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Tali Cohen Shabtai is a poet. She was born in Jerusalem, Israel. Tali studied at the David Yellin College of Education for a bachelor’s degree. She is a member of the Hebrew Writers Association and the Israeli Writers Association in the state of Israel. In 2014, Cohen Shabtai also participated in a Norwegian documentary about poets’ lives called The Last Bohemian – Den Siste Bohemien, and screened in the cinema in Scandinavia. By 2020, her fourth book of poetry will be published, also in Norway. Her literary works have been translated into many languages as well.

Rusty water may result briefly
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The Somerville Fire Department will conduct its annual inspection of all fire hydrants between approximately August 17 and August 29. Inspections are expected to conclude on or around Saturday, August 29. This procedure requires the flushing of water from the hydrants as well as a check of the mechanical operation of the hydrant. The inspection/testing program will take approximately two weeks to complete. 

Arrests:
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Robert Loper, of Cambridge, August 13, 4:16 p.m., arrested at Woods Ave. on charges of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, possession of ammunition without FID card, and possession of firearm without FID card.

The Somerville Public Library is seeking to fill two vacancies on its Board of Trustees, and all Somerville residents are invited to apply.

The Board of Library Trustees is the governing body of the Somerville Public Library, working with the Library Director to oversee the operating and administrative policies for the Library.

Tufts University has awarded emergency response grants to 30 local organizations in its four host communities of Medford, Somerville, Boston and Grafton in an effort to help its neighbors impacted by COVID-19.   

Adult Family Care Social Worker Eliza Royer meets with AFC Social Work Manager Nina Cohen via teleconference. AFC recently provided tablets for 46 caregiver families, to help them maintain connection with the program through teleconferencing.

By Nathan Lamb

Working with families in their homes is at the heart of how Adult Family Care (AFC) helps families provide care for loved ones. But with Coronavirus changing everything in recent months, the nonprofit program is sharply increasing use of videoconferencing technology to deliver support.

Thirty-fourth Middlesex District State Rep. Christine Barber.

Representative Christine P. Barber of Somerville and Medford recently voted to pass An Act creating a 2050 roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth. This bill, a priority of the House Progressive Caucus, establishes comprehensive planning mechanisms to help Massachusetts achieve bold greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. This bill was also part of the Green New Deal for MA resolution, of which Rep. Barber was one of the lead sponsors.

As neighboring communities are showing elevated rates of COVID according to data released from the state, Somerville’s Phase 3 Step 1 reopening will remain on hold. Somerville is focused on mitigating community spread, reducing the chances of an unmanageable spike, and providing a safe context to open schools later in the 2020-2021 school year. Local officials will continue to review the situation in two-week intervals, with the next update coming on or before Thursday, August 27.

Somerville Prevention Services, in partnership with Cambridge Health Alliance, seeks up to 12 Somerville teens and their caregivers to participate in a photovoice project to raise awareness about the risks of problem gambling. Over the course of 8 to 12 weeks, teen participants will attend online workshops to learn about youth gambling and build skills in advocacy, leadership, and photography. Participants will take photos to convey educational messages and present their images at a final virtual showcase for state and local leaders in the fall.