Intersection will be closed between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. through August 30. Detour routes include Porter St. and Cherry St.

Beginning as soon as Wednesday, August 16, work related to the ongoing Cedar Street Water & Sewer Upgrade Project will progress into the intersection of Cedar St. and Summer St., requiring the closure of the intersection to through traffic for approximately one month (during working hours only).

Somerville Media Center presents the 2017 Somerville Candidate Profile Series. SMC brings you the opportunity to get to know more about your local candidates running for political office. The videos listed ​on the SMC YouTube page are ​in alphabetical order.

The Cold War spy-fi action hit “Atomic Blonde” is now playing at the Somerville Theatre.

By Dre Joseph

Hitting someone in the mouth while teeth fly across the room followed by a stream of crimson red blood. Bashing a man’s head in with a random object as he cringes in pain as the blood paints a picture of abstract art on the wall behind him. Or maybe shooting several assailants at point blank range as they fall like dominoes, one after the other.

The Marathon Sports Memphis Soul 5Km is very happy to be part of this year’s New England Runner Pub Series on August 13 in Somerville. The race starts at 11:00 a.m. The sponsoring pubs are Sally O’Briens and Bull McCabes in Union Square and their sponsoring beer company is Aeronaut Brewing Co. Please feel free to join in this coming Sunday. Go to http://baevents.com/elvis/ for more info and to register.

By William C. Shelton

(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)

This month concludes my seventh year as an airbnb host. I offer a room in a home, not a hotel. The difference for both my guests and I is significant, which I will get to. I’ll also get to airbnb’s impacts on Somerville, for good and ill, and how to keep the good while reducing the ill.

~ Photos by Claudia Ferro

Last week, Mayor Curtatone, The Somerville Police Department and Somerville Cares About Prevention hosted Somerville’s 14th Annual National Night Out. This national event brings together community-police awareness against crime in the United States. Held every first Tuesday of August, cities across the country host this event and invite community programs for drug prevention, mental health, and other support groups to participate and raise awareness. Live music, poetry performances, and safety demonstrations from Police, Fire, and Ambulatory services were just some of the activities held at the event.

50 kids from the Mystic Learning Center in Somerville were among the group as they sailed to Georges Island with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay on July 12.

By Bruce Berman

So far this summer nearly 5,000 young people and their families have set sail on free Tall Ships Cruises and free day trips to the Boston Harbor Islands as part of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s free All Access Boston Harbor program, including 50 kids from Somerville.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

Popular grocery store chain Trader Joe’s opened its latest location right here in Somerville last Friday at 145 Middlesex Ave. in Assembly Square, the former Sports Authority location. “Captain” Greg and his “crew” welcomed patrons the Grand Opening celebration.

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)

Nationally, our mounting infrastructure needs are a hot topic. Locally, it’s no different. Somerville needs a new public safety building that doesn’t flood, a new home for fire engine 3 that will best serve Union Square, multi-million dollar upgrades to our aging water and sewer system, and more. Our critical infrastructure to do list is long. But like most cities and towns across the country, our funding falls short of the need. That’s why some cities are looking to public-private partnerships as a way to change this dynamic by bringing in private resources to jump-start public projects. Could it work in Somerville? The answer is possibly. So we’re exploring what the options are.

In addition to receiving specialized training in handling hazardous synthetic drugs, Somerville police officers have been issued biological protective equipment specifically designed to protect them in the field.

By Jim Clark

Law enforcement and first responder personnel have been put on alert after a series of dangerous encounters with users of fentanyl and other opioid derivatives led to harmful exposures to the potentially lethal substances.

Last week, three Chelsea police officers were hospitalized after dealing with three men who had passed out after overdosing in a van that had crash into another vehicle.