On Monday, January 5, recreational hockey enthusiasts, those struggling to find balance, and even a few four-legged cold-weather fans enjoyed a rare day on the ice at Auburndale Cove, the only authorized outdoor skating area in Newton. “I like outdoor skating better [than an indoor rink],” said Mae Franklin, 11,…
Fig City News
The Ward Councilor for Ward 2, David Micley, and his wife plan to move from Ward 2 to Ward 6 in mid-January to accommodate their growing family. Under the Newton City Charter, Micley is allowed to remain in office for his elected term (through 2027), and he says he intends…
The Fig City News iPhone app, launched in April 2023, gave Apple iPhone & iPad users quick access to Fig City articles, Newton restaurants, community announcements, and local government meeting calendars. More than two years later, a major update transforms it into a daily companion for staying connected to Newton. And by…
Newton officially entered a new chapter in City government on January 1 as a packed City Hall gallery gathered for the inauguration of the City’s new administration. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey attended the event to help usher in the new Mayor, City Councilors, and School Committee members. Healey noted that…
The inauguration of Newton’s new Mayor, City Council, and School Committee took place at noon on January 1. See this year’s gallery at https://photos.figcitynews.com/2026/2026-City-of-Newton-Inauguration/n-PHstRm. Photos by Jack Prior.
From a historic mayoral transition to school budget battles, from Bachelor watch parties to weekly protests, 2025 was a year that reminded Newton residents why local news matters. Fig City News published 435 news articles in 2025 tracking the stories that shaped our community. Here’s a look back at the…
On her second-to-last day in office, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller reflected on her eight years leading Newton through a global pandemic, political polarization across the country, and ongoing development in the city, ahead of Marc Laredo taking office Thursday. In an interview with Fig City News, when asked what advice she…
As I write this, it’s been eight weeks since the world lost Setti Warren at the appallingly unfair age of 55. To me, he was a friend, mentor, boss, and big brother. Right until the day he passed, I spoke with Setti just about every day for the 20 years…
“I’ve always been part of the community,” Newton Police Chief McMains told Fig City News two weeks before his scheduled retirement on January 8, 2026. His first community was Dunlap, Iowa, where he was born and raised on his family’s farm in a rural town where people helped one another. …
When Marc Laredo steps into the Mayor’s office January 1, he will do so with an unusual distinction: having served both as Chair of the School Committee and as President of the City Council. Laredo believes this background will be an asset in his new role. “Especially with a brand-new…
The Fig City News restaurant directory has grown from 147 entries in May 2023 to 160 today — a net gain of 13 restaurants. That gain is the result of at least seven closures and roughly 21 new additions over the past two and a half years. Closures and their…
A December 9 article on the recent Newton School Committee decision to align NPS’s graduation requirement with state guidance referenced an interim report from the Chair of the Massachusetts K-12 Graduation Council, Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, that offered an important insight: “Based on information issued by the state last…