Mayor Fuller presents FY2026 Budget as “responsible, realistic” and prioritizing NPS

by Theo Younkin

On April 22, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and Chief Financial Officer Maureen Lemieux presented a $623 million City budget for FY2026 to the City Council. 

In her address, Mayor Fuller spoke about several hot-button issues related to the budgeting process, including funding for the Newton Public Schools (NPS) and government retiree liabilities, such as the City’s pension fund.

“As Mayor, I have worked in challenging economic circumstances to provide for the needs of our residents, students, and businesses,” she said. “Simultaneously, I have taken seriously my responsibility as the steward of the City of Newton’s financial health.”

“A precarious moment”

Mayor Fuller said that her proposed $623 million budget was coming at a “precarious moment.”

“Cold economic winds are blowing in, for the City, our school district, our residents, and our businesses,” she said, referencing the uncertainty of the economic future. She attributed this uncertainty to a number of factors, including rising costs, fears of higher inflation and unemployment rates, and future unknown actions by the Trump Administration.

However, Mayor Fuller said that the City “knows how to budget, and manage, in the face of challenges.”

She said that the City has attained the highest bond rating possible (Aaa) from the credit rating agency Moody’s, which she said is important for a number of factors:

• It provides the lowest possible borrowing costs, saving taxpayers money; 
• It provides better access to funding if the economy “freezes up;” and 
• It keeps the City “on the straight and narrow” financially, avoiding poor uses of one-time funds or ignoring long-term liabilities.

“With this backdrop …and with an eye to the future, the budget I am proposing is responsible and realistic,” she said.

Balancing the budget

Mayor Fuller said that her proposed budget is balanced in two respects: first, by state law, Newton is forbidden from having a budget deficit, so revenues match expenses. 

Second, she said that she worked to balance the “immediate needs of our students with the immediate programs and services our entire community needs,” while balancing “overall immediate needs with longer-term investments in capital assets and unfunded retiree obligations,” which she said the City ignored for “way too long.”

Lemieux: Free cash and pensions

Chief Financial Officer Maureen Lemieux spoke about the importance of balancing the City budget carefully, ensuring that Newton adheres to the best possible practices with regard to Free Cash (“the combination of actual revenues in excess of revenue budget”). She said that according to the Massachusetts Department of Local Services, “under sound financial policies, a community strives to generate Free Cash in an amount equal to five to seven percent of its annual budget.”

Lemieux said that between FY2013 and FY2021, Newton’s Free Cash levels had been consistently between 2.5% to 3% each year, amounting to a total of only between 2.5% and 3% of the City budget. 

She noted that there had been a discrepancy over three previous years with regard to Free Cash, as the City saw Free Cash levels of $28.8 million, $27.9 million, and $23.6 million in FY2022, FY2023, and FY2024, respectively, due to unusual circumstances. 

Lemieux said that these high figures were largely due to payments by Eversource of “decades-worth of property taxes” and income from particularly high interest rates in FY2023 and FY2024. She said that she anticipates that interest rates will soon decrease, resulting in, accordingly, lower levels of Free Cash .

Lemieux also noted that the City is struggling to fund its pension and other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liabilities. (The Commonwealth mandates that Newton fully fund its pension liability by 2040.) As of January 1, she said that 67.81% of the pension liability is funded, with $277.8 million remaining; 7.6% of the OPEB liability is funded, with $465.9 million remaining.

Lemieux said that out of 105 pension systems in the State, Newton is ranked 89th in terms of progress in pension funding.

“I was sorry to see that we are still only 67.8% funded for our pensions. We have worked so hard to try to get this number up, and it’s such a challenge,” she said.

NPS funding

“This budget provides much for the Newton Public Schools,” Mayor Fuller said. She said that NPS expenditures will total $292.9 million.

She said that the NPS operating budget would see an increase of 3.65% ($10.3 million); school building debt service payments would see an increase of 10.5% ($2.2 million); the NPS pension fund would see an increase of 8.2% ($795,000); funding for OPEB would see an increase of 8.1% ($533,000); and funding for the salaries and benefits for school nurses and school crossing guards would see an increase of 16.1% ($573,000).

“Adding it up, the total of just those five NPS spending categories exceeds $337 million – an increase of more than $14.3 million, or 4.44%,” she said. “In fact, altogether, there is approximately $44 million in spending for the Newton Public Schools picked up by City departments [outside of the NPS budget].”

Mayor Fuller said that City-side expenditures will total $213.5 million, which is an increase of $7.9 million, or 3.86%.

“I prioritized the Newton Public Schools,” she said.

Mayor Fuller said that because over 65% of Newton’s total budget is spent on the Newton Public Schools, if the school budget rises significantly beyond 3.5% annually, then the City is “cannibalizing” all other public services it is required to fund.

She said that the 3.65% increase to the NPS operating budget she provided is similar to other school districts in municipalities experiencing, like Newton, “modest new growth” in revenues. The Boston Public Schools, for instance, saw 3.5% increase, and the Watertown Public Schools saw a 3.7% increase.

