Category: All About Newton

News, events, children’s activities in Newton, MA.

Newton 9th Best City to Live in MA
CreditDonkey team’s ranking of the best cities to live in Massachusetts used these five key factors to determine their list.
1. Odds of Being a Victim of a Violent Crime
2. Commute Time
3. Income
4. Residents Who Attended Some College
5. Restaurants Per Capita
The Top 10 Cities are:

1. Beverly

Just 16 miles northeast of Boston, Beverly is one of the oldest cities in Massachusetts. A relatively low crime rate combined with a high average wage makes Beverly an excellent choice for families and professionals. Its close proximity to Boston gives commuters access to the area’s commuter train and a short ride to the city (albeit with some company along the way), yet it also has its share of restaurants and local attractions that keep people around during their off-hours.

Did You Know: Several people from Beverly were accused of witchery at the Salem witch trials. The Salem Witch Museum includes a tour of the Beverly home of a minister who perpetuated the false accusations.

2. Gloucester

If you’re looking for ocean views while remaining relatively close to the metropolitan area, Gloucester is the place to be. Residents are able to score an average commute of under 25 minutes, although those who commute to Boston will have double or triple that amount, depending on whether they take the local train or drive during rush hour. While there are plenty of places to enjoy a good meal – including fresh fish – or have a drink, you’re just a stone’s throw from Ipswich, Rockport, and Essex, which offer even more options.

Did You Know: Gloucester shot to fame when all six crew members on board the Andrea Gail lost their lives during a 1991 Nor’easter, the storm documented by local author Sebastian Junger in his book “The Perfect Storm.” The movie based on the book was filmed here.

3. Woburn

Woburn ranks third on our list partly because it’s one of the safest places to live in Massachusetts. Wages here are also slightly higher, with incomes averaging just over $72,000. Woburn ties with Waltham for the shortest commute time, clocking in at just 24.2 minutes.

Did You Know: Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan and actor Eric Bogosian were both born in Woburn.

4. Waltham

Once part of nearby Watertown, Waltham earned the nickname the “Watch City” thanks to the Waltham Watch Co., which produced over 40 million watches and clocks here in the 19th century.Less than 10 miles from Boston, Waltham is home to Bentley College and Brandeis University. The city features active nightlife and an eclectic dining scene, topping our list with 260 restaurants and bars to choose from, many of them on Moody Street.

Did You Know: High-profile employers based in Waltham include defense contractor Raytheon, online marketing company Constant Contact, and StudentUniverse, a tech company that offers discount travel services to students.

5. Peabody

Another community located in the North Shore suburban region, Peabody is a retreat from the big city life for both students and professionals alike. Peabody once made the Forbes magazine top 100 list of best places to live in 2012, thanks to its high median income levels and below average home prices. That’s a designation we believe is well deserved.

Did You Know: Giles Corey, who was infamously pressed to death during the Salem Witch trials, once owned a farm in Peabody.

6. Westfield

If it’s natural beauty you’re looking for, Westfield features rich farmland, scenic stretches of rolling hills, and plenty of rivers and streams ideal for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. At 23.4 minutes, Westfield has the shortest commute time on our list, mainly because if you live here, you work near here. While it ranks at the lower end in terms of median income, the cost of living is less than what you’d pay in an urban setting.

Did You Know: Once inhabited by the Native American Pocumtuc tribe, Westfield was originally known as Woronoco.

7. Marlborough

Approximately 30 minutes west of Boston, Marlborough ranks number two as the safest city on our list. Convenience is the main reason to live here, as the city provides easy access to three major highways for fast getaways and for getting to work in either Worcester or Boston. It has its own action as well, with a major hockey sports center, a big mall, restaurants for just about every taste, and two Targets. Higher income rates and corporate residents Boston Scientific and TJX (the company behind TJ Maxx) are a big draw for the under-40 professional crowd.

