Metro News
Blank Street Coffee Brews Up a Stir in Harvard Square
Blank Street Coffee, a chain known for its efficiency and lower-priced coffee, celebrated its grand opening on Thursday with $2 drinks and lines spilling out into the Square.
New American Repertory Theater Development Plan Unanimously Approved by BPDA
The Boston Planning and Development Agency unanimously approved development plans Thursday for relocating Harvard’s American Repertory Theater from its Brattle Street location into Allston, alongside construction of new affiliate housing.
City Manager’s Absence Sparks Controversy at Cambridge Public Safety Hearing
The Cambridge Public Safety Committee convened a public hearing Wednesday afternoon to address matters related to emergency response alternatives in Cambridge — though some city officials received criticism for not arriving on the scene themselves.
In Reversal, King Takes Lead Over Harding in Cambridge School Committee Vote Tally
In a surprising reversal, challenger Andrew R. King has taken a narrow lead over Richard Harding Jr. in the neck-and-neck race for Cambridge School Committee, after Harding had appeared to eke out a victory in preliminary election returns.
CPD Commissioner Says Department Priorities Have ‘Shifted’ Following Police Killing of Sayed Faisal
Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine A. Elow said the January police killing of Sayed Faisal has “shifted” her priorities going forward in her first interview with the Crimson since Faisal’s death.
Cambridge Elections Voter’s Guide
This Tuesday, Cantabrigians will elect nine city councilors and six at-large School Committee members to lead the city and its school system for the next two years. Before you cast your vote, read The Crimson’s guide to the candidates and some of the defining issues of the race, including public safety, transportation infrastructure, and climate policy.
Cambridge City Council Candidates Push Public Safety, Policing Reforms Ahead of Tuesday’s Election
As Cambridge voters head to the polls Tuesday, policing and public safety remain top of mind for voters and candidates alike. Cambridge politics have been dominated by the issue of public safety ever since Cambridge police shot and killed 20-year-old Sayed Faisal in January.
Cambridge School Committee Candidates Split over Universal Algebra, Special Education Issues
Two defining issues in the Cambridge School Committee race — equitable math curriculum and inclusive special education — have juxtaposed some of the contest’s incumbents against their challengers.
Here’s How Cambridge City Council Candidates Plan to Address Climate Change
Four months after Cambridge became the first known city in the United States to require large buildings to reach net-zero emissions by 2035, environmental policy has become a key issue in the City Council race, with the majority of candidates pledging to expand legislation addressing climate change.
Cambridge Councilor Paul Toner, a Self-Described ‘Practical Progressive,’ Seeks Consensus in Reelection Bid
Paul F. Toner, who spent more than a decade in union leadership, is running for a second term on the Cambridge City Council to keep the body negotiating.
Cambridge School Committee Candidates Discuss Special Ed, Achievement Gaps, Math in Lead Up to Election
Cambridge’s 11 candidates for the School Committee discussed their views on special education, achievement gaps, and the mathematics curriculum during various forums leading up to the Nov. 7 city municipal elections.
Indigenous Translations Will Be Added to Street Signs Around Cambridge
Cambridge will install new street signs with road names translated into the Massachusett language in a multi-year initiative to recognize the city’s historical ties to its Indigenous residents.
Two Weeks Before Elections, Incumbent Cambridge Councilors Lead Fundraising Race
Less than two weeks before Cambridge’s municipal elections, City Council incumbents continue to lead the fundraising race over challengers, according to campaign finance data from the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
School Committee Member Ayesha Wilson Vows To Be ‘Mover and Shaker’ if Elected to Cambridge Council
Ayesha M. Wilson is running for Cambridge City Council to “bring voices to the table” — betting that her nearly two decades in social work and two terms on the Cambridge School Committee have given her the tools to mend the city’s divides.
As Cambridge Educators Remain Without Contract, Proposed Mass. Bill Would Grant Teachers Right to Strike
Locked in a contract battle with Cambridge Public Schools, the city’s teacher’s union lacks a weapon in the arsenal of nearly every other labor union: the right to strike. A bill co-sponsored by one of Cambridge’s state legislators could soon change that.
In Reelection Bid, Cambridge’s Youngest Councilor Burhan Azeem Is Confident He’s Won Over His Skeptics
Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem is confident that his first term has earned him another two years in City Hall.
‘Huge Win for Massachusetts’: Cambridge to Serve as Site for National Hub for Life Science Research
The federal government has chosen Cambridge’s Kendall Square as the site of a new hub for investment in health care and biomedical research as part of a national program launched by President Joe Biden last year.
Cambridge Passes Long-Debated Affordable Housing Amendments, Opening Door to Taller Developments
The Cambridge City Council voted 6-3 to pass a set of hotly debated amendments to the city’s 100%-Affordable Housing Zoning Overlay in a meeting Monday evening, setting the stage for taller, denser affordable housing developments throughout the city.
Cambridge Charter Review Committee Likely to Retain City Manager, Establish Citizen Assemblies
The Cambridge Charter Review Committee is considering new citizen assemblies — but not the prospect of a directly elected mayor — as its end-of-year deadline for recommendations draws near.
Longtime Civic Blogger Robert Winters Is Running for Cambridge Council. Now, He’s Facing Political Scrutiny of His Own.
Civic blogger Robert Winters is running for Cambridge City Council, but his campaign has met backlash from residents who condemn his past social media posts as racist and transphobic.
Cambridge Announces New Plan for Special Education Services, Amid Statewide Federal Inquiry
Amid a federal inquiry into the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Special Education, officials from the Cambridge Public Schools are proposing new mechanisms to best service special education students who attend schools outside the district.
Carrie Pasquarello Stakes Cambridge City Council Run on Public Safety, but Faces Scrutiny For Transphobic Tweets
Cambridge City Council Candidate Carrie E. Pasquarello is running on a platform of government accountability and public safety — though her campaign has come under increased scrutiny after transphobic and Islamophobic tweets she liked came to light.
As Progressive Stalwarts Exit Cambridge Council, Our Revolution Cambridge Endorses Five Challengers
Our Revolution Cambridge, a progressive organizing group, endorsed five candidates for Cambridge City Council and five for School Committee on Sept. 22.
Massachusetts, Cambridge Expand Higher Education Access Through New Free College Programs
Since the founding of Harvard as America’s first college, Massachusetts has been closely associated with elite universities. Now, state and local leaders are pushing to make the state the face of accessible higher education.
Cambridge School Committee Celebrates Improvement in Student Performance, Acknowledges ‘More Work To Be Done’
The Cambridge School Committee celebrated a return to pre-pandemic achievement levels, while acknowledging lingering gaps in student performance, in a review of the district’s annual accountability report Tuesday.