Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne was presented with a plaque honoring the city in appreciation of its participation in the flag-raising event.

By Harry Kane

Indian Independence Day is celebrated on August 15, which began early in the City of Somerville, by hoisting a flag at the City Hall concourse for India Day on August 3, with the hope of fostering a strong Indian-American social, cultural, civic and community presence.

(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)

Jason Mackey, Somerville Resident

When my partner and I moved to Somerville back in September 2019, it was a deliberate choice. We were tired of the sky-high rents and the cold, impersonal vibe of Kendall Square. We wanted to be part of a real community – someplace where neighbors actually knew each other, where local shops were part of everyday life, and where we could feel truly connected. And Somerville gave us that. But fast forward a few years, and it feels like this community is under siege. Rising rents and the ever-climbing cost of living are pushing out not just families, but also artists, longtime residents, and small business owners—the very people who make this city special.

The “Learn to Play: Girls’ Hockey Clinic” was recently launched to help local girls get involved in the sport.

By Cathleen Twardzik

Girls have been getting things done since Seneca Falls. But that was just the beginning of the modern woman. It started with simply getting the right to vote, then, getting jobs, then, every aspect of life, which includes tweens and young teens in sports – and in Somerville, that means girls ice hockey.

Register to Vote by Saturday, August 24.You can register one of three ways: Online at somervillema.gov/registertovote, in-person at Somerville City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), via phone by calling the Elections Department (617-625-6600 ext. 4200) and requesting a voter registration form. Or by calling 311 (617-666-3311) and they will connect you to Elections. The registration deadline is Saturday August 24, at midnight online or in person by 5:00 p.m. You also may mail in your form, but it must be postmarked by August 24.

On Tuesday, August 6, Somerville Police Department hosted its first National Night out (NNO) in collaboration with The Somerville Parks and Recreation Department and the Somerville Department of Public Works.

*

My garden is continually producing a decent amount of tomatoes this summer. I’ve been making peach and tomato salad with mozzarella, Greek salad with feta, and of course, the popular tomato sandwich. Since I had a bunch that were ripe at the same time and was really craving some pasta, I came up with this light sauce packed with flavor to enjoy one night this week. I used a popular red lentil pasta that delivered a good amount of protein for a very satisfying meal.

Those in public service to our state must be ready willing and able to rise to the occasion when called upon to do so. Each one of us, whoever we may be supporting in this year’s statewide election, is searching our heart to determine whom we feel will best fill those roles.

Most of us seem to be very confident that our favored candidates are up to the task. Others bemoan a lack of integrity or skills required to do the job well among those who are running.

*

Essay by Thomas Lyons

I was at a reading recently at the Friends Meeting House in Cambridge, where I ran into Tom Lyons, the former owner of the iconic bookstore the: New England Book Fair. I have known Tom for years, and I remember he told me the late Boston Poet Laureate Sam Cornish used to work for him at his store.  On Sunday August 11, 2024 at 3PM, the New England Poetry Club and the Longfellow House presented the Sam Cornish Award to poet Gloria Mindock – the founder of the Cervena Barva Press. The reading was on the lawn of the Longfellow House, on Brattle St. in Cambridge, Mass. I asked Tom to write about his experiences with Cornish, and he generously penned this small essay.

— Doug Holder

*

Michael Todd Steffen is the recipient of a Rotary International Fellowship, a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship, and an Ibbetson Street Press Poetry Award. His writing has appeared in journals including The Boston Globe, Taos Journal, E-Verse Radio, The Lyric, The Dark Horse, and North of Oxford. Of his second book of poems, On Earth As It Is, available from Cervena Barva Press, Joan Houlihan has noted the poet’s intimate portraits, sense of history, surprising wit and the play of dark and light … the striking combination of the everyday and the transcendent.