Did You Know: This city with a small-town atmosphere was known for a century as “one of the shoe manufacturing capitals of New England,” according to local historians. The only sign of that time is a shoemaker statue and a Reebok outlet store near the downtown area.

8. Newburyport

Thanks to its historic seaport, Newburyport is a bustling tourist spot, but it’s also a great place to call home. Wages here are among the highest, averaging $83,509. Even though the commute is little longer, driving to Boston is bearable, and the city has a commuter rail stop. The crime rate here is moderate, and there are plenty of local dining spots that feature everything from New England favorites to New Orleans-style cuisine.

Did You Know: Since 1957, residents have celebrated the Yankee Homecoming, an annual festival commemorating the return of natives to Newburyport.

9. NEWTON
- Odds of Being a Victim of a Violent Crime: 1 in 1,141
- Commute Time: 26.4 minutes
- Income: $113,416
- Residents Who Attended Some College, No Degree: 7.6%
  (Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 75%)
- Restaurants: 1 per 505 inhabitants
A conglomeration of 13 villages, Newton ranks number one on our list for the highest median income. The Chestnut Hill area is home to Boston College, and Newton is located centrally between Boston, Waltham, Brookline, Wellesley, and Needham. The city has a strong tourist trade, but it’s also recognized as a thriving college community with a strong artistic and cultural presence.

Did You Know: Newton is usually the top-ranked Massachusetts city in “safest city in America” reports, and, in fact, has earned the top spot a few times by an oft-cited report by Morgan Quitno Press. It may have something to do with the town-like feel this community offers.

10. Attleboro

Once known as the jewelry capital of the world, Attleboro is less than a 10-minute drive from nearby Pawtucket, RI. A significant part of the city’s population commutes, either to Boston or Providence, with the average commute time squeaking in at just under 30 minutes.

Did You Know: The Capron Park area features a popular zoo that’s a big draw for local residents and visitors.
June 25, 2014
New Opera Immortalizes Tragedy of Chinese-American Soldier

A Foreigner in His Own Country

“Why are Asian Americans disproportionately targeted for abuse?

A harmonic convergence of factors. There’s the perception — and in some cases, the reality — of the “nerd” stereotype. The trinity of social awkwardness, physical frailty and academic overachievement has always served as a magnet for bullies.

There’s the rising tide of animosity toward immigrants, particularly those from predominantly countries that are seen as emerging rivals of the United States, like China and India.

There’s the plain old fact that those who are “different” in obvious ways — appearance, name, faith, accent — are often the focus of unwanted attention in environments where fitting in is prized, like high school. Or the military.

And especially among immigrants and the children of immigrants, there’s the reality that cultural and familial expectations push them to submit to bullying rather than being “disruptive” or succumbing to “distraction.” from CNN

AngryAsianGrrlMN casual racism that Asian Americans face when she writes:

This is the kind of casual racism that isn’t talked about, but that Asian people deal with on a regular basis. We are the invisible minority, and we rarely get the kind of attention that other minorities do.

New York Magazine has an extensive piece about Chen’s experience, including his letters home from the military. Here’s some of what he wrote to his parents:

“Everyone knows me because I just noticed, I’m the only chinese guy in the platoon,” he wrote home. His fellow recruits called him Chen Chen, Jackie Chan, and Ling Ling. But, he added, “Don’t worry, no one picks on me … I’m the skinniest guy and weigh the least here but … people respect me for not quitting.”

Four weeks later, the Asian jokes hadn’t stopped. “They ask if I’m from China like a few times day,” he wrote. “They also call out my name (chen) in a goat like voice sometimes for no reason. No idea how it started but now it’s just best to ignore it. I still respond though to amuse them. People crack jokes about Chinese people all the time, I’m running out of jokes to come back at them.”

The eight men later charged in connection with his death are all white and range in age from 24 to 35; they include one lieutenant, two staff sergeants, three sergeants, and two specialists. Danny’s parents, of course, are inconsolable at the loss of their only child.

