Metro
City Council Passes Policy Orders on the Future of the City's Mask Mandate, BGLTQ Housing
The Cambridge City Council unanimously passed three policy orders to reevaluate the City’s mask mandate, expand BGLTQ-friendly housing in Cambridge, and to recognize the efforts of the worker’s union for small business coffee chain Darwin’s at a Monday meeting.
‘Hummus With a Side of Justice’: Local Pub Grendel’s Den Could Help Overturn Texas Abortion Law
A 1982 Supreme Court decision involving Harvard Square restaurant Grendel’s Den could serve as legal precedent to overturn Texas’s recent law banning most abortions, Harvard emeritus professors Laurence H. Tribe ’62 and David Rosenberg wrote in a Boston Globe opinion piece last week.
Cambridge Lauds Data-Driven Governance, Affordable Housing in Annual Report
The City of Cambridge highlighted its national recognition for excellence in data-driven local governance and its work to improve housing affordability, boost access to economic and educational opportunities, and combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
Student-Run Homeless Shelters to Operate at Reduced Capacity This Winter
As Harvard students returned en masse to Cambridge earlier this month, Harvard student-run homeless shelters have made plans to operate at reduced bed capacity for overnight guests this fall and winter.
Allston Residents Conflicted Over Appearance, Impact of Harvard’s New SEAS Campus
Local residents offered mixed opinions of Harvard’s Science and Engineering Complex in Allston following its official opening to students on September 2.
Three Harvard Affiliates Assaulted in Separate Harvard Square Incidents
Three Harvard affiliates were separately assaulted near Harvard Square in the past week, though none required medical attention, according to police.
‘Grossly Insufficient’: Allston Politicians Claim Poor Harvard Outreach, Call on City Hall to Halt Development
Citing poor outreach by Harvard, several state and local legislators submitted a letter to acting Boston Mayor Kim M. Janey last month requesting a moratorium on “all decision-making processes” related to development of two Harvard-related projects in Allston.
CPD Commissioner Leaves With Mixed Reviews, Steps Into Role Heading Controversial New Police Force
As Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard, Jr. leaves the department for Johns Hopkins University, Cambridge residents and City Council members recalled a tenure of mixed results.
Seafood Chain Boiling Crab Scuttles Into Harvard Square
The Boiling Crab, a seafood chain originally from Garden Grove, Calif., plans on debuting its first Massachusetts location in Harvard Square early next year.
City Council Approves Baldwin Neighborhood Name, Replacing Agassiz
The Cambridge City Council on Aug. 2 unanimously approved the renaming of the Agassiz neighborhood north of Harvard to honor Maria L. Baldwin, the first Black female principal in the Northeast.
Enterprise Research Campus Developer Ups Affordable Housing, Pledges Diversity, Sustainability in Recent Filing
Tishman Speyer, the firm leading Harvard’s efforts to develop an Enterprise Research Campus in Allston, filed a 900-page report with the Boston Planning and Development Agency Wednesday with updated plans for the project’s affordability, diversity, sustainability, and open space.
Award-Winning Ramen Chain Menya Jiro Expands into Harvard Square
Award-winning Japanese ramen brand Menya Jiro celebrated the grand opening of its first Boston location in Harvard Square on July 14.
Cambridge Police Commissioner Bard to Leave Department for Johns Hopkins University
Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard, Jr. is leaving the department for Johns Hopkins University, where he will lead the school’s security department as its new vice president for public safety.
Planning for an ‘Uncertain’ Future, Cambridge Unveils Climate Resilience Plan
The City of Cambridge released a report on the effects of climate change on the city and long-term recommendations for climate resilience.
Specialty Card Store Lovepop Pops Up In Harvard Square
Specialty card retailer Lovepop opened its largest brick-and-mortar store yet in Harvard Square last Tuesday.
Boston Exhibition ‘Some Assembly Required’ Spotlights Local Queer Artists
The Boston LGBTQIA+ Artist Alliance, a volunteer artist-run organization, is displaying works by local queer artists at the Distillery Gallery in South Boston until late July.
City Council Votes to Terminate Contracts With Companies Allegedly Violating Human Rights, Drawing Criticism from Harvard Jewish Leaders
The Cambridge City Council voted to end its contract with companies that “perpetuate violations of International Human Rights Laws” during a Tuesday meeting that followed more than seven hours of public comment the previous day.
As Massachusetts Reopens, Harvard Square Businesses Regain Lost Momentum
After a year of uncertainty, Harvard Square business owners are looking forward to welcoming more tourists and students to the Square in the next few months, now that Covid-19 vaccines are readily available in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
As Massachusetts High Schoolers Return to In-Person Instruction, HGSE Experts See Challenges Ahead
Massachusetts students in lower grades returned to school buildings in early April, and middle school students followed suit a few weeks later. With the return of high school students on May 17, The Crimson interviewed multiple HGSE professors to understand the difficulties posed by the transition.
Cambridge Councilor’s Police Demilitarization Proposal Sparks Debate Among Politicians, Activists
The Cambridge City Council earlier this month rejected a policy order on police demilitarization proposed by Councilor Quinton Y. Zondervan that sparked bitter debate among both activists and politicians in Cambridge.
Michelle Wu ’07 Touts Youth Organizers, ‘Foundational’ Harvard Law Experience at Press Conference
Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu ’07, a leading candidate in this fall’s Boston mayoral election, discussed her campaign platform and Harvard influences in a virtual press conference held Monday evening.
Mass. Bill Spurred By Harvard Alum Would Mandate Fire Safety Training at All Schools, Universities
A bill in the Massachusetts State Legislature spearheaded by a Harvard alum would require all students enrolled in the state’s schools and colleges — including Harvard — to complete fire safety training.
Construction Mitigation, Beautification Top of Mind at Barry’s Corner Development Meeting
In their fourth virtual meeting with the Harvard-Allston Task Force Tuesday, the developers of 180 Western Ave. shared updated plans for mitigating construction and fostering public spaces. Some task force members and locals, however, remain worried about the impact that construction at Barry’s Corner might have.
New Report Details Severe Income Gap Amid Economic Growth in Cambridge
As Cambridge’s innovation sector experiences rapid growth, a stark income gap has deepened for the city’s most vulnerable residents, according to a new report released earlier this month by the Cambridge Community Foundation.
PILOT Payments
Local activists and elected officials are attempting to reform the state's Payment in Lieu of Taxes programs.