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Articles by Abbie Gruskin
COVID-19 puts hold on Peace Corps, Fulbright plans for graduating seniors - The Tufts Daily
COVID-19 puts hold on Peace Corps, Fulbright plans for graduating seniors COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in the plans of graduating seniors preparing to embark on international volunteer work or study abroad opportunities, with international programs including the Peace Corps and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program postponing upcoming travel due to the ongoing global impacts of COVID-19.
Decades of construction transform, renew the Hill - The Tufts Daily
Decades of construction transform, renew the Hill Dowling Hall is pictured during construction on Jan. 14, 2000. Justin Golub / Tufts Daily Archives Significant construction and capital projects have transformed the face of Walnut Hill, home to Tufts’ first buildings and the nexus of the Medford/Somerville campus, since the Daily’s founding. The following is an overview of the Daily’s coverage of construction on the Hill since 1980, many buildings of which already seem timeless today.
City Council allocates $30 million for Foundry Building
Rendering courtesy of Cambridge Seven. Cambridge City Council allocates $30 million for Foundry Building City councilors voted at the end of October to devote $30 million to redevelop the Foundry Building in East Cambridge, according to The Cambridge Chronicle. The new community center is planned to act as a destination for “science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) activities” while also providing a working space for nonprofits and more.
City of Somerville begins construction in Boynton Yards
Photo courtesy of City of Somerville. Posted By: Abbie Gruskin January 22, 2020 City of Somerville begins construction on new “life sciences” building in Union Square Joe Cutatone took to Facebook to announce that the city began construction on a “new life sciences building” in Boynton Yards this December. The building is part of a larger project to increase “extensive community benefits” in that part of the city, according to his post. An official groundbreaking ceremony was held on Dec.
Crema Cafe replaced by Bluestone Lane
Harvard Square: Bluestone Lane The 27 Brattle St. space in Harvard Square, formerly home to Crema Cafe, has finally been filled, according to Eater Boston. Bluestone Lane, a cafe chain with “an essence of Australia and New York swank,” opened in the beginning of November with menu items including “avocado smash,” lemon ricotta pancakes, sandwiches, salads, and an array of coffees and teas. The chain was founded in New York in 2013 but now has expanded to 45 locations in a total of 7 cities.
What's New: New and Improved Eats
Photo courtesy of Winter Hill Brewing Company. Winter Hill Brewing Company partners with Scott Brothers to expand its offerings Winter Hill Brewing Company is expanding its palate. The popular brewery now also serves brunch, lunch, and dinner thanks to a partnership with catering company Scott Brothers that began this November, according to Eater Boston. Brunch is served on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes dishes like breakfast tacos and shakshuka.
What's New: Final Farewell to Out of Town News
Out Of Town News. Photo by Lilly Milman. Posted By: Abbie Gruskin December 9, 2019 Harvard Square Out of Town News Out of Town News left town at the end of October in advance of city plans to renovate the 64-year-old kiosk, according to The Harvard Crimson. The newsstand sold “newspapers from around the globe” to a wide audience of students, locals, and even famous faces like Robert Frost and Julia Child.
What's New in Cambridge: City Beat
Cambridge Carnival. Photo by Erwin Houser. City cancels Cambridge Carnival after threats of violence The annual Cambridge Carnival scheduled for early September was canceled due to reported threats of violence in connection with an exchange of gunfire near Boston’s Caribbean Carnival parade at the end of August, according to the Cambridge Chronicle.
Black Ink closing amid evolving local retail scene in Harvard Square
After 18 years in its tiny, efficiently packed Harvard Square storefront, stationary and gift store Black Ink is closing at the end of the year. Susan Corcoran, who has owned and operated the store since 2001, cites the rising cost of rent as her primary reason for shutting the doors to her beloved store for good. “There wasn’t really a decision to be made,” Corcoran explains. “It was completely not possible to do business here. The rent I was offered was unsustainable.
What's New in Somerville: Construction Zone
Davis Square rendering courtesy of City of Somerville. Posted By: Abbie Gruskin November 18, 2019 New design for Davis Square proposed to city planning board The city planning board convened at the end of September to discuss a new 111-page Davis Square Neighborhood Plan with residents, according to the Somerville Journal. The document proposes redesigns of streets, buildings, public space usage, and traffic related challenges, all as part of a process that began in 2013.
