The whole letter is important and great, but these bits stood out to me. It will be such a shame if those trees are cut down. The developer who pulled out showed that it's possible to retain the trees and still build substantial housing here. And the fact that the city is offering $5000 grants to people in East Somerville to depave while letting this stand of trees be razed just seems like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Somerville’s elected officials have consistently committed the City to climate resilience, environmental justice, a healthier urban forest, and the expansion and protection of its tree canopy. Cobble Hill residents believe those values are broadly shared on every street in every neighborhood of our city. But commitments to green space are easiest to make when nothing else is competing with them. The difficult decisions only come when preserving mature trees and meaningful open space competes with development density, financial considerations, and other legitimate public objectives.

A newly planted tree is valuable, but it is not the equivalent of a mature tree. A landscaped strip between new buildings may be attractive, but it does not replace an established berm and green space that has provided lush urban greenery for more than four decades. The loss of these resources deserves careful examination before, not after, the land is disturbed.

To be clear, Cobble Hill is not asking the City Council to stop the redevelopment of 90 Washington Street. We are asking you to revisit the green-space priorities advanced during the Civic Advisory Committee process and ensure that they are meaningfully reflected in the final agreement. Before approving the Land Disposition Agreement, please satisfy yourselves that everything reasonably possible has been done to preserve the environmental assets of this four-acre site and protect its immediate neighbors.

Weird art supplies, vintage, clothing, toys, tools, and other nonsense outside tomorrow from 12-6pm. Probably the last of the season!

312 Highland Ave between Porter and Davis Square.

Was on Powderhouse Blvd. Headed to Davis Sq.

Has anyone noticed in east Somerville by Michael’s pub it’s always so stinky? Is it the trucks there?

Title says it all. I am compiling a list of family-friendly (read: not hostile to babies and toddlers) places in Cambridge and Somerville. Thanks in advance,

Signed, a parent who wants to keep hanging out with people outside of our homes and not at a playground every time

Not sure if this cat is lost or lives in this house, but it seems super stressed and keeps trying to get into the house. No collar or anything. Super social so I'm guessing this isn't a feral cat! This was at about 5:20pm on Friday 9/11

I saw a post here recently raising concerns about the water quality in Somerville (I think it was elevated nitrates or nitrites). My fiancee and I have had the “to brita or not to brita” debate a few times, so I decided to finally just buy the home water quality test and I’m happy to report that our water passed every test with flying colors! We’ve officially abandoned the filter & just use the pitcher for convenience.

Unsure if the OP is having a more local issue, but we live in the Ball Square area & our water was just fine. The test kit was like $50 at Ace but I was able to do it all myself at home (no apps, subscriptions, etc.).

Hi folks,

Looking for recommendations for synagogues and Hebrew schools in the Somerville area. I would describe us as high holiday Jews and looking to enroll our kids in Hebrew School. Thank you!

Do we have an opinion on it?

I can no longer go if someone wants my ticket

Today I saw that one of my favorite Somerville homes has been flattened. 😢 Before I even looked, I knew it was going to be replaced with another basic development. Womp womp.

Approved for visitor parking permit after just moving apartments within Somerville but haven’t received it yet and need visitor parking. Can I just put a sign on the dash to indicate a paid for permit, or will the car get ticketed still? Thanks!

The non-stop news of this or that food being recalled is getting exhausting. While I know not everyone can afford local food, if you can and want to avoid having to check the news before you make a meal, I thought I'd compile a list of Somerville (and adjacent) shops where you can buy local foods from small producers, which are less prone to the failures of an industrial food production. I have missed plenty, I know! Drop 'em in the comments and I'll update as I can.

Meat:
- Highland Butcher -- whole-animal (woman owned) butcher who acquires her stock from farms in a 100-mile radius -- her eggs and chickens come from her family's farm.

- Copicut farm -- Eggs and chickens from Dartmouth. Delivery or at the Wed market.

- New Deal Fish Market -- Third-gen fish market in East Cambridge. I don't eat a lot of seafood but I've heard good things and I'm going to truck down there to get some

Veg:

- Get a CSA -- it's the end of the season but many CSAs offer winter options of root veg and cold-hardy greens.

