On Thursday, March 27, Newton Public Schools (NPS) Superintendent Anna Nolin and School Committee Chair Chris Brezski (Ward 2) held a Community Budget meeting to explain the district’s $3.7 million budget deficit for the 2025-2026 school year for a packed auditorium at Brown Middle School. The audience included community members,…
Fig City News
At noon on Saturday, March 15, more than 100 people appeared on Newton Centre Green with a variety of homemade signs, protesting the actions of the Trump Administration. The one-hour stand-outs –noon to 1PM — are the collaborative initiative of three Newton activists — Nadine Cohen, Susan Davidoff, and Lynn…
Tight school budgets, outdated school buildings, and uncontested School Committee elections: When did these issues begin? Fig City News dug into archives and discovered a history of Newton’s schools dating back to the 17th century rife with issues that vex us to this day: funding, teacher pay, curriculum, governance, school…
Wearing shimmering, vibrantly colored outfits and intricate jewelry, young dancers performed complex routines, impressing the large audience at the New Art Center during the nonprofit’s Holi celebration on Sunday. “Holi, widely known as the Hindu festival of colors, is a joyful annual celebration at the advent of spring with cultural…
Dr. Mahdieh Beheshti opened her pediatric dental practice, Bee Happy, in Newton last November. It doesn’t look or sound like a typical dentist’s office. Soft ambient music soothes patients in the waiting room, which is adorned with a mural depicting a woodland scene with a honey-eating bear, buzzing bees, and…
Njavan Stewart faced a conundrum as the Newton native readied to return to the Assumption University men’s basketball lineup after missing seven games due to injury: retake his spot in the starting lineup back and potentially “ruin some chemistry,” or shove any ego aside and come off the bench. The…
Paul Levy will not run for re-election. The March 24 School Committee meeting, similar to meetings over the prior two weeks, was devoted to the Fiscal Year 2026 (academic year Fall 2025 – Spring 2026) Newton Public Schools (NPS) budget. The meeting began with over 45 minutes of public comment…
The mutual aid network Newton Neighbors, founded in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic by four Newton residents – Martha Bixby, Ranjani Paradise, Shalini Tendulkar, and Shreeda Vyas – is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The organization works to connect Newton residents and provide members of the community with access…
The Charles Regional River Chamber (CRRC) announced on March 20 that it is launching its Small Shops program, which offers free basic Chamber membership to help independent retailers in Newton, Needham, Watertown, and Wellesley. “The Small Shop program is designed to remove the financial barriers for local merchants so they…
Juliana Pasquarosa, born and raised in West Newton, has won “The Bachelor.” On the 29th season of the ABC reality TV show, Pasquarosa was one of 25 women vying for an engagement to the “Bachelor,” Grant Ellis. After weeks of elimination rounds, the 28-year-old Pasquarosa ultimately won the affections of…
In a presentation at the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton on March 18, Nobel Peace Prize winning scientist William Moomaw urged for the conservation of forests and local trees, citing the benefits of preserving larger trees and the consequences of cutting them down. The event, Why Protect Newton’s Trees?,…
Four Scouts from Troop 209 – one of the oldest troops in the U.S. and the only fully co-ed Scout Troop in Newton – were recognized in an Eagle Court of Honor on March 16 for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout – the highest rank in Scouting. This rank,…