Lucky’s Picks: Magic Lab, birthday quests and graphic novels galore

The Indie highlights an open mic for magicians, poetry workshop, healing through humor and Side Quest celebrating two years.

NEWS

Civilian oversight of police is put back on a track in Somerville, but officer unions seem to hold the power

September 11, 2026

A process for oversight of Somerville police has restarted a half-dozen years after the Black Lives Matter movement, but with a bow to unions and the civil service system.

MUSIC

Where there’s a will, there’s a Moon Over (Cinema) Salem

September 11, 2026

A Salem arts non-profit fights its way through compliance woes to save its annual music festival.

BUSINESS

Condominium project designed with AI stays stalled at commission

September 11, 2026

Not enough changed in the plans for condos near Davis Square to allow demolition of the current empty building, a turreted structure built in 1892.

BUSINESS

A small business boot camp that’s about more than trading business cards

September 11, 2026

Cambridge Local First taught small business owners how to compete in the digital era in 2026, and plans to reboot the boot camp in 2027.

NEWS

Lander concedes recounted race, and Brownsberger returns to Suffolk and Middlesex state Senate seat

September 10, 2026

State senator Will Brownsberger has kept his Suffolk and Middlesex seat in a recount of last week’s Democratic primary against first-time candidate Daniel Lander.

MUSIC

Lily Allen tells all on her “West End Girl” tour

September 10, 2026

The British pop star hasn't forgotten how to craft a wicked takedown lyric, but does she still take pleasure in it?

EDUCATION

Anti-immigrant agents can’t arrest on school grounds, officials emphasize in order

September 9, 2026

Protections for immigrants and undocumented students in Cambridge were strengthened, underlining protections the city has put in place over the past couple of years.

EDUCATION

Somerville submits 925-student school proposal to the state for design and funding steps

September 9, 2026

The campus coming to 115 Sycamore St. would open in 2031 if the plan is advanced by the state and if city voters agree to pay for roughly half the cost.

NEWS

Suspect in May 11 gun battle due to be arraigned on armed assault to murder, other charges

September 9, 2026

Tyler Brown, 47 of Boston, will be arraigned Thursday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn after police say he wielded an illegal AK-47 while in emotional distress.

NEWS

After Food Nation and Honk!, Davis Square project looks at funding from a parking improvement district (updated)

September 9, 2026

The group working to revive Davis Square is feeling good about its first five months, preparing for a big end to its first season and already looking at what’s coming in 2027.

STAGE

Stage spotlight: Level Up Circus and ‘Mantasia 2’

September 9, 2026

Coming your way this weekend, circus acts inspired by video games and a drag show that will stretch your imagination.

FOOD

Talking food: A conversation with Ana Sortun of Sofra, Sarma and Oleana

September 9, 2026

At 14, Ana Sortun washed dishes at a Seattle restaurant. By 19 she was at La Varenne, the cooking school in Paris. Then she went to Turkey and found her culinary home.

FOOD

Revelations on taste: New thoughts on coffee and food at Sofra

September 9, 2026

Almost never is a café visit only about coffee, and that is particularly true at Sofra, a café-deli-restaurant-destination. Its food, with a morning cup of coffee, offers a lesson in pairings.

BITE

Broissant at Bakey

September 9, 2026

All together it’s very good, but the “broissant” hybrid of sweet babka crossed with a savory croissant is a terrible name on its own merits and as a promise.

ART AND DESIGN

Cambridge’s artsy People’s Sculpture Race looks for its team, but Lowell’s Kinetic Sculpture Race runs on

September 8, 2026

Lowell's fun race, which takes place again Sept. 19, was once matched by a version in Cambridge born out of artists with close connections with MIT.

ARTS

Lucky’s Picks: Magic Lab, birthday quests and graphic novels galore

September 8, 2026

The Indie highlights an open mic for magicians, poetry workshop, healing through humor and Side Quest celebrating two years.