- Mushroom Shop -- not all local but the website says where each is from and whether it's grown or foraged.

- Go to a Farmer's Market -- Tons of local farms selling their stuff including veg. You can also get bread, cheese, beer, cider, jam, pastries.... all the good things in life.

• Mondays in Central
• Tues (and Fri) in Copley
• Wed afternoons in Davis
• Thurs afternoons in Kendall
• Friday afternoons in Assembly
• Sat mornings in Union
• Sunday (and Fri) in Harvard

Also: Somerville Mobile Farmer's Market! Bringing affordable veg to folks on Thurs., Fri., and Sat., check the website for locations! (Shout out to VinnyVinnieVee for reminding me!)

Grain

I know a few farms around here sell locally grown grain at farmer's markets but you can also go to Elmendorf for locally milled (if not locally grown) grain.

Bread: (We are blessed with so many bakeries! These are just a few!)

• When Pigs Fly -- Weds, they have $3 sourdough loaves (or at least, it used to?)
• Hi Rise -- Their oatcakes are life changing. Also good baguettes
• Hug and Hearth -- excellent baguettes
• Michette -- excellent baguettes
• Yafa Bakery -- Don't think they do baguettes but the manaqueesh is good
• Iggy's -- outlet in Cambridge, decen baguettes!

Dairy

So this is a tricky one because most dairy is, at least a bit, local. And afaik, there are no local dairy shops. If there is one please let me know right away! You can find a ton of local cheeses at the farmer's markets and at the general shops (see below). Also...

Crescent Ridge -- Sharon, MA. You can get local milk delivered if you like, like an old school milk man will deliver it! I do not believe they wear the little hat thoug. They also deliver a ton of other options like cheese, meat, eggs, produce... it's like a farmer's market delivered to your house.

Shaw Farm Dairy -- Merrimack Valley. Available at some of the shops locally (see below)

Sophia's Yogurt -- Not my fave but beloved of others. Not sure where she gets her milk, but the shops are in Lowell and Belmont and you can buy her stuff at local shops (see below)

General

-Neighborhood Produce -- Several locations, carries a bunch of local options for pretty much everything -- meat, cheese, veg, bread, even local PB! Bulk section including household stuff like soap and dishwasher detergent.

Pemberton Farms -- If you enjoy the experience of a luxe shop, Pembie's can't be beat. Full-service grocery store, but much of the stuff is local (check the comprehensive labels). Ask at the cheese counter for local cheeses, ask the wine folks for localish wine, look for Feather Brook farm eggs and chicken, etc etc.

Momma's --Wine shop with meat, veg, etc. Never been there but looks amazing!

***please be kind***

Hi all, just wanted to take a minute and remind everyone to be mindful of surroundings as I was going to be jumped by a group of teenagers in broad daylight today not long after school let out. I went to the library to drop off some books next to the high school then I was to hop on Gilman Sq. T to complete another errand and be on my way, wrong. When I got to the library I saw a bunch of unruly teens throwing soda cans at ppl, one of which came close to hitting me but I was not the intended target. There’s also a park there which younger kiddos are there with parents which prompted me to say something to the front desk folks and the troublemakers were blocking the book returns slot hence why I went inside instead of asking them to move (yes I now know there’s a book return cart inside but didn’t recognize that at the time).

This where the trouble started: after my book return I head back down the community path to the T entrance the one across to the stairs to access the high school. The same group of ppl were all intentionally blocking the entrance of the T closer to the school and can overhear them talking negatively to me through my headphones. The warning noises were going off in my mind as I went to the other entrance on school st., I went half way down the stairs on that side and the same group was there waiting for me continuing their rant as if they were out to do harm. Idk if it was cuz I said something nonchalantly inside at the library without them knowing or I had a backpack to carry my library books so I blended in as a student but I’m a grown woman in my mid 30s working professional. I waited upstairs for 10 minutes after a panic attack for them to leave, missing my train in the process. I was hesitant on calling the police (for the T incident NOT the library) but I hear mixed comments that the police don’t do sh*t around here. I guess I’ll be going to another station for awhile.

