Two long-time, well known Newton residents have recently written and published book-length memoirs. The two memoirs are not at all alike. But in deep conversations with both John Stewart and Bob Burke, I have seen that the experience of writing a memoir had changed each of them. John Stewart: My…
Fig City News
After much discussion and debate in the March 11 Land Use Committee meeting, the owner of 386-390 Watertown Street withdrew his request for a zoning change and a special permit. At the March 4 City Council Land Use Committee meeting, members had learned that the ongoing zoning change and special…
Key issues included confusion over Stabilization Fund Cash and support for restoring Kindergarten aides. Following a non-recorded budget workshop on February 26, during which the School Committee heard publicly for the first time about a large NPS budget deficit forecast for next year, the agenda for the March 10 School…
When Emily Craven, a 20-year-old student at the University of Vermont, isn’t training for the 129th Boston Marathon, she takes on another challenging endeavor, organizing the Fig City News Shamrock 5k. The five-kilometer run will be held on Sunday, March 16, at 9AM and goes twice around Jamaica Pond plus…
On March 10, the Newton City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee met in a working session to discuss amending the City’s ADU Ordinance. Newton’s long-standing debate over the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, was recently reignited with the passage of the Healy Administration’s Affordable Housing Act in August…
Newton’s state senator and three state representatives have received their leadership positions and committee assignments for the current State House term. State Senator Cynthia Creem (Brookline, Newton and Wellesley) will continue as: Office phone: 617-722-1639. Email: [email protected] State Rep. John Lawn (10th Middlesex) will continue as: Office phone: 617-722-2430. Email:…
On February 26, 2025, Newton Public Schools (NPS) Superintendent Anna Nolin and other administrative staff met with the Newton School Committee in a special session to discuss Dr. Nolin’s proposed budget for the 2025-2026 school year. All eight current members of the School Committee were present at the meeting, with…
For years, the jazz program at Newton South High School (NSHS) has been consistently recognized as one of the nation’s best. The program’s Jazz Ensemble, directed by celebrated NSHS music educator Lisa Linde, receives top ratings at the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education’s state festivals and places among the top…
Newton will hold a city-wide Special Election on March 18 to fill the Ward 7 School Committee seat that became vacant when Amy Davenport moved from Newton last year. Alicia Piedalue is the sole candidate with sufficient certified nominating signatures to be on the ballot. Having moved to Newton two…
Six Newton high school seniors are among the 17 seniors honored by the New England Scholastic Press Association (NESPA) to be its first ever NESPA All New England High School Journalism staff. No other New England school district had more than two students so recognized. To be considered, students submitted…
Before the March 3 City Council meeting, which was to consider rezoning and a special permit for the much disputed property at 386-390 Watertown Street, two emails circulated, informing some Councilors and the Council President that the property had been sold the day before a key Land Use hearing on…
Both the LigerBots — Newton’s dual-high-school robotics team — and the Oak Hill MathCounts Club competed this weekend with impressive results. LigerBots The LigerBots competed at the Granite State District FRC competition February 28-March 2 in Salem, New Hampshire, reaching the finals and winning the Autonomous Award. In this first…