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Somerville Extends Outdoor Restaurant Dining Accommodations Through 2021

Thursday, October 1, 2020
 As the weather gets colder, tents and outdoor heaters may be cropping up on Somerville streets as local restaurants dig in to continue outdoor dining during the cooler weather. The recent expansion of outdoor dining in Somerville in response to the pandemic had been scheduled to end November 1. But it will now be allowed to continue year-round through December 31, 2021, weather and safety permitting, now that the City administration and the Somerville City Council have taken steps to extend it. 

City to Hold Four Flu Vaccination Clinics in October and November

Wednesday, September 30, 2020
 “The last thing our health professionals need is to be fighting two infectious diseases at once. (...) We’re all waiting for a COVID-19 vaccination to become available, but each of us can get a flu shot right now.” –Mayor Joe Curtatone

Virtual Meeting to Discuss Plans to Add Quick-Build Bus & Bike Lanes on Washington Street, October 7

Thursday, September 24, 2020
 Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 2 City Councilor J.T. Scott, and City staff invite you to a virtual community meeting to discuss a pilot project that would install quick-build bus and bike lanes this fall on Washington Street between Beacon Street and Union Square.  In partnership with the MBTA, the City seeks to deploy low-cost mobility solutions to quickly improve bus service for essential workers and other transit riders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dedicated bus lanes can help meet current public health needs by shortening ride times and reducing crowding.  

Two Public Hearings on Zoning Enforcement on September 30

Wednesday, September 23, 2020
 Members of the public are invited to attend and speak at two Public Hearings on Wednesday, September 30, at 6 p.m. both regarding the processes for enforcing zoning requirements.  On the Order of Councilor Jesse Clingan, Chair of the Committee, the City Council’s Committee on Public Utilities and Public Works Committee of the Whole will accept public testimony on the following:   

City Installing Protected Bike Lanes on Wellington Bridge This Fall as Part of COVID-19 Mobility Response

Wednesday, September 16, 2020
 The City of Somerville will install protected bike lanes on Route 28 across the Wellington Bridge thanks to a MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces Program grant award. This new statewide funding program supports public health by facilitating quick-build projects that provide new or repurposed space for socially-distanced walking, bicycling, dining, retail, and bus travel during the coronavirus pandemic.  

Somerville Public Schools Reopening Town Hall, 9/21

Friday, September 11, 2020
 The Somerville Public Schools and the City of Somerville will be jointly hosting an online Schools Reopening Town Hall on local efforts to prepare for the 2020/2021 school year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 21, at 5:30 p.m. Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole interpretation will be available. How to Participate  Watch: The meeting will be live-streamed. View it live on: 

Take a Quick Survey to Help Prioritize Community Preservation Act Spending

Wednesday, September 9, 2020
 The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is seeking resident feedback to help guide its Community Preservation Act (CPA) spending recommendations. Through a short online survey, you can share with the CPC how you would divide CPA money among the areas it can fund - affordable housing, recreation/open space, and historical preservation. The survey is open through Monday, November 9, and can be found at http://bit.ly/SomervilleCPA2020.   

Somerville to Allow Limited Phase 3 Step 1 Businesses to Reopen 9/8

Thursday, September 3, 2020
 Mayor Joe Curtatone announced today that certain Phase 3 Step 1 businesses, including fitness clubs and gyms, may open -- with restrictions -- in Somerville on Tuesday, September 8. All businesses seeking to open must have a City-approved health and safety plan and meet stringent COVID-19 safety requirements. The requirements, which are designed to decrease the risk of virus transmission, include all State requirements as well as measures that exceed State standards such as mandatory face coverings for all staff and patrons at all times.

Somerville to Monitor Wastewater for Evidence of COVID-19

Thursday, September 3, 2020
 Mayor Joe Curtatone announced today that Somerville is launching a community wastewater testing program to monitor for the coronavirus and provide earlier detection of increased spread of COVID-19. In partnership with Northeastern University Asst.

Protect Yourself From Mosquito Bites as Summer Winds Down

Wednesday, September 2, 2020
 Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites as Summer Winds Down As the Labor Day weekend and cooler temperatures approach, residents should continue to take precautions to protect themselves against mosquito bites and mosquito-borne illnesses. Somerville and surrounding communities are still at moderate risk of West Nile Virus (WNV), and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) cases have been confirmed in Massachusetts. 

New Shared Streets Route Coming to Davis Square Area

Wednesday, September 2, 2020
 Somerville’s Shared Streets initiative will add a new route, weather permitting, starting Thursday, September 3. Shared Streets open up low-volume or residential side-streets to pedestrians, cyclists, and other users while still allowing vehicle access for residents who live on the street or who need to use the street to get to their homes, their guests, and service vehicles such as first responders, delivery drivers, sanitation trucks, and street sweepers.

EPA to Coordinate with City on Cleanup of Conway Field Contamination

Monday, August 31, 2020
 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the City of Somerville have signed an Administrative Order of Consent in which the EPA has committed to coordinate with the City on remediation of Conway Field in accordance with federal and state environmental regulations.

Somerville Distributes $2.2 Million for Rental Assistance, Food Security, and Other Pandemic Supports

Friday, August 28, 2020
 In response to the immense need for community assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Somerville has distributed $2,218,384 to local non-profit agencies to help residents with necessities such as rent, food, and childcare. The money is being distributed to people in need throughout Somerville via those non-profit agencies and referrals from the City’s Office of Housing Stability. In all, $1.825 million in CARES Act funding from the U.S.

Arts Community Town Hall Meeting Scheduled for 9/15, First in an Upcoming Series of COVID Town Halls Hosted by ResiStat

Thursday, August 27, 2020
 Mayor Joe Curtatone, the City Council, the Somerville Arts Council, and the City’s ResiStat program invite Somerville’s artists and the cultural community, as well as all interested persons, to join a virtual town hall to discuss challenges faced by the arts community that have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as possible solutions. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 15, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Virtual Community Meeting to Discuss Dilboy Field Improvements, September 9

Thursday, August 27, 2020
 Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 7 City Councilor Katjana Ballantyne, and City of Somerville staff invite you to a virtual meeting to review plans to replace the Dilboy Stadium synthetic turf field and improve the natural-grass Dilboy Auxiliary Fields adjacent to Alewife Brook Parkway.  

Somerville Public Library Central & West Branches to Close August 31 - September 7

Thursday, August 27, 2020
 The Somerville Public Library will close for contactless services at both Central Library (79 Highland Avenue) and the West at TAB (167 Holland Street) from August 31 through September 7 to accommodate voting in the primary election. Both locations will serve as polling places on September 1 and will remain closed through Labor Day for cleaning and sanitizing. The East Branch (115 Broadway) will continue to offer contactless pickup and printing throughout the week. 

Bus Improvements Along Washington St. in East Somerville Set for Fall

Thursday, August 27, 2020
 As part of an MBTA initiative to make bus service more efficient and safer for passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Somerville will be installing a westbound dedicated bus lane along Washington St. in East Somerville between Tufts St. and McGrath Highway. In the eastbound direction, a dedicated protected bike lane will start at Joy St., linking with the protected bike lane that begins at New Washington St. This project is expected to be installed in September or shortly thereafter and will not require the removal of any parking spaces.

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