By Carlie Lombardi

Somerville city officials presented a sweeping set of zoning changes last week in a joint meeting of the Land Use Committee and Planning Board. The proposals aim to support the city’s creative community and growing climate tech sector while laying the groundwork for the redevelopment of the former Ames Business Park, now known as Somernova.

The Bike Travel Film Festival was held at the Somerville Theatre on Tuesday, March 18.
— Photos by Jeffrey Shwom

By Jeffrey Shwom

Bike and travel enthusiasts attended the 15th Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival at the Somerville Theatre, on Tuesday, March 18. Guests watched eight short films, including scenes of grasslands of the Central Plains, a foursome’s ride through The Balkans, adventure biking in Socotra off the coast of Yemen, and a mountain biking community in the Navajo Nation in Arizona. The audience then voted for their favorite film on paper voting cards. When asked if they biked that night, about one-third of the crowd gleefully raised their hands.

(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 Mayor Katjana Ballantyne

As we approach this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility, we must reckon with the fact that our transgender and nonbinary community members have never been more visible – but instead of being supported and celebrated in their identities, our trans friends, family, and neighbors have had a target painted on their backs.

Community members are invited to attend Somerville’s fourth annual Women’s History Month celebration to honor the many contributions of women throughout our history. This year’s speakers include Mayor Ballantyne, Mass State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, City Council President Judy Pineda-Neufeld, School Committee Chair Ilana Krepchin, and Amanda Nagim-Williams, Director of Somerville’s Racial and Social Justice Department. Plus, enjoy light re-freshments and music from DJ L’Duke.The event will take place on Wednesday, March 26, at Somernova (29 Properzi Way) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Learn more https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrating-womens-history-month-at-somernova-tickets-1259609348469?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawJJ1ZVleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHZjMwNUItHsvI9uJ592ZIGl7YHaaHmWB8wORiT7tms8Ou8rmr-8I-mXHHw_aem_YWWUJofK-gFerxntpEqmSA.

A suspicious fire involving a portable toilet occurred at 68 Dover Street at approximately 4:53 AM on Saturday, March 22, 2025. This is one of several suspicious fires that have occurred in the neighborhood in the past year. Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to contact Captain Tim Bakey at 617-625-6600, ext. 8405.

Spring has finally arrived, and with it comes the inevitable regular street-sweeping activities throughout the city.

As inconvenient and annoying it may be to comply with schedule, it is an inescapable fact of life for us all and we must make the adjustment accordingly.

Eagle Feathers #325 – The Reunion

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

A reunion has been described as a gathering of friends, relatives, or associates on a special date or interval who honor the act of uniting again after a long separation.  In our grand country, the historic time to remember should be the year 1775 and its following day of January 1, 1776.  The historic place to remember where the American spirit of 1776 was incubated was Charlestown/Somerville’s Prospect Hill and the seven forts surrounding it.   If the first Revolutionary War leaders and soldiers wanted to reunite, Somerville might be its historic choice! 

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Article by Off the Shelf Correspondent Parma Chattopadhyay

On March 24, from 6 to 9 p.m., Co-Founder of Out of the Blue Community Arts, Deborah Priestly, hosted the first of several poetry nights at the Out of the Blue Art Gallery in studio performance space B6 on the Basement Floor of the Armory at 191 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA 02143.

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Alexander Levering Kern is a poet, editor, university chaplain, Quaker educator, and interfaith community organizer. Author of What an Island Knows (Shanti Arts, 2024) and a forthcoming poetry collection from Červená Barva Press, Alex is editor of the anthology Becoming Fire: Spiritual Writing from Rising Generations. Founding editor-publisher of Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality & the Arts (www.pensive.com), Alex serves as Northeastern University’s founding Executive Director of the interfaith Center for Spirituality, Dialogue, and Service. Recently selected for a Residency at T.S. Eliot House in Gloucester, Massachusetts and as an Advisory Council member of the New England Poetry Club.