As a former Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, I have had the pleasure of working closely with individuals who understand the delicate balance between progress and preservation, between innovation and tradition, and between economic dynamism and local priorities. Dan Gaynor, who is running for Ward 2 City Councilor, embodies these…
Posts published in October 2023
I’ve looked on with admiration for years at the way Rena Getz helps so many people in Newton – volunteering in the schools, serving as the current President of the Waban Area Council, and working hard to share accurate information about many of the pressing policy issues facing our community.…
As someone who served for 14 years as the Ward 4 Alderman/City Councilor, I care deeply about our community and its future. With Councilor Chris Markiewicz stepping down, it is crucial that our next Ward 4 Councilor is familiar with Newton’s unique issues, challenges and opportunities, and has a solid…
A vote for candidates who support the re-zoning as proposed by the Zoning and Planning committee is a vote to give up your freedom of speech. The proposal before the city council includes a “By Right” standard which means that no public hearings will be held for projects on lots less…
Opponents of the proposed zoning often say the changes are too radical, creating too much change to our village centers. However, from the historical perspective, this proposal actually brings our villages closer to what they once were. They were denser, taller and teeming with life compared to today. This is…
As a longtime Newton educator, now retired, I strongly support David Micley for the Ward 2 Ward City Council seat, along with many NPS retired and active educators who reside in Ward 2. David listens well and is an independent thinker. He will be able to work effectively with all…
Thank you for your recent issue with coverage of all the candidates running for City Council this election cycle, including Randy Block for Ward 4. Since meeting Randy and his wife Karen in 1990, I have grown to appreciate his calm and methodical approach to questions and issues. I remember…
Alan Lobovits is a retired pediatrician, who led a large medical group and served on the boards of Atrius Health and Reliant Medical Group. He is expert in data analysis, finance and management. He’s an expert in autism and developmental challenges in children and young people, and has served on…
On October 16, Ward 1 City Councilors Alison Leary and Maria Scibeli Greenberg, and Zoning and Planning (ZAP) Committee Chair Councilor Deb Crossley, docketed an item for the October 26 ZAP meeting to allow the current Nonantum VCOD plan to be removed from consideration. Instead, the plan would be referred…
Among organizations engaged in this year’s Village Center Zoning reform efforts is the Newton for Everyone Coalition, which was formed earlier this year to educate and support the City’s Village Center Zoning efforts. It currently includes these Newton organizations: Newton Interfaith Clergy for Housing Equity (NICHE), Uniting Citizens for Housing…
The Newton Conservators will host a free webinar — Rodenticides in Birds of Prey in Massachusetts –on November 2, 7PM-8:30PM. Some rodenticides (rodent poisons) have the ability to bioaccumulate in the food chain and can potentially affect a predator or scavenger that ingests an animal that consumed the poison bait.…
On November 3 at 7:30PM, the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton (FUUSN) will present An Uncommon Education: The Allen School, a 40-minute documentary produced by Historic Newton about the educators, students, and legacy of the West Newton English and Classical School, better known as the Allen School (1854-1900). The event…