The Newton Beacon

07/02/2025

“This decision didn’t just disrupt logistics, it struck a blow to the heart of our community,” a from the organization reads.

Last week, the city removed the red, green and white lines—representing the Italian flag and Nonantum’s large Italian-American community—from Adams Street in the middle of the night, setting off a firestorm of outrage in the [...]

06/27/2025

The rain in the forecast has moved the Plaza opening and Chalkfest to Sunday. Just as well. Chalk art in the rain has a sad vibe to it.

The seemingly endless pattern of rainy Saturdays strikes again. With Saturday’s weather forecast calling for showers throughout the morning and afternoon, the city is moving the grand opening celebration for the Newton Centre Plaza to [...]

06/27/2025

In the middle of the night, the city removed the Italian flag colors from the street to add a yellow line for safety. That did not go over well with neighbors.

Late Thursday night, residents in Nonantum awoke to the strange sound of midnight road work. The crew on site wasn’t fixing a pothole, however. The workers were removing the red, white and green Italian flag [...]

06/21/2025

“The thing is, some people think we’re going to hide, or we’re scared… No, this is when we have to be louder,” she said. “This is when we have to tell people we’re here, we’re not going anywhere, you know, and we’re going to fight this government on every level. They’re not going to win this. We’ve had harder battles in the past to get to where we are today.”

Holly Ryan was honored by the year’s Pride festivities for being a trailblazer—the first-ever transgender city councilor elected in the state, someone who stood up and went to the state legislature to demand civil rights [...]

06/14/2025

“You’re adaptable, you’re empathetic and ever-curious,” Superintendent Anna Nolin said. “These are the competencies that matter most in this world, a world that is constantly changing and a world where you will shift careers, invent jobs and lead efforts that we can’t yet imagine.”

Newton South High School held its 65th commencement ceremony Thursday night, presided over by Senior Class President Aviv Hoitash and Vice President Salila Cintron. The evening’s speeches had a theme: success shows itself in a [...]

06/12/2025

The rain took a break to give the kids the warm, sunny graduation ceremony they deserved after a high school career that included post-pandemic chaos and a two-week teacher strike.

“Let’s hear it for the Class of 2025!” Principal Henry Turner cheered to start the Newton North’s 165th graduation ceremony on Wednesday. “You can cheer as much as you want today,” Turner said. “Each of [...]

05/27/2025

Cycle of life on full display. A pair of geese watch over a baby gosling at Newton Cemetery.

05/26/2025

Does anyone know what kind of tree this is at Newton Cemetery? It's beautiful.

05/26/2025

Bagpiper Marybeth Dowdell plays as Memorial Day ceremonies are underway at Newton Cemetery.

05/23/2025

Progressive Newton hosted the forum, which touched on topics the next School Committee will have a say in, particularly how students should be assessed and taught.

Last month, four candidates—Jenna Miara, Mali Brodt, Bruce Hedison and Jim Murphy—jointly announced their campaigns for Newton’s School Committee in this year’s local election. On Tuesday night, they sat down with Progressive Newton at the [...]

05/23/2025

Bridge work is set to cause a congestion nightmare in the area next weekend.

You may think Memorial Day weekend is the biggest traffic headache of the season. Most years, you’d be right. This year, you’d be wrong. Next weekend, May 30 to June 2,work will begin on the [...]

05/20/2025

Work is finally underway on the construction of the new Countryside Elementary School.

In early spring 2023, voters approved a Proposition 2 ½ tax levy override to build a new Countryside Elementary School. On Monday morning, more than two years after that vote, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller—joined by city [...]