Join Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Ward 1 City Councilor Matthew McLaughlin on Tuesday, August 27, at 11:00 a.m. for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the East Somerville School Field, located at 50 Cross St. The ceremony will celebrate the refurbishment of the existing synthetic turf field.

S. Lester Ralph, former Mayor of Somerville.

The Reverend S. Lester Ralph, formerly of Reading and Somerville, passed away August 20, 2019 at his home in Reading, Massachusetts. He was 88 years old.

Meet the Savvy Caregiver Instructors: Liz Aguilo (left) is a clinical social worker, Executive Director of Paine Senior Services, and Vice President of the Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) Board of Directors. Nathaniel Meyer (right) is a licensed Social Worker with the SCES Adult Family Care program.

By Nathan Lamb

Registration is now open for Savvy Caregiver, a free training program that provides family caregivers with skills and knowledge about dementia.

The six-session class returns to Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services on September 13, and will meet Fridays from 9:30 to noon.

Violinist Annegret Klaua (left) and vocalist Nora Maynard (right), both Somerville residents, will be lending their talents to the Concert for One project taking place in Boston and Cambridge in September.

By Jim Clark

Celebrity Series of Boston is producing 5,000 mini-concerts September 20–29 for its Concert for One project, which brings free, one-on-one performances by solo musicians for single listeners in Boston and Cambridge. Two artists from Somerville are among the 60+ musicians participating from around the region.

Last week, Somerville became home to the first of its kind, life-size titan class astrobot designed by local sculptor, Skunk, who works out of Artisans Asylum. Weighting in at 650 lbs., this 6 FT tall heroic, powerful female icon was designed in collaboration with Somernova’s (formerly Ames Business Park) to be a symbol of the 7.4 acre campus’ spirit and culture.

(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 Joseph A. Curtatone

A monthly look at ways to get involved with your city: Don’t just live in Somerville, be Somerville!

Join the Complete Count Effort

We are looking for members and supporting volunteers for the City’s 2020 U.S. Census Complete Count Committee. Because the census affects important issues like federal funding and representation in Congress, we want to make sure everyone is counted. The committee and supporting volunteers will especially work on outreach to under-represented communities, including recent immigrants, renters, low-income households, young children, students, and persons with disabilities. The committee will begin meeting in September 2019 and meet regularly through fall 2020. If you are interested in joining the Complete Count Committee please send a brief statement of interest, a summary of relevant qualifications and/or resume, and contact information to Community Engagement Specialist Taylor Ko at tko@somervillema.gov by close of business Monday, September 9. Please put “Complete Count Committee Member Application” in the subject line. If you would like to volunteer to support the Complete Count Committee please send your contact information and any relevant skills or interest areas (for example, event staffing, outreach, languages spoken) to tko@somervillema.gov with “Complete Count Volunteer” as the subject line. You can also find more information on the City website.

By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Home Depot store on Mystic Ave. last week on reports of a shoplifter.

Upon arrival, the officers were met by the store’s loss prevention officer, who stated that he observed a man walk inside of the store, pick up a box containing an electric angle cutter saw, then walk over to the outdoor garden section of the store and proceeded to exit, passing all points of sale, with the electric saw.

In recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) on Saturday, August 31, and National Recovery Month in September, advocates and officials in Somerville have united in their call for Somervillians to observe both events in a few simple but powerful ways. From displaying purple lights and ribbons to attending vigils and events, residents can send a message of support and hope for recovery.