Applications available for Harvard Square open market
Over 8 million visit Harvard Square each year, making the square one of New England’s top tourist destinations. A place of history, education, bookstores, fine dining and eclectic shopping and now a weekly destination – the Harvard Square Open Market! Held every Sunday, June 5 through Oct. 30, the market will highlight the works of artists, artisans, makers, designers and vintage vendors from around New England. The market will take place on Church Street, between Massachusetts Ave and Brattle Street. To apply, visit https://bit.ly/3r15FZV
Upcoming Cambridge public meetings
Monday, Apil 4
- 11:30 a.m., Cambridge Board of License Commissioners
- 4 p.m., Cambridge Community Benefits Advisory Committee
- 5:30 p.m., Cambridge City Council
Tuesday, April 5
- Noon, Cambridge Transportation and Public Utilities Committee
- 6 p.m., Cambridge School Committee
- 6:30 p.m., Cambridge Planning Board Meeting
Wednesday, April 6
- 9 a.m., Cambridge City Council ad-hoc committee
- 5:30 p.m., Cambridge Ordinance Committee
Thursday, April 7
- 9 a.m., Cambridge City Council ad-hoc committee
- 5:30 p.m., Cambridge Ordinance Committee
- 5:30 p.m., Cambridge Transit Advisory Committee
- 6 p.m., Cambridge Historical Commission
- 6 p.m., Cambridge Human Rights Commission
Community iftar on April 13
The Office of Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, the City’s Employees Committee on Diversity, CPS Muslim Affinity committee and the Islamic Society of Boston will be hosting a community iftar on April 13 at 6:15 p.m. at the Cambridge Street Upper School, 850 Cambridge St.
Visit Cambridge’s business incubator in Inman Square
The Inman Incubator is a new 190-square-foot-retail storefront, located at 1385 Cambridge Street, right in the heart of Inman Square.The Inman Incubator is a community space to explore talented local makers, and celebrate the creativity in our community.
“Our hope for this space is that it provides exposure to the talented, independent artists and makers that we have in the community, and to support women and minority-owned small businesses that are exploring what it means to operate brick and mortar retail” said Virginia Johnson, owner of Inman Square’s gather here and ECBA Board Member.
The space will transform to suit the artist and maker that is popping up through classic retail and exhibit infrastructure. Aside from being able to shop local, handcrafted goods in one place, the Inman Incubator invites the community to meet and converse with the person behind their purchase.
To learn more: https://inmanincubator.com/
Louise Erdrich presents The Sentence (Virtual)
Join Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louise Erdrich on Thursday, April 7, 6-7:30 p.m. in a virtual reading and discussion of her latest novel, The Sentence. Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, is the author of many novels as well as volumes of poetry, children’s books, and a memoir.
Joan Naviyuk Kane is Inupiaq, with family from King Island (Ugiuvak) and Mary’s Igloo, Alaska. She is the author of several poetry collections and teaches at Harvard University. Sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.
Registration required.
Cambridge summer camp program lottery
The Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs’ Community Schools Summer Camps offer a range of educational and recreational activities in a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment.
Camp activities are designed to develop children’s social and emotional growth and build healthy relationships. Each Community Schools Summer Camp focuses on a theme and campers participate in a wide range of activities each day. Enrollment in Community Schools Summer Camps is determined by lottery.
The Community Schools Summer Camp Lottery Application will is open from March 14, 2022 – April 1, 2022.
Print applications and in-person assistance are available upon request. If needed, please contact [email protected] or 617-349-6200.
To be eligible for the Community Schools Summer Camp lottery:
- Applicants must be Cambridge residents or children of City of Cambridge employees.
- Children must be entering 1st through 5th grades in September 2022 or entering Kindergarten in September 2022 after completing a year of Junior Kindergarten.
- Families will be notified of their child(ren)’s placement in a Summer Camp or in the Summer Camp Waiting Pool the week of April 18.
