Norton’s take on Washington Street Vision plan is misleading
I received a campaign email newsletter from Newton Councilor Emily Norton and was disappointed to read her misleading take on the Washington Street Vision plan. In her letter she references the second draft of the plan, writing: The final version of the Vision Plan...Chestnut Hill (South) Tower fire displaces nearly 800 residents
Hundreds of people have been forced out of their apartments in Newton due to a small fire and subsequent water damage. Nearly 800 people, many of them elderly, are displaced after the fire in the south tower at the Towers of Chestnut Hill apartment complex.
VIDEO: Watch the school demographics presentation
In her most recent email newsletter, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller wrote…
An in-depth demographic study of how the four proposed large developments would impact the Newton Public Schools shows that the new housing (1,775 units) would create only a small amount of new enrollment. The study forecast only 83 additional students district-wide over the next decade.
Is she out of her mind? How can that possibly be?
Watch this video to see the presentation on the topic:
Programs and Serives Finance Committee April, 10, 2019 from NewTV on Vimeo.
Globe discovers that Rev. Haywood has died
Better late than never, the Boston Globe had this nice article about the passing of Rev. Howard Haywood (who we lost in February) in today’s paper.
Rivkin departs, but city hall’s loss is our nation’s gain.
Newton City Hall is losing one of its bright young stars. But the city’s loss is our nation’s gain. The personable, Newton South graduate (Class of 2013) started working for Fuller’s mayoral campaign five days after his graduation from Columbia...
Respect rules the day at GOP meeting with Dem leaders
In this politically divisive era, I attended a really refreshing event Tuesday night. The Newton Republican City Committee invited three Democrats — state Sen. Cindy Cream, Rep. Ruth Balser and Rep. Kay Khan – to meet with them at the Emerson...
Fuller eyes plan to convert armory into affordable housing
From Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s budget announcement:
I am excited to announce that we will explore preserving the National Guard Armory building on Washington Street at the edge of West Newton Square and repurposing it as 100 percent affordable housing so more people of modest means can make this good city of Newton their home. The commonwealth is willing to sell the building to the city for $1 only if it is used for affordable housing, a use in which I believe deeply, and which also allows the city to control what happens to this important building.
Council bans plastic stirrers and polystyrene; water bottles could be next
The Newton City Council approved a ban Tuesday on restaurants using disposable plastic stirrers and polystyrene food containers. The measure also prevents retailers from selling or distributing polystyrene foam disposable food containers and ban selling or...
Fuller to unveil her second city budget
Mayor Ruthanne Fuller will be delivering her proposed $495 million city budget for fiscal year 2020 to the Newton City Council Tuesday. Jenna Fisher at Patch has a preview. The mayor said last year she has 12 priorities and outlined during her speech how funding...
City GOP invites state delegates to meet (while talking trash behind their backs)
The Newton Republican City Committee has invited State Sen. Cindy Creem, State Rep. Ruth Balser and State Rep. Kay Khan to meet with them on Tuesday April 16 at 7 p.m. at the Emerson Community Center (1 Pettee Street, Newton Upper Falls). The invitation comes as the...
Lime Bikes ditches traditional pedals for ebikes
Lime Bikes is now only renting electric-powered models ebikes, which use a small motor to give riders a boost as they accelerate or go up a hill, the Boston Globe reports.
But the switch will come with one big drawback for riders: the electric bikes are more expensive. According to the company’s app, they cost $1 at the start and 15 cents a minute, compared to $1 for 30 minutes on a traditional bike.
Eric Bourassa, transportation director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, a regional agency that organized the bike-rental system, said the
