The “vision” test of commenting on Hello Washington Street Draft 2
Before even getting to the substance of the content, my first comment on the second draft of the Washington Street “Vision” was on the difficulty of actually reading it. Maybe it works better on one of those huge double-wide computer screens (anyone got...
Deja vu on Library parking lot trees and solar carports, but there’s more…
Because it was so much fun the first time, and because ‘No’ apparently doesn’t mean ‘No,’ we are going to have another debate on whether Library parking lots trees should be cut down to install solar carports. But that’s only part of the potential tree impact of...
Got an ash tree you care about? Time to think about treating for EAB
Longtime readers may recall that back in 2012 and 2013 I was looking for colonies of friendly wasps that would find the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) when it turned up in this area. I did find some colonies, and in 2016, the best colony (best because they drop a lot of dead...
Newton Taxpayers’ look at city finances
Nicely timed for just after tax day, and the announcement of Newton’s first $400M Budget, the Newton Taxpayers Association, is doing a presentation this Tuesday evening, April 24, at the Newton Free Library about our spending, debt and policies that affect our...
Right to clean air clashes with right to use marijuana
An article in today’s Boston Globe vividly describes an issue that I’ve not had to deal with personally, since I live in a single-family house, and for decades now, workplaces, airplanes and public buildings are thankfully smoke-free. Apparently —...
Councilor Norton urges better response to rising sea levels
I’m not often home to catch “Greater Boston” on WGBH, so it was extra nice to hear a familiar voice Monday night, as city councilor Emily Norton was one of Jim Braude’s guests to talk about Boston’s second ‘once in a...
Better know your tree bark
Do most tree trunks look alike to you? Do you have trouble identifying trees without their leaves, or even with their leaves? Would you like to be able to identify tree species in winter, when the buds that would give you a clue may be too high to see well? Or would...
Malakie: independent advocate for residents, parks, trees and neighborhood preservation
For those who don’t know my background: I’m an almost lifelong resident of West Newton. I graduated from the “old” old Newton High School in 1973, went on to graduate from MIT with a bachelor’s in Economics, and earned an MBA at the University of Chicago. I spent most...
Robbing pedestrians to enlarge a parking lot?
While walking the stretch of Beacon Street encompassing DPW’s requested 29 tree removals a couple of weeks ago, I had a closeup look at a stretch where sidewalk and curb reconstruction was already completed, at the former South Pacific plaza. (Where current food...
More tree carnage looms
The DPW war on trees continues. Remember those 35 trees removed for sidewalk reconstruction on Adams Street? There is now a similar request to remove “approximately 33 trees” on a stretch of Beacon Street in Waban for sidewalk reconstruction. One example...
Hearing tonight on proposed Newton Highlands Local Historic District
The proposed Newton Highlands Local Historic District, for which many people I know, including V14’s Bob Burke, have spent countless hours on research and outreach, has its public hearing tonight at Zoning & Planning. (Agenda here.) Having seen and written...
Crazy Divers: Men be like...
drivers man be like