The FY2023 Tax Classification hearing was held by the Finance Committee on Monday evening to establish the proportion of the tax levy raised by the residential and commercial classes of property in the City. The Council voted (21 – 2 with 2 absent) to increase the tax levy limit with…
Fig City News
Newton’s Winter Overnight Parking Ban is scheduled to start on December 1, banning parking for longer than one hour on city streets 2AM-6AM. The fine for each violation is $25. In recent years, during the state’s Covid emergency, the Mayor was able to lift the ban and did so (except…
On Saturday, over one hundred friends and family of 12-year-old Eytani Ganot gathered at his West Newton home to celebrate the surprise granting of his wish — to go on the new, one-of-a-kind Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World Resort. In 2012, Eytani was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare muscle disorder,…
The sound of the MC announcing the matches over the background music, a sea of colorful custom T-Shirts, and LEGOs scattered throughout the school: This was the scene of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Newton Qualifier last Saturday at Newton North High School. The FLL Qualifier, run by Newton’s dual-high-school robotics team,…
Last week, Fig City News reported that State Representative Ruth Balser’s nearly quarter-of-a-century effort to protect public lands came to fruition when the Legislature voted in favor of her Public Lands Preservation Act. Governor Charlie Baker has signed the bill and made it the law of the Commonwealth. Under the…
Just after the 2022 midterm elections, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-CD4) hosted a climate summit at Needham’s Olin College of Engineering with experts in climate and energy. (See video.) Opening the summit, Olin College President Gilda Barabino highlighted the current climate emergency and noted that Olin students are taught to…
Early in the pandemic, Massachusetts established rules to facilitate outdoor dining, and those rules are set to expire in March 2023. (See Newton’s restaurant guidelines.) The Charles River Regional Chamber has started a petition in support of making the outdoor-dining rules permanent, at least on the local level, and the petition currently has over…
The Newton Public Schools Superintendent Search Committee is conducting focus groups — both in-person and virtual — with both NPS parents/guardians and members of the overall Newton community. Topics to be covered include: Each focus group is one hour. There are several dates and times available November 17-20 for individuals…
A significant change could be on the way for the Newton Police Department as a group of officers will soon begin a pilot program for body-worn cameras, according to Chief John Carmichael. “I recognize that there are pros and cons to it,” said Carmichael during a recent phone interview. “I…
A ballot-question committee, Vote Yes for Newton, has been formed to advocate for the approval of three override proposals totaling $14.9 million. The three questions will be decided in an election in March 2023. The committee is co-chaired by Christine Dutt and Kerry Prasad, and Kevin Spector is treasurer. Kerry…