The Somerville City Council voted against increases in salaries for council members, the mayor, and school committee members.

By Jeffrey Shwom

The City Council voted not to approve an automatic increase in city council, the mayor’s, and school committee members’ salaries at its latest regular meeting on Thursday, April 10. After much discussion and two public versions of the ordinance, the council had a majority at six votes to five, but they needed eight votes to pass.

Patriots’ Day is Monday, April 21. All city offices are closed. Trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day. Join the Somerville Museum and the City of Somerville for the annual Patriots’ Day celebration at Foss Park. Play colonial games and activities, enjoy refreshments, and greet Paul Revere. Admission is free. 11:30 am at Foss Park.

(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)

Dear Editor,

This week, I wrote to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) asking that she respond to two questions I posed about whether she supports impeaching Donald J. Trump and removing him from office. Neither Rep. Pressley nor any member of her staff responded at all. This is upsetting and I am unhappy seeing this lack of foresight and leadership from my district’s representative.

A brother and sister, Barbara Survilas and Joseph Roberts, have been eating breakfast at the same table at the same Somerville restaurant every day for 35 years – rarely, if ever, missing a morning meal together.

To honor their commitment, loyalty, and dedication, McDonald’s owner-operator Vijay Selhi celebrated them last week and added a plaque to their table, which has now officially become Barbara and Joseph’s spot.

If there’s one universal certainty among most – if not all – people, we surely enjoy the transition from the cold, gloomy atmosphere of winter to the explosion of life and natural beauty as the months of spring unfold.

Hallmarks of this special time include the religious holidays that many of us celebrate, such as Easter, for those of the Christian faith, and the rites of Passover practiced by those of the Jewish faith. Likewise, the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr begins later this month.

*

Charoset symbolizes one of at least five traditional items found on the Seder Plate during Passover. Charoset is a sweet relish of fruits, nuts, honey, spices, and wine. It represents the clay that was used to make bricks when the Israelites were enslaved in Ancient Egypt.

*

Interview with Doug Holder (Board member of the New England Poetry Club)

I decided it was a good time to interview poet Sara Letourneau, as this accomplished poet and New England Club Poetry member has her debut poetry collection out titled Wild Gardens. And it seems that Wild Gardens is an apt label for her book because there is nothing “tame” about her work. It is a collection that drills deep and goes beyond what you see – to what it means – a full-faced exploration.

*
Vijaya Sundaram is the current Poet Laureate (2023-2025) for the City of Medford, Massachusetts. Her first collection of poems titled Fractured Lens was published in 2023 by Červená Barva Press. She has written short stories, plays and a short novel (not yet published). Her poetry and short pieces have appeared in publications like The Rising Phoenix Press, The Stardust Review, and TELL Magazine, among others. Vijaya’s statement about poetry: Poetry, to my mind, is the clarion call that urges us to see both the fullness and barrenness of life along with its joys and griefs; to experience the world with empathy and love; to create new landscapes and stories in distilled language, and to share our experiences in words that might be able to evoke those same experiences in others.

Connect with Mayor, City Officials, and neighbors over free pizza, refreshments, and kids’ activities in a Somerville park near you

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the City Council are excited to announce the return of “Slice of the City,” a pop-up event series that aims to bring City Hall to local green spaces for evenings of pizza, conversation, and community connection.