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#somervillema — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #somervillema, aggregated by home.social.

  1. The group that I've been organizing with on police body cameras in Somerville just put out an update on where things sit, including the call-to-action with regard to Tuesday's hearing.
    docs.google.com/document/d/e/2

    #SomervilleMA #surveillance #policing #BodyCameras #MAPol

  2. If you are unable to comment on body cameras over Zoom, it is still valuable to send your thoughts to City Council via email.

    You can email the City Clerk at
    [email protected], and CC the City Council ([email protected]).

    #SomervilleMA #policing #surveillance #CallToAction #MAPol

  3. Somerville residents concerned about deployment of police body cameras without civilian oversight, please consider giving public comment at Legislative Matters meeting at 6pm on September 8th:
    us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist

    To provide comment, register for the Zoom meeting, join the call at 6pm, and when the body cameras hearing begins, raises your hand to request to speak.

    #SomervilleMA #policing #surveillance #CallToAction #MAPol

  4. The good news for Somerville is that although council has approved the purchase and deployment of police #BodyCameras, the cameras will only be worn by superior officers at this time. The patrol officers, who come into highest contact with the public, must agree to the same terms before they will begin wearing cameras.

    The program is still very expensive, but this does mean that there's still time to insist that civilian oversight must come *first*.

    #MAPol #surveillance #SomervilleMA

  5. Mayor Wilson would like to believe that Somerville residents are enthusiastically supportive of putting body cameras on police regardless of the policy surrounding use of the cameras.

    This is why it is important not to let the September 8th hearing pass without significant public turnout, emphasizing that policy matters and that we insist on a civilian oversight body with real authority over the police department.

    #SomervilleMA #policing #surveillance #MAPol

  6. It's very frustrating that Somerville is moving forward with an expensive (estimaed $400,000 per year) body cameras program without waiting for the hearing that residents have requested and have a right to.

    As a reminder, Mayor Wilson's justification for urgency was that he didn't want to miss out on a quarter million dollar grant to cover the initial purchase, a sum that will be quickly outpaced by the ongoing costs of the program.

    #SomervilleMA #surveillance #policing #MAPol

  7. It should be noted that the comments at the July 27th meeting against deployment of police body cameras included several activists who have been advocating for police oversight since 2020. Meanwhile, a large fraction of the comments in favor of cameras were members of the city's own past task forces on policing.

    #SomervilleMA #surveillance #policing #MAPol

  8. At the Special Meeting on body cameras that Mayor Wilson called on July 27th, about two thirds of the public comments were in opposition to approval of the policy documents and/or in opposition to initiating an expensive body cameras program at this time.

    Nevertheless, the Council voted to approve the policy and to accept the small federal grant for purchase of the cameras (which required that the cameras be purchased by the end of August).

    #SomervilleMA #MAPol #surveillance #policing

  9. To give comments on police body cameras in Somerville, please use this link to sign up for the Zoom meeting, and raise your hand to request a chance to speak:
    us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist

    In particular, it's important to emphasize that a civilian oversight body should exist *before* police body cameras are deployed.

    #SomervilleMA #MAPol #policing

  10. There are some important updates on the #SomervilleMA police body cameras situation.

    On Tuesday September 8th, the Legislative Matters Committee will be holding the public hearing on body-worn cameras that 89 residents requested by petition. If you're concerned about the issue, it'd be great if you can sign up to give comment.

    #surveillance #MAPol #policing

  11. We also ran into a ton of neighbors last night who were also celebrating #AllstonChristmas. One was wearing a very nice Cotopaxi backpack that had been an Allston Christmas gift in a previous year, and she said she always wore it to celebrate and take home her presents. As is traditional, we wished everyone good hunting.

    #somervilleMA #cambridgeMA #boston

  12. Meet Your Neighbor Month

    Potentially fun community-building events in #CambridgeMA.

    (I don't know what to make of the gamifying "passport" stamps/checklist, and the small bits of commercial intersection, but there are some good ideas and icebreakers.)

    cambridgema.gov/departments/pe

    #SomervilleMA

  13. #BostonWeekend Fri-Sun FILM #CatherineOHara Tribute weekend at the Somerville Theatre & Crystal Ballroom
    Friday, August 21: #BEETLEJUICE - 35mm print, (plus bonus #SCTV greatest hit sketches!)

    Saturday, August 22: double-feature Christopher Guest’s #WaitingForGuffman and Martin Scorsese’s #AfterHours

    Sunday, August 23: double-feature #BestInShow and #AMightyWind

    Plus a CO'H costumes/drag show party?

    crystalballroomboston.com/even

    #BostonFIlm #Boston #Somerville #SomervilleMA #movies

  14. After mentioning #CambridgeMA wild bunny proliferation, I went on a short walk, and spotted two more, a block apart.

    One ran under a parked car before I could photo, but this one went chameleon, to blend in with a flowerbed at Cambridge Hospital as I passed.

    For those of us on Mastodon who don't have cats to post, so we don't feel left out, this is the innaugural post for tag #BostonBuns (before the tag is used for some less-kid-friendly purpose).

    #SomervilleMA #Boston #HarvardBuns

  15. «I am sure that when the mayor lies awake at night, she sees a sunny day in Mission Hill. She sees her friend riding down the street. The mayor wonders, did she look over her shoulder? Was she afraid? When her spirit left her body, did it split the sky? I think in those dark hours, she must ask herself what ocean will wash this blood clean from her hand and finds no answer. I think this is true.

