Linda S. Cornell, President and CEO, announced that Visiting Nurse Foundation has reached an agreement with the Little Sisters of the Poor to purchase Jeanne Jugan Residence. The Little Sisters have operated the facility for more than a century, providing compassionate care to the elderly of modest means in Somerville, Massachusetts.

(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 Rami Bridge

Some of our most valued educators in Somerville, our paraprofessionals, are paid poverty-level wages, even while the cost of living in our area has skyrocketed. This is wrong and does not reflect our values. The Somerville Teachers Association (STA) is fighting for a contract that guarantees a respectful salary for all educators. The classrooms that I grew up in were led by a single teacher, usually standing in the front of the room leading the whole class in a single activity. In our schools today this is often no longer the case. We recognize that not all students learn the same way or at the same pace. Meeting the needs of all of our students requires more educators in each classroom. Many students in our schools learn from lead teachers in conjunction with paraprofessionals. On a typical day paraprofessionals provide a range of vital classroom services, including: support to a small group of struggling readers, teaching class when the teacher is absent, helping dysregulated students while the class continues uninterrupted, working on a project with a small group of students in the hall while the rest of the class is working in the classroom, and providing special education support. They are the ones to find dry clothes for students after bathroom accidents and take care of many other daily needs too.

Arrests:
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 Lindayanne Dasilva, of 23 Ferry St., Everett, December 30, 5:42 p.m., arrested at Mystic Ave. on a warrant charge of possession of a class A drug.

Steven Shea, of 11 Avon St., Everett, December 31, 2:48 p.m., arrested at Somerville Ave. on warrant charges of failure to stop or yield and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, the Somerville Health and Human Services Department and the Somerville Public Schools announce the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration event, to be held on Monday, January 20. The annual event will be held at the East Somerville Community School, 50 Cross St., beginning at 10:00 a.m. The celebration will be emceed by Marcus Santos, and will feature musical performances by El Sistema Somerville and the Somerville High School World Percussion Ensemble, as well as readings by the winners of the student essay contest.

Somerville High School’s Personal Finance class team of Joseph Carey, Jonathan Chan, and Theo Tourlentes placed third out of 35 teams at the Junior Achievement’s Stock Market Challenge held on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at the new headquarters for State Street Corporation in Boston. Also making a good showing at the competition were the Somerville High School teams of Eric Lemus, Michael Rivillas Escalante, and Marco White, who finished fourteenth in the competition; as well as Joseph Amari, Erik (Matteus) Anell, and Andrew DaCosta who placed twenty-third.              

The City of Somerville’s Inauguration Ceremonies and Inauguration Addresses by Mayor Curtatone, the incoming President of the City Council, and incoming Chairperson of the Somerville School Committee will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 6, in the Somerville High School auditorium, 81 Highland Ave.

The City of Somerville is seeking community members interested in learning more about climate change, and the City’s actions toward addressing its challenges. In 2019, the city’s Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) launched a Climate Forward Ambassador Program, stemming from Somerville Climate Forward, the city’s climate action plan, to educate residents about climate change and increase the community’s capacity to engage in climate action. In 2020, OSE seeks to expand the program by offering the opportunity to a new cohort of climate ambassadors.

The City of Somerville’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) and Somerville Media Center (SMC) are excited to announce the 2020 Screening Series of From My Heart to Yours.

New ordinance went into effect on December 26, 2019

The City of Somerville and the Office of Housing Stability (OHS) are pleased to announce the passage of the Housing Stability Notification Act (HSNA), which is designed to ensure that all tenants facing displacement know their rights and what resources are available to them.

— Photos by Bobbie Toner

Update: Working fire at 134 Willow Ave., Somerville, next door to the Y-Not Variety. One resident was home at the time and  refused medical attention As of now, two people are displaced, Red Cross are involved. Mutual aid from Cambridge Fire.

The fire is under investigation.