Representatives of the City of Somerville signed on to a bill submitted to the state legislature in support of a cap on fees charged by third party delivery services.

By Alberto Gilman

An open letter to the Massachusetts state legislature and governor, signed by 41 elected officials, was submitted on Tuesday, May 26, calling for a cap on third party delivery fees.

Ward 3 Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen put forward this resolution, which had unanimous support, two weeks earlier at the previous City Council meeting. Bill HD.5054 is currently being pushed in the state house.

The Union Square and Davis Square farmers markets are operating once again, this year with guidelines to help protect shoppers from COVID-19 exposure. — Photo courtesy of Union Square Farmers Market

By Isabel Sami

On a normal Saturday, the Union Square farmers market has about 50 vendors. On Saturday, May 30, it had about 25. Strict guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced new protocols to be put in place for open-air farmers markets nationwide, and in Somerville the market organizers are being as cautious as ever to keep residents safe. Both the Union Square and Davis Square markets had to adapt before re-opening.

City buildings will remain closed to the public beyond Monday, June 1. In the coming weeks, some city offices may begin to reopen for in-person business. More details will be shared as they become available. As a reminder, all city-sponsored and permitted events are canceled through the end of the year. Many city services are still available online and 311 is available 24 hours a day to answer any questions or for service requests. You can find more information on the city’s COVID-19 response at www.somervillema.gov/coronavirus.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Full Circle/Next Wave started the celebration of their  seniors with a Cap & Gown drop off on May 28 –  the principal, assistant principal and teachers caravanned to each of the 16 graduate homes to drop off their caps and gowns, lawn signs and a few small gifts (class of 2020 SWAG).

(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 Sir,

Inequality is the root cause of the region wide affordable housing crisis. The efforts by Somerville to remedy the affordable housing is like whack-a-mole, it just keeps coming. We will never be able to build enough affordable housing to satisfy the demand. That’s because we are addressing the symptom and not the cause of the problem. There are two obvious major issues that impact affordable housing that are not being addressed.

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Over the past couple of years, I became interested in meat curing after checking out some curing and smoking sites on Facebook. I did some online research about the method and decided to give it a try.

The sense of anticipation is rapidly building as we all await and live through the gradual reopening of various businesses and services in the city.

So many of us need and want our haircuts and styling – we’re even willing to go without the blow dry. It’s one of many small steps that will eventually lead us back to business – and life – as usual.

Starting June 3, and continuing through Monday, June 15, the Department of Conservation and Recreation will close various sections within Draw Seven Park in the City of Somerville from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to enable soil surveying work. Additionally, the state park will remain open for the public to visit.

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Review by Off the Shelf correspondent Dennis Daly

Holding court in his realm by the sea, Ed Meek mines the details from every corner of his kingdom for poetic nuggets that teach and transform. The raw materials include mushrooms and ethnic sensibilities, a mythological crossing guard, family memories, meatballs pertaining to human nature, and barbarian children. Meek is a veritable Everyman (in the medieval, morality play sense). His upwardly mobile progress, as he negotiates around or through annoying obstacles, is toward goodness and evolution’s steady continuity.

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Lindy Conroe has taught college English for eighteen years and holds an MSW in social work from Boston University. She has worked in hospital and community social work and had her own practice in psychotherapy for many years. She has written two children’s books, Rockafella Jones and the Hidden Treasure and Rockafella Jones and the Journey Home (published by Blue Mustang Press), and has just finished an adult novel, Clearly Hidden.