What's New: New In Town in Cambridge
Kendall Square Brothers Marketplace Wellesley grocery chain Roche Bros. opened a Brothers Marketplace in Kendall Square this month after two years of planning, according to The Boston Globe. The market moved into the ground floor of an MIT office building and is the first grocery store in the square.
TCU Senate, administration host Mental Health Town Hall to address student wellbeing - The Tufts Daily
TCU Senate, administration host Mental Health Town Hall to address student wellbeing Julie Ross, staff psychologist and director of CMHS, discusses off-campus counseling resources during Mental Health Town Hall, an event organized by the TCU Senate in Barnum 008 on Nov. 13, 2019.
Sleepless in Somerville: Complaints about airplane noise skyrocket, stir up community voices
Increased jet noise is plaguing city residents, who voiced their opposition to Logan Airport flight paths over Somerville in a City Council meeting this September. The cumulative number of city complaints about airplane noise collected by the Massachusetts Port Authority (MassPort)—which owns and operates Logan International Airport, Hanscom Field, and Worcester Regional Airport—has skyrocketed from 71 by August 2012 to 12,927 through August 2019.
What's New: City Beat
Photo courtesy of Zhao Acupuncture and Herbals Clinic. Public pools in the city can’t take the heat State officials denied the city’s attempt to lengthen the nine-weekend season for the state-owned Francis J. McCrehan Memorial Swimming Pool, which closed for the summer at the end of August, according to Cambridge Day. The City Manager’s Office had been working on the proposed extension since January after feedback from residents and officials.
What's New: Health Beat
Photo courtesy of Bluebikes. Posted By: Abbie Gruskin October 6, 2019 Bluebikes adds four more stations in the city Bluebikesis on a roll—the bikeshare system added four new stations to the city at the end of July, according to a tweet from the organization. Bikers can nd the added stations at Edgerly Education Center, Clarendon Hill at Broadway, Elm St. at White St., and Teele Square. Partners HealthCare in search of a new name Partners HealthCare might be ready for a big change.
MIT ‘Rewires’ Its Comp Sci Curriculum With a New Interdisciplinary College
MIT has introduced an ethics course designed to help identify potential issues from new tech. Photo by Jake Belcher. MIT is overhauling its academic structure this fall with the introduction of an interdisciplinary college of computing, which will integrate ethics into the computer science curriculum. The MIT Stephen A.
What's New: City Beat
Ayanna Pressley announces bill to ban facial recognition in public housing In July, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, whose district represents Somerville, announced a bill to ban the use of biometric recognition technology in public housing funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to the Somerville Journal.
MIT ‘Rewires’ Its Comp Sci Curriculum With a New Interdisciplinary College
MIT has introduced an ethics course designed to help identify potential issues from new tech. Photo by Jake Belcher. Posted By: Abbie Gruskin September 25, 2019 MIT is overhauling its academic structure this fall with the introduction of an interdisciplinary college of computing, which will integrate ethics into the computer science curriculum. The MIT Stephen A.
Tufts changes drop, withdrawal deadlines with input from Mental Health Task Force - The Tufts Daily
Tufts changes drop, withdrawal deadlines with input from Mental Health Task Force A Tufts student considers dropping a course in a Tisch Library quiet study area on Sept. 24. Seohyun Shim / The Tufts Daily Tufts announced a change to the drop and withdrawal deadlines in an email from the Associate Deans of Undergraduate Advising on Sept.
Mayor’s Plan For Supervised Drug-Use Facility Doesn’t Sit Well With State’s U.S. Attorney
A supervised drug-use facility in Vancouver, which authorities hope will increase addicts' access to treatment programs. Photo courtesy of Vancouver Coastal Health. In August, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone announced his plan to open a supervised consumption space for drug users within the next year, even though such a space would violate state and federal laws, according to the Somerville Journal.
