Cambridge
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Neighbors wonder at cause of fatal fire
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 28, 2005
An elderly city woman died Friday in an early morning blaze that officials from the city fire department and Harvard University — which is building a $36 million dorm nearby — say is under investigation. Ordinarily that would be uncontroversial. But neighbors of the late Gladys Evans, 79, of 47 Banks St., say they think [...]
Officials agree with residents on flood fears
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 28, 2005
The city’s plan for the Alewife area is so flawed that it is expected to die and require a total rewrite, according to the leaders of the City Council’s ordinance committee. The plan has at least one major flaw, said committee co-chairman Ken Reeves: It doesn’t adequately address the threat of flooding. Reeves’ remarks followed [...]
Rats run out of control, and agencies are a no-show
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 23, 2005
The public testimony at yesterday’s Ordinance Committee meeting was like something out of the era of the bubonic plague, when flea-ridden rats spread an incurable disease that killed 137 million people. Maybe it isn’t that bad in Cambridge yet. But elected officials and residents at yesterday’s meeting agreed on one thing: the rats are taking [...]
Rift fades into history and college president becomes citizen
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 22, 2005
For more than 30 years, Cambridge College president Mahesh C. Sharma has labored to provide educational opportunities for people who never had the chance or who never tried when they had the chance. But despite all his working-class student success stories for people who might not otherwise have had a crack at the American dream, [...]
Defying city manager on meters, councilor cancels meeting
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 22, 2005
In an act of protest, last night City Council member Tim Toomey exercised his charter right to bump everything on the manager’s agenda until the council’s next meeting. Toomey said he made the move not because of what was on the agenda, “but what was not on there.” Parking meters. In particular, the new ones [...]
College grows under Sharma’s leadership
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 22, 2005
Mahesh C. Sharma’s teaching success as a world-famous mathematics professor who can bring students with learning disabilities up to speed — and the success of Cambridge College under his reign as president — is well known. When he started with the college in 1973, the student population was only 100. That has since grown to [...]
Officials urge poor to apply for fuel aid
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 21, 2005
Gasoline prices may be decreasing at the pumps, but the cost of home heating oil is still considerably higher than it was a year ago, leaving city officials concerned about how lower-income families will stay warm. Last year Cambridge provided fuel assistance to 801 city families, according to assistant city manager for human services Ellen [...]
Tipped off by citizen spotter, cops save caps from theft
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 18, 2005
Cambridge Police arrested two teens at dawn yesterday, saying they were caught trying to heist between $15,000 and $20,000 worth of goods from a Cambridge Street store. Police were tipped off to the theft by a neighbor to Heavy’s Caps & Accessories, at 766 Cambridge St., police spokesman Frank Pasquarello said. The neighbor detected “suspicious [...]
Harvard construction worries neighbors
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 18, 2005
Bank Street residents next to a 144-unit Harvard dormitory construction project say excavation at the site is causing them great hardship. Officials in charge of the $36.5 million construction at 5 Cowperthwaite and 69 Banks St. are proud of the job they are doing and have given assurances they will protect the neighbors and their [...]
Opponents of Alewife plan have fears of flood disaster
By Rick Guinness
Published: November 17, 2005
The Planning Board unveiled its rezoning petition for the Concord-Alewife section of Cambridge at a public hearing Tuesday, a rezoning city officials said is intended to guide development in a densely populated area and get people out of their cars. Residents say the improvements will invite too much additional traffic, while not taking into consideration [...]