The Newton Beacon

12/05/2025

Newton's City Council members-elect picked a new president, but not without some drama.

John Oliver is Newton City Council’s next president. Members of the City Council who will serve in the next term, along with newly elected members-to-be, gathered in a room at City Hall Thursday night to [...]

11/24/2025

Attending the opening of a chocolate shop with countless trays of samples to enjoy was tough work, but it's worth it for journalism.

West Newton just got a little sweeter. Hilliards Chocolates—an iconic 101-year-old, family-owned New England chocolatier—opened its store on the corner of Chestnut and Washington streets. The move is a homecoming of sorts, because years ago, [...]

11/21/2025

“The violence continues because we have a government that condones it,” Holly Ryan said. “We have to fight to protect everything that we have gained. Everything that we have fought for. We cannot go backwards.”

In May, 1995, a transgender woman named Debra Forte was beaten and stabbed to death in Haverhill. A few months later, on Nov. 20, 1995, a 23-year-old transgender woman named Chanelle Pickett was brutally murdered [...]

11/21/2025

Rev. Debra Haffner of First Unitarian Society in Newton speaks during their Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony.

11/21/2025

Holly Ryan, transgender activist and former City Councilor, speaks at First Unitarian Society in Newton during their Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony.

11/07/2025

On Thursday, thousands of people—city officials, legislators, members of Congress and everyday Newtonians alike—stood in a line that stretched through two floors of City Hall and out to the roundabout outside to say a proper farewell to a friend, leader and city icon.

On Thursday, thousands of people—city officials, legislators, members of Congress and everyday Newtonians alike—stood in a line that stretched through two floors of City Hall and out to the roundabout outside to say a proper [...]

11/05/2025

Aaron Goldman considered Setti Warren to be like a brother and went to work for him in City Hall. Now, he and the city are coping with Warren's sudden death.

To Aaron Goldman, former Mayor Setti Warren was like a brother. Now, Goldman is among many left coping with the news of Warren’s sudden death on Sunday. “It’s a huge void that will never be [...]

11/05/2025

It looks like the city's overnight parking ban will stay.

11/05/2025

Linda Swain, Ben Schlesinger, Jonathan Greene and Victor Lee are headed to the School Committee.

11/05/2025

Cyrus Dahmubed, Julie Irish, Sean Roche and Lisa Gordon are headed to the City Council after winning their respective races. And Joshua Krintzman has won reelection to a fifth term.

11/05/2025

Marc Laredo has won the race to be the next mayor of Newton.

11/03/2025

Tragic news this weekend. Former Mayor Setti Warren has died.

Setti Warren, mayor of Newton from 2010 to 2018, has died at age 55. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller wrote in an email to the community that she was shocked to hear of Warren’s death. “Setti loved [...]