Something Ventured: Central Square Florist
Family-owned Central Square Florist has been a cornerstone to the square for decades, catering to the local community since 1929. But the voice of the small, colorful shop has evolved in recent years as ownership has been passed down to a member of the family’s youngest generation, Jackie Levine. Central Square Florist, which Levine’s grandfather’s uncle originally opened down the road at the intersection of Pearl and Massachusetts Ave., is now a fourth-generation family business.
What's New: Getting Creative
Photo courtesy of the Cambridge Artists' Cooperative. Posted By: Abbie Gruskin July 31, 2019 Harvard Square Cambridge Artists’ Cooperative Narrowly Stays in Harvard Multiple construction projects in Harvard Square—along with a decrease in foot traffic and ever-rising rents—almost sent the Cambridge Artists’ Cooperative searching for new digs.
What's New: City Beat
Photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Posted By: Abbie Gruskin July 30, 2019 City Council Approves FY20 Budget The City Council signed off on the FY20 budget at the end of June. The greatest chunk of funding—30 percent in the proposed FY20 budget summary, which equals over $76 million—was allotted to the school department, while 18 percent went toward public safety.
What’s New: City Beat & Community Wellness
City Beat City Asks for Participatory Budgeting Ideas It’s time to speak up if you have big dreams of sprucing up the city. Cambridge has allotted $1,000,000 to spend on “capital projects to improve the community” in the sixth annual Participatory Budgeting cycle and is asking residents to propose project ideas, according to a press release. Proposals are due July 31, and then volunteer budget delegates will winnow them down to a list of finalists before the community votes on winners in December.
City Considers Permitting, Safety Regulations to Pave Way for Electric Scooters
Elvert Barnes / Flickr Creative Commons Residents, commuters, and tourists already zip around major cities including Los Angeles, D.C., Miami, and Austin on electric scooters. Cambridge might join the shared e-scooter craze soon, but not without establishing regulations and permitting requirements. “I subscribe to a Google alert for electric scooters, and every day I get an email that has six or eight or 10 headlines of what’s going on with scooters in other markets,” Vice Mayor Jan Devereux says.
T&B Pizza Brings ‘Hyper-focused,’ Wood-fired Pizza to Union Square
T&B Pizza. Photo by Nina Gallant. T&B Pizza serves up one chef’s take on the Italian favorite with a curated selection of wood-fired pies and specialty cocktails. Tim and Bronwyn Wiechmann, the husband-and-wife team behind the Central and Eastern European restaurant Bronwyn, opened T&B Pizza at the end of June after over a year of planning the menu and perfecting each dish.
What's New: Business Briefing
Christina Ciampa. Photo courtesy of All She Wrote Books. All She Wrote Books Highlights Diverse Narratives Look no further for a good feminist read—All She Wrote Books has it covered. Searching for better representation in literature, local Christina Ciampa launched the pop-up bookstore to celebrate the voices of female, queer, and trans authors. “We are in 2019. There’s no reason why we can’t make more shelf space for more writers that tell unique and different stories,” Ciampa tells Scout.
What's New: Comings & Goings
Will Gilson, chef-owner of Puritan & Co. Photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. East Cambridge Puritan & Co. Chef/Owner to Open New Eatery in 2020 Will Gilson, the chef and owner of Puritan & Co., has big plans for an all-in-one cafe, restaurant, and cocktail bar, according to a press release. An anticipated retail building in Cambridge Crossing known as The Shed, which is currently under construction, will house Gilson’s upcoming project. The eatery is scheduled to open in early 2020.
What's New: Evolving Eats
Photo courtesy of Recino's Café. East Somerville Recino’s Café Recino’s Café has it all, from Mexican- and Salvadoran-style plates of burritos, pupusas, and tamales to rich American pastries like New York cheesecake. The cafe, which opened in late May, is owners Jose Recino and Joseph Garcia’s first restaurant in the city.
Cleenland Offers Judgment-free, Low-waste Shopping
Sarah Levy, founder of Cleenland. Photo by Abbie Gruskin. Cleenland, a shop that sells bulk household and personal care products with little to no packaging, wants to make a low-waste lifestyle accessible to everyone—even those just joining the sustainability bandwagon. “It’s just a nice place to be, it’s just a place that you want to be,” explains founder and owner Sarah Levy.