LIT

Reviewed: A powerful ‘Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis’

September 8, 2026

Modeled after the KKK, the Veiled Prophet shows up in the roots of the Cold War, opposition to civil rights, support for the Vietnam War and maybe violence in Ferguson, Missouri.

COMMUNITY

Tuesday office hour in Central Square (Toscanini’s, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)

September 8, 2026

Bring story ideas, questions, concerns or complaints to one of our convenient locations – or, even better, come with proposals about how you can become part of a team.

FILM

Fall film preview: 25 highlights to watch for

September 7, 2026

A mix of films, from tentpoles, sequels, horror films, to specialty cinema, comes our way just ahead of awards season.

DID YOU KNOW

Police raided the ironworks expecting ‘charred, grimy,’ degraded women, but this labor tale is more complicated

September 7, 2026

We mark Labor Day with the anniversary of an industrial raid that challenged notions of “suitable” work for women and the role of government in regulating working conditions.

How Somerville got to zero bicyclist or pedestrian deaths for four years, and how to keep it going

September 7, 2026

TAXONOMY

Tax tip of the week: Get a refund even when federal income tax goes to zero

September 7, 2026

The difference between refundable and nonrefundable tax credits matters. You may benefit from filing a return even if your income is low enough to make filing seem unnecessary.

OPINION

A response for renters after 100 years of humiliation

September 6, 2026

Yes, we need rent control. Not because it will work, but because it won’t. Economists predict it will crash property values. That’s not my problem.

NEWS

Cambridge meetings, Sept. 7-14: Multifamily housing projects and a hotel in Harvard Square (updated)

September 6, 2026

Take part in meetings on more six-story housing projects and one for four stories of condors and the return of plans for a Harriet Jacobs museum, hotel and homes.

COMEDY

Saturday cartoon: Members of the jury

September 5, 2026

The latest from local cartoonist Rusty Epstein, who sometimes appears in The New Yorker but appears weekly right here.

COMMUNITY

The Independent’s locally themed crossword puzzle: Hit the Books

September 5, 2026

The Independent’s sixth locally themed puzzle has something to teach you about our colleges and universities.

EDUCATION

Smart glasses and other wearables are banned from Cambridge Public Schools before a problem emerges

September 4, 2026

School Committee members move to avoid the “pervert glasses” problem and the technology's use for cheating, and to keep discipline under administrators’ discretion.

EDUCATION

Divisive principal told staff she is in her last year at Graham & Parks

September 3, 2026

Graham & Parks principal Kathleen Smith told staff at a June meeting that this will be her final year, said staff who attended. There have been no updates since.

NEWS

Death of bicyclist MIT professor takes community by surprise after state stays silent about Aug. 21 incident (updated)

September 3, 2026

New MIT professor Thomas Rose has died from injuries sustained in an Aug. 21 collision at Memorial Drive and Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, the school said.

FOOD

Curio in North Cambridge is the only place to get these four summertime (sp)ice creams

September 3, 2026

Even though they’re made at Somerville’s Forge, there are four frozen treat flavors available only from a small freezer by the door of Cambridge’s Curio Spice shop.

FILM

A genre that dare not speak its name in ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’

September 3, 2026

Writer and director Jane Schoenbrun bewilders and bedazzles with a deconstruction of classic '80s slasher flicks.

LET’S GET COFFEE

Work and play and then coffee at Triangle’s not-quite-coworking cafes

September 2, 2026

In my Triangle visit, the space was crisscrossed with striding workers. The residents of café tables were bent over computers and phones. The coffee is just fine.

BITE

Bacon quiche at Flour

September 2, 2026

Bacon makes a good argument for looking away from the pastry at Flour. This quiche will make you happy you did, even if the bacon doesn't stand out in the mix.

STAGE

Stage spotlight: ‘The Summer Throwdown’ and ‘Eleanor’

September 2, 2026

Let Megatron transform your weekend with dance battles and music in Kendall Square.

