The following is Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin’s  inauguration speech:

Thank the board for honoring me. I look forward to serving with all of you.

Most of all I’d like to thank my family, who always supported me. I thank my brothers Danny, Mark and Stephen for always validating my beliefs. Thanks to my sister Stacy for beating up the big kids for us.  And I’d like to thank the three most important women in my life: My mother Charlene for keeping me alive, my grandmother Barbara for keeping me sheltered, and my loving wife Maura for keeping me in check.

Mayor Curtatone offered his views on the state of the city and how public policy should be shaped in the year to come at Monday night’s inaugural ceremonies.

By Jim Clark

The City of Somerville’s governmental body emerged from its deep winter holiday break this week to forge ahead with the business of the city and its people.

Public officials gathered for an “organizational meeting” on Monday night in the city’s Council Chambers to elect officers, adopt rules, and deliver addresses, all in the spirit of beginning the year anew, followed by the formal inaugural event held at the Somerville High School auditorium.

The City of Somerville celebrated the 244th anniversary of the raising of the Grand Union Flag on January 1. — Photos by Shira Laucharoen

By Shira Laucharoen

Ringing in the New Year with aplomb, the City of Somerville held its annual tradition of raising the Grand Union flag at Prospect Hill Tower, on January 1. The reenactment ceremony, which has been held since the year 2000, honored the 244th anniversary of the hoisting of the flag, which was said to have been the nation’s first official one.

All Mod Cons brings its tribute to the music of The Jam to ONCE Ballroom this coming Friday, January 10 at 8:00 p.m. — Photo by Ivano Bonfanti

By Blake Maddux

Musician Glenn Matto, who has lived in Somerville for 20 years, remembers first hearing The Jam at the home of his friend and fellow Framingham High School classmate Barry Pugatch, whose parents and grandparents were Somerville natives. They were listening to the band’s 1980 release, Sound Affects.

(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 Renée Scott

Our region will feel many impacts from climate change in the coming years but the one we will all face, no matter how close we live to a flood zone, how much money we make, our access to health care, or our proximity to a highway, is heat. Since the 1980s, each successive decade has been warmer than any preceding decade since the 1850s. Worldwide (and in our region), July 2019 was the hottest month in recorded history.

Congratulations to all our local public servants who were sworn in for another term this week. Let’s wish them the best and hope that they serve all of our interests as fairly and effectively as possible.

L to R: Chris Kenney, Zachary Atwell, Sister Ophelia, John Kendzierski, Mark AuBuchon.

On December 20, 2019, the members of King Solomon’s Lodge AF & AM presented a donation of $500 to Little Sisters of the Poor in Memory of Donald F. Norton.

Donald Norton, who passed away on October 9, 2019, was a long time benefactor of Little Sisters of the Poor in Somerville. Donald was a member of King Solomon’s Lodge for four decades, serving as their Secretary for nearly 30 years, and was a founder of the Highland Masonic Temple Association, the lodge’s building association.

In spite of the vastly divergent range of opinions held by all of us here in Somerville and in our neighboring communities, we can unite in the spirit of hope and bipartisanship as we congratulate and honor those who took their respective oaths of office this week.

Eagle Feathers #195 – King George

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

At the end of the victorious eight-year American Revolutionary War, some of his officers wanted to crown him “King.” They had grown to love and respect their leader and wanted him to continue to lead the country that they had fought for. General George Washington, the object of their honor and devotion, resolutely turned them down. He reminded them that they had just fought and won a war for freedom, not for a monarchy.

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I met lighting designer, filmmaker Matthew Martino at my backroom respite in the Bloc 11 Cafe in Union Square, Somerville. Martino, a 40ish man, brought an abundance of energy and focus to our interview, and certainly these same qualities inform his work for his production company, Savage Grace Entertainment, based at 545 McGrath Highway in our city.