GRACE S. FARACI, born March 30, 1954, to Concetta B. (Turko) and Peter J. Faraci, passed away on June 17, 2019 at 1:44 a.m. at the Boston Brigham and Women’s Hospital after a long illness. She was born and grew up primarily in Somerville and in close proximity to Medford. She was a member of Saint Polycarp, baptized and received her Holy Sacraments at Saint Francis Assisi as were her parents.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager Nency Salamoun and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon were among those who participated in Saturday’s virtual town hall discussion on race and equity in policing.

By Isabel Sami

The City of Somerville held a virtual town hall discussion on Saturday, June 27, focusing on race and equity in policing. The discussion featured Mayor Joe Curtatone, Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, Somerville Police Chief David Fallon, and Patricia Contente from the city’s Community Outreach, Help and Recovery office, and was facilitated by Nency Salamoun, the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager.

By Alberto Gilman

The Somerville Finance Committee meeting hosted a virtual public hearing to discuss the proposed budget for the 2021 fiscal year on Wednesday, June 24.

The official ArtBeat 2020 graphic, designed by Paula Champagne, seems appropriate for this year’s ArtBeat theme, “Chance.”

By Rachel Berets

In past years, Somerville’s ArtBeat festival has filled Davis Square, Elm Street, and beyond with dancing residents, music makers, stilt walkers, and colorful crafts. This year, due to COVID-19, the festival, put on by the Somerville Arts Council, will continue in a different form as a large portion of the events will take place online.

The ArtBeat festival, which is normally scheduled as a one-day event that attracts some 10,000 people, will run this year from Friday, July 10 to Saturday, July 18 and will feature a mix of virtual performances and real life installations around Somerville.

We wish everyone a happy Independence Day, even though it will be different without any fireworks or celebrations. Whatever you do to celebrate, keep playing it safe by wearing masks when necessary and practicing responsible social distancing whenever possible. Be sure to follow official guidelines if you do want to have any small gatherings.

— Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Jim Clark

On Monday of this week, a delivery driver for Mr. B’s Pizza Restaurant in Somerville was hit by a vehicle that crashed into the front of the building.

According to reports, a pickup truck struck the victim, who was waiting for an order outside of the restaurant. Witnesses said that the man saw the vehicle coming and tried to get inside the building, but he was injured in the crash nonetheless.

Well, it’s that time again. City officials must work together to hammer out a budget for the fiscal year 2021, one that comes as close as possible to serving the wants and needs of as many of us as is practical and doable.

Naturally, a lot of debate and negotiation will take place as diverse interests push and pull their way into and back out of the strident stances each player will assume as the process moves forward.

— Photo courtesy of Somerville Firefighters Local 76

On Monday, June 29, at 10:44 a.m., the Somerville Fire Department responded to the Davis Square Red Line T Station for a Technical Rescue involving a person struck by a train.

Upon arrival, companies found the victim significantly pinned underneath the wheels of the subway car, suffering life threatening injuries.

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Executive Director of the Center for Arts at the Armory
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I was lucky to catch up with Stephanie Scherpf, the director of the Center for Arts at the Armory on Highland in Somerville. I have attended many events there, ranging from theatre, music, and poetry. A good friend of mine, Gloria Mindock, founder of the Cervena Barva Press, has a small studio there where she sells books, conducts workshops, and hosts readings. Timothy Gager and I held some of our Somerville News Writers Festival events there a decade ago. It has been a vibrant center for the arts here, in the Paris of New England for years now.

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Zvi A. Sesling is the Poet Laureate of Brookline and a member of Somerville’s Bagel Bards.