ACO Haley Lamonte (3 years service) and Rachel Taylor (15 years service) received recognition after achieving no-kill status at shelter for the first time ever.

By Harry Kane

Somerville Animal Control department received a national award from an organization called Best Friends Animal Society earlier this year for reaching a benchmark goal in 2023 with a 90 percent no-kill rate of dogs and cats.

The Overdose Awareness Flag Planting takes place on Thursday, September 5, 10:00 a.m., at City Hall Lawn, 93 Highland Ave. This event is one of many to observe International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31 and Recovery Month in September. Purple lights will also light up City Hall in recognition of Recovery Month. The flag and light displays will remain for the entire month of September. Somerville Prevention staff will host Narcan Distribution Events and trainings to distribute free overdose prevention information and harm reduction materials. These include the overdose-reversing nasal spray naloxone (often referred to as Narcan), Fentanyl test strips, CPR face shields, and syringe disposal boxes. For more information and a list of events visit https://www.somervillema.gov/, For more information, please contact Han Hogan-Rigg at hhoganrigg@somervillema.gov and be sure to follow Somerville Prevention on Instagram: @somervilleprevention.

The bakers are Karen Kosta, Vanessa Rowsell and Erick Johnson.

By Harry Kane

A quirky gourmet donut hole shop called Mass Hole Donuts in Somerville sells golf ball size donut holes and names them after Massachusetts landmarks and legends.

Mass Hole Donuts is located at 1157 Broadway. The shop opened in May of 2023, and is owned and operated by Peter Gladstone. Their slogan reads: The Filet Mignon of Donuts.

Eagle Feathers #312 –The Sentinel

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

How old is Somerville?  It depends on how you measure it.  If you use the European settlement or when it was part of Charlestown as your barometer, it would date from 1628.  If you use the time that it separated from Charlestown, it would be 1842.  If you use when it became a city, it would be 1872.

If there is one thing that most Somerville residents can agree on it’s the importance of supporting initiatives that help solve the problem of addiction and recovery in our community and others.

In recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) on Saturday, August 31, and National Recovery Month in September, advocates and officials in Somerville have united in their call for Somervillians to observe both events in a few simple but powerful ways. From displaying purple lights and ribbons to attending vigils and events, residents can send a message of support and hope for recovery.

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Recently, I caught up with Tom Bianchi, the current head of the Burren Backroom Series at The Burren pub, in Davis Square, Square, Somerville.

Doug Holder: Tom, how has it been for you as a musician to live and or work in Somerville?

Tom Bianchi: Well, I’ve been making music in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville since 1996, performing at The Burren since about 2000 and curating The Burren Backroom Series since 2011. If this wasn’t a great town to do this in I suppose I wouldn’t be able to do it. We live in a great city with a great community that is very supportive of and hungry for live music. You can spin vinyl, load up a CD, make a mix tape, but nothing replaces being in a room with a great crowd of people all experiencing the energy of humans playing instruments in rhythmic unison and acoustic harmony.

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Julia Kanno is an artist and poet living in Cambridge, MA.

Pressley Runs Unopposed for Third Straight Democratic Primary Victory

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) released the following statement following her uncontested victory in the 2024 Massachusetts Democratic Primary:

“I am so humbled by the support from voters across the Massachusetts 7th. I am deeply grateful to my family, and to our dedicated team, volunteers, and supporters. Together, we are powerful. And daily we are working towards a more just world for our neighbors and for everyone who calls this district home.