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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Cambridge is testing out its first Porchfest. Here's what to expect
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
It's Tuesday. A flood watch is in effect today for southern New England due to possibly intense thunderstorms rolling through this afternoon. Following this past weekend's deadly floods in Texas, NPR reports that climate change could make floods a more dangerous phenomenon across the the country; parts of New England are projected to see the most dramatic increase in heavy rain events. (It's never a bad time to brush up on these flood safety tips from experts in Texas' "Flash Flood Alley.")
Now to the news:
Piloting Porchfest: Cambridge is getting in on the Porchfest act. But the inaugural event this month will look different from the massive decentralized music festival hosted by its neighbor. Cambridge is planning its first-ever Porchfest split across two days next weekend: July 19 in the residential Cambridgeport neighborhood abutting the Charles River and July 20 in and around the businesses of Central Square.
- Starting small: Jason Weeks, the executive director of Cambridge Arts Council, said they're confining this first Porchfest to just one part of the 118,000-person city to make sure they can manage everything "safely and efficiently." It's also an opportunity to experiment with two different vibes. "It'll be a combination of the neighborhood experience and the community feel with a more urban feel and sort of the business and cultural district vibe," Weeks told WBUR's Amy Sokolow.
- Why there? According to Weeks, it was Cambridgeport residents who first approached his organization and the Cambridge City Council asking for support to join the dozens of communities in Massachusetts that throw Porchfests. "It's also very dense residential neighborhood that's chock-a-block full of artists and musicians," Weeks said. Meanwhile, he said Central Square represents Cambridge's geographic, governmental and cultural center. They plan to use the existing patios (and indoor spaces) of its restaurants and bars for performances.
- What's next: Weeks said the plan is to expand Porchfest to all of Cambridge in future years, incorporating the lessons of this first edition. "We'll be taking notes throughout," he said.
- Know before you go: The music will run from noon to 6 p.m. on both days. Check the Cambridge Arts Council's new Porchfest webpage for more details.
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Across the river: Boston University is the latest local college to turn to layoffs in the wake of recent actions and funding cuts by the Trump administration. BU President Melissa Gilliam announced yesterday that 120 employees are being laid off and another 120 open positions are being eliminated as part of a plan to cut the university's $2.5 billion budget by 5%. "As we take part in a national renegotiation of how the country’s higher education model will be funded, universities face other pressures such as rising inflation, changing demographics, declining graduate enrollment, and the need to adapt to new technologies," Gilliam said. (BU also holds WBUR's broadcast license.)
- Zoom out: The news comes after 75 employees at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard were laid off late last month. Harvard's Kennedy School and Chan School of Public Health also cut an unspecified number of jobs in June, citing “massive” federal funding cuts and threats to international student enrollment.
- By the numbers: Massachusetts alone has seen $1.2 billion in federal research grants terminated, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
In court: The first round of criminal defendants in Massachusetts have been released from custody because they don't have representation, as a large group of court-appointed attorneys continue to strike for higher pay. According to The Boston Globe, four defendants who were being held on bail were released yesterday, including a man who allegedly strangled his pregnant wife.
- Last Thursday, the state's top court ruled that people not assigned a lawyer must be released from custody after seven days. WBUR's Jesús Marrero Suárez reports that, as of last week, there were 1,190 unrepresented defendants, 70 of whom were in custody, across the courts in Suffolk and Middlesex counties.
On the campaign trail: Paul Toner, the Cambridge city councilor who was among dozens of men charged with paying for sex from a local high-end brothel, announced he won't run for reelection this fall (even though he says he'd still win). "I’ve thought about this a lot and have decided to complete my current term and take a step back from elective office to explore other opportunities," Toner wrote on Facebook yesterday. WBUR's Deborah Becker has more on Toner's decision here.
P.S.— The Skating Club of Boston is renaming its West Rink to honor the six members who died in a plane crash this past January. The renamed “Always Champions Training Rink" will also feature a tribute wall with photos and stories of the victims. The Norwood club is also creating two scholarships and four annual awards in their names. You can read more about the memorial effort here.
