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The News Site of Boston College

The Heights
The News Site of Boston College

The Heights
From carnival rides to craft booths, the fair has something for everyone. (Sophia Chamberlin / Heights Staff)

Newton Harvest Fair Commemorates 50 Years as the Perfect Fall Event

Sophia Chamberlin • October 22, 2025
Every autumn, the heart of Newton comes alive with delicious smells, live music, and crowds of people gathering for the city’s beloved Harvest Fair. Held on the Newton Centre Green, the two-day event marked its 50th anniversary this year—and it was busier than ever. 
Ty Burr was a 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist in Criticism and works as a film critic for The Washington Post. (Jisu Lee / For The Heights)

West Newton Cinema Shows ‘I Know Where I’m Going!’ At Ty Burr’s Monthly Movie Club

Jisu Yee • October 14, 2025
Burr, a critic for The Washington Post hosts Ty Burr’s Movie Club at the West Newton Cinema every month.
The updated Climate Action Plan will serve as a crucial road map for the next five years of Newton’s environmental policies. (Natalie McDonnell / For The Heights)

Newton Unveils Draft Climate Action Plan at Newton Free Library

Natalie McDonnell • October 2, 2025
On Monday night, community members and elected officials gathered at the Newton Free Library to hear a panel of local environmental representatives discuss their current projects and next steps, including a presentation of the draft for Newton’s updated Climate Action Plan. 
The film emphasizes how recovery doesn’t end with sobriety—instead, that’s where the hard work begins. (Genevieve Morrison / Heights Editor)

Newton Screening of Local Film ‘Recovery City’ Highlights Women’s Journeys Through Addiction and Recovery

Grace Duffy • September 28, 2025
At the Newton Free Library on Wednesday evening, filmmaker Lisa Olivieri screened her award-winning documentary, Recovery City, alongside a panel of local healthcare experts who discussed the importance of support for addiction recovery.
The market is not only inclusive of shoppers of different ages, but also those of differing financial circumstances. (Sophia Gallon / Heights Staff)

Newton Farmers Market Fosters Community, Fun, and Food at Newton North High School

Sophia Gallon • September 21, 2025
Every Saturday morning, Newton North High School opens its parking lot to the city, welcoming local farmers, bakers, and community members.
The awards were chosen through a mix of public voting and judge selection. (Riley Del Sesto / Heights Editor)

Newton Honors Local Entrepreneurs at Small Business Awards

Riley Del Sesto • September 19, 2025
The Charles River Regional Chamber celebrated Newton’s small businesses Wednesday night at the first-ever Newton Small Business Awards, gathering local leaders, entrepreneurs, and residents at the West Newton Cinema.
Susan Denison and Ted Kuklinski released this year’s butterfly, named Chrys, at the festival. (Matthew Antonecchia / Heights Staff)

Butterflies Take to the Skies at Newton’s Fifth Annual Monarch Festival

Matthew Antonecchia • September 16, 2025
Wellington Park in West Newton was abuzz Saturday morning, as children, parents, and curious onlookers gathered for the Fifth Annual Newton Monarch Festival.
The Nonantum road has borne tricolor, Italian flag lines in the center of the street since 1935. (Photo Courtesy of Chuck Proia)

Nonantum Erupts in Conflict After Italian Flag Lines Removed From Adams Street

Riley Del Sesto • September 11, 2025
Two weeks ago, city workers painted standard double yellow lines on Adams Street in Newton’s predominantly Italian neighborhood of Nonantum.
Residents say the adjacent Chapin Road has been plagued with flooding problems for decades.

A Newton Developer Wants To Extend Drainage Into Her Lots. The Plan Has Neighbors Up in Arms.

Genevieve Morrison • August 10, 2025

When Betsy Harper bought the lots at 132 Homer St., her vision was idyllic. Having developed an inventive energy-efficient house in Cambridge, Harper thought she had found the site of her next Earth-friendly...

(Left to right: Jenny Klein-Sosa, Lisa Goldstein Gordon and Shalini Tendulkar organize donations to their organization's diaper drive / Courtesy photo)

How Newton Neighbors Went from Online Group to Nonprofit Powerhouse

Carina Murphy • July 21, 2025
What began as a Facebook group during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic has blossomed into one of Newton’s most active mutual aid networks.
Election 2025: Local Duo Looks to Repeal Newton’s Winter Parking Ban

Election 2025: Local Duo Looks to Repeal Newton’s Winter Parking Ban

Carina Murphy • July 10, 2025
As most Newton residents soak up the sun in the recent heat wave, Jeremy Freudberg and Peter Klapes have their sights set on the future—to snowstorms, freezing temperatures, and the rules that come with them. As co-leaders of the campaign to repeal Newton’s winter parking ban, they’ve rallied support for a repeal measure that will appear on the November ballot.
Hyde Center Serves Family Fun All Summer: Here’s What to Expect

Hyde Center Serves Family Fun All Summer: Here’s What to Expect

Carina Murphy • June 25, 2025
Every Friday night from June to early September, residents gather at the Hyde bandstand for an evening filled with music, movies, and community.
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