At a large, enthusiastic gathering on November 25 in Newton’s War Memorial Auditorium, Governor Maura Healey announced that the Newtonville Commuter Rail station, on the Framingham / Worcester Commuter line, is now slated for an upgrade that will make it fully accessible and able to handle bidirectional rail traffic. The…
Posts published in “News”
The City took an important step in improving the health of Newton firefighters last week when the City Council approved the appropriation of $1 million to buy essential safety gear. The funds, which come from certified free cash, will go toward purchasing one set of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)-free…
The Newton Free Library was the site of a sometimes contentious meeting between Newton Highlands residents and the Newton Public Works Department (DPW) on November 14. This was the sixth community meeting addressing the Newton Highlands Village Enhancement Project, which could create substantial changes to Newton Highland’s center. The Project…
The proposed Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) was reported out of the Zoning and Planning (ZAP) Committee on Monday night, November 25, after two hours of contentious public comments. BERDO will now be discussed and voted on or amended at the full City Council meeting on December 2. …
It could have been awkward. Thirty-eight years ago, Fran Clancy was a born-and-raised Catholic, a parishioner at Our Lady’s, and the mother of two young daughters, and she needed a new job. When she applied for the advertised position of Secretary at the First Unitarian Society in Newton (FUUSN), she…
Following the unanimous recommendation by Newton’s nine-member Police Selection Committee, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller announced that George McMains, the Acting Chief of the Newton Police Department (NPD), will succeed John Carmichael as the department’s new chief. Former Chief Carmichael resigned at the end of August, after a three-month personal leave. Acting…
The Community Day Center of Waltham (CDCW) — a fifteen-minute drive from Newton — provides shelter and support for the unhoused. Starting in a church basement twenty years ago, CDCW has grown as both a drop-in day center and an extension of the MetroWest community. Newtonian volunteers are essential to…
Next Wednesday, November 27, Newton Public Schools (NPS) will host its inaugural Alumni Breakfast at 9AM-11AM at the Education Center (100 Walnut Street). All alumni of the Newton Public Schools are welcome. This event is intended to be a relaxed gathering between old high school friends to catch up, learn…
On November 18, the City Council approved Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s nominations of former City Councilor Deb Crossley and Charles Eisenberg for one-year terms as associate members on Newton’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). The vote on Crossley’s nomination was inverted, in that Yes vote signified denial of the nomination and…
On November 18, the Newton City Council voted to shift more of Newton’s 2025 tax levy to the commercial/industrial/personal property owners to pay for the Mayor’s FY2025 budget approved last Spring. Since the amount of increase to last year’s budget allowed by law is 2.5%, the dollar amount is $10,521,712…