She also noted that she is planning to allocate $5 million in Free Cash to the district, with $2.5 million going to support the operating budget and the remaining $2.5 million going to “priority school facility maintenance projects.”

“While NPS would prefer that the $2.5 million [for facility maintenance] be used for staffing, that particular use is not within the financial guidelines,” she said. “Thankfully, replacing roofs, upgrading bathrooms, and improving heating, ventilation, and air conditioning improves, yes, the learning environment – and also relieves pressure on the NPS maintenance budget, which is underwater too much of the time.”

Moving forward: 9 levers

Mayor Fuller concluded by speaking about funding challenges the City will continue to face in the future.

“The City’s revenues always grow modestly. Our ambitions, and, yes, sometimes our needs, grow exponentially,” she said. “The City continues to have quite a few levers to pull to address these challenges.”

She listed nine “levers,” which she said were not in any particular order:

1. Instituting more efficiencies. Mayor Fuller said that this could take the form of seeking to consolidate Newton’s smallest elementary schools, both of which are the City’s oldest school buildings. She said that it could also take the form of seeking to reexamine other City operations, such as the frequency of recycling collection.
2. Evaluating, continuously, the outsourcing and insourcing of programs and services.
3. Deciding whether to reduce the scope and scale of current operations.
4. Considering whether to slow down the increase in funding of retiree benefits. Doing so, she said, “would keep Newton in the basement on retiree funding level and actually increase the overall cost to Newton’s taxpayers.” She noted that the Newton Retirement Board, which acts independently, has full authority over the decision.
5. Using voter-approved debt-exclusion overrides rather than operating funds for any  new major capital projects. Examples of such projects included the construction of new school buildings or an overhauling of the police headquarters.
6. Negotiating collective bargaining agreements that “maintain parity between revenue growth and growth in compensation and benefits.” She noted that compensation accounts for 88% of the NPS budget and 75% of the City-side department budgets.
7. Supporting new development. She said that new residential and commercial developments increase City revenues on an ongoing basis.
8. Asking voters to consider operating overrides. She suggested following the example of the town of Arlington, which she said calls for smaller operating overrides every four to five years.
9. Modifying Proposition 2 ½ or increasing options for additional city taxes. Proposition 2 ½ is a state restriction on how much a municipality can raise its property taxes, pursuing this option would require working with the state legislature.

“We should think about pulling all nine of these levers right now and using many of them sooner rather and later,” she said.

Mayor Fuller ended her presentation on a hopeful note.

“We’ve got challenges certainly in the world; we’ve got challenges here in Newton. We can do this, and it’s hard. We’ll figure it out. We’re here to support each other,” she said. “I truly believe we are privileged to call Newton home, and I know I am privileged to serve as your mayor.”

She received a standing ovation from the City Council.

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Newton North alum breaks marathon World Record

by Jack Prior

Sean McIntyre, a 2014 graduate of Newton North High School, etched his name into the history books on Monday after setting a new Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon run as a Leprechaun.

McIntyre, 28, crossed the finish line with a remarkable time of 2 hours, 47 minutes, and 6 seconds — besting the previous record of 2 hours and 53 minutes. Following Guinness World Record guidelines, he wore the required leprechaun attire — including an attached (or grown) red beard, a hat with a buckle, a waistcoat, and emerald-colored trousers. He maintained an impressive pace throughout the 26.2-mile course despite the cumbersome costume.

“The costume started getting hot just two miles into the race, much earlier than expected.” McIntyre said. A friend sewed the large hat onto a baseball cap to keep it in place.

McIntyre used his record run to raise funds for Horizons for Homeless Children in Roxbury. “I wanted to do something that would raise awareness of my fundraising effort” explained McIntyre. “When I discovered there was a category for ‘fastest marathon in a leprechaun costume’, with a 2:53 record, it seemed perfect — challenging but achievable with enough training, and it also connected with my Irish heritage.”

McIntyre’s marathon journey began after he graduated from Northeastern University in 2019, where he had participated in club track and soccer. He tackled his first marathon, the Beantown Marathon, finishing with a time of 3:28 after a fall led to cramps that forced him to walk the final miles. Since then, his dedication to distance running continued, culminating in a personal best of 2:41 when he won the Fox Valley Marathon in Illinois in 2023.

Guinness World Records will review evidence submitted by McIntyre for official ratification of his attempt at breaking the world record. To document his achievement, McIntyre plans to submit witness statements and photos from throughout the course. Additionally, he recorded video of himself at every mile marker as further evidence of completing the entire marathon in costume. With his leprechaun outfit having been pre-approved by Guinness officials, McIntyre expects the record to be ratified in the coming weeks.

McIntyre’s impressive feat gained attention from spectators and runners alike as he completed the historic course in his eye-catching leprechaun attire. During his high school years at Newton North, McIntyre played soccer in the fall and specialized in the 800-meter event for both the indoor and outdoor track teams for the Tigers — less than 1/50th of the marathon distance.