NEWS

In a rematch with MacKay for state rep in the 25th Middlesex District, Decker fights harder (updated)

September 2, 2026

Two years ago, labor organizer Evan MacKay came within 41 votes of unseating state rep Marjorie Decker. Decker and her supporters went all out to prevent a repeat.

NEWS

Brownsberger has the edge over Lander to keep his Suffolk and Middlesex state Senate seat (updated)

September 2, 2026

Whether the Suffolk and Middlesex seat will be kept by state senator Will Brownsberger or go to first-time challenger Daniel Lander looked too close to call Tuesday.

NEWS

Rogers wins reelection in 24th Middlesex race for state representative

September 2, 2026

Cambridge opted to reelect 24th Middlesex District state representative Dave Rogers in the Democratic primary held Tuesday, reflecting his win in the district as a whole.

NEWS

Uyterhoeven wins in 2nd Middlesex race to replace retiring Jehlen

September 1, 2026

Retiring state senator Pat Jehlen endorsed a different candidate than Somerville went for in a Democratic primary: Erika Uyterhoeven.

NEWS

Connolly beats challenger, keeps seat in 26th Middlesex state representative race

September 1, 2026

Somerville reelected state representative Mike Connolly in the Democratic primary, and first-time challenger Neil Miller conceded the race.

NEWS

In races affecting the region, Ryan wins DA; Markey beats Moulton; Clark cruises; and it’s Kennedy over Baylis

September 1, 2026

In regionwide races voted in a Democratic primary, Somerville went for Ryan for DA; Baylis for governor’s councilor; and reelected Ed Markey to his U.S. Senate seat.

NEWS

Police arrest man with a machete after search through Harvard Square

September 1, 2026

Police arrested a man with a machete Tuesday after a report the person was involved an aggravated assault and battery and a roving search through Harvard Square.

LIT

Reviewed: ‘This Book Made Me Think of You’ is a sad romance that’s in love with books

September 1, 2026

Matilda “Tilly” Nightingale has lost her love for reading. Her husband, Joe, dies from cancer only a few months after they are married. Tilly is faced with navigating life without him sooner than she...

COMMUNITY

Tuesday office hour in Davis Square (Diesel, 5:30-6:30 p.m.)

September 1, 2026

COMMUNITY

Lucky’s Picks: A witchy New England fantasy debut, ‘Les Vedettes: Las Exóticas’ and Nepali Street Food Festival

September 1, 2026

Feasts for eyes, the appetite and the intellect as the action unfolds across Cambridge and Somerville.

BUSINESS

Simon’s Coffee Shop regulars show up to say what may be a very short goodbye

August 31, 2026

Simon’s Coffee Shop served its final customers at at 1736 Massachusetts Ave. on Monday, but that doesn’t mean the business is gone while its building is rebuilt.

OPINION

State representative Mike Connolly responds to campaign claims by challenger in 26th Middlesex District

August 31, 2026

NEWS

A formal inquest led by judge will look into circumstances around a fatal police shooting in Central Square

August 31, 2026

A judicial inquest into an Aug. 21 shooting death in Cambridge’s Central Square was confirmed Monday, and the release of court reports and transcripts afterward.

DEVELOPMENT

Davis Square tower plan is dead, developer says

August 31, 2026

Developer Copper Mill blamed a lack of “reciprocity” from Somerville leadership for the end of its apartments and retail. The mayor called that “laughable.”

DID YOU KNOW

For 50 years that home economics was treated as a science, Harvard Square hosted a center for housewives

August 31, 2026

The idea of “specialists” trained to view household challenges in the same way as larger economic, political and social problems was a hallmark of the 1920s.

TAXONOMY

Tax tip of the week: Know the difference between deductions and credits

August 31, 2026

Tax deductions and tax credits – both can lower your taxes, but they work in very different ways, and you don’t get to choose.

NEWS

Civilian oversight of police is put back on a track in Somerville, but officer unions seem to hold the power

September 11, 2026

A process for oversight of Somerville police has restarted a half-dozen years after the Black Lives Matter movement, but with a bow to unions and the civil service system.

