MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng welcomed Autism Transit Project Founder Jonathan Trichter, local children with autism spectrum disorder, and their families before an exclusive tour of the MBTA’s Operations Control Center today. Complimentary photo by the MBTA Customer and Employee Experience Department.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is pleased to announce its first-ever involvement in the Autism Transit Project, an initiative that empowers children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to create public service announcements for transit systems across the country. In recognition of Autism Acceptance Month during April, starting today and through mid-May, the MBTA will play public announcements created by local children with ASD in stations across the system. The MBTA joins other transit agencies in this meaningful project organized by the Autism Transit Project, a 501c3 non-profit organization. 

On Monday, April 15, the City of Somerville celebrated Patriots’ Day outdoors and in person at Foss Park. The celebration featured a reenactment of Paul Revere’s famous ride from Boston to Lexington, which happened to pass right through Somerville! Attendees enjoyed period-appropriate refreshments and colonial games. — Photos by Claudia Ferro

L to R:  Assistant Chief Sean Tierney, John Tivinis, Sergio Rodriguez, Nicholas Cantone, Derek Doane, William Deeks, Jack Haigis and Chief Charles Breen. ~ Photos courtesy of Somerville FD

Six new Firefighters were appointed to the Somerville Fire Department at the April 11th City Council Meeting. The new Firefighters are: Derek Doane, Jack Haigis, John Tivinis, Nicholas Cantone, William Deeks and Sergio Rodriguez. In addition, District Chief Kenneth Silva was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief.

Thursday, April 18 , 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. by  Zoom

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Recreational marijuana stores are popping up all over the city. Ball Square, Davis Square and East Somerville to name a few. I surveyed people from around the city on their feelings toward this. Each new comment is in quotes.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, and the City of Somerville Municipal Scholarship Committee are reminding Somerville residents graduating high school in 2024 to apply now for five municipal scholarship opportunities. Selected applicants will receive $1,000 to help with post-secondary education expenses. 

Martha MacLeish Fuller, of Somerville, MA, and Prudence Island, RI, died on April 10, 2024, after an extended attempt to coexist with colon and pancreatic cancer.

She was the daughter of Kenneth MacLeish and Carolyn deChadenèdes. She leaves her beloved husband, Herbert Fuller; her sons, Drew Glazier and Levi Fuller (Meghan), and granddaughter, Rowan Loch Fuller. She also leaves her brother, A. Bruce MacLeish (Patricia), her sister, Ellen Zale, and her brother, Kenneth Ian MacLeish (Donna) and their children, as well as great-nieces and great-nephews.

— Photos by Claudia Ferro

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne invited community members to attend a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, April 10, at the Dilboy Auxiliary Fields. Construction kicks off this spring to transform the Dilboy Auxiliary Fields into a state-of-the-art sports and recreational facility with natural turf fields. Highlights of the work include full reconstruction of the baseball and softball fields, installation of a sand-slit drainage system, new sports lighting, and more.

Somerville residents were caught off guard when they received much higher than expected water bills following the city’s metering upgrades.

By Jim Clark

A large number of Somerville residents are steamed up over the water bills they received recently. Many have reported figures in the thousands of dollars – some even in the tens of thousands.