To add to the challenge of race preparation, McIntyre was moving back to New England the weekend of the race, closing on a house in Rhode Island with his wife and two small children this week. McIntyre continues to raise funds for his charity, accepting donations online.

For the 129th Boston Marathon, the men’s race was won by John Korir in 2:04:45 and the women’s race by Sharon Lokedi in 2:17:22. Des Linden, a 12-time competitor and 2018 Women’s champion, marked her retirement from professional marathoning at age 41 with a 17th place 2:26:19.

The wheelchair wins were taken by Marcel Hug and Susannah Scaroni.

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LigerBots win accolades in World Championship

by Amanda Birbara

The LigerBots, Newton’s dual-high-school FIRST Robotics team, traveled to Houston to compete in the FIRST World Championship on April 16-19. During the world championship, the LigerBots won the division Autonomous Award and were a Championship Division Winner in the Hopper Division. 

For the first time in its 17-year history, the team reached the very top level of world competition, as a member of one of eight alliances that reached the finals in the coveted “Einstein” field. This is the second year in a row that the LigerBots have qualified for the championship — joining 600 other teams from around the world. 

Students from Newton North and Newton South High Schools make up the LigerBots. The team excels not only in robot design but in business management, collaboration, and community service. 

A senior at Newton South High School graduating in June, Yonatan T-M, has been a part of the LigerBots for four years. “The World Championship is an amazing event. It is 50,000 extremely dedicated people, you know, in a building, going crazy over robots. So it’s just fun to be there,” said Yonatan. 

LigerBots mentor Chris Fann, an Amazon Robotics mechanical design engineer, has just finished his eighth season mentoring the LigerBots. “The competition went great. We were in the Hopper Division, and then after qualifications, we finished 32nd in the division. But more importantly, we were picked up as the second robot on the first Alliance,” said Fann explaining how the championship went. 

The LigerBots competitive season started in January, but training for students began in the fall. 

“I hope [the championship] was inspiring for them,” said Fann about his group of about 40 students that traveled to Houston. “Hopefully they got a chance to both be inspired by other teams, but also realize that our robot and this team was on par with those world-class robots from around the world,” he said. 

On their way back, the LigerBots and their entourage of proud mentors and parents had their return flights delayed by nine hours. Fann said about half the students had to stay overnight in Nashville because of the travel disruption. 

“I was really impressed by how everyone stepped up and was very mature and professional on the team of students, and how the mentors really just hit the ground running, finding solutions and making sure we all got home as quickly as possible,” said Yonatan. 

“It’s exciting to see what we’ve been able to accomplish with all of these new students. I know next year’s robot design is going to be amazing,” said Yonatan. 

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44 Boston Marathon runners raised $360,318 for Newton charities …Here are their fundraising pages

by FCN

Because so much of the Boston Marathon route goes through Newton, the Mayor’s Office receives running bibs to award to people willing to raise funds for Newton charities. This year, 44 runners ran to raise funds for 26 Newton charities. Full details on their campaigns are here.

As of the day after the Boston Marathon, these 44 runners have raised a total of $360,318. That’s an average of $8,189 per runner. Or $312.60 per mile run. Or around $0.18 for every step they took.

They’re not done. Click on the names below to reach each runner’s fundraising page. Help them reach and exceed their goals — for these worthy causes!

• Arabic Baptist Church (ABC Food Pantry): John McGourty
• The Carroll Center for the Blind: Katelyn Budreau
• Centre Street Food Pantry: Demetrios A Comodromos
• Community Veterinary Clinic at UMass Amherst Mount Ida Campus: David Braun
• Family ACCESS of Newton: Aideen Doneski
• Fig City News: Emily Craven
• Good Shepherd Community Care: Fiona Cusack
• Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast: Maureen Cummings
• Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association (MEDA): Lauren Planas
• New Art Center: Sara Schiller
• Newton Athletes Unlimited: Kelly Schultz
• Newton Community Pride: Meghan (Maggie) Chaviano
• Newton Fire Children’s Fund: Alexis Gentile, Alicja Januszewicz, Charles Pendergast, Christine Roecker, Dan McAuliffe, Erling Donnelly, John Schicitano, Joseph Trask, Julie Hannon, Stephanie Kotob
• Newton Food Pantry: Ann Quandt
• Newton Police Memorial Fund: Andrew Gambrell, Henry Wu, Ivy Casavant, Jean Carabuena, Jeffrey Dawe, Julie Costello, Lindsey Thornton, Mark Hoerrmann, Meg Palmer, Sophia Snell
• Newton Schools Foundation: David Padgett
• Newton Theatre Company: Sara Haven
• Newton Turkey Trot, Inc.: Priya Wagner
• Pathway to Possible, Inc.: Jeffrey Phillips
• The Price Center: Olivia Carrick
• Rotary Club of Newton: Nicholas Johnson
• The Second Step: Anna Walker
• Service Stars: Sarah Viadero
• Story Starters: Nishi Waghray
• Understanding our Differences: Marie Walsh
• West Suburban YMCA: Elizabeth Pule

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Emily Craven exceeds her Boston Marathon goal to fund Fig City summer internships!

by FCN

On April 21, Emily Craven (NNHS ’22) ran the 129th Boston Marathon to raise funds for the Fig City News summer internship program, now in its third year. By the day before, Emily had raised a total of $7530, exceeding her long-ago-set goal of $7,500.