BUSINESS

Condominium project designed with AI stays stalled at commission

September 11, 2026

Not enough changed in the plans for condos near Davis Square to allow demolition of the current empty building, a turreted structure built in 1892.

BUSINESS

A small business boot camp that’s about more than trading business cards

September 11, 2026

Cambridge Local First taught small business owners how to compete in the digital era in 2026, and plans to reboot the boot camp in 2027.

NEWS

Lander concedes recounted race, and Brownsberger returns to Suffolk and Middlesex state Senate seat

September 10, 2026

State senator Will Brownsberger has kept his Suffolk and Middlesex seat in a recount of last week’s Democratic primary against first-time candidate Daniel Lander.

EDUCATION

Anti-immigrant agents can’t arrest on school grounds, officials emphasize in order

September 9, 2026

Protections for immigrants and undocumented students in Cambridge were strengthened, underlining protections the city has put in place over the past couple of years.

EDUCATION

Somerville submits 925-student school proposal to the state for design and funding steps

September 9, 2026

The campus coming to 115 Sycamore St. would open in 2031 if the plan is advanced by the state and if city voters agree to pay for roughly half the cost.

NEWS

Suspect in May 11 gun battle due to be arraigned on armed assault to murder, other charges

September 9, 2026

Tyler Brown, 47 of Boston, will be arraigned Thursday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn after police say he wielded an illegal AK-47 while in emotional distress.

NEWS

After Food Nation and Honk!, Davis Square project looks at funding from a parking improvement district (updated)

September 9, 2026

The group working to revive Davis Square is feeling good about its first five months, preparing for a big end to its first season and already looking at what’s coming in 2027.

FOOD

Talking food: A conversation with Ana Sortun of Sofra, Sarma and Oleana

September 9, 2026

At 14, Ana Sortun washed dishes at a Seattle restaurant. By 19 she was at La Varenne, the cooking school in Paris. Then she went to Turkey and found her culinary home.

FOOD

Revelations on taste: New thoughts on coffee and food at Sofra

September 9, 2026

Almost never is a café visit only about coffee, and that is particularly true at Sofra, a café-deli-restaurant-destination. Its food, with a morning cup of coffee, offers a lesson in pairings.

BITE

Broissant at Bakey

September 9, 2026

All together it’s very good, but the “broissant” hybrid of sweet babka crossed with a savory croissant is a terrible name on its own merits and as a promise.

TAXONOMY

Tax tip of the week: Get a refund even when federal income tax goes to zero

September 7, 2026

The difference between refundable and nonrefundable tax credits matters. You may benefit from filing a return even if your income is low enough to make filing seem unnecessary.

NEWS

Cambridge meetings, Sept. 7-14: Multifamily housing projects and a hotel in Harvard Square (updated)

September 6, 2026

Take part in meetings on more six-story housing projects and one for four stories of condors and the return of plans for a Harriet Jacobs museum, hotel and homes.

EDUCATION

Smart glasses and other wearables are banned from Cambridge Public Schools before a problem emerges

September 4, 2026

School Committee members move to avoid the “pervert glasses” problem and the technology's use for cheating, and to keep discipline under administrators’ discretion.

EDUCATION

Divisive principal told staff she is in her last year at Graham & Parks

September 3, 2026

Graham & Parks principal Kathleen Smith told staff at a June meeting that this will be her final year, said staff who attended. There have been no updates since.

NEWS

Death of bicyclist MIT professor takes community by surprise after state stays silent about Aug. 21 incident (updated)

September 3, 2026

New MIT professor Thomas Rose has died from injuries sustained in an Aug. 21 collision at Memorial Drive and Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, the school said.

FOOD

Curio in North Cambridge is the only place to get these four summertime (sp)ice creams

September 3, 2026

Even though they’re made at Somerville’s Forge, there are four frozen treat flavors available only from a small freezer by the door of Cambridge’s Curio Spice shop.

