“Remediation,” an immersive multimedia theater experience, delivers another chapter of Rebecca Kopycinski’s dystopian vision in early November. The show places the audience inside an underground meeting of the resistance group Omega to take part in a political insurgency against the authoritarian rule of Ultra. The production, originally... The post How to intentionally glitch your ThotBot and other tales from ‘Remediation’ appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

For the first time, all Cambridge Public Schools scored at or above the state average in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System standardized test. Despite the milestone, a point of concern remained for School Committee members at a Tuesday meeting because results were not equal across demographics –... The post Cambridge school district has good news in humanities testing, but there’s still an achievement gap appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

It would be easy to walk right by Glass Ripples, but walking by without checking it out would be a mistake. Look for a sidewalk signboard pointing to the store, set at the end of a small parking lot on Elm Street where the “environmentally conscious baby... The post Glass Ripples has colorful vibes and home goods in an easy-to-miss nook near Davis Square appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Representatives from the region’s water authority proposed permanently fencing off 2.3 acres of parkland at Magazine Beach at a Monday meeting, saying it was needed for infrastructure to prevent waste overflows into public waterways. There was outrage from attendees for a plan state representative Mike Connolly called... The post MWRA staff shocked residents with a proposal to take away Magazine Beach sports fields over a stormwater tank appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Fans of local music and independent cinemas, rejoice. The Brattle Theatre is showing  Albert Brooks’ 1979 mockumentary “Real Life” in partnership with indie rock band Gollylagging for a night of music and film.  This isn’t an average movie screening, it’s also to celebrate the release of the... The post See ‘Real Life’ and hear ‘Real Life’ in real life, or something close to it appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

By Paul Raccuglia I recently attended a kickoff meeting for the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority project at 2400 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge. It was a fascinating microcosm of local housing policy and how decisions get made. I’m very excited that the CRA has chosen to develop 2400 Massachusetts... The post Redevelopment Authority is off to a good start at North Cambridge housing project appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

 The title of “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,” a strikingly original thriller, comes from a religious text in Islam. A man asks the Prophet Mohammed the same question four times: “Who deserves the best of me?” The first three times, the answer is always the... The post ‘Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother’ is a thoughtful thriller like no other appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Cambridge saw its second shooting in two days as police, firefighters and EMTs responded to 911 calls from the Columbia Terrace area in The Port neighborhood at around 11:45 p.m. There officers found a 19-year-old gunshot victim, who was reportedly shot through a window. He was taken... The post Cambridge has its second gunfire victim in two days, police say appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

A Cambridge resident is one of two suspects taken into custody Wednesday in connection with a kidnapping and related violent offenses, Haverhill police said. Ali Cali, 22, was arrested in Cambridge. Andy Lahens, also 22, of Everett, was arrested in Canton, police said. “This investigation involved significant... The post Cambridge resident is considered a suspect in a Haverhill kidnapping appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Cambridge went as far as it could Monday toward decriminalizing sex work: deprioritizing the arrest of sex workers by city police, telling the Middlesex district attorney she should end prosecutions of consensual sex work and asking for the creation of a dedicated phone line where sex workers... The post Cambridge decriminalizes sex work within its borders, but clients aren’t included in the exemption appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

The summer festival season doesn’t truly end with summer. It keeps going, on a kind of cultural autopilot, like a marathon runner so zonked out with exhaustion that he runs through the finish line without realizing until someone catches up to him with a cup of Gatorade... The post The last gasp of summer festing happens in the fall with Fuzzstival appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Oct. 8: Leslie Liao (Crystal Ballroom, Somerville) Be prepared to let out some guffaws, because celebrated comedian Leslie Liao, who shares her experience as a single Chinese American woman living in Los Angeles, takes the microphone at Crystal Ballroom. She previously worked in Netflix’s human resources department... The post Stage spotlight: Leslie Liao and “Le Temps” appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

$2.95 With the menu here offering the delicate meringue sandwich cookies called macarons, as well as chocolates, gelato and pastry such as eclairs, the “fruit paste” jelly cubes may seem like an odd choice to buy, and they were. I was lured by the visual appeal of... The post Fruit pastes at Le Macaron French Pastries appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Clover, aka Clover Food Lab, began as a food truck at MIT in 2008, and so the location at Harvard’s Science Center calls back to its original mission of selling vegetarian lunches to MIT students and Kendall Square tech workers. Despite a recent stretch of rocky years... The post Looking over a Clover appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Renters in Cambridge must be advised by landlords of their rights in case they are evicted, the result of a law passed in 2020. A policy order proposed Monday takes that further, seeking to enact a law saying that tenants must be told when their building is... The post Tenants are told their rights in Cambridge, but not yet when their building is for sale appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

