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…
Posts published by “Martina Jackson”
Stephen Farrell is running to be Ward Councilor from Ward 8, a seat elected by the voters of that ward. He spoke recently with Fig City News. Mr. Farrell has lived in his home abutting the Newton South High School playing field for a quarter of a century. “I love…
The Newton League of Women Voters and Newton’s Area Councils have always presented themselves as reliable, impartial sponsors of local candidate debates. In the past, their debates have been in front of live audiences moderated by neutral parties — non-Newton League members for the League, and the distinguished journalist Marjorie…
On a radiant October Sunday afternoon, Rep. Jake Auchincloss met with approximately forty constituents to launch his campaign for a second Congressional term. For the most part, the gathering was focused on the War in the Middle East and the chaos in Congress. A staunch supporter of Israel and Ukraine,…
Over the past three years, the Newtonville Area Council (NAC) has focused much of its attention on proposed village center zoning redesign (the Village Center Overlay Design, or VCOD) because Newtonville has seen significant new development. TRIO – a large retail and apartment complex on the corner of Washington and…
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month — also known as Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Month. In communities nationwide, some people live with the fear that a family member or partner will hurt or even kill them, but they often keep that terrible fear secret from other family members and…
Alan Lobovits is a first-time candidate for one of the two Ward 6 At-Large seats on the City Council and spoke recently with Fig City News. The retired pediatrician and longtime Newton Highlands resident is running because he became increasingly aware and concerned about the impact of Village Center Zoning…
Echoing the October 4 decision of the Newton City Council’s Public Safety and Transportation Committee, the City Council voted 21-3 to reject a citizens’ petition to repeal Newton’s winter parking ban. Council President Susan Albright, Councilor Andrea Kelly, and Councilor Holly Ryan cast the dissenting votes. The petition, initiated by…
Two different signs have become visible across Newton, representing two points of view about the City’s proposed rezoning plan. Save Our Villages Two months ago, signs saying “Save Our Villages” began appearing on Newton lawns. An anonymous Newton resident who opposes the City’s proposed rezoning plan ordered and paid for the…
Deb Crossley is running for her eighth term as one of two At-Large City Councilors from Ward 5. Her involvement in guiding Newton’s direction began when then Mayor David Cohen appointed her to work on a Comprehensive Plan for the City. Councilor Crossley wrote the Energy and Natural Resources portion…
Andreae Downs is running for her fourth term as one of two At-Large members of Newton’s City Council from Ward 5. Chair of the Public Safety and Transportation (PS&T) Committee, Councilor Downs said her focus in running for office is on building community. In her view, local government is the…
Eight candidates for City Council have written a detailed letter raising concerns about the upcoming debates organized and hosted by Newton’s four Neighborhood Area Councils. The writers – Martha Bixby, Alicia Bowman, Deb Crossley, Vicki Danberg, Andreae Downs, Dan Gaynor, Holly Ryan and Doris Ann Sweet — said that the…