SHINE volunteers help people in our community, by providing free information and assistance on health benefit information for older people, disabled Medicare beneficiaries, and their families, partners and caregivers.

By Nathan Lamb

Want to make a difference in your community as a volunteer health benefit advisor? If so, the Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) SHINE program could use your help.

SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) is a network of volunteer health benefits counselors who have been trained and certified to provide free information and assistance for older people, disabled Medicare beneficiaries, and their families, partners and caregivers.

Kicking off with “Carnaval” along East Broadway, SomerStreets promotes active living and reconnecting with city neighborhoods

SomerStreets: Carnaval returns for its 8^th year of shaking up East Somerville! SomerStreets will kick off the 2017 season Sunday, June 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. (rain date Sunday, June 11).

Monday, May 29 is Memorial Day and City offices will be closed for the holiday. Trash and recycling collection will be on a one-day delay all week and there will be no street sweeping on Monday. Resident parking permit and meter enforcement will also not be in effect.

The 14th Annual Save Our Homes Walk to Prevent Homelessness in Somerville takes place on Sunday, June 11 at 2:00 p.m., beginning and ending at Somerville High School.

By Louise Carpenter

Each year, the Save Our Homes Walk to Prevent Homelessness in Somerville raises thousands of dollars to help Somerville families avoid eviction and stay in their homes.  The 2017 Walk is Sunday, June 11 at 2:00 p.m. and will cover 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), beginning and ending at Somerville High School. The Walk route will pass several landmarks that relate to affordable housing in Somerville.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

The SHS Spring Concert took place on Thursday, May 18 at the SHS Auditorium and featured the SHS Orchestra, Chorus, Gospel Choir, Band, World Percussion Ensemble, Highlander Drumline, SHS Dance Ensemble, and Advanced Guitar Ensemble.

The Somerville Sunsetters are coming to a street near you! The Sunsetters, a traveling youth performance troupe that performs classic show tunes and modern musicals in Somerville neighborhoods throughout July and August, is now booking shows for the summer 2017 season. Residents interested in hosting a performance in your neighborhood should contact Jackie Rossetti at 617-625-6600 ext. 2614, orJRossetti@somervillema.gov. Performances are held Monday through Thursday evenings, 7 to 8 p.m., in July and August. Some blackout dates apply. Performance slots fill up quickly, so book yours today!

Union Square resident, Wilson.

By JT Thompson

Wilson: Kenyan, mid 50s, transplanted to New York City in 1978, in 9th grade, when his father was posted to the Kenyan mission at the UN. Wilson now works as a server on the banquet staff at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge; he bought a condo in Union Square in 2004, and became a US citizen in 2008.

Program aims to reduce electricity costs while introducing renewable energy sources

The City of Somerville will start a new electricity bulk buying program for households and businesses citywide this July. Called Somerville Community Choice Electricity (Somerville CCE), the goal of the program is to reduce and stabilize the cost of electricity for residents and businesses in Somerville, as well as increase the share of renewable “green” energy in Somerville’s electricity supply. Somerville will be joining more than 60 Massachusetts cities and towns that take advantage of state law that allows them offer this type of “municipal aggregation” program.

By Jim Clark

A police officer was dispatched to the Dunkin’ Donuts on Somerville Ave. last week on reports of an unwanted person.

Upon arrival, the officer was met by the day manager of the store, who reportedly said that a man, later identified as Chikh Toure, refused to leave the premises after being asked to do so numerous times.