Nominations closed
It’s time once again for your nominations for the Newton news makers of 2015. There’s no official criteria. We’re just looking for folks who’ve made a positive or negative or just interesting contribution to our city this year.
Submit your nominations as a comment now and we’ll publish a poll based on your suggestions some time next week.
I find myself unable to choose between John Rice and David Olson, both of whom constantly and consistently share valuable knowledge with Newton residents and are invaluable in efforts to get things done!
The NVA !
Scott Oran, with both Rowe and Austin streets
In no particular order:
• Newton Villages Alliance – though this is an oversimplification, this group galvanized the City into pro- and anti- development positions leading into the November elections;
• Austin Street Partners, the public face of the Austin Street project;
• Jake Auchincloss, with the textbook approach to how to unseat a well-regarded, long-serving aldermanic incumbent;
• Emily Norton – the force behind the newly-named City Councilors, and the face of the legislative opposition to Austin Street;
• The new Charter Commissioners, tasked with the first major review of our charter in two generations;
• The Aquinas School – not a person but this purchase will radically improve our elementary school long range planning on the north side of Newton.
Friends of Austin Street, for accomplishing the (seemingly) impossible.
The Tour de Newton, the Feast of the Falls, the Newton Nomadic Theater, and the Nomad Story Slam have been some of the highlights of the year. They are all the work of teams of generous people bursting with creativity and energy, and I think all of those folks should be nominated … but if I were to choose one name to represent this group, I’d pick Jerry Reilly – instigator, cheerleader, promoter, coordinator, troubleshooter, and all around “guy who says ‘Why not? Let’s do it!’ “
Jerry Reilly and the Friends of Austin Street are my choices
Professor Jabari Asim for bringing the issue of racial profiling right here in Newton to center stage.
Friends of Austin Street, Jake Auchincloss, NVA, Rhanna Kidwell
Thanks, Gail!
I’ll add:
Gloria Gavris, for her incredible leadership of Newton’s Inaugural Festival of the Arts, and Gail Spector, author of Legendary Locals of Newton that was published this year.
Friends of Austin Street, Jake Auchincloss and our other young candidates (Jess Barton, Cyrus Vaghar), Jabari Asim, Kathleen Kouril Grieser, the Ligerbots, Rhanna Kidwell, Jerry Reilly and Fignewtonville.
I think a shoutout is due to organizers David Albright and Hattie Gawande, two very motivated young adults without whom I am not sure Austin Street and its Friends would have been successful.
I’d put Greg Reibman on that list. He’s the main force behind both Village14 and the Chamber of Commerce, both of which are woven into countless Newton issues thoughout the year.
Karen Bray, Marcia Cooper, Jane Sender, the many, many other Newton citizens and the Aldermen (City Councilors as of Friday) who have spent endless hours of their lives in support of all of us in Newton seeking healthier, more peaceful and less environmentally destructive lives.