Washington Street Gallery – March 10 – March 31

“Outside,” at the Washington Street gallery, on March 10 through March 31, is a harbinger of spring in the cold and wet of New England March. Gallery members and friends in this group show invite you to turn your eyes and minds towards the living world through photography, painting, drawing, prints and more. With the experience of walking in the rain to the mathematical majesty of rings inside a tree, come saunter around the garden or swim in the river. The show offers friendly animals, shady trees and sweeping landscapes. Enjoy the intimate contemplation of the woods or the grandeur of a sun drenched meadow in their  gallery space.

Jeanne Leyden is Director of Adult Family Care, the Adult Foster Care program at Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services.

By Jeanne Leyden

Adult Foster Care (AFC) helps thousands of families across Massachusetts provide the best possible care at home for loved ones. Last year, the program faced unprecedented budget cuts, and supporters turned out in large numbers to advocate for its funding.

While the program has been able to continue its good work – despite changes to funding – advocates plan to revisit the topic with lawmakers during the second annual Adult Foster Care Awareness Day. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Nurse’s Hall at the Statehouse.

On April 16, several Somerville residents are running to conquer cancer as members of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team in the 122nd Boston Marathon. Residents include: Michelle Curtis, Heather Hagerty, Kelly Higgins, Thomas, Michael Katzeff, Nick Kern, Ali Kornfeld, Peter Lorinser, Samantha Rose, Jeffrey Smith, and Lauren Taylor.

Annual celebration of America’s first flag raising to be celebrated by City and State officials, residents, and “George Washington” on horseback.

After having to be cancelled due to extreme cold, Somerville’s annual Grand Union Flag Raising is back! The event, rescheduled from January 1 to March 4, 2018, will kick off with a procession form City Hall to Prospect Hill Tower, followed by a reenactment ceremony for the 242^nd anniversary of the “Grand Union” flag-raising ceremony at Prospect Hill Park. A processional led by a re-enactor portraying General George Washington on horseback will leave from the City Hall Concourse at 11:30 a.m., followed by a ceremony at Prospect Hill at noon.

Years ago, a buddy of mine exiled himself to the Russia Far East to write. While there, he met and married a lovely Russian woman who had four gold front teeth. These weren’t all diamond encrusted, nope, straight yellow gold. Nothing bling about them. Just for chewing.

(photo from past storm)

Today’s windy weather could result in down wires and tree branches. If that happens here’s who to call:

If you see down wires call 911 right away.

For down branches and other non-emergency requests, call 311.

To the editor:

(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)

The Home Stretch

Every Somervillian should be proud of what our officials and activists are doing together to move forward the process of divesting the city’s pension system from the fossil fuel industry. It is frustrating to see that the state legislature is siding with the status quo and it’s opposing a move that would increase the long-term stability of the city’s pension fund. I am certain that every reader will side with Mayor Curtatone’s idea that the city should decide how to invest its money to minimize financial risks. Even the Rockefellers, who made their fortune in oil, are divesting. That tells us everything we need to know.

Diabetes patient and first time Boston Marathon runner Alicia McNeill will be hosting a fundraiser at Sound Bites in Somerville to benefit the Joslin Diabetes Center.

33-year-old Alicia McNeill of Stoneham will be running her first Boston Marathon in April as a member of Team Joslin to support the Joslin Diabetes Center, a world-renowned diabetes treatment and research facility in Boston, where she has been a patient for almost 24 years, after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 9.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

The annual Boston furry convention, hosted by Anthro New England, was held this past weekend with the aim of raising money for charity while gathering together anthropomorphic character aficionados.

Several Somerville residents took part in the event held at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. The theme for this year’s convention was “To The Sea!”