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Written on March 14, 2020 – things have gotten worse.

Well, I was going a little stir crazy in my apartment. My cat, Ketz, and I were involved in a staring contest, and I was putting off developing my online courses to sometime later this week.

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Peter Desmond is my tax man and a fine poet. He prepares tax returns for writers, artists, therapists, and academics in the Cambridge/Somerville area. He’s had poems published in Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Compost Magazine, Ibbetson Street Press, The Ledge, Light (A Quarterly), Main Street Rag, and The Raintown Review. Peter is the recipient of three Cambridge Poetry Awards and was a Pushcart Prize nominee in 2004.

It’s a chance to learn the latest since SMC’s doors closed to the public more than a week ago. Somerville Media Center’s Joe Lynch and David Ortega will be chatting LIVE on SCATV Ch 3 tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Photo Courtesy: Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

Adam Smith, a law student from Somerville, Mass., will compete on America’s Favorite Quiz Show® on  March 25 on WBZ-TV (CBS).  You can watch Smith compete on JEOPARDY! on WBZ-TV (CBS). Please check your local listing for additional information or visit Jeopardy.com.

Arrests:
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Nicole Sandoval, of Everett, March 16, 5:42 p.m., arrested at Holland St. on a charge of operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor.

A sign of the times. Social distancing is the new norm. ~Photo by Doug Holder

Earlier today Governor Baker issued a statewide stay-at-home advisory and ordered all non-essential businesses to close effective tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24, at noon. This was the right thing to do. If we don’t take social distancing seriously and stay at home as much as is possible, COVID-19 will overwhelm our healthcare system, creating a crisis for anybody needing medical care.

We want to hear from everyone who may have stories they want to share about life in Somerville during the current health crisis:

• What it’s like to be staying at home
• Your personal challenges and triumphs
• Tips on parenting and home schooling
• Local heroes and the good deeds they do
• Coping with challenging financial issues
• How you keep up your morale

— Photo © monkeybusinessimages / iStock via Getty Images Plus

Screen time is a hot topic for parents and researchers alike. While digital devices are the norm, and children can certainly use them to their benefit, parents can also help children learn healthy digital habits.

Research is still working out the long-term impact of devices on kids. Here’s what’s known so far, and what you as a parent can do about it.

In response to the rising number of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in our community, Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is announcing measures to reduce risk for the older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities that we serve.