Do-Gooders, Key Players, and Game Changers: Somerville Family Learning Collaborative
Photo courtesy of the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative. Amid growing income disparity in the city, the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative (SFLC) offers a slew of free programs and services with the intent of creating an inclusive, healthy environment for underserved children and families. Founded in 2011, SFLC is the Family and Community Engagement Department of the Somerville Public School system.
Something Ventured: VilleSide Customs
Photo courtesy of VilleSide Customs, LLC. VilleSide’s owners have served the city for seven years from their storefront in Magoun Square, which started as a retail-only shop selling clothing, hats, and accessories from favorite brands including Silly Wabbit, Pretty Authentic People, and Villen.
Do-Gooders, Key Players, and Game Changers: Tunefoolery
Tunefoolery brings together a vibrant mix of musicians united by their journey through mental health recovery. The group’s primary goals are to support musicians in mental health recovery, share music with others who are grappling with mental health challenges, and work toward eliminating stigma surrounding mental illnesses.
Almost Perfect Glass Trailblazes Environmental Activism Through Art
Vases showcasing the fuzzy white faces of polar bears and the glimmering navy bodies of whales adorn the shelves of Almost Perfect Glass, begging to spark conversation. “Anyone who comes through the studio, if they see the pieces we have that are about environmental situations, you can say they’re cool and important because they’re a documentation of the habitat destruction,” Susan Shapiro says.
Tufts to offer Native American and Indigenous Studies minor in fall 2019
Tufts to offer Native American and Indigenous Studies minor in fall 2019 The main office for the Consortium of Studies in Race, Colonialism, and Diaspora in the Eaton Hall basement is pictured on Oct. 29, 2018.
Something Ventured: Himalayan Kitchen
Photos by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Brother and sister meld Nepalese cooking with friendly service Brother-and-sister duo Rabina Lockett and Uttam Shrestha work side-by-side at Himalayan Kitchen to introduce Somerville locals to the authentic Nepalese cuisine of their home country. The siblings’ close relationship has helped their business thrive, they say. “My brother has literally been my best friend, my brother, my family,” Lockett says.
$100k New Venture Competition rewards entrepreneurship in business, science, social impact - The Tufts Daily
$100k New Venture Competition rewards entrepreneurship in business, science, social impact The Tufts Entrepreneurship Center (TEC) hosted its 15th annual $100k New Venture Competition on Friday to celebrate and reward the entrepreneurial accomplishments of Tufts students, alumni and faculty. The daylong event took place at 51 Winthrop Street and was months in the making, according to TEC Director Jack Derby.
Something Ventured: La Posada
Photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Posada siblings dish up a childhood love for Latin American cooking The siblings behind La Posada discovered a love of food at a young age in their home country of El Salvador. “I grew up around food,” Joe Posada says. “Living at home was like living at a restaurant, there was so much food, so much dessert.
Something Ventured: Craigie On Main Celebrates 10 Years of Ever-evolving Dining
Photo courtesy of Craigie On Main. The vision Owner/Chef Tony Maws holds for Craigie On Main is of a classic, vibrant space for community building and fine dining that continues to evolve. “Our general approach is to be a restaurant that’s timeless,” Maws explains. “While I’m not really concerned about food trends, I don’t want to cook the same thing over and over.
Decade-long Photography Project Captures Lasting Evidence of WWI
Entrance to Italian Tunnels near the Summit of Mount Lagazuoi in Dolomites, Italy in 2012. Photo by Bonnell Robinson. Somerville artist Bonnell Robinson has spent the last 10 years documenting European sites associated with the conflict of WWI through vivid, black-and-white film images. The exhibition that came out of that project, “Sightlines,” is on display at Lesley University through April 7.
Decade-long Photography Project Captures Lasting Evidence of WWI
Entrance to Italian Tunnels near the Summit of Mount Lagazuoi in Dolomites, Italy in 2012. Photo by Bonnell Robinson. Local artist Bonnell Robinson has spent the last 10 years documenting European sites associated with the conflict of WWI through vivid, black-and-white film images. Her connection to the work is deeply personal, spurred by a desire to learn more about her grandfather’s involvement in the war.
