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Did you know that last fall Cambridge Department of Public Works (DPW) collected 15,000 barrels of yard waste? Thanks to help from residents, that's 833 tons of leaves that didn't clog storm drains or pollute our local rivers and streams. Rake or sweep leaves from paved surfaces (driveways, sidewalks, and curbs) for curbside yard waste collection. Rake early and often and keep leaf piles away from storm drains. Yard waste collected in Cambridge is composted to make rich soil - further reducing our city's climate impact.

911 is for emergencies only. 911 Dispatchers answer both 911 calls as well as general or business calls made to the Cambridge Police and Cambridge Fire business numbers (617-349-3300 for Police and 617-349-4900 for Fire) as well as other public safety non-911 numbers. Reserving 911 for emergencies enables 911 dispatchers to easily recognize and give highest priority to emergency callers while still being able to receive and promptly answer calls for service or non-emergency calls.

The Baker-Polito Administration announced a series of targeted measures to disrupt the increasing trend of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Governor Charlie Baker announced these changes at a time where public health data has indicated that cases are rising, with cases up by 278% and hospitalizations up by 145% since Labor Day. These measures are meant to disrupt rising trends now, so the Commonwealth can keep the economy and schools open for residents and to prevent the need to roll back to Phase I or Phase II of the reopening plan.

The Community Development Department (CDD) produces a wide variety of maps for its own use and as a source of information for the public. Topics range over wide area, covering everything from the locations of farmers markets to parks to zoning. You will find a number of web maps built directly into the CDD web pages where you can go to locations of interest throughout the City, focus on a specific topic through one of these interactive maps, or you can use the map gallery links to PDFs and other documents.

Join this free 1-hour interactive workshop for parents and caregivers ready to spark powerful conversations about race, identity, and belonging. You will gain historical insights, tools to affirm your child’s cultural roots, and connect with others committed to raising antiracist children. The workshop will feature a presentation by Vice Mayor Marc McGovern and a special giveaway: The Village We’re Building digital zine! This is a virtual event, a Zoom link will be sent to all registrants. Cosponsored by the Healthy Children Task Force and Cambridge Public Library.

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Namwali Serpell—professor of English at Harvard University and acclaimed author of The Old Drift and The Furrows—for a discussion of her highly anticipated new book, On Morrison, an extraordinary assessment of Toi Morrison. She will be joined in conversation by Tracy K. Smith—the Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University, former Poet Laureate of the United States, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the poetry collection Life on Mars. Registration is required to participate in this event.

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Daniel Pollack-Pelzner—cultural historian, theater critic, and professor of English and theater at Portland State University—for a discussion of his highly anticipated biography of Broadway superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda, titled Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist. He will be joined in conversation by Dani Snyder-Young—esteemed Northeastern University theater professor, who appears in Lin-Manuel Miranda as his director for the Wesleyan production of Jesus Christ Superstar that launched him into collegiate superstardom. Registration is required.

To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, a coalition of local non-profits and government agencies will present Washington in American Memory, a seven-part speaker series. Debunk myths and trace the evolution of the public memory of George Washington in Cambridge, Massachusetts, featuring: J.L. Bell, author of The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War and proprietor of Boston1775.net Charles Sullivan, co-author of Building Old Cambridge: Architecture and Development and Executive Director of the Cambridge Historical Commission

The Community Safety Department’s CARE Team launched in 2024, providing an unarmed, compassionate response to mental health crises, well-being checks, and other non-criminal emergencies. By the end of the year, they responded to nearly 200 emergency calls, assisted over 150 community members, and removed 1,600 needles from public spaces, with 94% of calls requiring no police involvement. In collaboration with local organizations and the Cambridge Police Department, the CARE Team also offers case management and referrals, helping residents access shelter, addiction treatment, housing support, and other essential services.

The City of Cambridge is proud to announce the release of the Cemetery Master Plan, a comprehensive vision designed to extend the active operations of the Cambridge Cemetery while transforming it into a landscape and cultural resource with broad community appeal. Developed collaboratively by the Cambridge Cemetery and Department of Public Works staff, along with the Cambridge Cemetery Advisory Board, this plan represents the collective input of Cambridge residents, including former City officials, pastors, funeral home directors, and other community representatives. The Cemetery Master Plan outlines a series of strategic recommendations organized under three key goals and guiding principles.