Many, many thanks to Emily — and to all who support her campaign — for making it possible for Fig City News to hire interns this summer.

In the last two years, our interns have done amazing work for Fig City News and the Newton community. With more resources, we can do more. Please donate here.

Why is Emily running? She says, “Fig City’s intern program supports young journalists and gives them an opportunity to get real field experience while providing them an outlet for their voices to be heard. It is so important for young people to have an outlet to share their stories because their voices and opinions are incredibly powerful and important. …I know how beneficial it can be to have those experiences as a student. It also means a lot to me to get to support a program that directly works with students from my former high school. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to give back to my community in this way.”

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Newtonville Area Council dedicates bench to longtime community activist Susan Reisler

by Martina Jackson

On Patriots’ Day, a group of current and former Newtonville Area Council (NAC) members and Newton City Councilors, along with family and friends, gathered on Walnut Street in Newtonville to dedicate a bench to the memory of Susan Reisler, a longtime community leader and NAC member. The plaque on the bench was commissioned by the NAC. Ms. Reisler died after a long illness on November 16, 2024.

Organized by NAC Members, Dana D’Agostino and Carolyn Gabbay, the dedication included personal reflections by Ward 2 City Council members Tarik Lucas and David Micley, Ward 4 City Councilor Randall Block, Newtonville activist Kathleen Kouril Greiser, former Ward 2 Councilor Peter Harrington, the NAC’s past president Jennifer Bentley, and Peter Bruce, Susan’s husband. All paid tribute to her intelligence, integrity, and her vision for Newtonville, and acknowledged the couple’s closeness –so much so that everyone thought of them as “Peter and Susan” or “Susan and Peter.”

State Representative Amy Sangiolo joined the group, as did Councilor Julia Malakie and former Ward 2 Councilor Emily Norton.

Councilors Micley and Lucas each spoke about the support and advice Susan Reisler and Peter Bruce offered them. Councilor Micley said that Ms. Reisler had strong views but was always civil and promoted civility. He suggested that people could come to the bench dedicated in her honor to sit and discuss their views. Councilor Lucas, who served on the NAC with Ms. Reisler, emphasized her commitment to Newtonville. 

Newtonville activist Kathleen Kouril Grieser described Susan Reisler as a person who tried to make the world better, saner, and kinder. She said, “Ms. Reisler wasn’t afraid of anybody.” 

Mr. Harrington, who has served as a State Representative and Alderman (the former title of City Councilors), told the audience that the purpose of Area Councils was a nexus of politics and people. 

Following the unveiling of the plaque, on a bench near 325 Walnut Street, and a reading by Ms. Bentley of a Commonwealth resolution in her honor, Ms. Reisler’s husband, Peter Bruce — a former NAC president — paid tribute to his wife. He underscored the appropriate choice of Patriots’ Day because she was a patriot, he said. He said that his wife — born in the Bronx, New York and a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, the city’s most prestigious exam school, and the City College of New York — was a gifted writer who developed NAC’s community surveys. He noted her sardonic smile and her capacity to ask tough questions of politicians. And he paid tribute to her great courage in the face of her illness.

Having worked closely with Susan Reisler as colleagues on the NAC, Dana D’Agostino spoke admiringly of how much Ms. Reisler did for Newtonville. “It’s fitting that we honored her in Newtonville’s center, the focus of her activism.” 

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OP-ED: Why Newton needs residential development for economic growth

by Chuck Tanowitz

In her budget address to the City, Mayor Fuller outlined nine levers the City can pull to address our budget challenges, especially those related to funding schools. Of her nine points, only two were truly long-term solutions aimed at increasing revenue: a tax increase for everyone in the form of a Proposition 2½ override or building new housing and commercial development, which would generate new growth for the coffers.

When the issue of increasing development goes before the City Council, often the focus is on more commercial. Commercial property is taxed at a higher rate than residential property, so the theory is that more commercial development is better for supporting our budgetary needs. 

And that is a sound theory. When the City commissioned an Economic Development Action Plan back in 2018, researchers reported that commercial property makes up just 8.7% of total real property value, and that it had been flat over the previous decade. That is, no one had invested in building new buildings during that time. 

Unfortunately, today’s market doesn’t call for more commercial development. We missed that boat. Today’s developers focus on mixed-use and multi-family development.

