Category: Newton News

News happening in Newton Massachusetts.

Bread & Chocolate Wins Judge’s Award at Cookie Competition

Eunice Feller, Owner & Chef, Bread & Chocolate, Wins Judge’s Award at Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts’ Cookie Creations Event

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts’ Cookie Creations contest featuring local chefs took place last night at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge. Each chef was challenged to create a unique dessert or appetizer using Girl Scout cookies as a key ingredient.

Guests had the opportunity to taste each creation and vote for “Crowd Favorite.” Guest judges Maggie Battista, founder, Eat Boutique; Matt Herron, lead chef instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts; and Earle M. Test, director of education & executive chef, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts chose “Best Overall Creation.” This adult fundraiser supporting leadership programs for Girl Scouts also featured a silent auction.

Both of the winning recipes featured the newest Girl Scout Cookie, Cranberry Citrus Crisps. Jon Riley, executive chef, Capers Catering of Stoneham won “Crowd Favorite” with his savory creation, Cranberry Orange Turkey Rangoons with Creamy Sage Dip. The judges selected the Cranberry Citrus Chutney with Lemon Coconut Mousse or with Goat Cheese & Arugula from Eunice Feller, Owner & Chef of Bread & Chocolate in Newton as the “Best Overall Creation.”

Other chefs who competed last night were Susan Abbott, executive pastry chef, The Catered Affair; Danny Angelopolus, Henrietta’s Table, The Charles Hotel, Harvard Sq.; Danielle Buxton, general manager, A Day to Remember, LLC; Brian Dandro, executive chef, The Royal Sonesta Hotel; Monica Glass, pastry chef,Clio & Uni Sashimi Bar; Donald Hernstrom, head chef and ice cream creator, J.P. Licks; Katie Kimble, pastry chef, Area Four; Lauren Kroesser, executive pastry chef, Eastern Standard; Christina Mercado, restaurant manager & pastry chef, Finale, Harvard Sq.; Brian Mercury, executive pastry chef, Harvest; and chefs from Kings Bowl America and Shake Shack.

Girl Scout cookies, on sale now through March 4, are $4 a package; gluten free are $5 a pouch. To find out where to buy cookies in your area visit www.hergirlscouts.org, click on the “cookie locator” and enter your zip code. Special thanks to event sponsor Yelp Boston.

February 23, 2014
Newton Places #60 for Safest City in United States

Newton is one of the United States’ safest communities, according to NeighborhoodScout whose list of the 100 safest cities in America with 25,000 or more people is based on the total number of property and violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

Crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder, forcible rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. Data used for this research are 1) the number of total crimes reported to the FBI to have occurred in each city, and 2) the population of each city.

Newton placed #60 on the list of 100 “Safest Cities 2014.”

The list of safe cities in Massachusetts include:

#79 Marshfield

#78 Arlington

#76 Billerica

#73 Melrose

#67 Belmont

#60 Newton

#52 Milton

#48 Dracut

#40 Agawam

#26 Needham

#24 Wellesley

#22 Andover

#13 Reading

#10 Shrewsbury

#7 Lexington

#1 Franklin

February 22, 2014
Newton Needham Chamber announces first-in-state partnership with Google

The Newton-Needham Chamber has entered into partnership with Google on a new program called Google Street View Indoors.

Street View Indoors is an expansion of Google Map’s popular Street Views, program. Just as Street View allows users to take a virtual walk around a neighborhood, this program allows your customers and potential customers an opportunity to take a 360 degree virtual walk inside your business.

Visitors can travel 360 degrees from multiple points inside your place of business and zoom in on your products, your displays, your signs, your decor and ambiance.

The Newton-Needham Chamber is the first chamber in Massachusetts to enter into this program with Google, said Chamber President Greg Reibman.

“We see Street View Indoors as yet another way to promote shopping locally, dining locally and banking locally” said Reibman. “We’re excited to be partnering with Google on this opportunity to let consumers look inside our many fantastic businesses.”

Participating businesses can attach their Street View virtual tour to their Google Search listing and Google +Local page. Viewers on any device; desktops, laptops, tablets and smart phones will easily find your business and be able to take a virtual walk inside to look around. The Google Virtual Tour can also be easily embedded onto your own website and Facebook page.

The Google Virtual Tour is also easily embedded onto your own website and Facebook page.

