visitors are required to wear face coverings while inside the libraries. Library programs will continue to be held either outside or virtually until further notice. Public access to library meeting, conference, and programming spaces is also limited until further notice. For more information, please contact the library at 617-623-5000 or visit somervillepubliclibrary.org.