For more information and FAQs, visit www.cambridgema.gov/SummerCamps
Proposal Writing, with Laura Knott
Laura Knott will lead a proposal writing workshop on Wednesdays, April 13 – 27 from noon to 2 p.m. via Zoom. The class will meet for 3 consecutive Wednesdays via Zoom, beginning April 13.
Securing financial support from foundations, cultural organizations, and residency programs mean writing compelling proposals. In this workshop, students will learn techniques for writing engaging proposals that, in addition to providing access to funds, organizers say will also help them grow as an artist.
The workshop will be offered in three sessions, with individual and small group work in each session.
- Session 1 | April 13: Finding opportunities, exploring research techniques, and crafting a flexible project description
- Session 2 | April 20: Understanding what kinds of questions will be asked in a proposal, and how to answer them
- Session 3 | April 27: Developing writing techniques to get your proposal noticed
Cost for Cambridge Arts Association members: $140 and nonmembers: $160.
Popportunity returns this May
The Popportunity started at Starlight Square as a weekend pop-up market in the fall of 2020. Two years later, it’s a stand-alone non-profit that has supported over 200 local entrepreneurs through rotating pop-up shops, one-day carts, and community markets. Their spring season starts in May, and applications are due this Monday. Apply here: https://csbid.typeform.com/to/gCCJeLVT
Cambridge hazardous waste collection day
The first household hazardous waste collection day in Cambridge for 2022 will be held on Saturday, April 9, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., at 50 Mooney Street. Additional 2022 collection n dates include June 11, Aug. 27, and Nov. 5.
Accepted items include:
- Batteries: Vehicle* & Non-Alkaline*
- Car Fluids: Antifreeze, Brake, Engine Degreaser, Transmission
- Car Tires (max four per household)
- Chemicals: Cleaners, Glues, Removers, Photography & Swimming Pool
- Fluorescent Light Bulbs*
- Mercury Items: Thermometers & Thermostats*
- Paints: Oil-Based & Latex
- Poisons: Insecticides, Pesticides & Weed Killers
- Prescription Medicines (accepted year-round at Cambridge Police Dept. 125 Sixth St.)
- Propane Cylinders (20 lbs. or less only)
- Waste Fuels: Antifreeze, Gasoline, Kerosene, Sterno & Motor Oil (motor oil also accepted year-round at DPW) Fire Extinguishers
- Items not accepted include:
- NO Alkaline Batteries
- NO Ammunition, Fireworks & Explosives (contact Cambridge Fire Dept. at 617-349-3300)
- NO Asbestos (requires proper disposal)
- NO Bleach or Ammonia
- NO Commercial/Industrial Waste
- NO Construction Debris
- NO Empty Aerosol Cans
- NO Compressed Gas Cylinders
- NO Infectious or Biological Waste
- NO Radioactive Waste
- NO Smoke Detectors
- NO Syringes (Contact Cambridge Public Health Department at 617-665-3848)
The Cambridge Recycling Center located at 147 Hampshire St., accepts non-alkaline batteries, fluorescent bulbs, mercury items and motor oil. Cans of latex paint may be dried out and set out for curbside trash collection, with the lids off. Let evaporate outside or add kitty litter to speed drying. Hours of operation for the Recycling Center are Tuesday, 4 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, 4 –7:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Learn more at Cambridgema.gov/hazardouswaste.
Cambridge street cleaning, yard waste resumes
Street cleaning and yard waste pickup in Cambridge will resume on Friday, April 1. In order to ensure that streets are properly cleaned, cars must move off the side of the street being swept to avoid being ticketed and towed. The Cambridge Department of Public Works mechanically sweeps streets in Cambridge once per month, from April 1 through Dec. 31 (weather permitting).
Signs are posted on residential streets indicating the schedule. Residents can also view the street cleaning schedule and sign up for reminders at www.cambridgema.gov/StreetCleaning. Cars must remain off the scheduled side of the street, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. as indicated on the sign, even if the sweeper has already made a pass down the street, since it will often return a second time. Citywide street sweeping also includes twice yearly vacuum sweeping.
