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Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Richard Russo—Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Somebody's Fool and The Destiny Thief—for a discussion of his new essay collection Life and Art. He will be joined in conversation by Andre Dubus III—author of Such Kindness and eight other books, including the bestsellers Townie and House of Sand and Fog. Registration is required.

The Cambridge Community Development Department, in collaboration with other city departments and guided by the Cambridge community, will craft a vision for the future of Mass Ave between Cambridge Common and Alewife Brook Parkway. The planning study will address topics of land use, urban design, housing, climate resiliency, small business support, mobility, and public space, as well as zoning recommendations for future development.

On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, leaders from the City of Cambridge and the Commonwealth gathered with nonprofit Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) to mark the beginning of renovations at the former Sacred Heart church rectory and school in East Cambridge. By the end of 2027, POAH plans to complete construction on the property, which will create 46 new permanently affordable apartment homes.

Art urges us to look more closely at the world around us, and at ourselves. In this generative writing workshop, facilitated by Heather Nelson, participants will choose an image with which to “converse”: each writer will be given prompts and questions in order to interact with their image and, after having this dialogue with the art, writers will work to edit and arrange their observations into a working draft of an ekphrastic poem. There will be a little time at the end of the session for sharing drafts and discussing next steps. Registration is required.

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Dr. Stephen Greenblatt—Cogan University Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, general editor of The Norton Anthology of English Literature, and the author of fourteen books including The Swerve, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award—for a discussion of his new book Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival. He will be joined in conversation by Neel Mukherjee—author of four novels, including The Lives of Others, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Registration is required.

The City is committed to ensuring the Cambridge community has access to non police responses to crisis situations and creating a sense of safety for all who live, work, play and pray here. The development of the new Community Safety Department is guided by an understanding that a compassionate response to a mental health crisis is optimal for healing and de-escalation.

Cambridge’s Water Department goes above and beyond to deliver clean, safe, and great-tasting water. Through rigorous daily testing, modern technology, and public education—including free lead and copper testing kits for residents—the City ensures water quality meets the highest standards and exceeds expectations.

Although mask orders are no longer in effect, many people in Cambridge continue to mask up in indoor settings and on public transportation. The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) strongly supports this practice! We are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases both regionally and in the city, and taking measures to protect yourself is a smart choice.

The 1% for Public Art component of the Kendall Square / Main Street project was the creation of artist designed bike racks. Six artists were chosen by an art jury to participate in this project. Each of the selected artists created three or four designs that were represented in a gallery exhibit by drawings, models and artists’ statements. The artists had to balance his or her artistic mission with factors of successful functionality, ease of maintenance, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and economy of cost. During the exhibit and at the April 10, 2012 Kendall Square Public meeting, members of the public were asked to comment and vote on the different designs. Approximately 650 votes were received. On June 4, 2012 the selection committee met and selected 5 bike racks to be used in Kendall Square. The selection committee included city staff, a member of the Bicycle Committee and two members of the Kendall Square Advisory Committee. In making their selection, the committee considered the public input (voting and comments), functionality of the racks, appropriateness for Kendall Square, and artistic interest. Since the initial installation, some of the artist designed bike racks have been moved to new locations throughout the City.

Street cleaning resumes on Monday, April 1 for the 2024 season. Just like last year, vehicles will not be towed during street cleaning operations. However, it's essential for residents to move their vehicles according to the posted street cleaning schedule to ensure thorough cleaning of our City streets. Parking tickets of $50 will be issued to those who do not move their vehicles.