There was one injury from Cambridge’s fifth gunfire incident, police said. The shooting took place at approximately 3:20 p.m. on Rindge Avenue across from Comeau Field in North Cambridge, according to scanner reports. “Multiple 911 calls [were] reporting gunshots around Russell Field,” police said. It was not... The post Gunfire injures one in North Cambridge appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Answers are needed quickly on Cambridge’s inclusionary law, which requires big homebuilders to set aside 20 percent of their space as low-cost units, city councillors said Monday. They sent the issue off to their Ordinance Committee, responding to the arrival of a report with recommendations first asked... The post Demanding affordability of developers is a problem for Cambridge, but report says cut isn’t much of a solution appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Money has always played a role in elections, from candidates raising funds to pay for staffers, mailers and yard signs to billionaires spending millions through super Pacs. But most people don’t know that elections in Massachusetts are, in a very real sense, pay to play. Although money... The post Democracy is for sale, but a yes vote on Question 3 can take power back appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Oct. 8: Lunch Break Dance Party (The Foundry, Cambridge) This Thursday, for one hour, time isn’t real. Lunch Break Dance Party, is exactly that, a dance party taking place during the 9-5ers sacred hour. Let loose at The Foundry, located conveniently in office park paradise Kendall Square.... The post Lucky’s Picks: lunch break dance party, a RESPOND benefit, live drawing and comic book book club appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

“Ancient Algorithms” takes the inherent challenges of translation and, rather than treating them as obstacles to be surmounted, uses them as opportunities for play in the space of literature and language. Katrine Øgaard Jensen takes handful of poems by Ursula Andkjær Olsen, translates them, mistranslates them, subjects... The post Reviewed: ‘Ancient Algorithms’ is experimental and lots of fun, but complicates by adding AI to the canon appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

 This review contains minor spoilers. Many talented people are involved in the new movie “Digger,” including its two-time Academy Award-winning director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and Tom Cruise, arguably the most popular movie star in the world. “Digger” is ambitious, but taking risks isn’t enough; the gambles... The post Grand ambitions lead to grand annoyance in ‘Digger’ appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Somerville’s Community Path is getting strips of small speed bumps glued down to try to slow down users on wheeled vehicles, and pavement markings, traffic-calming measures at path crossings and sign changes are on the way this fall, transportation officials said Monday. Among the signs due to... The post Speed bumps are Somerville’s first step in slowing the Community Path, and enforcement talk is next appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

A potential five-year delay on installing bike lanes on Outer Huron Avenue – a move meant to address concerns about the loss of parking – was reduced to a proposed one-year delay in a motion by city councillors Monday, then defeated entirely.  Passed in its place was... The post Vote to proceed with Outer Huron bike lanes in 2027 puts city on the hunt for ways to satisfy car parkers appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Forty people were selected tentatively Monday to participate in a Cambridge civic assembly initiative – the first such municipal process in Massachusetts and one of the first in New England – about the gunfire-detection system ShotSpotter. Before the names are shared, staff must reach out to each person... The post In a first, Cambridge selects 40 residents to assemble and decide whether to use Shotspotter gunfire-detection tech appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

It was a Saturday in May 2025, and Rahim “V Knuckles” Muhammad was en route to the grand opening of a dispensary in Allston. He was on the team that brought the business through a punishing license approval process, and it was time for celebration. But though... The post Remembering Rahim ‘V Knuckles’ Muhammad of Cambridge hip-hop powerhouse duo N.B.S. appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Dust off your cowboy boots, country is coming to Cambridge. McCarthy’s in Porter Square transforms into a rural roadhouse with line dancing nights hosted by Molly Albert and Vicky Falso of Line Dancing Queens. For this country music loving pair, line dancing is more than an infectious... The post Are you ready for the line dancing? appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

In the late 1880s, America’s thoughts turned to preparations for the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s landing in 1492. Although Columbus did not make landfall on what would become mainland North America – landing instead on the Caribbean island he would christen Hispaniola – his name was... The post Was there really a Viking settlement on the Charles that predated Columbus? appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

“I feel like if somebody did a study on the percentage of movies that are actually really good set in a city, Boston’s gotta be swinging real hard.” So says director Rachel Morrison, who makes the observation with skin in the game. Her latest film, a romantic... The post Director Rachel Morrison returns home with “Love of Your Life” appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Q: If my income is below the standard deduction, am I exempt from filing a federal income tax return? A: In many cases, yes. If your income is below the standard deduction for your filing status and you’re subject only to regular income tax, you generally won’t... The post Tax tip of the week: Think about filing even If you earn less than the $16,100 standard deduction appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Why is it so hard to get to Harvard Square from Magoun Square, Ball Square and Winter Hill in Somerville? Why haven’t the two cities (or even private transport organizations) thought of a more meaningful, viable connector? The topography of Somerville is challenging, though not insurmountable. We’re... The post ‘Camberville’ should mean better intercity connections appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

My friend lives in an old triple-decker in Somerville. Faced with high heating bills due to her outdated electric baseboard heating system, she called for a free Mass Save Energy Assessment. The friendly worker stuck a camera in the wall and discovered that, like many rentals in... The post How you renters helped pay for a homeowner’s heat pump in Greenfield but will still freeze this winter appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

