City Politics
Cambridge Allocates $500,000 for Benefits Assistance to Combat Cuts to SNAP, MassHealth
The Cambridge City Council approved $500,000 to help residents stay enrolled in food and health benefit programs after federal cuts left residents struggling to find resources and eligibility for federally funded benefits shifted.
Judge Dismisses Domestic Violence Charges Against HMS Professor
A district court judge dismissed the case against a Harvard Medical School professor who was charged with multiple incidents of domestic violence after the victim who reported the attacks did not appear at a trial hearing.
Cambridge Appoints Members to Childcare Affordability Task Force
The Cambridge City Council appointed 14 members to a new task force charged with tackling the rising cost of childcare — assembling the second group intended to assess affordability measures in the last four months.
Cambridge Schools Ban Smart Glasses and Other Wearable Recording Devices
Cambridge Public Schools banned the use of smart glasses across the district — prohibiting students from carrying them on all school property as district officials move to regulate emerging technology before it becomes a classroom issue.
Cambridge Cannot Bar Hiring of Former ICE Agents, City Solicitor Says
City Solicitor Megan B. Bayer advised the Cambridge City Council that a proposed rule to bar the police department from hiring former federal immigration agents would be illegal, seven months after the Council first floated the idea.
SoundThinking Commissions Survey to Solicit Resident Opinions on ShotSpotter
The company behind ShotSpotter commissioned a survey to solicit Cambridge residents’ opinions on the technology — roughly a week before the city began recruiting residents for an advisory body that will weigh whether to permanently ban it.
Wu Says Boston Won’t Follow New York’s Lead in Restricting AI in Public Schools
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 signaled Wednesday that the city will not follow New York City and other “peer cities” in pausing or restricting the use of artificial intelligence in Boston Public Schools, defending Boston’s push to teach students how to use the technology responsibly.
Cambridge Halves Participatory Budgeting Funding to $500,000
Cambridge will halve its allocation for participatory budgeting this year, reducing the program’s allocation to $500,000, even as the city commits to increasing funding over the next five years.
Lander, Brownsberger Seek Districtwide Recount in Four-Vote State Senate Race
First-time challenger Daniel A. Lander ’14 held a four-point lead over incumbent state Senator William N. Brownsberger ’78 as of Thursday afternoon, with 99 percent of votes counted, as both candidates sought a districtwide recount.
City Sets Date to Convene Resident Assembly on Surveillance Technology
Nearly a third of Cambridge households will be invited to join a resident assembly to weigh in on surveillance technology in the city next week, according to a Wednesday announcement from the city.
Fact-Checking Claims in the 25th Middlesex District Democratic Primary
With accusations flying in the final days of the 25th Middlesex District Democratic primary, The Crimson fact-checked claims from Marjorie C. Decker and Evan C. MacKay ’19.
Your Guide to the 2026 Massachusetts State Primary
As Cambridge voters head to the polls for Massachusetts’ Sept. 1 state primary, The Crimson is covering the races shaping the city — from campaign finances and endorsements to candidate claims, voter turnout, and Election Day results.
PACs Report Nearly $130,000 in Support of Decker’s Reelection Bid
Days before the Sept. 1 Democratic primary, a super PAC backing Representative Marjorie C. Decker’s reelection bid reported nearly $108,000 in advertising and other campaign activity, bringing reported outside support for Decker to nearly $130,000.
Early Voting Opens in Cambridge Ahead of Sept. 1 State Primary
In-person early voting for the Massachusetts state primary began in Cambridge Saturday morning, just over a week before Election Day.
Healey, Markey Among Top Democrats Backing Decker Ahead of Sept. 1 Primary
With less than two weeks left before the Democratic primary, longtime incumbent state Representative Marjorie C. Decker is touting support from some of the top Massachusetts Democrats as she fights to maintain her seat.
ShotSpotter Temporarily Reactivated in Cambridge, Weeks After Council Vote
Two weeks after the Cambridge City Council voted to temporarily reactivate ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection system is operational again, according to the Cambridge Police Department.
City Council Delays Vote on Restoring ShotSpotter
After hours of testimony from residents, the Cambridge City Council postponed a decision Thursday on whether to temporarily reinstate ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system the city discontinued in May.
Dershowitz Told By Attorneys He Cannot Legally Testify on Epstein Ties
Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan M. Dershowitz was told by his attorneys that he could not legally testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, he said.
Danielle Allen-Backed Top-Two Primary Proposal Clears Legal Challenge for Mass. Ballot
Harvard professor Danielle S. Allen’s push to replace Massachusetts’s partisan primaries with a top-two primary system is one step closer to the November ballot, after the state’s highest court rejected a legal challenge to the proposal last week.
Cambridge, Boston Expand HUD Lawsuit as Millions in Housing Funds Remain in Limbo
Cambridge and Boston joined a coalition of cities and nonprofits Monday in asking a federal court to block a new round of Trump administration restrictions on federal housing funding, expanding their ongoing lawsuit over the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care grant program.
Praised in Public, Criticized in Private: Elow Leaves Cambridge Police Department After 30 Years
Christine A. Elow rose through the ranks of the Cambridge Police Department, promising reform and a new model for policing as its commissioner. But behind her abrupt retirement this spring, those familiar with her leadership describe a department strained by internal dysfunction, resistance to change, and mounting scrutiny.
Cambridge School Committee’s Literacy Proposal Renews Debate Over Retention
Nearly 30 percent of third grade students in Cambridge fell short of meeting grade-level reading standards last year. Now, a School Committee proposal to hold back struggling students is dividing parents and educators over whether the policy would actually help.
Cambridge Wants More Than Harvard’s Money
For nearly 400 years, Harvard has been largely exempt from paying property taxes — instead making voluntary payments that city officials now say no longer reflect the University’s scale or wealth. As negotiations over a new PILOT agreement stretch into a third year, Cambridge leaders and residents are questioning what Harvard owes the city: not just in dollars, but in housing, public services, and civic partnership.
Cambridge City Council Votes to End ShotSpotter Use Amid Privacy, Accuracy Concerns
The Cambridge City Council narrowly voted Monday to end the city’s use of ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system that has drawn years of criticism from residents and councilors over privacy concerns and potential data-sharing with federal authorities.
In Letter to Garber, Nuns Allege Arboretum Director Has ‘Troubling Pattern’ of Opposing Developments
The Poor Clare Nuns wrote to Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 alleging that Arboretum Director Ned Friedman has spent nearly two years blocking their monastery redevelopment — while waving through a project tied to Harvard Medical School.
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