On a dreary, overcast March 1st, Newton Centre suddenly became the lively, colorful destination for Octogenarians on the March. Approximately 50 people carrying homemade signs gathered at a table under large banners – one quoting Edmund Burke: “Evil Triumphs when Good People Do Nothing” and another, ”Do Something! Stand with…
Fig City News
Music Mondays at the Scandinavian Center – the only Newton organization that sponsors free, live daytime concerts – celebrated its 5th birthday on March 2, 2025. Founders Brenda April and Clara Chan had senior citizens in mind when they began Music Mondays in 2020. But two concerts into their premier…
Women business-owners in Newton are joining together ahead of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8 — and throughout Women’s History Month — to showcase their shops while supporting each other and the community. “We’re trying to make people aware of the various women-owned businesses in Newton,” said Linda de…
With the aroma of smoked meat permeating the air, Ann Tolson eagerly awaited her prize: A to-go bag full of mouth-watering dishes from West Newton’s Blue Ribbon Barbecue. “I’d recommend it to anyone who loves good food,” said the Boston resident who stopped by on a recent weeknight. A true…
After three hours of free-ranging debate on the pros and cons of granting both a zoning change and a special permit for 368-390 Watertown Street in Nonantum to allow for the addition of another floor and three more units, the Land Use Committee voted to defeat both items. Nonantum Neighborhood…
Newton Centre’s Pilot Plaza proposal has been revised after pushback from local businesses and residents, with the City reducing the number of parking spaces removed and shortening the year-long pilot to run only June through October. While some business owners, after these revisions, are cautiously optimistic about economic potential, others…
On Tuesday, February 25, the City of Newton held its first-ever Newton Civic Spotlight event at City Hall. The event, aimed at local middle and high school students, featured a resource fair showcasing local organizations as well as panel discussions exploring the nuances of local government and issues facing the…
Last fall, Newton North High School (NNHS) athlete Sasha Selivan and two NNHS coaches, Roy Dow and Kristen Smith, were among those honored in the Boston Globe’s Fall 2024 All-Scholastic Awards featuring 39 Athletes of the Year and 38 Coaches of the Year. They recently shared reflections with Fig City News.…
Newton’s housing crisis prevents the many workers who keep the city running from being able to live here. As costs soar, employees across industries are forced to commute from other communities. “It doesn’t sit right with me that in Newton the person making my morning coffee can’t even afford to…
Emily Craven — who is running the Boston Marathon to help fund the Fig City News summer internship program — is also organizing the Fig City News Shamrock 5K for the same purpose. The race is twice around Jamaica Pond plus 0.1 mile to the finish, for a total of…
On February 14, President Trump’s Department of Education (ED) sent out a letter stating: “The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.” The letter from the…
Newton North HS graduate Alex Sherman is a member of the Virginia NCAA collegiate Distance Medley Relay team that set a record on Friday, February 21. Sherman split 46.27 in the 400m leg of the relay. The relay’s time of 9:14.19 was the fastest ever recorded in the event on…