by Bob Jampol | May 22, 2020 | Newton |
At last, the scientists studying the spread of the Coronavirus around the world have seemingly reached a consensus on how it spreads most easily. As pressure mounts in certain quarters to “open up” and “get back to work,” we must take their... by Bob Jampol | May 11, 2020 | Newton |
Last weekend my wife and I went biking, traveling in Newton as well as Needham and Wellesley. We noted the recent uptick in traffic as people get stir-crazy and leave home for a drive. Still, the roads have rarely been safer for those on bikes. As a result, more...
by Bob Jampol | Apr 17, 2020 | Newton |
It is all too easy to fall into a funk in the era of Covid 19. Massachusetts has not yet peaked in the level of infection. We all spend many hours a day sequestered at home all alone or with immediate family. Even when out and about under blue skies, we worry about... by Bob Jampol | Apr 2, 2020 | Newton |
We are all living in the shadow of Covid 19, whether we are getting sick or merely attempting to ward off sickness. We spend our days at home, and we have changed even our routines of recreation to stay safe. I am a tennis addict.The last time I played tennis,...
by Bob Jampol | Mar 22, 2020 | Newton |
Saturday is typically a contemplative day for me. I usually attend religious services in the morning, schmooze at the reception afterward while chomping on cheese and crackers, and then nap in the afternoon or take a long walk with my wife and our dog.... by Bob Jampol | Mar 12, 2020 | Newton |
I knew what was coming but kept praying that it wouldn’t happen. Now it has; thanks to Covid 19, almost all my communal activities have ceased, and most other things as well. At the beginning of the week, however, I was still trying to pretend that life might... by Bob Jampol | Mar 12, 2020 | Newton |
Well, the other shoe has finally dropped: The Newton Public Schools are now closed, starting tomorrow and lasting at least through next Friday and possibly longer. Here’s a link to the Newton Report’s article:... by Bob Jampol | Feb 21, 2020 | Newton |
On Thursday, February 6, Newton convened a rather remarkable gathering of community activists to discuss the upcoming creation of a new seven-year open space and recreation plan. The advocates or “Friends” of various parks and playgrounds, from Nahanton Park to Cold...
by Bob Jampol | Jan 12, 2020 | Newton |
To housing activists, 40-R zoning is considered “Smart Growth.” Its best practices include high-density housing, nearby public transportation, pedestrian and bicycle access, and less reliance on gas automobiles, the chief contributor to global warming. 40-R projects... by Bob Jampol | Dec 12, 2019 | Newton |
Mayor Ruthanne Fuller recently published an extensive Five-Year Climate Action Plan (http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/100191). Green Newton has also weighed in with its Citizens’ Climate Action Plan... by Bob Jampol | Nov 25, 2019 | Newton |
Last Friday, in the pouring rain, I drove to Newton North High School for the dedication of a new bicycle shelter. The project was a collaborative effort of Bike Newton, on whose board I serve, and city government, and boy, was the shelter needed that day! Mayor... by Bob Jampol | Nov 13, 2019 | Newton |
Yesterday, for the second time in just over two years, I came close to witnessing the death of someone close to me. Two years ago it was my father, 98 years old, who passed away of heart failure at a hospital in my presence. Though it was a difficult moment for me, I...