“In October of 2011, a Chinese-American soldier serving in Afghanistan was found shot dead in an apparent suicide after weeks of abuse by his fellow servicemen. An investigation showed that 19-year-old Danny Chen had been the subject of racial slurs and abusive treatment, including excessive guard duty and torturous exercises, accompanied by beating and taunting by other soldiers. The tragedy of the young man is the subject of a new opera titled An American Soldier, which premiers in Washington, D.C. on June 13.

Opera director David Paul says the courtroom set is gradually dismantled until it hits a wall of graffiti typically found in war zones.

“One of the things we want to show in the piece is how American justice fails this man and essentially falls apart and we are trying to get at the bottom of why, but as the piece progresses, it – American justice – fails us and so one of the things we are showing is that this courtroom as foundation of the story essentially disintegrates,” he said.

Creators of An American Soldier say they hope the opera will contribute to a closer scrutiny of a dark undercurrent in the U.S. military culture, and society in general.”

From Voice of America

June 24, 2014
Third Emmy® Win for NewTV!

NewTV’s original program “The Folklorist” received its third Boston/New England Emmy® Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

“The Folklorist” won for Historical/Cultural Program/Special at the awards ceremony on June 7 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. The show previously won Emmys for its promo and host. This year’s award is especially gratifying as it recognizes the quality of the program and honors the hard work of the entire cast and crew.

Congratulations to “The Folklorist” production team of John Horrigan, Andrew Eldridge, Angela Harrer, Melinda Garfield and Robert Kelly, as well as the cast members, interns and volunteers. NewTV congratulates all the Emmy winners and thanks its ever-growing audience.

Watch “The Folklorist” here.

June 23, 2014
Bike Rides for Kids and Families with BikeNewton

BikeNewton leads a group Bike Ride starting and ending at the Newton Main Library.

Arrive at 5:45.

These are family-friendly “No Rider Left Behind” rides; anyone may ride as long as their bikes are in good working order, and they are confident they can handle a leisurely 7 to 10 mile ride.

Children must be with an adult, all riders must wear helmets, and adhere to safety rurules of the road. We will go to scenic points in and around Newton.

All new riders get a free Bike Map of Newton!

Where: Meet at the Newton Main Library
330 Homer St.
Newton Center

When: 5:45 PM – 7:15 PM Mondays through November 8

Who: Kids and adults

How: Just come

Cost: Free

For more info: www.bikenewton.org

June 22, 2014
2014’s Safest States to Live In: MA is Safest!

WalletHub has identified the Safest States to Live In. Using 26 key metrics, they sorted the states according to different safety standards that take into account data related to crime, traffic accidents, employer insurance coverage, climate disasters, consumer bank accounts and more.

How did Massachusetts do?

#1 For Home and Community Safety.

#1 For Financial Safety. We are good savers in Massachusetts!

#1 For Driving Safety. Wow, who knew?

#5 For Workplace Safety.

#25 For Natural Disasters.

Overall rank of safest states to live in: Massachusetts is #1!

June 21, 2014
Amanda Pavone : Newton’s Olympic Hopeful
There is no doubting Amanda Pavone’s utter dedication and drive in qualifying for the US 2016 Olympics women’s boxing team; her training regime for competition – a two hour mixture of jump rope, shadow boxing, mitts and sparring followed by 45 minutes of running – is merciless. Even more impressive is that Amanda’s daily routine around which she fits her training involves, on average, 10-hour shifts as chef/manager at Boston’s seafood restaurant chain, The Daily Catch.

Boxing Olympic Hopeful Amanda Pavone

Just as remarkable is the fact that Amanda, 28, put on her first pair of boxing gloves in only 2009, and yet her total commitment to the sport has already led to her being ranked second in the USA Boxing Elite Women’s ranking, and winning second place in the 2013 Women’s National Golden Gloves competition.

