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Charles Coe is a wonderful poet, jazz singer, teacher, and literary activist. He has a new collection of poetry out titled Charles Coe: New and Selected Works. I caught up with my fellow New England Poetry Club Board member, and he generously agreed to this interview.

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Thomas DeFreitas was born in Boston, and was baptized at St. Anthony’s Church in Somerville at the age of eighteen days. He grew up in East Boston and attended the Boston Latin School, where, under the tutelage of exceptional teachers, he encountered poetry in a big way. He spent three semesters at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). His poems have been published in Autumn Sky Poetry Daily, Plainsongs, Ibbetson Street, Pensive, Ovunque Siamo, and elsewhere. Thomas’s fourth collection of poems, Walking Between the Raindrops, will be published in 2025 by Kelsay Books.

The City of Somerville’s Pollinator Action Plan prioritizes local pollinator health to establish and maintain a healthy and biodiverse urban ecosystem.

 The MBTA today announced that all Red Line service will be free with station fare gates open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.. 

“We apologize to our riders affected by this morning’s incident involving a piece of track maintenance equipment. Understanding the impact of this issue, the Red Line will be free this afternoon and through the peak evening commute,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “While this does not make up for your experiences this morning, we’re committed to continuously improving everything we do. This is our duty because we care about the public that we serve.”

The following is an important update from the Somerville Police regarding recent gun activity.

The Somerville Police Department is actively investigating two recent gun incidents that occured this week (week of June 24, 2024).  

The first incident occurred on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at 11:58 p.m. when police responded to shots fired in the area of Summer Street near Bow Street. Several homes were damaged, and one resident reported shots were fired into their apartment.  A witness reported seeing two masked individuals exit a small dark-colored motor vehicle and start shooting. Detectives located over 30 bullet casings on Summer Street. No injuries were reported.  

Residents cycle to cross $1 billion in lifetime fundraising for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

On Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4, 6,500 riders, including 53 residents from Somerville, will participate in the milestone 45^th Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) with the goal of raising a record $75 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber). This year, the PMC, which is Dana-Farber’s largest single contributor, will cross $1 billion in lifetime fundraising for the Institute.

~ By Ann Magill

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Commission for Persons With Disabilities (SCPD) are announcing a series of events throughout July to recognize and celebrate Disability Pride Month. This month-long celebration will feature a variety of activities designed to raise awareness, celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities, and foster an inclusive community spirit.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Arts Council host the Anniversary of 4th of July Fireworks Celebration with live entertainment by Search Party at Trum Field on Thursday, June 27.