Better know your tree bark

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...

Should Mayor Warren suspend the gas leaf blower ban for the next two weeks?

Under Newton’s new leaf blower ordinance, gas powered leaf blowers cannot be used from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

But the legislation also includes this provision:

During times of emergency caused by a storm or other special circumstance, the Mayor or his designee may temporarily suspend application of all or a portion of this section for purposes of cleaning up from such storm or other special circumstance.

Based on what I’ve been reading about the giant tar spot virus, this seems to be one of those times when Mayor Warren should make an exception. This is not an argument against the ban itself but specifically because