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Remember the days when your mother would use a pressure cooker on the stovetop and you were told to stay away from it? It made that crazy hissing sound and the pressure valve would move in all different directions occasionally spitting steam out. But before you knew it, in about 45 minutes or less, a full dinner was cooked to perfection. What an amazing tool!

The 7th Annual Corn Toss Tournament, hosted by the Ryan Harrington Foundation, takes place on Saturday, September 15, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Trum Field.

Registration will begin at 10:00 a.m. Games will start at 11:30 a.m. Registration fee is $50 per team. Two players per team. There is a men and a women’s division. Cash prize goes to the winners of each division.

Pruchansky

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There is a certain vibe in the Bloc 11 Cafe in Union Square, Somerville. You can expect the excited screams of kids with their beleaguered parents in quick pursuit, as the tykes explore the inviting jail cell in the back of the cafe. There are the catcalls from the baristas to the patrons to pick up their fare. There is the smoky and scratched voice of Louis Armstrong singing Baby It’s Cold Outside on a warm morning in May. And on this morning Alison Pruchansky joined me at my table with the remnants of my morning repast: smoked mackerel, a plain, pedestrian bagel, with artisanal tomatoes brushed off to the side.

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Michael Todd Steffen is Director of the Hastings Reading Series at First Church Congregationalist near Harvard Square. His first book, Partner, Orchard, Day Moon, was published by Cervena Barva Press in 2014. His poems and articles have appeared in Ibbetson Street, Taos Journal, The Boston Globe, Connecticut Review, Poem (Huntsville Literary Association), and in the window of Grolier Poetry Bookshop. He teaches and works for progressive and nonprofit organizations in the Boston-Cambridge area.

The Somerville Police Department is investigating the removal and defilement of American Flags planted in the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery, and the desecration of the Veteran’s Monument to those who gave their lives in World War 2 in defense of their country.

The SPD has identified the male party contained in the photo seen here as a person of interest. Anyone knowing the identity of the individual is asked to contact the Somerville Police Department at 617-625-1600 x7238.

Openings available on eight essential Boards and Commissions

The City of Somerville is seeking to fill vacancies on eight essential boards and commissions appointed by the Mayor and coordinated by the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. Boards and commissions offer an opportunity for community members with a range of experience, skills, expertise, and perspectives to share their talents and insights with their community. The Mayor’s office will be accepting applications for the open positions through Monday, October 15, 2018. All are also invited to a Volunteer Boards and Commissions Fair on Thursday, September 27, at the Central Library, 6-8 p.m., to learn about the duties of these and other City commissions and how to get involved.

Arrests:
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Pedro Monteiro, of 33 Cross St. East, Somerville, September 3, 12:28 a.m., arrested at Memorial Rd. on a charge possession of a class E drug.

Abner Puig, September 5, 11:45 p.m., arrested at Washington St. on a charge possession of a class E drug.

The Somerville Arts Council & Puppet Showplace Theater with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, present Puppet Palooza 2018! Puppet Palooza is a collaborative event series designed to bring the art of puppetry to East Somerville in unexpected places. This year’s lineup includes the following original new works designed for outdoor settings. FREE!

Tuesday, September 11, 6:00pm (rain date 9/12) @ Chuckie Harris Park, 3-17 Cross Street E:

Judy Punches Back! By Sarah Nolen – After being pushed around for over 200 years, Judy has had enough! Now, audiences can cheer on this hilarious hand puppet hero as she goes on a quest for respect, justice, and a well-deserved nap. This feisty, modern, feminist adaptation of the traditional Punch and Judy puppet show is appropriate for all ages.

Free Open Streets event to feature live music, family-friendly activities, and more!

Come sing along at “Strike up the Bands,” the September installment of the City’s SomerStreets festival, on Sunday, September 16, from 2 to 6 p.m. between School St. and Lowell St. on Highland Ave. SomerStreets is the City of Somerville’s take on the internationally renowned Open Streets concept, closing busy city streets to vehicles, and opening them up for cycling, walking, dancing, running, and other modes of activity. Through SomerStreets, the City and its community partners aim to promote and encourage easy access to physical activity, fresh foods, and reconnecting with neighborhoods and businesses and their unique cultural elements in a thriving urban environment.