Sue Reinert

6 days ago | cambridgeday.com | Sue Reinert

Denying a Jewish sect’s bid to expand last year will be expensive for Cambridge. The city has agreed to pay $540,000 to Lubavitch of Cambridge to settle a lawsuit filed by Lubavitch after the Board of Zoning Appeals rejected the organization’s application to almost double its indoor space. City manager Yi-An Huang is asking the City Council to approve taking the money from “free cash,” the city’s surplus fund, at Monday’s council meeting, according to the meeting agenda published June 18.

1 week ago | cambridgeday.com | Sue Reinert

Cambridge has joined a lawsuit by Seattle and dozens of other localities challenging conditions imposed on federal grants, which gives the city a chance to get federal money without agreeing to new terms from the administration of president Donald Trump. A federal judge in Washington state has issued a preliminary order forbidding federal agencies from mandating those conditions.

2 weeks ago | cambridgeday.com | Sue Reinert

In a stunning reversal that was later revealed to be part of a legal settlement, Cambridge’s zoning board approved a Jewish congregation’s plan to quadruple the indoor space in its religious center on Banks Street after rejecting a much smaller expansion plan last year. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously Thursday after no discussion and explained the decision by referring to a federal law limiting local zoning restrictions on religious land uses.

2 weeks ago | cambridgeday.com | Sue Reinert

After a one-week delay to address concerns of the Cambridge police officers union, councillors approved an order asking the city manager to strengthen the a welcoming-community ordinance forbidding police to help federal agents enforce immigration law. If the city administration does propose a change in the ordinance, it may not have all the elements the councillors want, the discussion at Monday’s council meeting indicated.

3 weeks ago | cambridgeday.com | Sue Reinert

The Cambridge Housing Authority and B.C. Construction, which renovated the authority’s historic Putnam School in East Cambridge, have settled their legal battle, authority executive director Michael Johnston said May 28. The authority will pay the builder $1.5 million; B.C. Construction had sought $1.4 million owed for work performed plus about $2.2 million for costs the contractor said it incurred because of lengthy delays, Johnston said.