In a January 2024 interview, I discussed Newton City finances, pension and benefit obligations, and NPS negotiations. I supported the City fully funding its pension liabilities but cautioned that doing so by 2032 — eight years prior to the 2040 Commonwealth deadline — might jeopardize funding for other vital City…
Posts published in April 2026
Join the Newton Free Library and WGBH for an Indie Lens Pop-Up! Hosted at the Library on Thursday, May 14 at 6:30pm, this event will feature a screening of the Independent Lens documentary The Grocery List Show, followed by a panel discussion about the many culinary traditions of Newton residents. Hosted by Top Chef…
City Council is not scheduled to meet this week. Public Safety & Transportation Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 22 has been cancelled. See Meeting Cancellation Notice. Public Facilities Committee will meet in person (City Hall, Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, April 22 at 7PM. The agenda…
April Break is this week, and schools are closed. School Committee is not scheduled to meet this week. School Councils are not meeting this week.
Newton Energy Commission will meet in person (City Hall, Room 211) and virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, April 22 at 7PM. The agenda includes: Newton Historical Commission will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Thursday, April 23 at 7PM. The agenda includes: Sustainable Materials Management Commission will meet virtually (Zoom link)…
Development Review Team (DRT) will meet this week regarding the following potential project/proposal (see DRT Snapshot):
Across the country, coworking spaces are reshaping the traditional office model. In Newton, centers like Ware Street Workspaces in Auburndale, Labshares in Nonantum, and the UMass Innovation Institute in Oak Hill are prominent examples of that trend, offering different services. According to a report by Statista in November 2025, the…
Newton residents support young people in several communities in Africa through health programs, education, and career development managed by longstanding nonprofits with close ties to Newton. These efforts face growing uncertainty as federal funding for international aid has been cut. Fig City News has explored the situation with three nonprofits…
On April 14, the City’s Retirement Board voted unanimously to approve Mayor Marc Laredo’s request to extend the schedule for funding the City’s outstanding pension liability. The City had originally planned to have its pension liability paid off by 2032. The new plan will pay off the liability by 2035,…
Hundreds turned out to sample dishes from 42 local restaurants at the Charles River Regional Chamber’s annual Spring Seasonings event on Monday, April 13. It’s a regional culinary showcase that now includes Brookline alongside Needham, Newton, Watertown, and Wellesley. Twenty-six of the participating restaurants are based in Newton. Trevor Smith,…
Michael A. “Mike” Malec – devoted husband, father, and friend; gifted professor; humanitarian leader; public servant; Democratic activist, basketball player; lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, and Newton resident for more than 60 years – passed away on March 31 at age 85. A Chicago native, Mike came to Boston College to…
On April 13, the Justice Department announced that Mark Nacht of Waltham, MA, was arrested by the FBI in Albany, NY on April 10 for attempted enticement of a minor. On April 14, Newton Public Schools (NPS) informed the school community of the arrest, noting that Nacht was formerly an…