Dear Community Members,

Mayor Curtatone, Board of Health quarantine 65-unit building with 8 confirmed COVID-19 cases

Residents of the Mt. Pleasant senior apartment building in Somerville have been placed under a mandatory minimum 14-day quarantine after eight cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at the residence. The quarantine order, issued Saturday, April 18, by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Board of Health, goes into effect immediately. The 65-unit building houses seniors aged 62 and older and persons under age 62 with disabilities who are income-eligible. 

— Photo © Tero Vesalainen / iStock via Getty Images Plus

Unfortunately, during times of hardship, families are often targeted by fraud artists attempting to take advantage of those needing assistance. The COVID-19 crisis is no exception, with many scammers pretending to extend a critical lifeline to struggling homeowners through so-called “foreclosure rescue fraud.” According to Freddie Mac, this scheme involves bad actors offering false promises of being able to save your home from foreclosure. Common elements of this fraud include the following:

On Thursday, April 9, Somerville Media Center hosted a virtual town hall with Senator Pat Jehlen (2nd Middlesex District), Representative Christine Barber (34th Middlesex District), Representative Mike Connolly (26th Middlesex District) and Representative Denise Provost – (27th Middlesex District). SMC Board President Joe Lynch hosted. A video of the town hall is available for viewing on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQm50jON-GA.

— Photos by Doug Holder

On his hour and a half jaunt one day last week, away from hours and hours of online teaching related things, Doug Holder snapped photos of a couple of familiar Somerville landmarks. First, the Celebrate Somerville mural on the walls of Brooklyn Boulders, then the flag still standing tall on a wall on Harrison Street.

Normally there is an editorial from Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone in this space, but this week the City is instead sharing important information and updates about COVID-19.

Residents Advised to Wear Face Coverings in All Businesses and Public Areas

Last week Mayor Joe Curtatone and the Somerville Board of Health issued a public advisory in line with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that everyone over the age of two wear a clean face covering while in any public establishment or common area. This applies when entering any sort of essential business currently in operation such as grocery stores, pharmacies, laundromats, home improvement stores, and restaurant pickup sites. Face coverings also should be worn when entering and exiting multi-unit residences or commercial buildings and when passing through hallways or other common areas.

Children have experienced serious disruptions in their lives during the COVID-19 lockdown. Mayor Joe Curtatone thanks them for their efforts to help keep everyone safe.

Dear Community Members,

Want to go green while practicing social distancing? Here are a few ideas to consider:

• Maximize your time at home by planting a garden. Not only will the plants you grow help to reduce carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere, but you’ll also be creating a healthy habitat for birds, insects and other small critters. Plus, if you plant vegetables, you can reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of food you need to purchase that was shipped long distances.