The expense of boxing classes and gym memberships prevented Amanda from taking up the sport from an earlier age. Rather unconventionally, she was in fact drinking in a bar in Boston one night after work when the idea of trying out boxing first came to her. She explains:

“My friend had told me the owner of the bar (Danny Kelly) works with people boxing and his son is a boxer. He doesn’t ‘train’ anyone but he knew all the people on the boxing scene and would work with people. The first night I met him I begged him to let me hit the mitts and of course he said absolutely not… Being the way that I am I just wouldn’t let it go the whole night and didn’t stop asking until he finally gave in and let me hit the mitts a couple times.”

Kelly was immediately aware of Amanda’s incredible strength and spotted her overwhelming potential. The very next day, he introduced Amanda to her first trainer, Jimmy Farrell and she “hasn’t stopped fighting or training since that day.”

Amanda is utterly passionate about boxing: “It keeps me disciplined,” she explains. “When I discovered boxing, I wasn’t in a very good place in my life and I can honestly say that boxing saved my life. Boxing keeps me in line every day. Without it, I’d be miserable.”

Her trainer, Marc Gargaro, 35, of Nontantum Boxing Club, Newton, says of Amanda’s drive: “She works harder than anyone in the gym; it usually takes boxers many years to work their way from novice to Open class then to boxing at a high level, especially National Championship tournament level. Amanda has progressed amazingly fast in a short time.”

Her Daily Catch: Working as Chef vs. Training as Boxer

However, training to an Olympic standard takes both time and money, and Amanda’s grueling work schedule doesn’t allow her the freedom she needs to train as much as she needs. Her Daily Catch manager, Basil Freddura, although sympathetic to the time she requires to train for competitions, is often left short staffed as a result. He says:

“Having to manage a restaurant schedule and balance it with a boxing schedule can be very challenging. Most of the tournaments are more than a week long, which can sometimes complicate the restaurants staffing needs,” adding, “but I have always supported Amanda’s boxing because I know how much it means to her.”

The situation is equally as arduous from Amanda’s perspective, and the pressures of juggling long hours as a chef and training every day physically takes its toll on her:

“I train every morning and by the time I get into work I am already exhausted going into anywhere from an eight or sometimes a 14 hour shift. It’s not like I’m sitting at a desk, I’m literally hunched over a hot stove all day sweating, hot, and completely exhausted. I have burns on every part of my arms, my legs ache from standing on them all day, everyday, and from the running and training.”

She goes on to explain: “I try and take one day a week off the gym and it should be a day that I’m not working but it usually isn’t because on my days off I can fit in a double work out which is much more productive, but in turn, leaves me with not enough rest. That just rolls into the next week and continues and continues.”

This grueling agenda goes a long way to explaining Amanda’s desperate need for financial support in order to reach her Olympic dream. Not only do boxing injuries last far longer as a result of her job and her inability to get enough rest, she desperately needs more time to train.

The Path to Olympic Gold

Marc strongly believes that there are three keys to Amanda reaching the Olympics, clarifying:

“She really needs to be able to invest more time in training, financial support for time missed from her job while travelling, and a nutritionist.

Training as a boxer at Amanda’s level requires total dedication and that’s incredibly tough while balancing a full time job.

I’d love for her to get some financial support so she can dedicate more time to training.”

The need for a nutritionist is linked to Amanda’s other passion – food; working long hours in a restaurant is not conducive to good eating habits, and she often struggles to maintain her fighting weight, explaining:

“The Olympic weight classes for women are 112, 132 and 165. 132 is too big for me to fight at and 112 seems physically impossible for me to make, unless I start changing my eating habits and doing things the right way. This would take a while but it’s the only way. I think, however, that it would be impossible for me to make 112 without a nutritionist.”

As Amanda trains for next month’s 2014 Women’s Golden Gloves Championships in Florida, these issues are all too pertinent as once again Amanda squeezes in crucial training sessions around her punishing work schedule. There is little doubt that she has the talent and the spirit to make her Olympic dreams a reality, but it is financial funding that holds the key to Amanda’s hopes. She concludes: “I have financial responsibilities and only working part time is not ever an option for me. I can only dream of the day when I can just worry about training and nothing else.”

