Life  in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Do you think all those plastic sticks will survive a snow storm with lots of plowing? I asked my Somerville social network friends to chime in with their thoughts on the subject. Each quote is a different person.

Assault

On 12/19/23 at approximately 10:03 p.m., Somerville Police responded to Grant St. for report of a past assault. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the victim who stated earlier in the day, he was involved in an altercation with a juvenile male. During the altercation, the juvenile punched the victim in the face.

By The Times Staff

The past year was an eventful one for many in the city, including further recovery by local businesses after the major threat posed by COVID-19 had been substantially quelled and life moved forward more normally as the weeks and months passed.

— Photos by Bobbie Toner

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Museum kicked off the New Year on Monday, January 1, with a ceremony for the anniversary of the “Grand Union” flag-raising ceremony at Prospect Hill Park. Members of the public were invited to participate and were encouraged to wear traditional colonial clothing. The Tower was open briefly to the public following the ceremony.

The staff of The Somerville Times would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. May the year to come bring one and all good health and prosperity and continue through to the following years to come.

(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)

Last month, our group delivered a letter signed by nearly 250 Somerville community members, to Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey demanding they call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, rush in humanitarian aid, end of unconditional military funding to Israel, and to hold Israel accountable to international law. The list of signatories was interfaith, interracial, and intergenerational; included several city counselors (Willie Burnley Jr., Naima Sait, JT Scott, Jake Wilson, Charlotte Kelly, Ben Ewen-Campen, and Beatriz Gomez-Mouakad); and contained two state legislators (Sen. Pat Jehlen and Rep. Uyterhoeven). On Wednesday, January 3, our group will redeliver the Somerville letter now with close to 450 signatures and be joined by neighbors from Arlington letter echoing the demands. Following the delivery of the letters, we will hold a stand-out in Union Sq. at 5 pm to further raise awareness of the atrocities the Israeli military is committing against Palestinian civilians trapped in Gaza. 

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This is a perfect dinner for a meatless Monday or any other day. This hearty and filling dish is so satisfying that you’ll find yourself wanting to add it to your meal rotation. I make it every other week. It hits all the taste buds. It’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s smoky, and has a hint of heat. It also has great texture from the vegetables and beans along with the creamy sauce.

Looking back on the year just passed is an interesting thing to do. Sometimes sobering, at other times amusing, yet always somewhat inspiring if one considers what has been accomplished and what else is left to be done.

The advance of progress and renewal marches on as we in turn continue the pursuit of our individual hope and dreams.