LET’S GET COFFEE

Work and play and then coffee at Triangle’s not-quite-coworking cafes

September 2, 2026

In my Triangle visit, the space was crisscrossed with striding workers. The residents of café tables were bent over computers and phones. The coffee is just fine.

BITE

Bacon quiche at Flour

September 2, 2026

Bacon makes a good argument for looking away from the pastry at Flour. This quiche will make you happy you did, even if the bacon doesn't stand out in the mix.

NEWS

In a rematch with MacKay for state rep in the 25th Middlesex District, Decker fights harder (updated)

September 2, 2026

Two years ago, labor organizer Evan MacKay came within 41 votes of unseating state rep Marjorie Decker. Decker and her supporters went all out to prevent a repeat.

NEWS

Brownsberger has the edge over Lander to keep his Suffolk and Middlesex state Senate seat (updated)

September 2, 2026

Whether the Suffolk and Middlesex seat will be kept by state senator Will Brownsberger or go to first-time challenger Daniel Lander looked too close to call Tuesday.

NEWS

Rogers wins reelection in 24th Middlesex race for state representative

September 2, 2026

Cambridge opted to reelect 24th Middlesex District state representative Dave Rogers in the Democratic primary held Tuesday, reflecting his win in the district as a whole.

NEWS

Uyterhoeven wins in 2nd Middlesex race to replace retiring Jehlen

September 1, 2026

Retiring state senator Pat Jehlen endorsed a different candidate than Somerville went for in a Democratic primary: Erika Uyterhoeven.

NEWS

Connolly beats challenger, keeps seat in 26th Middlesex state representative race

September 1, 2026

Somerville reelected state representative Mike Connolly in the Democratic primary, and first-time challenger Neil Miller conceded the race.

NEWS

In races affecting the region, Ryan wins DA; Markey beats Moulton; Clark cruises; and it’s Kennedy over Baylis

September 1, 2026

In regionwide races voted in a Democratic primary, Somerville went for Ryan for DA; Baylis for governor’s councilor; and reelected Ed Markey to his U.S. Senate seat.

NEWS

Police arrest man with a machete after search through Harvard Square

September 1, 2026

Police arrested a man with a machete Tuesday after a report the person was involved an aggravated assault and battery and a roving search through Harvard Square.

BUSINESS

Simon’s Coffee Shop regulars show up to say what may be a very short goodbye

August 31, 2026

Simon’s Coffee Shop served its final customers at at 1736 Massachusetts Ave. on Monday, but that doesn’t mean the business is gone while its building is rebuilt.

NEWS

A formal inquest led by judge will look into circumstances around a fatal police shooting in Central Square

August 31, 2026

A judicial inquest into an Aug. 21 shooting death in Cambridge’s Central Square was confirmed Monday, and the release of court reports and transcripts afterward.

DEVELOPMENT

Davis Square tower plan is dead, developer says

August 31, 2026

Developer Copper Mill blamed a lack of “reciprocity” from Somerville leadership for the end of its apartments and retail. The mayor called that “laughable.”

TAXONOMY

Tax tip of the week: Know the difference between deductions and credits

August 31, 2026

Tax deductions and tax credits – both can lower your taxes, but they work in very different ways, and you don’t get to choose.

NEWS

Cambridge meetings, Aug. 31-Sept. 7: The future of tech in schools and the K-Lo campus

August 30, 2026

Take part in meetings on Setting preservation grants, school policies around the Protect Act, smart glasses and K-Lo, and restaurant rules and regulations.

BUSINESS

Somerville’s Out of the Blue art gallery is on the move back to Allston

August 27, 2026

The Out of the Blue Art Gallery is packed to leave Somerville for the Jackson Mann Community Center in Allston, with some art scattering to Cambridge, Medford and Waltham.

NEWS

ShotSpotter didn’t hear the gunfire that killed a man in Central Square, first incident since reactivation, police say

August 27, 2026

The ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, which was returned to service Aug. 17, didn't detect the fatal shooting of William Woodworth on Friday by police.