How to Help Amanda Reach the Olympics

Please help Amanda reach the Olympics by:
- Spread the word about her GoFundMe Campaign
- Suggest potential corporate sponsors (please leave a comment or email pragmaticmomblog@gmail.com)
- Donate! Any donation, small or large, will help her reach her dreams
Thank you so much!!! If you wish to donate, please go here.

Amanda is in blue.

Article by Lydia Davis.
June 20, 2014
Meeting to Discuss Very Large Housing Development in Auburndale

A Very Large Housing Development Proposal for 2.5 acre lot at 70 Rowe St., Auburndale (a village of Newton, MA).

Just to let you know that there is a Community Meeting on Thurs. June 19, 6:30 pm, at the Auburndale Community Library.

375 Auburn Street
Auburndale MA 02466

Our Village is experiencing a surge in development density that will heavily impact traffic and Schools.

Please attend the community meeting to voice your opinions and questions for the developer and city officials.

June 17, 2014
Newton’s Own Iced Teas: ZOOS

Newton resident, Kristina Tsipouras brings a traditional Greek tea beverage to the US. Her families recipe goes back many generations, and is known as the ‘cure-all’ herbal tea of the Mediterranean. Gluten Free, Caffeine Free, Kosher, All Natural and just 50 calories per. serving, they are launching with Lemon, Peach and Original flavors.

You can find ZOOS Greek Iced-Teas at Wegmans, Roche Brothers, and Sudbury Farms in Newton.

You can read more about the health benefits of Greek Tea here.

ZOOS on Facebook.

June 17, 2014
Go Skateboarding Day at West Suburban YMCA

Celebrate National Skateboarding Day at the West Suburban YMCA with a FREE family fun event!

Saturday, June 21st

1-4 pm

Snacks, contests, prizes and more!

June 16, 2014
NESN Clubhouse Father’s Day Show

NESN Clubhouse, the new kids-only pregame show on New England’s most-watched sports network, offers a special Father’s Day show this weekend at noon on Sunday, June 15, 2014 to kick off summer. Featuring D’Angelo Ortiz(or Little Papi) along with hosts TJ Hourigan and Gary Striewski, the show is broadcast live from Fenway Park and segments highlight cool jobs at the ballpark, the science behind baseball and kid reporter interviews with players and staff.

Segments this week include a special Father’s Day Round of “Batter Up with D’Angelo Ortiz” and an inside look at the cars of Fenway with the Park’s parking attendant – including the cars of players Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino and Jonny Gomes. Also, Brandon Workman demonstrates how to throw a cutter.

This new show is produced by Linda Pizzuti Henry and the NESN team along with an educator from WGBH, who helped design elements to appeal while they inform. NESN Clubhouse airs before the network’s traditional hour-long pregame coverage everySunday that NESN broadcasts a Red Sox game. NESN Clubhouse features junior reporters, along with Tom Caron, Gary Striewski, former and current Red Sox players and Wally The Green Monster. The show includes segments like “Stump Your Parents” and “You Make the Call” so kids are challenged and involved. A companion web site also includes interactive opportunities like “Boston Globe Freeze Frame” which lets kids at home provide captions for Red Sox photos that are then broadcast on the next show. The site also houses segments from the show and other special bonus features.

During Red Sox home games, the show originates from Yawkey Way. When the team is on the road, NESN Clubhouse is produced live in front of a studio audience from the NESN studios in Watertown, Mass. on a new set designed specifically for the show. The live audience features youth baseball and softball teams. Parents are encouraged to visit NESN.com/ClubhouseSweepstakes to sign up their son or daughter’s team for a chance to win an opportunity to be in the live studio audience for select road games. Learn more here.

June 14, 2014