Summer plans
What a difficult time for those people who ordinarily run local summer programs, whether at private day camps or at municipal facilities like Crystal Lake and Gath Pool. A recent letter from the operators of Fessenden Day Camp is illustrative of the problems....
Newton Front Steps Project
What a lovely idea from the Rotary Club of Newton. Check out their website for more details, here. You sign up for a photo of you and your family and your pets and whatever else, taken from a safe distance, in return for a donation that gets passed along to several of...What are we doing here anyway?
Some disrespectful comments on another Village 14 post prompted advice from Jerry Reilly to the writer that if he toned things down he might be more persuasive and effective. Jerry was right on target, but his thoughts didn’t get to another aspect of the...Street sweeping schedule
A small topic in the high stakes current environment, but I’ve always wondered: It’s really nice when the city sends a street sweeper through the neighborhood to remove the residual stuff from the fall and winter. It makes a real difference. But the...
Setting an example in the Public Garden
I’m sure Newton’s Nancy Schön has seen many additions to her marvelous set of sculptures in the Public Garden, but I’m guessing she never expected something like this.Pots and pans at 7pm
I just got notice of this. It was news to me. But the word is quickly spreading around Ward 6, Precinct 2. Is it elsewhere? “Tonight across Newton people will be coming out of their houses at 7:00 for TWO MINUTES and banging pots and pans and clapping...COVID-19 text-message alert system
In case you missed this, Governor Baker announced today: We launched a new text-message alert system, so you can get the latest updates sent straight to your phone. We’re committed to keeping residents up-to-date throughout the outbreak. Text...
But officer . . .
A distraction from you-know-what: A few months ago we had a brief conversation here about whether the public would accept the use of traffic cameras to enforce road rules, and I pointed out that Melbourne, Australia has a long history of doing so. Now, I get to show...On a lighter note: Yard waste pickups
Thanks to Mayor Fuller for this! She’s so right! With all this time on my hands, I’m cleaning up the yard, and I’m running out of space for the leaves and debris. “We know a lot of us are doing yard cleanups. We have arranged for the start of...And no play dates, either
Please read this most recent article by Asaf Bitton at Ariadne Labs here in Boston. He offers an informed opinion in a time of uncertainty. I’d rather follow his advice and hope that it is not necessary than not follow it and discover he was right. Excerpt: No...Such a sweet idea!
My pal Karen Wise (former Newton Girls Soccer soccer mom!) posted this idea on Twitter (@wisekaren): Lots of people who own mom&pop cafés, shops, take-out places, etc. are struggling, and it’s only going to get worse. Here’s a way to help: Buy gift certificates so...
Crazy Divers: Men be like...
drivers man be like