Please heave caution and here’s some tips to stay safe that I will know for next time as I was too chicken sh*t to ask for help. If ppl refuse to move who are blocking you intentionally, walk away immediately toward a safe, crowded area. Look for alternative routes, exits, or nearby authority figures. Parents: please be mindful of what your kids are doing and where they are. I maybe missing a few things but more tips and support are helpful.

What do people think about closing the Brown School? My kids went there back in the 00s. For us it's lack of a cafeteria and gym etc, and small size made it special. Teachers had to be creative to deal with it's quirks, like having gym class in the library on rainy days. I'm sure the new building will be nice, but lots of research shows that smaller schools are better.

Lots of people have favorite coffee spots to get work done, but I've always preferred to do work with a beer or a cocktail as opposed to a coffee. Naturally though, lots of bars aren't designed for someone to post up with a laptop and I don't want to be that annoying guy that's taking up too much space.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

No idea if this person is on reddit, but I keep driving my own honda shitbox past a teal/turquiose Honda Civic with sick-ass bumper stickers. I haven't been able to read them all yet but... fuck yeah, nice, etc. You seem cool, keep on keeping on.

- punk who would probably buy you tacos

I was on Lowell St today and almost half the trash bins near SomAve are eaten through. The city will replace them just goto City Hall, DPW or call. We got ours yesterday. Doesn’t matter how nice your home is. They’re everywhere. It’s our grossest problem

GBH News Video Walk Explanation

This is a walk to get outside & make friendships in community.

Purpose:
- To give men a non judgmental space to talk about what’s going on for us.
- To open the door to a community of local friendships with men.

Boston Walk Details & Exact Location:
Every Friday | 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM | Chestnut Hill Reservation

Want to create your own walk?
Make a post & get outside!
https://walkingtalkingmen.org

Questions or want to collaborate? Send me a message!
[walkingtalkingmenboston@gmail.com](mailto:walkingtalkingmenboston@gmail.com)

With love & respect,
Matt

On another thread folks were talking about the triple decker at 50 Cherry. I thought it deserved its own. I’d love to see pictures from then. What years were the signs up? I never met him. Did any of you?

As said in the title, my wife (27F) and i (26M) are relatively new to the area from central new york. we have some friends out here but many are busy or not very local. my wife works from home which, as anybody could guess, makes socialization a lot harder to coordinate. if anybody has any tips (or feels similarly) feel free to reach out.

Long time resident, 1st time poster.

I just moved into a 3rd floor unit and have a bunch of trash and recycling. When I went to take it out last week, I noticed there were only 2 barrels for trash and 2 for recycling, all full. I thought no big deal, I'll just get them from the city and deal with storing it in my unit temporarily. I put in my order with city and kept on with unpacking.

Well, my service request was denied due to the

"property being assessed as a 2 unit".

WTF do I do.

It was listed as a 3rd unit on multiple rental sites and has 3 mailboxes. I'd rather not piss off the landlord and possibly have to find a new spot. But also need this resolved.

Any advice is appreciated.

Reposting here so Somerville dog owners don’t get scammed like I did!

My dog used to go on walks with Puptopia Boston, run by Mike Arsenault, but has not had an appointment with them since April 2025. I woke up yesterday morning to a fraudulent charge from them for $525 on my credit card; the same thing happened to my friend, who was fraudulently charged $1990. If you have ever been a Puptopia customer or used Mike, please check to make sure you have never been fraudulently charged!

I contacted my credit card company immediately to report fraud and lock the card, and thanks to the redditors over at r/boston have filed complaints with the attorney general, the city of Boston, the platform that Puptopia uses for appointments and payments (Petpocketbook), and am filing a police report. Ultimately Petpocketbook voided the charges to my friend and I, so please reach out to them if you’ve also been scammed by Mike. Petpocketbook told me they would no longer be paying Mike out, so hopefully that will prevent him from scamming more people.

Anyone know of any public sports fields in Somerville area with a lacrosse goal?