Newton’s Lost Decade of Commercial Development

During the decade when our development remained flat, our neighbors, Needham and Waltham, both saw great investments in commercial development on properties bordering I-95. Commercial developers will tell you that the land right next to the highway is the most valuable. Here in Newton, the land that matches that potential is the parking lot at Riverside, and for the last 20 years, the city has tried to develop something there. But every proposal has ended up mired in special permits, local pushback, and City Council interference. So, while Needham and Waltham benefited from the commercial run-up, we didn’t. 

The truth is, we make building very difficult, and developers took note. When consultants interviewed developers for the Action Plan, the developers called Newton “the City of ‘no’”. Commercial developers looking to invest in the Boston metro area often don’t even consider Newton. 

Our outdated zoning code means that nearly everything requires a special permit, which adds a cumbersome, expensive, and unpredictable layer to development. The community also made its voice heard, and developers listened. The Washington Street Vision Plan commissioned by the City suggested zoning for larger commercial buildings in West Newton and along the desirable edge of the Mass Pike. But the community pushed back hard. That same pushback has also been a key feature of Village Center Zoning, and resulted in a referendum on the Northland property on Needham Street.

The New Reality in Commercial Real Estate 

The economic development report found that pre-pandemic, 89% of Newton commuters went out of the city to work, a third of those into Boston, while 85% of people working in Newton came from places outside Newton. That commuting pattern typically happened five days a week. That’s not how things are today.

Commuting patterns are much different, according to a recent survey from WFH Research, with people working from home about a quarter of the time. Most offices experience bumps on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but they never reach full capacity.

That explains why the commercial real estate market is spiraling down. A developer abandoned plans for labs on a property in Watertown, leaving it cheap enough for the City to purchase it. In downtown Boston, major office towers are selling for a fraction of their value just a few years ago, with most of the floors sitting vacant. Even those few leases that get signed are for less square footage than before, come with more benefits such as higher allowances for build-out, and are rarely for a full 10 years. 

Today, investors avoid commercial and focus instead on multi-family residential and mixed-use projects. Even if a developer wanted to build a new commercial property in Newton, they are unlikely to secure the financing needed to build it. 

The Key to Commercial Growth: Residential

The good news is that adding people adds business. As we’ve seen in Newtonville, housing adds commercial opportunities, with new shops and restaurants moving in. 

New multi-family housing construction also increases a property’s value, and therefore generates additional revenue for the City. This is true even in situations where housing is being built on property previously zoned for commercial use, as that commercial property is often older or used for things that simply don’t generate the same dollars.

The increased density could open up new commercial doors for us, such as recreation. Natick recently converted large properties that had housed major retailers into entertainment venues. The City of Malden created a Gaming District where a series of entertainment businesses have clustered, and the Seaport is awash in places offering bowling, mini golf, and axe throwing.

The Way Forward 

Newton’s current zoning codes and business permitting make this kind of activity difficult at best. But we can fix that. If we are to move in this direction, we must create code that is not only clear but also aligns with current business models and allows for this kind of building by right, without a special permit. We should also clearly articulate the permitting processes so that business owners know, upfront, what their investment would be, both in dollars and in time.

Newton should also adjust its zoning along major highways to encourage future commercial investment, allowing it as of right, without City Council approval. We don’t know if what we’re seeing is a permanent change in the market, but should the market return, we should be ready with zoning that lets development happen where it can bring the most value to the city. 

We cannot go back in time and grab the commercial investment that went to our neighbors. Newton must exist in the market it has today, and that market is for mixed-use and multi-family housing. We can use that to our advantage and solve our budget issues. The only question is, will we take advantage of it or let it, once again, slip through our fingers? 

Chuck Tanowitz is chair of Newton’s Economic Development Commission.

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NewtonSERVES: Sign up now to volunteer on May 4

Newton’s Parks, Recreation & Culture department has gathered 29 opportunities to volunteer on NewtonSERVES day, May 4. Each opportunity is hosted by a Newton community group. Anyone 18 years or older may register here to volunteer. Volunteers under the age of 18 are welcome and need not register, but they must be accompanied by an adult who is registered.

On May 4, dress for the weather, bring gloves, sunscreen, drinking water, and hand tools.

If you have questions, contact Robin at 617-796-1510 or parks@newtonma.gov.

See all 29 volunteer opportunities on the registration webpage. Here are the volunteer opportunities sorted by times they are active:

9AM-12PM:

• Cold Spring Park -Invasives Pull: 1200 Beacon St
• Cold Spring Park Path- Bridge Leveling: 1200 Beacon St
• Dolan Pond – Invasives Pull: Webster Park
• Edmands Park: Blake St Entrance
• Farlow Pond Basin Clean-up: Farlow Park – Vernon St
• Jackson Homestead Museum: 527 Washington St
• Memorial Spaulding: 250 Brookline St
• Nahanton Park- Invasives Pull: Nahanton St
• Newton South High School Clean-up: NSHS:
• Underwood School Garden: 101 Vernon St
• Upper Falls Greenway Clean-up: Upper Falls Greenway

9AM-1PM:

• Mason Rice Garden Project: Mason Rice School
• Washington Park Spring Clean-up: Washington Park
• Wellan Serves- Weeks Park: Weeks Park

