Taxpayers need a real library reopening date
If casinos, bookstores, private coworking spaces, gyms, yoga studios and countless other for-profit businesses (many of which are much less safe than a library) were able to figure out reopenings long before now, why can’t a well-funded public service such as Cambridge’s public libraries?
After taking back broadband study, city manager says he’d blame councillors for the repercussions
Councillors were left threatening another negative budget vote to express frustration over a municipal broadband feasibility study denied by the city manager for years – only for the city manager to tell councillors that it was a “game” they were playing with the jobs of city staff.
Digital equity report arrives, hailing competition and downplaying study of municipal broadband (updated)
The city released its long-awaited, 279-page digital equity study Tuesday, publicizing it with nine recommended strategies – including as No. 7 to “develop a strategy that explores municipal and other options for increasing broadband competition” – and an emphasis on existing market solutions.
Councillors express shock over ‘delay after delay’ around promised study of municipal broadband
Already angry over city staff’s slow, inadequate response about an acoustic music order dating back to 2017, city councillors complained Monday about a lack of action on an issue dating back to 2016: a municipal broadband feasibility study.
City manager okays broadband feasibility study, acknowledging council rebellion on budget vote
Under the pressure of a rejected budget item, the city has committed to a long-awaited feasibility study of creating a municipal broadband network to provide residents with cheap, fast Internet access.
Continuing lack of municipal broadband study inspires six-councillor budget item protest vote
A yearslong lack of action on a study of city-owned Internet led to a rare rejection of part of next year’s proposed budget, with city councillors voting 3-6 on Tuesday against funding for the Information Technology department.
Council demands municipal broadband action while citizens cite ‘disrespect’ by city manager
A never-explained refusal to produce a report on municipal broadband is angering city councillors and residents just as Louis A. DePasquale is asking to renew his contract as city manager.
Pop-ups such as Community Phone fill a void where view could be long-empty storefronts
Community Phone has been in pop-up digs in the heart of Harvard Square for three months now, and may be out on the street by midsummer. That might be nerve-racking for some businesses; the youthful founders of this startup aren’t worried at all.
Digital equity initiative is ‘spinning our wheels’ on way to study of city broadband, officials say
Plans for a “digital equity research initiative” failed to impress Monday, seen as a follow-up to the a Municipal Broadband Task Force that avoids answering whether the city should or could have municipal broadband.
Salmonella from locally sold chicken brand highlights federal recall rules’ cautious pace
Some consumer groups are questioning why two federal agencies alerted the public about chicken linked to a salmonella outbreak that has caused one death and 17 illnesses so far – but did not advise buyers to throw out the chicken implicated in the outbreak.