Chamber members are eligible for 10 percent discount from its normal fees. Non-Chamber members, who join the Chamber at the same time they sign up for Google Indoors are eligible for a 15 percent discount.

The Street View Indoors images will be taken by Google certified photographers. Go here for more information about the program. Signing up does not obligate you to participate, it simply gives permission for the program manager to give you a call.

February 15, 2014
Auburndale Cove skating Open today for first time! FREE Ice Skating!
My neighbor Maxine alerted me that Auburndale Cove skating is open today for first time!

She says, “No better winter activity than outdoor skating at the cove on natural ice! It has rarely been open in recent years, but this Polar Express freeze brings this benefit!”

Update for today, Jan 25th, from Maxine, “We are just back and ice surface is crunchy and can be dangerous for falls. (I took a nice dive!). They say they will plane ice surface Sunday morning and should be better.”

Auburndale Cove

West Pine Street

Auburndale, MA 02466

Map from Paddle Boston

Image from Endless Knots

Operational Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 3:00 – 9:00 PM
Tuesday 2:00 – 9:00 PM
Saturday, Sunday, Holidays & Vacations 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM

The following standards are used in determining sufficient ice thickness for skating:

6” Black Ice – Black Ice is formed by the freezing of water without a snowcap on it; thus creating a non-porous ice that is strong in consistency.
9” Snow Ice – Snow Ice is formed when a snow covers, over a thin layer of black ice melts and re-freezes to form a white porous ice.

Skating Hotline: 617-796-1536

When is ice safe?
There really is no sure answer. You can’t judge the strength of ice just by its appearance, age, thickness, temperature, or whether or not the ice is covered with snow. Strength is based on all these factors — plus the depth of water under the ice, size of the water body, water chemistry and currents, the distribution of the load on the ice, and local climatic conditions.

There is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice.

Some cold facts about ice:
- New ice is usually stronger than old ice. Four inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot, while a foot or more of old, partially thawed ice may not.
- Ice seldom freezes uniformly. It may be a foot thick in one location and only an inch or two just a few feet away.
- Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often dangerous. This is especially true near streams, bridges and culverts. Also, the ice on outside river bends is usually weaker due to the undermining effects of the faster current.
- The insulating effect of snow slows down the freezing process. The extra weight also reduces how much weight the ice sheet can support. Also, ice near shore can be weaker than ice that is farther out.
- Booming and cracking ice isn’t necessarily dangerous. It only means that the ice is expanding and contracting as the temperature changes.
- Schools of fish or flocks of waterfowl can also adversely affect the relative safety of ice. The movement of fish can bring warm water up from the bottom of the lake. In the past, this has opened holes in the ice causing snowmobiles and cars to break through.
Note that there are no ice skate rentals.

Other free outdoor ice skating rinks in Newton:

Newton Centre: Check their Facebook page for when it opens.

Newton Highlands

Other places to ice skate:

Daly Rink in Brighton

Reilly Rink in Brookline Cleveland Circle

Veterans Memorial Rink Waltham

Larz Anderson Park in Brookline

Lessons at Fessenden School

Babson College Ice Skating Lessons

Cheryl Franks Creative Skating Academy at BB&N

The Skating Club of Boston
January 25, 2014
Seana Gaherin elected chairman of Newton-Needham Chamber

The Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce has elected Seana Gaherin to serve as chairman of its Board of Directors effective Jan. 1.

Gaherin, owner of Dunn-Gaherin’s Food & Spirits, a neighborhood-focused pub on the Newton-Needham line, succeeds Joseph De Vito, who served as chamber’s chairman for two years.

“I’m excited and honored by this opportunity,” said Gaherin. “Newton and Needham are both amazing communities. I look forward to building, supporting, promoting and serving our businesses and non-profits.”

Gaherin was elected to a two-year term at the chamber’s Dec. 18 Board of Directors Meeting. Rachel Hillman of Hillman Homes was elected first vice chairman. Linda Sloane Kay of Century Bank returns was vice chairman. Walter Tennant of R.L. Tennant Insurance returns as treasurer. David Lawson, from New England Cable News, returns as clerk. De Vito, of the Village Bank, will remain an active member of the executive board as immediate past chairman.