NEWS

These are the longest red and green lights in Cambridge and Somerville. Guess which square has it worst.

August 26, 2026

The longest red light on Cambridge and Somerville streets will keep drivers and riders waiting a full 2 minutes, 30 seconds (spoiler alert, it’s in Somerville’s Union Square).

FOOD

Spindler Confections is building a Harvard Square shop within a shop at the 143-year-old Leavitt & Pierce

August 26, 2026

What is already among the most fascinating shops to browse in Cambridge will get a whole other category of delights to discover: Spindler handmade candy.

LET’S GET COFFEE

Frozen: Do as the Parisians do, but in Somerville, at Wildgrain Bakehouse

August 26, 2026

Wildgrain Bakehouse is close by but feels like another planet. And there are very good croissants – surprisingly, previously frozen and then baked.

FOOD

You might not know you could have a 12-inch pita

August 26, 2026

Giant pitas, the right size for wraps, are back at Foodland, the North Cambridge halal grocer. I’m dreading that this sensible but all-but-unknown option will disappear again.

BITE

Falafel skewer platter at Clover

August 26, 2026

The Clover chain is down to five locations after its scrape with a shutdown in May, but three of those stores are in Cambridge and are still serving good, fresh and healthy food.

NEWS

West Nile Virus risk levels in Cambridge and Somerville are raised to ‘high’ after two county cases

August 24, 2026

The risk for West Nile Virus in seven metro Boston communities was raised Monday to high as the state revealed a second human case in Massachusetts this year.

NEWS

Man shot by police in Central Square is identified

August 24, 2026

The person fatally shot by Cambridge police Friday in Central Square has been identified as a 64-year-old Watertown man.

TAXONOMY

Tax tip of the week: Finding the right help to file isn’t as simple as you might think

August 24, 2026

Don’t choose a tax professional just based on the initials after someone’s name. Not every certified public accountant specializes in tax.

NEWS

Cambridge meetings, Aug. 24-31: Deciding who gets Community Preservation Act money (corrected)

August 23, 2026

Take part in meetings on setting preservation grants, walking through Healthpeak plans and dropping off household hazardous waste.

MUSIC

Where there’s a will, there’s a Moon Over (Cinema) Salem

September 11, 2026

A Salem arts non-profit fights its way through compliance woes to save its annual music festival.

BUSINESS

A small business boot camp that’s about more than trading business cards

September 11, 2026

Cambridge Local First taught small business owners how to compete in the digital era in 2026, and plans to reboot the boot camp in 2027.

MUSIC

Lily Allen tells all on her “West End Girl” tour

September 10, 2026

The British pop star hasn't forgotten how to craft a wicked takedown lyric, but does she still take pleasure in it?

STAGE

Stage spotlight: Level Up Circus and ‘Mantasia 2’

September 9, 2026

Coming your way this weekend, circus acts inspired by video games and a drag show that will stretch your imagination.

ART AND DESIGN

Cambridge’s artsy People’s Sculpture Race looks for its team, but Lowell’s Kinetic Sculpture Race runs on

September 8, 2026

Lowell's fun race, which takes place again Sept. 19, was once matched by a version in Cambridge born out of artists with close connections with MIT.

ARTS

Lucky’s Picks: Magic Lab, birthday quests and graphic novels galore

September 8, 2026

The Indie highlights an open mic for magicians, poetry workshop, healing through humor and Side Quest celebrating two years.

LIT

Reviewed: A powerful ‘Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis’

September 8, 2026

Modeled after the KKK, the Veiled Prophet shows up in the roots of the Cold War, opposition to civil rights, support for the Vietnam War and maybe violence in Ferguson, Missouri.

COMMUNITY

Tuesday office hour in Central Square (Toscanini’s, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.)

September 8, 2026

Bring story ideas, questions, concerns or complaints to one of our convenient locations – or, even better, come with proposals about how you can become part of a team.

