~Photos by Bobbie Toner

Summertime in Somerville officially kicked off with the annual Family Fun Day event on Saturday at Trum Field.

By Donald Norton

The members of the Somerville Rotary met this week at its regular weekly to present Past President Mark Alston-Follansbee with the “Service Above Self Certificate & Retirement” award on behalf of the club for his years and dedication to the club. Alston-Follansbee is a Past President and a dedicated member of the club now for 17 years. He is retiring as the Director of the Somerville Homeless Shelter.

Washington Street to be Closed from 9 a.m. to Approximately 4:30 p.m. Beacon Street Will Remain Open

Weather permitting, on Saturday, June 30, between 7:30 a.m.* and approximately 4:30 p.m., Washington St. near the intersection of Beacon St. will be closed to vehicle and bicycle traffic as contractors pave the intersection. Beacon St. will remain open at all times, however traffic on Washington St. will be detoured during work hours as follows:

By Joseph A. Curtatone

(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)

It’s that time of year again…budget season. Each year since I took office back in 2004, I’ve worked alongside City staff to put before the Board of Aldermen a budget proposal that’s level-headed, clear-eyed, and grounded in our core principles and our community’s shared values. However, that’s not as easy as it may sound. We’re a community full of passionate, engaged residents who care about many different issues and want to accomplish a wide variety of goals. We strive to be a city that provides the best possible education and extra-curricular opportunities for our youngest residents. We strive to be a city that’s transit-friendly, on the cutting edge of sustainability initiatives and climate resiliency, dedicated to community wellness and nutritional food access, expanding urban forestry opportunities, providing top-notch customer service through 311, and much more.

The Rotary Club of Somerville inducted Officers and Board members for the 2018–2019 year at the Mt. Vernon Restaurant and Pub on June 7. Congratulations to Kevin Su, President; Cyrus Amin, VP & President-Elect; David Worzala, Treasurer; Gilda Nogueira, Secretary; and Board members John Keegan, Gene Ferraro, Paul Stanton, Nancy Kavanaugh, and Ann Kirby.

L-R: President Paul Upton presents the Legion of Honor citation to Past President Bob Costello.

The Kiwanis Club of Somerville was proud to honor three special members at their Legion of Honor luncheon on Thursday, June 21. The Legion of Honor recognizes individuals who have been Kiwanis members for 25 years and every five years thereafter. These members have each dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours supporting Kiwanis programs and projects that benefit local children, seniors and other organizations that make our community a better place to live.

The documentary “Runnin’” provides an unfiltered view of the opioid crisis and the toll it has taken in the lives of many Somerville victims. — Photo courtesy of STAT

By Ian Erlichman

A scrappy looking man, with a weathered face and ice blue eye, sits in a collapsible chair in a furniture-less warehouse. His name is Marky Pantanella, and he was an opioid addict. Like many of his kind, now with a shrunken circle of childhood friends. “I feel like I’m the last man standing,” he remarked to the camera. Pantanella is featured in a film called Runnin’, directed by his childhood friend, and STAT journalist, Alex Hogan.

Guests flocked to the 20th annual Taste of Somerville food festival held in Nathan Tufts Park on June 20. — Photos by Shira Laucharoen

By Shira Laucharoen 

Andalusian gazpacho topped with black olives and breadcrumbs. Black raspberry and chocolate ice cream in burnt marshmallow fluff cones, decorated with a rim of Fruity Pebbles or bacon.

The official kick-off of the construction phase of the Green Line Extension project took place at a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday at Union Square in Somerville.

The event coincided with the $225M release of funding for the project by the federal government.