Yard-waste collection resumes Friday, April 1, and it continues until Dec. 31 (weather permitting). Please be sure to set yard waste at the curb by 7 a.m. on one’s regular collection day, or after 6 p.m. the night before. Yard waste is not accepted in plastic bags. Place yard waste in barrels marked with city-issued stickers and facing the street, or in lawn refuse bags sold in most hardware stores. Do not staple or tape bags. For more information and to request yard waste stickers, visit Cambridgema.gov/Services/YardWastePickup.
Residents can visit www.Cambridgema.gov/curbsidecollections to learn more about curbside waste collection, including mattress/box spring and clothing/textile pickups that can be scheduled, and to also sign up for collection day reminders. Residents can subscribe to real-time service alerts (i.e. snow cancelations, or changes in schedule due to unanticipated issues), import collection calendars into Google/Apple/Outlook calendar, or print a collection or street cleaning schedule. Alternatively, users may download the “Zero Waste Cambridge” app for iPhone/Android.
Nominations for outstanding Cambridge employees sought
Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale seeks nominations for the 2022 Outstanding City Employee Awards program. The program recognizes employees for exemplary performance and contributions that go above and beyond job requirements. Cambridge city government is made up of dedicated employees who strive to provide a high level of quality services to all our residents. The annual awards ceremony provides a special opportunity to give extra recognition to a number of exemplary individuals who will be honored. This event will be held on Friday, May 13, at 10 a.m., at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave.
Criteria for determining outstanding performance include:
- Demonstrated strong leadership and a high level of commitment to the city and its residents;
- Demonstrated outstanding customer service to the public and/or fellow employees;
- Developed an innovative or creative solution to a problem;
- Made superior contribution to the success of a project, completing work on time and within budget;
- Donated significant time to activities that benefit the Cambridge community;
- Encouraged and valued community involvement;
- Demonstrated an exceptional ability to work in a multicultural organization;
- Consistently contributed to better city operations
All city employees are eligible for nomination. Anyone who lives or works in Cambridge may nominate one or more city employees for recognition. Please submit a separate nomination form or letter for each employee. An employee may not nominate themself or their own supervisor or department head for recognition.
Nominations are due by Monday, April 11 and can be submitted online through the related news story at www.cambridgema.gov. Alternatively, a signed nomination letter may be submitted via email to Maryellen Carvello in the City Manager’s Office, [email protected], to the Personnel Department via fax to 617-349-4312, or in-person or via email to the to the Personnel Department, Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., 3rd floor.
For more information, contact Maryellen Carvello at [email protected] or 617-349-4300.
Cambridge parking permit extended
To provide additional time to process 2022 resident parking permit applications, the City of Cambridge Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department has extended the expiration of 2021 Resident and Visitor Parking Permits to May 16.
If residents have already submitted a permit application, please note that there have been delays in processing and mailing due to the impacts of COVID-19. If one has not already done so, submit a renewal application today.
Consider volunteering on Cambridge boards, commissions?
The city encourages involvement by residents in the decision-making process through participation on a variety of boards and commissions. Serving on a board or commission can be a rewarding experience and an excellent way to contribute to the quality of life of the community in which one lives or works. Additionally, it is a city goal to expand and deepen community engagement with a focus on strengthening the diversity and inclusion of its boards and commissions, and to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. Learn more at Cambridgema.gov/boards.
Paid spring internship for Cambridge teens
Cambridge teens looking to explore their talents, expand their skills, and build community? CYP is offering four internships this spring, where teens can experience the joy of self-discovery and connection – while getting paid? Learn more about CYP’s teen internship opportunities below and contact the CYP staff member to apply: https://bit.ly/3IQp9aK
The Cambridge development-projects log
The Cambridge Community Development Department Log, published quarterly, tracks large-scale residential and commercial development projects underway in Cambridge The Log contains the name and location of each project, the developer, type of use, and the amount of square footage. To view the log, visit: https://bit.ly/3IQp9aK
Cambridge will distribute new trash carts in June
As part of Cambridge’s broader rodent control efforts, the city will be providing trash carts for curbside collection in June 2022. The Department of Public Works (DPW) will be delivering new trash carts to all buildings that receive City trash collection. In addition to reducing rodent access to trash, these new carts will improve ergonomics for DPW staff and improve sidewalk accessibility.
