Learn about proposed improvements to Broadway in the Winter Hill neighborhood and share your feedback at a community meeting on Monday, February 4, at 6:30 p.m., in the Healey School cafeteria, 5 Meacham Street. Proposed work includes creating a dedicated bus lane on a portion of Broadway, as well as bike lanes, additional crosswalks, and looking at traffic signal timing.

Free Digital Literacy Workshops
Ongoing; February – June 2019 at Somerville Media Center

Register at www.somervillemedia.org

SMC is offering a set of free digital literacy workshops geared toward audiences who want to improve their ability to navigate and participate in the digital media sphere and greater social economy. This SMC Digital Literacy program will address a wide spectrum of digital inclusion factors like taking full advantage of utilizing smartphones, researching the internet, learning media production, graphic design, building user friendly websites, becoming a community journalist, deepening media literacy knowledge and in general creating media savvy consumers.

Members of the public are invited to attend a public hearing hosted by the Board of Aldermen to hear testimony on proposed changes to the City’s condo conversion ordinance. The changes are designed to both protect the rights of property owners while also offering better protection to tenants especially the elderly, persons with disabilities, and persons with low and moderate incomes. The hearing will take place on Thursday, January 31, at 6 p.m., at Somerville City Hall on the 2nd Floor in the Aldermanic Chambers. All interested persons may provide testimony.

(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 Curtatone

Taking a closer look at notable city data—and interesting numbers. 

69% City census response rate: Each year the City is required by law to conduct a local census and last year nearly 70% of households responded. While that’s a pretty good response rate, we always want to get as many completed census forms as possible. The annual census helps us maintain the voter rolls and have up-to-date population numbers, which are helpful for things like planning for resource allocation. There are also federal, state, and grant funding sources that use population information, so having an accurate count ensures Somerville is getting its fair share. Census forms will be hitting mailboxes in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out. The form only takes a few minutes to fill out and you can return it in an included pre-stamped envelope, by email, fax, or by dropping it off at a library branch or City Hall. If you don’t get a census form (or misplace it), you can visit www.somervillema.gov/elections to print one out or call 311 to request one. 

By Jim Clark

Last Wednesday morning, an individual entered the Somerville Police station to report that their vehicle had been broken into the night before.

The victim told police that he had parked his vehicle in front of his house on Electric Ave. at 6:00 p.m. the that evening.

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

At the first mumblings of snow, us kids went into “snow day mode.” We watched Don Kent on Channel 4 and waited to see “Somerville” flash across the screen during the no school warnings. If Sudbury flashed, no dice! But eventually when we saw Somerville scroll across, we became jubilant! No school!

Event to be held on January 25 at the Historic Sheraton Commander
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By Francine C. LaChance

2019 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the Grolier Poetry Foundation and Forums Trust. The first in a series of events, planned to raise financial support and celebrate the Grolier legacy, features Peter Balakian, Pulitzer Prize Winning Poet and Grolier Board Member, and Susan Barba, Poet and Senior Editor for New York Review Books. They will read from their poetry, discuss their work, sign books, and take questions from the audience. This event will be held on Friday, January 25, at 7pm, at the historic Sheraton Commander, coincidentally, also established in 1927, the same year as the Groler. Afterwards, there will be a reception with generous amounts of delicious hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Although the reading starts at 7pm, doors will open at 6:15pm to welcome guests who would like to enjoy food and a drink before the reading.

City officials are taking proactive measures to help lessen the strain on neighborhoods that will be affected by the Ball Square Broadway Bridge closure this spring.

Easing the pain as the Ball Sq. Bridge closure unfolds
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By Jim Clark

With the Ball Square Broadway Bridge closure due to take place sometime in March, many are wondering just how badly traffic congestion throughout the immediate vicinity and neighboring areas will be.

By Marshall Collins

Union Square’s small businesses are enjoying increased attention lately, from established spots like Machu Picchu Restaurant to more recent arrivals like Union Square Donuts – not to mention an entirely new small business marketplace on Bow Street.

Residents and business owners already know much of what Union Square has to offer – arts, culture, music, artisanal foods, ethnic restaurants, a vibrant community and a strong identity. Somerville has always been innovative (it’s the birthplace of Fluff!) and independent (it was the first to raise the U.S. flag!). but more and more visitors and residents are coming out to taste, shop and explore all that Union Square has to offer.

Somerville’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration has been rescheduled to Monday, January 28 due to last weekend’s snowstorm. The celebration will take place at the East Somerville Community School auditorium, 50 Cross St., from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The event will feature musical performances, readings by winners of the student essay contest, and more. This year, the Somerville Human Rights Commission is also holding a Winter Clothing Drive during the event. Donations of gently used or new winter clothing for school-aged children are welcome, and will be distributed to the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative’s Clothing Closet.