Gaherin and her partner Robert Dunn have operated Dunn-Gaherins for 22 years. She has been a member of the Newton-Needham Chamber’s Board of Directors since 2010 and served as executive vice chair for the past two years. She is a board member at the Restaurant Business Alliance and a past director with the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.

Gaherin has also been active with a wide variety of non-profit and civic groups and causes, including Friends of Hemlock Gorge, Project Hope, Feast of the Falls and the annual For Pete’s Sake Road Race. This year she was appointed by Newton Mayor Setti Warren to serve on the Newton Police Chief Search Committee. She also somehow found time to train, perform and ultimately win first place in Needham’s annual Dancing with the Stars competition, benefiting the Own Your Peace Project and Circle of Hope in Needham.

“It’s critical in these economic times that we work together to build lasting relationships that fortify our cultural and economic vitality,” Gaherin said. “I look forward to working with Chamber President Greg Reibman, his staff, my fellow directors, our municipal leaders and especially our members.”

Gaherin credited outgoing Chairman Joseph De Vito with bringing stability to the chamber during a period of transition, including the hiring of a new president and taking steps to modernize the organization.

“It’s not going to be easy to follow in Joe’s footstep,” Gaherin said. “He is an amazing man and a great role model.”

“It’s been a great privilege serving as chairman,” De Vito said. “I look forward to working with Seana and the chamber as I continue as a member of the board.”

Chamber President Greg Reibman said he is also looking forward to collaborating with Gaherin.

“Joe was a great mentor, a terrific friend and an invaluable resource for me when I came in the spring of 2011,” Reibman said. “Seana is a whirlwind of energy, ideas and inspiration. They both care so deeply about this organization and believe that we all grow and profit when we give back to our communities.”

January 7, 2014
Newton First Blizzard of 2014
Our first snow day in Newton coincides with just one day back at school after winter break. We can expect to get 12 to 16 inches of snow.

What will YOU do with this day home? Capability:Mom said that she would be baking. We will be writing Christmas thank you notes!

Boston Blizzard Information

Boston’s Logan Airport will resume operations at noon on Friday, today.

These Numbers Might Come in Handy
- Police/Fire EMERGENCIES ONLY dial 911
- Non-emergency police: 617-796-2100
- Non-emergency fire: 617-796-2210
- Service request in the city: Make a request online; dial 311 from any Newton landline or 617-796-1000
- NSTAR: Report an Outage online; (800) 592-2000
- National Grid gas emergencies: (800) 233-5325
- Comcast: (800) 266-2278
- Verizon: (800) 837-4966 (VERIZON)
- RCN: (800) 746-4726 (RING-RCN)
Snow Removal

Residents are required to clear paved sidewalks next to their home within 30 hours of the storm ending. Elderly homeowners physically or financially unable to clear to the walkways can call 617-796-1660 for assistance.

Fuel Assistance

Need fuel assistance? Contact the Community Social Worker at 617-796-1282.
January 3, 2014
New Ambulatory Care Center Opens Today!

Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Department, Spine Center and Pain Management Service are moving to the Hospital’s new Ambulatory Care Center at 159 Wells Avenue in Newton. This new location allows for even closer collaboration between care providers across multiple services, enhancing the overall patient experience. The new location has convenient, free parking and allows for more seamless patient care.

A complete spectrum of outpatient rehabilitation services will be offered at the new Wells Avenue location, including: adult and pediatric physical therapy, hand therapy, occupational therapy, adult and pediatric speech therapy, and sports medicine services including community outreach programs for weekend warriors, competitive athletes and those interested in learning more about sport-specific training. The brand new clinical space includes a variety of innovative equipment:

• Dedicated private evaluation and treatment areas for all specialties.

• A large, open functional training gym featuring Medical Exercise Treatment, Plyometrics, TRX and free weights.

• A 12’ x 18’ aquatic therapy pool with an overhead lift.

• New sports and cardiovascular rehabilitation equipment such as treadmills, upright and recumbent bikes, elliptical and NuStep and upper body ergometers.

• State-of-the-art pediatric speech therapy rooms with separate observation/audio space for parents to watch and participate in their child’s treatment.

The rehabilitation services team works very closely with the Spine Center and the Pain Management Service, which will also be located at the Ambulatory Care Center on Wells Ave.

