by Sean Roche | Dec 3, 2012 | Newton
I detect more than a whiff of concern trolling in the comments that Newton’s least fortunate cannot afford a larger override, that the mayor’s modest override proposal is already burden enough. What I suspect is really operating is basic anti-tax sentiment...
by Sean Roche | Dec 3, 2012 | Newton
If you are active in your neighborhood, school, or city, you meet many terrific people. And, you share in the loss when some of them die. I got to know John Sarvey and Fran Seasholes, both lived a short walk from my home and both died recently. Bruce provided a nice...
by Sean Roche | Nov 28, 2012 | Newton |
This is one of a series of mostly political drawings that caught my eye on exhibit at the Newton Free Library. I was delighted (and ultimately not surprised) to learn they were drawn by my friend architect, urbanist, community activist, would-be developer, frequent...
by Sean Roche | Nov 28, 2012 | Newton |
Henceforth what has been known for 60 years as the Chestnut Hill Shopping Center (aka the lower mall), will be styled “The Street Chestnut Hill.” Take a moment to savor it. Note the lack of a dash or hyphen (so I suppose you say it all it once:...
by Sean Roche | Nov 28, 2012 | Override |
This is the third in a three-post series on the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) requirement that Newton pose separate debt-exclusion ballot questions for two school renovation/replacement projects. Perhaps most frustrating about the MSBA’s policy...
by Sean Roche | Nov 27, 2012 | Newton |
I got a chance yesterday to use the credit-card accepting parking meters currently being trialed in Newton Highlands. Anybody else use them? What did you think? As somebody who rarely carries change, what a convenience. They are very easy to use. A picture of the...
by Sean Roche | Nov 27, 2012 | Override
This is the second in a three-post series on the Massachusetts School Building Administration (MSBA) requirement that Newton’s debt-exclusion override requests have to be posed as separate ballot questions. The bigger the municipality, the more schools...
by Sean Roche | Nov 27, 2012 | Newton |
TechCrunch (and others) reporting Cyber Monday sales were up better than 22% over last year. This is a trend that is not going to be reversed by farmers markets and shop-local pledges. We need to radically rethink our village centers and how to keep them vital....
by Sean Roche | Nov 27, 2012 | Newton |
Updated: Boston.com has an updated story, with more info on the pedestrians and drivers. Notably free of driver-less zombie cars. Also quotes yours truly. — Within a little over an hour yesterday, according to the Globe, drivers hit two 90-year-old pedestrians...
by Sean Roche | Nov 27, 2012 | Newton |
This sign on Walnut Street approaching Homer Street (southbound) marking the end of the single-block bike lane on Walnut Street along City Hall is no longer accurate. There are now bike lanes from Homer Street to Beacon Street and again from Beacon Street to Forest...
by Sean Roche | Nov 26, 2012 | Newton |
State Treasurer Steve Grossman was kind enough to — very promptly — respond to a question posed to him last month: why do we need separate ballot questions for the two school projects to be funded by debt-exclusion overrides*? His response (boiled down):...
by Sean Roche | Nov 26, 2012 | Newton
State Treasurer Steve Grossman was kind enough to — very promptly — respond to a question posed to him last month: why do we need separate ballot questions for the two school projects to be funded by debt-exclusion overrides*? His response (boiled down):...
