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.

 On Tuesday, March 31, Gov. Charlie Baker extended the closure of non-essential businesses and the state’s stay-at-home advisory until Monday, May 4. While these measures are important to help control the spread of COVID-19, they also come with financial impacts to many people. If you or someone you know is facing housing issues, food insecurity, or other issues, help is available.

Mary E. (Coyne) Fantasia , age 100, March 5. Of Lynnfield, formerly Somerville and Plymouth. Former State Representative. Beloved wife of the late Anthony N. Fantasia. Mother of the late Patricia Stewart and her husband James of Framingham, the late Kevin Fantasia and his wife Donna of Plymouth, and Joanne Cedrone and her husband Ron of Lynnfield. Grandmother of six and great-grandmother of eight.

Sadly today we report our first COVID-19 death. Our thoughts are with the deceased’s family and friends during this difficult time. To see a statement from Mayor Curtatone, please visit www.somervillema.gov.

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone has secured the former K-Mart site in Assembly Square so that Partners HealthCare can deploy cutting edge N95 protective mask cleaning technology. The new machine, developed by Battelle, will be able to clean 80,000 masks per day and will go into production early next week. It will be the fourth such site in the United States.

Tragically, this morning we got word of the first coronavirus-related death in Somerville. My first thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased. Words cannot encompass the pain of your loss, but know that I share your grief. I suspect everyone else in the city will be joining me as they hear this news. Even though we’re all socially distanced from each other, thousands of people will be feeling the sadness of your loss in their hearts.

You can minimize the negative effects of a recession by heeding a few fundamental personal finances principles. — Photo © fizkes / iStock via Getty Images Plus

Financial experts agree that no one is completely immune from risk when a recession occurs, and that an economic downturn can have a significant impact on your personal and financial situation. However, they also agree that it is important to avoid panicking and to remain focused on your long-term financial plans and strategies.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

When we were kids we had a nice choice of fun places to go for family fun. We had Revere Beach, Whalom Park, and Paragon Park with a variety of rides and amusements. There was always Canobie Lake Park in Salem New Hampshire and, of course, up north a bit further, Old Orchard Beach.

Director of Health and Human Services for the City of Somerville, Doug Kress, provided an update on current coronavirus mitigation measures for the Public Health and Safety Committee on Monday.

By Jim Clark

At the latest meeting of the Somerville City Council Public Health and Public Safety Committee of the Whole on Monday, March 30, the Director of Health and Human Services, Doug Kress, updated Committee members on measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus and to support anyone who may become infected.

Here is a COVID-19 update for March 31, 2020. We know many community members are experiencing financial hardships due to the crisis. Below you’ll find a list of support that the new $2 trillion CARES Act may be able to offer you, your business, or your employer. Please also be sure to check www.somervillema.gov/coronavirus for additional information on the city’s COVID-19 response and resources available to residents and businesses during this public health crisis. The website is updated frequently as more information becomes available.

In response to COVID-19, the Somerville Winter Farmers Market will be a pre-order only market held in the Armory parking lot from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 4 and 11. You can order from several of their vendors this week, and then pick up your goods on Saturday. This is a great way to support vendors, especially smaller vendors who do not have the capacity to set up their own delivery systems at this time. Please consider purchasing some of their delicious products. To pre-order or for more information, go to https://www.somwintermarket.org/vendors. SNAP/EBT are accepted.