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The News Site of Boston College

The Heights
The News Site of Boston College

The Heights
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.
A decision on whether to adopt an integrated or traditional model is expected to be made in February 2026. (Genevieve Morrison / Heights Editor)

Newton Schools Draft New Math Curriculum, but Some Claim It Falls Short

Jordan Mirabile and Kalia Philbert • September 25, 2025
At Newton School Committee (NSC)’s meeting on Wednesday, Newton educators and parents discussed the future of math instruction and a new long-term place for its older school buildings.
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.
(Jonathan Kazakoff-Eigen is running for the Ward 1 City Council ward seat in this year's local election / Courtesy photo)

JJ Kazakoff-Eigan on Budgets, Buses and Building Relationships in Ward 1 Council Seat Run

Carina Murphy • September 7, 2025
When Jonathan “JJ” Kazakoff-Eigen moved to a house in Ward 1 Newton 13 years ago with his wife and first child, he initially considered it a “starter home.”
Spinetta wanted to cultivate the loud and energetic environment she knew all too well with her Italian family. (Image Courtesy of Shirley Spinetta)

Thank God for Tango Mango

Riley Del Sesto • September 7, 2025
If you’ve ever taken a bite from a Tango Mango burrito and thought the taste was heaven-sent, it might be because its inspiration was an act of divine intervention.
(City Councilor Maria Greenberg, shown here with her husband, Mark, her son, Matteo, and her dog, Lily, is running unopposed for a fifth term / Courtesy Photo)

Maria Greenberg on Green Space, Housing and a Run for a Fifth Term on City Council

Carina Murphy • September 7, 2025
As Ward 1 City Councilor, Maria Greenberg has formed a lot of connections with residents and business owners and feels those relationships allow for a more focused, responsive government.
The developer’s petition seeks to install a storm line running from Chapin Road to her property at the end of Homer Street.

Newton Calls for Engineering Peer Review to Help Resolve Homer Street Drain Debate

Genevieve Morrison • September 5, 2025
Newton is calling in a peer review of a drain extension project on 132 Homer St., the latest action by the city in a months-long battle between the developer and neighbors of the Newton Centre property.
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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