Longtime Newton resident and Vietnam War veteran Kevin McNamara has led an effort to hang banners honoring Newton residents killed in war at the intersection of Adams and Watertown streets ahead of Memorial Day. Wearing a Vietnam War museum hat and a tropical shirt, McNamara stood at that intersection admiring…
Posts published by “Charlie Johnson”
Mayor Marc Laredo backs a plan for the City of Newton to issue Pension Obligation Bonds, and it has been approved by the Newton City Council, but concerns remain about the long-term financial risks involved. Pension obligations 101 At a basic level, a pension obligation is a debt the City…
Children, young adults, and older adults arrive at the Carroll Center for the Blind reluctant to leave behind their homes and families. By the time they graduate, however, many struggle to leave the community they have found at the Center, but they are newly empowered to do so. President and…
For more than a decade, parts of Nonantum have undergone intermittent testing for trichloroethylene, a toxic chemical. Last week, a new round of drilling on Cook Street prompted confusion and concern, and residents gathered on Sunday, April 26 at Pellegrini Park for a community meeting led by Arcadis, the engineering…
Armenian residents, civic leaders, and clergy gathered on the front lawn of Newton City Hall on Friday, April 24 to mark the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with a flag-raising ceremony honoring the lives lost. The genocide began on April 24, 1915, and continued through 1916, when an estimated…
Amid efforts to expand fair housing in the city, the Newton Fair and Affordable Housing Partnership honored Josephine McNeil and Jini Fairley with this year’s Sheila Mondschein Award “for outstanding leadership in promoting fair housing.” Dozens of public officials, civic leaders, family, and friends gathered in War Memorial Hall at…
Mayor Marc Laredo marked his first 100 days in office on April 11, citing progress on his promises to expand housing, improve basic City services, and strengthen community connections. His administration is advancing those priorities, though many initiatives remain in early stages, as residents raise questions about school funding, federal…
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…
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,…
In the children’s room of the Auburndale Community Library on a February afternoon, artist Mia Cross worked on a mural honoring Kirby Green Grochal, a beloved community member, daughter, and mother who died in May 2023. On Sunday, April 12, the community will gather for the grand opening of this…
For the third event in the “No Kings” series of demonstrations condemning President Donald J. Trump’s administration, at least 2,500 gathered in Newton Centre as millions protested across the country amid heightened tensions over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions, a government shutdown, and the war with Iran. The turnout…