Designer and small business owner Lexie Griffith, co-organizer of the SOS 2025 Fashion Show. — Photos courtesy of @carliefeboart on Instagram

Chatting with the mind behind the 2025 Artwear: SOS Fashion Show
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By Suraya Whynott 

In anticipation of the Somerville Open Studios Artwear: The SOS 2025 Fashion Show, I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with one of the main organizers of the event, designer and small business owner Lexie Griffith.

By Carlie Lombardi

On April 24, the Somerville City Council met and covered topics including senior services, federal relief fund updates, sports equity initiatives, and zoning changes.

Council on Aging presentation reveals senior needs

Director Ashley Spiliotis introduced Sierra Somerville, a senior research associate from UMass Boston, who presented key findings from a comprehensive survey of Somerville’s older residents. According to the study, over 11,000 Somerville residents are aged 60 or older, which is 14% of the city’s population – a number expected to remain stable over the next decade.

The ‘Slice of the City’ spring meet-up series is an opportunity to connect and engage with city leaders and staff as well as neighbors, all while enjoying Somerville’s parks. The series begins this week in Ward 1. Ward 1 includes East Somerville, Assembly Square, and more. All events run from 5 to 7 p.m. Pizza and refreshments will be served, and Somerville Recreation will have activities for children available. WARD 1, Thursday, May 1, 5 p.m.: Join Mayor Ballantyne, Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, At-Large Councilors, and city staff at Chuckie Harris Park (17 Cross St. East)

(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)

The passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday comes at a time of unprecedented challenges for global leadership. We, the elected members of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee who serve on LGBTQIA+ Outreach, remember Pope Francis’s legacy of bridging divides between people all over the world, reserving a special place for migrants, the LGBT, and other marginalized communities.

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Over the past couple of years, I became interested in meat curing after checking out some curing and smoking sites on Facebook. I did some online research about the method and decided to give it a try.

Depending on what type of cured meats you want to make, the right type of curing salt is key. For instance, the two main salts are Prague Powder Premium #1, and Prague Powder Premium #2. They are commonly referred to as pink salt. But it is important to note these salts are NOT Himalayan pink salt and should not be used as such. These salts can be dangerous if not used as directed, and should be stored away from any other salts and spices.

One thing can be said for sure about our great city: there is no want for creative energy and enterprise.

Consider all the wonderful artists who will be participating in this coming weekend’s Somerville Open Studios (SOS) event. Artisans and crafters of seemingly limitless disciplines and choice of media work and thrive right here among us humble, regular types who wouldn’t know a palette knife from a chainsaw.

Mrs. Elizabeth M. (Campbell) Gillis, of Somerville MA died Sunday (April 20, 2025) at Countryside Healthcare of Milford after a period of declining health. She was the beloved wife of Orwell M. Gillis who died in 1976.

Marie was born in Somerville MA, the daughter of the late James C. Campbell and the late Aldona W. (Gallant) Campbell. She attended Somerville High School.

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By CD Collins

I wake before the innocent fire of dawn, the pulsing tangerine sun above the chicken coop. I take a photograph to send to California, letting her know about the grandeur of this small farm in rural Kentucky where you might assume you know what motivates the movement of the stars and the people as you sit on the front porch and count the ratio of cars to trucks. Always more trucks, some loud without mufflers and no one stopping them. Some trucks built so high up you need the running board even if you’re a grown man.

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As a prolific author from the Boston area, Peter F. Crowley writes in various forms, including short fiction, op-eds, poetry and academic essays. His writing can be found in Pif Magazine, New Verse News, Counterpunch, Galway Review, Digging the Fat, Adelaide’s Short Story and Poetry Award anthologies (finalist in both) and The Opiate. He is the author of the poetry books Those Who Hold Up the Earth and Empire’s End, and the short fiction collection That Night and Other Stories.