9AM-4PM:

• Angier Elementary School Garden Clean-up: 1697 Beacon St
• Bullough’s Pond Clean-up: Bulloughs Pond- Bulloughss Park
• Countryside School Community Cleanup: 191 Dedham St
• Waban Common Mulching Project: Collins & Beacon St
• Waban Park Clean-up: Across from 93 Waban Park
• Williams Elementary School: 141 Grove St

10AM-2PM:

• Bigelow Beautification: Bigelow Middle School

1PM-3PM:

• Houghton Gardens-Invasive Pull: Suffolk Rd

1PM-4PM:

• Burr Elementary School Garden & Playground Mats Clean-up: 171 Pine St – Burr Elementary
• Horace Mann Elementary School Grounds: 225 Nevada St
• Martin Poetry Path Clean-up: Newton Upper Falls
• Oak Hill Spring Clean-up: 130 Wheeler Rd
• Peirce Elementary School Clean-up: 170 Temple St
• Ward Elementary Community Day: 10 Dolphin Rd
• Wellington Park – Wake-Up: Wellington Park- Kilburn Rd

Young golfers can enjoy rounds for $5 or less – Register by May 24

Bank of America offers $5 rounds of golf for young players here in the Boston area as part of its newly announced “Golf with Us” initiative. Through a partnership with Youth On Course, Bank of America is funding golf for kids ages 6 -18 at 35 courses in Massachusetts (including Newton Commonwealth Golf Course) and thousands of courses around the country and locally to grow the next generation of golfers.

Children ages 6-18 in the Boston area are encouraged to enroll in a free, one-year membership to Youth on Course courtesy of Bank of America. Enrollment is open until May 24, 2025 at BofA.com/GolfwithUs.

Golf with Us includes access to select golf courses for $5 or less per round. The full list is available at YouthOnCourse.org.

Program membership also includes a registered handicap index in the United States Golf Association’s Golf Handicap Information Network (GHIN) system and continued development and learning opportunities.

Register now for NSHS Booster Club’s 4th annual Lions 5K, May 18

The Newton South High School Booster Club will hold its fourth annual Lion’s 5k on Sunday, May 18 at 9AM. The race is open to the public and runs through the streets surrounding Newton South High School. All participants who register before May 1 will receive a FREE t-shirt and a ticket to a prize drawing. After May 1, t-shirts will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Race prizes will be awarded in many categories, including best Lion-themed costume.

Registration is $35 for adults and $25 for students. Click here to register.

Newton Tree Conservancy: Fall Tree Planting – Applications due June 29

The Newton Tree Conservancy will host a Fall Tree Planting for Newton residents with space on their berm. However, there’s a social twist. One person must step forward as the neighborhood leader, assembling a team of five or more neighbors within a few blocks to identify places between the sidewalk and the street to plant eight or more new trees. Homeowners in the recruited planting group each submit their own application, specifying the name of the planting group that the leader provided them. After the applications are approved, planting day will take place a few months later.

Applications are due on Sunday, June 29 for plantings in the fall.

Music Mondays: Latin Love Songs and Laments, Apr. 28

Music Mondays will host a concert with the duo of tenor Fausto Miro and harpist Eduardo Betancourt. They will perform a beautiful program of mostly Spanish love songs and laments such as beloved classics like “Besame mucho”, “Quizas, quizas, quizas” and “No me queda mas” by the late Selena Quintanilla-Perez.

It will take place on Monday, April 28, 4-5PM at the Scandinavian Cultural Center (206 Waltham Street, West Newton). You may attend in-person OR online.

For further info email musicmondaysnewton@gmail.com. 

See the Fig City News article on Music Mondays’ 5th anniversary.

Cooper Center: Session on Nutrition, Apr. 29

The Cooper Center will host session on Nutrition, led by Jane Barr, MPH, LDN at the Hyde Community Center (90 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands) on April 29, 1PM-2PM.

This is part 2 of a three-part series that will meet for one-hour sessions over three months. It will include tips for incorporating heart-healthy nutrition, relaxation strategies to mitigate the stress of everyday life, and provide stretching and strength-training guidelines to reduce aches and pains. This is part of Newton Wellesley Hospital’s Community Collaborative Heart Health and Wellness Council.

RSVP requested. Please call 617-796-1675, stop by the Front Desk at 20 Hartford Street, or send your name, telephone number, and email address to the receptionists at seniorprograms@newtonma.gov

Greening Your House of Worship: Cutting Costs & Building Sustainability, Apr. 29

Newton Faith communities looking to reduce costs while embracing sustainability are invited to attend a free event, Save Money & Go Green: Energy Solutions for Your Faith Community, on April 29, 9AM to 10:30AM at Temple Emanuel (385 Ward Street, Newton). The event will bring together congregational leaders, clergy, green teams, and congregants to explore practical ways to lower expenses and make faith communities more sustainable.