FILM

Fall film preview: 25 highlights to watch for

September 7, 2026

A mix of films, from tentpoles, sequels, horror films, to specialty cinema, comes our way just ahead of awards season.

DID YOU KNOW

Police raided the ironworks expecting ‘charred, grimy,’ degraded women, but this labor tale is more complicated

September 7, 2026

We mark Labor Day with the anniversary of an industrial raid that challenged notions of “suitable” work for women and the role of government in regulating working conditions.

How Somerville got to zero bicyclist or pedestrian deaths for four years, and how to keep it going

September 7, 2026

OPINION

A response for renters after 100 years of humiliation

September 6, 2026

Yes, we need rent control. Not because it will work, but because it won’t. Economists predict it will crash property values. That’s not my problem.

COMEDY

Saturday cartoon: Members of the jury

September 5, 2026

The latest from local cartoonist Rusty Epstein, who sometimes appears in The New Yorker but appears weekly right here.

COMMUNITY

The Independent’s locally themed crossword puzzle: Hit the Books

September 5, 2026

The Independent’s sixth locally themed puzzle has something to teach you about our colleges and universities.

FILM

A genre that dare not speak its name in ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’

September 3, 2026

Writer and director Jane Schoenbrun bewilders and bedazzles with a deconstruction of classic '80s slasher flicks.

STAGE

Stage spotlight: ‘The Summer Throwdown’ and ‘Eleanor’

September 2, 2026

Let Megatron transform your weekend with dance battles and music in Kendall Square.

LIT

Reviewed: ‘This Book Made Me Think of You’ is a sad romance that’s in love with books

September 1, 2026

COMMUNITY

Tuesday office hour in Davis Square (Diesel, 5:30-6:30 p.m.)

September 1, 2026

COMMUNITY

Lucky’s Picks: A witchy New England fantasy debut, ‘Les Vedettes: Las Exóticas’ and Nepali Street Food Festival

September 1, 2026

Feasts for eyes, the appetite and the intellect as the action unfolds across Cambridge and Somerville.

OPINION

State representative Mike Connolly responds to campaign claims by challenger in 26th Middlesex District

August 31, 2026

DID YOU KNOW

For 50 years that home economics was treated as a science, Harvard Square hosted a center for housewives

August 31, 2026

The idea of “specialists” trained to view household challenges in the same way as larger economic, political and social problems was a hallmark of the 1920s.

OPINION

Hit the federal government where it hurts: Let’s withhold taxes

August 30, 2026

Not transmitting income tax monies to the federal government is a federal offense. I would support taking that risk.

OPINION

Amateurs’ ideas for the Reid Overpass are still better than the latest ideas from the state

August 30, 2026

A pedestrian-bike roundabout bridge makes sense, or a slimmed-down roundabout featuring a genuinely novel approach to fixing the 47 bus route.

OPINION

Why a Cambridge Democrat registers as a Republican in conservative Florida

August 30, 2026

FILM

A pilot searches for a rumored utopia in the post-apocalypse in ‘The Dog Stars’

August 30, 2026

Director Ridley Scott delivers a competent, yet forgettable entry into the prolific survivalist thriller genre.

COMEDY

Saturday cartoon: Deb has trouble

August 29, 2026

The latest from local cartoonist Rusty Epstein, who sometimes appears in The New Yorker but appears weekly right here.

THEATER

A.R.T. production of ‘Rhinoceros’ soars to heights while exploring humanity’s bestial depths

August 28, 2026

A star-studded cast with Turturro, Giamatti and Maslany, make Diane Paulus' final directorial turn at the Loeb Drama Center a memorable one.

FILM

Jason Statham stars as a working-class hero with a mysterious backstory in ‘Mutiny’

August 28, 2026

In a quest for personal vengeance, a body guard at sea needs to punch, kick and shoot his way to justice.

ARTS

‘Synth-tember’ takes over the month of, you guessed it, September

August 27, 2026

Art meets science at this experimental enclave of electronic visuals and music makers at the New Alliance Gallery.

