— Photos by Claudia  Ferro

SomerStreets: Carnaval returned for the 10th year of shaking up East Somerville, kicking off the 2019 season on Sunday.

Attendees enjoyed the best of the East Broadway Business District and community including food, music, and activities from around the world.

By Jim Clark

On Wednesday of last week, Somerville Police received a telephone call from a Home Depot loss prevention officer saying that he observed two known shoplifters place several rolls of wire in a shopping cart and walk towards the exit.

The loss prevention officer described one of the suspects as wearing a reflective jacket and a hard hat, while the other one wore blue jeans and an orange jacket.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Disclaimer: at no time would I ever take lightly the importance of support groups.

There’s lots of support and service groups available. I go to AA for my sobriety, I joined AAA for my cars, but I think we need one more. AAAA. Avid Amazon Abusers of America. I’m appointing myself as the Grand Exalted Mystic Poobah of AAAA.

~Photos by Bobbie Toner

The Somerville High School Class of 2019 graduation ceremony took place on Monday, June 3. The ceremony took place at Dilboy Stadium. Mayor Curtatone, Superintendent Skipper and other city officials were in attendance.

(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.)

To the Editor:

I write to correct the errors made in the May 22nd front-page article, “Short term rental ordinance set for recommendation to the City Council.”

Your May 22nd article on the short-term rental (STR) ordinance was based on a rather old version of the ordinance, which went through many changes and versions.  The City Council passed the STR ordinance on May 23rd, and it will take effect on January 1, 2020.

SPD is one of 86 accredited departments across the state.

On June 4, 2019, the Somerville Police Department received state accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

Accreditation is a self-initiated evaluation process by which police departments strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the profession, by the profession. These carefully selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations, and technical support activities. They cover areas such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation and holding facilities. The program not only sets standards for the law enforcement profession, but also for the delivery of police services to citizens of the commonwealth. The Assessment Team found the Somerville Police Department to be in compliance with all applicable standards for Accreditation.

The Somerville City Council passed a resolution expressing support for the 1973 Supreme Court protections for a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose whether or not to have an abortion.

By Jim Clark

At the latest regular meeting of the Somerville City Council, a resolution was put forward reaffirming support for the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision which affirmed that access to safe and legal abortion is a constitutional right.

The “Just One Run” 5k in Memory of James M. Pefine, a fundraiser that benefits those in recovery, took place last Sunday in Somerville. — Photos courtesy of the Ryan Harrington Foundation

By Jennifer Grimes

The fourth annual 5k adult race and walk bravely named “Just One Run” began at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 2. The three-mile loop started at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse, snaked around the Mystic River, and crossed over the Wellington Bridge in Somerville.

Tonight, Wednesday, June 5, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., The Committee to Elect Mary Marshall for Ward 3 School Committee is hosting her campaign kickoff fundraiser at The Neighborhood Restaurant in Union Square. All are welcome to attend. You can find out more about Mary’s campaign platform by going to her website: MaryVMarshall.com.

The Big Gay Dance Party in Union Square helped kick off Pride Month on Saturday. ~Photos by Michele J Martin

By SC

The Somerville Arts Council and the Department of Health and Human Services presented the Big Gay Dance Party to celebrate the beginning of Pride Month on Saturday, June 1.

The dance party, which took place in the heart of Union Square, beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending around 8:30 p.m., was free and open to all ages.