Participants will hear from experts at Elephant Energy, ReVision Energy, and the Community Purchase Alliance – Massachusetts. Attendees will learn actionable insights on how congregations can cut costs on energy improvements, lower operational expenses, and purchase supplies more affordably through bulk purchasing programs. They will also have the opportunity to engage in discussions about their own experiences with sustainability efforts and share best practices with others.

“This event is a great opportunity for faith communities to learn how they can save money while taking meaningful steps to care for the environment,” said Judy Lehrer Jacobs, Green Newton Executive Director. “By working together and learning from experts, congregations can make impactful changes that benefit their budgets and the planet.”

“Sustainability and financial stewardship go hand in hand,” added Demie Stathoplos of the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton’s Climate Action Task Force. “This event will showcase practical solutions that allow congregations to reduce costs while living out their values of caring for creation.”

This gathering is designed for clergy, board members, financial teams, green team members, property managers, and all congregants interested in sustainability and cost savings. It aims to provide valuable tools and resources for congregations already implementing green initiatives or just starting out.

RSVP is requested at greennewton.org/worship-spring2025.

The event is sponsored by Green Newton, Temple Emanuel, First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton’s Climate Action Task Force, and the Boston Catholic Climate Movement.

NAA: James King Bonner Exhibit, Mar. 3-Apr. 30

The Newton Art Association (NAA) will host their biggest event of the year, the James King Bonner Exhibit, named after NAA’s founder. The exhibit will occur from Monday, March 3 until Wednesday, April 30 at the Morse Institute Library (14 East Central Street, Natick).

There will also be a reception with artist/musician Santiago Hernandez and his trio, Detour Ahead, on Tuesday, March 18, 4-6PM.

LWVN Scholarship: Apply by Apr. 30

The League of Women Voters of Newton (LWVN) conducts the LWVN’s scholarship program, which offers a $2,000 scholarship to a student from the high school class of 2025! To be eligible for consideration, candidates must either reside or attend school in Newton, MA and be planning to pursue post-high school education. Successful applicants will have a strong interest in civic engagement. Apply by April 30 using the 2025 online scholarship application. (For a paper copy of the application please email info@lwvnewton.org.)

View the 2025 Scholarship Flyer.

Newton for Everyone: Housing and Climate Change – What’s the Connection, Apr. 30

Newton for Everyone will host a talk by Dan Ruben — Housing and Climate Change: What’s the Connection? — on April 30 at 7PM, both online and in person at the Scandinavian Living Center (206 Waltham Street, West Newton). Register for attending in-person or online.

Long-time Newton resident Dan Ruben teaches Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism at several universities, including Boston University and University of Southern Maine. He wrote the textbook Sustainable Hospitality. Dan has been a Board member of Green Newton since 1996. He is currently the Chair and leads its Building Standards Committee, which has persuaded developers to build Passive House, all-electric, low embodied carbon developments. His talk will explore how strategic housing development can contribute to a more sustainable future for Newton by:

• Building a more sustainable and vibrant community
• Reducing traffic congestion and emissions
• Preserving trees, open spaces, and our natural environment
• Decreasing our carbon footprint

Newton Conservators: Annual Meeting and Dinner — Can Farming Save Open Spaces?, May 8. Register by May 1

Newton Conservators will host its Annual Meeting and Dinner on Thursday, May 8 at American Legion Post 440 (295 California Street, Nonantum): Social gathering at 6PM, dinner at 7PM, followed by program and speakers. Individual tickets are $55. Register by May 1.

Speakers: 

• Jon Regosin, Conservators Board Member, on how Newton transformed its last private farm into a public space for community-supported agriculture and education.
• Greg Maslowe, Farm Manager, Newton Community Farm, speaking on Can Farming Save Open Spaces? A Very Old Debate. Some communities — including Newton — are using public open space for community farms. This gives young farmers access to land in the face of rising land prices and expanding corporate agriculture. Some farming techniques also have clear environmental benefits. But are intensively managed landscapes really what is meant by “open space”? Greg will explore this question, harkening back to a very old debate between two of the founders of the modern environmental movement. 

Free Concert: “Broadway Lights” at First Church in Chestnut Hill, May 1

The First Church in Chestnut Hill wil host an exciting evening of Broadway music on Thursday, May 1, at 7 PM. The church’s very own professional Quartet and Music Director will perform “Broadway Lights,” featuring selections from Phantom of the Opera, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods, and more!

• Christina Grandy de Oliviera – soprano
• Becca Allen – mezzo-soprano
• MinSun Im – tenor
• Guanghao Yu – baritone
• Kathryn Rosenbach – piano

The concert is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy a magical night of Broadway brought right to your doorstep in Chestnut Hill!

First Church in Chestnut Hill is located at 26 Suffolk Road, just a few steps from the Chestnut Hill MBTA station. Street parking is also available in front of the church.

