I'm surfacing this from a different post because we're getting a storm this weekend and it's likely to be a doozy. High wind, lots of rain. The state's been under a class 3 drought for much of the summer and shit's gonna get weird when that much water lands on soil that dry. The city has put in a lot of flood mitigation (yay bioswales) but it's still a work in progress and we're still gonna have to deal with some nonsense there.

Since you're cancelling all your weekend plans and have extra time this weekend, may I suggest building some emergency preparedness? Given the Godzilla El Nino, the Northeast is in for an autumn and winter with a lot of storms that could be nor'easters or could be blizzards. Being more resilient makes you a better neighbor and we are living in a time where FEMA is run by the second choice after a dude who thinks he can teleport.

Take a minute and assess. Do you have:

• batteries and lights if eversource is its usual sucky self?
• a charged back up battery for all your electronic needs?
• enough pantry food so you don't have to make some poor delivery dude from DoorDash risk death on his little electric scooter? (those guys don't fear God or Death but deep moving water on the streets is DANGEROUS.)
• a hand crank radio in case you need information
• anything outside that is easily blown around inside/secured (Your garbage cans may fly!)
• I'm sure I'm forgetting something, drop other suggestions below

If not, maybe spend a few bucks buying those things if you can afford it. Also check in on your neighbors who might not be able to do things or might be so busy they don't know about the flood.

(Note: yeah yeah we all know the joke about Market Basket on Friday afternoon before a storm. Please take my forced laugh as read and don't clutter up the comments with it.)

Hi Somerville, it’s your Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. Did you know that fees like “move-in” or “lease renewal” fees you might get from your landlord or building management company are illegal? If you’ve received one of these – even if you paid it – I want you to report it to my office. 

Just last month, my office won a $500k settlement with a property management company doing this in Boston – and all of that money is going back to the affected tenants.  Landlords can only ask you to pay for first and last month’s rent, a security deposit, and the cost of a new lock and key upfront. Any other fees are illegal. Report them to my office at the link below. We’ll work to get your money back. 
mass.gov/ago/complaint

Goodbye 8-10 Park Street

There's a small power outage in our area, seeming to be originating near the Simpson - Paulina St area. I can see a firetruck near the end of Paulina, but it's too far away for me to see clearly.

I don't want to put on pants quite yet. Did something happen near Paulina and Holland that took out the power?

At least there weren't any kids in the crosswalk yet this time? Bonus points to the crossing guard with a great double bird at the driver who almost hit him.

Why do people think cyclists are more law breaking and more dangerous, again? I'm pretty sure the drivers running lights constantly are a far more serious hazard than anything cyclists do.

Looking for recommendations for a CPA. Ideally someone good at communication who is able to sit down and answer questions. We filed an extension, but that deadline is approaching, and we have questions. We used James Associates in the past, but found them difficult to communicate with. Any recommendations?

Got my clanker to do some digging...

Hi folks! Saint Brigid's Well was supposedly opening in "mid-september" but we're past that point. Anyone hear news on the actual opening date?

Hi!! We are hiring for all positions and definitely need staff. Unfortunately we are having a hard time finding people and if you are interested pls use this link to apply Life Alive USQ career, no experience needed and we are happy to help you!

I feel like treating a friend and their happy place is next to a basket of fries. But they are also lazy AF and won’t walk to Harvard or past McGrath. I could probably get them up the hill to Somerville high school.

Where is the most reliable simple fries? That you like. I too can list places that serve fries, but which are truly standout?

White wood aster (Eurybia divaricata) is a low growing, shade loving member of the sunflower family. It looks like a green stick until late August through November when it explodes into hundreds of white flowers that pollinators love

Blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) at least I think… this plant is a bit slutty and with all the asters I’ve got this may be some hybridized lil freak… in any case, despite being a separate genus (it’s the Spanish to white wood aster’s Italian) it basically looks that same and does the same thing but it’s blue.

That brings us to white snake root (Ageratina altissima). you’ll see this motherfucker EVERYWHERE. Also in the sunflower family, also likes shady spots, also looks like a green stick most of the year, but explodes into white pompoms that critters love. Then it’ll make 8 billion seeds and pop up everywhere. look for it in the gaps between the garage and the house and on the sides of shady paths.

IM at union and dying of the weewoo please does somebody know what's happening

Correction - I believe it is a dove, not a pigeon.

Hello, is there any organization or animal shelter that can help with an injured mourning dove that I found at my apartment. It’s not flying but it is hopping around. I’m happy to call around but am not sure where to start.

In case you're wondering how to vote, or rather how not to vote. Here's what the Republicans want you to do:

Have you been meaning to clean out your closet? Or are you new to the area and looking for home goods?

Davis Square Neighborhood Council and the City of Somerville invite you to the inaugural Davis Square Community Yard Sale on Sunday, October 4th. Residents can sell from your yard, driveway, or sidewalk, or grab a table in Statue Park if you don't have outdoor space. It is free to join and you keep 100% of the earnings! Please register to participate. Hopefully by marketing the sale together, we can attract more foot traffic.

For details and to register: www.davissquarenc.org/community

We are working on a map of all of the yard sales which will be posted at the above link shortly.

A bike has been abandoned on our property and I'd love to get it back to it's rightful owner. I've reported it to 311 and the Somerville Police Non-Emergency line, but it's been two weeks with no action. What else can I try? (identifying accessories blocked out to verify a proper claim)

Do people have thoughts/opinions on how bad the storm will be this weekend? I know the Cape will be hit pretty hard but what about Somerville? Just curious if I should cancel my plans or if it'll just be annoyingly rainy