At age 16, Erik Weihenmayer came to the Carroll Center for the Blind on Centre Street to learn to adapt to the total loss of sight he had recently experienced due to a rare disease. In that program, he had his first exposure to rock climbing on a trip to North Conway, NH. Seventeen years later, he would become the first blind person to summit Everest.
Fig City News
Last night, the Newton Affordable Housing Trust (NAHT) received approval for its second application for Community Preservation Committee (CPC) funds (see CPC agenda). When NAHT was established in 2021 for the purpose of creating and preserving affordable housing throughout the City of Newton, the CPC decided not only support the…
Once again, this week, Nonantum — known as “The Lake” — will be the site of its annual Italian festival. Festa Italiana reflects a close-knit community, many of whose families emigrated from San Donato Val di Comino and neighboring villages. Once again, Pellegrini Park (11 Hawthorne Street) will be the…
While music lovers around the country are paying a premium this summer to attend faraway festivals, Newton residents can listen to a plethora of performers from July 21-22 for free. Classical, funk, pop, jazz, salsa, bluegrass and other musicians will hit two stages at the Hyde Community Center park/playground during…
We are very pleased to announce that the first two of the four Fig City News high-school summer interns started with us last week. Bella Ishanyan and Emma Zhang are rising seniors at Newton South High School and co-Editors-in-Chief of the school’s award-winning paper, the Lion’s Roar. They have a lot to offer Fig…
Joan Mikula, former Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DPH), received an honorary degree and delivered the keynote address at the commencement ceremony of William James College on June 11. In her 35-year career at DPH, she shifted emphasis from inpatient to community care, developed frameworks for serving…
The Massachusetts Chapter of the Sierra Club sent this letter to the City of Newton urging leaders to reject the installation of artificial turf at Albemarle Field and use only organic infill materials if the City replaces the artificial turf at Newton South. In the letter, sent on July 5,…
Beloved Nonantum residents Lucia Arpino, Gilda (“Jill”) Damore, and Bruno Damore — victims of the June 25 triple homicide — are remembered in obituaries linked above. Visiting hours will be held at Our Lady Help of Christians Church (573 Washington Street) on Wednesday, July 5 from 4PM to 8PM. A…
Rainy weather canceled the morning and afternoon festivities, but Newton turned out for the full evening of celebration for Independence Day.
New Newton Public Schools Superintendent Anna Nolin has sent a memorandum to the School Committee recommending that the Underwood and Ward Task Force be “concluded” without issuing further guidance to the community about the future of the two schools. During the June 12 School Committee meeting, the Task Force issued…
The Newton Human Rights Commission (HRC) and the City Council Public Safety and Transportation (PST) Committee met separately in June to review and discuss the Newton Police response to spectators entering the course on Mile 21 of the Boston Marathon on April 17. Testimony from Newton Police Superintendent George McMains…
As anticipated, Alexandria, the nation’s largest life science real estate investment trust, has sold its Newton Riverside Center (275 Grove Street, Auburndale) to Boston-based Greatland Realty Partners for $117 million, half of the price it paid for it in 2020. Adjacent to the now-paused Mark Development Riverside project, the three-building…