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The renowned poet W. H. Auden said (and I paraphrase), “A good poem makes me cut myself while shaving.” And I guess the same principle applies to good editing. It cuts the fat off the bone of the manuscript, leaving it clean and making the readers hungry for more, more, more.

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Robin Stratton has been a writing coach in the Boston area for over 25 years. She is the author of four novels, including one which was a National Indie Excellence Book Award finalist, two collections of poetry and short fiction, and a writing guide. A four-time Pushcart Prize nominee, she’s been published in Word Riot, 63 Channels, Antithesis Common, Poor Richard’s Almanac(k), Blink-Ink, Pig in a Poke, Chick Flicks, Up the Staircase, Shoots and Vines, and many others. She is Acquisitions Editor for Big Table Publishing Company, Senior Editor of Boston Literary Magazine, and Director of the Newton Writing and Publishing Center.

Holder interviews the new Somerville Poet Laureate Lloyd Schwartz at the Bloc 11 Cafe in Somerville, MA. Click here to listen to the interview.

The Elder Fair health and wellness expo drew more than 60 exhibitors to the Holiday Inn in Somerville last year. Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services is looking forward to hosting Elder Fair 2019 on April 10.

By Nathan Lamb

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) invites exhibitors, sponsors, and the general public to save the date for Elder Fair 2019.

The free annual health and wellness expo will showcase a wide range of services and programs for older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities on Wednesday, April 10.

— Photo via Creative Commons

A first-of-its-kind study led by Tufts University researchers, in collaboration with Somerville officials and citizens, will measure indoor air quality and comfort in multifamily housing developments near busy roadways. The study will develop recommendations for the design and operation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to create a protective indoor environment that restricts residents’ exposure to transportation-related air pollution.

You still have a week to submit comments on proposed changes to the City’s condo conversion ordinance.

Learn more about condo conversations and how the proposed changes differ from current rules here.

Submit comments by February 8 by emailing BoardofAlderman@somervillema.gov and cityclerk@somervillema.gov.

(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 Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

It may not feel like spring outside, but inside City Hall we have big open space and tree canopy plans that are getting ready to blossom. In a city like Somerville, green space doesn’t happen by accident. Not only are we the most densely populated city in New England, but we’re a former industrial city and we’ve somehow managed to cram 105 miles of roadways inside 4.1 square miles. Now we have community organizations working with talented people at City Hall to constantly push for a greener future here in Somerville.

The Somerville High School Boys Ice Hockey Team was recently awarded the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Educational Athletics Achievement Award, in recognition of their outstanding community service work this year. Aside from their commitment on the ice, Somerville ice hockey student-athletes have dedicated their off-ice time to giving back to the community in a number of ways. From serving veterans and seniors at the Mayor’s Thanksgiving Dinner held at the Somerville Council of Aging, to helping at a local toy drive and running a toy drive with the Lynn Jets that donated toys to the Mystic Learning Center and to the Lynn Community Center, Highlander Ice Hockey players have played an important role in making a positive difference in the lives of their fellow Somerville community members. The MIAA acknowledged their leadership in demonstrating the five pillars of MIAA Educational Athletics at a special recognition event on Wednesday, January 23rd. MIAA’s five pillars serve as the criteria to achieving excellence in a school’s athletic program and include the following:

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration event was on Monday, January 28, at the East Somerville Community School.