NCP: Call For Art — Murals, apply by May 1

Newton Community Pride (NCP) is looking for artists with a passion for community and creativity to participate in a public art project where they will create four 8’x8’ murals that reflect the themes of aquatic nature, local culture, and community spirit. Each mural will be painted offsite and will eventually be placed on the streetside façade of the Gath Pool Bathhouse. The selected artist will receive a $9,000 stipend and $1,000 materials fund. Apply here.

TIMELINE:
5/1/25: Deadline for responses to RFQ (Request for Qualifications)
5/21/25: The adjudication committee chooses 2-4 finalists and asks them to submit designs via RFP (Request for Proposals)
7/1/25: Finalists submit their designs to NCP
7/23/25: Notification of selected artist
7/23-9/9/25: Artist creates murals (offsite, at location chosen by artist)
9/9/25: Artist delivers murals to the City

Separate workshops on stress – for teens and parents/caregivers, May 1

Families for Stress Awareness will present two workshops on stress awareness on May 1 at 6PM at the Newton Free Library:

For Teens: Stress Survival Guide Workshop, in Library’s Children’s Program Room
Alongside Families for Depression Awareness, teens will learn the signs of stress and depression, identify strategies to manage day-to-day stress, and begin to create a survival guide of their own. During this workshop, a trained facilitator shares their experience of surviving stress and depression throughout their teen and young adult life. This workshop is free. Registration is encouraged, and you’ll get a reminder if you sign up. Walk-ins are also welcome.

For Parents and Caregivers: Addressing Family Stress, in Library’s Druker Auditorium
Alongside Families for Depression Awareness, parents and caregivers will learn how to identify symptoms of stress in themselves and family members, manage stress as a family, respond when symptoms become “more than stress.” This workshop is facilitated by FFDA staff and delivered by a licensed mental health professional.  This workshop is free. Registration is encouraged, and you’ll get a reminder if you sign up. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Newton Community Farm forum: Food For All, May 1

Newton Community Farm (NCF) will host a forum, Food for All: The Challenges and Opportunities for Feeding Our Community, where participants can come learn about the impact of local farms and urban agriculture on food security, community-driven approaches to reducing food waste and distributing food, and how people can support and engage with food justice initiatives. It will take place on Thursday, May 1, 7-8:30PM at the UMass Mount Ida Campus (100 Carlson Avenue, Oak Hill). Register here.

The panel will feature Usha Thakrar of The Boston Area Gleaners, Glynn Lloyd of Nectar and founder of City Fresh Foods and the Urban Farming Institute, Jeff Lemberg of the Newton Food Pantry, and Greg Maslowe of Newton Community Farm.

Join Newton PorchFest 2025. Sign ups are open!

PorchFest is an afternoon of free music performed outside of people’s homes. It’s a community event to share the joy of playing and listening to music. This year it will be on Saturday, June 7, 12PM-6PM

Porchfest is now recruiting volunteers to help. Sign up to be a:

• Host: Sign up to host a band on your porch, lawn or driveway. PorchFest will take place across Auburndale, Lower Falls, Waban, and West Newton.
• Performer: Are you a singer-songwriter, part of a jazz quartet, a rock band, a rap group, a dancer?  All forms of musical talent, all ages are welcome!
• Organizer: Join the organizing committee and help make PorchFest happen!
• Volunteer: We’d love your help!
• Donor: Newton PorchFest is funded entirely by donations. Any and all donations are welcome.

Sign up to participate or to learn more about Porchfest 2025:  https://newton.porchfest.info/

Highland Glee Club: Cream of American Folk, May 3

The Highland Glee Club will host a concert, Cream of American Folk, featuring 2025 Music Prize winner, high school senior, and classical pianist Henry Tushman. Participants are invited to bring a can of soup to give to the Newton Food Pantry. It will take place on Saturday, May 3 at 3PM at Newton City Hall (1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton Centre). Tickets are $20.

CWB benefit concert: Orchestra Without Borders — Dances and Meditations, May 3

Communities Without Borders (CWB) will host a benefit concert, Orchestra Without Borders: Dances and Meditations, as a fundraiser for CWB, which supports education for at-risk children in Zambia. It will take place on Saturday, May 3, 7:30PM at the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton (1326 Washington Street, West Newton). Tickets are $30.

Walnut Street Minyan: Family Shabbbat, May 3

Families with young children are warmly invited to join the Walnut Street Minyan to celebrate the next Family Shabbat, with special activities and treats for children, on May 3 from 10:15AM. to 12PM at 858 Walnut Street, Newton. RSVP by April 28 each child — and their parents — can be made to feel welcome. Email for more info. Note: The next Family Shabbat will be on June 7.

New Philharmonia Orchestra: Performs Works by Blackburn and Rimsky-Korsakov, May 3 & 4

New Philharmonia Orchestra will host a concert where they will perform Luke Blackburn’s Symphony No. 1 “Thalassa” and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. It will take place on Saturday, May 3, 7:30PM and Sunday, May 4, 3PM at the Grace Episcopal Church (76 Eldredge Street, Newton Corner). Buy tickets online.