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The News Site of Boston College

The Heights
The News Site of Boston College

The Heights
The News Site of Boston College

The Heights

Newton Passes Ordinance Taxing Short Term Rentals

Gretchen Haga and Sophie Ragano • September 8, 2019
The city of Newton passed an ordinance that taxes short-term rentals, like AirBnb, and requires owners to register their homes.
protest newton

Newton Teachers Protest at City Hall

Colleen Martin • August 28, 2019

People in bright red shirts made their way down Commonwealth Avenue Wednesday morning, ending at Newton’s City Hall. Holding “Support Newton Educators” signs and chanting “This is what a union...

A small protest, and subsequent counterprotest, took place after Newton North announced a planned performance by Missy Steak, a Boston-based drag performer. A small protest, and subsequent counterprotest, took place after Newton North announced a planned performance by Missy Steak, a Boston-based drag performer. (Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Newton High Schools to Cut School-Day Length, Delay Start Times

Abby Hunt • August 26, 2019
The Newton school district is making plans for its high schools to adopt a more efficient schedule that would allow for possible later starts.
snake wrangler

Update: Lightning the Burmese Python Found

Colleen Martin • August 24, 2019
Lightning the Burmese Python has been found and returned to his family, according to a Newton Police Department tweet at 7:36 p.m.
Update: Python on the Loose in Newton

Update: Python on the Loose in Newton

Colleen Martin • August 23, 2019
A Burmese Python is on the loose in Newton, according to the Newton Police. The black-and-gold snake, which is six to eight feet long, left a backyard on Jewett Street at 5 p.m. on Aug. 20.

Funds Approved for Newton Train Station Designs

Colleen Martin • August 17, 2019
The MBTA has approved funds for the creation of designs that would make the Newtonville, West Newton, and Auburndale Commuter Rail Stations more accessible.

Newton South Teachers Sign Petition to Exclude Mayor Fuller from Graduation

Colleen Martin • June 5, 2019

More than 80 percent of Newton South High School teachers signed a petition asking Mayor Ruthanne Fuller to not attend the graduation ceremony that will take place on June 6. The petition is protesting...

trial court

Newton Judge Rejects Plea Deal, Criminal Charges Remain

Colleen Martin • May 25, 2019
“Much as she might have wanted to get rid of the case, she could not admit to something she does not believe to be true,” said Francis Herrmann, S.J., a professor at Boston College Law School, in an email to The Heights. “If, however, the US Attorney's offer would not have required her to make an admission of guilt, it is harder to understand why she turned down the offer. Perhaps she wants the authoritative voice of a jury of citizens to declare to the public that she is not guilty.”
newton court

Newton Judge Indicted for Allegedly Obstructing ICE

Colleen Martin • April 26, 2019
A Newton judge, Shelley M. Richmond Joseph, was indicted yesterday on an obstruction of justice charge for allegedly helping a man escape from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Newton courthouse last year. A court officer, Wesley MacGregor, who has retired since the alleged incident, was also charged with obstruction of justice and an additional charge of perjury.
newton city hall

Newton’s 2020 Budget Focuses on Education, Infrastructure

Colleen Martin • April 22, 2019
Newton’s budget for 2020 will focus on public schools, public safety, transportation and home services for senior citizens, infrastructure, and climate change. It was released on Tuesday by Mayor Ruthanne Fuller in her Mayor’s Update email.

Newton Elementary School Hosts Discussion About Cross-Racial Conversations

Owen Fahy • April 11, 2019

Shay Stewart-Bouley, who is black, and Debby Irving, who is white, took the small stage inside the large-windowed auditorium at Angier Elementary School in Newton to talk about race on Tuesday night....

Newton Residents Gather for Second Public Meeting on Riverside Vision Project

Newton Residents Gather for Second Public Meeting on Riverside Vision Project

Doug Girardot • March 31, 2019
A broader concern voiced by residents was that the proposal for the vision plan was influenced more by the demands of potential developers and property owners, rather than by the desires of the Newton public.
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