The city will host its first community meeting about the new program on Wednesday, March 2. Register for the meeting: https://bit.ly/3GXGZqs
Cambridge updates business diversity directory
The 2022 Cambridge Business Diversity Directory is now available https://bit.ly/3gZObb3 as an interactive tool, making it easier than ever to find and support local businesses owned by historically excluded persons including women, Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC), veterans, individuals that are disabled, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Cambridge Works Program accepting applications
Cambridge Works is a transitional jobs program designed to serve residents (age 18-35) who, for a variety of reasons, have not been able to get or keep jobs. The centerpiece of the transitional jobs model is learning to work by going to work.
The city and a limited number of private sector partners provide a 3-month temporary job as a vehicle for participants to learn basic job-readiness skills: punctuality, attendance, responding to supervision, working with co-workers, etc. The work experience is coupled with intense case management, and participants attend weekly workshops to identify and address personal barriers that have prevented success.
Participants start to develop realistic career objectives and work closely with the program coordinator to prepare for the next step, which is unsubsidized private sector employment. To apply, visit: https://bit.ly/3I1HroW
Restaurant & nightlife relief grant program
A new Cambridge Restaurant & Nightlife Relief Grant program will provide $2.5M in funds to eligible Cambridge businesses. Grant awards of $10,000 from American Rescue Plan funds are available. To learn more, visit http://camb.ma/3IYGH40
Cambridge winter-warming center opened
The Cambridge Winter Warming Center, 806 Massachusetts Ave., in the Cambridge Senior Center basement is a welcoming and safe drop-in center where unsheltered adults can spend the night and be safe from the environmental hazards of the street during the winter months. The Warming Center is located in the basement of the Cambridge Senior Center (806 Massachusetts Ave.). Guests use the entrance on Green Street to access the building.
The warming center’s season runs until May 1, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. seven days a week for adults experiencing homelessness. The center provides guests with access to a safe space, beverages and a hot meal, bathrooms, and the ability to rest on a yoga mat on the floor.
At all times, the maximum number of individuals allowed in the warming center will be 30 people in order to comply with social distancing and public health guidelines. When guests arrive, they will be asked to stay on-site, will receive a health screening and safety check, and will store their personal belongings. Staff and guests are required to wear masks inside the warming center.
For more information, visit the center’s webpage: Winter Warming Center webpage https://bit.ly/3sp90BW
Cambridge War Memorial Recreation Center
The War Memorial Recreation Center, located at 1640 Cambridge St. Door 15, includes a Field House, multi-purpose room, gymnasium, weight room and three swimming pools. The War Memorial also offers a variety of high-quality programming for children and adults, including swimming and fitness classes.
Registration for winter programming at the War Memorial. Patrons can register online, in-person, or by mail.
Child and youth programming will be limited to Cambridge residents. Adult classes, adult swim, and the weight room are open to non-residents, but with priority given to Cambridge residents.
For The Chronicle Companion
The Chronicle Companion is a news-in-brief compilation of need-to-know, general and short news items culled from various sources published on Mondays. Cambridge residents, governmental entities and nonprofits can email 150- to 200-word news items for inclusion in the weekly list to [email protected] with “For the Chronicle Companion” in the subject line.
Apply for fuel assistance
Cambridge and Somerville Fuel Assistance Program assists low-income households with winter heating costs between Nov. 1 and May 13. Renters and homeowners in both cities are eligible to apply if they meet federal income guidelines. To apply and learn more: https://bit.ly/3D91GxT
Curbside textiles collection
Cambridge launched a free curbside collection of clothing and textiles for reuse and recycling on Dec. 7.
Residents can schedule their free curbside collection through the Zero Waste Cambridge app: https://apple.co/3xJbjlH or the Get Rid of It Right tool. The curbside collection of textiles is free and will take place at least once per week in Cambridge. To learn more: https://bit.ly/3rHYpnd
