In an email to the West Newton Business Community forwarded to the West Newton resident listserve by Ward 3 Councilor Andrea Kelley, the Department of Public Works will be reconfiguring lanes on Washington Street within the West Newton Square area to improve overall Washington Street corridor operations Sunday, October 8 from 10PM until…
Fig City News
The nearly 90-year old Mount Alvernia High School campus, owned by the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (MFIC), was purchased by Boston College for $40.5 million on September 25, according to Mass Land Records. The twenty-three-acre campus is located across Centre Street from the BC Newton campus and…
State Representative Kay Khan (11th Middlesex) was recently recognized for her lifetime of advocacy for midwifery at the first ever Midwifery Advocacy Day at the State House on October 5. Maternal and reproductive health care advocates, including the Bay State Birth Coalition, Reproductive Equity Now, the Neighborhood Birth Center, and…
On September 28, members of the Newton Cultural Council (NCC) gathered in the War Memorial Auditorium at City Hall with members of the public and City officials — including Mayor Ruthanne Fuller; Parks, Recreation and Culture Commissioner Nicole Banks; and Director of Cultural Development Paula Gannon — to celebrate and…
The campaign to Repeal the Parking Ban aims to remove Newton’s winter-time ban on overnight street parking, except in the case of snow emergencies. (See Fig City News articles.) Proponents of repeal have been gathering signatures to place a ballot question in front of voters this November. The campaign recently…
In response to rising needs of the community, the Newton Food Pantry (NFP) has expanded its hours of service to include Thursdays, 10AM-1PM, by appointment only. Like many other non-profits in the city, the NFP serves as a safety net for individuals and families whose needs are not otherwise met.…
The table above summarizes Newton’s municipal electoral races for this fall. This PDF copy of the table has links to the candidates’ campaign websites. Some observations: Fig City News will publish profiles of candidates, with priority on those in the contested elections. Early voting is available at City Hall, first floor lobby,…
After a long career in child welfare administration, Randy Block is running to be Ward Councilor for Ward 4. (That seat, which is elected by the voters of Ward 4, is currently held by Chris Markiewicz, who is not running for reelection.) While Mr. Block has lived in Newton for…
Doris Ann Sweet, a retired academic research librarian, is running to be Ward Councilor for Ward 4. (That seat, which is elected by the voters of Ward 4, is currently held by Chris Markiewicz, who is not running for reelection.) She has lived in Newton for forty-five years. Ten years ago,…
The City Council voted on October 2 to approve the proposed amendments that would allow craft breweries as an allowable use under the City’s zoning ordinance. The vote on the proposal had been delayed (chartered) by its lead sponsor and Vice President of the Council, Rick Lipof. Several Councilors at…
The September 27 School Committee meeting began with several public commenters, including current students and Newton Public Schools (NPS) employees, advocating passionately for higher compensation for educators. One commenter, Jo-Louise Allen, whose LinkedIn profile states her profession as a Newton-focused special education services advocate, called for higher spending on student…
Greg Reibman, President of the Charles River Regional Chamber, endorses the Newton’s proposed Village Center Zoning Redesign and its Village Center Overlay Districts (VCOD). He says the proposed changes in village center zoning allowing development “by right,” rather than by special permit, will gradually increase the supply of homes for…