Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Future Of Long-vacant Somerville Bakery Decided

Happening soon: 17th Annual Festival of Trees on the Somerville Patch calendar

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Saturday December 20th Patch AM
Saturday December 20th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Morning Somerville! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Beloved former pastry shop to become new affordable housing in Somerville
  • How a new nonprofit could reshape special education support in Somerville
  • Which new folk project is headed for the Somerville Armory stage?

Also on today's calendar: 17th Annual Festival of Trees and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Somervillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: Last night I had a dream. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Somervillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: Much colder, with a high of 39 and low of 33 degrees.
  • Sunday: Mainly cloudy and windy, temps: high: 48, low: 21.
  • Monday: Colder; breezy in the morning, with a high of 34 and low of 27 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Future Of Long-vacant Somerville Bakery Decided (patch.com) — Somerville officials plan to buy the long-vacant Patsy’s Pastry Shop on Broadway and convert the site into fully affordable housing, potentially up to five stories. Ward One Councilor Matt McLaughlin highlights the project as a model for using vacant lots, crediting the Somerville Community Corporation for helping move the effort forward.
   

2. SSEPAC receives citation, launches new fundraising organization (thesomervilletimes.com) — Somerville’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council has been formally honored by the City Council and is launching a new nonprofit, Friends of Somerville SEPAC, to boost its work. The group aims to expand workshops, advocacy, and inclusive programming for local families navigating IEPs, 504 plans, and district-wide special education services.
   

3. Passim Unveils 2025 Iguana Music Fund Recipients (broadwayworld.com) — A grant-backed folk music project will culminate in a public tune book read‑through at the Somerville Armory, bringing new locally rooted tunes to life in the neighborhood. The broader story highlights how Passim’s Iguana Music Fund is investing $40,000 in 23 New England artists for recording, equipment, education, and community events, with one project landing squarely in Somerville.
   

4. Environment & Energy Insights (December 2025) (jdsupra.com) — Somerville is named among the Charles River communities affected by a proposal to reclassify the river so more combined sewer overflows of untreated sewage could be allowed each year. The piece explains the MWRA’s push for reclassification, the strong pushback from MassDEP and watershed groups, and the legal and regulatory stakes that could shape future water quality and recreation on the Charles.
   

5. Massachusetts Has 2 Cities Ranked Top 20 'Best Quality Of Life', Including #1! (seacoastcurrent.com) — Somerville ranks an impressive #24 in a new national quality-of-life study, placing it among the top 100 cities in the country alongside Newton, Cambridge, Quincy, and Boston. The ranking, based on factors like health, environment, and economic stability, gives local residents another reason to feel proud of their city.
   

📸 Around Somerville

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Somerville

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Somerville Resident Kristen Erekson Launches Matching Gift Campaign to Celebrate 20 Years of Mentorship —Jainie Winter Read on Patch
  • I am so inspired by the person who wrote recently on NextDoor that, in honor of this season, she will give free haircuts to anyone who needs one!
    So, in that spirit, I am offering free "empathy sessions" on Zoom to anyone who needs one! "Empathy sessions" are a supportive technique for… (Nextdoor Davis Square)
  • Does have experience with moving a thermostat?
    Does an electrician have to do it? Also, anyone have a recommendation for a person who can clean out my dryer hose? Thanks (Nextdoor Powder House)
  • Athleta, Inc. posted a job opening for Seasonal Retail Sales Associate - Assembly Row in Somerville. Apply here.
  • Walgreens posted a job opening for Shift Lead in Somerville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Somerville here.

Ok Somerville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I dreamed I was swimming in a pool of orange soda, but it was just a Fanta-sea.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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