Please join the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, and Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente, for the fourth in a series of community meetings to discuss upcoming renovations to the Winter Hill School Yard, on Wednesday, April 26, beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Winter Hill Community Innovation School cafeteria, entrance on the Medford St. side. City staff will present the new school yard design and an update on field construction. Information from previous meetings is available at www.somervillema.gov/winterhill.

In honor of Earth Day 2017, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the City’s SustainaVille initiative invite all to the first ever SustainaVille Week celebrating sustainability and the environment. The full seven days of programming ranges from outdoor family fun to informative events. Highlights include the Tiny Great Outdoors Festival, the annual Spring Cleanup and BBQ, environmental story time, a discussion on Somerville’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2050 (and how you can help), and an opportunity to experience what it’s like to take part in climate talks at the United Nations. Events kicked off on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, and run through Friday, April 28. See the full schedule below.

By Lisa Brukilacchio

On Thursday, April 27, The Somerville Community Health Agenda, an innovative partnership between Cambridge Health Alliance, the Somerville Health Department and the community that works collaboratively to improve the health of Somerville, invite residents to an evening focused on the well being of the community at Winter Hill Community Innovation School Cafeteria, 115 Sycamore Street, in Somerville. A light meal will be available starting at 5:45pm. From 6 – 8pm, there will be a brief presentation of data gathered in partnership with the Institute of Community Health. Community members will have opportunities to provide input and insights on issues impacting the health and well being across the life stages and to help prioritize recommendations to improve the health residents in Somerville.

By William C. Shelton

On Saturday, people marched on six continents and in 600 cities in support of science. One of those cities was Boston. The following are from signs seen on the Boston Common.

“Louder Than a Bomb Massachusetts” youth poetry slam continues, April 25 – May 6

Teen poets from Somerville’s Books of Hope soared to success last weekend, earning a top spot in preliminary rounds of the sixth annual Louder Than A Bomb Massachusetts Youth Poetry Slam Festival (LTAB) on April 8 and 9. This Tuesday, Books of Hope poets will compete in the semifinal rounds where youth poets from the top 16 of the tournament’s 40 teams will perform their original poetry for a chance at the flagship finals event on May 6.

Community BBQ with family friendly activities including a spring egg hunt to be held at Blessing of the Bay Boat House following cleanup at noon with partners Groundwork Somerville & Comcast Cares

Join the City of Somerville, Groundwork Somerville, and Comcast Cares for the annual Spring Cleanup and Community Barbecue on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A rain date has been set for Saturday, April 29. All participants are invited to meet at the Blessing of the Bay Boat House on Shore Drive, at 9 a.m. for breakfast and coffee before setting out to your ward (note that coffee and breakfast will not be served at each ward.)

Conclusion:  Anticipating the future

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)

I like to think
(it has to be!)
of a cybernetic ecology
where we are free of our labors
and joined back to nature,
returned to our mammal
brothers and sisters,
and all watched over
by machines of loving grace.

~Photos by Claudia Ferro

The 4th annual SHS Career Fair took place on  April 12 at the Somerville High School Gym. Approximately 400 juniors and seniors along with their teachers attended the event. The goal is to provide students with the very best career, training, and educational opportunities in the local area as they formulate their post-secondary plans. With over 80 exhibitors, students were able to explore a range of opportunities that interested them.

By Tim Talun on behalf of Union Square Neighbors

(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)

With precious few open and green public spaces in Somerville, it is a priority to preserve and care for the spaces we do have.  This is particularly true in Union Square where millions of square feet of new development are being planned.  Despite a long planning process, identifying and limiting the negative impact of this development on some of our most important public spaces has not yet been a priority.  Now, a loophole in the proposed Union Square zoning ordinance threatens harm to the Union Square plaza and Prospect Hill Park by failing to place appropriate limits on building heights.

By Jim Clark

Last week, police officers were dispatched to a Homer Sq. location on reports of an unwanted person. Dispatchers informed the officers en route that the person in question, Kelly Susi, also had an outstanding warrant for abuse prevention order violation.