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Founded in 1630, the venerable college town of Cambridge has long been one of the nation’s intellectual centers. Anchored to the banks of the Charles River by both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the city blends its storied past and erudite character with a rich serving of arts and culture. Today, the stamp of gentrification on Harvard Square and the gleaming biotech development flanking M.I.T., a.k.a. “Genetown,” make it harder to tune into Cambridge’s legendary countercultural vibe of used bookstores and punk rockers. Still, the outward-looking citizens, known as Cantabrigians, keep finding ways to express their funky, geeky flair, be it via political protests, copious bike lanes or science-driven cuisine and mixology.

Curious George, the lovably troublesome monkey of H.A. Rey’s children’s book series, could be one step closer to eviction this week.

Students returning to campus for the fall semester were greeted by a number of new businesses in Harvard Square, with several more preparing to open in the coming weeks.  Tom’s Bao Bao, a restaurant specializing in Chinese buns, opened its doors earlier this month in the former location of Yogurtland, and quickly drew customers. The eatery boasts large open windows that allow customers to see the buns as they are being prepared.

The potential removal of iconic local business Out of Town News and plans to renovate the store’s kiosk have sparked outcry among Cambridge residents, even though the structure itself is not slated for demolition.  The City of Cambridge, which currently leases the kiosk to Muckey’s Corporation, is planning to begin a renovation of Harvard Square’s central plaza in 2017.

Mary (Buoy) Lee, the founder and matriarch of the Harvard Square landmark Hong Kong Chinese restaurant, a favorite haunt of students and locals alike for more than six decades, died on Aug. 17 in Cambridge. She was 90.  Lee died of a stroke, according to Paul Lee, her oldest son and the restaurant’s manager. In honor of Lee’s passing, the Kong, as the restaurant is affectionately known among Harvard students, closed on Aug. 25, the day of her burial.

Out of Town News, the iconic newsstand in Harvard Square that for decades served as a gathering place for academics, students, residents and reading fans in search of newspapers and publications from around…

Good news for wizards and muggles alike,  “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” a two-part play based on a new story by J.K. Rowling, is set to be released Sunday at midnight and  Boston area businesses are gearing…

Hirlley Livianu and her husband, Matei, of Salsa Matei Dance Company, lead the crowd through a salsa move on Friday evening, July 22, in Brattle Plaza.  The Harvard Square Business Association held its third annual Salsa Squared event.

The words ‘utility box’ and ‘canvas’ don’t often go together, but in Harvard Square they now do.

The words “utility box” and “canvas” don’t often go together, but in Harvard Square they now do.

This spring, local artists working with the Harvard Square Business Association gave makeovers to 12 utility boxes. The boxes used to come in two shades: black and graffiti’d. Now they’re the colors of the rainbow — and then some. Impressionistic sunflowers, spray-painted sunsets, and abstract splatters are among the designs that decorate the boxes.