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Primer on overrides and debt exclusions

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller has proposed a tax override and two debt exclusions, each of which, if approved by voters, will increase Newton’s property taxes to fund the purposes associated with each. (The Mayor also proposed exemptions to mitigate the effects of these tax increases on economically vulnerable taxpayers.) Newton voters…

Newton Teachers Association addresses contract negotiations, override, and possible labor actions

Newton Teachers Association leaders discussed several topics related to Newton Public Schools, as well as their support for teacher strikes in other Massachusetts districts, in the latest NTA President’s Blog post published on January 2, 2023. UPDATE: The School Committee provided an update on collective bargaining in its meeting on…

Cradles to Crayons: 20 years providing clothing and essentials for children

Carefully sorting through colorful, donated children’s clothing, Christie Webber and more than a dozen of her colleagues from Norwood’s HMI Performance Incentives happily returned to volunteer at Cradles to Crayons after a two-year absence due to the Covid pandemic. The nonprofit, located at 281 Newtonville Avenue, recently marked 20 years…

Newton Public Schools strongly recommends students and staff wear masks for first two weeks in January

On Monday, the Newton Public Schools district, in consultation with the City’s Health and Human Services Department, announced its strong recommendation that all NPS staff and students wear face coverings for the first two weeks of school following the December break. With “a rise of absences of both students and…

School Committee approves Cabot Split, discusses System-wide Language Goals at Dec. 19 meeting

The last scheduled School Committee meeting of 2022 contained a packed agenda, and it began with a lively public comment period. An NPS parent and immigrant to the United States began the session by strongly criticizing what he perceived as the District’s over focus on racial identity at the expense…

Adrienne Hartzell Knudsen: Queen of Arts

Executive Director, New Philharmonia Orchestra and Managing Director, Newton Cultural Alliance Adrienne Hartzell Knudsen has been promoting and managing the performing arts scene in Newton since 1995, when she became Executive Director of the New Philharmonia Orchestra. But her active involvement really began in the mid 1980s when her husband,…

Rep. Auchincloss secures $7 million for accessibility improvements to Newton’s three Commuter Rail stations

In the closing hours of the 117th Congress, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) secured $7 million dollars in the 2023 federal budget to improve Newton’s three commuter rail stations at Newtonville, West Newton, and Auburndale. Among the improvements included in the allocation are new stairs, ramps, elevators; full-length in- and out-bound…

Independent shops in Newton offer last-minute, one-of-a-kind holiday finds

Newtonville Books Mary Cotton knows her customers and her literature. On a recent weekday, the owner of Newtonville Books (10 Langley Road) enthusiastically offered recommendations to a new customer who came in looking for a crime story. That personal touch, knowledgeable advice, and those unique offerings are what differentiate local,…

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