These are just some of the municipal meetings and civic events for the coming week. More are on the City Calendar and in the city’s Open Meetings Portal. Civic assembly lottery selection Special events presentation, 5 to 5:30 p.m. Monday. The city randomly selects 40 residents to... The post Cambridge meetings, Oct. 5-12: The assembly to settle ShotSpotter finds its 40 residents appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

These are just some of the municipal meetings and civic events for the coming week. More are on the City of Somerville website. Community Path micromobility City Council Traffic and Parking Committee, 6 p.m. Monday. This committee run by city councilor Beatriz Naima Sait discusses safety on... The post Somerville meetings, Oct. 5-12: E-bikes and other motorized vehicles on the Community Path appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

A photography exhibition, “Common Ground,” is now showing at the Somerville Museum through the start of December. Curated by Ivan Abarca-Torres, community organizer and Somerville resident, the exhibition features 15 local photographers documenting the city’s natural, urban and social landscapes. A handful of works are displayed from... The post “Common Ground,” a photography exhibit about the ties that bind, comes to Somerville Museum appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Food Nation was smaller this year, providing tastes of five Davis Square restaurants rather than the 20 featured a year ago, and provided a different kind of experience: It gave a sense of what kind of surprises can be found in even the most staple eateries in... The post Some savory surprises from Food Nation in Davis Square appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

The inaugural Davis Square Community Yard Sale is 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, with Somervillians encouraged to host sales of inexpensive stuff from their homes in yards, driveways or sidewalks or – for those who lack their own outdoor space – to use a complimentary table in Statue Park. ... The post First Davis Square Community Yard Sale could be the start of the next Porchfest appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Carl Barron Plaza reopened Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, ending nearly three years of construction. People gathered in the heart of Cambridge’s Central Square for speeches, live entertainment, food and free tote bags.  The plaza, at 632 Massachusetts Ave., is the endpoint of the River Street Infrastructure... The post A party reopens Carl Barron Plaza in Central Square after three years of construction appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

More than five years after BioMed Realty and Global Arts Live rolled out 585 Arts, a joint nonprofit with the vision of bringing a performance space to Kendall Square, the vision is about to be realized for audiences with a members-only opening night Nov. 6 featuring the... The post Ready or not, The Platform is bringing more nightlife to Kendall Square appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Find more of Rusty Epstein’s cartoons here. The post Saturday cartoon: You always know appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

The Independent’s eighth locally themed puzzle – they come every other Saturday courtesy of local creator Daniel Mangoubi – reveals how many Dunkin’ Donuts there are in Cambridge and Somerville. Bonus challenge: Try to guess before looking at the answer. Play the game here. Mangoubi creates through... The post The Independent’s locally themed crossword puzzle: Deja Brew appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

The shooting of William Woodworth in Cambridge by two police officers on Aug. 21 was “objectively reasonable,” an inquest led by judge Holly Broadbent said Friday, because “any reasonable police officer in their position would reasonably believe that both the officers and civilians were in imminent danger... The post Inquest clears police officers in fatal Aug. 21 shooting in Cambridge, with body camera footage playing a role appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

An Outer Huron Avenue cycling infrastructure plan – a main connections between Cambridge and Belmont south of Fresh Pond is set to go, with implementation in the spring, but not everyone is happy with the plan. A motion to delay it for five years, until 2031, was... The post Bike lane plan is ready for Outer Huron, but cuts to parking inspires a vote to delay in City Council appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

The third Food Nation tasting event on Saturday highlights five restaurants from around Davis Square – American Flatbread, The Burren, Elm Street Taproom, Five Horses Tavern and Redbones – with free entry and a $30 all-you-can-eat tasting pass.  For those tempted to use that pass to the... The post There’s more to Saturday’s Food Nation event than all-you-can eat dishes from five Davis Square restaurants appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

An emergency displacement fund was activated Thursday to support residents displaced by the previous day’s five-alarm fire in Teele Square, said the City of Somerville and Somerville Homeless Coalition. The fire affected 32 homes at 1137-1147 Broadway, displacing 43 residents, and city staff and the American Red... The post City activates emergency fund for residents displaced by Teele Square fire appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Mass General Brigham has a long-term lease of 100,000 square feet of lab space on the lower floors at the 74M building in Somerville’s Assembly Square, said the developer and property manager Greystar on Thursday. The building – named after its address at 74 Middlesex Ave. –... The post Mass General Brigham expands in Assembly Square, giving hope for labs market and a life sciences cluster appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.

Though all residents of a Teele Square building were able to evacuate safely from a 4:50 p.m. fire Wednesday that persisted for more than three hours, all 43 are now displaced and getting help from Somerville city staff and the Red Cross charitable group to find temporary... The post More than 40 people are displaced after Teele Square fire, chief says appeared first on Cambridge | Somerville Independent.