The Spine Center offers the expertise of leading back and neck experts and provides surgical and non-surgical consultation and intervention for a variety of spine conditions and needs, including neck and arm pain, back and leg pain, spinal stenosis, disc herniations, second opinions for surgery, workmen’s compensation claims, chronic back and neck pain, and degenerative disorders of cervical and lumbar spine.

The Center provides multidisciplinary care for spinal conditions and anyone who suffers from back- and neck-related pain that interferes with work, recreational activities, daily living functions and the overall enjoyment of life. Specialists care for the full range of spinal disorders – from simple to complex – affecting the cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas of the spine.

The Pain Management Service at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, also moving to the new Center, is committed to helping patients relieve their pain and return to their optimal level of functioning to enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle.

“Chronic pain can disrupt every part of a person’s life including work and social activities,” says Paul Satwicz, MD, Anesthesiologist and Director of Pain Management at Newton-Wellesley. “At Newton-Wellesley, we have highly trained specialists who help our patients reduce and even eliminate their pain.”

The Pain Management Service works closely with Rehabilitation Services and the Spine Center to offer individualized care for people with acute, chronic or cancer-related pain. The Pain Management team provides a comprehensive approach to diagnosing, treating and relieving chronic pain through both medical and alternative behavioral methods. The team works together to develop treatment plans tailored to each individual patient’s needs with the primary goal of reducing or eliminating pain and enabling patients to achieve the highest possible level of function and independence.

For more information about the programs and services offered at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, call CareFinder at 1-866-NWH-DOCS (694-3627) or visit www.nwh.org.

December 16, 2013
Be on the Look Out for White Male in his 30s or 40s GREEN VAN

Newton Police are investigating what they called a “possible kidnapping,” on Wolcott Street on Saturday in Auburndale.

An 11-year-old girl was walking on Wolcott when a green minivan stopped on the side of the road. The driver exited the car and lifted its tailgate. The male driver grabbed a shiny object from the car and said something to the girl that “alarmed” her. The girl ran home.

The girl described the man as around six feet tall, medium build, salt and pepper hair, a few days of being unshaved, and wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Article here on Newton Patch.

I am wondering if this is the same person who grabbed the wrist of a woman as she was closing her trunk on Homer Street. The article that I read said a woman was leaving Newton City Hall and, as she drove away, noticed her truck wasn’t closed. She pulled over on Fuller Street to close it and a white Causasian male in his 30s or 40s grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her to the sidewalk. She broke free. He grabbed her wrist again. She screamed at him to leave her alone and was able to drive off.

The suspect is described as a white man, 5-foot-10, in his early 30s, clean shaven, short dark hair, and wore blue jeans and a blue fleece top.

Please be careful and let your kids know to be careful and mindful of Stranger Danger.

November 24, 2013
Newton Election Coverage LIVE at NewTV!

Did you remember to vote today? Are you itching to find out the Newton election results?

Watch LIVE general election coverage on NewTV’s Government Channel (Comcast Channel 9 • RCN Channel 13 • Verizon Channel 33) and streaming online here.

The pre-election results show starts at 7pm and is followed by the election results coverage at 8pm.

November 5, 2013
Newton Makes Top 10 Best Suburbs in America

Newton makes Top 10 Best Suburbs in America according to Movoto. Their study was based on the following desirable factors:

-Amenities

-Cost of Living

-Crime

-Education

-Employment

With a cost of living nearly 60 percent higher than the national average, Newton might not be cheap, but it is a great place to live.

Boston, MA suburb Newton, with 85,146 who call it home, is the second-safest city in our top 10. Its 147 crimes per 10k residents make it 53 percent safer than the national average and 32 percent lower than the Massachusetts average. Violent crimes are 78 percent lower in Newton than the average for the rest of the state.

The cost of living in Newton, on the other hand, is quite high—61.8 percent higher than the national average, which makes it second only to Cupertino in terms of how expensive it is to live in. An unemployment rate less than 4 percent helps, though, as does a $107,696 median household income which is 105.8 percent higher than the U.S. average. In terms of schools, Newton has one of the best student-teacher ratios in our top 10 at 11-to-1.

The top 10 suburbs are:

1. Westerville, OH
2. Plano, TX
3. Georgetown, TX
4. Round Rock, TX
5. Cedar Park, TX
6. Cupertino, CA
7. Matthews, NC
8. Cornelius, NC
9. Newton, MA
10. Germantown, TN

October 30, 2013