🌱 Patch AM: Why Harvard students may soon be locking away their phones

Coffee in hand, Cambridge? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Why Harvard students may soon be locking away their phones
• How Jordan Rudess is bringing AI-powered improvisation to MIT live.
• MIT professor dies after Memorial Drive and Mass. Ave bike crash

Also on today's calendar: Opening Reception for WEB: Works by Rachel Rizzo and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why did the chicken go to the gym? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Friday: Sunshine and a few clouds, with a high of 84 and low of 62 degrees.
• Saturday: A shower or two; not as warm, temps: high: 72, low: 56.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 71 and low of 55 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Harvard to issue pouches to students who want to go phone-free (boston.com) — Harvard College in Cambridge is rolling out voluntary lockable phone pouches and more in-person social events to encourage undergraduates to spend less time on their phones and more time together. Dean David Deming outlined the effort in his Convocation address, tying it to expanded social programming, dining hall changes, and a push for face-to-face meetings with faculty and staff.
   

• Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess to Debut jam_bot Technology with 2 Exclusive Performances at MIT on October 3rd (imprintent.org) — MIT is hosting two intimate Jordan Rudess concerts in Cambridge on October 3, where he'll debut jam_bot, an AI model trained on his own playing. Local music fans can grab $10 tickets to see Rudess improvise live with MIT's Chamber Chorus as jam_bot generates real-time music for singers and onstage collaborators.
   

• MIT professor dies after bicycle crash in Cambridge last month - Boston News, Weather, Sports (whdh.com) — A 37-year-old MIT assistant professor has died from injuries suffered when a car struck his bicycle at Memorial Drive and Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge on August 21. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and died September 2, and authorities say the driver stayed at the scene while the crash remains under investigation.
   

📸 Around Cambridge

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Cambridge

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★ Featured events ★

Saturday September 5
• Opening Reception for WEB: Works by Rachel Rizzo →
  Washington Street Art Center, 321 Washington St, Somerville
  6:00 pm
Wednesday September 16
• Webinar: AI SEO: Get Your Brand Seen and Chosen Online →
  Online Webinar,
  3:00 pm
Friday September 18
• New England Fall Flower Show: Growing Together [Day 1] →
  Massachusetts Horticultural Society - Garden at Elm Bank, 900 Washington St, Wellesley
  9:00 am
Sunday September 20
• Sudbury PMC Kids Ride (all riders welcome!) →
  Ephraim Curtis Middle School, 22 Pratts Mill Rd, Sudbury
  10:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Friday September 4
• Dumpling Making Party In Massachusetts (Fridays) →
  The Historic Windsor Inn, 85 Windsor Stree,t Cambridge, MA 02139
  6:00 pm
• Millennial Speed-Dating at Park-9 Dog Bar (Monogamous): Friday, September 4, 2026 →
  Park-9 Dog Bar, 48 Waters Ave, Everett
  7:00 pm
Saturday September 5
• Dumpling Making Party In Massachusetts (Saturdays) →
  The Historic Windsor Inn, 85 Windsor Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
  11:00 am
Sunday September 6
• Finding a Better Way: Sunday 11am meditation class →
  Kadampa Meditation Center Boston, 2298 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
  11:00 am
• Dumpling Making Party In Massachusetts (Sundays) →
  The Historic Windsor Inn, 85 Windsor Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
  3:00 pm
Tuesday September 8
• Intro to Video Editing with Adobe Premiere Pro →
  Cambridge Community Television (CCTV), 438 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
  5:30 pm
• Burn of the Everflame Release Day Bash with Penn Cole →
  Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville
  7:00 pm
Wednesday September 9
• Carnival Jamboree at Lafayette Square →
  900 Main St, Cambridge
  5:00 pm

📣 Cambridge Shout Outs!

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Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

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• Champion Soccer School

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Beautiful stranger
  This feels like something ancient growing quietly in the middle of chaos. There are things in this world that do not need to be understood only… (Nextdoor Baldwin)
• I live at the intersection of Concord ave and Craigie St, and there has been a smoke detector low battery chirp echoing from nearby for almost a week.
  I think I narrowed it down to coming from 29 Concord ave. Anyone know someone who lives there or a super I could ask about it? Call 311? It's driving… (Nextdoor Western Harvard Square)

• Ruth's Chris Steak House posted a job opening for Server Assistant in Somerville. Apply here.
• Dunkin Donuts posted a job opening for Crew Member in Somerville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Cambridge here.

🗞 Nearby News

Somerville

• Join the Somerville Commission for Women (thesomervillenewsweekly.blog)
• Somerville To Mark 25th Anniversary Of 9/11 With Remembrance Event (patch.com)

Medford

• Road Closures Planned For 2026 Run Medford Event (patch.com)

Ok Cambridge! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: He was working on his pecks (pecs). (Thank you W F C. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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