    I also think that the mayor is full of shit.»

    csindie.com/does-mayor-wu-actu

    #Boston #Cycling #BikeTooter #CambridgeMA #SomervilleMA

  16. #Movie #Recommendations: I picked up #DustBunny (2025) from our #SomervilleMA library - it was a romp!
    American #Independent #fantasy/#Weird #horror film, #BryanFuller's directoral debut, hitman #MadsMikkelsen enlisted to eliminate the monster that live under the bed of the 10yo next door. Kind of a Monsters Inc meets Twin Peaks in a lush Wes Anderson setting.

    Sumptuous visuals, Sigourney Weaver, never knew where the plot was going to go, hadn't seen anything about it before we hit play. Not for kids, extended fight scenes with lots of flashing, lots of kid-dream-logic, 84/82% 🍅 .
    rottentomatoes.com/m/dust_bunny #film #WatchThis #Hannibal #PushingDaisies #DeadLikeMe #Wonderfalls #movies

  17. ATTN: #Boston #Cycling folks, sharing from elsewhere:

    An unofficial vigil is happening tonight at the place where Louisa was killed, to honor her memory and stand in community together. Groups are riding together from Allston and Roslindale, and expect to arrive at Tremont & Parker Street around 6:20pm.

    Allston: leaving Fern Triangle in Lower Allston at 5:30 , continuing up Harvard St. to Trader Joe’s and meeting a group in Coolidge Corner at 6:00, then heading down Longwood to our destination at Tremont & Parker St.

    Roslindale/JP: leaving Adams Park at 5:45, meeting a group at Forest Hills at 6:00, then heading down the Southwest Corridor to our destination at Tremont & Parker Street.

    #CambridgeMA #SomervilleMA #DorchesterMA #RoxburyMA #BikeTooter

  18. #Massachusetts - #SomervilleMA Overnight Center Opening For Winter Season

    The location serves as a shelter for local adults dealing with homelessness.

    by Benjamin Pierce, Wed, Dec 3, 2025

    SOMERVILLE, MA — "The city’s Emergency Overnight Warming Center is opening next week for the winter season, the office of Mayor Katjana Ballantyne announced.

    "The facility located on the second floor of the former #CummingsSchool at 42 Prescott St. is slated to open on Monday, Dec. 8 and remain open until April 12 of 2026. It will be open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Malden-based nonprofit Housing Families was credited for helping the center expand to bed 45 people on a nightly basis for this year. In addition to sleeping quarters, adults facing homelessness will be given hot meals, housing navigation, and case management services.

    "The center is accepting donations of nonperishable food and hygiene products."

    Source:
    patch.com/massachusetts/somerv

    @newsbot

    #Unhoused #WarmingCenter #Houseless #PolarVortex #ArcticBlast #Homeless #WarmingCenterMassachuetts #EmergencyShelters #OvernightShelters

  19. Please join us for the opening of our latest exhibition, The Music of Art: From Inspiration to Improvisation! Friday Sept 12, 2025 - Sunday Oct 19, 2025 Opening Reception: Friday Sept 19 from 7-9pm #somervillema #brickbottomartists #musicandart #bostonartists

  20. ⏳ Just 3 days to go! *Color Kickstart* opens with a vibrant reception this Saturday, June 7, 3–6 pm. Come meet the artists and talk art via a live Q&A session. #somervilleart #somervillema #ColorKickstart #artopening #brickbottomartists

  21. ⏳ Just 3 days to go! *Color Kickstart* opens with a vibrant reception this Saturday, June 7, 3–6 pm. Come meet the artists and talk art via a live Q&A session. #somervilleart #somervillema #ColorKickstart #artopening #brickbottomartists

  22. ⏳ Just 3 days to go! *Color Kickstart* opens with a vibrant reception this Saturday, June 7, 3–6 pm. Come meet the artists and talk art via a live Q&A session. #somervilleart #somervillema #ColorKickstart #artopening #brickbottomartists

  23. ⏳ Just 3 days to go! *Color Kickstart* opens with a vibrant reception this Saturday, June 7, 3–6 pm. Come meet the artists and talk art via a live Q&A session. #somervilleart #somervillema #ColorKickstart #artopening #brickbottomartists

  24. Mon - full, but in support of a cool new thing at the #SomervillePublicLibrary - This year, a Seed library at all 3 branches! Get on the wait list to help pack up seeds: somervillepubliclibrary.assabe
    #SomervilleMA #BostonWeekend 25/x

  25. Saturday - Giving@First play jam, 6 new plays written, rehearsed, and performed in 25 hours - fundraiser supporting #MAMAS - Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville
    suggested donation $25
    theatreatfirst.org/past-produc
    #SomervilleMA #CambridgeMA #MedfordMA #BostonTheater #BostonWeekend 11/x

  26. How it starts. My sister @mclare requested a messenger bag for her daily carry from some specific fabric. After quite a few conversations about what tech she needs to carry regularly and exactly what size everything was, I drew up the specs for the pockets (So. Many. Pockets.) and what cuts of fabric I needed to make it happen. Next up is cutting and sewing. #custombags #custommade #handmade #somervillema #messengerbag #sewing

  27. police log details on the two violent threats sent to the Somerville Public Library last weekend-- Saturday's bomb threat, and Sunday's sniper threat.

    (all of this happened due to the Library's planned drag story time)

    #SomervilleMA #SomervillePublicLibrary

    thesomervilletimes.com/archive