OPINION

Voters deserve higher standards from their candidates

August 26, 2026

Candidates for public office face far, far too little scrutiny. And our politics is worse for it. A healthy free press is one of the best ways to improve things.

EVENTS

Lucky’s Picks: hags, collectibles, Mr. Shushy and farewell to aka Rat

August 26, 2026

The Indie introduces a new weekly events roundup highlighting happenings that are beloved, bizarre and possibly collectible.

ARTS

Sign of the Dove arts collective has a new home in Porter Square

August 25, 2026

The art store Sign of the Dove reopens Sept. 1 at Lesley’s University Hall – next to Porter Square Books – in time for the Cambridge Arts Open Studios.

STAGE

Theater spotlight: ‘Introducing the Tofanas’ and Idlefest 3.0

August 25, 2026

A gang of poison punkers get your weekend started early on Thursday, and Idle Hands Collective plants its flag at The Foundry.

LIT

What Cambridge and Somerville readers are buying: Russo returns with ‘Under the Falls’

August 25, 2026

Two novelists with extensive catalogs return to the lists: Pulitzer-winning Maine author Richard Russo for “Under the Falls” and Ann Patchett for “Whistler.”

OPINION

Cambridge and Somerville have a housing champion in state representative Mike Connolly

August 25, 2026

DANCE

Satpathy brings to life figures from temple walls with skills of martial arts, pilates, ballet and anatomy

August 25, 2026

Seats are sold out for Bijayini Satpathy, but names are being accepted for a waitlist by the Rasik Dance Concert Series, which brings Classical Indian dancers to Boston.

LIT

Reviewed: Freed by grief to be a private detective and on an Alice B. Toklas hunt in ‘Bone Horn’

August 25, 2026

“Bone Horn” maintains its precarious balance between absurdity and grief, work and childcare, bodies and books.

OPINION

Just a kid From Cambridge on why I support Marjorie Decker for state representative

August 25, 2026

DID YOU KNOW

‘Cambridge is a Tiny Cuba’: Harvard and the Cuban teachers’ expedition of 1900

August 24, 2026

Four ships landed on July 4, 1900, and more than 1,200 Cuban teachers came to Cambridge. One remarked that “Cambridge es Cuba chiquita” (“Cambridge is a tiny Cuba”).

OPINION

Marjorie Decker campaign on misogyny, misleading claims and equal scrutiny

August 24, 2026

OPINION

I live in the 25th Middlesex District, and I will be voting for Marjorie Decker

August 24, 2026

OPINION

MacKay supporter responds to letter for Decker, seeking a representative for all of Cambridge

August 23, 2026

OPINION

Electronic funds transfer thwarts criminals and enables despots

August 23, 2026

I avoided giving the government bank account information out of a vague fear, but that worry has sharpened with the Trump administration.

OPINION

The Boston Globe’s coverage of ShotSpotter amounts to copaganda

August 23, 2026

OPINION

Whose voice, whose values in the 25th Middlesex District race?

August 23, 2026

OPINION

MIT’s glass box

August 23, 2026

MIT is celebrating the opening of its Metropolitan Warehouse project – a rework of the fortresslike warehouse for campus use.

OPINION

Changes to the 96 bus route are unnecessary, and the results will create hardship

August 22, 2026

COMMUNITY

The Independent’s locally themed crossword puzzle: Training montage

August 22, 2026

The Independent’s fifth locally themed puzzle hops onto the MBTA, with its “lines” of various colors, getting some insight why those colors were chosen.

MUSIC

Fall Festival Preview

August 22, 2026

Fall festivals, from one-day local affairs to multiday out-of-towners, that are worth getting off the couch for.

BICYCLING

Take some time around Fresh Pond, and register to vote

August 21, 2026

Fresh Pond is one of the most beautiful places in the city to spend a few hours. (It's also one of three in-person early voting locations for Cambridge.)