TEDxTufts hosts Mosaic in Motion to highlight diverse passions
TEDxTufts hosts Mosaic in Motion, highlighting diverse passions Speaker Taylor Lomba addresses the audience in Cohen Auditorium on March 10. (Kyle Lui / The Tufts Daily) Disclaimer: Mitch Navetta is a current social media editor and former executive social media editor at the Daily. Navetta was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.
Somerville Theatre Spotlights Jack Nicholson with 10-Month Retrospective Film Series
Courtesy of the Somerville Theatre. The Somerville Theatre prides itself on giving viewers the opportunity to enjoy rare movies unavailable elsewhere. With its new Jack Nicholson film series, kicking off on March 14, the theater hopes to bring older, lesser-known films into the spotlight again. The retrospective film series will run through October with a handful of films each month, starting with “The Raven,” “Psych-Out,” and “Head” in March.
Momi Nonmi Teams Up with Spoke Wine Bar for Pop-Up Dinner
Eric Frier and Chris Chung. Photo courtesy of Uni's Instagram. Momi Nonmi will infuse its Hawaiian and Japanese flair with a farm-to-table approach on Monday in a pop-up collaboration with Somerville’s Spoke Wine bar. The prix fixe four-course menu ($49, with an optional wine and sake pairing for $35) will include local seafood, Japanese ingredients, and grilled dishes that both combine and contrast the styles of the two restaurants.
Spoke Wine Bar Teams Up with Momi Nonmi for Pop-Up Dinner
Eric Frier and Chris Chung. Photo courtesy of Uni's Instagram. Spoke Wine Bar will infuse its light, farm-to-table approach to food and wine with Hawaiian and Japanese flair on Monday in a pop-up collaboration with Cambridge restaurant Momi Nonmi. The prix fixe four-course menu ($49, with an optional wine and sake pairing for $35) will include local seafood, Japanese ingredients, and grilled dishes that both combine and contrast the styles of the two restaurants.
Students, community members protest campus housing policies - The Tufts Daily
Roughly 200 students, faculty and area residents attended a walk out and campus march Thursday to protest the university’s tiered housing system and to call for a construction of new high-capacity dorm on campus. Nathan Krinsky, a co-founder of Tufts Housing League (THL), said that THL and Tufts Student Action (TSA), who co-hosted the event, presented a united front against the university’s current housing policies.
CMHS offers telehealth as new counseling option for students - The Tufts Daily
Tufts’ Counseling and Mental Health Service (CMHS) partnered over the past year with BetterHelp and iHope Network, two services that provide remote telehealth counseling services, in an effort to increase students’ access to mental health services, according to Executive Director of Health and Wellness Michelle Bowdler. The university reminded students of the services in an Oct. 17 email, after previously announcing them in a June 13 email.
ResLife hosts first event in off-campus housing series - The Tufts Daily
The Office of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) hosted the first of its semester-long off-campus housing series in the Curtis Hall Multi-Purpose Room last week on Sept. 27. Assistant Director of Housing Operations Angelic Sosa hosted the first session, titled, “Where to Start, Understanding Budgeting & Financial Aid.” It featured presentations from Sosa, Associate Director of Financial Aid Amy Piantedosi and Assistant Director of Financial Aid Wenimo Poweigha.
Tufts Housing League meets with administration, discusses tiered housing system - The Tufts Daily
Tufts Housing League (THL) met with Dean of Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon, Associate Dean of Student Affairs Christopher Rossi and Director of Residential Life and Learning Joshua Hartman in Dowling Hall to discuss the tiered housing system on Sept. 19, according to Rossi.
Tufts Housing League hosts community block party, argues against tiered housing system - The Tufts Daily
Around 100 people attended a community block party at Nathan Tufts Park on Sunday. The block party, hosted by Tufts Housing League (THL), along with Tufts Progressive Alliance (TPA) and Tufts Student Action (TSA), sought to bring together Tufts students and residents of Medford and Somerville to discuss a housing situation on campus that has becoming a source of increasing discontent.
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