As promised, Mayor Marc Laredo ordered the controversial double-yellow lines on Adams Street removed and replaced with the traditional green-white-red stripe of the Italian flag. Residents of Adams Street were notified that the work would begin at 9PM on Monday, May 4 and would cease by 5AM. If the work could not be completed on that night, workers would return at 9PM on Tuesday, but by morning, to general public approval, the central strip of Adams Street was, once again, green-white-red.
Removing double-yellow lines and painting the green-white-red stripe on Adams Street, May 4 (photo: Martina Jackson) 
Removing double-yellow lines and painting the green-white-red stripe on Adams Street, May 4 (photo: Martina Jackson) Removing double-yellow lines and painting the green-white-red stripe on Adams Street, May 4 (photo: Martina Jackson)
The quiet, late-night restoration process was in stark contrast to the Nonantum community’s outrage last June, when contractors arrived on Adams Street at 10PM and noisily removed the traditional Italian stripe from the center of Adams Street, replacing it with double-yellow lines. That unannounced action occurred three weeks before the 90th annual, five-day community festival organized by the St. Mary of Carmen Society. None of the three local City Councilors or community leaders knew about the plan. Former Mayor Ruthanne Fuller claimed that the replacement was a safety necessity and was meant to comply with state traffic requirements. Former Massachusetts Secretary Gina Fiandaca publicly disagreed with the Mayor’s contention, and several community leaders challenged the method by which the City’s Department of Transportation derived data for the assessment of Adams Street. Local, national, and even international media highlighted the controversy. Finally, local residents restored the green-white-red stripe in time for the start of Festa. However, the City replaced the double-yellow lines in early fall.
Mayoral candidate Laredo had promised the community that he would deal with the issue after his election, and he has honored that commitment. Responding to the newly painted stripe, Teresa Gentile Sauro, President of the Nonantum Neighborhood Association, known as the “Mayor of Nonantum,” said:
“Why are the Italian lines so important to our Village, you ask? They mean Festa week has arrived—a tradition that has been part of our lives for 91 years. It’s more than just lines in the street; it’s a symbol of who we are. A tradition passed down from generation to generation, bringing families back home no matter how far life takes them.
Every year, when those lines are painted, I’m taken back. Back to my Nono, my dad, Fats, Dom Bianchi, Nunzie Leone, and so many others who helped build this tradition. I can still picture them, hear their voices, and feel their pride.
Those lines remind me that they’re still with us—watching over us, smiling, and knowing that what they started continues. For 91 years, tradition hasn’t faded—it’s grown stronger. And it will live on for generations to come.”
Chuck Proia, Chair of the St. Mary of Carmen Society Festival and a lifelong Nonantum resident who lives on Adams Street, told Fig City News that before selecting the green, white, and red paint, City officials consulted with the three men responsible for the long-time annual painting of the Adams Street stripe. In addition, neighbors received multiple notices of the planned work. Echoing Ms. Sauro’s sentiment, Mr. Proia responded:
“I cannot thank enough, both Mayor Marc Laredo and his team, for delivering on the City of Newton’s promises to us in Nonantum, and for our State Rep. John Lawn for securing the funding through the Fair Share Amendment for future years to come. These lines do not just represent colors on a pavement, but more the lived experiences of the Nonantum community for almost a century. As the Festival Chairman, but also as a member of a family who has called Nonantum home for five generations, [I see that] the support shown to the families that make up the St Mary of Carmen Society, the St Mary of Carmen Women Society and all who call “The Lake” home allows us to feel seen, heard and represented in how our parents, Grandparents & Great-Grandparents hoped for when they came here. That’s what this has always been about, family, traditions and honoring our history.”
Many Nonantum residents trace their Italian heritage to San Donato, now the neighborhood’s sister city.
Funding for repainting the stripe was provided from Newton’s regular street-painting account. At the same time, Rep. John Lawn, who represents Nonantum in the Massachusetts House, succeeded in securing $50,000 from the Fair Share Amendment for a variety of local infrastructure needs. Rep. Lawn sent the following statement to Fig City News:
“Thank you to Mayor Marc Laredo for honoring your commitment to tradition and restoring the colors of the Italian flag to Adams Street. To help alleviate the cost of repainting, I secured a $50,000 FY26 House Fair Share supplemental budget. This amendment request would advance public safety and culturally informed infrastructure improvements along Adams Street, and across Nonantum, coining the Nonantum Cultural Corridor Project.
As elected officials and community leaders, it is our responsibility to stand up for what’s right. Tradition must be honored, and culture should never be erased overnight. I’m honored to partner with the Mayor and his administration, City Council President John Oliver, School Committee Member Arrianna Proia, the St. Mary of Carmen Society, and the Nonantum Neighborhood Association, as well as my House colleagues, Representative Greg Schwartz and Representative Amy Sangiolo, to uphold the legacy of Nonantum.
As State Representative for the 10th Middlesex District, I have proudly represented Nonantum since 2011 and will continue to fight for the community at the State level. I look forward to continued collaboration to ensure that the neighborhood’s needs are prioritized, and reflected in the state budget.”
This year’s “Festa” will take place from Wednesday, July 15 to Sunday, July 19.
