On April 21, Emily Craven (NNHS ‘22) ran the 129th Boston Marathon to raise money for the third annual Fig City News summer internship program. Before the day of the Marathon, she had raised a total of $7530, exceeding her goal of $7500. This included proceeds from the five-kilometer “Shamrock”…
Posts published in “Interns-summer2025”
On July 28, Newton high school student and pianist Matthew Ding, accompanied by four friends, stepped out onto the largest stage at 2Life Communities’ Brighton campus, a local senior living center. To much acclaim, they performed Pachelbel’s Canon for the audience in the 255-seat auditorium. This concert, while Ding’s largest…
Alumni of the Newton Public School system may have hazy memories of Newton’s education regarding Native American history — a unit here, a presentation there. Quickly forgotten in the whirlwind of school. Newton native and author Joseph Lee has stepped forward to fill some gaps in common understanding of Massachusetts’…
When President Trump signed into law his “Big Beautiful Bill” on July 4, it brought cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other federal food assistance, and Newton’s food pantries braced for the impact. To combat a potential statewide increase in food insecurity, Governor Maura Healey created an…
Jerry Reilly works magic not only in his Newton Upper Falls neighborhood, but across Newton, always planning fun and engaging events that bring people together. Reilly has been an Upper Falls resident since moving from West Roxbury 17 years ago. His contributions to the community take many forms – everything…
On August 1, Director of Transportation Planning Jenn Martin and Director of Planning and Development Barney Heath sent an update to the Newton City Council regarding the recently launched Washington Street Pilot project. Construction began in the spring and is expected to be completed in the fall. The project, which…
Behind the wooden gates of a Waban home’s backyard, Newton residents made small talk about the weather, their summer plans, and—clean energy? Green Newton’s neighborly “Summer Pizza Party” event at the home of David Miller, parent of a former Green Newton intern, took place on Monday, August 4. This event…
Marlene Archer, President of the Resident Council at Cabot Park Village, organized a one-hour Declaration of Resistance Rally for 11AM on August 1. The rally at Cabot Park Village mirrored the Hands Off and No Kings protests that occurred around Newton in response to the policies put in place by…
Tucked between aisles of cutting boards and salad spinners, you might find China Fair owner Will Beck helping a customer find bakeware for their next dinner party or an appliance for their new apartment. The peaceful quiet of the store is occasionally interrupted by the sound of sharpening knives, a…
In November 2024, Alicia Kabir was selected as the new Massachusetts Executive Director of Cradles to Crayons (C2C), a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that gathers and distributes donated clothes, school supplies, and toiletries for children in low-income families. Now, about nine months after her appointment, Kabir told Fig City News that being…
On July 1, waste collection workers at Republic Services, one of the largest waste management companies in the country, went on strike in Massachusetts, leaving communities across the state grappling with overflowing dumpsters. The strike is now in its fifth week. On July 10, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and Director of…
On Wednesday, July 23, City Councilor Stephen Farrell met with the Public Facilities committee to support the proposed renaming of the 19 roadways of Oak Hill Park in honor of fallen veterans. Currently these roadways are named for letters of the alphabet. Councilor Farrell highlighted the historical significance of renaming…












