On January 28, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro spoke to a packed house of over 400 at the Newton JCC’s Riemer Goldstein Theater about his new book, Where We Keep the Light: Stories From a Life of Service. Shapiro is an influential governor widely speculated to be preparing a 2028 run…
Fig City News
From starring in Newton South High School’s theater productions to singing the national anthem at a recent Patriots game, senior David Rosemberg channels his passion for singing and performing in a variety of ways. Rosemberg’s love for music goes back as far as he can remember. He said that his…
After the latest snowfall, Mayor Marc Laredo reminded residents by email of the deadline by which sidewalks must be cleared: Wednesday, January 28 by 8AM. After that, property owners may face fines for leaving sidewalks obstructed by snow or ice. Under City ordinance, residents and businesses are responsible for clearing…
For the second consecutive year, Emily Craven is fundraising to make Fig City’s summer internship program possible. Last year, she raised most of the funding for Fig City’s summer internship program by running the Boston Marathon — and also organizing a 5K road race. This year, she’s doing both again,…
The lure of warm churros and hot chocolate from Tango Mango, entertainment, and the colorful glow from an art installation — that could double for a massive “Lite Brite” toy — drew a bundled-up crowd for the January 23 kickoff for the fifth-annual WinterFEST. The Friday night portion of the…
Artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT or Claude are everywhere, accessible to businesses of all sizes. In Newton, a growing number of entrepreneurs, consultants, and organizations are discovering that access is the easy part. The harder question is how to leverage AI in ways that actually change how people work,…
Eric Allon, after more than 40 years practicing law, including 37 years with Bernkopf, is transitioning at Bernkopf from Partner to Of Counsel, effective February 1. Bernkopf notes that “Over the years, he has been a mentor, a trusted advisor, and a steady presence, managing countless real estate transactions with…
The City Council’s Public Safety and Transportation Committee voted Thursday, January 21 to shorten the trial of the Newton Centre Plaza pilot in the Langley Road parking lot, as officials weighed strong public support for the space against concerns about parking and accessibility. Several Councilors, including Ward 2 City Councilor…
Stirring speakers urged attendees at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Celebration on January 19, to take action – no matter how small – against injustice in the hopes of making positive change. The theme of the 58th annual gathering organized by the City of Newton and the Harmony Foundation…
Meryl Kessler is stepping into her new role as director of Newton’s new Arts and Culture Department with a focus on strengthening connections across the city’s arts community. The department – and her position leading it – received final approval in the January 20, 2026 City Council meeting. Kessler told…










