(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 Planning Board and City Council,

My name is Jhenny Saint-Surin, and before diving into the reasons why I support the zoning amendment for Somernova, I want to disclose that I have consulted for Rafi Properties on this project. However, before being a consultant, I am a Ward 5 resident who has lived in Somerville for over 10 years and worked for the city for 7 years. I hope to call Somerville home for many years to come and wish for developers who come into our city to be as community-oriented as Rafi Properties.

(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 State Senator Pat Jehlen

There’s no place like home! How can we make sure everyone in Massachusetts has a stable home they can afford, whether it’s owning or renting? Housing affordability is the biggest crisis right now in our state.

Attend the Tufts Street Community Open House. An updated design is here. Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, and City of Somerville staff invite you to a community open house on Wednesday, July 10, at Glen Park Playground from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The outdoor open house will feature multiple stations describing different aspects of the street reconstruction project, including an upcoming wall mural. Other opportunities for community members to share feedback will include an online survey, a street outreach popup planned for July 23 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and virtual office hours with Mobility Division staff on July 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For details on these engagement opportunities, visit somervillema.gov/tuftsstreet.

Eagle Feathers #308 – Historic Clarendon Hill

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

It wasn’t until after the Civil War that Somerville began enjoying her western border, the of Town of Arlington.   Historically, the two towns shared in Paul Revere’s ride, the Battle of April 19th, the Pawtucket Indian’s Queen Squaw Sachem’s deeded land, and sports.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has launched a new Massachusetts Summer Child Nutrition Program. Starting this week, kids under the age of 19 can get free meals at various locations throughout the city from now through August 16.

It’s a great way of making sure that the city’s youth get the nutritional support they need, regardless of financial or social standing.

Inside-Out Gallery’s “Into the Wild: Exploring and Celebrating the Untamed” exhibit will run now through August.

In honor of this year’s ArtBeat theme: “WILD” the Inside-Out gallery and guest curator, Edie Bresler, have brought together a wonderful collective of untethered talent that explores the unruly and untamed – with a natural flare.

*

Charles Coe is a wonderful poet, jazz singer, teacher, and literary activist. He has a new collection of poetry out titled Charles Coe: New and Selected Works. I caught up with my fellow New England Poetry Club Board member, and he generously agreed to this interview.

*
Thomas DeFreitas was born in Boston, and was baptized at St. Anthony’s Church in Somerville at the age of eighteen days. He grew up in East Boston and attended the Boston Latin School, where, under the tutelage of exceptional teachers, he encountered poetry in a big way. He spent three semesters at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). His poems have been published in Autumn Sky Poetry Daily, Plainsongs, Ibbetson Street, Pensive, Ovunque Siamo, and elsewhere. Thomas’s fourth collection of poems, Walking Between the Raindrops, will be published in 2025 by Kelsay Books.